The Life of Joan of Arc Part 50

[Footnote 1177: _Ibid._, pp. 117, 300; vol. v, p. 227.]

She prophesied, and, as happens to all prophets, she did not always foretell what was to come to pa.s.s. It was the fate of the prophet Jonah himself. And doctors explain how the prophecies of true prophets cannot be all fulfilled.

She had said: "Before Saint John the Baptist's Day, in 1429, there shall not be one Englishman, howsoever strong and valiant, to be seen throughout France, either in battle or in the open field."[1178]

[Footnote 1178: Letter written from Germany, in _Trial_, vol. v, p.

351. Morosini, vol. iii, pp. 33, 46, 62.]

The nativity of Saint John the Baptist is celebrated on the 24th of June.

CHAPTER XV

THE TAKING OF JARGEAU--THE BRIDGE OF MEUNG--BEAUGENCY

On Monday, the 6th of June, the King lodged at Saint-Aignan near Selles-en-Berry.[1179] Among the gentlemen of his company were two sons of that Dame de Laval who, in her widowhood, had made the mistake of loving a landless cadet. Andre, the younger, at the age of twenty, had just pa.s.sed under the cloud of a disgrace common to nearly all n.o.bles in those days; his grandmother's second husband, Sire Bertrand Du Guesclin, had experienced it several times. Taken prisoner in the chateau of Laval by Sir John Talbot, he had incurred a heavy debt in order to furnish the sixteen thousand golden crowns of his ransom.[1180]

[Footnote 1179: Letter from Gui and Andre de Laval to the Ladies de Laval, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 106. L. Jeny and Lanery d'Arc, _Jeanne D'Arc en Berry_, Paris, 1892, in 8vo, p. 54.]

[Footnote 1180: Bertrand de Broussillon, _La maison de Laval_, vol.

iii, p. 21.]

Being in great need of money, the two young n.o.bles offered their services to the King, who received them very well, gave them not a crown, but said he would show them the Maid. And as he was going with them from Saint-Aignan to Selles, he summoned the Saint,[1181] who straightway, armed at all points save her head, and lance in hand, rode out to meet the King. She greeted the two young n.o.bles heartily and returned with them to Selles. The eldest, Lord Guy, she received in the house where she was lodging, opposite the church, and called for wine. Such was the custom among princes. Cups of wine were brought, into which the guests dipped slices of bread called sops.[1182] When offering him the wine cup, the Maid said to Lord Guy: "I will shortly give you to drink at Paris."

[Footnote 1181: Letter from Gui and Andre de Laval, in _Trial_, vol.

v, pp. 106 _et seq._]

[Footnote 1182: N. Villiaume, _Histoire de Jeanne d'Arc_, p. 88.]

She told him that, three days before, she had sent a gold ring to Dame Jeanne de Laval.

"It was a small matter," she added graciously. "I should like to have sent her something of greater value, considering her reputation."[1183]

[Footnote 1183: _Recommandation_ in French. The esteem in which she was held. Compare Froissart cited by La Curne, Glossary, _ad v. "Six bourgeois de la ville de Calais et de plus grande recommandation."_ ("Six citizens of Calais and of the highest reputation.")]

That same day, at the hour of vespers, she set out from Selles for Romorantin with a numerous company of men-at-arms and train-bands, commanded by Marshal de Boussac. She was surrounded by mendicant friars and one of her brothers went with her. She wore white armour and a hood. Her horse was brought to her at the door of her house. It was a great black charger which resolutely refused to let her mount him. She had him led to the Cross by the roadside, opposite the church, and there she leapt into the saddle. Whereupon Lord Guy marvelled; for he saw that the charger was as still as if he had been bound. She turned her horse's head towards the church porch, and in her clear woman's voice cried: "Ye priests and churchmen, walk in processions and pray to G.o.d."

Then, gaining the highroad: "Go forward, go forward," she said.

In her hand she carried a little axe. Her page bore her standard furled.[1184]

[Footnote 1184: Letter from Gui and Andre de Laval, in _Trial_, vol.

v, pp. 106, 107.]

The meeting-place was Orleans. On Thursday, the 9th of June, in the evening, Jeanne pa.s.sed over the bridge she had crossed on the 8th of May. Sat.u.r.day, the 11th, the army set out for Jargeau.[1185] It consisted of horse brought by the Duke of Alencon, the Count of Vendome, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, the Marshal de Boussac, Captain La Hire, Messire Florent d'Illiers, Messire Jamet du Tillay, Messire Thudal de Kermoisan of Brittany, as well as of contingents furnished by the communes, in all, perhaps eight thousand combatants, many of whom were armed with pikes, axes, cross-bows and leaden mallets.[1186] The young Duke of Alencon was placed in command. He was not remarkable for his intelligence.[1187] But he knew how to ride, and in those days that was the only knowledge indispensable to a general. Again the people of Orleans defrayed the cost of the expedition. For the payment of the fighting men they contributed three thousand livres, for their feeding, seven hogsheads of corn. At their own request, the King imposed on them a new _taille_ of three thousand livres.[1188] At their own expense they despatched workmen of all trades,--masons, carpenters, smiths. They lent their artillery. They sent culverins, cannons, La Bergere, and the large mortar to which four horses were harnessed, with the gunners Megret and Jean Boilleve.[1189] They furnished ammunition, engines, arrows, ladders, pickaxes, spades, mattocks; and all were marked, for they were a methodical folk.

Everything for the siege was sent to the Maid. For in this undertaking she was the one commander they recognised, not the Duke of Alencon, not even the b.a.s.t.a.r.d their own lord's n.o.ble brother. For the inhabitants of Orleans, Jeanne was the leader of the siege; and to Jeanne, before the besieged town, they despatched two of their citizens,--Jean Leclerc and Francois Joachim.[1190] After the citizens of Orleans, the Sire de Rais contributed most to the expenses of the siege of Jargeau.[1191] This unfortunate n.o.ble spent thoughtlessly right and left, while rich burgesses made great profits by lending to him at a high rate of interest. The sorry state of his affairs was shortly to bring him to attempt their readjustment by vowing his soul to the devil.

[Footnote 1185: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 94; vol. iv, p. 12.]

[Footnote 1186: _Mistere du siege_, line 15,761. _Journal du siege_, p. 95. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 299. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 81. Monstrelet, vol. iii, p. 338.]

[Footnote 1187: See _ante_, p. 211. A. Duveau, _Le jugement du duc d'Alencon_, in _Bull. soc. archeol. du Vendomois_ (1874), vol. xiii, pp. 132 _et seq._]

[Footnote 1188: Loiseleur, _Compte des depenses faites par Charles VII pour secourir Orleans_, p. 158.]

[Footnote 1189: _Journal du siege_, p. 97.]

[Footnote 1190: Taken from the Book of Accounts, in _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 262, 263. A. de Villaret, _Campagnes de Jeanne d'Arc sur la Loire_, pp. 77-80. Loiseleur, _Compte des depenses_, p. 149.]

[Footnote 1191: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 261.]

The town of Jargeau, which was shortly to be taken after a severe siege, had surrendered to the English without resistance on the 5th of October in the previous year.[1192] The bridge leading to the town from the Beauce bank was furnished with two castlets.[1193] The town itself, surrounded by walls and towers, was not strongly fortified; but its means of defence had been improved by the English. Warned that the army of the French King was coming to besiege it, the Earl of Suffolk and his two brothers threw themselves into the town, with five hundred knights, squires, and other fighting men, as well as two hundred picked bowmen.[1194] The Duke of Alencon with six hundred horse was at the head of the force, and with him, the Maid. The first night they slept in the woods.[1195] On the morrow, at daybreak, my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, my Lord Florent d'Illiers, and several other captains joined them. They were in a great hurry to reach Jargeau.

Suddenly they hear that Sir John Fastolf is at hand, coming from Paris with two thousand combatants, bringing supplies and artillery to Jargeau.[1196]

[Footnote 1192: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 258.]

[Footnote 1193: Berry, in the _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 45.]

[Footnote 1194: _Journal du siege_, p. 96. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 299. _Chronique de la fete_, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 295. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 82. Berry, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p.

44. Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 325.]

[Footnote 1195: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 94. Perceval de Cagny, pp. 150, 151.]

[Footnote 1196: _Journal du siege_, _Chronique de la Pucelle_, Berry, Jean Chartier, _loc. cit._ Wavrin du Forestel, _Anciennes chroniques_, vol. i, p. 284. Falconbridge, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 452.]

This was the army which had been the cause of Jeanne's anxiety on the 4th of May, because her saints had not told her where Fastolf was. The captains held a council of war. Many thought the siege ought to be abandoned and that the army should go to meet Fastolf. Some actually went off at once. Jeanne exhorted the men-at-arms to continue their march on Jargeau. Where Sir John Fastolf's army was, she knew no more than the others; her reasons were not of this world.

"Be not afraid of any armed host whatsoever," she said, "and make no difficulty of attacking the English, for Messire leads you."

And again she said: "Were I not a.s.sured that Messire leads, I would rather be keeping sheep than running so great a danger."

She gained a better hearing from the Duke of Alencon than from any of the Orleans leaders.[1197] Those who had gone were recalled and the march on Jargeau was continued.[1198]

[Footnote 1197: Perceval de Cagny, p. 148, _pa.s.sim_. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 300.]

[Footnote 1198: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 95.]

The suburbs of the town appeared undefended; but, when the French King's men approached, they found the English posted in front of the outbuildings, wherefore they were compelled to retreat. When the Maid beheld this, she seized her standard and threw herself upon the enemy, calling on the fighting men to take courage. That night, the French King's men were able to encamp in the suburbs.[1199] They kept no watch, and yet from the Duke of Alencon's own avowal they would have been in great danger if the English had made a sally.[1200] The Maid's judgment was even more fully justified than she expected. Everything in her army depended upon the grace of G.o.d.

[Footnote 1199: The night of Friday, the 10th to 11th of June.]

[Footnote 1200: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 95.]

The very next day, in the morning the besiegers brought their siege train and their mortars up to the walls. The Orleans cannon fired upon the town and did great damage. Three of La Bergere's volleys wrecked the greatest tower on the fortifications.[1201]

[Footnote 1201: _Ibid._ _Journal du siege_, p. 97.]