the waggons: at which they rode down upon us and asked, would we have quarter. Now for my part I was well mounted: for I had my best horse under me: yet would I not run, but rode up a little hillock to see if honour was to be had by fighting. Yet I was presently aware, by the noise of the volley that our people received, what o'clock it was, and so disposed myself to flight. But the cornet had thought of all, and already cut off our retreat, and as I was preparing to cut my way through he once again offered me quarter, for he thought me an officer. So I considered that to make sure of one's life is better than an uncertain hazard, and therefore asked, would he keep his promise of quarter as an honest soldier: he answered, "Yes, honestly." So I presented him my sword and rendered myself up a prisoner. At once he asked me of what condition I was: for he took me for a nobleman and therefore an officer. But when I answered him, I was called the Huntsman of Soest, "Then art thou lucky," says he, "that thou didst not fall into our hands a month ago: for then could I have given thee no quarter, since then thou wast commonly held among our people for a declared sorcerer." This cornet was a fine young cavalier and not more than two years older than I, and was mightily proud to have the honour of taking the famous huntsman: therefore he observed the promised quarter very honourably and in Dutch fashion, which is to take from their Spanish prisoners of war nothing that they carry under their belt: nay, he did not even have me searched; but I had wit enough to take the money out of my pockets and present it to him when they came to a division of spoils; and also I told the cornet secretly to look to it that he got as his share my horse, saddle, and harness, for he would find thirty ducats in the saddle, and the horse had hardly his equal anywhere. And for this cause the cornet was as much my friend as if I had been his own brother: for at once he mounted my horse and set me on his own. But of the escort no more than six were dead, and thirteen prisoners, of whom eight were wounded: the rest fled and had not heart enough to retake the booty from the enemy in fair field, the which they could have done, as being all mounted men against infantry.