OF SIX MEDIAEVAL WOMEN 



whilst acknowledging that as he has not the 

 strength to bear arms, it is only with his pen 

 and his speech that he can serve his country, he 

 reminds them that it was the historian's pen 

 and the orator's harangue, just as much as the 

 warrior's lance, that made the glory of the 

 Romans. 



Louis the Dauphin, come to man's estate, and 

 self-seeking and treacherous, was no friend to 

 Agnes, who had incurred his hatred by her 

 fearless disclosure to the king from time to 

 time of conspiracies against his person, in 

 which Louis was the prime mover. After 

 repeated reconciliations, the king in despair 

 finally banished him to his domain of Dauphine. 

 The traitor, quitting the royal presence for 

 what he deemed exile, swore to be avenged on 

 those who had driven him forth, and if some 

 of the records of the time speak truly, four 

 years later his opportunity came, and he kept 

 his oath. 



The last scene of Agnes's life was pathetic- 

 ally interesting. Her end came almost sud- 

 denly. The king, listening to advice, had 

 resolved to continue the war in Normandy, 1 

 and, at the instigation of Agnes, if we may believe 

 the words of a courtly writer of the time, had 

 himself gone to the front. Rouen was taken, 

 and Charles entered in triumph. The streets 

 were decked with flowers and branches, and the 

 houses hung with rich draperies, and everywhere 



1 Lavisse, Hist, de France, vol. iv. part 2, p. 229, footnote. 



