The leading principle in the TACTICS of this century was, with the exceptions already noticed, to compose the _strength of the army_ of the knightly order. It was the knight who fought in the terrible mêlée of the battle-field: it was the knight who scaled the walls of the besieged fortress; who directed the discharge of perrier and mangonel; who filled the towers of assault by the city walls; who defended those walls from outward attack; and who, in sea-fights, manned the ships of war, and with pike and javelin contended against other men-at-arms battling in the adverse fleet. The remainder of the troops were looked upon as mere accessories, engines useful to clear the way for the "achievement" of the equestrian order. The men-at-arms marched to the field of battle in squadrons so dense that, as a cotemporary writer records, "a glove thrown into the midst of them would not have reached the ground." "Chacun conroi lente aleure S'en va joint comme en quarreure, Si bien que s'un gant preissiez Et entr'eux haut le gétissiez, Il paroit qu'à son asseoir Ne duste mie tost cheoir."--_Guiart_, 2 par., v. 11,494. They charged, however, in single line--_en haie_--the onset of the first rank being supported by the successive charges of those behind. The ancient formation of the wedge (_cuneus_) was not, however, altogether abandoned, whether for horse or foot. The particular manner in which the German cavalry composed the wedge, beginning with a front of seven men, and increasing each rank by one additional soldier, as far as to half the depth of the formation, is very clearly shewn by Fronsperger[319]. "Wie wohl bey den Alten gebraeuchlich gewesen das sie ihre Schlachtordnung (fur die Reisigen) gespitzt oder in Dreyangel gemacht haben, also das etwan im ersten Glied sieben Mann, im andern acht, im dritten neun, im vierten zehn; also fort an bis auf den halben Theil der Ordnung und Hauffen, darnach seien si durchaus geviert gemacht worden." In 1302, a body of Flemish infantry adopted a similar formation in acting against the French. "Les François virent une très grande bataille des Flamands, qui contint bien huit mil hommes; et avoient ordonné leur bataille en guise d'un escu, la pointe devant, et s'estoient entrelaciez l'un en l'autre, si que on me les peut percier[320]." Of the circular formation we have already seen an example among the Scotch at the battle of Selkirk. Guiart furnishes another:-- "Renaut, jadis quens de Bouloingne, Qui mort ne mehaing ne resoingne, Tant est plain de grant hardement, Ot fait dès le commencement De serjanz plains de grant prouece Une closture en réondèce, Ou, en reposant, s'aaisoit Toutes les fois qu'il li plaisoit; Et r'issoit de leanz souvent Quant il avoit pris air ou vent."--_Sub an._ 1214.