In order to give time to his troops to prepare for the action Vere
took half his English infantry and advanced against them. They
moved forward, and a stubborn fight took place between the pikemen.
Vere's horse was killed, and fell on him so that he could not
rise; but the English closed round him, and he was rescued with
no other harm than a bruised leg and several pike thrusts through
his clothes. While the conflict between the pikemen was going on
the English arquebusiers opened fire on the flank of the enemy,
and they began to fall back. Four times they rallied and charged
the English, but were at last broken and scattered through the wood.
The cavalry stationed there left their horses and fled through the
undergrowth. Pressing forward the little English force next fell
upon twenty-four companies of Neapolitan infantry, who were defeated
without difficulty. The four hundred and fifty Englishmen then
joined the main force, which marched triumphantly with their convoy
of provisions into Rheinberg, and the next morning fortunately turning
thick and foggy the force made its way back without interruption
by the enemy.
CHAPTER XI
IN SPAIN
Alone among the survivors of the great Spanish Armada, Geoffrey
Vickars saw the coast of Ireland fade away from sight without a
feeling of satisfaction or relief.
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