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The earl of Warwick had notice of their march, and collected with all haste about six hundred fighting men, whom he led toward Beauvais to meet the enemy. He came up with them, unexpectedly, near to Gournay, and commenced a sharp conflict, in which so little resistance was made by the French that they were soon put to the rout, and Poton de Saintrailles, sir Louis de Vaucourt, and about sixty combatants, were made prisoners. The rest, with the exception of eight or ten who were slain, made their escape with the marshal to Beauvais. The English pursued them to the walls of that town, when the earl of Warwick, assembling his men, returned to Gournay, happy at his good success; and thence he went to the duke of Bedford in Rouen, by whom he was joyfully congratulated on his victory.

CHAPTER CII.-MAILLOTIN

DE BOURS AND SIR HECTOR DE FLAVY FIGHT TOGETHER IN
THE TOWN OF ARRAS.

On the 20th day of June in this year, a combat took place in the town of Arras, and in the presence of the duke of Burgundy, between Maillotin de Bours, appellant, and sir Hector de Flavy, defendant. Maillotin had charged sir Hector, before the duke of Burgundy, with having said, that he was desirous of becoming the duke's enemy, and of turning to the party of king Charles; and also, that he had required of him to accompany him in his flight, and to seize Guy Guillebaut, the duke's treasurer, or some other wealthy prisoner, to pay for their expenses.

The duke, on this charge, had ordered Maillotin to arrest sir Hector, and bring him prisoner to Arras, which he did in the following manner. Having received this order, he went, accompanied by a competent number of men, to a village near Corbie called Bonnay, and thence sent to sir Hector to come to him. Sir Hector, not knowing that any accusations had been made against him, came thither with a very few attendants, for Maillotin had pretended that he wanted only to speak with him; but no sooner did he appear than he laid hands on him, and carried him prisoner to Arras, where he remained in confinement a considerable time. However, by the exertions of his friends, he was conducted to the presence of the duke in Hesdin,-when he ably defended himself against the charges brought against him, and declared that it was Maillotin himself who made the proposals that he had mentioned. Words at last ran so high that Maillotin threw down his glove, which sir Hector, by leave of the prince, took up. The 20th day of June was fixed on for the combat, and there might be forty days before its arrival. Sufficient pledges were mutually given for their due appearance in person on the appointed day.

The duke of Burgundy came from his palace in Arras about ten o'clock of the 20th of June, grandly attended by his nobles and chivalry, to the seat which had been prepared for him in the centre of the lists, in the great market-square, the usual place for tournaments. The counts de St. Pol, de Ligny, and others of rank, entered the seat with the duke. Two handsome tents were pitched at each end of the lists, and without them were two great chairs of wood for the champions to repose in. That of Maillotin, as appellant, was on the right hand of the duke, and sir Hector's on the left. Sir Hector's tent was very richly ornamented with sixteen emblazoned quarterings of his arms, and of those of his ancestors, on each side. There was also a representation of a sepulchre, because sir Hector had been made a knight at the holy sepulchre of Jerusalem.

Shortly afterward, Maillotin was summoned by the king-at-arms to appear in person and fulfil his engagements. About eleven o'clock he left his mansion, accompanied by the lord de Chargny*, the lord de Humieres †, sir Peter Quierel lord de Ramencourt, and many other gentlemen, his relations and friends. He was mounted on a horse covered with the emblazonments of his arms, having on plain armour, his helmet on and his vizor closed, holding in one hand his lance and in the other one of his two swords; for he was provided with two, and a large dagger hanging by his side. His horse was led by the bridle by two knights on foot; and on his arrival at the barriers he made the usual oaths in the hands of

*Peter de Bouffremont, lord of Chargny, a noble Bur

gundian, knight banneret, and of the Golden Fleece.

* Matthew II., second son of Philip lord of Humieres, who was made prisoner at the battle of Azincourt.

sir James de Brimeu, who had been appointed for the purpose. This done, the barriers were thrown open, and he entered with his companions on foot, who then presented themselves before the duke of Burgundy. After this, he rode to his chair, where he dismounted, and entered his pavilion to repose himself and wait his adversary. The lord de Chargny, who was his manager to instruct him how to act, entered the tent with him, as did a few of his confidential friends.

Artois, king-at-arms, now summoned sir Hector de Flavy in the same manner as he had done the other; and within a quarter of an hour sir Hector left his house and came to the barriers on horseback, fully armed like his opponent, grandly accompanied by gentlemen, among whom were the two sons of the count de St. Pol, Louis and Thibault, who led sir Hector's horse by the bridle. The other lords followed behind on foot, namely, the lord d'Antoing, the vidame of Amiens, John de Flavy brother to sir Hector, Hugh de Launoy, the lord de Chargny, the lord de Saveuses, sir John de Fosseux, the lord de Crevecœur*, and many more nobles and esquires of rank. On sir Hector's arrival at the barriers, he took the oath, and then presented himself to the duke. He went to his chair, dismounted, and entered his pavilion. Soon after, they both advanced on foot before the duke, and swore on the Evangelists that their quarrel was good, and that they would combat fairly, and then returned again to their pavilions.

Proclamation was now made by the king-at-arms for all persons, under pain of death, to quit the lists, excepting such as had been charged to guard them. The prince had ordered that eight persons on each side, relations or friends of the champions, should remain within the lists unarmed, in addition to the eight that had been before appointed to raise them, or put an end to the combat, according to the prince's pleasure.

The chairs being removed, proclamation was again made for the champions to advance and do their duty. On hearing this, Maillotin de Bours, as appellant, first stepped forth, and then sir Hector, each grasping their lances handsomely. On their approach, they threw them, but without either hitting. They then, with great signs of courage, drew nearer, and began the combat with swords. Sir Hector, more than once, raised the vizor of his adversary's helmet by his blows, so that his face was plainly seen, which caused the spectators to believe sir Hector had the best of the combat. Maillotin, however, without being any way discouraged, soon closed it, by striking it down with the pummel of his sword, and retreating a few paces.

The two champions showed the utmost valour; but at this moment, before any blood had been drawn, the duke ordered further proceedings to be stopped, which was instantly done by those who had been commissioned for the purpose. They were commanded to withdraw to their lodgings, which they obeyed, by quitting the lists at opposite ends; and on the morrow they dined at the duke's table, sir Hector sitting on his right hand. When dinner was over, the duke ordered them, under pain of capital punishment, to attempt nothing further against each other, their friends, or allies, and to lay aside all the malice and hatred that was between them. In confirmation of which, he made them shake hands.

CHAPTER CIII.-SOME OF KING CHARLES'S CAPTAINS MAKE AN ATTEMPT ON CORBIE.

ABOUT this time, some of king Charles's captains, namely, the lord de Longueval, Anthony de Chabannes†, Blanchefort, Alain Guion, and others, advanced to the town of Corbie, thinking to take it by surprise. By the activity of the abbot, the place was well defended; and it was also succoured by John de Humieres, Enguerrand de Gribauval, with some more

* James lord of Crevecœur and Thois, chancellor and chamberlain to the duke of Burgundy.

Anthony, third son of Robert lord of Charlus, killed at Azincourt. Stephen, his eldest son, was killed at Crevant in 1423. James, the second, was lord of La Palice, seneschal of Toulouse, and grand master of France, and was killed at Castillon in 1453. This Anthony was

at first lord of St. Fargeau. He was born in 1411, and served as page to the count of Ventadour and to the great La Hire. He was at the battle of Verneuil, 1424. In 1439, he married Margaret de Nanteuil, countess of Dammartin, and assumed the title of count de Dammartin by virtue of that marriage. He was grand-master, governor of Paris, &c., and died in 1488.

gentlemen in their company, so that the French were repulsed with the loss of many of their men. Alain Guion was so badly wounded that he was in great peril of death. They caused, however, a very handsome suburb toward Fouilloy to be burnt. They retreated to forage the countries on the banks of the Somme, where they took the castles of Morcourt and Lyon belonging to the lord de Longueval, committing also much damage to the lands. They soon quitted these castles for fear of being besieged in them, and returned to the places they had come from; but the duke of Burgundy, on their departure, had them razed to the ground.

CHAPTER CIV. THE LORD DE BARBASAN LAYS SIEGE TO THE CASTLE OF ANGLure, HELD BY THE BURGUNDIANS.

In this year, the lord de Barbasan, who had resided a considerable time with the duke of Bar on the borders of Champagne, laid siege to the Burgundians in the castle of Anglure*, —and he had approached so near as to batter the walls with his cannon and other artillery. The duke of Bedford, on hearing this, sent to their relief the earl of Arundel, with the eldest son of the earl of Warwick, the lord de l'Isle-Adam, the lord de Châtillont, the lord de Bonneul, and other captains, with sixteen hundred men. After some days' march, they came to Anglure, and found that the lord de Barbasan, having had intelligence of their motions, had retreated to a strong post, which he had also strengthened by outworks. Some skirmishes took place, in which from sixteen to twenty men were killed on both sides, and the lord de l'Isle-Adam was wounded. The English and Burgundians, seeing that they could not force the enemy to battle without great disadvantage to themselves, withdrew the garrison, with the lady of the castle, and set fire to it; after which they returned to Paris, and to the other parts whence they had come.

The lord de Barbasan had been constituted by king Charles governor of the countries of Brie, the Laonnois, and Champagne. Before he laid siege to Anglure, he had conquered Noeville in the Laonnois, Voisines, and other places. He had remained about a month before this castle of Anglure, having with him the lord de Conflans, sir John bastard de Dampierre, and a great number of common people. When the English and Burgundians were on their march to raise this siege, in one of the many skirmishes, the French gained possession of the outworks of the castle, but were soon driven thence by the English, who in consequence set the castle on fire, as has been related.

CHAPTER CV.—THE MAID OF ORLEANS IS CONDEMNED TO BE PUT TO DEATH AND BURNT AT ROUEN.

JOAN the Maid had sentence of death passed on her in the city of Rouen, information of which was sent by the king of England to the duke of Burgundy, a copy of whose letter now follows:

"Most dear and well-beloved uncle, the very fervent love we know you to bear, as a true Catholic, to our holy mother the church, and your zeal for the exaltation of the faith, induces us to signify to you by writing, that in honour of the above, an act has lately taken place at Rouen, which will tend, as we hope, to the strengthening of the Catholic faith, and the extirpation of pestilential heresies. It is well known, from common report, and otherwise, that the woman, erroneously called the Maid, has, for upward of two years, contrary to the divine law, and to the decency becoming her sex, worn the dress of a man, a thing abominable before God; and in this state she joined our adversary and yours, giving him, as well as those of his party, churchmen and nobles, to understand that she was sent as a messenger from Heaven,-and presumptuously vaunting that she had personal and visible communications with St. Michael, and with a multitude of angels and saints in paradise, Another Charles de Châtillon, of a younger branch,

* Anglure, eight leagues to the north of Troyes.

+ Perhaps Charles de Châtillon lord of Sourvilliers, was lord of Bonneuil. son of Charles lord of Sourvilliers, killed at Azincourt.

such as St. Catherine and St. Margaret. By these falsehoods, and by promising future victories, she has estranged the minds of persons of both sexes from the truth, and induced them to the belief of dangerous errors.

"She clothed herself in armour also, assisted by knights and esquires, and raised a banner, on which, through excess of pride and presumption, she demanded to bear the noble and excellent arms of France, which in part she obtained. These she displayed at many conflicts and sieges; and they consisted of a shield having two flower de luces, or, on a field azure, with a pointed sword surmounted with a crown proper. In this state she took the field with large companies of men-at-arms and archers, to exercise her inhuman cruelties by shedding Christian blood, and stirring up seditions and rebellions of the common people. She encouraged perjuries, superstitions, and false doctrines, by permitting herself to be reverenced and honoured as a holy woman, and in various other manners that would be too long to detail, but which have greatly scandalized all Christendom wherever they have been known.

"But Divine Mercy having taken pity on a loyal people, and being no longer willing to suffer them to remain under such vain errors and credulities, permitted that this woman should be made prisoner by your army when besieging Compiègne, and through your affection she was transferred to our power. On this being known, she was claimed by the bishop in whose diocese she had been taken; and as she had been guilty of the highest treason to the Divine Majesty, we delivered her up to be tried and punished by the usual ecclesiastical judges, not only from respect to our holy mother the church, whose ordinances we shall ever prefer to our own, but also for the exaltation of our faith. We were unwilling that the officers of our secular justice should take cognizance of the crime, although it was perfectly lawful for us so to do, considering the great mischiefs, murders, and detestable cruelties, she has committed against our sovereignty, and on a loyal obedient people.

"The bishop having called to his aid in this matter the vicar of the inquisitor of errors and heresies in the faith, with many able doctors in theology and in the canon law, commenced with much solemnity and gravity the trial of the said Joan. After these judges had for several days interrogated her on her crimes, and had maturely considered her confessions and answers, they sent them for the opinion of our beloved daughter the university of Paris, when they all determined that this Joan was superstitious, a sorceress of the devil, a blasphemer of God and of his saints, a schismatic, and guilty of many errors against the faith of JESUS CHRIST.

"To recal her to the universal faith of our holy church, to purge her from her pernicious errors, and to save her soul from perpetual damnation, and to induce her to return to the way of truth, she was long and frequently charitably preached to; but that dangerous and obstinate spirit of pride and presumption, which is always endeavouring to prevent the unity and safety of Christians, held the said Joan so fast bound that no arguments nor exhortations could soften the hardness of her heart, so that she boasted that all which she had done was meritorious, and that it had been done by the command of God and the aforesaid holy virgins, who had personally appeared to her. But what was worse, she refused to acknowledge any power on earth but God and his saints, denying the authority of our holy father the pope, and of the general councils of the universal church militant.

"The ecclesiastical judges, witnessing her obstinacy and hardness of heart, had her brought forth before the people, who, with the clergy, were assembled in great numbers, when she was again preached to by an able divine. Having been plainly warned of the doctrines of our holy religion, and the consequences of heresies and erroneous opinions concerning it to the welfare of mankind, she was charitably admonished to make her peace with the church, and renounce her errors, but she remained as obstinate as before. The judges, having considered her conduct, proceeded to pronounce sentence upon her, according to the heinousness of her crimes; but before it was read her courage seemed to fail her, and she said she was willing to return to the church. This was heard with pleasure by the judges, clergy, and spectators, who received her kindly, hoping by this means to preserve her soul from perdition. "She now submitted herself to the ordinances of the church, and publicly renounced and abjured her detestable crimes, signing with her own hand the schedule of her recantation and

abjuration. Thus was our merciful mother the church rejoiced at the sinner doing penance, anxious to recover the lost sheep that had wandered in the desert. Joan was ordered to perform her penance in close confinement.

[graphic][merged small]

The Square in which the Maid, Joan of Arc, was burnt, with the Fountain raised to her memory. This monument was destroyed in the great revolution, but has since been replaced by a statue.

From an original drawing, assisted by a print of the Fountain in Millin's Antiquités Nationales.

"But these good dispositions did not last long; for her presumptuous pride seemed to have acquired greater force than before,- and she relapsed, with the utmost obstinacy, inte all those errors which she had publicly renounced. For this cause, and that she might not contaminate the sound members of our holy communion, she was again publicly preached to; and proving obstinate, she was delivered over to the secular arm, who instantly condemned her to be burnt. Seeing her end approach, she fully acknowledged and confessed that the spirits which had appeared to her were often lying and wicked ones; that the promises they had made to set her at liberty were false; and that she had been deceived and mocked by them. She was publicly led to the old market-place in Rouen, and there burnt in the presence of the people!"

This notice of her sentence and execution was sent by the king of England to the duke of Burgundy, that it might be published by him for the information of his subjects, that all may henceforward be advised not to put faith in such or similar errors as had governed the heart of the Maid.

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