A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 494 pages of information about A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3.

A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 494 pages of information about A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3.

From the 13th of September, 1429, to the 24th of May, 1430, she continued to lead the same life of efforts ever equally valiant and equally ineffectual.  She failed in an attempt upon Laemir.  Charite-sur-Loire, undertaken, for all that appears, with the sole design of recovering an important town in the possession of the enemy.  The English evacuated Paris, and left the keeping of it to the Duke of Burgundy, no doubt to test his fidelity.  On the 13th of Aprils 1430, at the expiration of the truce he had concluded, Philip the Good resumed hostilities against Charles VII.  Joan of Arc once more plunged into them with her wonted zeal.  Ile-de-France and Picardy became the theatre of war.  Compiegne was regarded as the gate of the road between these two provinces; and the Duke of Burgundy attached much importance to holding the key of it.  The authority of Charles VII. was recognized there; and a young knight of Compiegne, William de Flavy, held the command there as lieutenant of La Tremoille, who had got himself appointed captain of the town.  La Tremoille attempted to treat with the Duke of Burgundy for the cession of Compiegne; but the inhabitants were strenuously opposed to it.  “They were,” they said, “the king’s most humble subjects, and they desired to serve him with body and substance; but as for trusting themselves to the lord Duke of Burgundy, they could not do it; they were resolved to suffer destruction, themselves and their wives and children, rather than be exposed to the tender mercies of the said duke.”  Meanwhile Joan of Arc, after several warlike expeditions in the neighborhood, re-entered Compiegne, and was received there with a popular expression of satisfaction.  “She was presented,” says a local chronicler, with three hogsheads of wine, a present which was large and exceeding costly, and which showed the estimate formed of this maiden’s worth.”  Joan manifested the profound distrust with which she was inspired of the Duke of Burgundy.  There is no peace possible with him,” she said, “save at the point of the lance.”  She had quarters at the house of the king’s attorney, Le Boucher, and shared the bed of his wife, Mary.  “She often made the said Mary rise from her bed to go and warn the said attorney to be on his guard against several acts of Burgundian treachery.”  At this period, again, she said she was often warned by her voices of what must happen to her; she expected to be taken prisoner before St. John’s or Midsummer-day (June 24); on what day and hour she did not know; she had received no instructions as to sorties from the place; but she had constantly been told that she would be taken, and she was distrustful of the captains who were in command there.  She was, nevertheless, not the less bold and enterprising.  On the 20th of May, 1430, the Duke of Burgundy came and laid siege to Compiegne.  Joan was away on an expedition to Crepy in Valois, with a small band of three or four hundred brave comrades.  On the 24th of May,

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A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.