In colloquial language, a maid (_une pucelle_) was a girl of humble birth, who earned her livelihood by manual work and was generally a servant. Thus the leaden pumps used in kitchens were usually called _pucelles_. The term was doubtless vulgar, but it had no evil meaning. In spite of Clopinel's naughty saying: "_Je legue ma pucelle a mon cure_," it was used to describe a respectable girl of good morals.[569] [Footnote 569: La Curne, under the word _Pucelle_; Du Cange, ad. v. _Pucella_. _Je laisse cent sols de deniers A ceulx qui boivent voluntiers Et s'ay laissie a mon cure Ma pucelle quand je mourrai,_ says Eustache Deschamps (quoted by La Curne); Du Cange cites a will of 1274: "afterwards I leave to Laurence _ma pucelle_ and twelve _livres_ of Paris."] The tidings that a little saint of lowly origin, one of Our Lord's poor, was bringing divine help to Orleans made a great impression on minds excited by the fevers of the siege and rendered religious through fear. The Maid inspired them with a burning curiosity, which the Lord Bastard, like a wise man, deemed it prudent to encourage. He despatched to Chinon two knights charged to inquire concerning the damsel. One was Sire Archambaud of Villars, Governor of Montargis, whom the Bastard had already sent to the King during the siege; he was an aged knight, once the intimate friend of Duke Louis of Orleans, and one of the seven Frenchmen who fought against the seven Englishmen at Montendre,[570] in 1402: an Orleans citizen of the early days, notwithstanding his great age he had vigourously defended Les Tourelles on the 21st of October. The other, Messire Jamet du Tillay, a Breton squire, had recently won great honour by covering the retreat of Rouvray with his men. They set forth and the whole town anxiously awaited their return.[571] [Footnote 570: _Relation contemporaine du combat de Montendre_, in _Bulletin de la Societe de l'Histoire de France_, 1834, pp. 109-113.] [Footnote 571: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 3, 125, 215. _Journal du siege_, pp. 5, 6, 31, 44. _Nouvelle biographie generale_, articles by Vallet de Viriville.] CHAPTER VI THE MAID AT CHINON--PROPHECIES From the village of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois, Jeanne dictated a letter to the King, for she did not know how to write. In this letter she asked permission to come to him, and told him that to bring him aid she had travelled over one hundred and fifty leagues, and that she knew of many things for his good. She was said to have added that were he hidden amidst many others she would recognise him;[572] but later, when she was questioned on this matter, she replied that she had no recollection of it. [Footnote 572: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 56, 75.]