was, that he was a notorious robber, and was condemned by due sentence of law.

We are now rapidly approaching the last of the unfortunate Joan's warlike exploits. In company with the Lord de Saintrailles and other officers, and a body of troops, she had entered the town of Compiègne, which was besieged by the Duke of Burgundy. On the 24th of May, 1430, Joan joined the defenders in an attack upon the besiegers. A sharp contest took place beyond the barriers, but on a sudden the Maid found herself deserted by her followers. In vain she called on them to stand firm. They were in full retreat, and left her to combat alone against the enemy. She resisted bravely, but was overpowered, and became the prisoner of John de Luxembourg, Count of Ligny.

It was said that there was treachery in this abandonment of poor Joan, and that

the great lords and other officers of the army were jealous of her influence over the soldiers, and this, I am afraid, was too likely to be the truth. She was shamefully neglected when wounded at the attack on Paris, and at Compiègne the governor is said to have closed the barrier against her, to prevent her escape. No effort whatever

was made to save her,

and the triumph of

the English at her capture was greater than the lamentation of the French at her loss.

CHAPTER XIII.

JOAN IS DELIVERED UP TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD-TRIED FOR WITCHCRAFT AND HERESY--SENTENCED TO PERPETUAL CONFINEMENT-INFAMOUS BEHAVIOUR OF THE BISHOP OF BEAUVAIS-SHE IS CONDEMNED AS A RELAPSED HERETIC AND BURNT.

JOAN being taken by the troops of the Count de Ligny, he claimed her as his prize; but the English were so anxious to get possession of her, that the Duke of Bedford offered a large sum to the Count, and prevailed upon him to give up his prisoner. She was in the first place carried to the Château de Beaulieu, where she made an unsuccessful attempt to escape. From thence she was removed to Beaurevoir, where she had nearly succeeded in setting herself free. She made her way through a window, and thought she could

drop from it safely; but the height was too great, she fell, was much hurt, and was again placed in confinement. All the time she remained with the Count de Ligny she was kindly used, notwithstanding her attempts to escape; and his lady, in particular took a great interest in her, and was very unwilling that she should be given up. But the money that was offered was too great a temptation; and the Count, disregarding the entreaties of his wife, who foresaw what would happen, sold her to the English. A party of them was sent to receive her, and after loading her with chains, they carried her to Rouen, where the Duke of Bedford was residing.

Joan had been taken fighting openly in the cause of her king and country; and although it is rare to find women wielding the sword, yet such should surely be treated with still more tenderness than other

soldiers. Even in those days, the worst that was done to an open enemy taken in arms, was to imprison him, and thus prevent his again fighting, until he was either ransomed for money or exchanged against another prisoner taken by his own party. The Duke of Bedford was quite aware of this, and knew that if he put her to death on his own authority, he should for ever forfeit his character as a gentleman and an honourable soldier. But the English had suffered so much from Joan's extraordinary influence over the French soldiers -the power which she possessed of inspiring them with what seemed almost supernatural courage, that he determined she should die.

You recollect when Joan first told the strange story of her miraculous mission, that even the king and his very best friends

doubted whether what she said was from