Jeanne d'Arc, Maid of Orleans, Deliverer of France: Being the Story of Her Life, Her Achievements, and Her Death, as Attested on Oath and Set Forth in the Original Documents
History
Jeanne d'Arc, Maid of Orleans, Deliverer of France: Being the Story of Her Life, Her Achievements, and Her Death, as Attested on Oath and Set Forth in the Original Documents
Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412-1431 -- Trials, litigation, etc.
During the assault on Jargeau Jeanne said to me: “Go back from this
place, or that engine”—pointing out an engine of war in the city—“will
kill you.” I retired, and shortly after that very engine did indeed kill
the Sieur de Lude in that very place from which she told me to go away.
On this account I had great fear, and wondered much at Jeanne’s words
and how true they came. Afterwards, Jeanne made the attack; in which I
followed her. As our men were invading the place, the Earl of Suffolk
made proclamation that he wished to speak with me, but we did not
listen, and the attack continued. Jeanne was on a ladder, her standard
in her hand, when her standard was struck and she herself was hit on the
head by a stone which was partly spent, and which struck her
calotte.[185] She was thrown to the ground; but, raising herself, she
cried: “Friends! friends! come on! come on! Our Lord hath doomed the
English! They are ours! keep a good heart.” At that moment the town was
carried; and the English retired to the bridges, where the French
pursued them and killed more than 1,100 men.
The town taken,[186] Jeanne and the army went to Orleans; then from
Orleans to Meung-sur-Loire, where were the English under the command of
‘the child of Warwick’ and Scales. Beneath the walls of Meung, I passed
the night in a Church with a few soldiers, and was in great peril. The
day after the taking of Meung, we went to Beaugency; and in the
neighbourhood of this town we rallied to us a part of the army with
which we attacked the English who were in Beaugency. In consequence of
our attack the English abandoned the town and retired into a camp which
we had watched during the night for fear they should beat a retreat. We
were there when the news reached us that the Constable was coming to
join us: Jeanne, the other Captains, and I myself were much troubled by
this news, and wished to retire, because we had orders from the King not
to receive the said Constable into our company. I told Jeanne that if
the Constable came I should retire. The next day, before his arrival, we
learned that the English were marching upon us in great number, under
the command of Talbot.[187] Our men immediately called “To arms!” and,
seeing that I wished to retire because of the arrival of the Constable,
Jeanne told me that we must help one another. The English surrendered
their camp by agreement, and retreated by a safe-conduct which I gave
them: for I was then Lieutenant to the King, and thus in command of the
army. We thought they had retired, when a man of La Hire’s company told
us they were marching upon us, and that in a moment we should have them
before us, to the number of a thousand men-at-arms. Jéanne asked what
this messenger had stated; and when she knew what was going on she said
to the Lord Constable,[188] “Ah! fair Constable, you have not come by my
will, but now you are here you are welcome.” Many were in fear and said
it would be well to await the arrival of the cavalry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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