,
dukes and noble lords are proud, vain, cursers, swearers, and
traitors. The corruptness of their lives infects the air. It is just
that they suffer chastisement."

That the Lord should speak thus must be expected, because he was angry
and because the people of Orleans had greatly sinned. But now, behold,
Our Lady, she who loves the King of the Lilies, prays for him and for
the Duke of Orleans to the Son, whose pleasure it is to do her will in
all things: "My Son, with all my heart I entreat thee to drive the
English from the land of France; they have no right to it. If they
take Orleans, then they will take the rest at their pleasure. Suffer
it not, O my Son, I beseech thee." And Our Lord, at the prayer of his
holy Mother, forgives the French and consents to save them.[860]

[Footnote 860: _Mistere du siege_, lines 6964 _et seq._]

Thus in those days, according to their ideas of the spiritual world,
did men represent even the councils of Paradise. There were folk not a
few, and those not unlearned, who believed that as the result of these
councils Our Lord had sent his Archangel to the shepherdess. And it
might even be possible that he would save the kingdom by the hand of a
woman. Is it not in the weak things of the world that he maketh his
power manifest?

Did he not allow the child David to overthrow the giant Goliath, and
did he not deliver into the hands of Judith the head of Holophernes?
In Orleans itself was it not by the mouth of a babe that he had caused
to be named that shepherd who was to deliver the besieged town from
Attila?[861]

[Footnote 861: Aug. Theiner, _Saint Aignan ou le siege d'Orleans par
Attila, notice historique suivie de la vie de ce saint, tiree des MSS.
de la Bibliotheque du Roi_, Paris, 1832, in 8vo.]

The Lord of Villars and Messire Jamet du Tillay, having returned from
Chinon, reported that they had with their own eyes seen the Maid; and
they told of the marvels of her coming. They related how she had
travelled far, fording rivers, passing by many towns and villages held
by the English, as well as through those French lands wherein were
rife pillage and all manner of evils. Then they went on to tell how,
when she was taken to the King, she had spoken fair words to him as
she curtsied, saying: "Gentle Dauphin, God sends me to help and
succour you. Give me soldiers, for by grace divine and by force of
arms, I will raise the siege of Orleans and then lead you to your
anointing at Re