by Heaven to bring about the deliverance of her country from the English; and desired earnestly to have the means of obtaining access to King Charles, whom she undertook to succour so effectually, that not only should the siege of Orleans be raised, but she should enjoy the gratification of seeing him crowned like his forefathers at Rheims. Baudricourt at first treated her as a person of unsound mind; but when at a second interview she repeated her story, he so far lent an ear, without at all believing it, as to direct inquiries respecting her family and her previous life. He found that her account was strictly true in so far as its particulars could be examined ; that her parents, though in very humble circumstances, were respected by their neighbours; that Joan, so their daughter was called, bore a character above all reproach, though, from accidental circumstances, she had acquired masculine habits, which her great strength, as well as her taste, inclined her to affect; and that she was of a somewhat enthusiastic cast of mind, though endowed with more than ordinary vigour of understanding. But, not satisfied with these justifiable precautions, he had recourse to a most reprehensible test for the trial of her virtue. Some of those under his command were desired to address her with proposals of an amorous description. To them she turned a deaf ear, and proved herself, if not absolutely above all temptation, at least so occupied with her supposed mission as to spurn every more grovelling pursuit. It appeared, too, that intent

T

only on her visions, she had already refused the offer of a suitable match. The result of these inquiries and trials naturally and justly operated in her favour; but the account often given of her having declared that the Royal forces were sustaining a serious discomfiture at the moment she was addressing Baudricourt, and of intelligence some days after arriving of Fastolf's victory two hundred miles from the Meuse on the same day, appears to be wholly without foundation. Her amiable character and exemplary piety had gained her many friends; and the visions. which she had for some years described with the most entire belief in them, had easily obtained credit with her neighbours, ignorant peasants, in a superstitious age, so that a general feeling prevailed in favour of her suit to Baudricourt. He no longer hesitated to comply with her desire of an introduction to Charles; and, having equipped her as she desired, with men's clothing and armour, he sent her to Orleans, in the company of two neighbours, the intermediate country being for the most part in the hands of the English. The journey was performed with considerable risk; the district of Auxerre, wholly in the enemy's possession, was with difficulty traversed; to avoid the posts on the bridges, it became necessary to swim their horses across several rivers; but at length she arrived at Chinon, the King's head quarters. After much deliberation of the Council, who, learning the object of her expedition, dreaded the ridicule

P. Dan., vii. 57. Monstrel., tom. ii. fol. xxxv.

which their belief in her visions might bring on the Royal cause, it was at length agreed that she should be presented to Charles. All the accounts agree in stating that he purposely placed himself among his courtiers, in a dress as well as a position which did not distinguish him from others, in order to try whether or not the Maid would discover him; and that, singling him out, she at once went up to him, made her obeisance respectfully, but unabashed, and repeated her promise to deliver Orleans, as well as to see him crowned at Rheims.

It is manifest that, even if she never had seen any picture nor heard any description of Charles, her acknowledged quickness of sight and judgment might perceive some of the courtiers among whom he stood giving place. But her finding him out was at once ascribed to supernatural agency. She was now subjected to an examination by doctors of theology, touching the source of her extraordinary gifts; and she flung them into great admiration by the readiness and good sense as well as the simplicity of her answers. But she went further. She undertook to disclose her knowledge of a circumstance known only to the King himself, and revealed to her from above. That Prince agreed to declare how far what she should state was consistent with the fact, provided she gave her account in the presence of persons whom he named. To this condition she assented; and before his Confessor and others he acknowledged it to be true as the Maid affirmed, that lately, when

reduced to extremities, he had besought Heaven either for safety from impending ruin, or for a secure retreat in Spain or in Scotland.' Though Charles was now convinced that she had a divine mission, yet, being resolved to do nothing rash in so important a concern, he required her to go before the Parliament then sitting at Poictiers. With some reluctance she consented; and the result of a long and searching interrogation by the lawyers and churchmen was the establishment of a general belief in her miraculous powers and divine mission."

It is of course manifest that if the Maid delivered all the statements which are related, and ascribed her knowledge of events to supernatural communication, she only affords another instance of the facility with which imposture allies itself with enthusiasm, so as to make zealots half believe the fables which they half invent, and to leave us always in some doubt how far they are the dupes, how far the contrivers of delusion. But those who give entire credit to the relations of that age, finding it impossible to explain such passages as the discovery of Charles's somewhat remarkable prayer, have had recourse to the supposition that he was himself party to a fraud which he conceived might be practised with success to raise the drooping spirit of his troops, or even quicken their loyal devotion by a belief in assistance from above. It certainly seems difficult to

MS. Bib. du Roi, cit. Langlet, Hist. de la Pucelle, ii. 149. 2 Note LVII.

avoid some such conclusion, unless we discredit portions of the story; and the care with which the Maid's promises were promulgated, and all that concerned her made public, appears to favour the supposition of concert, while, on the other hand, the searching scrutiny to which she was subjected at Poictiers would lead to a contrary inference, unless we suppose that the leading men of the Parliament were in the secret of the plot. But whatever may have been the origin of this singular affair, and whatever the circumstances that accompanied its development, no sooner had Charles and his Court resolved to patronize the Maid and avail themselves of her agency, than they performed their part of entire acquiescence in her pretensions to a divine mission, and spared no pains to render her services effectual by clothing her with whatever respect could best secure her sway over the minds of men.

She was immediately provided with a complete suit of armour, a charger, a squire, a page, and two valets. She desired that the armour should be that of a man. For a sword, she required that one should be brought her from the Church of St. Catharine de Fierbois, near Tours, describing it as having five small crosses near the hilt. Being asked if she had ever seen it, she said she knew such a sword was there. On sending messengers to the place, a sword was found answering her description, and it was given to her; but she had been at the village, and in the Church of Fierbois, on her way to Chinon. She