The village was looted. An officer ordered the Notary, Me. Robert, to open his safe. As he at first refused to obey this order, the officer told two of his men to load their weapons and Me. Robert was forced to hand over the 8,300 francs the safe contained. While the Notary was occupied in satisfying these demands, the Germans stole his silver, his jewellery and that of his wife, even his personal linen, in exchange for which they left him their dirty shirts. The cellar was entirely emptied by the officers, who took 1,471 bottles of rare wine. The same witness saw an officer wearing nine women's rings and three bracelets. _Returning from Magnard's house follow the High Street as far as the_ +Church+ (historical monument). This church is of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, with a fine steeple belonging to the fifteenth (_view above_). [Illustration: PANELLING OF CHURCH] There is beautiful panelling to be seen inside (_view below_). Jeanne d'Arc received the sacrament here on the eve of the battle against the English below Montépilloy, in 1429. _Follow the road which is a continuation of the High Street._ At this point, and as far as Senlis, rearguard actions were fought in Sept. 1914. _After 3½ km., turn to the left._ In the field which forms the corner of the two roads there is a German grave. _3 km. further on, turn to the left again into the road to Ermenonville, and after having proceeded about 1,200 yards, go down the lane which leads, under the trees, to the entrance of the domain which constituted the ancient abbey of =Châalis=._ =CHÂALIS= At the very beginning of the twelfth century, on his return from the First Crusade, a lord of Mello founded a priory at _Calisium_. In 1136 the king, Louis le Gros, wishing to honour the memory of his brother, Charles le Bon, who was assassinated in Bruges, transformed this priory into an abbey which was placed under the management of the Order of Cîteaux, whose growing power was beginning to make itself felt. The Abbey flourished under the protection of the kings of France, the bishops of Senlis, and the lords of Chantilly, and became of great importance. Its present condition can only give a faint idea of its former disposition and size. The good king St. Louis often came to share the peaceful life of the monks, cultivating the soil and the vine, looking after the bees, fishing for pike in the ponds, and eating in the common refectory out of a wooden bowl, amidst the tame birds that came from all the country around to join in the meals.