had raised up the daughter of a
husbandman for the deliverance of the most Christian realm and the
reproach of the Leopard.[1536]

[Footnote 1536: See the coronation of David and that of Louis XII by
an unknown painter, about 1498, in the Cluny Museum. H. Bouchot,
_L'exposition des primitifs francais. La peinture en France sous les
Valois_, book ii, figure C.]

From Gien, about June the 27th, the Maid had had a letter written to
the Duke of Burgundy, calling upon him to come to the King's
anointing. Having received no reply, on the day of the coronation she
dictated a second letter to the Duke. Here it is:

[cross symbol] JHESUS MARIA

"High and greatly to be feared Prince, Duke of Burgundy,
Jehanne the Maid, in the name of the King of Heaven, her
rightful and liege lord, requires you and the King of France
to make a good peace which shall long endure. Forgive one
another heartily and entirely as becometh good Christians;
an if it please you to make war, go ye against the Saracens.
Prince of Burgundy, I pray you, I entreat you, I beseech you
as humbly as lieth in my power, that ye make war no more
against the holy realm of France, and that forthwith and
speedily ye withdraw those your men who are in any
strongholds and fortresses of the said holy kingdom; and in
the name of the fair King of France, he is ready to make
peace with you, saving his honour if that be necessary. And
in the name of the King of Heaven, my Sovereign liege Lord,
for your good, your honour and your life, I make known unto
you, that ye will never win in battle against the loyal
French and that all they who wage war against the holy realm
of France, will be warring against King Jhesus, King of
Heaven and of the world, my lawful liege lord. And with
clasped hands I beseech and entreat you that ye make no
battle nor wage war against us, neither you, nor your
people, nor your subjects; and be assured that whatever
number of folk ye bring against us, they will gain nothing,
and it will be sore pity for the great battle and the blood
that shall be shed of those that come against us. And three
weeks past, I did write and send you letters by a herald,
that ye should come to the anointing of the King, which
to-day, Sunday, the 17th day of this present month, is made
in the city of Reims: to which letter