76
JOAN OF ARC.
The white sail of supply. Ah me! no more
Rose on our aching sight the food-fraught bark;
For guarded was the Seine, and our stern foe
Had made a league with Famine. How my heart[1] 625
Sunk in me when at night I carried home
The scanty pittance of to-morrow's meal!
You know not, strangers! what it is to see
The asking eye of hunger!
"Still we strove
Expecting aid, till sickening Expectation630
Felt never hope, and yet most keen the pang
Of disappointment. Tho' with christian zeal
Ursino would have pour'd the balm of peace[2]
"Into
- ↑ Line 625 "The King of England advertised of their hautie courages, determined to conquer them by famine which would not be tamed by weapon. Wherefore he stopped all the passages, both by water and land, that no vittels could be conveied to the citie. He cast trenches round about the walls, and set them full of stakes, and defended them with archers, so that there was left neither waie for them within to issue out, nor for anie that were abroad to enter in without his license.—The King's coosine germane and alie (the King of Portugale) sent a great navie of well-appointed ships unto the mouth of the river of Seine, to stop that no French vessel should enter the river and passe up the same, to the aid of them within Rouen.
Thus was the faire citie of Rouen compassed about with enemies, both by water and land, having neither comfort nor aid of King, Dauphin, or Duke.Holinshed. 566. - ↑ Line 633 After he had prosecuted the siege of this place for some time, the Cardinal Ursino repaired to his camp, and endeavoured to persuade him to moderate his terms, and agree to an
