cutioner, after he had beheaded the condemned, to cut his body
in four pieces, which was called quartering. So that it was as if
Jeanne had said that the traitor deserved quartering. The words
sounded hard to Burgundian ears; certain even believed that they heard
Jeanne in her wrath taking God's name in vain. They did not hear
correctly. Never had Jeanne taken the name of God or of any of his
saints in vain. Far from swearing when she was angered, she used to
exclaim: "God's good will!" or "Saint John!" or "By Our Lady!"[1995]

[Footnote 1995: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 273.]

Before Soissons, Jeanne and the generals separated. The latter with
their men-at-arms went to Senlis and the banks of the Marne. The
country between the Aisne and the Oise was no longer capable of
supporting so large a number of men or such important personages.
Jeanne and her company wended their way back to Compiegne.[1996]
Scarcely had she entered the town when she sallied forth to ravage the
neighbourhood.

[Footnote 1996: I have rejected the story told by Alain Bouchard of
Jeanne's meeting with the little children in the Church of Saint
Jacques. (_Les grandes croniques de Bretaigne_, Paris, Galliot Du Pre,
1514, fol. cclxxxi.) M. Pierre Champion (_Guillaume de Flavy_, p. 283)
has irrefutably demonstrated its unauthenticity.]

For example, she took part in an expedition against Pont-l'Eveque, a
stronghold, some distance from Noyon, occupied by a small English
garrison, commanded by Lord Montgomery.

The Burgundians, who were besieging Compiegne, made Pont-l'Eveque
their base. In the middle of May, the French numbering about a
thousand, commanded by Captain Poton, by Messire Jacques de Chabannes
and divers others, and accompanied by the Maid, attacked the English
under Lord Montgomery, and the battle was passing fierce. But the
enemy, being relieved by the Burgundians of Noyon, the French must
needs beat a retreat. They had slain thirty of their adversaries and
had lost as many, wherefore the combat was held to have been right
sanguinary.[1997] There was no longer any question of crossing the
Aisne and saving Choisy.

[Footnote 1997: Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 382. Lefevre de Saint-Remy,
vol. ii, p. 178. _Chronique des cordeliers_, fol. 498 verso.]

After returning to Compiegne, Jeanne, who never rested for a moment,
hastened to Crepy-en-Valois, where were gathering the troops intended
for the defence of Compiegne. Then, with these troops, she ma