mother; for such is not a work fitted for me: * yet I must go and do it, for such is the will of the Lord." "And who is your Lord?" inquired Jean de Metz: "It is God," was Jeanne's reply. Forcibly struck with the words of the girl, and placing his hand within hers, he declared upon his faith that he would escort her to the king; and then demanded when she wished to set forwards: "Rather to-day than to-morrow," she made answer: he further requested to know if she was desirous of proceeding in the clothes she then wore, to which she replied, she would willingly accept of man's apparel, which he caused to be brought, and Jeanne immediately dressed herself in the same.

Bertrand de Poulengy, who had been present at the interview between Jeanne d'Arc and the lord de Baudricourt, speedily followed the example of Jean de Metz, being anxious to share the honour of conducting the maid on her journey. Jeanne, however, still wished to procure the sanction of Baudricourt, in proportion as the fame of her alleged mission increased throughout the country.

Charles, duke of Lorraine, weakened by a malady which baffled the art of medicine, was desirous of seeing Jeanne d'Arc for the purpose of consulting her; wherefore Laxart accompanied La Pucelle upon

This deposition was made by Jean de Novelompont, gentleman, a resident of Vaucouleurs, on Saturday, January 31, 1456.

her journey which she undertook, to comply with the desire of that prince.* During this interview the duke proposed several questions relating to herself,

According to the depositions made by the lady de Touroulde, at the revisal of Jeanne's sentence, we find that her uncle conducted her on a pilgrimage to St. Nicholas, near Nanci, when the duke of Lorraine, having heard statements respecting her, was desirous of seeing the maid; and for this purpose he despatched a passport for her safe conduct to Nanci, which event took place a short time prior to the feasts of Pentecost (Whitsuntide), of 1428. The prince was then labouring under a malady, and although his mind felt much more disquietude on that account than any other, he nevertheless proceeded to interrogate Jeanne about the reports that were disseminated concerning her. She immediately stated her desire to go and assist the Dauphin, and then supplicated the duke in the most urgent manner to issue his commands to his son, (René of Anjou, who had espoused his daughter,) that he would undertake to conduct her in safety to the Dauphin, Charles; and that she would offer up her prayers to the Lord for the recovery of his health. The duke then demanded what was her opinion respecting his illness; whereto she ingenuously replied, "that as he lived on bad terms with his wife, who was a very virtuous princess, he would not recover unless he changed his conduct in regard to her." The duke then dismissed Jeanne with a present of four francs, which she instantly confided to her uncle, who subsequently remitted the amount to her parents.- Lenglet, vol. i. p. 20, &c.; Laverdy, p. 301.

In a work written by M. Luchet, which we shall have occasion to quote, the author not only ridicules the idea of supernatural agency as being connected with Jeanne d'Arc, but also adduces arguments for the purpose of depreciating the merit so generally

and then proceeded to inquire if she could point out any means for the recovery of his health; but Jeanne answered that she was incapable of throwing any light upon that subject. She, however, exhorted him to live in peace with the duchess, his wife, who was a good and virtuous princess, stating that he would not recover unless he changed his conduct in regard to her; and, lastly, she entreated that the duke would furnish her with an escort under the command of the prince, his son, for the purpose of conducting her to Charles the Dauphin of France.

The parents of Jeanne d'Arc could not long remain ignorant of her departure from Petit-Burey, of the ardent resolution she had formed of presenting herself to the king, and of the success attending her visit to Vaucouleurs. When apprized of these facts, they were completely paralyzed, and Jacques d'Arc thus saw realized the dream he had had some years before, by which he was forewarned that his daughter would depart with men at arms. In consequence of this, Jeanne's parents set out with all expedition for Vaucouleurs, in order to

attached to La Pucelle. When speaking of this visit to the duke of Lorraine, he states, "that the prince dismissed the pilgrim, but did not think fit to change his conduct in regard to the duchess; yet," adds M. Luchet, "the duke was subsequently cured of his malady, notwithstanding the menace of the prophetess." Ed. 1776, page 5.

prevent the execution of their daughter's design; and it is by no means improbable that this journey was undertaken during the maid's absence to attend upon the duke of Lorraine. Jeanne caused a letter to be written, wherein she implored pardon of her parents for this disobedience, and received the forgiveness she had solicited. On a third interview with Baudricourt, to whom she was presented by Novelompont, she at length obtained the acquiescence of the governor, who consented to her journey for the purpose of joining the king. There appears some reason to believe that Baudricourt had then received an answer from the court to the letters which he had despatched, and that he had received orders to send the girl to Chinon; at all events her reiterated applications might have got the better of his reluctance in complying with her entreaties. Some historians have attributed the consent of Baudricourt to a supernatural cause; alleging, after the statements in ancient chronicles, that on the very day when the French were beaten at Rouvray Saint Denis, Jeanne d'Arc had announced to the governor the issue of that fatal encounter in the following words*:

"En mon Dieu, vous mettez trop à m'envoyer; car

"This trait,

Luchet, at page 6, speaking of this event, says: which is the most singular in the life of this extraordinary girl, is

aujourd'hui le gentil Dauphin a eu assez près d'Orléans un bien grand dommage, et sera-t-il encore taillé de l'avoir plus grand si ne m'envoyez bientot vers lui: In the name of God, you hesitate too long about sending me; for this very day the handsome Dauphin has experienced a great discomfiture near Orleans, and it shall so turn out that he will yet suffer a greater, if you do not speedily send me to join him."

The lord de Baudricourt having resolved on the departure of Jeanne, preparations for the journey were immediately made. The inhabitants of Vaucouleurs procured man's attire for the young woman; and her uncle Durand Laxart, in conjunction with Jacques Alain, purchased her a horse, for which

only guaranteed by the deposition of the wife of a blacksmith of Vaucouleurs, named Henri. What renders the statement suspicious, is, that Baudricourt did not alter his opinion respecting Jeanne d'Arc, saying to her when she departed: Va, et advienne ce que tu pourras. If the prophecy had been really verified, the people would have seen a miracle in all that transpired, and the governor would not have conducted himself so cavalierly. The major part of her panegyrists were ignorant of, or wilfully omitted this occurrence, while others have contented themselves in relating it with indifference. This would incontestably have proved the most propitious moment of her life, the true sign which has been so repeatedly and so fruitlessly demanded."

The deposition of Catherine, wife of Henri the blacksmith of Vaucouleurs, was made on January 31, 1456, during the process of revisal.