such as the participle _envoyee_. Both the grammar and the
writing are those of a French clerk. (Contributed by M. E.
Langlois.)]

While Isabelle de Vouthon had gone on a pilgrimage to Puy, her two
youngest children, Jean and Pierre, had set out for France to join
their sister, with the intention of making their fortunes through her
or the King. Likewise, Brother Nicolas of Vouthon, Jeanne's cousin
german, a monk in priest's orders in the Abbey of Cheminon, joined the
young saint.[900] To have thus attracted her kinsfolk before giving
any sign of her power, Jeanne must have had witnesses on the banks of
the Meuse; and certain venerable ecclesiastical personages, as well as
noble lords of Lorraine, must have answered for her reputation in
France. Such guarantors of the truth of her mission were doubtless
those who had instructed her in and accredited her by prophecy.
Perhaps Brother Nicolas of Vouthon was himself of the number.

[Footnote 900: _Trial_, vol. v, p. 252. E. de Bouteiller and G. de
Braux, _Nouvelles recherches sur la famille de Jeanne d'Arc_, pp. xx,
9, 10. [Document of very doubtful authenticity.]]

In the army she was regarded as a holy maiden. Her company consisted
of a chaplain, Brother Jean Pasquerel;[901] two pages, Louis de Coutes
and Raymond;[902] her two brethren, Pierre and Jean; two heralds,
Ambleville and Guyenne;[903] two squires, Jean de Metz and Bertrand de
Poulengy.

[Footnote 901: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 101.]

[Footnote 902: _Ibid._, pp. 65, 67, 124. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p.
277. A. de Villaret, _Louis de Coutes, page de Jeanne d'Arc_, Orleans,
1890, 8vo.]

[Footnote 903: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 26, 27.]

Jean de Metz kept the purse which was filled by the crown.[904] She
had also certain valets in her service. A squire, one Jean d'Aulon,
whom the King gave her for a steward, joined her at Blois.[905] He
was the poorest squire of the realm. He was entirely dependent on the
Sire de La Tremouille, who lent him money; but he was well known for
his honour and his wisdom.[906] Jeanne attributed the defeats of the
French to their riding forth accompanied by bad women and to their
taking God's holy name in vain. And this opinion, far from being held
by her alone, prevailed among persons of learning and religion;
according to whom the disaster of Nicopolis was occasioned by the
presence of prostitutes in the army, and by the cruelty and
dissoluteness of the knights.[907]

[Footnote 904