The Life of Joan of Arc Part 44

The Sire de Gaucourt's men were ranged behind, to cover the besiegers in case the English from the bridge end should come to the aid of their countrymen in Les Augustins. But a quarrel arose in de Gaucourt's company. Some, like Sire d'Aulon and Don Alonzo, judged it well to stay at their post. Others were ashamed to stand idle. Hence haughty words and bravado. Finally Don Alonzo and a man-at-arms, having challenged each other to see who would do the best, ran towards the bastion hand in hand. At one single volley Maitre Jean's culverin overthrew the palisade. Straightway the two champions forced their way in.[1044]

[Footnote 1044: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 215 (Jean d'Aulon's evidence).]

"Enter boldly!" cried the Maid.[1045] And she planted her standard on the rampart. The Sire de Rais followed her closely.

[Footnote 1045: _Ibid._, p. 78 (evidence of Beaucroix). _Journal du siege_, p. 86.]

The numbers of the French were increasing. They made a strong attack on the bastion and soon took it by storm. Then one by one they had to a.s.sault the buildings of the monastery in which the _G.o.dons_ were entrenched. In the end all the English were slain or taken, except a few, who took refuge in Les Tourelles. In the huts the French found many of their own men imprisoned. After bringing them out, they set fire to the fort, and thus made known to the English their new disaster.[1046] It is said to have been the Maid who ordered the fire in order to put a stop to the pillage in which her men were mercilessly engaging.[1047]

[Footnote 1046: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 291. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 72. _Journal du siege_, pp. 84, 85. Of doubtful authenticity.]

[Footnote 1047: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 291.]

A great advantage had been won. But the French were slow to regain confidence. When, in the darkness by the light of the fire, they beheld for the first time close to them the bulwarks of Les Tourelles, the men-at-arms were afraid. Certain said: "It would take us more than a month to capture it."[1048]

[Footnote 1048: Perceval de Cagny, p. 146.]

The lords, captains, and men-at-arms went back to the town to pa.s.s a quiet night. The archers and most of the townsfolk stayed at Le Portereau. The Maid would have liked to stay too, so as to be sure of beginning again on the morrow.[1049] But, seeing that the captains were leaving their horses and their pages in the fields, she followed them to Orleans.[1050] Wounded in the foot by a caltrop,[1051]

overcome with fatigue, she felt weak, and contrary to her custom she broke her fast, although the day was Friday.[1052] According to Brother Pasquerel, who in this matter is not very trustworthy, while she was finishing her supper in her lodging, there came to her a n.o.ble whose name is not mentioned and who addressed her thus: "The captains have met in council.[1053] They recognise how few we were in comparison with the English, and that it was by G.o.d's great favour that we won the victory. Now that the town is plentifully supplied we may well wait for help from the King. Wherefore, the council deems it inexpedient for the men-at-arms to make a sally to-morrow."

[Footnote 1049: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 79 (evidence of Beaucroix).]

[Footnote 1050: _Ibid._, p. 70. _Chronique de la fete_, p. 33.]

[Footnote 1051: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 291.]

[Footnote 1052: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 108.]

[Footnote 1053: The council is mentioned in _La chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292; but this doc.u.ment is a mere echo of Brother Pasquerel's evidence.]

Jeanne replied: "You have been at your council; I have been at mine.

Now believe me the counsel of Messire shall be followed and shall hold good, whereas your counsel shall come to nought." And turning to Brother Pasquerel who was with her, she said: "To-morrow rise even earlier than to-day, and do the best you can. Stay always at my side, for to-morrow I shall have much ado--more than I have ever had, and to-morrow blood shall flow from my body."[1054]

[Footnote 1054: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 108, 109. Brother Pasquerel, whom I follow here, reports Jeanne's saying in the following terms: _Exibit crastina die sanguis a corpore meo supra mammam._ I suspect him of having added to the prophecy. He was too fond of miracles and prophecies. On the 28th of April the Maid says that the wind will change, and it changed. Brother Pasquerel is not satisfied with so moderate a marvel. He relates that Jeanne raised the waters of the Loire. We know on other authority that the Loire was high. It cannot be denied that long before this Jeanne had foretold that she would be wounded. This fact, stated in a letter from Lyon, dated the 22nd of April, 1429, was recorded in a register of La Cour des Comptes of Brabant. But she did not specify the day. _Dixit ... quod ipsa ante Aureliam in conflictu telo vulnerabitur_ (_Trial_, vol. iv, p. 426).]

It was not true that the English outnumbered the French. On the contrary they were far less numerous. There were scarce more than three thousand men round Orleans. The succour from the King having arrived, the captains could not have said that they were waiting for it. True it is that they were hesitating to proceed forthwith to attack Les Tourelles on the morrow; but that was because they feared lest the English under Talbot should enter the deserted town during the a.s.sault, since the townsfolk, refusing to march against Saint-Laurent, had all gone to Le Portereau. The Maid's Council troubled about none of these difficulties. No fears beset Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret. To doubt is to fear; they never doubted.

Whatever may be said to the contrary, of military tactics and strategy they knew nothing. They had not read the treatise of Vegetius, _De re militari_. Had they read it the town would have been lost. Jeanne's Vegetius was Saint Catherine.

During the night it was cried in the streets of the city that bread, wine, ammunition and all things necessary must be taken to those who had stayed behind at Le Portereau. There was a constant pa.s.sing to and fro of boats across the river. Men, women and children were carrying supplies to the outposts.[1055]

[Footnote 1055: _Journal du siege_, p. 84.]

On the morrow, Sat.u.r.day the 7th of May, Jeanne heard Brother Pasquerel say ma.s.s and piously received the holy sacrament.[1056] Jacques Boucher's house was beset with magistrates and notable citizens. After a night of fatigue and anxiety, they had just heard tidings which exasperated them. They had heard tell that the captains wanted to defer the storming of Les Tourelles. With loud cries they appealed to the Maid to help the townsfolk, sold, abandoned, and betrayed.[1057]

The truth was that my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d and the captains, having observed during the night a great movement among the English on the upper Loire, were confirmed in their fears that Talbot would attack the walls near the Renard Gate while the French were occupied on the left bank. At sunrise they had perceived that during the night the English had demolished their outwork Saint Prive, south of l'ile-Charlemagne.[1058] That also caused them to believe firmly that in the evening the English had concentrated in the Saint-Laurent camp and the bastion, London. The townsfolk had long been irritated by the delay of the King's men in raising the siege. And there is no doubt that the captains were not so eager to bring it to an end as they were.[1059] The captains lived by war, while the citizens died of it,--that made all the difference. The magistrates besought the Maid to complete without delay the deliverance she had already begun. They said to her: "We have taken counsel and we entreat you to accomplish the mission you have received from G.o.d and likewise from the King."

[Footnote 1056: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 109. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 295.]

[Footnote 1057: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292. _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 215. _Journal du siege_, pp. 84, 85.]

[Footnote 1058: _Chronique de la fete_, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 293.]

[Footnote 1059: "_Par l'accord et consentement des bourgeois d'Orleans mais contre l'opinion et volonte de tous les chefs et capitaines_,"

_Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292.]

"In G.o.d's name, I will," she said. And straightway she mounted her horse, and uttering a very ancient phrase, she cried: "Let who loves me follow me!"[1060]

[Footnote 1060: _Chronique de l'etabliss.e.m.e.nt de la fete_, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 293. Le Roux de Lincy, _Proverbes_, vol. ii, p. 395.]

As she was leaving the treasurer's house a shad was brought her. She said to her host, smiling, "In G.o.d's name! we will have it for supper.

I will bring you back a _G.o.don_ who shall eat his share." She added: "This evening we shall return by the bridge."[1061] For the last ninety-nine days it had been impossible. But happily her words proved true.

[Footnote 1061: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 124 (evidence of the woman P.

Milet). _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292.]

The townsfolk had been too quick to take alarm. Notwithstanding their fear of Talbot and the English of the Saint-Laurent camp, the n.o.bles crossed the Loire in the early morning, and at Le Portereau rejoined their horses and pages who had pa.s.sed the night there with the archers and train-bands. They were all there, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, the Sire de Gaucourt, and the lords of Rais, Graville, Guitry, Coarraze, Villars, Illiers, Chailly, the Admiral de Culant, the captains La Hire, and Poton.[1062] The Maid was with them. The magistrates sent them great store of engines of war: hurdles, all kinds of arrows, hammers, axes, lead, powder, culverins, cannon, and ladders.[1063] The attack began early. What rendered it difficult was not the number of English entrenched in the bulwark and lodged in the towers: there were barely more than five hundred of them;[1064] true, they were commanded by Lord Moleyns, and under him by Lord Poynings and Captain Glasdale, who in France was called Gla.s.sidas, a man of humble birth, but the first among the English for courage.[1065] The a.s.sailants, citizens, men-at-arms and archers were ten times more numerous. That so many combatants had been a.s.sembled was greatly to the credit of the French nation; but so great an army of men could not be employed at once.

Knights were not much use against earthworks; and the townsfolk although very zealous, were not very tenacious.[1066] Finally, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, who was prudent and thoughtful, was afraid of Talbot.[1067]

Indeed if Talbot had known and if he had wanted he might have taken the town while the French were trying to take Les Tourelles. War is always a series of accidents, but on that day no attempt whatever was made to carry out any concerted movement. This vast army was not an irresistible force, since no one, not even the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, knew how to bring it into action. In those days the issue of a battle was in the hands of a very few combatants. On the previous day everything had been decided by two or three men.

[Footnote 1062: Berry, in _Trial_, vol. iv, pp. 43, 44.]

[Footnote 1063: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292. _Journal du siege_, p. 284, _pa.s.sim_.]

[Footnote 1064: _Journal du siege_, p. 87. Letter from Charles VII to the people of Narbonne (10 May, 1429), in _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 101 _et seq._ _Chronique de la fete_, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 294. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 77. Morosini, vol. iii, p. 32, note 1.]

[Footnote 1065: Jarry, _Le compte de l'armee anglaise_, pp. 94, 95, 136, 206. Boucher de Molandon, _L'armee anglaise_, pp. 94 _et seq._]

[Footnote 1066: They were employed chiefly in carrying munitions of war. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292.]

[Footnote 1067: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 5.]

The French a.s.sembled before the entrenchments had the air of an immense crowd of idlers looking on while a few men-at-arms attempted an escalade. Notwithstanding the size of the army, for a long while the a.s.sault resolved itself into a series of single combats. Twenty times did the most zealous approach the rampart and twenty times they were forced to retreat.[1068] There were some wounded and some slain, but not many. The n.o.bles, who had been making war all their lives, were cautious, while the soldiers of fortune were careful of their men. The townsfolk were novices in war.[1069] The Maid alone threw herself into it with heart and soul. She was continually saying: "Be of good cheer. Do not retreat. The fort will soon be yours."[1070]

[Footnote 1068: _Journal du siege_, p. 85. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 293. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 77. Morosini, vol. iii, pp. 31 _et seq._]

[Footnote 1069: Accounts of fortresses in _Journal du siege_, pp. 296, 300. Vergniaud-Romagnesi, _Notice historique sur le fort des Tourelles_, Paris, in 8vo, 1832, p. 50.]

[Footnote 1070: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 293.]

At noon everyone went away to dinner. Then about one o'clock they set to work again.[1071] The Maid carried the first ladder. As she was putting it up against the rampart, she was struck on the shoulder over the right breast, by an arrow shot so straight that half a foot of the shaft pierced her flesh.[1072] She knew that she was to be wounded; she had foretold it to her King, adding that he must employ her all the same. She had announced it to the people of Orleans and spoken of it to her chaplain[1073] on the previous day; and certainly for the last five days she had been doing her best to make the prophecy come true.[1074] When the English saw that the arrow had pierced her flesh they were greatly encouraged: they believed that if blood were drawn from a witch all her power would vanish. It made the French very sad.

They carried her apart. Brother Pasquerel and Mugot, the page, were with her. Being in pain, she was afraid and wept.[1075] As was usual when combatants were wounded in battle, a group of soldiers surrounded her; some wanted to charm her. It was a custom with men-at-arms to attempt to close wounds by muttering paternosters over them. Spells were cast by means of incantations and conjurations. Certain paternosters had the power of stopping hemorrhage. Papers covered with magic characters were also used. But it meant having recourse to the power of devils and committing mortal sin. Jeanne did not wish to be charmed.

[Footnote 1071: "Post prandium," says Brother Pasquerel (_Trial_, vol.

iii, p. 108). Cf. the evidence of Dunois (_Ibid._, p. 8).]

[Footnote 1072: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 79. Eberhard Windecke, p. 172.]

[Footnote 1073: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 109.]

[Footnote 1074: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292. Clerk of _La Chambre des Comptes_ of Brabant, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 426.]