Volume 2

Wonderful characters : comprising memoirs and anecdotes of the most remarkable persons of every age and nation. / collected from the most authentic sources by Henry Wilson.

  • Wilson, H. (Henry), 1864-1934.
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Wonderful characters : comprising memoirs and anecdotes of the most remarkable persons of every age and nation. / collected from the most authentic sources by Henry Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    JOAN Jj'ARC. uons „stead of a convoy, an immense army assembled at BJois, and Joan marched immediately at the head of these forces, for the relief of Orleans. Her first design was to enter the city on the side of the Beausse, but she was met by a messenger from Dunois, who commanded iii Orleans during the absence of the governor, advisin- the attempt to be made on the Salogne side, the English having strongly fortified that of the Beausse ; adding, that he had already made the necessary dispositions for a sally on the English, on the side of the latter. Previous to this attempt, the maid had written to the regent, and to the English generals before Orleans, commanding them, in the name of the omnipotent Creator, by whom she was commissioned, immediately to raise the seige, and to evacuate France; and menacing them with divine vengeance in case of their disobedience. AH the English affected to speak with derision of the maid, and of her heavenly commission ; but they felt their imagination secretly struck with the vehement per- suasion which prevailed in all around them; and they waited with an anxious expectation, not unmixed with horror, for the issue of these very extraordinary pre- parations. In the mean time Florentine d'llliers had been de- tached by Joan's particular directions, at the head of four hundred horse. This gallant officer passed the river in boats, and threw himself with his detachment into the city. The garrison and inhabitants were greatly rejoiced at the dispositions made for their relief, and expressed the highest confidence in the supernatural abilities of the intrepid leader. As soon as the convoy reached the bank of the river, below the first intrenchment of the English, they found boats ready to receive the ammunition and provisions. While these were embarking, Joan drew up her troops with such a show of resolution, that the English did not think it prudent to attack her. They even abandoned