HISTORY,

ETC. ETC.

On the ninth of May, 1429, being the day after the siege of Orleans was raised, Jeanne d'Arc prepared to leave the city; upon which occasion, in order to testify her gratitude towards her host and his family, she presented to them the white satin hat, edged with gold, which she wore when dressed in man's apparel, but not in armour. On Tuesday the tenth of May, Jeanne arrived at Blois, being very anxious to present herself to the king. The fame of her victorious career was already the subject of conversation at court; every one felt anxious to behold her again; and, according to the old chroniclers, "Charles lui fit moult grant chiere, et la reçut à grant honneur-Charles feasted her nobly, and received her with great honour;" and all the courtiers, if reliance may be placed upon the same authorities, for once paid their homage to genius and to virtue.

On arriving at Loches, where the monarch then

resided, La Pucelle, throwing herself at his feet, expressed herself in these words: "Gentil Dauphin, voilà le siège d'Orléans levé, qui est la première chose dont j'ai eu commandement, de la part du Roi du ciel, pour le bien de votre service; reste maintenant à vous mener à Rheims en toute sureté, pour y être sacré et couronné. Ne faites aucun doute que vous n'y soyez très bien reçu, et qu'après cela vos affaires n'aillent toujours prospérant, et que tout ce que j'ai eu ordre, de la part du Roi du ciel, de vous dire et assurer, n'arrive en temps et lieu. Comely Dauphin, now is the siege of Orleans raised, which is the first act I was commanded to execute, on the part of the King of heaven, for your benefit; it now remains for me to conduct you in safety to Rheims, to be there anointed and crowned. Do not entertain a doubt but you will be well received, and that afterwards your affairs will invariably continue to prosper; and every thing which has been ordered me by the King of heaven to communicate and to assure you, will come to pass in time and place."*

to

The enterprise of conducting the king to Rheims was attended with many difficulties. It was absolutely necessary traverse more than seventy leagues of a country, all the cities of which, not excepting Rheims, were garrisoned by English and Burgundian troops; to cross three principal rivers, the Loire, the Seine, and the Marne, besides many inferior streams; and to lay siege to every town from Loches to Rheims, which it was impossible to effect from the want

Indecision appears to have been the prevailing characteristic of Charles VII., at least during that period of his life on which we are writing. One might

of heavy artillery and the necessary pecuniary supplies. To consider of these impediments, several councils were held, which La Pucelle was not allowed to attend; and great indecision and difference of opinion were evinced as to the course of conduct that should be pursued. In this state of incertitude the king left the council-chamber without coming to any determination, and retired to his cabinet, where he summoned his confessor, Christophe de Harcourt, the bishop of Castres, and the lord de Treves, formerly chancellor of France, who, on account of his advanced age, had retired from that eminent post. Thus circumstanced, they were undetermined whether to admit La Pucelle or not; but Jeanne, impatient of delay, knocked at the door, demanding admission, and when in presence of the king, bespoke him as above, &c.—Lenglet, vol. i. p. 78.

Luchet, at page 19, says, "What had the king to apprehend when La Pucelle was at the head of his armies? His majesty, as void of confidence as he was ungrateful, left the council in a state of uncertainty, and shut himself up with his confessor, the bishop of Castres, and the lord de Treves, a mere simpleton, who had been displaced from the post of chancellor on account of his incapacity to undertake any affair of moment." And the same author, in the following page, says,

"This

• When the march to Rheims was undertaken, notwithstanding the recent successes obtained, the king could only compass the payment of three francs for each man at arms. See Chartier, page 28; Chronique de France, page 341; Histoire de la Pucelle, page 520.