As soon as the weather broke, the two armies were once more in the field, and on the 13th March, 1569, came into collision at Jarnac on the banks of the Charente, between Angoulême and Cognac. There is still the same wide plain, under tillage, with a cluster of houses in one corner, that could easily be turned into a barricaded fort. It is near a little hill, at whose foot still flows the sluggish brook on whose banks the chief struggle occurred. The Huguenot force had been injudiciously divided, while that under Anjou had been reinforced by 2200 reiters commanded by the Rheingrave and Bassompierre. It was Anjou’s plan to prevent the junction of Condé’s forces, but he was disappointed in this by the prince’s sudden march to Niort, thence by St. Jean d’Angely to Cognac, and next day to Jarnac, where he met Andelot with the advanced guard of cavalry, supported by four guns. The following morning, Condé, accompanied by the admiral and his brother, advanced with all the cavalry to reconnoitre Anjou’s position, and had the audacity to offer battle. The king’s brother declined the offer and moved away in the direction of Cognac, where he was again met by Condé with the second division, the admiral being left with the first at Jarnac. The result of these marchings and counter-marchings was that the Huguenot cavalry was taken by surprise, when the infantry was so far off as to be quite unserviceable. Condé stood his ground manfully, but what could 1500 men do against a force twice as strong? He made desperate efforts to cut his way through the dense ranks of the enemy, though his leg had been broken by a kick from a horse ridden by one of his suite.[428] At last his horse fell, and he lay at the mercy of his foes. Being recognized by two gentlemen, he called to one of them: “Ho! D’Argence, my friend, save my life, and I will give you one hundred thousand crowns.” D’Argence promised, and raised the prince from the ground. Seeing the Duke of Anjou approach, Condé said: “There is Monseigneur’s troop; I am a dead man.” “No, my lord” replied D’Argence; “cover your face,” for he had taken off his helmet. At this moment up rode Montesquieu, captain of the duke’s Swiss guard, who, recognizing the prisoner, foully shot him in the back of the head. “Now I hope you are satisfied,” exclaimed the prince, and they were his last words.[429] It is supposed that orders had been given to spare none of the Huguenot leaders. The celebrated La Noue, who was made prisoner in this battle, owed his life to the intervention of the veteran Martigues, “the soldier without fear.” The Scotchman who had murdered the constable at the battle of St. Denis himself met with a similar end, while other prisoners like him were slain in cold blood. A little episode of this unequal fight shows the sterling stuff of which the Huguenot army was composed. When Condé was thrown from his horse, among those who made a living rampart of their bodies to protect him was