Joan of Arc by Hilaire Belloc

Author:Hilaire Belloc [Belloc, Hilaire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780766174368
Amazon: 0911845453
Publisher: Kessinger Pub Co
Published: 2003-07-14T22:00:00+00:00

4

WHEN THESE THINGS HAD BEEN DONE AND ORLEANS freed, the English host withdrew from the forts remaining, and next day set themselves out in battle on the plain. But in a little while they turned about and were gone; and though the French would have attacked, the Maid forbade them saying: "You will have them upon a coming day." But still they held walled towns upon the river above and below: Jargeau and Meung and Beaugency, with bridge and bridgehead beyond, upon the southern shore. And thereby, should help come to them, they might cross the Loire in strength into Charles's land and perhaps overcome him yet.

Therefore would Joan have carried those cities and bridges at once and stormed them, and, when they were taken, march straight to Rheims for the crowning and anointing of the King.

But the court delayed; they still ensnared themselves in nets of high policy and thought to make all well by treaties with Burgundy, for men said truly: "If Burgundy abandon Bedford, soon there will not be left one fighting Englishman in all France." But Burgundy, that strong prince, holding all the eastern part of the realm of right, and having also the rich towns of the Netherlands and their merchandise, could bide his time, and was far more cunning than they. So he still played them and the English captains, and Bedford their regent, one against the others as a master in chess plays pieces on the board: "I will make each so eager for me that each will do my will. So at last I will be master over my own country, and have no king over me at all, whether my cousin the Valois, or the Plantagenet. And my children after me will rule an eastern realm of their own in full sovereignty." And, indeed, in his leisure he chose at a later time to make a truce with Charles, but only for a set time and to a day fixed, nor did he take arms against Bedford, so that he still held them both.

Also that false counselor, La Trémoille, kept back the gentle king, despising the Maid; and because he had a quarrel with Richemont, the great soldier, brother of Brittany, and constable, he kept off the force which that captain led, and would not have Charles use it for the recovery of his throne. And though Charles had given his kingly word that he would take back Richemont, yet did La Trémoille make him break that word, for he had the Dauphin in debt to him and fearful of him, too. And Richemont and all his men were shut off from the king's mind.

But Joan was fevered at such lingering, knowing that she had but a year. Also, her voices bade her urgently to march; and the high ones of Heaven are wiser than men.

So, on a day, while they were still plotting at Loches, she came with the Bastard of Orleans, and knocked at the door of the council

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.