Despite this great disaster, Charles did not lose heart, and within afortnight began to reassemble his scattered forces. His movements wereclosely watched by the Bernese, who strongly fortified Morat, theirstrongest outpost, sending Adrian von Bubenberg with fifteen hundred mento hold it against the duke. On the 9th of June, 1476, Charles appearedbefore the town with twenty-five thousand men, and his artillery soonmade terrible havoc amongst the weak fortifications. Von Bubenberg,however, vowed that he would not surrender so long as a drop of livingblood remained in his veins. The Eidgenossen forces, which had returnedhome after the last engagement, did not reach Morat till the 21st ofJune, but determined to give battle on the 22nd, that day being theanniversary of the ever-memorable Laupen. Charles had drawn up histroops on the plateaux of Munchwiler, Courlevon, and Cressier, oppositeMorat, and had strengthened his front with a ditch and a barricade oftrees, having also lined the hedges with his artillery, and flanked itwith his horse. It was raining in torrents; to weary the foe the Swissspent the morning in dubbing knights; Duke René of Lorraine, who hadjoined the Swiss ranks as simple spearman, and Hans Waldmann having thathonour bestowed upon them. Towards noon the sun unexpectedly brokeforth, and Hans von Hallwyl, a Bernese nobleman, brandishing his sword,exclaimed, "Onward! brave men. God lights up our path. Do not leave yourwives and children to the stranger!" Leading his van in a wide circle toavoid the hedge he fell on the right wing of Charles. Seeing him thusengaged[Pg 213] Hans Waldmann of Zurich, with his ten thousand troops occupyinga central position in the field, marched up, sprang on the intrenchment,and trampled down the hedge. Carrying their guns across their shoulders,they rushed on the artillery, who were keeping up a deadly fire, and,thrusting back the enemy, soon silenced their guns. Then the Swiss forceadvanced in a close phalanx to the hostile centre, where stood Charleswith the Prince of Orange, and other distinguished officers, and where,too, were placed the English archers under Somerset. A murderousengagement ensued, Charles fought like a lion, and soon fifteen hundrednobles lay at his feet. Suddenly Bubenberg sallied forth with his force,and attacked the Burgundian left wing, stationed between Munchwiler andMorat, whilst Hertenstein of Lucerne attacked Charles's centre in therear. A terrible panic seized Charles, and his army became suddenlydisorganized, and fled in wild haste, the Swiss closely following inpursuit. For the whole distance from Morat to Avenches there wereterrible hand-to-hand conflicts, for the Burgundians resisted stoutly,and the Swiss gave no quarter. Countless numbers were driven into thelake, and altogether twelve thousand of the foe fell that day, the Swissthemselves losing three thousand men. Charles escaped with a fewhorsemen to Morges, but quite dazed with despair, and the Eidgenossenturned homewards laden with rich spoils. All over the country the bellswere set ringing to welcome the heroic men who had saved Switzerlandfrom becoming a subject-province of Burgundy. The great battle ofMurten, a purely defensive engagement so far as the Swiss wereconcerned, still exerts on them the same spell as Morgarten andSempach.[Pg 214]
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