of Vaucouleurs, and narrated to him her vision; praying and requiring him, that for the great good and profit of the kingdom, he would cause her to be arrayed in the habiliments of a man, mounted on horseback, and after conducted to the king, according as God had commanded her to go. But, for that time, nor for many days, would he believe her; so that he only mocked and esteemed her vision as a fantasy and a bewildered imagination; yet, thinking to use her in regard to his people, as a carņal sin, he retained her. To which none of them, nor any after, could in such sort make her turn. For, so soon as they fixedly looked upon her, they were all cooled of their luxury.

The Wednesday, ninth day of the said month, departed from Orleans Messire Jacques de Chabanes, Messire Regnault de Fratames, and le Bourg de Bar, accompanied by twenty or twenty-five combatants, in order to proceed to Blois to the Count de Clermont; but they were met on the road by a power of English and Burgundians, who secured le Bourg de Bar, and carried him off prisoner to the tower of Marchesvoir, and the two other lords fled. On which day, arrived within the city of Orleans, Messire Gilbert de Faicte, native of Bourbonnois and Marshal of France, who conducted with him three hundred combatants.

The next day, which was Thursday, quitted Orleans, the Bastard of Orleans and two hundred

combatants with him, to go to Blois, to the Count de Clermont and Messire John Estuart (Stewart), Constable of Scotland; the Lord de la Tour, baron of Auvergne; the Viscount of Thouras, lord of Ambois, and other knights and esquires, accompanied, as it was said, by full four thousand combatants, as well of Auvergne, Bourbonnois, as of Scotland, in order to know when it should please them to appoint a day and an hour for the attacking the English, and the false French conducting from Paris provisions and artillery, for their forces carrying on the siege.

Friday, the ninth of the said month of February, departed also from Orleans, Messire Guillaume d'Alebret, Messire Guillaume Estuart (Stewart), brother of the Constable of Scotland, the Marshal of Saint Severe, the lord of Graville, the lord of Sainctes Trailles, and La Hire, Poton, his brother, the lord of Verduran, with many other knights and esquires, accompanied by fifteen hundred combatants, intending to join them and assemble with the Count de Clermont and the others already named, to meet the supply of provisions and attack them. And on this day, also departed the said Count de Clermont, who proceeded in such wise, that he arrived with all his company in Beausse, at a village called Rouvray de Sainct Denys, which is distant two leagues from Yenville. And when they were all assembled, there were found from three to four thousand combatants,

and they did not depart from thence until the hour of three after mid-day.

The next day, which was Saturday, the twelfth of February, eve of les Brandons (Palm Sunday), Messire John Fascot (Fastolf), the bailiff of Evreux, who was of the English side, Messire Simon Morhier, Prevost of Paris, and many other knights and esquires of England and of France, accompanied by fifteen hundred combatants, as well English, Picards, Normands, as divers people of other countries, conducted about three hundred waggons and carts charged with provisions and different habiliments of war, such as cannon, bows, quivers, arrows, and other things, conveying them to the English then carrying on the siege before Orleans. But when, through means of their spies, they learned the force of the French, and ascertained that their intention was to assail them, they enclosed themselves, making a park of their convoy, and placing pointed stakes in form of barriers, leaving only one long and narrow issue and entry; for, the hinder part of their park, so enclosed by the convoy, was large, and the inner part long and narrow; whereto this issue or entry was such, that it was necessary to go in by that direction where it was intended it should be assailed. And, matters thus arranged in good order of battle, did they await there to live or to die; for, to escape had they little hope, considering their small number, against the multitude of French, who all assembled

of one common accord; they concluded that no one would dismount from his horse, unless it were the archers and the arrow men, whose duty at their coming was to shoot. After such conclusion, in the front took their stations La Hire, Poton, Saulten, Canede, and many others from Orleans, making about fifteen hundred combatants, who were advertised that the English conducting the provisions marched in a line without order and having no suspicion of being surprised; wherefore they were all of one opinion that they should assail them thus unawares as they approached. But the Count de Clermont sent word several times and by divers messages to La Hire and the others so disposed to attack their adversaries; stating, that he found in them such great advantage, that they should not in any wise assault until his coming up, and that he would bring them from three to four thousand combatants equally as anxious as themselves to assemble against the English. For honour and for the love of whom they abandoned their enterprise, to their very great displeasure, and above all of La Hire, who testified the appearance of their great chagrin, for that a lapse was thus accorded to the English to join and unite closely together; and with their friends to fortify themselves with stakes and with chariots. And, in truth, La Hire, and those of his company who had marched from Orleans, were halted in a field in front, and so near to the English, that

very well had he seen them, as it is said, approach in a line and fortify themselves, bewailing marvellously, for that he did not dare attack, owing to the various commands sent by the Count de Clermont, who still continued to advance as speedily as possible. No less impatiently did the Constable of Scotland await this attempt; the which had arrived there also, with about four hundred combatants, among whom were many valiant men. And in this manner, between the hours of two and three after mid-day, advanced against the French archers and bowmen, some of their adversaries, of whom none had before sallied forth; these they constrained to fall back in haste, causing them to retreat by force of arrows, with which they charged so thickly that they killed many, while those who could escape entered within their fortification with the others. Wherefore, when the Constable of Scotland perceived that they kept themselves ranged in such close order without showing any signs of separating, he was, from too much warmth, so desirous of attacking, that he forgot every order that had been issued; that no one should dismount. So he proceeded to attack, without waiting the others, and following his example and for the purpose of aiding him, dismounted also the Bastard of Orleans, the Lord D'Orval, Messire Guillaume Estuart (Stewart), Messire John de Mailhac, lord of Chasteaubrun, the Viscount de Bridiers, Messire John de Lesgot, the lord of Verduran, Messire