The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1913-12-05
THE LIFE OF JEANNE D'ARG
BY R NJ. NAyIOR.
(Continued from last week. }

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With the retreat to the Loire the
Maids victories in the field we're almost
ended, but the impetus which she gave
TO French energy and the depression
and weariness with which she affected
her English conquerors survived not
only her victories but even her life.
Henceforth, with intervals Of Incidence,
France pressed forward and England
Withdrew.
Arriving at Glen, Charles disbanded
the army and refused to allow Jeanne
and d'Alencon go to assail Normandy.
It might be supposed from such con-
duct on the part Of the King and his
advisers that they were bent upon the
ruin OF the Maid Such, however, was
not the case. The whole difficulty lay.
in the fact that Jeanne's wish to gain
peace at the point of the lance was de-
cidedly embarrassing when the King
was trying to buy off Burgundy from
the Anglo-Burgundian Alliance, As for
the fact that the Maids great victories
were now ended, it could not be other
wise, for the continual truces between
Charles and Burgundy deprived her and.
France Of any special objective.
The indifference OF the King and his
advisers may be well illustrated in the
siege Of La Charlie in the latter part OF
November. The King, and consequently
the people OF Bourges (where Charles
was then holding his COURT, failed to
send the necessary money and sup
plies, and the siege, therefore, had to
be raised.
In December Jeanne and her whole
kith and kin, both male and female
lines, we're ennobled by the King. the
new name OF the family being du Lys.
No lands we're given with the rank
another instance OF the Kings graft
tudei
In order that the English might re-
tain their strong position at Paris it was
necessary for them to recover the small
towns around the city, for these We're
gradually being occupied with ever in
creasing numbers Of the French army.
The most important Of these places was
Compiegn. This city riyalled or even
excelled Orleans in its strength and ex-
tent, and it commanded the passage Of
the Oise and that route to Paris.
BY the last OF May large Anglo
Burgundian force was encamped along
the bank Of the Oise opposite Com
piegne. The bridge-head on the Eng
lish side Of the stream was commanded
by the village Of Margny. Only small
force Of the enemy was concentrated
here, but much larger forces we're quar-
tered close by in the villages OF Clai-
roux and Venette.
About the 23d OF the month Jeanne
came to relieve Compiegne. Her object
was to clear out the village Of Margny
and make it untenable for the enemy.
Accordingly, with small force OF men,
she made a sortie from Compiegne and
crossed the bridge leading to Margny.
Her passage was we'll covered by the
guns Of Compiegne, and, had it not
been for the fact that Jean de Luxem-
bourg with company Of friends was
that day riding from Clairoix to Margny
on visit to the commander Of the lat
ter town, Jeanne would easily have been
successful. As it was, however, these
gentlemen, observing the struggle from
"a distance, sent back riders at top speed
to Claxoix to bring up reiniorcements.
The latter were not long in galloping
from Clairoix. Their arrival, OF course,
was disastrous, but the Maid charged
them nevertheless and thrice drove them
back. AT this crisis more Of the en-
emy's men rushed up from Venette;
Jeanne was gradually driven from the
bridge-head out into The marshy mead
ows; her retreat was cut off entirely;
most Of her men had lied to the boats
and the bridge; only her two brothers
and her equerry. d'Aulon, we're with
her when she was captured.
The Maid was borne of u triumph
to Clairoix where she was kept for three
Or four days. She was then taken to
Beaulieu where she was treated as a
prisoner of war. After fortnight Jean
de Luxembourg carried her to Beaure-
.yoir Castle, about forty miles north Of |
Beaulieu. It was at this place that
Jeanne leaped from her tower because
abe did not wish to be delivered into
the hand Y the English and because