, vol. iii, p. 90. Dom Lobineau, _Histoire de Bretagne_,
vol. i, p. 587. Dom Morice, _Histoire de Bretagne_, vol. i, pp. 508,
580.]

At Rome, in 1428, there was a French clerk, a compiler of one of those
histories of the world so common in those days and so much alike. His
cosmography, like all of them, began with the creation and came down
to the pontificate of Martin V who was then Pope. "Under this
pontificate," wrote the author, "the realm of France, the flower and
the lily of the world, opulent among the most opulent, before whom the
whole universe bowed, was cast down by its invader, the tyrant Henry,
who was not even the lawful lord of the realm of England." Then this
churchman vows the Burgundians to eternal infamy and hurls upon them
the most terrible maledictions. "May their eyes be torn out: may they
perish by an evil death!" Such language indicates a good Armagnac and
possibly a clerk despoiled of his goods and driven into exile by the
enemies of his country. When he learns the coming of the Maid and the
deliverance of Orleans, transported with joy and wonder, he re-opens
his history and consigns to its pages arguments in favour of the
marvellous Maid, whose deeds appear to him more divine than human, but
concerning whom he knows but little. He compares her to Deborah,
Judith, Esther, and Penthesilea. "In the books of the Gentiles it is
written," he says, "that Penthesilea, and a thousand virgins with her,
came to the succour of King Priam and fought so valiantly that they
tore the Myrmidons in pieces and slew more than two thousand Greeks."
According to him, both in courage and feats of prowess, the Maid far
surpasses Penthesilea. Her deeds promptly refute those who maintain
that she is sent by the Devil.[1310]

[Footnote 1310: L. Delisle, _Un nouveau temoignage relatif a la
mission de Jeanne d'Arc_ in _Bibliotheque de l'Ecole des Chartes_,
vol. xlvi, pp. 649, 668. Le P. Ayroles, _La Pucelle devant l'Eglise de
son temps_, pp. 53, 60.]

In a moment the fame of the French King's prophetess had been spread
abroad throughout Christendom. While in temporal affairs the people
were rending each other, in spiritual matters obedience to one common
head made Europe one spiritual republic with one language and one
doctrine, governed by councils. The spirit of the Church was
all-pervading. In Italy, in Germany, the talk was all of the Sibyl of
France and her prowess which was so intimately associated with the
Chris