and precious trinkets.  Even his clothes showed signs of poverty and patching, and to such a state of penury was he reduced that his bootmaker, finding that the King was unable to pay him the price of a new pair of boots, and not trusting the royal credit, refused to leave the new boots, and Charles had to wear out his old shoe-leather.  All that remained in the way of money in the royal chest consisted of four gold ‘ecus.’  To such a pitch of distress had the poor King, who was contemptuously called by the English the King of Bourges, sunken.

Now that Orleans was in daily peril of falling into the hands of the English, and with Paris and Rouen in their hold, the wretched sovereign had serious thoughts of leaving his ever-narrowing territory and taking refuge either in Spain or in Scotland.  Up to this time in his life Charles had shown little strength of character.  His existence was passed among a set of idle courtiers.  He had placed himself and his broken fortunes in the hands of the ambitious La Tremoille, whose object it was that the King should be a mere cipher in his hands, and who lulled him into a false security by encouraging him to continue a listless career of self-indulgence in his various palaces and pleasure castles on the banks of the Loire.  Charles had, indeed, become a mere tool in the hands of this powerful minister.  The historian Quicherat has summed up George de la Tremoille’s character as an avaricious courtier, false and despotic, with sufficient talent to make a name and a fortune by being a traitor to every side.  That such a man did not see Joan of Arc’s arrival with a favourable eye is not a matter of surprise, and La Tremoille seems early to have done his utmost to undermine the Maid’s influence with his sovereign.  From the day she arrived at Chinon, if not even before her arrival there—­if we may trust one story—­an ambush was arranged by Tremoille to cut her off with her escort.  That plot failed, but her capture at Compiegne may be indirectly traced to La Tremoille’s machinations.

Those who have visited Chinon will recall the ancient and picturesque street, named La Haute Rue Saint Maurice, which runs beneath and parallel with the castle walls and the Vienne.  Local tradition pointed out till very recently, in this old street, the stone well on the side of which the Maid of Domremy placed her foot on her arrival in the town.  This ancient well stone has recently been removed by the Municipality of Chinon, but fortunately the ‘Margelle’ (to use the native term) has come into reverent hands, and the stone, with its deeply dented border, reminding one of the artistic wells in Venice, is religiously preserved.

Of Chinon it has been said: 

    Chynon, petit ville,
    Grande renom.