gave the loudest nasal responses.

The whole of this

ceremony, together with a hymn in Latin, sung upon the occasion, have been preserved by Charles du Cange, the French antiquary, who transcribed the same from a manuscript five hundred years old.

Page 107.

Under the pretext of marching them against the Bohemian heretics, &c.

Grafton, at page 539, thus explains this affair. "In this season, the Bohemians (which belike had espyed the usurped authoritie of the bishop of Rome) began to rebell against his sea. Wherefore, Martin the fift, bishop of Rome, wrote unto them to absteyne from warre, and to be reconciled by reason, from their damnable opinions. But they (beying perswaded to the contrary) neyther gave eare unto him, nor yet obeyed his voyce. Wherefore the bishop of Rome wrote to the princes of Germanie, to invade the realme of Beame, as the den of heretykes. Beside this, he appoynted Henry bishop of Winchester, and cardinall of Saint Eusebie, a man very well borne (as you have heard) but no better borne then high stomacked, to be his legate in this great iourney, and to bring out men from the realme of England, into the countrie of Beame. And because the war touched religion, he licenced the sayd cardinall to take the tenth part of every spiritual dignitie, benefice and promocion. This matter was declared in open parliament in England, and not dissented, but gladly assented to; wherefore the bishop gathered the money, and assembled foure thou

sand men, and mo, not without great grudge of the people, which daily were with tallages and aydes weried and sore burdened. And when men, municions, and money were redie for his high enterprise, he with all his people came to the sea strond at Dover, redie to pass over the sea into Flaundyrs.

"But in the meane season, the duke of Bedford, consideryng how townes dayly were gotten, and countries hourely wonne in the realme of Fraunce, for lacke of sufficient defence and number of men of warre, wrote to his brother the duke of Gloucester, to relieve him wythe ayde, in that tempestuous tyme and troubleous season. When this letter was brought into England, the duke of Gloucester was not a little amazed, because he had no armie redie to sende at that tyme: for by the reason of the crewe sent into Beame, he could not suddenly rayse a new armie. But because the matter was of such importance, and might neyther be from day to day differred, nor yet long delayed, he wrote to the bishop of Winchester, to passe with all his armie toward the duke of Bedford, which at that tyme had both nede of men and assistaunce, consideryng that nowe all stood upon losse or gaine: which thing done, and to his honor achieved, he might performe his iourney agaynst the Bohemians. Although the cardinall was somewhat moved with this countermaund, yet least he should be noted, not to ayde the regent of Fraunce in so great a cause, and so necessary an enterprise, he bowed from his former iourney, and passed the sea with all his companie, and brought them to his cousin, to the citie of Parys."

Page 112. Wherefore he was with much difficulty reseated. This appears to confirm a former suggestion hazarded in regard to the unwieldy armour with which the knights in the fifteenth century were wont to be accoutred.

Page 113. And when it was made known unto the duke of Bedford, he marched forth from Paris, with a great power of men at war.

Holinshed, in his quaint manner, at page 602, describes the proceedings of the regent of France in the following manner; which refutes the statements of the writer of our Diary, who plainly wishes to have it inferred, that, the English were uniformly averse to deliver battle to the French king.

"The duke of Bedford, advertised of all these dooings, assembled his power about him, and having togither ten thousand good Englishmen (beside Normans) departed out of Paris in warlike fashion, and passing thorough Brie to Monstreau fault Yonne, sent by his herald Bedford, letters to the French king, signifieng to him; that where he had (contrarie to the finall conclusion accorded betweene his noble brother k. Henrie the fift, and king Charles the sixt, father to him that was the usurper) by allurement of a divelish witch, taken upon him the name, title, and dignitie of the king of France; and further had by murther, stealing, craft, and deceitfull meanes, violentlie gotten, and wrongfullie kept diverse cities and townes belonging to the king of England his nephue; for proofe thereof he was come downe from Paris with his

armie, into the countrie of Brie, by dint of sword and stroke of battell to proove his writing and cause true, willing his enimie to choose the place, and in the same he would give him battell.

"The new French king being come from Reimes to Dampmartine, studieng how to compasse them of Paris, was halfe abashed at this message. But yet to set a good countenance on the matter, he answered the herald, that he would sooner seeke his maister, than his maister should need to pursue him. The duke of Bedford, hearing this answer, marched toward the king, and pitched his field in a strong place. The French king, though at the first he meant to have abidden battell; yet when he understood that the duke was equall to him in number of people, he changed his purpose, and turned with his armie a little out of the waie. The duke of Bedford, perceiving his faint courage, followed him by the hils and dales, till he came to a town not far from Senlis, where he found the French king and his armie lodged; wherefore he ordered his battels like an expert cheeffteine in martiall science, setting the archers before, and himselfe with the noblemen in the maine battell, and put the Normans on both sides for wings. The French king also ordered his battels with the advise of his capteins."

Page 116. Insomuch so that a cross-bowman of Paris pierced her thigh through with an arrow.

"The following day, as the Pucelle possessed an excellent mind in foretelling events and admirable diligence in executing her purposes; she caused an attack to be made

on the boulevard and the barrier of the gate of Saint Honoré. And the French having suddenly entered with great courage, and chased the garrison, they became masters of the same. The English at this were greatly affrighted, seeing that the enemy, immediately upon arriving, had seized this place before their eyes, and ere the city had time to afford any assistance. But shortly after, as the Pucelle valiantly descended into the moat, and exhorted the others to transport the things necessary to fill it up in order to approach the wall, she received a wound in the thigh from an arrow, which being extracted, a quantity of blood issued forth. Upon this occasion the soldiers were greatly affrighted, believing her hurt to be more dangerous than it was in reality. Jeanne, on the contrary, without changing colour, ordered the flowing of the blood to be stopped, and that the wound should be bound up. She then continued for a long space before the standards, having either dissembled or got the better of the anguish she endured, when the blood, which the means adopted had for some time stopped, began to reflow in greater abundance; while the wound being recent, not having inflicted its utmost pain then increased in acuteness, and the part swelled most dreadfully. At that juncture the courage and the legs of this generous girl began to fail her, so that those nearest received and supported her to the camp. This mishap the duke of Alençon regretted greatly; and, fearful lest the wound of the leader should be followed by the defeat of the whole army, caused the retreat to be sounded. There was in the courage of the Pucelle a certain confidence rather supported by a supernatural