The Life of Joan of Arc Part 81

[Footnote 1853: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 108, 109.]

[Footnote 1854: _Ibid._, p. 107.]

Then was Jeanne constrained to cry: "That is just what I thought."

The strife between these two prophetesses was brief but bitter. Jeanne always maintained the opposite of what Catherine said. When the latter was going to make peace with the Duke of Burgundy, Jeanne said to her:

"Me seemeth that you will never find peace save at the lance's point."[1855]

[Footnote 1855: _Ibid._, p. 108.]

There was one matter at any rate wherein the White Lady proved a better prophetess than the Maid's Council, to wit, the siege of La Charite. When Jeanne wished to go and deliver that town, Catherine tried to dissuade her.

"It is too cold," she said; "I would not go."[1856]

[Footnote 1856: _Ibid._]

Catherine's reason was not a high one; and yet it is true Jeanne would have done better not to go to the siege of La Charite.

Taken from the Duke of Burgundy by the Dauphin in 1422, La Charite had been retaken in 1424, by Perrinet Gressart,[1857] a successful captain, who had risen from the rank of mason's apprentice to that of pantler to the Duke of Burgundy and had been created Lord of Laigny by the King of England.[1858] On the 30th of December, 1425, Perrinet's men arrested the Sire de La Tremouille, when he was on his way to the Duke of Burgundy, having been appointed amba.s.sador in one of those eternal negotiations, forever in process between the King and the Duke. He was for several months kept a prisoner in the fortress which his captor commanded. He must needs pay a ransom of fourteen thousand golden crowns; and, albeit he took this sum from the royal treasury,[1859] he never ceased to bear Perrinet a grudge. Wherefore it may be concluded that when he sent men-at-arms to La Charite it was in good sooth to capture the town and not with any evil design against the Maid.

[Footnote 1857: "Perrinet Cra.s.set, mason and captain of men-at-arms."

_Chronique des cordeliers_, fol. 446 verso. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 117. Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 174. Vallet de Viriville, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol. i, p. 328.]

[Footnote 1858: S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_, p. cclxxviii. A. de Villaret, _Campagne des Anglais_, p. 109. Le P. Ayroles, _La vraie Jeanne d'Arc_, vol. iii, pp. 20, 21, 373 _et seq._ J. de Freminville, _Les ecorcheurs en Bourgogne_ (1435-1445); _etude sur les compagnies franches au XV'e siecle_, Dijon, 1888, in 8vo. P. Champion, _Guillaume de Flavy_. Proofs and ill.u.s.trations, x.x.x.]

[Footnote 1859: Sainte-Marthe, _Histoire genealogique de la maison de la Tremolle_, 1668, in 12mo, pp. 149 _et seq._ L. de La Tremolle, _Les La Tremolle pendant cinq siecles_, Nantes, 1890, vol. i, p.

165.]

The army despatched against this Burgundian captain and this great plunder of pilgrims was composed of no mean folk. Its leaders were Louis of Bourbon, Count of Montpensier, and Charles II, Sire d'Albret, La Tremouille's half-brother and Jeanne's companion in arms during the coronation campaign. The army was doubtless but scantily supplied with stores and with money.[1860] That was the normal condition of armies in those days. When the King wanted to attack a stronghold of the enemy, he must needs apply to his good towns for the necessary material. The Maid, at once saint and warrior, could beg for arms with a good grace; but possibly she overrated the resources of the towns which had already given so much.

[Footnote 1860: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 149. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. iii. _Journal du siege_, p. 129. Monstrelet, vol. v, chap, lxxii.

A. de Villaret, _Campagne des Anglais_, p. 108.]

On the 7th of November, she and my Lord d'Alencon signed a letter asking the folk of Clermont in Auvergne for powder, arrows and artillery. Churchmen, magistrates, and townsfolk sent two hundredweight of saltpetre, one hundredweight of sulphur, two cases of arrows; to these they added a sword, two poniards and a battle-axe for the Maid; and they charged Messire Robert Andrieu to present this contribution to Jeanne and to my Lord d'Albret.[1861]

[Footnote 1861: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 146. F. Perot, _Un doc.u.ment inedit sur Jeanne d'Arc_, in _Bulletin de la Societe archeologique de l'Orleanais_, vol. xii, 1898-1901, p. 231.]

On the 9th of November, the Maid was at Moulins in Bourbonnais.[1862]

What was she doing there? No one knows. There was at that time in the town an abbess very holy and very greatly venerated. Her name was Colette Boilet. She had won the highest praise and incurred the grossest insults by attempting to reform the order of Saint Clare.

Colette lived in the convent of the Sisters of Saint Clare, which she had recently founded in this town. It has been thought that the Maid went to Moulins on purpose to meet her.[1863] But we ought first to ascertain whether these two saints had any liking for each other. They both worked miracles and miracles which were occasionally somewhat similar;[1864] but that was no reason why they should take the slightest pleasure in each other's society. One was called _La Pucelle_,[1865] the other _La Pet.i.te Ancelle_.[1866] But these names, both equally humble, described persons widely different in fas.h.i.+on of attire and in manner of life. _La Pet.i.te Ancelle_ wended her way on foot, clothed in rags like a beggar-woman; _La Pucelle_, wrapped in cloth of gold, rode forth with lords on horseback. That Jeanne, surrounded by Franciscans who observed no rule, felt any veneration for the reformer of the Sisters of Saint Clare, there is no reason to believe; neither is there anything to indicate that the pacific Colette, strongly attached to the Burgundian house,[1867] had any desire to hold converse with one whom the English regarded as a destroying angel.[1868]

[Footnote 1862: _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 147-150. Lanery d'Arc and L. Jeny, _Jeanne d'Arc en Berry_, ch. viii.]

[Footnote 1863: S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_, p. cclxxix.]

[Footnote 1864: Acta Sanctorum, March, i, 554, col. 2, no. 61. Abbe Bizouard, _Histoire de sainte Colette_, pp. 35, 37. S[ilvere], _Histoire chronologique de la bienheureuse Colette_, Paris, 1628, in 8vo.]

[Footnote 1865: _The Maid_ (W.S.).]

[Footnote 1866: _Servant._ Cf. G.o.defroy, _Lexique de l'ancien Francais_ (W.S.).]

[Footnote 1867: _Histoire chronologique de la bienheureuse Colette_, pp. 168-200.]

[Footnote 1868: S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc et les ordres mendiants_, in _Revue des deux mondes_, 1881, vol. xlv, p. 90. L. de Kerval, _Jeanne d'Arc et les Franciscains_, Vanves, 1893, pp. 49, 51. S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_, pp. cclxxviii _et seq._ F. Perot, _Jeanne d'Arc en Bourbonnais_, Orleans, in 8vo, 26 pp., 1889. F. Andre, _La verite sur Jeanne d'Arc_, in 8vo, 1895, pp. 308 _et seq._]

From this town of Moulins, Jeanne dictated a letter by which she informed the inhabitants of Riom that Saint-Pierre-le-Moustier was taken, and asked them for materials of war as she had asked the folk of Clermont.[1869]

[Footnote 1869: _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 146-148.]

Here is the letter:

Good friends and beloved, ye wit how that the town of Saint Pere le Moustier hath been taken by storm; and with G.o.d's help it is our intention to cause to be evacuated the other places contrary to the King; but for this there hath been great expending of powder, arrows and other munition of war before the said town, and the lords who are in this town are but scantily provided for to go and lay siege to La Charite, whither we wend presently; I pray you as ye love the welfare and honour of the King and likewise of all others here, that ye will straightway help and send for the said siege powder, saltpetre, sulphur, arrows, strong cross-bows and other munition of war. And do this lest by failure of the said powder and other habiliments of war, the siege should be long and ye should be called in this matter negligent or unwilling. Good friends and beloved, may our Lord keep you.

Written at Molins, the ninth day of November.

Jehanne.

Addressed to: My good friends and beloved, the churchmen, burgesses and townsfolk of the town of Rion.[1870]

[Footnote 1870: _Ibid._, pp. 146, 148. Facsimile in _Le Musee des archives departementales_, p. 124.]

The magistrates of Riom, in letters sealed with their own seal, undertook to give Jeanne the Maid and my Lord d'Albret the sum of sixty crowns; but when the masters of the siege-artillery came to demand this sum, the magistrates would not give a farthing.[1871]

[Footnote 1871: F. Perot (_Bulletin de la Societe archeologique de l'Orleanais_, vol. xii, p. 231).]

The folk of Orleans, on the other hand, once more appeared both zealous and munificent; for they eagerly desired the reduction of a town commanding the Loire for seventy-five miles above their own city.

They deserve to be considered the true deliverers of the kingdom; had it not been for them neither Jargeau nor Beaugency would have been taken in June. Quite in the beginning of July, when they thought the Loire campaign was to be continued, they had sent their great mortar, La Bougue, to Gien. With it they had despatched ammunition and victuals; and now, in the early days of December, at the request of the King addressed to the magistrates, they sent to La Charite all the artillery brought back from Gien; likewise eighty-nine soldiers of the munic.i.p.al troops, wearing the cloak with the Duke of Orleans' colours, the white cross on the breast; with their trumpeter at their head and commanded by Captain Boiau; craftsmen of all conditions, master-masons and journeymen, carpenters, smiths; the cannoneers Fauveau, Gervaise Lefevre and Brother Jacques, monk of the Gray friars monastery, at Orleans.[1872] What became of all this artillery and of these brave folk?

[Footnote 1872: A. de Villaret, _Campagne des Anglais_, p. 107, proofs and ill.u.s.trations, xvii, pp. 159, 168. _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 268, 270, according to the original doc.u.ments in the Orleans Library.]

On the 24th of November, the Sire d'Albret and the Maid, being hard put to it before the walls of La Charite, likewise solicited the town of Bourges. On receipt of their letter, the burgesses decided to contribute thirteen hundred golden crowns. To raise this sum they had recourse to a measure by no means unusual; it had been employed notably by the townsfolk of Orleans when, some time previously, to furnish forth Jeanne with munition of war, they had bought from a certain citizen a quant.i.ty of salt which they had put up to auction in the city barn. The townsfolk of Bourges sold by auction the annual revenue of a thirteenth part of the wine sold retail in the town. But the money thus raised never reached its destination.[1873]

[Footnote 1873: La Thauma.s.siere, _Histoire du Berry_, p. 161. _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 356, 357. Lanery d'Arc and L. Jeny, _Jeanne d'Arc en Berry_, pp. 105 _et seq._ A. de Villaret, _Campagne des Anglais_, pp.

111, 112.]

A right goodly knighthood was gathered beneath the walls of La Charite; besides Louis de Bourbon and the Sire d'Albret, there was the Marechal de Broussac, Jean de Bouray, Seneschal of Toulouse, and Raymon de Montremur, a Baron of Dauphine, who was slain there.[1874] It was bitterly cold and the besiegers succeeded in nothing. At the end of a month Perrinet Gressart, who was full of craft, caused them to fall into an ambush. They raised the siege, abandoning the artillery furnished by the good towns, those fine cannon bought with the savings of thrifty citizens.[1875] Their action was the less excusable because the town which had not been relieved and could not well expect to be, must have surrendered sooner or later. They pleaded that the King had sent them no victuals and no money;[1876] but that was not considered an excuse and their action was deemed dishonourable. According to a knight well acquainted with points of honour in war: "One ought never to besiege a place without being sure of victuals and of pay beforehand. For to besiege a stronghold and then to withdraw is great disgrace for an army, especially when there is present with it a king or a king's lieutenant."[1877]

[Footnote 1874: _Memoires de la Societe des Antiquaires du Centre_, vol. iv, 1870-1872, pp. 211, 239.]

[Footnote 1875: Vallet de Viriville, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol.

ii, p. 126. Lanery d'Arc and L. Jeny, _Jeanne d'Arc en Berry_, p. 89.]

[Footnote 1876: Perceval de Cagny, p. 172.]

[Footnote 1877: _Le Jouvencel_, vol. ii, pp. 216, 217.]

On the 13th of December there preached to the people of Perigueux a Dominican friar, Brother Helie Boudant, Pope Martin's Penitentiary in that town. He took as his text the great miracles worked in France by the intervention of a Maid, whom G.o.d had sent to the King. On this occasion the Mayor and the magistrates heard ma.s.s sung and presented two candles. Now for two months Brother Helie had been under order to appear before the Parlement of Poitiers.[1878] On what charge we do not know. Mendicant monks of those days were for the most part irregular in faith and in morals. The doctrine of Friar Richard himself was not altogether beyond suspicion.

[Footnote 1878: Extract from the Book of Accounts of the town of Perigueux, in _Bulletin de la Societe historique et archeologique du Perigord_, vol. xiv, January to February, 1887. S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_, proofs and ill.u.s.trations, ccxvii, p. 252. Le P. Chapotin, _La guerre de cent ans et les dominicains_, pp. 74 _et seq._]