With a shout of delight they all lowered their visors, and crying,
"_France, France_!" they galloped forward and charged their foes,
who came proudly on to meet them with the cry of "_Spain! St. Iago_!"
gaily receiving them on the point of their lances. In the shock of this
first meeting many on both sides were borne to earth. The combat lasted a
good half-hour before either side seemed to have the best of it, for they
were well matched in numbers and strength. But in the end one side must
win, and it chanced that the courage and skill of the Good Knight, and the
enthusiasm with which he inspired his men, at last succeeded in breaking
the ranks of the Spaniards, of whom about seven were killed and the same
number taken prisoner, while the rest took to flight, and amongst them
their captain, Don Alonzo. The Good Knight pursued, crying out to him:
"Turn, man-at-arms, it would be a shame to die while running away."
Presently Alonzo, like a fierce lion, turned against his pursuer with
terrible force; and they fought desperately with sword-thrusts.

At length the horse of Don Alonzo backed and refused to advance any more,
when the Good Knight, seeing that all the other Spaniards were gone,
leaving their captain alone, said, "Surrender, man-at-arms, or you are
dead." "To whom must I surrender?" he asked. "To the Captain Bayard," was
the reply. Then Don Alonzo, who had already heard of that famous name, and
knew that he had no chance of escape, gave up his sword and was taken with
the other prisoners to the garrison, where with his usual chivalrous
courtesy, the Good Knight gave Don Alonzo one of the best rooms of the
castle, and supplied him with all that he needed, on receiving his parole
that he would make no attempt to escape.

The Spanish captain was treated with the greatest kindness, being suffered
to join in all the doings of the other gentlemen, and his ransom was fixed