few men; but never you mind; there shall not a mouse get out of Milan
without you have notice of it.' And so much did he say of one sort and
another that the good knight, with great disgust, went away with the men
told off to him to his post in Rebec. He wrote many times to the admiral
that he was in very dangerous plight, and that, if he would have them
hold out long, he should send him aid; but he got no answer. The enemies
who were inside Milan were warned that the good knight was in Rebec with
very little company; so they decided on a night to go and surprise and
defeat him. And the good knight, who was ever on his guard, set nearly
every night half his men to watch and to listen, and himself passed two
or three nights at it, in such sort that he fell ill, as much from
melancholy as from cold, and far more than he let it appear; howbeit he
was forced to keep his room that day. When it came on towards night, he
ordered some captains who were with him to go on the watch. They went,
or made show of going; but, because it rained a little, back went all
those who were on the watch, save three or four poor archers, the which,
when the Spaniards approached within bow-shot of the village, made no
resistance, but took to flight, shouting, 'Alarm alarm!' The good
knight, who in such jeopardy never slept but with his clothes on, rose at
once, had the bridle put on a charger that was already saddled, and went
off with five or six men-at-arms of his, straight to the barrier whither
incontinently came up Captain Lorges and a certain number of his foot,
who bore themselves mighty well. The uproar was great and the alarm was
hot. Then said the good knight to Captain Lorges, 'Lorges, my friend,
this is an unequal sort of game; if they pass this barrier we are cooked.
I pray you, retire your men, keep the best order you can, and march
straight to the camp at Abbiate-Grasso; I, with the horse I have, will
remain in the rear. We must leave our baggage to the enemy; there is no
help for it. Save we the lives if possible.' . . . The enemy sought
on all sides for the good knight, but he had already arrived at