Part 60 (1/2)
[Footnote 1417: _Ibid._, vol. ii, p. 446.]
[Footnote 1418: Gruel, _Chronique de Richemont_, p. 71. Eberhard Windecke, pp. 178, 179.]
[Footnote 1419: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 100.]
Meanwhile Friar Richard, by the ordeal of holy water and by the sign of the cross, had proved that the damsel was not a devil and that there was no devil in her. And when she said she had come from G.o.d he believed her with all his heart and esteemed her an angel of the Lord.[1420]
[Footnote 1420: _Ibid._, pp. 99, 100.]
He confided to her the reason for his coming.[1421] The inhabitants of Troyes doubted whether she were of G.o.d; to resolve their doubts he had come to Saint-Phal. Now he knew she was of G.o.d, and he was not amazed; for he knew that the year 1430 would witness greater marvels than had ever been seen before, and one day or other he was expecting to behold the Prophet Elias walking and conversing with men.[1422]
From that moment he threw in his lot with the party of the Maid and the Dauphin. It was not the Maid's prophecies concerning the realm of France that attracted him to her. The world was too near its end for him to take any interest in the re-establishment of the madman's son in his inheritance. But he expected that once the kingdom of Jesus Christ had been established in the Land of the Lilies, Jeanne, the prophetess, and Charles, the temporal vicar of Jesus Christ, would lead the people of Christendom to deliver the Holy Sepulchre. That would be a meritorious work and one which must be accomplished before the consummation of the ages.
[Footnote 1421: _Relation du greffier de La Roch.e.l.le_, p. 342.]
[Footnote 1422: _Journal d'un bourgeois de Paris_, p. 235.]
To the burgesses and inhabitants of the town of Troyes Jeanne dictated a letter. Herein, calling herself the servant of the King of Heaven and speaking in the name of G.o.d Himself, in terms gentle yet urgent, she called upon them to render obedience to King Charles of France, and warned them that whether they would or no she with the King would enter into all the towns of the holy kingdom and bring them peace.
Here is the letter:[1423]
[Footnote 1423: J. Rogier, in _Trial_, vol. iv, pp. 287-288.]
JHESUS [cross symbol] MARIA
Good friends and beloved, an it please you, ye lords, burgesses and inhabitants of the town of Troies, Jehanne the Maid doth call upon and make known unto you on behalf of the King of Heaven, her sovereign and liege Lord, in whose service royal she is every day, that ye render true obedience and fealty to the Fair King of France. Whosoever may come against him, he shall shortly be in Reins [Transcriber's Note: so in original] and in Paris, and in his good towns of his holy kingdom, with the aid of King Jhesus. Ye loyal Frenchmen, come forth to King Charles and fail him not. And if ye come have no fear for your bodies nor for your goods. An if ye come not, I promise you and on your lives I maintain it, that with G.o.d's help we shall enter into all the towns of the holy kingdom and shall there establish peace, whosoever may oppose us. To G.o.d I commend you. G.o.d keep you if it be his will. Answer speedily. Before the city of Troyes, written at Saint-Fale, Tuesday the fourth day of July.[1424]
[Footnote 1424: It should be Monday, 4th July.]
On the back:
”To the lords and burgesses of the city of Troyes.”
The Maid gave this letter to Friar Richard, who undertook to carry it to the townsfolk.[1425]
[Footnote 1425: J. Rogier, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 290.]
From Saint-Phal the army advanced towards Troyes along the Roman road.[1426] When they heard of the army's approach, the Council of the town a.s.sembled on Tuesday, the 5th, early in the morning, and sent the people of Reims a missive of which the following is the purport:
[Footnote 1426: Th. Boutiot, _Histoire de la ville de Troyes_, vol.
ii, p. 493.]
”This day do we expect the enemies of King Henry and the Duke of Burgundy who come to besiege us. In view of the design of these our foes and having considered the just cause we support and the aid of our princes promised unto us, we have resolved in council, no matter what may be the strength of our enemies, to continue in our obedience waxing ever greater to King Henry and to the Duke of Burgundy, even until death. And this have we sworn on the precious body of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore we pray the citizens of Reims to take thought for us as brethren and loyal friends, and to send to my Lord the Regent and the Duke of Burgundy to beseech and entreat them to take pity on their poor subjects and come to their succour.”[1427]
[Footnote 1427: J. Rogier, in _Trial_, vol. iv, pp. 288, 289.]
On that same day, in the morning, from his lodging at Brinion-l'Archeveque, King Charles despatched his heralds bearing closed letters, signed by his hand, sealed with his seal, addressed to the members of the Council of the town of Troyes. Therein he made known unto them that by the advice of his Council, he had undertaken to go to Reims, there to receive his anointing, that his intention was to enter the city of Troyes on the morrow, wherefore he summoned and commanded them to render the obedience they owed him and prepare to receive him. He wisely made a point of rea.s.suring them as to his intentions, which were not to avenge the past. Such was not his will, he said, but let them comport themselves towards their sovereign as they ought, and he would forget all and maintain them in his favour.[1428]
[Footnote 1428: _Ibid._, p. 287. Th. Boutiot, _Histoire de la ville de Troyes_, vol. ii, p. 494.]
The Council refused to admit King Charles' heralds within the town; but they received his letters, read them, deliberated over them, and made known to the heralds the result of their deliberations which was the following: