ng of
Heaven. Surrender to the Maid sent hither by God, the King
of Heaven, the keys of all the good[883] towns in France
that you have taken and ravaged.[884] She is come here in
God's name to claim the Blood Royal.[885] She is ready to
make peace if so be you will do her satisfaction by giving
and paying back to France what you have taken from
her.[886] And you, archers, comrades-in-arms, gentle and
otherwise,[887] who are before the town of Orleans, go ye
hence into your own land, in God's name. And if you will
not, then hear the wondrous works[888] of the Maid who will
shortly come upon you to your very great hurt. And you, King
of England, if you do not thus, I am a Chieftain of
war,--and in whatsoever place in France I meet with your
men, I will force them to depart willy nilly; and if they
will not, then I will have them all slain. I am sent hither
by God, the King of Heaven, body for body, to drive them all
out of the whole of France. And if they obey, then will I
show them mercy. And think not in your heart that you will
hold the kingdom of France [from] God, the King of Heaven,
Son of the Blessed Mary, for it is King Charles, the true
heir, who shall so hold it. God, the King of Heaven, so
wills it, and he hath revealed it unto King Charles by the
Maid. With a goodly company the King shall enter Paris. If
ye will not believe these wondrous works wrought by God and
the Maid, then, in whatsoever place ye shall be, there shall
we fight. And if ye do me not right, there shall be so great
a noise as hath not been in France for a thousand years. And
know ye that the King of Heaven will send such great power
to the Maid, to her and to her good soldiers, that ye will
not be able to overcome her in any battle; and in the end
the God of Heaven will reveal who has the better right. You,
Duke of Bedfort, the Maid prays and beseeches you that you
bring not destruction upon yourself. If you do her right,
you may come in her company where the French will do the
fairest deed ever done for Christendom. And if ye will have
peace in the city of Orleans, then make ye answer; and, if
not, then remember it will be to your great hurt and that
shortly. Written this Tuesday of Holy Week.

[Footnote 883: The King of France himself designated as _