70
JOAN OF ARC.
Fought bravelier."
"Fatal was that day to France,"
Exclaim'd the Bastard, "there Alencon died525
Valiant in vain; and he the haughty chief
D'Albert, who rashly arrogant of strength
Impetuous rush'd to ruin. Brabant fell,
Vaudemont and Marie, and Bar, and Faquenberg,
Her noblest warriors, daring in despair530
Fought the fierce foe—ranks fell on ranks before them;
The prisoners of that shameful day out-summ'd
Their victors!"[1]
"There are those," old Bertram cried,
"Who for his deeds will honor Henry's name.
That honor that a conqueror may deserve535
He merits, for right valiantly he fought
On that disastrous day; but when the field
"Was
- ↑ Line 533 According to Holinshed the English army consisted of only 15,000 men, harrassed with a tedious march of a month, in very bad weather, through an enemy's country, and for the most part sick of a flux. He states the number of the French at 60,000, of whom 10,000 were slain and 1500 of the higher order taken prisoners. Some historians make the disproportion in numbers still greater. Goodwin says, that among the slain there were one Archbishop, three Dukes, six Earls, ninety Barons, fifteen hundred Knights, and seven thousand Esquires or Gentlemen.
