MEMOIRS OF THE MAID OF ORLEANS.

Continued from p. 271.

Col. Johnes

THE 29th of April 1449, Jane appeared before Orleans with 12,000 men. She wrote a letter to the duke of Bedford; but the English were so enraged at seeing a girl sent to fight them, that they put the heralds who brought it into prison. As this letter is curious I have copied it verbatim in the note *.

"

"Jesus Marie, roy d'Angleterre, faites raison au roy du Ciel de son sang royal, rendez les clefs à la Pucelle de toutes les bonnes vil"les que vous avez enforcées: elle est venue de par Dieu pour recla"mer le sang royal, et toute preste de faire paix, si vous voulez faire

raison, par ainsi que vous mettrez jus, et payerez de ce que vous l'aἐσ vez tenue. Roy d'Angleterre, si ainsi ne le faites, je suis chefde guerre,

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en quelque lieu que j'attendray vos gens en France; s'ils ne veulent "obeïr, je les ferai ifsir, vaillant ou non; et s'ils veulent obeïr, je les "prendray à mercy: croyez que s'ils ne veulent obeïr, la Pucelle vient

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pour les occire: elle vient de par le roy du Ciel, corps pour corps, vous bouter hors de France, et vous promet et certifie qu'elle y fera si gros hahay, que depuis mille ans en France ne fut vue de si grand, "si vous ne luy faites raison: et croyez fermement que le roy du Ciel

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luy envoyera plus de force à elle et à ses bonnes gens d'armes, que ne sçauriez avoir à cent assauts entre vous archers, compagnons d'ar

mes, gentils et vaillans qui estes devant Orleans, allez vous en en 16 votre pays, de par Dieu; et si ne le faites ainsi, donnez vous garde "de la Pucelle, et qu'il vous souvienne de vos dommages. Ne pren

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nez mie vostre opinion, que vous tiendrez France du roy du Ciel lé "fils Sainte Marie; mais la tiendra le roy Charles vra; heritier, à qui “Dieu l'a donnée, qui entrera à Paris en belle compagnée. Si vous

་་

ne croyez les nouvelles de Dieu, et de la Pucelle, en quelque lieu

que vous trouverons, nous fericns dedans à horions; et si verrez les

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quels auront meilleur droit de Dieu ou de vous. Guillaume de Ta Ponte, comte de Suffort, Jean sire de Talbot, et Thomas sire de Scales, Lieutenant du duc de Betfort, soy disant regent du royaume

town.

The count de Dunois who commanded in Orleans, made a sally with all his garrison, in order to facilitate the entry of the provisions. The French, persuaded that Jane was sent from heaven to their afsistance, resumed fresh courage, and fought with so much vigour, that she and her convoy entered the She was received there as their guardian angel, and all the streets were decorated with tapestry. She was lodged at the house of Jacques Boucher, treasurer to the duke of Orleans; and although the had been on horseback all day without taking any rest or refreshment, the refused partaking of a magnificent entertainment, and only ate some slices of bread dipped in a cup of wine and water. She lay in the same room with the wife of Jacques Boucher, with his daughter. When he heard that the Englifh had detained her heralds, and had made use of injurious language respecting her character; and that the count de Dunois had sent to say, that if any harm was done to the heralds, all the English prisoners at that time in Orleans fhould pay for it, she said, "Let them alone; in the name of God they

"de France pour le roy d'Angleterre, faites response, si vous voulez "faire paix à la cité d'Orleans; si ainsi ne le faites, qu'il vous souvi❝enne de vos dommages. Duc de Betfort, qui vous dites regent de "France pour le roy d'Angleterre, la Pucelle vous requiert et prie '' que vous ne vous faciez une destraise. Si vous ne luy faites raison, ⚫elle fera tant que les François firent le plus beau faict qui oncques "fut fait en la chrestienté. Escrit le mardy en la grande semaine. Et sur le dos etoit escrit: Entendez les nouvelles de Dicu et de la Pucelle. Au duc de Betfort, qui se dit regent du royaume de France pour roy d'Angleterre."

le

MEMOIRES DE LA PUCELLE.

will not hurt them." The English only sent back one herald, whom she asked, "What says Talbot?" And when he informed her that he, as well as all his countrymen, spared no abuse in speaking of her, and declared if they caught her they would burn her; "Go back again, (says fhe,) and doubt not but thou wilt bring with thee thy companion; and tell Talbot that if he will arm himself, I will do the same, and let him come before the walls of the town, and if he can take me he may burn me, and if I discomfit him, let him raise the siege and return into his own native country." The herald went, and brought back his companion. Before her arri val 200 English had driven back 500 French in the different fkirmishes; but it was now reversed; which increased prodigiously the courage of the French. Soon after her entry, the prepared for the attack of fort St Loup, which the carried sword in hand, as well as the bulwarks of St John, and of the Augustins. Six days afterwards the made a sally with the count Dunois, to facilitate the entry of a convoy under the command of marshal de St Severe, which the fortunately succeeded in. A little time afterwards fresh afsaults were made to drive the English from the other forts; in one of these fhe was wounded in the foot; but it did not prevent her from continuing in the field. These attacks lasted the whole day, and the English were only forced to recede, owing to a want of ammunition. She here received a second wound more dangerous than the first, in her neck; and as a large quantity of blood issued from it, they began to fear for her life; but fhe, to re-ani

mate them, said, "It was not blood, but glory that ran from her wound." In one of these excursions, as fhe was passing the Loire with her landlord, Jacques Boucher, some fishermen affered him a fhad, who said to her, "Jane, let us eat this fhad before we go farther." In the name of God (says fhe,) we "will not eat of it before supper; when we fhall have repassed the bridge, and have brought with us a GODON*, who fhall have his fhare."

The siege of Orleans was raised the 8th May 1429t. Jane carried the news of this fortunate event

*In a late edition of the Memoirs from whence I have taken this speech of the Pucelle, there is a note upon the word GODON, as follows: Elle entendoit par sobriquet et gaufferie quelque Anglois. Now I do not believe this; for in looking into the Dictionary of Old Language, I find two words which may answer to her meaning, though not spelt precisely as this:

Goddon, Homme riche qui prend toutes ses aises.
Godone, Gourmand, Gouler, Goinfre.

At first sight I thought it might have had reference to our well known oath, and recollected that at a town in the south of France, upon asking if any English were in town, the answer was, " Non, Monsieur, "tous les God dammés sont partis.”

The following extract from a letter of the duke of Bedford to the king, is from Rymer's Federa. [Hague edition, 1740, vol. iv. p. 141.]

"And alle thing there prospered for you, til the tyme of the siege "of Orleans, --taken in hand, God knoweth by what advis. At the "which tyme, after the adventure fallen to the personage of my cousin "of Salysbury, whom God afsoille, there felle by the hand of God as it "seemeth, a grete stroke upon your people that was afsembled there

in grete nombre, caused in grete partie as y trowe of lakke of sadde "beleve, and of unlevefulle doubte, that thei hadde of a disciple and

lyme of the fiende, called the Pucelle, that used fals enchantments "and sorcerie. The which stroke and discomfiture nought only lef"sed in great partie the nombre of youre people there, but as well "withdrewe the courage of the remenant in merveillous wyse, and VOL. Xiv. ́S S

May 1. to the king. As soon as he was in his presence, the knelt, and embracing his knees, said, "Gentle Dauphin, come and be crowned at Rheims. I am

very earnest that you fhould go there, and have not the smallest doubt of your receiving "the crown which is worthy of you." When the king and those with him had considered the great things they had seen her perform, with what prudence and courage she had conducted herself, as if she had been bred to arms all her life, and had seen how modest and pious her behaviour had been; considering all these things, those who before had advised the expedition. into Normandy now changed their opinion.

Then the king and a few of his principal courtiers, thinking among themselves it would not displease Jane if they afked her what voice it was that fhe had said advised and comforted her; but before they made their request fhe said, "In the name of God I know what are your thoughts, and what you wish to know concerning the voice I have heard touching your coronation; I will tell you, that having placed myself according to my usual method when I pray, and having complained that what I said was not believed; the voice then said to me, Girl, go go; I will be thy aid and supporter ;-go. And the mo

encouraged youre adverse partie and enemys to assemble here forth"with in great nombre," &c. &c.

See also in the same volume of the Federa, p. 150, the instructions given by the Regent to Garter, King at Arms, when sent to England by him 16th July 1429. Also p. 160. Ant. Dom. 1430: De proclamationibus contra capitaneos et soldarios tergiversantes, incantationibus Pucelle terrificatos.

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