Part 46 (2/2)

[Footnote 1110: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 296.]

After the _Deo gratias_ she recommended them to observe the movements of the English. ”Now look whether their faces or their backs be towards you.”

She was told that they had turned their backs and were going away.

Three times she had told them: ”Depart from Orleans and your lives shall be saved.” Now she asked that they should be allowed to go without more being required of them.

”It is not well pleasing to my Lord that they should be engaged to-day,” she said. ”You will have them another time. Come, let us give thanks to G.o.d.”[1111]

[Footnote 1111: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 296.]

The _G.o.dons_ were going. During the night they had held a council of war and resolved to depart.[1112] In order to put a bold front on their retreat and to prevent its being cut off, they had faced the folk of Orleans for an hour, now they marched off in good order.[1113]

Captain La Hire and Sire de Lore, curious as to which way they would take and desiring to see whether they would leave anything behind them, rode three or four miles in pursuit with a hundred or a hundred and twenty horse. The English were retreating towards Meung.[1114]

[Footnote 1112: _Chronique de l'etabliss.e.m.e.nt de la fete_, in _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 294, 295. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 296.]

[Footnote 1113: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 296.]

[Footnote 1114: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 71, 97, 110. _Journal du siege_, p. 89. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 297. Morosini, vol. iii, p. 34. Walter Bower, _Scotichronicon_, in _Trial_, vol. iv, pp. 478, 479. Eberhard Windecke, p. 177.]

A crowd of citizens, villeins and villagers rushed into the abandoned forts. The _G.o.dons_ had left their sick and their prisoners there. The townsfolk discovered also ammunition and even victuals, which were doubtless not very abundant and not very excellent. ”But,” says a Burgundian, ”they made good cheer out of them, for they cost them little.”[1115] Weapons, cannons and mortars were carried into the town. The forts were demolished so that they might henceforth be useless to the enemy.[1116]

[Footnote 1115: Charles VII's letter to the people of Narbonne, in the _Trial_, vol. v, p. 101. Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 323.]

[Footnote 1116: _Journal du siege_, pp. 209 _et seq._]

On that day there were grand and solemn processions and a good friar[1117] preached. Clerks, n.o.bles, captains, magistrates, men-at-arms and citizens devoutly went to church and the people cried: ”Noel!”[1118]

[Footnote 1117: _Ibid._, p. 216. _Chronique de la fete_, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 295.]

[Footnote 1118: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 110. _Journal du siege_, p. 92.]

Thus, on the 8th of May, in the morning, was the town of Orleans delivered, two hundred and nine days after the siege had been laid and nine days after the coming of the Maid.

CHAPTER XIV

THE MAID AT TOURS AND AT SELLES-EN-BERRY--THE TREATISES OF JACQUES GeLU AND OF JEAN GERSON.

On the morning of Sunday the 8th of May, the English departed, retreating towards Meung and Beaugency. In the afternoon of the same day, Messire Florent d'Illiers with his men-at-arms left the town and went straight to his captaincy of Chateaudun to defend it against the _G.o.dons_ who had a garrison at Marchenoir and were about to descend on Le Dunois. On the next day the other captains from La Beauce and Gatinais returned to their towns and strongholds.[1119]

[Footnote 1119: _Journal du siege_, p. 91. G. Met-Gaubert, _Notice sur Florent d'Illiers_, Chartres, 1864, in 8vo.]

On the ninth of the same month, the combatants brought by the Sire de Rais, receiving neither pay nor entertainment, went off each man on his own account; and the Maid did not stay longer.[1120] After having taken part in the procession by which the townsfolk rendered thanks to G.o.d, she took her leave of those to whom she had come in the hour of distress and affliction and whom she now quitted in the hour of deliverance and rejoicing. They wept with joy and with grat.i.tude and offered themselves to her for her to do with them and their goods whatever she would. And she thanked them kindly.[1121]

[Footnote 1120: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 298.]

<script>