Horse after horse rolled over in mortal agony and, as they fell, the riders were stabbed before they could recover their feet.
Soon they were broken up into knots; and their dismounted companions, with one accord, left the waggons and rushed into the fray, for a time beating back the Welsh.
"It were best to dismount," Oswald cried, and he swung himself from the saddle, just as one of the enemy hamstrung his horse.

Roger and the squire did the same, and joined the ranks of the footmen.
"Keep together!" Oswald shouted, to those within hearing; "we can cut ourselves a passage through, in that way, while separately we shall perish." Ten or twelve men followed his orders and, gathering in a ring, for a time beat off every attack.

Looking round, Oswald saw that scarce a man remained mounted.

The shouts of the English, and the wild war cries of the Welsh, rang through the air.

In a dozen places fierce contests were raging--swords and axes rose and fell, on helmet and steel cap.
In obedience to the shouts of Sir Eustace, who, with three or four men-at-arms around him, was still mounted, the English bands tried to join each other, and in several cases succeeded.