the King and that Charles was being
tricked by a Prince, who knew how to disguise his craft in
magnificence. Not that Duke Philip was an enemy of peace; on the
contrary he desired it, but he was desirous not to come to an open
quarrel with the English. Jeanne knew little of the affairs of
Burgundy and of France, but her judgment was none the less sound.
Concerning the relative positions of the Kings of France and England,
between whom there could be no agreement, since the matter in dispute
was the possession of the kingdom, her ideas were very simple but very
correct. Equally accurate were her views of the position of the King
of France with regard to his great vassal, the Duke of Burgundy, with
whom an understanding was not only possible and desirable, but
necessary. She pronounced thereupon in a perfectly straightforward
fashion: On the one hand there is peace with the Burgundians and on
the other peace with the English; concerning the peace with the Duke
of Burgundy, by letters and by ambassadors have I required him to come
to terms with the King; as for the English, the only way of making
peace with them is for them to go back to their country, to
England.[1616]

[Footnote 1616: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 233, 234.]

This truce that so highly displeased her we know not when it was
concluded, whether at Soissons or Chateau-Thierry, on the 30th or 31st
of July, or at Provins between the 2nd and 5th of August.[1617] It would
appear that it was to last fifteen days, at the end of which time the
Duke was to undertake to surrender Paris to the King of France. The
Maid had good reason for her mistrust.

[Footnote 1617: Morosini, vol. iii, pp. 202, 203, note 2.]

When the Regent withdrew before him, King Charles eagerly returned to
his plan of retreating into Poitou. From La Motte-Nangis he sent his
quartermasters to Bray-sur-Seine, which had just submitted. Situated
above Montereau and ten miles south of Provins, this town had a bridge
over the river, across which the royal army was to pass on the 5th of
August or in the morning of the 6th; but the English came by night,
overcame the quartermasters and took possession of the bridge; with
its retreat cut off, the royal army had to retrace its march.[1618]

[Footnote 1618: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 325. Jean Chartier,
_Chronique_, vol. i, pp. 99, 100. _Journal du siege_, pp. 119, 120.
Gilles de Roye, p. 207.]

Within this army, which had not fought and which was being