Part 50 (1/2)
[Footnote 1177: _Ibid._, pp. 117, 300; vol. v, p. 227.]
She prophesied, and, as happens to all prophets, she did not always foretell what was to come to pa.s.s. It was the fate of the prophet Jonah himself. And doctors explain how the prophecies of true prophets cannot be all fulfilled.
She had said: ”Before Saint John the Baptist's Day, in 1429, there shall not be one Englishman, howsoever strong and valiant, to be seen throughout France, either in battle or in the open field.”[1178]
[Footnote 1178: Letter written from Germany, in _Trial_, vol. v, p.
351. Morosini, vol. iii, pp. 33, 46, 62.]
The nativity of Saint John the Baptist is celebrated on the 24th of June.
CHAPTER XV
THE TAKING OF JARGEAU--THE BRIDGE OF MEUNG--BEAUGENCY
On Monday, the 6th of June, the King lodged at Saint-Aignan near Selles-en-Berry.[1179] Among the gentlemen of his company were two sons of that Dame de Laval who, in her widowhood, had made the mistake of loving a landless cadet. Andre, the younger, at the age of twenty, had just pa.s.sed under the cloud of a disgrace common to nearly all n.o.bles in those days; his grandmother's second husband, Sire Bertrand Du Guesclin, had experienced it several times. Taken prisoner in the chateau of Laval by Sir John Talbot, he had incurred a heavy debt in order to furnish the sixteen thousand golden crowns of his ransom.[1180]
[Footnote 1179: Letter from Gui and Andre de Laval to the Ladies de Laval, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 106. L. Jeny and Lanery d'Arc, _Jeanne D'Arc en Berry_, Paris, 1892, in 8vo, p. 54.]
[Footnote 1180: Bertrand de Broussillon, _La maison de Laval_, vol.
iii, p. 21.]
Being in great need of money, the two young n.o.bles offered their services to the King, who received them very well, gave them not a crown, but said he would show them the Maid. And as he was going with them from Saint-Aignan to Selles, he summoned the Saint,[1181] who straightway, armed at all points save her head, and lance in hand, rode out to meet the King. She greeted the two young n.o.bles heartily and returned with them to Selles. The eldest, Lord Guy, she received in the house where she was lodging, opposite the church, and called for wine. Such was the custom among princes. Cups of wine were brought, into which the guests dipped slices of bread called sops.[1182] When offering him the wine cup, the Maid said to Lord Guy: ”I will shortly give you to drink at Paris.”
[Footnote 1181: Letter from Gui and Andre de Laval, in _Trial_, vol.
v, pp. 106 _et seq._]
[Footnote 1182: N. Villiaume, _Histoire de Jeanne d'Arc_, p. 88.]
She told him that, three days before, she had sent a gold ring to Dame Jeanne de Laval.
”It was a small matter,” she added graciously. ”I should like to have sent her something of greater value, considering her reputation.”[1183]
[Footnote 1183: _Recommandation_ in French. The esteem in which she was held. Compare Froissart cited by La Curne, Glossary, _ad v. ”Six bourgeois de la ville de Calais et de plus grande recommandation.”_ (”Six citizens of Calais and of the highest reputation.”)]
That same day, at the hour of vespers, she set out from Selles for Romorantin with a numerous company of men-at-arms and train-bands, commanded by Marshal de Boussac. She was surrounded by mendicant friars and one of her brothers went with her. She wore white armour and a hood. Her horse was brought to her at the door of her house. It was a great black charger which resolutely refused to let her mount him. She had him led to the Cross by the roadside, opposite the church, and there she leapt into the saddle. Whereupon Lord Guy marvelled; for he saw that the charger was as still as if he had been bound. She turned her horse's head towards the church porch, and in her clear woman's voice cried: ”Ye priests and churchmen, walk in processions and pray to G.o.d.”
Then, gaining the highroad: ”Go forward, go forward,” she said.
In her hand she carried a little axe. Her page bore her standard furled.[1184]
[Footnote 1184: Letter from Gui and Andre de Laval, in _Trial_, vol.
v, pp. 106, 107.]
The meeting-place was Orleans. On Thursday, the 9th of June, in the evening, Jeanne pa.s.sed over the bridge she had crossed on the 8th of May. Sat.u.r.day, the 11th, the army set out for Jargeau.[1185] It consisted of horse brought by the Duke of Alencon, the Count of Vendome, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, the Marshal de Boussac, Captain La Hire, Messire Florent d'Illiers, Messire Jamet du Tillay, Messire Thudal de Kermoisan of Brittany, as well as of contingents furnished by the communes, in all, perhaps eight thousand combatants, many of whom were armed with pikes, axes, cross-bows and leaden mallets.[1186] The young Duke of Alencon was placed in command. He was not remarkable for his intelligence.[1187] But he knew how to ride, and in those days that was the only knowledge indispensable to a general. Again the people of Orleans defrayed the cost of the expedition. For the payment of the fighting men they contributed three thousand livres, for their feeding, seven hogsheads of corn. At their own request, the King imposed on them a new _taille_ of three thousand livres.[1188] At their own expense they despatched workmen of all trades,--masons, carpenters, smiths. They lent their artillery. They sent culverins, cannons, La Bergere, and the large mortar to which four horses were harnessed, with the gunners Megret and Jean Boilleve.[1189] They furnished ammunition, engines, arrows, ladders, pickaxes, spades, mattocks; and all were marked, for they were a methodical folk.
Everything for the siege was sent to the Maid. For in this undertaking she was the one commander they recognised, not the Duke of Alencon, not even the b.a.s.t.a.r.d their own lord's n.o.ble brother. For the inhabitants of Orleans, Jeanne was the leader of the siege; and to Jeanne, before the besieged town, they despatched two of their citizens,--Jean Leclerc and Francois Joachim.[1190] After the citizens of Orleans, the Sire de Rais contributed most to the expenses of the siege of Jargeau.[1191] This unfortunate n.o.ble spent thoughtlessly right and left, while rich burgesses made great profits by lending to him at a high rate of interest. The sorry state of his affairs was shortly to bring him to attempt their readjustment by vowing his soul to the devil.
[Footnote 1185: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 94; vol. iv, p. 12.]