GOES TO LOCHES.

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the morning after raising the siege, she left Orleans to seek Charles at Loches. The people pressed around her to bid her adieu; wept, embraced, thanked her for the wonderful deliverance she had wrought for them.

Wherever she passed on her road, there was as an ovation. The enthusiasm of triumph went before her. 'Those who were not fortunate enough to get so near as to be able to kiss her hand or her garments, kissed the very traces of the footsteps of the horse on which she rode.'1 All this homage of admiration did not in the least change the character of the object upon whom it was bestowed. The good sense, the vigorous judgment, the simplicity that characterized Jeanne's manners and address, were the same as upon the day she left her humble home to seek and save a King of France. She had tasted of what is so sweet to most-praise, power, and authority; but she valued none of these, except as a means to enable her to work out the purpose of Heaven. Her modest consciousness made her fear for herself, lest God should be jealous of the honours thus heaped upon her. 'In truth,' she said, 'I should not know how to guard myself from these things, if God did not protect me.'

Jeanne passed through Blois on her way to Loches. Great was the stir on her arrival at Court, and Charles received her with honour. Without a pause, she told him her purpose in hastening to his presence, urged him to seize the propitious moment, when both Heaven and earth

1 Mémoires de la Pucelle.

favoured his cause-to call out his men-at-arms, and go with her to Rheims. But Jeanne was disappointed. She found Charles, as she left him, pleasure-loving, indolent, indifferent even to his own interest, when it required his personal exertions. Not only Charles but his Council raised objections of every description: the enemy was much too powerful; the enemy possessed all the towns and castles on the road; there was no money in the treasury to pay the troops; how could they, then, be called out to begin the march? By my Martin,' said Jeanne (her common expression since she had been in command), 'you make too much difficulty. I will conduct the gentle Dauphin as far as Rheims in safety, without his being turned back, and will myself see him crowned.'1

Still the Council demurred; but Jeanne watched her opportunity, and found her way to Charles when he was not beset by councillors and courtiers, threw herself at his feet, embraced his knees, and said, 'Noble Dauphin, do not hold such long councils, rather come with me to Rheims and receive your crown. My power to serve you will not extend beyond a year; employ me, then, while you can.'

Charles listened to the affectionate expressions of her anxiety to serve him with his accustomed listless ease; he paid more attention to the advice of the selfish and worthless men about him, than to the heroic Maid who had saved one of the finest cities of his kingdom. And in all 1 Mémoires de la Pucelle; Histoire de France.

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indolent characters, decision was to Charles a trouble, and he liked not to be troubled. Though so many about him were adverse to the Maid, yet there were a few who pondered on the wonders she had wrought at Orleans, and felt half inclined to believe in her mission. These did not hesitate to say to Charles in a whisper, that if it would not displease Jeanne, it would be as well for her to learn what her voices counselled respecting the journey she proposed for the King. Jeanne read their purpose, and exclaimed, 'In the name of God, I know well what are your thoughts: you would know what I learn from my voices relating to the coronation; and I will tell you. I was at my orisons in my accustomed manner, and complaining that I was not believed in what I asserted, when the voice suddenly came to me and said, "Daughter, go to Rheims, I will be your help; go." I was overjoyed at hearing this.'

There was still doubt and want of decision on the part of Charles, but Jeanne persevered, and declared that her voices said to her, 'Go forward, child of God; go on, I will be your aid.' This was enough to call forth her enthusiasm anew, and determine her purpose.

It was about this time that the young Lord Guy de Laval, who came with his brother and a certain number of his vassals to join the army, first saw Jeanne. He wrote an account of her in a most curious letter, addressed to his mother and his grandmother, which fortunately has

K

come down to us. It is written in the quaint style of the period, but perfectly unaffected and natural. After telling the ladies how well he had been received by Charles, that he had seen the Dauphin, and what a pretty boy he was, he goes on to say, 'On Sunday I arrived at Saint Agnan, where the King then was. On the Monday I departed with the King to go to Selles in Berri,

four leagues distant from Saint Agnan, and the King caused the Maid, who was already at Selles, to come forth to meet him. Everybody said that he did so in my favour, that I might see her, and she gave a ready welcome to my brother and myself.'

The Maid was fully armed, except the head; she held a lance in her hand. After we had dismounted at Selles, I went to her lodging to see her. She ordered wine to be brought, and said that she would soon make me drink some in Paris. In seeing her, and hearing her speak, she seems altogether like a creature that is divine. The same Monday, about the hour of vespers, she left Selles to go to Romorantinat, three leagues in advance towards the enemy's quarter. The Marshal de Broussac, and a great number of men-at-arms and of the common people, were with her. I saw her armed in white armour, except her head, a little axe in her hand, mounted on

'The letter is addressed to 'Mes très redoutées dames et méres.' It was printed from the original MS., and included in the series of the original chronicles of the fifteenth century, published in France in 1785.

LETTER OF DE LAVAL.

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her black charger, which at the door of her lodging was restive, and would not let her mount. Then she said, "Take him to the cross which is before the church on the road;" after this, she mounted without trouble, for he was as quiet as if he had been tied.

'She then turned towards the church door, which was close by, and said in a gentle, womanly voice, "You priests and men of the church, make a procession and prayers to God;" and then she went on her way, saying, "Go forward, go forward." Her standard was folded, and borne by a handsome page. She had her little axe in her hand; and one of her brothers, who had joined her eight days since, went with her; he also was in white (blanc) armour.'

De Laval then proceeds to give some account of the Duke d'Alençon and his company, who had come to join the Maid. Before De Laval bade her adieu, she told him that three days before his arrival she had sent a little gold ring to his grandmother; that it was a very small present, and gladly would she have sent a better, considering her recommendation. No doubt (though this expression is not explained) the lady had done some act of kindness, which the grateful nature of Jeanne led her to acknowledge by this small token. He mentions her telling him that it was her intention to conduct the King to be crowned at Rheims, and that he, the Lord de Laval, should go with Charles; but he adds that it was not his purpose to do so, for some must stay behind.

At length, on pressing a decision about going to Rheims,