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buted to bring about such an unexpected revolution will be learnt from the memoir that follows, which has been sent to the Editor by an ingenious correspondent, to whom he lies under very great obligations for this and former favours.

MEMOIRS OF JANE D'ARC, SIRNAMED THE MAID OF ORLEANS.

"Dauphin, I am by birth a fhepherd's daughter,

"My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
"Heaven, and our lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
"To fhine on my contemptible estate:
"Lo! whilst I waited on my tender lambs,

"And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
"God's mother deigned to appear to me:
"And in a vision full of majesty

"Will'd me to learn my true vocation,
"And free my country from calamity;
"Her aid fhe promis'd and assur'd success.
"In complete glory fhe revealed herself!
"And whereas I was black and swart before,
"With those clear rays which the infus'd on me,
"That beauty am I blessed with which you see.
"Ask me what question thou cans't possible,
"And I will answer unpremeditated:
"My courage try by combat, if thou dars't,
"And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
"Resolve on this: thou shalt be fortunate,
"If thou receive me for thy warlike mate."

SHAKESPEARE, HENRY VI. Part 1st. Act 1. Sc. 2. JANE D'ARC was born at Donremy, a hamlet of the parish of Greux, upon the Meuse, near Vaucouleurs; her father's name was James d'Arc, her mother's Isabella Romé. Her education was proportioned to the mediocrity of her parent's fortune, and little is known of her infancy; for fhe did seem destined to act the part fhe afterwards performed. She left her parents at an early age; and void of experience, offered herself as servant to an inn, not knowing how fatal such places are to virtue and chastity: The however preserved both; and as he had a strength and courage above her years and sex, fhe

263 employed herself in the stables, and her amusement was when the rode the horses to water, to exercise them well afterwards. This was her riding school; and he was such an excellent horse-woman, that when he joined the army there was not any officer that could manage his horse with more addrefs. Jane was very handsome; and the violent exercises fhe had accustomed herself to had given her that complexion and health that animate beauty. With so much to charm, it was not pofsible for Jane to want a lover. She had one; but history has not named him, who upon some answers from her, which he interpreted according to his wishes, summoned her before the officialité at Toul, in order to force her to marry him. Jane appeared, and answered with so much candour and good sense, that her lover lost his cause. He strove afterwards to continue his pursuit; but Jane would not listen to him and in order to get rid of him, returned to her father. This was the period when the first thought of her mission; and it arose from all the news she had heard of the affairs of France at the inn, in which places such topics are usually discussed. Her imagination took fire; and she looked upon herself as a girl destined by heaven to tear France out of the hands of the English. Her father by dint of her continually talking of the visions and orders fhe received to go to the king of France, persuaded himself the was inspired. She accompanied her uncle and aunt to Vaucouleurs, where they had some business with the governor M. Baudricourt; and when they had finished, she said to him, " Know

Sir Governor, that God has some time since, often informed and commanded me, that I fhould go to the gentle Dauphin, who ought to be and is the true king of France, who will give me arms and soldiers, wherewith I fhall raise the siege of Orleans, and lead him to be crowned at Rheims." Baudricourt looked upon her as a madwoman, and answered her with contempt. Longpont, an old gentleman whom the afterwards visited, finding a great deal of good sense mixed with her rhapsodies, did not treat her so scornfully. The affairs of Charles VII. were in such a desperate situation, that although the arm of a girl of seventeen years could not be of any great help, yet it was not to be despised. All that remained now to the king was the city of Orleans; and that was warmly besieged by the English. The arrival of a young girl that might be looked upon as sent by heaven, might perhaps be sufficient to re-animate their courage. Longpont represented all these things to the governor of Vaucouleurs. Jane returned again in a few days afterwards, and said to him: "In the name of God! you delay too long in sending me; this day the gentle Dauphin has had great lofs near Orleans, and worse will happen if you do not send me soon." Baudricourt having afterwards learnt that the French had been repulsed with lofs in attacking a convoy of herrings sent by the duke of Bedford *,

As many families in Scotland may be interested respecting some of their ancestors who fell at the battle of Heirings, (so called from the convoy consisting chiefly of that and similar articles, it being

no longer made any objections; but resolved to send her to the king. He gave her arms and a horse, which the mounted with so much grace and skill, that that alone would have been sufficient to have

Lent,) I fhall literally transcribe from a scarce journal of the siege of Orleans what relates to it.

Celuy jour de landemain, qui fut samedy, douzieme jour de Fevrier, -de Brandons; Mefsire Jean Fascot (Sir John Fastolfe) le bailly d'Evreux pour les Anglois, Mefsire Simon Morhier prevost de Paris, et plusieurs autres chevaliers et escuyers du païs d'Angleterre et de France, accompaignéz de quinze cens combattans tant Anglois, Picards, Normans, que autres gens de divers païs, amenoient environ trois cens charriots, &c. chargez de vivres et de plusieurs abillemens de guerre, comme cannons, arcs, troufses, traicts et autre choses, les menans aux autres Anglois tenans le siege d'Orleans. Mais quand ils securent par leur espies la contenance des François et cogneurent que leur intention etoit de les afsaillir; ils s'encloyrent et firent un pare de leur charroz et des paux aiguz, en manniere de barrieres, laiisant une seule longue et etroite yfsue ou entreé etoit tellement que par lá convenoit entrer, qui les vouloit afsallir. Et ce faict se mirent en telle ordonnance de battaille attendans lá vivre ou mourir: cambien que d'echapper n'avoient gueres d'esperance, considerans leur petit nombre contre la multitude des François : qui tous afsemblez d'un commun accord conclurent que nul ne descendroit des chevaux, sinon les archers et gens de traict qui en leur venue faisoient devoir tirer. Apres laquelle conclusion se mirent devant La Hire, Poton, Saulton, Canede, (probably Salton and Kennedy) et pleusieurs autres venans d'Orleans, qui etoient environ quinze cens combattans qui furent advertis que les Anglois amenans les vivres venoient a la file, non ordonnez et sans avoir nulle suspicion d'être surprises: pourquoy ils furent tous d'une opinion qu'ils les afsauderoient ainsi qu'ils venoient despourvuement. Mais le comte de Clermont mande plusieurs fois et par divers messages a la Hire et autres ainsi disposans d'afsaillir leurs adversaires et qu'ils trouvoient en eux tant grand avantage qu'ils ne leur faifsent aucun afsault jusque a sa venue, et qu'ils leur ameneroit de trois a quatre mille combattans, moult desirans d'afsaulter aux Anglois. Pour l'honneur et l'amour du quel ils de laifserent leur entreprise a leur trés grande deplaisance, et surtout de La Hire, qui demonstroit l'apparence de leur dommage entant que on donnoit espace aux Anglois d'eux mettre et serrer ensemble. Et avecques ce d'eux fortifier de paux et de charriots. Et a la verité La Hire et ceux de sa compagnie partis d'Orleans, etoient arrestez en un champ au front et tant pres les Anglois que tres legierement les avoient veux, comme est dit venir a la file et eux fortifier, dolens à merveilles de ce que les oroient afsaillir, pour la defence et continuel messages d'iceluy comte de Clermont, qui toujours s'approchoit au plus qu'il pouvoit. D'autre part porta aufsi moult impaciem,

imposed on the multitude. He informed the king of what he had done; and gave her two gentlemen to escort her to Tours. Their names were Jean de Metz, and Bertrand de Pelonge, both of the

ment celle attente le connestable d'Ecofse. Lequel etoit pareillement venu là pres à tout environ quatre cens combattans, on avoit de bien et vaillans hommes. Et tellement qu'ainsi qu'entre deux et trois heures apres midy approcherent les archers et gens de traict François, d'eux leurs adversaires dont aucuns etoient jà saillis de leur parc, qu'ils contraignirent reculer tres hastivement, et eux rebouter dedans par force de traict, dont ils les chargerent tant espefsement qu'ils en tuerent plusieurs : et ceux qui purent echapper, s'en rentrerent dans leurs fortifications avecques les autres. Pourquoy et lors quand le connestable d'Ecofse voit qu'ils se tenoient ainsi serrez et rangez sans monstrer semblant d'yfsir, il fut par trop grand chaleur tant desirant de les vouloir afsaillir, qu'il despeça toute l'ordonnance qui avoit êté faict de tous, que nulle ne descendist. Car il se mit apres sans attendre les autres, et à son example et pour lui ayder descendirent aussi le Bastard d'Orleans, le Seigneur d'Orval, Mefsire Guillaume Estuard (Steuart) Mefsire Jean de Mailhac, Seigneur de Chateaubrun, Vicomte de Bridiers, Mefsire Jean de Lesgot, (probably Scott) le Seigneur de Verduran, Mefsire Loys de Rochechouart, Seigneur de Monpifsean et plusieurs autres chevaliers et escuyers avecques environ quatre cens combattans, sans les gens de traict, qui jà s'etoient mis a pied, et avoient reboutez les Anglois, et faict moult vaillamment. Mais peu leur valut: car quand les Anglois virent que la grande battaille, qui etoit afsez loing venoit lachement, et ne se joignoit avec le connestable et les autres de pied, ils saillirent hastivement de leur parc, et frapperent dedans les François êtans à pied et les mirent en disarroy et en fuite, non pas toutes fois sans grande tuerrie: car il y mourut de trois a quatre cens combattans François. Et outre ce les Anglois non saonlez de la tuerrie qu'ils avoient faicte en la place devant leur parc, s'espendirent hastivement par les champs chafsant ceux de pied tellement, qu'on voyoit bien douze de leurs etendarts loing l'une de l'autre par divers lieux à moins d'un traict d'arbalistre de la principale place où avoit êté la discomfiture. Parquoy la Hire, Poton, et plusieurs autres vaillans hommes qui moult ennuis s'en alloient ainsi honteusement et s'etoient tirés ensemble pres du lieu de la destroufse, rafsemblerent environ soixante ou quatre vingts combattans qui les suivoient çà et là et frapperent sur les Anglois ainsi espars, tellement qu'ils en tuerent plusieurs. Et certes si tous les autres Fran çois feufsent ainsi retournez qe'ils firent, l'honneur et le profit du jour leur feust demouris: combien que paravant avoient êté là mors et tuez plusieurs grand seigneurs, chevaliers, escuyers, nobles et vaillans capitaines et chefs de guerre. Et entre lesquels y furent tuez Messire Guillaume d'Albert, Seigneur d'Orval, Mefsire Jean Estuart connestable d'Ecofse, Mefsire Guillaume Estuart son frere, le Seigneur de

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