The Life of Joan of Arc Part 43

_Number of _Number of English engaged._ English slain._

Brother Pasquerel 100 picked men 100 slain or taken Jean d'Aulon all killed or taken G. Girault 120 killed or taken Charles VII's letter all killed or taken _Journal du siege_ 114 killed, 40 taken _Relation de la fete du 8 Mai_ From 120 to 140 all killed or taken Perceval de Cagny 3,000 all killed or taken _Chronique de la Pucelle_ 160 killed Monstrelet From 300 to 400 all killed or taken Eberhard Windecke 170 killed, 1,300 taken _Les Vigiles de Charles VII_ 60 killed, 22 taken]

That very evening the magistrates sent workmen to Saint-Loup to demolish the captured fortifications.[1025]

[Footnote 1025: The accounts of the fortress in _Journal du siege_, p.

284.]

When at night she returned to her lodging, Jeanne told her chaplain that on the morrow, which was the day of the Ascension of Our Lord, she would keep the Festival by not wearing armour and by abstaining from fighting. She commanded that no one should think of quitting the town, of attacking or making an a.s.sault, until he had first confessed.

She added that the men-at-arms must pay heed that no dissolute women followed in their train for fear lest G.o.d should cause them to be defeated on account of their sins.[1026]

[Footnote 1026: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 107. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 289, 290.]

When need was the Maid herself saw that her orders concerning bad women and blasphemers were scrupulously obeyed. More than once she drove away the camp-followers. She rebuked men-at-arms who swore and blasphemed. One day, in the open street, a knight began to swear and take G.o.d's name in vain. Jeanne heard him. She seized him by the throat, exclaiming, "Ah, Sir! dare you take in vain the name of Our Lord and Master? In G.o.d's name you shall take back those words before I move from this place."

A citizen's wife, pa.s.sing down the street at that moment, beheld this man, who seemed to her to be a great baron, humbly receiving the Saint's reproaches and testifying his repentance.[1027]

[Footnote 1027: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 34, 35 (evidence of the widow Hure).]

On the morrow, which was Ascension Day, the captains held a council-of-war in the house of Chancellor Cousinot in the Rue de la Rose.[1028] There were present, as well as the Chancellor, my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, the Sire de Gaucourt, the Sire de Rais, the Sire de Graville, Captain La Hire, my Lord Ambroise de Lore and several others. It was decided that Les Tourelles, the chief stronghold of the besiegers, should be attacked on the morrow. Meanwhile, it would be necessary to hold in check the English of the camp of Saint-Laurent-des-Orgerils.

On the previous day, when Talbot set out from Saint-Laurent, he had not been able to reach Saint-Loup in time because he had been obliged to make a long circuit, going round the town from west to east. But, although, on that previous day, the enemy had lost command of the Loire above the town, they still held the lower river. They could cross it between Saint-Laurent and Saint-Prive[1029] as rapidly as the French could cross it by the ile-aux-Toiles; and thus the English might gather in force at Le Portereau. This, the French must prevent and, if possible, draw off the garrisons from Les Augustins and Les Tourelles to Saint-Laurent-des-Orgerils. With this object it was decided that the people of Orleans with the folk from the communes, that is, from the villages, should make a feigned attack on the Saint-Laurent camp, with mantelets, f.a.ggots, and ladders. Meanwhile, the n.o.bles would cross the Loire by l'ile-aux-Toiles, would land at Le Portereau under the watch of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc which had been abandoned by the English, and attack the bastion of Les Augustins; and when that was taken, the fort of Les Tourelles.[1030] Thus there would be one a.s.sault made by the citizens, another by the n.o.bles; one real, the other feigned; both useful, but only one glorious and worthy of knights. When the plan was thus drawn up, certain captains were of opinion that it would be well to send for the Maid and tell her what had been decided.[1031] And, indeed, on the previous day, she had done so well that there was no longer need to hold her aloof. Others deemed that it would be imprudent to tell her what was contemplated concerning Les Tourelles. For it was important that the undertaking should be kept secret, and it was feared that the holy damsel might speak of it to her friends among the common people. Finally, it was agreed that she should know those decisions which affected the train-bands of Orleans, since, indeed, she was their captain, but that such matters as could not be safely communicated to the citizens should be concealed from her.

[Footnote 1028: May 5th. Quicherat is mistaken when he says (_Trial_, vol. iv, p. 57, note) that this council was held at Jacques Boucher's.

Cf. _Journal du siege_, p. 83. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, p. 73.

Boucher de Molandon in _Memoires de la Societe archeologique de l'Orleanais_, vol. xxii, p. 373.]

[Footnote 1029: By the little island without a name which is marked on the plan as Pet.i.te ile Charlemagne. The English had fortified it. See plan.]

[Footnote 1030: Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 74.]

[Footnote 1031: _Ibid._, pp. 74, 75. These statements are very doubtful.]

Jeanne was in another room of the house with the Chancellor's wife.

Messire Ambroise de Lore went to fetch her; and, when she had come, the Chancellor told her that the camp of Saint-Laurent-des-Orgerils was to be attacked on the morrow. She divined that something was being kept back; for she possessed a certain acuteness. Besides, since they had hitherto concealed everything, it was natural she should suspect that something was still being kept from her. This mistrust annoyed her. Did they think her incapable of keeping a secret? She said bitterly: "Tell me what you have concluded and ordained. I could keep a much greater secret than that."[1032]

[Footnote 1032: Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, pp. 74, 75. Very doubtful.]

And refusing to sit down she walked to and fro in the room.

My Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d deemed it well to avoid exasperating her by telling her the truth. He pacified her without incriminating anybody: "Jeanne, do not rage. It is impossible to tell you everything at once.

What the Chancellor has said has been concluded and ordained. But if those on the other side [of the water, the English of La Sologne]

should depart to come and succour the great bastion of Saint-Laurent and the English who are encamped near this part of the city, we have determined that some of us shall cross the river to do what we can against those on the other side [those of Les Augustins and Les Tourelles]. And it seems to us that such a decision is good and profitable."

The Maid replied that she was content, that such a decision seemed to her good, and that it should be carried out in the manner determined.[1033]

[Footnote 1033: _Ibid._, p. 75. _Journal du siege_, pp. 82, 83. Cf.

the evidence of S. Charles (_Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 116, 117).]

It will be seen that by this proceeding the secrecy of the deliberations had been violated, and that the n.o.bles had not been able to do what they had determined or at least not in the way they had determined. On that Ascension Day the Maid for the last time sent a message of peace to the English, which she dictated to Brother Pasquerel in the following terms: _Ye men of England, who have no right in the realm of France, the King of Heaven enjoins and commands you by me, Jeanne the Maid, to leave your forts and return to your country. If ye will not I will make so great a noise as shall remain for ever in the memory of man: This I write to you for the third and last time, and I will write to you no more._

Signed thus: Jhesus--Maria. Jeanne the Maid.

And below: _I should have sent to you with more ceremony. But you keep my heralds. You kept my herald Guyenne. If you will send him back to me, I will send you some of your men taken at the bastion Saint-Loup; they are not all dead._[1034]

[Footnote 1034: May 5th. _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 107 (Pasquerel's evidence).]

Jeanne went to La Belle Croix, took an arrow, and tied her letter to it with a string, then told an archer to shoot it to the English, crying: "Read! This is the message."

The English received the arrow, untied the letter, and having read it they cried: "This a message from the Armagnac strumpet."

When she heard them, tears came into Jeanne's eyes and she wept. But soon she beheld her saints, who spoke to her of Our Lord, and she was comforted. "I have had a message from my Lord," she said joyfully.[1035]

[Footnote 1035: _Ibid._, p. 108.]

My Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d himself demanded the Maid's herald, threatening that if he were not sent back he would keep the heralds whom the English had sent to treat for the exchange of prisoners. It is a.s.serted that he even threatened to put those prisoners to death. But Ambleville did not return.[1036]

[Footnote 1036: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 286. _Journal du siege_, p. 79, gives a different account of this episode.]

CHAPTER XIII

THE TAKING OF LES TOURELLES AND THE DELIVERANCE OF ORLeANS

On the morrow, Friday the 6th of May, the Maid rose at daybreak. She confessed to her chaplain and heard ma.s.s sung before the priests and fighting men of her company.[1037] The zealous townsfolk were already up and armed. Whether or no she had told them, the citizens, who were strongly determined to cross the Loire and attack Les Tourelles themselves, were pressing in crowds to the Burgundian Gate. They found it shut. The Sire de Gaucourt was guarding it with men-at-arms. The n.o.bles had taken this precaution in case the citizens should discover their enterprise and wish to take part in it. The gate was closed and well defended. Bent on fighting and themselves recovering their precious jewel, Les Tourelles, the citizens had recourse to her before whom gates opened and walls fell; they sent for the Saint. She came, frank and terrible. She went straight to the old Sire de Gaucourt, and, refusing to listen to him, said: "You are a wicked man to try to prevent these people from going out. But whether you will or no, they will go and will do as well as they did the other day."[1038]

[Footnote 1037: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 108 (Pasquerel's evidence).]

[Footnote 1038: _Ibid._, pp. 116, 117. Evidence of S. Charles. P.

Mantellier, _Histoire du siege_, p. 105.]

Excited by Jeanne's voice and encouraged by her presence, the citizens, crying slaughter, threw themselves on Gaucourt and his men-at-arms. When the old baron perceived that he could do nothing with them, and that it was impossible to bring them to his way of thinking, he himself joined them. He had the gates opened wide and cried out to the townsfolk: "Come, I will be your captain."

And with the Lord of Villars and Sire d'Aulon he went out at the head of the soldiers, who had been keeping the gate, and all the train-bands of the town. At the foot of La Tour-Neuve, at the eastern corner of the ramparts, there were boats at anchor. In them l'ile-aux-Toiles was reached, and thence on a bridge formed by two boats they crossed over the narrow arm of the river which separates l'ile-aux-Toiles from the Sologne bank.[1039] Those who arrived first entered the abandoned fort of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, and, while waiting for the others, amused themselves by demolishing it.[1040] Then, when all had pa.s.sed over, the townsfolk gayly marched against Les Augustins. The bastion was situated in front of Les Tourelles, on the ruins of the monastery; and the bastion would have to be taken before the fortifications at the end of the bridge could be attacked. But the enemy came out of their entrenchments and advanced within two bow-shots of the French, upon whom from their bows and cross-bows they let fly so thick a shower of arrows that the men of Orleans could not stand against them. They gave way and fled to the bridge of boats: then, afraid of being cast into the river, they crossed over to l'ile-aux-Toiles.[1041] The fighting men of the Sire de Gaucourt were more accustomed to war. With the Lord of Villars, Sire d'Aulon, and a valiant Spaniard, Don Alonzo de Partada, they took their stand on the slope of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc and resisted the enemy. Although very few in number, they were still holding out when, about three o'clock in the afternoon, Captain La Hire and the Maid crossed the river with the free-lances. Seeing the French hard put to it, and the English in battle array, they mounted their horses, which they had brought over with them, and holding their lances in rest spurred on against the enemy. The townsfolk, taking heart, followed them and drove back the English. But at the foot of the bastion they were again repulsed.[1042] In great agitation the Maid galloped from the bastion to the bank, and from the bank to the bastion, calling for the knights; but the knights did not come. Their plans had been upset, their order of battle reversed, and they needed time to collect themselves. At last she saw floating over the island the banners of my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, the Marshal de Boussac, and the Lord de Rais. The artillery came too, and Master Jean de Montesclere with his culverin and his gunners, bringing all the engines needed for the a.s.sault. Four thousand men a.s.sembled round Les Augustins. But much time had been lost; they were only just beginning, and the sun was going down.[1043]

[Footnote 1039: _Journal du siege_, pp. 83, 84. Abbe Dubois, _Histoire du siege_, p. 535. Jollois, _Histoire du siege_, p. 39.]

[Footnote 1040: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 290.]

[Footnote 1041: Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 76. _Journal du siege_, pp. 84, 85.]

[Footnote 1042: "_Et les rebouterent ils par maintes fois et tresbucherent de hault en bas._" _Journal du siege_, p. 85.]

[Footnote 1043: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 214, 215 (Jean d'Aulon's evidence).]