The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-01-20
JOAN OF ARC.


From. Tom Watson's History of France.l
"a country girl overthrow the pow
er of England"
So it is written by Mr.. Hallam, the
Englishman, in the ''History of the
Middle Ages"
1t will be remembered that during
the reign of the mad King Charles ~,
the English, under Henry V, had in
vaded France.
The French mobiles and prelates were
so divided by factional hate that no
effectual resistance could be made to
the English.
The Duke of Orleans had been as
saSsinated in the streets of Paris by
order Of the Duke of Bergunday. In
the course of few years the latter
was, in his turn, murdered by the Or
leans faction, during conference
which Brunswick was holding with
the Dauphin-as the French Kings
Oldest son was called.
The wife of the insane King was
Isabella of Bavaria-a most infamous
woman.
Born in royal circles, and introduced
dO dA Vd1Ay 0eO AuUO UuV COuIO VI
France, she soon gave reign to all her
sensual appetitcs, and became thor
oughly aris tocratic in her cruelty, her
lust and her disregard of the duties of
life.
Coupled with these queenly traits
was a passion for intrigue and ran
corous dislike of her son, the Dauphin.
She was supposed to be on criminal
terms with the Duke of Orleans, who
was killed as he was leaving her house
at night. At any rate she leagued
herself against the Duke of Bergundy
and was an active figure in all the
turbulent scenes that followed.
Civil war between the Orleans and
Brunswick factions laid the country
in waite and drenched it in blood.
Finally Isabella came to terms with
the Duke of Brunswick and they, to-
gether. made war upon her son, the
Dauphin.
Hostilities continued between the
| factions till murder and rapine almost
exhausted themselves. Efforts were
made to reconcile Bruins wick and the
fer, upon the bridge of Montereau
Unfriendly words passed between the
two, and suddenly some revengeful
friends Of the late Duke ofOrleans fell
| upon Brunswick and slew him.
! So great was the indignation Of the
| Brunswick party at this treacherous
deed that they soon came to an agree
ment with the English invaders, by
which the kingdom Of France was to
lie delivered over to the King Of Eng
land.
This agreement was known as the
Treaty Of Troyes.
1t was stipulated that Henry V
should marry the daughter Of the mad
king, Charles vi, and that after the
death of Charles, the son of this mar
riage should be crowned King of
France. The English king was in the
meantime to be regent Of the king
DOM
Thus did Isabella, the French queen,
the French kings wife, the French
Dauphin's mother, deliver over her
cOunt try. her husbands crown, and her
sons inheritance to national enemy,
to crafty her personal spleen.
There was an old prophecy in France
| that 1.-THE land would be lost by a
woman and saved by woman"
Isabella, the high-born harlot, had
most assuredly lost it.
Now, who was the woman to save it:
We are already familiar with the
history of this hundred years. war be.
tween France and England. We have
seen Edward III beat down the
French, sack their cities and ravage
their fields. We have seen the slaugh-
ter of the French knights at Crecy
and Poitiers and Agincourt. We have
seen the terror of the English name
grow upon the French to such an ex-
tent that one Englishm can over.
come five Frenchmen in the open field.
We have seen Henry V receive at the
hands Of the French king, queen and
mobiles the succession to the throne OF
| France
We have seen decentralization, utter
and ruinous, take possession of the
wretched land. We can see the queen
mother surrounded by paramours
make war upon her son, surrounded
by mistreSses.
We can see the people weeping at
the death of the insane king, because
he was not so destructive as the sane
ones had been.
We can see bands of pillagers goinl
from town to town, plundering anG
destroying.
In the dreadful orgy of lust ano
crime we can hear the stout chieftain
LaHire, affirm, that ''if God himself
were soldier, he would turn robber.
And in remembrance of this chaotic
period we can hear the prayer of thi!
same LaHire, as he girds on his arm OF
for pillaging expedition.
"Oh! God; do unto LaHire this day
what thou would'st have LaHire dt
unto thee, vert thou LaHire and ht
God"
A country boy saved Israel; and {
country girl was to save France.
Joan of Arc was born Jan. 6, 1412. iT
the little hamlet of Domremy, on the
Meuse. In Lorraine. Her parents were
Esimple. respectable people, owning
some land. They were devout mem
bers Of the Catholic church. and Ge
vout believers in the "Divine right
Of Kings.
Joan was brought up in the same
faith. Her childhood was that of al
ordinary French country girl Of tht
time. She minded the sheep, or tht
spinning wheel, or the pot, just as 9th
er girls did. She played, she danced
she decked the churches with flowers
just as other children did.
She was not taught to write, nor tt
read: but she was taught to repea
theCatholic Creed, the Hail Mary and
the legends of the Saints.
As she grew older her fondness To-
the church became noticeable. Sh'
would steal away from her playmate