body of the townspeople had advanced to the broken arch, at the opposite end of the fort; that they were keeping up a murderous fire, and throwing over huge beams of wood for their passage. Sir William Gladsdale, still undaunted, resolved to withdraw from the outer bulwark, and concentrate his force against both attacks within the Tournelles'

held these preparations, but found their own troops panic-stricken at the sorceress.' They could not prevail upon them either to leave their bulwarks and pass the river for the assistance of their comrades, or to attack the city while deprived of its best defenders. Gladsdale was therefore left to his own resources. Besides the strength of his fortifications, his five hundred men of garrison- or towers themselves. He was then full in knights and esquires-were the very flower sight of Joan. 'Surrender!' she cried out of the English army; and thus, however to him; 'surrender to the King of Heaven! fierce and brave the attack, he was able to Ah, Glacidas, your words have foully wrong. stand firm against it. He poured upon the ed me; but I have great pity on your soul, French a close and well-sustained discharge, and on the souls of your men!' Heedless of both from bows and fire-arms; and when- this summons, the English chief was pursu ever they attempted to scale the rampart, he ing his way along the drawbridge; just then overthrew their ladders with hatchets, pikes, a cannon-ball from the French batteries and mallets. The assault had begun at ten alighting upon it broke it asunder, and Gladsin the morning, and the Maid was as usual dale with his best knights perished in the in the foremost ranks, waving her standard, stream. The assailants now pressed into the and calling aloud to the soldiers. About bastille without further resistance: of the noon, seeing their ardour slacken, she garrison, three hundred were already slain, snatched up a ladder to plant against the and nearly two hundred remained to be walls, and began ascending. At that mo- prisoners of war. ment an arrow passed through her corslet, At the close of this well fought day, the and deeply pierced her between the neck Maid, according to her prediction in the and shoulder: she fell back into the fosse, morning, came back to Orleans by the bridge. and the English were already pressing down It need scarcely be told how triumphantly to make her prisoner: but she was rescued she was received, all night rejoicing peals by her countrymen, and borne away from the scene of action. When laid upon the ground and disarmed, the anguish of her wound drew from her some tears; but she had, as she declares, a vision of her two Saints, and from that moment felt consoled. brother-townsmen. With her own hands she pulled out the arrow; she desired the wound to be quickly dressed; and after some moments passed in silent prayer, hastened back to head the troops. They had suspended the conflict in her absence, and had been disheartened by her wound; but it had not at all diminished tion impressed on each pale countenance their ideas of her supernatural powers; on around them; they knew that no hope was the contrary, they immediately discovered left them of taking the city, and that by rethat she had more than once foretold it, and maining before it they should only have to that the untoward event only proved her undergo repeated, and probably, as late expeskill in prophecy. They now, invigorated rience showed, disastrous attacks in their by their rest, and still more by her return, own bastilles. With heavy hearts they rerushed back with fresh ardour to a second solved to raise the siege. Thus the next onset, while the English were struck with morning-Sunday the 8th of May-their surprise at the sudden appearance in arms great forts of London and St. Lawrence, and of one whom they had so lately beheld all their other lodgments and redoubts-the hurled down, and, as they thought, half dead fruit of so many toilsome months were be in the ditch. Several of them were even held in flames; while the English troops, so far bewildered by their own terrors as to drawn up in battle array, advanced towards see in the air the forms of the Archangel the city-walls, and braved the enemy to comMichael, and of Aignan, the patron saint of bat on an open field. Finding their chalOrleans, mounted on white chargers, and fighting on the side of the French.

The cooler heads among the English were no less dismayed at the news that another

rung from the church-bells; the service of Te Deum' was chaunted in the cathedral; and the soldiers returning from the fight were detained at every step by the eager curiosity or the exulting acclamations of their

Far different was the

feeling in the English lines. That night the Earl of Suffolk summoned Fastolf, Talbot, and the other principal officers to council. By the reinforcements of the French, and by their own recent losses, they had now become inferior in numbers; they could read dejec

lenge declined, they began their retreat towards Mehun-sur-Loire in good order, but, for want of transport, leaving behind their sick, their wounded and their baggage. The

garrison and townspeople were eager to fight) a letter from a young officer, Guy, Sire de or to follow them; but Joan would not al- Laval, to his mother and grandmother at low the day of rest to be thus profaned. 'In home. It begins in the old-fashioned form: the name of God,' she cried, let them de-Mes très redoutées dames et mères;' and, part! and let us go and give thanks to God.' after some details of his journey, thus proSo saying, she led the way to High Mass. ceeds :

seven

Thus had the heroine achieved the first part of her promise-the raising of the siege of Orleans. She had raised it in only seven days from her arrival; and of these days, no less than three-Sunday the 1stthe Fête de la Cathédrale on the 3d-and Ascension-Day the 5th (besides Sunday the Sth)-had been by her directions devoted to public prayer. Even to the present times, the last anniversary-the day of their deliver. ance is still held sacred at Orleans. Still on each successive 8th of May do the magistrates walk in solemn procession round the ancient limits of the city; the service of 'Te Deum' again resounds from the cathedral; and a discourse is delivered from the pulpit in honour of the Maid.*

'Et le Lundy me party d'avec le Roy, pour venir à Selles en Berry, à quatre lieues de Sainct Agnan, et fit le Roy venir au devant de luy la Pucelle, qui estoit de paravant à Selles... Et fit ladite Pucelle, très bonne chère à mon frère et à moy, estant armée de toutes pièces sauve la teste, et tenant la lance en main. Et après que fusmes descendus à Selles, j'allay à son logis la voir; et fit venir le vin, et me dit qu'elle m'en feroit bientost boire à Paris. Et semble chose tout divine de son faict, et de la voir et de l'ouyr. Et s'est partie ce Lundy aux vespres de Selles pour aller à Romorantin, à trois lieues en allant avant, et approchant des advenues, le Mareschal de Boussac et grand nombre de gens armez et de la commune avec elle. Et la veis monter à cheval, armée tout en blanc, sauf la teste, une petite hache en sa main, The second part of Joan's promise-to sur un grand coursier noir, qui à l'huis de son crown the King at Rheims-still remained. logis se démenoit très fort, et ne souffroit qu'elle montast; et lors elle dit: "Menez-le à la croix Neither wearied by her toils, nor yet elated qui estoit devant l'église, auprès au chemin." by her triumphs, she was again within a few Et lors elle monta sans qu'il se meust comme days before Charles at his Court at Toursthe same untaught and simple shepherdessurging him to confide in her guidance, and enable her to complete her mission. Her very words have been recorded in a chronicle, written probably the same year :

Quand la Pucelle Jeanne fut devant le Roy, elle s'agenoüilla et l'embrassa par les jambes, en luy disant:-"Gentil Dauphin, venez prendre vostre noble sacre à Rheims; je suis fort aiguillonnée que vous y alliez, et ne faites doute que vous y recevrez vostre digne sacre.'

Or, le Roy en luy-mesme, et aussi trois ou quatre des principaux d'autour de lui, pensoient, s'il ne déplairoit point à ladite Jeanne, qu'on luy

démandast ce que la voix luy disoit.

s'il fust lié. Et lors se tourna vers l'huys de l'église, qui estoit bien prochain, et dit en assez voix de femme: " Vous, les prestres et gens d'église, faies procession et prières à Dieu." Et avant! tirez avant!" son estendart ployé que lors se retourna à son chemin, en disant, "Tirez portoit un gracieux page, et avoit sa hache petite en la main, et un sien frère, qui est venu depuis huit jours, partoit aussi avec elle tout armé en blanc.'*

Notwithstanding the splendid success of the young heroine before Orleans, the King did not as yet yield to her entreaties, nor undertake the expedition to Rheims. It seem ed necessary, in the first place, to reduce the De quoy elle s'apperceut aucunement, et dit : En nom other posts which the English still held upon de Dieu, je scay bien ce que vous pensez et vou- the Loire. In this object the Maid took a lez dire de la Voix que j'ay ouye touchant vostre conspicuous and intrepid share Setting off sacre, et je le vous diray. Je me suis mise en from Selles, the chiefs first laid siege to Jarorayson, en ma manière accoustumée; je me geau, into which the Earl of Suffolk had recomplaignois, pour ce qu'on ne me vouloit pas tired with several hundred men. For some croire de ce que je disois; et lors la Voix me

dit: Fille, va, va, je seray à ton ayde, va! et days the artillery played on both sides; a quand cette Voix me vient, je suis tant resjouye breach was effected in the walls; and on the que merveilles." Et en disant lesdites paroles 12th of June the French trumpets sounded elle levoit les yeux au ciel en monstrant signe d'une grande exultation.'f

There is another original document describing the Maid's appearance at this time;

the signal to assault. Joan was as usual amongst the foremost, with her holy banner displayed. She had herself planted a ladder, and was ascending the walls, when a huge stone rolled down from the summit, struck Supplément aux Mémoires. (Collection, vol. her on the helmet, and hurled her headlong viii., p. 317.) It is added, Cet acte n'a été sus-into the fosse. Immediately rising again, not pendu que pendant les années les plus orageuses de unhurt but still undaunted, she continued to animate her countrymen :-Forward! for* Collection des Mémoires, vol. viii., p. 225.

la Révolution.'

Mémoires concernant la Pucelle. (Collection, vol. viii., p. 180.)

ward!-my friends! the Lord has delivered of the Garter was afterwards taken from him. them into our hands!' The storm was re- Talbot disdained to show his back to an enenewed with fresh ardour and complete suc-my; he dismounted to fight on foot amongst cess; the town was taken, and nearly the the foremost, but being left almost alone, he whole garrison put to the sword; many, not- was speedily made prisoner, together with withstanding Joan's humane endeavours, be- Lord Scales; while upwards of two thousand ing slain in cold blood, whenever there was men were killed in the pursuit.

*

any dispute for ransom. The fate of the The victory at Patay gave fresh weight to Earl of Suffolk is a striking incident and Joan's intreaties that the King would set forth illustration of the age of chivalry. When to be crowned at Rheims. Such an exclosely pursued by one of the French offi- pedition was still overcast by doubts and cers, he turned round and asked him if he perils. Rheims itself, and every other city were of gentle birth? I am,' replied the in the way, was in the hands of enemies; officer, whose name was Guillaume Regnault, and a superior force, either of English from an esquire of Auvergne. And are you a the left, or of Burgundians from the right, knight?' 'I am not.' Then I will make might assail the advancing army. To you one,' said Suffolk; and having first struck add to these difficulties, Charles himself, at Regnault with his sword, and thus dubbed that period of his life, was far from disposed him as his superior, he next surrendered the to personal exertion; nevertheless, he could same sword to him as his captive. not withstand the solicitations of the 'inspir The fate of Jargeau deterred the garrisons ed' Maid, and the wish of the victorious of Beaugency and Mehun from resistance; troops. Collecting ten or twelve thousand and Talbot, who had now succeeded to the men at Gien, he marched from the valley of chief command, gathering into one body the the Loire, accompanied by Joan herself, by remaining English troops, began in all haste his bravest captains and by his wisest counsel. his retreat towards the Seine. In his way lors. They first appeared before the city he was met by Fastolf with a reinforcement of Auxerre, which shut its gates, but conof four thousand men. The French chiefs sented, on a payment of money, to furat the same time received a like accession of nish a supply of provisions. Their next force under the Lord Constable of France, point was Troyes, but here they found the Arthur de Richemont. He had become es- city held by five or six hundred Burguntranged from the King by the cabals of La dian soldiers, and refusing all terms of treaty. Trimouille, the reigning minion at court, and Nothing remained but a siege, and for this Charles had written to forbid his coming; the King wanted both time and means. nevertheless he still drew near; and Joan, had with him neither mining tools nor artilin a spirit of headlong loyalty, proposed to lery, nor stores of provisions, and the soldiers go forth and give him battle. No one seem-subsisted only by plucking the ears of corn ed to relish this proposal; on the contrary, and the half-ripened beans from the fields. it excited general complaints. Several offi- Several days had passed and no progress been cers muttered that they were friends of the made. At length a council was held, when Constable, and in case of need should prefer the Chancellor and nearly all the other chief him to all the maids in the kingdom! At men passed for a retreat to the Loire. While length Joan herself was made to comprehend they were still deliberating, a knock was the importance of shunning civil discord, and heard at the door, and the Maid of Orleans combining against the common enemy; she came in; she first asked the King whether agreed to welcome the Constable on his tak- she should be believed in what she was about ing an oath of loyalty, and to use her inter- to say. He coldly answered that she should, cession with the King on his behalf. The provided she said things that were reasonable combined forces then pushed forward, eager and profitable. The city is yours!' she to overtake the English army in its retreat. then exclaimed, 'if you will but remain beOn the 18th of June, they came up with it fore it two days longer!' So confident seemnear the village of Patay. So altered were ed her present prediction-such good results the English within the last few weeks-so had followed the past, that the council awestruck at the idea of supernatural power agreed to make a further trial, and postpone being wielded against them, that they scarce- their intended retreat. Without delay, and ly stood firm a moment. The battle was decided almost as soon as begun. Even the brave Fastolf betook himself to flight at the first fire, in punishment for which the Order

He

eager to make good her words, Joan sprang on horseback, and directed all the men-atarms she met-gentle or simple alike—to exert themselves in heaping together faggots and other wood-work, and preparing what in the military language of that day is called

End with many tears implored!
'Tis the sound of home restored!
And as mounts the angel show,
Gliding with them she would go,
But, again to stoop below

taudis et approches. The townsmen of garded her mission as accomplished, and her Troyes, assembling on their ramparts, gazed inspiration as fled. 'I wish,' she said, 'that on her while thus employed, and bethought the gentle King should allow me to return tothem of her mighty deeds at Orleans, already wards my father and mother, keep my flocks magnified into the miraculous by popular re- and herds as before, and do all things as I port. The more credulous of these gazers was wont to do.' even declared that they could see a swarm of white butterflies hovering above her standard. The more loyal began to recollect that they were Frenchmen, not Burgundians-that| Charles was their true liege lord—that they should be rebels to resist him. Under the influence of these various feelings, which the garrison could not venture to resist, they sent out to offer some terms of capitulation; the King, as may be supposed, made no objection to any; and next day he was joyfully received within the gates.

And, returned to green Lorraine, Be a shepherd-child again!'* This feeling in the mind of Joan was, no doubt, strengthened by the unexpected sight of Laxart and Jacques d'Arc- her uncle and her father-who had come to Rheims to take part in her triumph, and had mingled in the The newly-roused loyalty of Troyes throng of spectators. But the King and his spread rapidly, like every popular impulse, captains, even whilst themselves distrusting to Chalons and to Rheims, where the inha- her heavenly mission, or supernatural powers, bitants rising, as if in concert, expelled the had seen how the belief in them had wrought Burgundian garrisons, and proclaimed the upon the soldiery and the people. They rightful King. On the 16th of July, Charles, foresaw that in losing her they should lose without having encountered a single enemy, their best ally. They spared no exertions, made a triumphal entry into the city of no entreaties, to make her forego her thoughts Rheims, amidst loud cries of 'NOEL !' which of home, and continue with the army-and was then the usual acclamation of joy in they finally prevailed. From this time forFrance at the King's arrival. Next day that ward, it has been observed, that Joan still stately cathedral-which even yet proudly displayed the same courage in battle, and the towers above the ruins of time or of revolu- same constancy in pain; that she seemed tions-saw his brow encircled with the animated with the same confidence in the crown of his forefathers, and anointed from good cause of France, but that she no longer the Sainte Ampoule, the cruse of holy oil, seemed to feel the same persuasion that she which, according to the Romish legend, had was acting at the command and under the been sent by a dove from Heaven to the Roy-guidance of Heaven.‡

al convert, Clovis. The people looked on Nor can the King be accused, at this pewith wonder and with awe. Thus had real-riod, of any want of gratitude to his female ly come to pass the fantastic visions that champion. He was anxious to acknowledge floated before the eyes of the poor shepherd- her services; but she refused all rewards for girl of Domremy! Thus did she perform herself or for her family, and only asked the her two-fold promise to the King within three favour that her birth-place might hereafter be months from the day when she first appeared free from any kind of impost. This privilege in arms at Blois! During the coronation of -so honourable both to the giver and receiv her sovereign-so long the aim of her thoughts er- was granted by the King, in an ordinance and prayers, and reserved to be at length dated July 31, 1429, and confirmed by anoachieved by her own prowess-the Maid stood ther in 1459. It continued in force for more before the High Altar by the side of the King, than three centuries. The registers of taxes with her banner unfurled in her hand. Why for the Election of Chaumont used, until the was your banner thus honoured beyond all other banners?' she was asked at her trial. 'It had shared the danger,' she answered; 'it had a right to share the glory.'

The holy rites having been performed, the Maid knelt down before the newly-crowned monarch, her eyes streaming with tears. 'Gentle King,' she said, 'now is fulfilled the pleasure of God, who willed that you should come to Rheims and be anointed, showing that you are the true King and he to whom the kingdom should belong.' She now re

* Joan of Arc,' Sterling's Poems, p. 236.

† Among the ancient records at Rheims is, or was, the account for the entertainment of Jacques d'Arc, which was defrayed by the King. It appears that he lodged at an inn, called the Striped Ass, (l'ane Raye,) kept by the widow Alix Moriau, and that the bill amounted to twenty-four livres Parisis. (Suppl. aux Mémoires, Collection, vol. viii., p. 276.) That house still remains, and still is used as an inn, but the name has been changed to La Maison Rouge. 137.) Such little details give a striking air of real(Costello's Pilgrimage to Auvergne, 1841, vol. i., p. ity to the romantic story.

Sismondi, vol. xiii., p. 145.

Revolution, to bear opposite the name of however, she would not give the signal of every village the sum to be received from it; retreat; and from the ground, where she lay but when they came to the article DOMREMY, stretched and helpless, on the reverse of the they always added, Neant, à cause de la first fosse, she continued to urge on the solPucelle. diers, and to call for faggots and fascines, resisting all entreaties to withdraw until the evening, when the Duke of Alençon having come up and shown her how ill the attack had prospered, she allowed herself to be borne away.

The good example set by Troyes and Rheims, in opening their gates to the King, was ere long followed by Laon, Soissons, Compiegne, Beauvais, and other places of importance. Step by step the King was drawing nearer to the walls of Paris, while Dispirited at this failure, and viewing it as the English, although they had lately receiv- an admonition from Heaven, the Maid coned some reinforcements from home, were not secrated her armour to God before the tomb able to keep the field against him. During of St. Denis, and determined to retire from this march, however, an ill omen was noticed the wars. Renewed entreaties on the part of -the sword of the Maid broke asunder- the chiefs, judiciously mingled with praises how and wherefore we will leave to M. de of her past exertions,* again prevailed over Barante to tell:

'La victoire avoit rendu insolens les Français, de sorte qu'ils se livraient à mille désordres; rien ne les pouvait retenir. La Pucelle en cela n'était point écoutée. Son courroux était si grand qu'un jour, rencontrant des gens d'armes qui faisaient la débauche avec une fille de mauvaise vie, elle se mit à les battre du plat de son épée, si fort que l'arme se rompit. C'était l'épée trouvée dans l'église de Fierbois, et qui venait de faire de si belles conquêtes. Ce fut un chagrin pour tous, et même pour le Roi. "Vous deviez," dit-il à Jeanne, "prendre un bon baton et frapper dessus, sans aventurer ainsi cette épée qui vous est venue divinement, comme vous dites."'

her own judgment, and she consented to follow the King's fortunes. Charles himself, already sighing for the peaceful shades of Chinon, and for his customary life of pleasure, eagerly seized the late repulse as a pretext for retreat. He led back the troops by rapid marches across the Loire, and dispersed them in winter-quarters, at the very time when the absence of the Duke of Bedford seemed to invite him to fresh exertions, when Amiens, Abbeville, St. Quentin, and other important towns in the north, were only awaiting his approach to throw open their gates to him. His conduct on this occasion has in general been glossed over by French historians, from respect to his high deeds in The King and his army continued advanc after life, but M. de Sismondi has treated it ing towards Paris; and at length, from the with just severity. It is probable,' says he, heights of St. Denis, the domes and spires of that, but for the king's supineness, he might, his ancient capital rose in sight before him. on the first assault, have made himself master. It seemed an auspicious time for his coming, of his capital . . . and his sudden retreat to the Duke of Bedford having been summoned Chinon everywhere depressed and deadened away to quell some disturbances in Norman- the enthusiasm of his people. The unwardy. An assault was given accordingly, in like citizens who, throughout the towns of the month of September, 1429, and on the Champagne, of Picardy, and of the Isle of same ground where the Rue Traversiere now France, were now rising or conspiring to stands. The Maid had been eager for it, and throw off the English yoke, well knew, that made a prediction, or promise, to the soldiers if they failed there would be no mercy for that, in the ensuing night, they should sleep them, and that they would perish by the within the city walls. But the King's mili- hangman's hands, yet they boldly exposed tary ardour had already cooled ; and he could themselves, in order to replace their King on not be prevailed upon to approach the scene his throne; and this King, far from imitating of action nearer than St. Denis. Of his of their generosity, could not even bring himself ficers, many were downcast at his absence, to bear the hardships of a camp, or the toils and some jealous of the high renown which of business, for more than two months and a Joan had gained. Thus her efforts were but half; he would not any longer consent to feebly seconded on this occasion. She easily forego his festivals, his dances, or his other led the troops across the first ditch of the city; less innocent delights.' † but she found the second broad, deep, and full of water; and while she was sounding it to and fro with her lance, to discover where it might be shallowest, she was grievously wounded by an arrow from the walls, and her standard-bearer killed by her side. Still,

'On loua si fort sa bonne volonté et sa vail

lance; on lui repeta tellement que si l'on eut fait qu'elle consentit à suivre le Roi.'-(De Barante, tout ce qu'elle avait dit, la chose eut mieux réussi, vol. vi., p. 51.)

† Sismondi, vol. xiii., p. 152-162.