y could boast of no very able adherents; and
the favourable opportunity had been lost, the Regent had been allowed
time to collect his forces and to cope with the most pressing
dangers.[1625]

[Footnote 1624: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, Jean Chartier. _Journal du
siege_, _loc. cit._]

[Footnote 1625: Monstrelet, vol. iv, pp. 340, 344.]

Its retreat cut off, the royal army fell back on Brie. On the morning
of Sunday, the 7th, it was at Coulommiers; it recrossed the Marne at
Chateau-Thierry.[1626] King Charles received a message from the
inhabitants of Reims, entreating him to draw nearer to them.[1627] He
was at La Ferte on the 10th, on the 11th at Crepy in Valois.[1628]

[Footnote 1626: Perceval de Cagny, p. 161. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_,
vol. i, p. 100. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 325.]

[Footnote 1627: Varin, _Archives legislatives de la ville de Reims_,
Statuts, vol. i, p. 742.]

[Footnote 1628: Perceval de Cagny, p. 161.]

At one stage of the march on La Ferte and Crepy, the Maid was riding
in company with the King, between the Archbishop of Reims and my Lord
the Bastard. Beholding the people hastening to come before the King
and crying "Noel!" she exclaimed: "Good people! Never have I seen folk
so glad at the coming of the fair King...."[1629]

[Footnote 1629: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 14, 15. _Chronique de la
Pucelle_, p. 326.]

These peasants of Valois and of l'Ile de France, who cried "Noel!" on
the coming of King Charles, in like manner hailed the Regent and the
Duke of Burgundy when they passed. Doubtless they were not so glad as
they seemed to Jeanne, and if the little Saint had listened at the
doors of their poor homes, this is about what she would have heard:
"What shall we do? Let us surrender our all to the devil. It matters
not what shall become of us, for, through treason and bad government,
we must needs forsake our wives and children and flee into the woods,
like wild beasts. And it is not one year or two but fourteen or
fifteen since we have been led this unhappy dance. And most of the
great nobles of France have died by the sword, or unconfessed have
fallen victims to poison or to treachery, or in short have perished by
some manner of violent death. Better for us would it have been to
serve Saracens than Christians. Whether one lives badly or well it
comes to the same thing. Let us do all the evil that lieth in our
power. No worse can happen to us than to be slain or taken."[1630]

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