Joan of Arc

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Laura Richards. Joan of Arc

CHAPTER I. FRANCE IMPERISHABLE

CHAPTER II. THE LION AND THE LILIES

CHAPTER III. DOMRÉMY

CHAPTER IV. GRAPES OF WRATH

CHAPTER V. THE VOICES

CHAPTER VI. THE EMPTY THRONE

CHAPTER VII. VAUCOULEURS AND CHINON

CHAPTER VIII. RECOGNITION

CHAPTER IX. ORLEANS

CHAPTER X. THE RELIEF

CHAPTER XI. THE DELIVERANCE

CHAPTER XII. THE WEEK OF VICTORIES

CHAPTER XIII. RHEIMS

CHAPTER XIV. PARIS

CHAPTER XV. COMPIÈGNE

CHAPTER XVI. ROUEN

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I yield to no one in my love and admiration for Henry V. in his nobler aspects, but I am not writing his story now. He came to France, not as the debonair and joyous prince of our affections, but as a conqueror; came, he told the unhappy French, as the instrument of God, to punish them for their sins. The phrase may have sounded less mocking then than it does to-day. France knew all about the sins; she had suffered under them, almost to death; it seemed hard that she must bear the punishment too.

Neither John of Burgundy nor Bernard of Armagnac was at Agincourt. They hovered apart, two great eagles – or vultures, shall we say? – watching, ready to pounce when their moment struck. The battle lost and won, both chiefs made a dash for Paris and the king. Armagnac made the better speed; Burgundy arrived to find his enemy, with six thousand fierce Gascons, already in possession of the city, king and Dauphin both in his hands, and the self-constituted Constable of France, in lieu of Charles d'Albret, slain in the great battle.

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Meantime Henry sent his own messengers, in the shape of some eight thousand famishing Irishmen, whom he carried across the Channel and —dumped seems the fitting word – in Normandy, bidding them forage for themselves. Unarmed, but fearing nothing, and very hungry, the Irish roamed the country mounted on ponies or cows, whichever was "handy by," seeking what they might devour. Monstrelêt describes them; may have seen them with his own eyes. "One foot was shod, the other naked, and they had no breeches. They stole little children from the cradle, and rode off on cows, carrying the said children"; to hold them for ransom, be it said.

My little measure will not hold the siege of Rouen. It was one of the terrible sieges of history, and those who love Henry of Monmouth must read of it with heavy hearts. In January, 1419, when fifty thousand people were dead of famine in and around the city, submission was made. Henry entered the town, with no doubt in his own mind and little in those of others, as to who was actually King of France.

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