Part 55 (1/2)

[Footnote 1288: ”In the neighbourhood of Lignerolles there have been found horse-shoes, a javelin-point, the iron pieces of carts, and bullets.” P. Mantellier, _Histoire du siege_, Orleans, 1867, 12mo, p.

139.]

[Footnote 1289: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 11. Gruel, _Chronique de Richemont_, pp. 73-74. Perceval de Cagny, pp. 154 _et seq._ _Chronique normande_, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 340. Eberhard Windecke, p. 180.

Lefevre de Saint-Remy, vol. ii, pp. 144, 145. Falconbridge, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 452. _Commentaires de Pie_ II, in _Trial_, vol.

iv, p. 512. Morosini, vol. iii, pp. 72-75. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 306. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 86. Monstrelet, vol.

iv, pp. 330-333. Wavrin du Forestel, _Anciennes chroniques_, vol. i, p. 293. Letter from J. de Bourbon in _La revue bleue_, February 13, 1892. Letter from Charles VII to Tours and the people of Dauphine, in _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 345, 346.]

Not more than two hundred men-at-arms pursued the fugitives to the gates of Janville. Except for the vanguard, which had been the first to take flight, the English army was entirely destroyed. On the French side, the Sire de Termes, who was present, states that there was only one killed; a man of his own company. Perceval de Boulainvilliers, Councillor and King's Chamberlain, says there were three.[1290]

[Footnote 1290: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 120; vol. v, p. 120.]

The Maid arrived[1291] before the slaughter was ended.[1292] She saw a Frenchman, who was leading some prisoners, strike one of them such a blow on the head that he fell down as if dead. She dismounted and procured the Englishman a confessor. She held his head and comforted him as far as she could. Such was the part she played in the Battle of Patay.[1293] It was the part of a saintly maid.

[Footnote 1291: ”Et habuit _l'avant garde La Hire_ de quo ipsa Johanna fuit multum irata, quia ipsa multum affectabat habere onus de _l'avant garde_ La Hire qui conducebat _l'avant garde_ percussit super Anglicos,” _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 71 (evidence of Louis de Coutes).]

[Footnote 1292: ”Habebat magnam pietatem de tanta occisione,” _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 71.]

[Footnote 1293: After an examination of the doc.u.ments I have concluded that Louis de Coutes' narrative refers to Patay.]

The French spent the night in the town. Sir John Talbot, having been brought before the Duke of Alencon and the Constable, was thus addressed by the young Duke: ”This morning you little thought what would happen to you.”

Talbot replied: ”It is the chance of war.”[1294]

[Footnote 1294: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 99.]

A few breathless _G.o.dons_ succeeded in reaching Janville.[1295] But the townsfolk, with whom on their departure they had deposited their money and their goods, shut the gates in their faces and swore loyalty to King Charles.

[Footnote 1295: Boucher de Molandon, _Janville, son donjon, son chateau, ses souvenirs du XV'e siecle_, Orleans, 1886, 8vo.]

The English commanders of the two small strongholds in La Beauce, Montpipeau and Saint Sigismond, set fire to them and fled.[1296]

[Footnote 1296: _Journal du siege_, p. 105; _Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 307, 308.]

From Patay the victorious army marched to Orleans. The inhabitants were expecting the King. They had hung up tapestries ready for his entrance.[1297] But the King and his Chamberlain, fearing and not without reason, some aggressive movement on the part of the Constable, held themselves secure in the Chateau of Sully.[1298] Thence they started for Chateauneuf on the 22nd of June. That same day the Maid joined the King at Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire. He received her with his usual kindness and said: ”I pity you because of the suffering you endure.” And he urged her to rest.

[Footnote 1297: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 307-308. _Journal du siege_, p. 105.]

[Footnote 1298: De Beaucourt, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol. ii, p.

222 _et seq._; E. Cosneau, _Le connetable de Richemont_, p. 172.]

At these words she wept. It has been said that her tears flowed because of the indifference and incredulity towards her that the King's urbanity implied.[1299] But we must beware of attributing to the tears of the enraptured and the illuminated a cause intelligible to human reason. To her Charles appeared clothed in an ineffable splendour like that of the holiest of kings. How, since she had shown him her angels, invisible to ordinary folk, could she for one moment have thought that he lacked faith in her?

[Footnote 1299: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 116 (evidence of S. Charles).

”_Et audivit ipse loquens ex ore regis multa bona de ea ... rex habuit pietatem de ea et de poena quam portabat._”]

”Have no doubt,” she said to him, confidently, ”you shall receive the whole of your kingdom and shortly shall be crowned.”[1300]

[Footnote 1300: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 76, 116.]