Believing that they were betrayed and abandoned, the citizens bethought them of securing their own safety. Since the King was not able to protect them, they resolved that in order to escape from the English, they would give themselves to one more powerful than he. Therefore, to Lord Philip, Duke of Burgundy, they despatched Captain Poton of Saintrailles, who was known to him because he had been his prisoner, and two magistrates of the city, Jean de Saint-Avy and Guion du Fosse. Their mission was to pray and entreat the Duke to look favourably on the town, and for the sake of his good kinsman, their Lord, Charles, Duke of Orleans, a prisoner in England, and thus prevented from defending his own domain, to induce the English to raise the siege until such time as the troubles of the realm should be set at rest.[565] Thus they were offering to place their town as a pledge in the hands of the Duke of Burgundy. Such an offer was in accordance with the secret desire of the Duke, who, having sent a few hundred Burgundian horse to the walls of Orleans, was helping the English, and did not intend to do it for nothing.[566] [Footnote 565: _Journal du siege_, p. 52.] [Footnote 566: Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 317. _Journal du siege_, p. 52. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 269. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 65. Morosini, pp. 16, 17, vol. iv, supplement xiv. Du Tillet, _Recueil des traites_, p. 221.] Pending the uncertain and distant day when they might be thus protected, the people of Orleans continued to protect themselves as best they could. But they were anxious and not without reason. For although they might prevent the enemy from entering within the city, they could devise no means for speedily driving him away. In the early days of March they observed with concern that the English were digging a ditch to serve them as cover in passing from one bastion to another, from la Croix-Boissee to Saint-Ladre. This work they attempted to destroy. They vigorously attacked the _Godons_ and took a few prisoners. With two shots from his culverin Maitre Jean killed five persons, including Lord Gray, the nephew of the late Earl of Salisbury.[567] But they could not hinder the English from completing their work. The siege continued with terrible vigour. Agitated by doubts and fears, consumed with anxiety, without sleep, without rest, and succeeding in nothing, they began to despair. Suddenly a strange rumour arises, spreads, and gains credence. [Footnote 567: 3 March. _Journal du siege_, p. 54.] It is told that there had lately passed through the town of Gien a maid (_une pucelle_), who proclaimed that she was on her way to Chinon to the gentle Dauphin, and said that she had been sent by God to raise the siege of Orleans and take the King to his anointing at Reims.[568] [Footnote 568: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 21, 23. _Journal du siege_, pp. 46 _et seq._ _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 278.]