CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS ORATOR V. 551 



is reason for believing that this speech, as recorded by the chroniclers, is 

 quite authentic. It forms a singular mixture of energy, simplicity, and confi- 

 dence, which is much to be admired when we remember what a coalition of 

 foreign princes hud been formed to overthrow the French King. Philip 

 Augustus said, " Behold Otho the excommunicated and his adherents. The 

 money with which they have equipped themselves was stolen from the 

 poor and from the churches. We fight for our God, our liberty, and our 

 honour. Sinners as we are, let us have confidence in the Lord, and we shall 

 vanquish our enemies." And when some of the soldiers murmured against 

 having to fight on a Sunday, the King added, " The Maccabscus family, dear 

 to the Lord, did not hesitate to affront the enemy, and the Lord blessed their 

 arms." The captains and generals, carried away by their enthusiasm, 

 exclaimed, " And you, the elect of God, bless our arms ! " The army, fulling 

 upon its knees, repeated the cry. 



Two centuries later, the example of military eloquence was set, not by a 

 King of France, but by a plain peasant girl, and Joan of Arc's simple 

 language exercised even greater influence over those who heard her. "When 

 Charles VII. ordered the Due d'Alen9on to accompany Joan of Arc to the 

 siege of Jargeau, which was held by the English, the latter, addressing 

 the Duke, exclaimed, " Forward, gentle duke, to the assault ! The hour is 

 at hand when God wills. He bids us press forward, and He will aid us. 

 .... Art thou afraid, gentle duke ? You know that I promised your wife to 

 bring you back safe and sound." The assault once begun, she mounted upon 

 a ladder, from which she was thrown to the ground by a large stone, and the 

 French thought she had been killed. But she rose to her feet, and, waving 

 her banner, cried, " Forward, friends ! Our Lord has condemned the English ; 

 we have them in our power." And the town was taken by assault (Fig. 417). 



It was not for another century and a half that such eloquent accents were 

 heard from the mouth of a sovereign. Henri IV. had accepted the challenge 

 of battle offered him by the Due de Mayenne in the plains of Ivry, upon the 

 banks of the Eure (August 14th, 1590). When about to have the charge 

 sounded, he addressed his soldiers as follows : " My companions, you are 

 Frenchmen. If you lose your colours, do not lose sight of my plumes ; you 

 will find that they are always in the path of honour." During this memo- 

 rable combat it was rumoured that the King had been wounded, and the army 

 began to give way. Henri galloped up to them, and shouted in loud tones, 



