side were guarded, one by the officers of the Dauphin, the
other by those of the Duke. The Princes were to enter into
the intermediate space by the opposite gates, accompanied
each by ten persons, and with ail these marks of diffidence, to
conciliate their mutual friendship. But it appeared that no
precautions are sufficient where laws have no place, and
where all principles of honour are utterly abandoned. Tanne-
III. 170
So he spake.
But when the Bastard told the wonderous tale,
How interposing Heaven had its high aid
Vouchsafed to France, the old man's eyes flash' d fire,
And rising from the bank, the stately steed
That grazed beside he mounts. " Farewell Dunois,
" Thou too the Delegate of Heaven, farewell !
" I go to raise the standard ! we shall meet
" At Orleans." O'er the plain he spurred his steed.
They journey on their way till Chinon's towers
Rose to the distant view 5 imperial seat
Of Charles, for Paris with her servile sons,
guy du Chatel, and others of the Dauphin's retainers, had
been zealous partizans of the late Duke of Orleans, and they
determined to seize the opportunity of revenging on the assas-
sin the murder of that Prince. They no sooner entered the
rails, than they drew their swords, and attacked the Duke of
Burgundy. His friends were astonished, and thought not of
making any defence ; and all of them either shared his fate,
or were taken prisoners by the retinue of the Dauphin. "
Hum*,
III. 171
A headstrong, mutable, ferocious race,
" Bow'd to the invaders yoke, since that sad * hour
When Faction o'er her streets with giant stride
Strode terrible, and Murder and Revenge,
As by the midnight torches' lurid light
They mark'd their mangled victims writhe convuls'd,
Listened the deep death groan. Ill-fated scene !
Thro' many a dark age drenched with innocent blood.
And one day doom'd to know the damning guilt
* A dreadful slaughter of the Armagnacs had taken place
when Lisle Adam entered Paris at midnight, May ]8, 141 8.
This, however, was only a prelude to a much greater com-
motion in the same city some days after. Upon news of
what had passed, the exiles being returned to Paris from all
quarters, the massacre was renewed June the 12th. The
constable Armagnac was taken out of prison, murdered, and
shamefully dragged through the streets. The Chancellor,
several Bishops, and other persons, to the number of two
thousand, underwent the same barbarous treatment. Women
and children died smothered in dungeons. Many of the No-
bles were forced to leap from high towers upon the points of
spears. The massacre being ended, the Queen and the Duke
of Burgundy entered Paris in triumph.
Mnerai/. — Rapin.
III. 172
Of Brissot murder'd, and the blameless wife
Of Roland ! Martyr' d patriots, spirits pure,
Wept by the good ye fell ! Yet still survives
Sown by your toil and by your blood manur'd,
The imperishable seed ; and still its roots
Spread, and strike deep, and yet shall it become
That Tree beneath whose shade the Sons of Men
Shall pitch their tents in peace.
In Paris now
Triumphed the Invader. On an infant's head
Had Bedford placed the crown of Charlemagne,
And factious nobles bow'd the subject knee
In homage to their King, their baby Lord,
Their cradled mighty one !
" Belov'd of Heaven/'
So spake the Son of Orleans as they pass'd,
" Lo these the walls of Chinon, this the abode
€< Of Charles our monarch. Here in revelry
" He of his armies vanquish' d, his fair towns
** Subdued, hears careless and prolongs the dance.
III. 173
" And little marvel I that to the cares
" Of empire still he turns the unwilling ear*
(t For loss on loss, defeat upon defeat,
" His strong holds taken, and his bravest Chiefs
" Or dead or captur'd, and the hopes of youth
" All blasted, have subdued the royal mind
" Undisciplin'd in Fortitude's stern school.
" So may thy voice arouse his sleeping virtues !"
The mission' d maid reply *d, <c go thou Dunois,
,€ Announce my mission to the royal ear.
" I on the river's winding banks the while
4< Would roam, collecting for the enterprize
" My thoughts, tho' firm, yet troubled. Who essays
" Atchievements of great import will perforce
" Feel the heart heave ) and in my breast I feel
u Such perturbation."
On the banks of Vienna
Devious the Damsel tum'd. Thro' Chinon's gates
The Son of Orleans press'd with rapid step
III. 174
Seeking the King. Him from the public view
He found secluded with his blamejesa Queen,
And his partaker of the unlawful bed,
The lofty- minded Agnes.
u Son of * Orleans !'•
So as he entered cried the haughty Fair,
(< Thou art well come to witness the disgrace,
* " Charles, in despair of collecting an army which should
dare to approach the enemy's entrenchments, not only gave
the city of Orleans for lost, but began to entertain a very dis-
mal prospect with regard to the general state of his affairs.
He saw that the country in which he had hitherto, with great
difficulty, subsisted, would be laid entirely open to the inva-
sion of a powerful and victorious enemy, and he already en-
tertained thoughts of retiring with the remains of his forceg
into Languedoc and Dauphiny, and defending himself as long as
possible in those remote provinces. But it was fortunate for
this good Prince, that as he lay under the dominion of the
fair, the women who he consulted had the spirit to support
his sinking resolution in this desperate extremity. Mary of
Anjou, his Queen, a Princess of great merit and prudence,
vehemently opposed this measure, which she foresaw would
discourage all his partisans, and serve as a general signal for
III. 175
" The weak, unmanly, mean despondency
(( Of tins thy Sovereign Liege. He will retreat
" To distant Dauphine and fly the war !
" Go then, unworthy of thy rank ! retreat
" To distant Dauphine, and fly the war,
*' Recreant from battle ! I will not partake
" A fugitive's fate, when thou hast lost thy crown
" Thou hast lost Agnes. — Do'st not blush Dunois !
deserting a Prince who seemed himself to despair of success :
his mistress too, the fair Agnes Sorel, who lived in entiie amity
with the Queen, seconded all her remonstrances.
Hume.
L'on fait honneur a la belle Agnes Sorel, Demoiselle dc
Touraine, maitresse de ce Prince, d'avoir beaucoup contribue
a l'encourager en cette occasion. On lui fait cet honneur
princtpalement au sujet d'un quatrain rapporte par Saint Ge-
lais, comme aiant etc fait par le Roi Franrois 1. a 1 honneur
de cette Demoiselle.
Plus de louange et d'honneur tu merite,
La cause etant de France recouvrer,
Que ce que peut dedans un Cloitre ouvrer
Clause* Nonnain, ou bien devot Hermite.
P. Danid.
III. 176
u To bleed in combat for a Prince like this,
" Fit only like the Merovingian race
u On a May * morning deck'd with flowers, to mount
* Here in this first race you shall see our Kings but once a
year, the first day of May, in their chariots deckt with flowres
and greene, and drawn by four oxen. Whoso hath occasion-
to treat with them let him seeke them in their chambers,
amidst their delights. Let him talke of any matters of state,
he shall be sent to the Maire*
De Serves.
Fuller calls this race C€ a chain of idle Kings well linked toge-
ther, who gave themselves over to pleasure privately, never
coming abroad, but onely on May-day they shewed them-
selves to the people, riding in a chariot, adorned with flowers,
and drawn with oxen, slow caltel, bat good enough for so lazy
luggage.
Holy Watte*
Ces Rois hirfeux en longue barbe espesse,
En longs cheveux, ornez presse sur presse,
De chaisnes d'or et de carquans gravez,
Hauts dans un char en triomphe elevez,
% Une fois Pan se feront voir en pompe
Enflez d'un fard qui le vulgaire trompe.
Fraticiade de Ronsard.
III. 177
*• His gay-bedizened car, and ride abroad
'* And make the multitude a holiday.
" Go Charles — and hide thee in a woman's garb,
" And these long * locks will not disgrace thee then !"
* Long hair was peculiar to the Kings in the first ages of
the French monarchy. When Fredegonda had murthered
Clovis and thrown him into the river, the fishermen who
found his body, knew it by the long hair.
Mezeray.
At a later period the custom seems to have become general.
Pasquier says, " lors de mon jeune aage nul n'estoit tondu,
fors les moines. Advint par mesadventure que le Roy Fran-
cois premier de ce nom, ayant este fortuitement blesse a la
teste d'un tizon, par le Capitaine Lorges, sieur de Montgou-
mery, les medecins furent d'advis de la tondre. Depuis il ne
porta plus longs cheveux, estant le premier de nos Roys, qui
par un sinistre augere degenera de ceste venerable anciennete.
Sur son exemple, les princes premierement, puis les Gentils-
hommes et finalement tous les subjects se volourent former,
il ne fut pas que les Prestres ne se meissent de ceste partie.
Sur la plus grande partie du regne de Francois premier, et de-
vant, chacun portoit longue chevelure, et barbe rase, ou main-
tenant chacun est tondu, et porte longue barbe.
III. 173
u Nay Agnes ! '* Charles replied, " reproach me not,
" I have enough of sorrow. Look around,
u See this fair country ravaged by the foe,
* x My strong holds taken, and my bravest Chiefs
€C Fall'n in the field, or captives far away.
€i Dead is the Douglas ; cold thy warrior frame,
€< Illustrious Buchan $ ye from Scotland's hills,
** Not mindless of your old ally distressed,
" Rush'd to his succour : in his cause ye fought^
" For him ye perish'd. Rash impetuous Narbonne !
" Thy mangled corse waves to the winds of * Heaven.
" Cold, Graville, is thy sinewy arm in death ;
" Fall'n is Ventadaur 3 silent in the grave
€< Rambouillet sleeps : Bretagne's unfaithful chief
* Le Viscomte de Narbonne y perit aussi, et porta le peine
de sa temerite, qui avoit ete une des principales causes de la
perte de la battaille. Le Due de Betfort aiant fait chercher
son corps, le fit ecartaler et pendre a un gibet, parce qu'il
passoit pour avoir ete complice de la mort du Due de Bour-
gogne.
P. Daniel
III. 179
tc Leagues with my foes, and Richemont*, or in arms
« Defies my weak controul, or from my side,
* Richemont has left an honourable name, though he tyed
a prime minister up in a sack and threw him into the river.
For this he had a royal precedent in our King John, but Riche-
mont did openly what the Monarch did in the dark, and there
is some difference between a murderer and an executioner,
even though the executioner be a volunteer. " II merita sa
grace (says Daniel), par les services qu'il rendit au Roi contre
les Anglois, malgre ce Prince meme. II fut un des principaux
auteurs de la reforme de la milice Francoise, qui produisit la
tranquillite de la France et les grands victoires dont elle fut
suivie. L'autorite qu'ii avoir par sa charge de Connetable,
jointe a sa fermete naturelle, lui donna moyen de tenir la main
a l'observation des ordonnances publiees par le Roi pour la
discipline militaire ; et les examples de severite qu'il fit a cet
egard, lui firent donner le surnom de Justicier. Etant devenu
Due de Bretagne, quelques Seigneurs de sa Cour lui conseil-
lerent de se demettre de sa charge de Connetable, comme d'une
dignite qui etoit au dessous de lui. II ne la voulut pas, et il
faisoit porter devant lui deux epees, Tune la pointe en haut, en
qualite de Due de Bretagne, et l'autre dans le fourreau le pointe
en bas, comme Connetable de France. Son motive pour con-
server la charge de Connetable, etoit, disoit il, d'honorer dans
sa vieillesse une charge qui Tavoit honore lui-meme dans un
age moins avance. On le pcut compter au nombre des plus
III. 180
/' A friend more dreaded than the enemy,
t€ Drives my best servants with the assassin sword.
u Soon must the towers of Orleans fall ! — But now
â– " These sad thoughts boot not. Welcome to our court,
" Dunois ! We yet can give the friendly feast,
€C And from the heavy cares of empire win,
" One hospitable day of merriment.
The Chief reply'd, " so may thy future years
u Pass from misfortune free, as all these ills
" Shall vanish like a vision of the night !
" To thee, to France I come the messenger
u Of aid from Heaven. The delegated Maid
(< With me, whom all wise Providence decrees
grands Capitaines que la France ait eus a son service. II avoit
beaucoup de religion, il etoit liberal, aumonier, bienfaisant, et
on ne peut gueres lui reprocher que la hauteur et la violence,
dont il usa envers les trois Ministres. And yet this violence
to the favourites may have been among the services, qu'il
rendit au Roi, malgre ce Prince mcme.
III. 181
f< The Saviour of the realm 5— a holy Maid,
r< Bearing strange promise of miraculous things,
" One whom it were not possible to hear
" And disbelieve."
Astonished by his speech
Stood Charles. " At one of meaner estimation
" I should havesmil'd,Dunois. Thy well-known worth,
" The loyalty of all thy noble house,
" Compel me even to this, a most strange tale,
x< To lend a serious ear. A woman sent
<( From Heaven, the Saviour of this wasted realm,
u One whom it were not possible to hear,
" And disbelieve ! Dunois, ill now beseems
*< Ought wild and hazardous ; the throne of France
" Totters upon destruction. Is my person
t€ Known to this woman ?"
* She has liv d retired/'
The Bastard answer' d, u ignorant of courts,
*\ And little heeding, till the spirit of God
u Rous'd her to this great work."
VOL. U I
III. 182
To him the King,
m If then she knows me not, abide thou here,
* r And hither, by a speedy messenger,
*' Summon the Maiden. On the throne meantime,
** I the while mingling with the menial throng,
€< Some courtier shall be seated. If the Maid
<e Be by the spirit of God inspired indeed,
" That holy spirit will gift her with the power
f ' To pierce deception. But if strange of mind
* c Enthusiast fancy fire her wilder'd brain,
*' Thus proved, she to obscurity again
* f May guiltlessly retire. Our English foes
** Might well exult to see the sons of France
<( Led by a frenzied * female." So he said ;
* Yet in the preceding year 1428, the English women had
-concerned themselves somewhat curiously in the affairs of their
rulers. " There was one Mistris Stokes with divers others
stout women of London, of good reckoning, well-apparelled,
came openly to the upper Parliament, and delivered letters
to the Duke of Glocester, and to the Archbishops, and to the
-other Lords there present, containing matter of Tebukc and
III. 183
And, with a doubtful hope, the son of Orleans
Dispatched a speedy messenger, to seek
Beside the banks of Vienne, the mission d Maid.
Soon is the court conven'd ; the Jewell' d crown
Shines on a menial's head. Amid the throng
The Monarch stands, and anxious for the event,
His heart beats high. She comes, the inspir'd Maid !
And as the Bastard led her to the throne,
Quick glancing o'er the mimic Majesty
Fix'd full her eye on * Charles.
sharp reprehension of the Duke of Glocester, because he would
not deliver his wife Jaqueline out of her grievous imprison-
ment, being then held prisoner by the Duke of Burgundy, suf-
fering her there to remain so unkindly, and for his public
keeping by him another adultresse, contrary to the law of God,
and the honourable estate of matrimony.
* Of this I may say with Scudery
O merveille estonnante, et difficile a croire ! —
Mais que nous rapportons sur la joy de VHistoire.
JLlarie, L. 2.
The matter (says De Serres), was found ridiculous botk by the
x2
III. 184
' « Thou art the King !
** I come the avenging Delegate of Heaven,
" To wield the fated weapon, from whose death,
<c Their stern hearts palsied by the arm of God,
<( Far, far from Orleans shall the English wolves
" Speed their disastrous flight. Monarch of France !
<e Spread the good tidings through thy ravag'd realm !
" The Maid is come, the Missioned Maid, whose hand
King and his Councell, yet must they make some triall. The
King takes upon him the habit of a countriman to be disguised :
this Maid (being brought into the chamber), goes directly to
the King in this attire, and salutes him with so modest a coun-
tenance? as if' she had been bred up in court all her life. They
telling her that she was mistaken, she assured them it was the
King, although she had never seeue him. She begins to de-
liver unto him this new charge, which, she sayes, she had
received from the God of Heaven ; so as she turned the eyes
and minds of all men upon her.
Ce Prince prit expres ce jour-la un habit fort simple, et se
tnela sans distinction dans la \foule des Courtizans. La fille
cntra dans la chambre sans paroitre aucunement etonnnee, et
<juoiqu' elle n' eut jamais vu le Roi, elle lui adressa la parole,
ct lui 4lt d'un ton ferme, que Dieu l'envoyoit pour le secourir,
III. 185
04 Shall in the consecrated walls of Rheim*
" Crown thee the anointed * King/*
pour faire lever le siege d' Orleans, et Ie conduire a Reims
pour y etre sacre. Elle P assura que les Anglois seroient chas-
sis du Royaume, et que s'ils ne le quittoient au plutot, il leur
en prendroit mal.
P. Daniel.
• The anointing was a ceremony of much political and
mystical importance* " King Henry III. of Engianu, ceyng-
desirous to know what was wrought in a King by his unction,
consulted by letter about it with that great scholler of the age
Robert Grossetest Bishop of Lincoln, who answered him in
confirmation. " Quod autem in fine literae vestrae nobis man-
dastis, videlicet quod intimaremus quid unctionis sacramentum
vldeatur adjicere regiae dignitati, cum multi sint reges qui
nullatenus unctionis munera decorentur, non est nostra* modi-
citatis complere hoc. Tamen non ignoramus quod regalis in-
unctio signum est prerogative susceptionis septiformis doni
sacratissimi pneumatis, quod septiformi munere tenetur Rex
inunctus praeeminentius non unctis Regibus omnes regias et
regiminis sui actiones dirigere ; ut videlicet non communiter
sed eminenter et heroice dono Tirrwris se primo, et deinceps,
quantum in ipso est, suo regimini subjectos, ab omni cohibeat
illicito ; dono Pietatis defendat subveniat et subveniri facial
viduae, pupillo, et generaliter omni oppresso $ dono Scitniim
III. 186
In wonder mute
The courtiers heard. The astonish'd King exclaim'd,
u This is indeed the agency of Heaven !
'< Hard, Maiden, were I of belief/' he cried,
" Did I not now, with full and confirm'd faith,
leges justas ad regnum juste regendum ponat, positas observet
ct observari faciat, erroneas destruat; dono Fortitudinh omnia
jegno adversantia repellat et pro salute Reipublcae mortem non
timeat. Ad praedicta autem praeceuenrer agenua uonu ^«c,
decoretur, quo artificialiter et scientifice ordo hujus mundi
sensibilis edocetur ; deinde dono Intcllectiis, quo caetus Ange-
lici ordo dinoscitur. Tandem vero dono Sapientia, quo ad
dilucidam cognitionem Dei pertingitur, ut ad exemplar ordinis
mundi et ordinis angelici secundum leges aeternas in seterna Dei
ratione descriptas,quibus regit universitatem creaturae, rempub-
licam sibi subjectam ordinabiliter regat tandem et ipse. Adjicit
igitur Regiae dignitati unctionis sacramentum quod Rex unctus
prae caeteris in suo genere debet, ut praetactum est, ex septi-
formi spiritus munere, in omnibus suis regiminis actibus, vir-
tutibus divinis et heroicis pollere. ,,
And some other have conceived this anointing of such effi-
cacy, that, as in baptisme all former sinnes are washt away,
so also by this unction, as we see in that of Polyeuctus Patri-
arch of Constantinople, who doubted not but that the Emperor
III. w
u Thee the redeemer of this ravaged realm
u Believe. Not doubting therefore the strange will
" Of all- wise providence, delay I now
u Instant to marshal the brave sons of France
John Tzimisces was cleerd, before Heaven, of the death of
Phocas, thro' his being anointed Emperor.
Selden's Titles of Honour.
The legend of the Ampulla made this ceremony peculiarly-
important in France. I quote the miracle from Desmarests*
Clovis is on his knees waiting to be anointed by St. Remigius.
Cependant le Prelat attend les huiles saintes.
Un Diacre les porte, et fait un vain effort ;
La foule impenetrable empesche son abord.
Du Pontife sacre la douce impatience,
Des mains & de la voix veut en vain qu'il s' avance.
Nul ne peut.diviser, par la force des bras,
De tant de corps pressez l'immobile ramas.
Le Prince humble, agenoux, languissoit dans V atteate,.
Alors qu'une clarte paroist plus eclatante,
Esteint tous autres feux par sa vive splendeur,
Et repand dans le temple une divine odeur.
Dans un air lumineux une Colombe vole,.
En son bee de coral tenant une fiole*.
14
III. 188
" Beneath thy banners ; but to satisfy
" Those who at distance from this most clear proof
" May hear and disbelieve, or yield at best
tc A cold assent. These fully to confirm
4t And more to manifest thy holy power,,
ft Forthwith with all due speed I shall convene
" The Doctors * of Theology, wise men
Elle apporte au Prelat ce vase precieux,
Plein d'un baume sacre, rare present des Cieux.
Clovis.
Guillermus Brito says that the Devil brake the viol of oil
which St. Remigius held in his hand ready to anoint Clovis,
and that the oil bein£ so spilt, he obtained by prayer a supply
of it from heaven.
Selden.
* Ces paroles ainsi par elle dictes, la fist le Roy remener
honorablement en son logis, & assemble son grand Conseil, au
quel furent plupieurs Prelats Chevaliers Escuyers & chefs de
guerre, avecques aucuns Docteurs en Theologie en Loix & en
Decret, qui tous ensemble adviserent quelle seroit interrogue
par les Docteurs, pour essayer si en elle se trouveroit evidente
raison de pouvoir accomplir ce qu'elle disoit. Mais les Doc-
teurs la troverent de tant honneste contenance, & tant sage
III. 189
Heav
roved>
€ * And sfcilful in the mysteries of Heaven.
" By these thy mission studied and approve
en ses paroles, que leur revelation faicte on en tent ties gran$
conte.
Diverses interrogations lay furent faictes par plusieurs Doc-
teurs & autres gens de grand estat, a quoy elle respondit moult
bien, & par especial a un Docteur Jacobin, qui luy dist, que
si Dieu vouloit que les Anglois s'en allassent, qu'il ne falloit
point de armes>; a quoy elle respondit, qu'elie ne vouloit que
peu de gens qui combattroient, & Dieu donneroit la victoire.
From the history of the siege of Orleans. Troyes. 1621.
In the Gesla Joannce Gallicte of Valerandus Varanius, one
of the Counsellers makes a speech of seventy lines upon the
wickedness of women, mentioning Helen, Bcershcba, Semi-
ramis, Dalilah, Messalina, &c as examples. The council are
influenced by his opinion, and the Maid, to prove her mission,
challenges any one of them to a single combat.
Qua me stultitia, qua me levitate notandam
Credltis o patres? armis si forsitan, inquit,
Apta- minus videar, stricto procurrere ferro
Annuite ; ha?c nostri sint prima pericula martis,
Si cuique vis tanta animo, descendat in aequae
Planiciem pugnae ; mihi si victoria cedat
Credite victrici; noster si vicerit hostis
Compede vincta abeam', et cunctis sim fabula saiclis*
I 5
III. 190
" As needs it must, their sanction to all minds
rf Shall bring conviction, and the firm belief
" Lead on thy favour' d troops to mightiest deeds,
<{ Surpassing human credibility."
Well pleas'd the Maiden heard. Her the King leads
From the disbanding throng, meantime to dwell
With Mary. Watchful for her Lord's return
She sat with Agnes ; Agnes proud of heart,
Majestically fair, whose large full eye
Or flashing anger, or. with scornful scowl
Deform'd her beauteous features. Yet with her
The lawless idol of the Monarch's heart,
Mary, obedient to her husband's will,
Dwelt peaceful, from the proudly-generous mind
Of Agnes winning friendship. Soon the Maid
Lov'd the mild Glueen, and sojourning with her
Expects the solemn summons.
Thro' the realm
Meantime the King's convoking voice was heard
III. 191
And from their palaces and monasteries
Forth came the Doctors, men acute and deep,
Grown grey in study 5 Priests and Bishops haste
To Chinon : teachers wise and with high names,
Seraphic, Subtile, or Irrefragable,
By their admiring pupils dignified.
The Doctors met, from cloister gloom recluse.
Or from the haunts luxurious of the abode
Episcopal, they met, and sought the place
Of judgement. Very ancient was the dome,