Part 53 (2/2)

They had sent also cannons and mortars. The gay gunner, Master Jean de Montesclere, was there.[1261] All these supplies were addressed to the Maid. The magistrate, Jean Boilleve, brought bread and wine in a barge.[1262] Throughout Friday, the 7th, mortars and cannon hurled stones on the besieged. At the same time from the valley and from the river the attack was being made from barges. On the 17th of June, at midnight, Sir Richard Gethyn, Bailie of evreux, who commanded the garrison, offered to capitulate. It was agreed that the English should surrender the castle and bridge, and depart on the morrow, taking with them horses and harness with each man his property to the value of not more than one silver mark. Further, they were required to swear that they would not take up arms again before the expiration of ten days.

On these terms, the next day, at sunrise, to the number of five hundred, they crossed the drawbridge and retreated on Meung, where the castle, but not the bridge, remained in the hands of the English.[1263] The Constable wisely sent a few men to reinforce the garrison on the Meung Bridge.[1264] Sir Richard Gethyn and Captain Matthew Gough were detained as hostages.[1265]

[Footnote 1261: _Journal du siege_, p. 97. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 301.]

[Footnote 1262: A. de Villaret, _Campagne des Anglais_, pp. 87-88, and proofs and ill.u.s.trations, pp. 153, 158.]

[Footnote 1263: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 305. _Journal du siege_, p. 102. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 84. Wavrin du Forestel, _Anciennes chroniques_, vol. i, pp. 279, 282. Monstrelet, vol. iii, pp. 325 _et seq._]

[Footnote 1264: Gruel, _Chronique de Richemont_, p. 72.]

[Footnote 1265: Wavrin du Forestel, _Anciennes chroniques_, vol. i, p.

279.]

The Beaugency garrison had been in too great haste to surrender.

Scarce had it gone when a man-at-arms of Captain La Hire's company came to the Duke of Alencon saying: ”The English are marching upon us.

We shall have them in front of us directly. They are over there, full one thousand fighting men.”

Jeanne heard him speak but did not seize his meaning.

”What is that man-at-arms saying?” she asked.

And when she knew, turning to Arthur of Brittany, who was close by, she said: ”Ah! Fair Constable, it was not my will that you should come, but since you are here, I bid you welcome.”[1266]

[Footnote 1266: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 98.]

The force the French had to face was Sir John Talbot and Sir John Fastolf with the whole English army.

CHAPTER XVI

THE BATTLE OF PATAY--OPINIONS OF ITALIAN AND GERMAN ECCLESIASTICS--THE GIEN ARMY

Having left Paris on the 9th of June, Sir John Fastolf was coming through La Beauce with five thousand fighting men. To the English at Jargeau he was bringing victuals and arrows in abundance. Learning by the way that the town had surrendered, he left his stores at etampes and marched on to Janville, where Sir John Talbot joined him with forty lances and two hundred bowmen.[1267]

[Footnote 1267: Wavrin du Forestel, _Anciennes chroniques_, ed.

Dupont, vol. i, p. 281. Berry, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 44. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 85. _Journal du siege_, pp. 102, 103. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 306. Gruel, _Chronique de Richemont_, p. 72. Falconbridge, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 452.

Morosini, vol. iii, pp. 71-73.]

There they heard that the French had taken the Meung bridge and laid siege to Beaugency. Sir John Talbot wished to march to the relief of the inhabitants of Beaugency and deliver them with the aid of G.o.d and Saint George. Sir John Fastolf counselled abandoning Sir Richard Gethyn and his garrison to their fate; for the moment he deemed it wiser not to fight. Finding his own men fearful and the French full of courage, he thought the best thing the English could do would be to establish themselves in the towns, castles, and strongholds remaining to them, there to await the reinforcements promised by the Regent.

”In comparison with the French we are but a handfull,” he said. ”If luck should turn against us, then we should be in a fair way to lose all those conquests won by our late King Henry after strenuous effort and long delay.”[1268]

[Footnote 1268: Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 331. Wavrin du Forestel, _Anciennes chroniques_, vol. i, pp. 283 _et seq._]

His advice was disregarded and the army marched on Beaugency. The force was not far from the town on Friday, the 17th of June, just when the garrison was issuing forth with horses, armour, and baggage to the amount of one silver mark's worth for each man.[1269]

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