72 HISTORY OF FRANCE. [CHAi-. to the defence. A fight which took place at Bouvray was called the Battle of the Herrings, because the imme- diate cause was a supply of salt-fish sent to the English army, which the Fr'ench in vain tried to capture. The city held out with a valour which interested all except the rival kings, one a child at Windsor, the other a loiterer at Bourges. Above all was excited the spirit of a peasant girl at Domremy, on the borders of Champagne, Bar, and Lorraine, named Joan Dare, who, while keeping her sheep, had visions, in wh'ch the saints Margaret and Katharine bade her go forth to free the army from its crimes, to save the city of Orleans, and lead the king to be anointed at Rheims. After being treated as mad by her kindred, she prevailed on the governor of Vancouleurs to send her to Charles at Chinon. She was closely ex- amined by clergy and ladies, and her simplicity and earnestness so convinced them that she was allowed to do what she would. She never was anything but a peasant girl, simple, devout, and full of faith in her mission, and her power over the soldiers was unbounded. But the nobles, except Dunois, seem to have only used her as a tool, and disliked and scorned her, while the English and Burgundians believed her a witch, and were in great terror of her spells. She threw herself into Orleans, and led several sallies without ever herself shedding blood, but always causing a panic among the enemy, so that the siege was raised, and her easy victory at Patay opened the way to Rheims. With great diffi- culty Joan roused Charles enough to let himself be con- ducted thither ; all the nobles of the national party joined him except the constable, whose presence he would not permit, and at the head of 12,000 men he entered the city. He was crowned on the 17th of July, 1429, Joan standing by with her banner in her hand. .She then said her work was done, and begged to return to her village home ; but she was thought too useful to be parted with. She was kept with the army, but, her spring of hope and trust being gone, her enthusiasm failed her, and she no longer ensured success. When the Burgundian Joint of Luxotibiiri^ attacked Compiegne, she was left to de- fend it ; but her stern reproofs of vice and foul language offended the captains, and when returning from a sally, she was shut outside the gates and made prisoner. The General of the Inquisition and the doctors of the Uni- /ersity of Paris were Burgundians, and claimed to have
