Ratelet, an English knight, and Messire Simon Morthier: the which had in their company two thousand combatants for the guard and the defence of Paris. In another quarter, the king having appointed officers and captains in his name at Senlis, departed from thence about the last day of the same month, and came unto the town of Saint Denis ; the which was completely surrendered unto him, and he there continued for two days; in the course of which were performed many sallies and skirmishes by the French being there, against the English of Paris, and at which place were enacted many gallant feats of arms on either side. And upon the third day departed the Pucelle and the duke of Alençon, the duke de Bourbon, the count de Vendosme, the count de Laval, and the marshals de Saint Severe and de Rays, La Hire, Poton, and many other gallant knights, captains, and esquires, with a great number of valiant men at war, and went to lodge in a village called La Chapelle, which is in the grand route, and as it were mid-way between Paris and Saint Denis; and on the following day did they range themselves in order for fight in the Pig Market place before the gate of Saint Honoré, and conveyed several cannons which they discharged in many points and often within Paris; where the men at arms in garrison there were stationed, and also the people, and caused to be borne many standards

of divers colours, and manœuvred going and returning along the inside of the walls, among which flags there was one very great, with a red cross. Some French lords wished to approach nearer, and particularly the lord de Saint Vallier, of Dauphiny, who did so much that he and his people went and set fire to the boulevard and to the barrier of the gate Saint Honoré. And although there were yet many English to defend it, they found it necessary to retreat by this portal, and enter again into Paris; wherefore the French gained, and took by force, the barrier and the boulevard. And because they thought that the English would make a sally by the gate of Saint Denis to surprise those French who were before the gate Saint Honoré; the dukes of Alençon and of Bourbon lay in ambuscade behind the mountain, which is near and over against the said market place for pigs, and nearer could they not post themselves, fearful of the cannons, slingers, and culverins, from which those of Paris fired incessantly. But they lost their labour; for the inhabitants did not dare come forth from the city. Wherefore the Pucelle, seeing their coward manner, bethought herself to attack them even to the very base of their walls. And forthwith she went and presented herself before them to act accordingly, having with her a great company of men at arms, and several lords, among whom was the marshal de

Rays; who, for the purpose of keeping good order, proceeded on foot, and she descended into the first fosse, in the which, as there was water, she mounted the back of an ass, thence descending into the second ditch, and there planted her lance in divers places, feeling and trying what depth there might be of water and of mud, in the doing of which she occupied a great space of time. Insomuch so that a cross-bowman of Paris pierced her thigh through with an arrow. But, notwithstanding this, she would not depart, but used the greatest diligence in causing faggots and logs to be brought and thrown within the fosse, in order to fill it up, so that she and the men at war might proceed up to the walls; which did not then appear to be possible, because of the too great depth of the water, and that she had not a sufficient multitude of people to accomplish the same; and also on account of the night closing in. Yet notwithstanding this, she always kept at the fosse, and would not return or retreat on any account, neither for prayer and request which were made to her by many. At divers times did they go and require her to depart, and remonstrated with her that she ought to abandon this enterprise; until the duke of Alençon sent his request, and made her retreat and the whole army within the said village of La Villette; at which place they lodged that night, as they had done the

night before. And upon the ensuing day, they all returned to Saint Denis. In the which town was highly praised the Pucelle, for the good will and the hardy courage by her displayed, in seeking to assault so strong a city, and so well garrisoned with men and artillery, as was the city of Paris. And for a certainty many have since said, that if matters had been better conducted, there was very great appearance that things had turned out according to her wish. For several notable personages being then within Paris, the which recognized king Charles, the seventh of that name, to be their sovereign lord, and the true inheritor of the kingdom of France; and how by great injury and by cruel vengeance they had been separated and cut off from his sovereignty and their allegiance, and placed in the hand of king Henry of England before his demise; and since continuing under king Henry his son, then usurping a great part of the kingdom; would have placed themselves, as they did, six years afterwards, when brought to obey their sovereign lord; and would have given him a free entrance into his principal city of Paris. The which, for this time, was not done for the cause above alleged. Wherefore the king, who then perceived that they did not manifest any signs of showing to him their allegiance, held many councils within the town of Saint Denis; at the termination of which, it was concluded

that, owing to the conduct of the inhabitants of the city of Paris, the great power of the English and the Burgundians stationed therein, and also that they had not sufficient money, nor could they procure the same for the maintenance of so great an army, that he should appoint the duke de Bourbon his lieutenant-general. The which was done, and he gave him command to repair to the cities, towns, and places subjected to him on the other side of the river Loire. And in order to place strong garrisons therein, and to guard and defend them, he awarded him a great number of men at arms, and abundance of artillery. And besides this ordinance, he willed and commanded that the count de Vendosme, and admiral de Culan, should continue at Saint Denis, where he also left many men at arms, in order that they might hold the garrison. And this concluded, he departed the twelfth day of September, and proceeded to Laigny on the Marne, which place he left upon the following day; and appointed there, as his captain, Messire Ambrose de Loré, with whom he also left Messire John Faucault with many men at war; and departed the next day to Provins, and from thence to Bray upon the Seine, which the inhabitants reduced to his allegiance. And then he went before Sens, which showed no signs of opening its gates; but it became necessary to pass a little below at the ford of the river Yonne, and proceed in the