The next account of the Maid of any length occurs in Mezarie’s huge History of France, It was published between 1643 and 1652.  In 1661 appeared a work called L’Histoire du roi Charles VII., contenant les choses memorables de 1422 a 1466.  It was in this work, which was compiled by Denis Godefroy, that the manuscripts of the Chronique de la Pucelle were first printed.  This chronicle concerns the events which occurred between the years 1422 and 1429.  Although not a complete history of the heroine, it is the earliest account.  It was republished by Buchon, by Petitot, and by Quicherat; and it was consulted by Michelet when writing his account of Joan of Arc.  M. Vallet de Viriville believes the Chronicle of the Maiden to have been written by G. Cousinot, Chancellor of the Duke of Orleans, who was present at the siege of Orleans.  At the close of the seventeenth century was published a history of France by a Jesuit priest named David, in which there is some account of Joan of Arc; but David’s history is more remarkable for being a colossal list of falsehoods than for any other merit.

We now arrive at the eighteenth century, and still find no tolerable history of Joan of Arc.  In the year 1753 the Abbe Longlet Dufresnoy published a Life of Joan of Arc; it is totally devoid of any merit.

In 1790 Clement de l’Averdy published some notices relating to the trial and condemnation of Joan of Arc.  These notices led up to, and were followed by the publications of Petitot, Buchon, Michaud, and Pougoulat.  At length, under the protection of the Society of French History, the learned author Quicherat produced his all-important works.  That distinguished historian and antiquarian began his career under Charlet.  In 1847 he was appointed Professor of Archaeology, and later, Director of the Institute of the Charters.  Between 1841 and 1850 he edited the original documents relating to the trials of Joan of Arc—­those of her condemnation and of her rehabilitation.  Of these only a few extracts had previously been published by M. l’Averdy.  The series edited by Quicherat consists of five bulky tomes.  Although when Michelet was writing his history of France, Quicherat’s work had not yet been published, the chronicler helped the historian by lending Michelet the MSS. he was then annotating.

But to return to the earlier years of the century.  In 1817, Lebrun des Charnettes published a history of Joan of Arc in four volumes; this history of the Maid was up to that time the best that had been written.  In the same year there was published another history of the heroine by M. Berriat Saint-Prix.  The best thing that work contains is an itinerary of the different places at which Joan of Arc passed the last three years of her short existence.  It is a useful list for any one who wishes to visit the scenes connected with her wonderful history.

The list commences with her flight to Neufchateau in 1428, and the journey to Toul, and continues as follows:—­