may at any rate suspect the reason. For some time the English and
Burgundian clergy had been accusing him of apostasy and magic. Now,
owing to the unity of the Church in general and to that of the
Gallican Church in particular, owing also to the authority of that
bright sun of Christendom, the University of Paris, when a clerk was
suspected of error and heresy by the doctors of the English and
Burgundian party he came to be looked at askance by the clergy who
were loyal to King Charles. Especially was this so when in a matter
touching the Catholic faith, the University had pronounced against him
and in favour of the English. It is quite likely that the clerks of
Poitiers had been prejudiced against Friar Richard by Pierronne's
conviction and even by the Maid's trial. The good brother, who
persisted in preaching the end of the world, was strongly suspected of
dealing in the black art. Wherefore, realising the fate which was
threatening him, he fled, and was never heard of again.[2591]

[Footnote 2590: _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 473.]

[Footnote 2591: Th. Basin, _Histoire de Charles VII et de Louis XI_,
vol. iv, pp. 103, 104. Monstrelet, ch. lxiii. Bougenot, _Deux
documents inedits relatifs a Jeanne d'Arc_, in _Revue bleue_, 13 Feb.,
1892, pp. 203, 204.]

None the less, however, did the counsellors of King Charles continue
to employ the devout in the army. At the time of the disappearance of
Friar Richard and his penitents, they were making use of a young
shepherd whom my Lord the Archbishop, Duke of Reims and Chancellor of
the kingdom, had proclaimed to be Jeanne's miraculous successor. And
it was in the following circumstance that the shepherd was permitted
to display his power.

The war continued. Twenty days after Jeanne's death the English in
great force marched to recapture the town of Louviers. They had
delayed till then, not, as some have stated, because they despaired of
succeeding in anything as long as the Maid lived, but because they
needed time to collect money and engines for the siege.[2592] In the
July and August of this same year, at Senlis and at Beauvais, my Lord
of Reims, Chancellor of France and the Marechal de Boussac, were
upholding the French cause. And we may be sure that my Lord of Reims
was upholding it with no little vigour since at the same time he was
defending the benefices which were so dear to him.[2593] A Maid had
reconquered them, now he intended a lad to hold them. With this object
he e