Then the long lances with their fluttering streamers bent all together as they were laid in rest. How looked they like the full grown field of grain as it doth bend before the hot blasts of summer. "Now, Walter, we must find Catesby!" cried Harleston. "Yea, _I_ must find him," I replied between my set teeth, as forward we dashed. Michael gave one great cheer and then leaned forward with his mighty sword, that took the strength of two good men to wield, held beside his huge steed's neck. On we flew, whilst forward dashed a band of knights and squires to meet us. "Charge! charge! charge!" rang out on every side. A crash!--curses,--cheers and groans! and then the sharp swords flashed over head, and the shields rang out right lustily. My lance did resist the shock of the first encounter; the knight against whom I aimed it going down before my furious charge as though he had been a reed. Sharply I spurred my steed and dashed forward at another knight, which bravely came on to meet me. Both lances shivered up to the very grasp. Drawing my good sword I again made at him. Then came a terrible blow upon my side, and I was shot from my saddle as a stone from a sling. Some cowardly knave had borne down upon me from the right whilst I was drawing my sword to attack my more worthy antagonist. His lance's point had struck beneath mine arm, and 'twas to our good King Edward's noble present that I owed my life. I must have been stunned for a moment; for the next thing I knew of was a knee upon my chest and a visored face bending o'er me. "Now I will finish the work left incomplete when last we met." It was Catesby. In his hand he held a dagger, and now he drew it back to strike. The only sensation I then felt was a curiosity to know how it would feel to die. The stroke I cared not for; but yet I wondered, with a kind of disinterestedness, how one would feel as the soul was parting from the body. It must have been that my senses were still scattered, or I had not acted thus. No resistance did I make; but with an indifferent feeling awaited the fatal blow where my helm joined my gorget. All this could not have taken more time than does the lightning to fly across the heavens; for still the dagger stayed poised in the air. "Hark ye!" hissed Catesby in mine ear. "Take with thee this message unto Hell. Say that I, Catesby, did send thee to thy master, and that, unless the fortunes of the day be changed, I'll not be long behind thee." Then up higher flew the threatening blade. Then did it start on its downward course. It never reached my throat. A great hand seized mine enemy by the wrist; back flew the dagger-grasping hand until the arm snapped like a dry stick. Catesby flew into the air as though drawn by a mighty loadstone. Then was he hurled to the ground again with stunning force, and my great Michael kneeled beside me. "Art thou hurt, yer honour?" he asked anxiously.