The Life of Joan of Arc Part 51

The train-bands reached Jargeau on Sat.u.r.day, the 11th. Straightway, without staying to take counsel, they hastened to the trenches and began the a.s.sault. They were too zealous; consequently, they went badly to work, received no aid from the men-at-arms and were driven back in disorder.[1202]

[Footnote 1202: Perceval de Cagny, p. 150.]

On Sat.u.r.day night, the Maid, who was accustomed to summon the enemy before fighting, approached the entrenchments, and cried out to the English: "Surrender the town to the King of Heaven and to King Charles, and depart, or it will be the worse for you."[1203]

[Footnote 1203: _Ibid._]

To this summons the English paid no heed, albeit they had a great desire to come to some understanding. The Earl of Suffolk came to my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, and told him that if he would refrain from the attack, the town should be surrendered to him. The English asked for a fortnight's respite, after which time, they would undertake to withdraw immediately, they and their horses, provided, doubtless, that by that time they had not been relieved.[1204] On both sides such conditional surrenders were common. The Sire de Baudricourt had signed one at Vaucouleurs just before Jeanne's arrival there.[1205] In this case it was mere trickery to ask the French to enter into such an agreement just when Sir John Fastolf was coming with artillery and supplies.[1206] It has been a.s.serted that the b.a.s.t.a.r.d was taken in this snare; but such a thing is incredible; he was far too wily for that. Nevertheless, on the morrow, which was Sunday and the 12th of the month, the Duke of Alencon and the n.o.bles, who were holding a council concerning the measures for the capture of the town, were told that Captain La Hire was conferring with the Earl of Suffolk. They were highly displeased.[1207] Captain La Hire, who was not a general, could not treat in his own name, and had doubtless received powers from my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d. The latter commanded for the Duke, a prisoner in the hands of the English, while the Duke of Alencon commanded for the King; and hence the disagreement.

[Footnote 1204: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 79, 95.]

[Footnote 1205: S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_, p. clxviii.]

[Footnote 1206: _Journal du siege, Chronique de la Pucelle_, J.

Chartier, Monstrelet, _loc. cit._]

[Footnote 1207: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 95.]

The Maid, who was always ready to show mercy to prisoners when they surrendered and at the same time always ready to fight, said: "If they will, let them in their jackets of mail depart from Jargeau with their lives! If they will not, the town shall be stormed."[1208]

[Footnote 1208: _Ibid._, vol. i, pp. 79-80, 234.]

The Duke of Alencon, without even inquiring the terms of the capitulation, had Captain La Hire recalled.

He came, and straightway the ladders were brought. The heralds sounded the trumpets and cried: "To the a.s.sault."

The Maid unfurled her standard, and fully armed, wearing on her head one of those light helmets known as _chapelines_,[1209] she went down into the trenches with the King's men and the train-bands, well within reach of arrows and cannon-b.a.l.l.s. She kept by the Duke of Alencon's side, saying: "Forward! fair duke, to the a.s.sault."

[Footnote 1209: _Ibid._, vol. iii, p. 97. Perceval de Cagny, pp.

150-151.]

The Duke, who was not so courageous as she, thought that she went rather hastily to work; and this he gave her to understand.

Then she encouraged him: "Fear not. G.o.d's time is the right time. When He wills it you must open the attack. Go forward, He will prepare the way."

And seeing him lack confidence, she reminded him of the promise she had recently made concerning him in the Abbey of Saint-Florent-les-Saumur.

"Oh! Fair Duke, can you be afraid? Do you not remember that I promised your wife to bring you back safe and sound?"[1210]

[Footnote 1210: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 95-96.]

In the thick of the attack, she noticed on the wall one of those long thin mortars, which, from the manner of its charging, was called a breechloader. Seeing it hurl stones on the very spot where the King's fair cousin was standing, she realised the danger, but not for herself. "Move away," she said quickly. "That cannon will kill you."

The Duke had not moved more than a few yards, when a n.o.bleman of Anjou, the Sire Du Lude, having taken the place he had quitted, was killed by a ball from that same cannon.[1211] The Duke of Alencon marvelled at her prophetic gift. Doubtless the Maid had been sent to save him, but she had not been sent to save the Sire Du Lude. The angels of the Lord are sent for the salvation of some, for the destruction of others. When the French King's men reached the wall, the Earl of Suffolk cried out for a parley with the Duke of Alencon.

No heed was paid to him and the a.s.sault continued.[1212]

[Footnote 1211: _Ibid._, pp. 96, 97. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p.

301. _Journal du siege_, p. 97.]

[Footnote 1212: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 97.]

The attack had lasted four hours,[1213] when Jeanne, standard in hand, climbed up a ladder leaning against the rampart. A stone fired from a cannon struck her helmet and knocked it with its escutcheon, bearing her arms, off her head. They thought she was crushed, but she rose quickly and cried to the fighting men: "Up, friends, up! Messire has doomed the English. They are ours at this moment. Be of good cheer."[1214]

[Footnote 1213: _Journal du siege_, p. 100.]

[Footnote 1214: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 97. _Journal du siege_, p. 98.

_Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 301-302. Perceval de Cagny, pp.

150-151.]

The wall was scaled and the French King's men penetrated into the town. The English fled into La Beauce and the French rushed in pursuit of them. Guillaume Regnault, a squire of Auvergne, came up with the Earl of Suffolk on the bridge and took him prisoner.

"Are you a gentleman?" asked Suffolk.

"Yes."

"Are you a knight?"

"No."

The Earl of Suffolk dubbed him a knight and surrendered to him.[1215]

[Footnote 1215: _Journal du siege_, p. 99. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 302. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 82. Berry, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 65.]

Very soon the rumour ran that the Earl of Suffolk had surrendered on his knees to the Maid.[1216] It was even stated that he had asked to surrender to her as to the bravest lady in the world.[1217] But it is more likely that he would have surrendered to the lowest menial of the army rather than to a woman whom he held to be a witch possessed of the devil.

[Footnote 1216: Fragment of a letter concerning the wonders which happened in Poitou, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 122.]

[Footnote 1217: _Relation du greffier de La Roch.e.l.le_, p. 340.

Morosini, vol. iii, p. 70. _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 121-122.]

John Pole, Suffolk's brother, was likewise taken on the bridge. The Duke's third brother, Alexander Pole, was slain in the same place or drowned in the Loire.[1218]

[Footnote 1218: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 72. Perceval de Cagny, p. 151.

_Journal du siege_, p. 99. Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 328. Morosini, vol.

iii, pp. 128, 129.]

The garrison surrendered at discretion. Now, as always, no great harm was done during the battle, but afterwards the conquerors made up for it. Five hundred English were ma.s.sacred; the n.o.bles alone were held to ransom. And over them, the French fell to quarrelling. The French n.o.bles kept them all for themselves; the train-bands claimed their share, and, not getting it, began to destroy everything. What the n.o.bles could save was carried off during the night, by water, to Orleans. The town was completely sacked; the old church, which had served the _G.o.dons_ as a magazine, was pillaged.[1219]

[Footnote 1219: _Journal du siege_, p. 99.]

Including killed and wounded, the French had not lost twenty men.[1220]

[Footnote 1220: Perceval de Cagny, p. 151. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 302. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, pp. 82, 83. Berry, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 65.]

Without disarming, the Maid and the knights returned to Orleans. To celebrate the taking of Jargeau, the magistrates organised a public procession. An eloquent sermon was preached by a Jacobin monk, Brother Robert Baignart.[1221]

[Footnote 1221: Accounts of the town of Orleans at the end of _Le Journal du siege_, ed. Charpentier and Cuissard, p. 229. Le R.P.

Chapotin, _La guerre de cent ans, Jeanne d'Arc et les Dominicains_, Paris, 1889, 8vo, p. 82.]