Part 121 (1/2)

Meanwhile, in the beginning of August, the Maid's eldest brother, Jean du Lys, called Pet.i.t-Jean, had gone to Orleans to announce that his sister was alive. As a reward for these good tidings, he received for himself and his followers ten pints of wine, twelve hens, two goslings, and two leverets.[2635]

[Footnote 2635: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 275. Lottin, _Recherches_, vol.

ii, p. 286.]

The birds had been purchased by two magistrates; the name of one, Pierre Baratin, is to be found in the account books of the fortress, in 1429,[2636] at the time of the expedition to Jargeau; the other was an old man of sixty-six, a burgess pa.s.sing rich, Aignan de Saint-Mesmin.[2637]

[Footnote 2636: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 262. Lecoy de la Marche, _Jeanne des Armoises_, p. 568.]

[Footnote 2637: He died at the age of one hundred and eighteen.

_Trial_, iii, p. 29.]

Messengers were pa.s.sing to and fro between the town of Duke Charles and the town of the d.u.c.h.ess of Luxembourg. On the 9th of August a letter from Arlon reached Orleans. About the middle of the month a pursuivant arrived at Arlon. He was called Coeur-de-Lis, in honour of the heraldic symbol of the city of Orleans, which was a lily-bud, a kind of trefoil. The magistrates of Orleans had sent him to Jeanne with a letter, the contents of which are unknown. Jeanne gave him a letter for the King, in which she probably requested an audience. He took it straight to Loches, where King Charles was negotiating the betrothal of his daughter Yolande to Prince Amedee of Savoie.[2638]

[Footnote 2638: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 326. Vallet de Viriville, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol. ii, p. 376, note. G. Lefevre-Pontalis, _La fausse Jeanne d'Arc_, p. 23, note 5.]

After forty-one days' journey the pursuivant returned to the magistrates, who had despatched him on the 2nd of September. The messenger complained of a great thirst, wherefore the magistrates, according to their wont, had him served in the chamber of the town-hall with bread, wine, pears, and green walnuts. This repast cost the town two _sous_ four _deniers_ of Paris, while the pursuivant's travelling expenses amounted to six _livres_ which were paid in the following month. The town varlet who provided the walnuts was that same Jacquet Leprestre who had served during the siege. Another letter from the Maid had been received by the magistrates on the 25th of August.[2639]

[Footnote 2639: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 327.]

Jean du Lys proceeded just as if his miracle-working sister had in very deed been restored to him. He went to the King, to whom he announced the wonderful tidings. Charles cannot have entirely disbelieved them since he ordered Jean du Lys to be given a gratuity of one hundred francs. Whereupon Jean promptly demanded these hundred francs from the King's treasurer, who gave him twenty. The coffers of the victorious King were not full even then.

Having returned to Orleans, Jean appeared before the town-council. He gave the magistrates to wit that he had only eight francs, a sum by no means sufficient to enable him and four retainers to return to Lorraine. The magistrates gave him twelve francs.[2640]

[Footnote 2640: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 326. Lottin, _Recherches_, vol. i, pp. 284-285.]

Every year until then the anniversary of the Maid had been celebrated in the church of Saint-Sanxon[2641] on the eve of Corpus Christi and on the previous day. In 1435, eight ecclesiastics of the four mendicant orders sang a ma.s.s for the repose of Jeanne's soul. In this year, 1436, the magistrates had four candles burnt, weighing together nine and a half pounds, and pendent therefrom the Maid's escutcheon, a silver s.h.i.+eld bearing the crown of France. But when they heard the Maid was alive they cancelled the arrangements for a funeral service in her memory.[2642]

[Footnote 2641: Since 1432. But there is no evidence of any anniversary service having been held in 1433 and 1434. It was reinst.i.tuted in 1439.]

[Footnote 2642: _Trial_, vol. v, pp. 274, 275. Lottin, _Recherches_, vol. i, p. 286.]

While these things were occurring in France, Jeanne was still with the d.u.c.h.ess of Luxembourg. There she met the young Count Ulrich of Wurtemberg, who refused to leave her. He had a handsome cuira.s.se made for her and took her to Cologne. She still called herself the Maid of France sent by G.o.d.[2643]

[Footnote 2643: _Chronique du doyen de Saint-Thibaud_, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 323. Jean Nider, _Formicarium_, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p.

325. Lecoy de la Marche, _loc. cit._, p. 566.]

Since the 24th of June, Saint John the Baptist's Day, her power had returned to her. Count Ulrich, recognising her supernatural gifts, entreated her to employ them on behalf of himself and his friends.

Being very contentious, he had become seriously involved in the schism which was then rending asunder the diocese of Treves. Two prelates were contending for the see; one, Udalric of Manderscheit, appointed by the chapter, the other Raban of Helmstat, Bishop of Speyer, appointed by the Pope.[2644] Udalric took the field with a small force and twice besieged and bombarded the town of which he called himself the true shepherd. These proceedings brought the greater part of the diocese on to his side.[2645] But although aged and infirm, Raban too had weapons; they were spiritual but powerful: he p.r.o.nounced an interdict against all such as should espouse the cause of his rival.

[Footnote 2644: _Art de verifier les dates_, vol. xv, pp. 236 _et seq._ _Gallia Christiana_, vol. xiii, pp. 970 _et seq._; Gams, _Series Episcoporum_ (1873), pp. 317, 319.]

[Footnote 2645: Quicherat, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 502, note, erroneously states that the contest for the Archbishopric of Treves was between Raban of Helmstat and Jacques of Syrck. Concerning Jacques of Syrck or Sierck, see de Beaucourt, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol.

iv, p. 264.]

Count Ulrich of Wurtemberg, who was among the most zealous of Udalric's supporters, questioned the Maid of G.o.d concerning him.[2646]

Similar cases had been submitted to the first Jeanne when she was in France. She had been asked, for example, which of the three popes, Benedict, Martin, or Clement, was the true father of the faithful, and without immediately p.r.o.nouncing on the subject she had promised to designate the Pope to whom obedience was due, after she had reached Paris and rested there.[2647] The second Jeanne replied with even more a.s.surance; she declared that she knew who was the true archbishop and boasted that she would enthrone him.

[Footnote 2646: Jean Nider, _Formicarium_, book v, ch. viii. D.

Calmet, _Histoire de Lorraine_, vol. ii, p. 906.]