a lily, and the angel coming to her. In battle, when she led a
charge, Joan always carried her standard, that she might not be able to
use her sword. She wished to kill nobody, and said 'she loved her
banner forty times more than her sword.' Joan afterwards broke St.
Catherine's sword, when slapping a girl (who richly deserved to be
slapped) with the flat of the blade. Her enemies, at her trial, wished
to prove that her flag was a kind of magical talisman, but Joan had no
belief in anything of that kind. What she believed in was God, her
Voices, and her just cause. When once it was settled that she was to
lead an army to relieve Orleans, she showed her faith by writing a
letter addressed to the King of England; Bedford, the Regent; and the
English generals at Orleans. This letter was sent from Blois, late in
April. It began JHESU MARIA. Joan had no ill-will against the English.
She bade them leave France, 'and if you are reasonable, you yet may ride
in the Maid's company, where the French will do the fairest feat of arms
that ever yet was done for Christentie.' Probably she had in her mind
some Crusade. But, before France and England can march together, 'do ye
justice to the King of Heaven and the Blood Royal of France. Yield to
the Maid the keys of all the good towns which ye have taken and assailed
in France.' If they did not yield to the Maid and the king, she will
come on them to their sorrow. 'Duke of Bedford, the Maid prays and
entreats you not to work your own destruction!'

[Illustration: ORLEANS

Showing the position of the English forts when Joan arrived.]

We may imagine how the English laughed and swore when they received this
letter. They threw the heralds of the Maid into prison, and threatened
to burn them as heretics. From the very first, the English promised to
burn Joan as a witch and a heretic. This fate was always before her
eyes. But she went where her Voices called her.

HOW JOAN THE MAID RODE TO RELIEVE ORLEANS

At last the men-at-arms who were to accompany Joan were ready. She rode
at their head, as Andre de Laval and Guy de Laval saw her, and described
her in a letter to their mother. She was armed in white armour, but
unhelmeted, a little axe in her hand, riding a great black charger, that
reared at the door of her lodging and would not let her mount.

[Illustration: 'Lead him to the Cross!' cried she]

'"Lead him to the Cross!" cried she, for a Cross stood on the roadside,
by the chur