₹ importance gradually decayed. An active party of CHAP.X. determined enemies were continually devising the means of depressing him; his salary as protector sustained an annual reduction, and dwindled from eight to four thousand marks in the space of four years; and in the eighth year of the king's age and reign, his most persevering and successful rival Beaufort, in carrying a favourite measure, the coronation of the young monarch, deprived him of the title of protector, and though still placed at the head of the council, this elevation was merely nominal, and ceded only to his rank. Gloucester did not submit tamely to these mortifications; for a considerable period he maintained an unavailing struggle against the ecclesiastical confederacy which the cardinal headed, but his efforts were unfortunate both to himself and to his country; his impatience and disappointment too openly displayed furnished his enemies with the weapons which they were not slow to employ to his injury, and in some degree justified the suspicions which they sedulously instilled into the ductile mind of the sovereign, who was early taught to regard his uncle of Gloucester with distrust; and the necessity of acquiring partizans was the chief cause of his warm patronage of the Duke of York, who under his friendly auspices grew into esteem with the people, and arose to eminence in the state. * There were no less than five bishops beside the Cardinal in the council of the regency. CHAP. CHAPTER XI. State of Affairs upon the Continent-Resolution to attack Orleans— Exertions of Charles VII.-Death of Salisbury before the WallsSuffolk's Appointment—Christmas Festivities-Seizure of a Convoy -Distress of Charles VII.-Intrepidity of Dunois-Proposition of the French Commanders-Displeasure of the Duke of Burgundy— Despairing Resolutions of Charles VII.-Joan of Arc-Birthplace of the Maid of Orleans-her early Life and Character-The Fairy Tree-Joan's Visions-Political Opinions at DouremyJoan's loyal Zeal—she determines to fly to the Rescue of OrleansBelief of the Peasantry-Joan quits her Native Home-Distress of Charles VII.-Joan's Reception-Marvellous Reports-The Misery of the Besieged-Joan hastens to the Rescue-is permitted to enter the City-Terror of the English-Successful Sorties of the Frenchthe Siege is raised-Retreat of the English-Joan attacks Jargeau -Suffolk made Prisoner-Victory at Patay-Efforts of the Duke of Bedford-Continued Successes of Charles VII.-he is crowned at Rheims-Joan's Request-her fatal Compliance-Bedford's Exertions-Spirited Conduct of the Cardinal-Bedford's Challenge— Exhaustion of both Parties-Charles VII.'s Message to the Duke of Burgundy-the latter renews the Treaty with England-Recommencement of the War-Last Victory of Joan of Arc—she is taken before Compeigne-Joy of the Allies-Ingratitude of the FrenchCruel Fate of Joan-New Reverses sustained by the English-Intended Coronation of Henry VI. at Rheims-The English lose ground in France-Henry crowned at Paris-The War languishes -Death of the Duchess of Bedford-the Duke's second MarriageBurgundy's Displeasure-Breach between Bedford and BurgundyOvertures of the French King-Congress of Arras-Proposals of Peace-rejected by the English-Defection of Burgundy-Death of the Duke of Bedford. DURING the five first years of Henry's reign the XI. English retained possession of the whole of the territory torn by the late king from the crown of France: they had not however extended their conquests, and were prevented from following up the victories of Henry V. by the divisions which Gloucester's impolitic attempt upon Hainault produced. Charles VII. pent up in the provinces behind the Loire was permitted to exist in a state of comparative tranquillity for the space of four years, a period in which his utter ruin might have been effected; and though reduced to great extremity the hopes of his followers were revived by this enforced indolence upon the part of their enemies. The indefatigable exertions of the Duke of Bedford had at length restored harmony to the allies, and being furnished with an efficient army of twenty thousand men, he was persuaded it is said reluctantly to attack the French king in his strongest hold; as it was generally supposed that the fall of Orleans would lead to the final subjugation of France. It is not easy to guess how the expedition against the southern capital could have been made without the consent of the regent, yet in a letter addressed after its failure to the king his nephew, he denies that he was in any way instrumental to this unfortunate attempt. "All things prospered with you, till the tyme of the seage of Orleans, taken in hand God knoweth by what advice."* The Earl of Salisbury, the most celebrated amid the English generals was appointed to direct the operations against this important city. While on the other part Charles VII. rallied all his powers to maintain a vigorous resistance, and the inhabi *Parliament Rolls. CHAP. XI. CHAP. tants in the wild energy of despair rushed to its defence, determined to perish to a man rather than to yield. Salisbury approached the place with the caution of an experienced soldier, crossed the river and invested it upon all sides. His first attack upon the Tourelles, a castle erected for the defence of the bridge, was gallantly carried, but the persevering industry of the besieged had raised a fort at the other end of the bridge which effectually impeded his farther progress, and Salisbury in surveying the preparations of the enemy from a window in the castle received a wound in the face from a cannon ball, which after the lapse of two days proved mortal, and the command devolved upon the Earl of Suffolk, grandson of Michael De La Pole, the unhappy favourite of Richard II., a nobleman destined to par ticipate in the splendid misfortunes which befel nearly every individual belonging to his luckless race. Not endowed with that brilliant and commanding genius which had distinguished his predecessor, Suffolk yet possessed sufficient prudence to follow the plan which Salisbury had marked out, and as the winter approached and the difficulties of storming the city increased he patiently sate down to a regular blockade, but without relaxing his exertions, keeping up a tremendous cannonade, and continually taking advantage of the darkness of the night to make fresh attacks upon the beleaguered walls. The festivities of Christmas produced a short cessation, and for the space of six hours a truce granted at the request of the English, permitted gentler sounds to supersede the roar of artillery Diary of the Siege of Orleans. and the shout of defiance. One gay revel to the enlivening strains of trumpet and clarion, and again the fierce dissonance of ruthless war prevailed. Many gallant feats of arms were performed on both sides in the assaults, sallies, and skirmishes, which were of constant occurrence, and the Diary of the Siege of Orleans is in itself a manual for instruction in the deeds of chivalry. A signal victory obtained in the beginning of Lent by Sir John Fastolf with an army of fifteen hundred men, who escorted four hundred waggons destined for the use of the besiegers, over a strong body of between three and four thousand troops which had been dispatched to intercept him, increased the exultation of the English and occasioned the most dismal forebodings on the part of the enemy. The fall of Orleans now seemed to be inevitable. Charles VII. had exhausted all the resources which his misfortunes had left him in its defence, and no reasonable hope of its deliverance could be entertained; but the intrepidity of its defenders was still unabated. Dunois, a name which has come down to us radiant with the glory that surrounds it, together with St. Severe and Saintrailles, cheered the inhabitants and incited them to continue their desperate resistance: yet utterly despairing of the ultimate preservation of the apparently devoted city, they with the concurrence of the French king offered to surrender it into the hands of the Duke of Burgundy, upon the condition that he should hold it in strict neutrality during the war for the benefit of the Duke of Orleans, then a captive in Eugland. CHAP. |