36 
defend themselves. In vain did the 
Duke of Brittany batter the walls with 
a formidable artillery. Being at the 
point of sapping them, and already mas- 
ter of the fort, the inhabitants demanded 
a capitulation ; then, this same heroine, 
pulled off her armour, clothed herself 
in her gayest dress, aided her natural 
charms by every possible art, and went to 
see the Duke of Brittany. This prince 
who was of an age which favored the 
hopes which she had conceived, could 
not refuse to such a neyociatrix, the 
favour which she asked. After this pre- 
amble (says the count shrewedly) one 
might have expected better terms than 
marching out with a white staff in che 
hand, instead of a lance, and abandoning 
bag and baggage. 
The capitulation of Bayeux was nearly 
upon the same conditions. More than 
three hundred women went out, drawing 
behind them, or carrying their children. 
The French could not see such a sight 
without emotion! they gave them horses 
and carriages. 
The English soon after further experi- 
enced the generosity of the French to 
their conquered enemies. Caen was sur- 
rendered 1st July, 1450. Somerset, who 
commanded there,left it,with his garrison 
of four thousand men, and went to sleep 
in a village, which he had before sacked 
and delivered tothe flames. The inha- 
bitants refused provisions and lodging to 
the English, shewing them the ruins of 
more than sixty of their burnt houses, and 
loading them with reproaches. The king 
was informed of it, and made them bring 
provisions, and provide them lodgings. 
The town of Falaise was surrendered 
the next day; and the deliverance of 
Talbot, prisoner in France, was one of 
the conditions of capitulation. He was 
one of the best English generals; and 
they strongly advised the King of France, 
to re:ain him; but such treachery would 
have been unworthy of him. He loaded 
Talbot with presents, and gave him his 
liberty. This general did not take advan- 
tage of it to resume his office; but went 
to Rome to profit by the indulgence of 
the jubilee. 
_ There remained but two places to sub- 
due in all Normandy —Dompont and 
Cherbourg. Dompont, according to-our 
author, surrendered at the first attack; 
some writers say, notwithstanding, that it 
held out a siege of five days. Cherbourg 
a place so strong, that it was supposed it 
could not be taken but by famine, defen- 
ded itself vigorously. But the French 
* 
Blondel’s Account of the Re-conquest of Normandy. [Feb.1, 
placed a large piece of cannon* upon 
a spot, which the sea covered twice a 
day, and battered the walls on the 
weakest side. They took care at the re- 
turn of every tide, to stop the mouth of 
the cannon with wax and pitch, and co- 
ver it with an entire piece of leather, so 
that the sea, in coveringit, could not wet 
it. The effect of this battery was such, 
that at the first discharge a large part of 
the wall was thrown down, as well asa 
tower built upon an angle, which was 
on thatside. The inhabitants were ter- 
rified, and Thomas Howel, whohade much 
booty at sea, which he was afraid to lose, 
surrendered August 12th, 1450, upon 
condition, that they should hberate his 
son, who remained as a hostage for the 
capitulation of Rouen. Thus, says Blon- 
del in finishing, were more than thirty 
places, and all Normandy conquered in a 
year and six days. [A most unequivocal 
testimony of brave defence against an 
enemy at home. | 
[Our historians observe, that affairs 
never went well after the death of Card. 
Beaufort. The mfancy and character of 
Henry VI. the squabbles of the courtiers 
during the regency, the intestine factions. 
of York and Lancaster did not however 
prevent a long and tedious war, with 
the French, on their own shores, and 
very superior numbers, &c. It is suffi- 
cient tonote, that they even needed the 
stimulus of fanaticism ,thePucelle, to make 
any exertions at all. Our English offi- 
cers uniformly admit the gallantry of the 
French : but, though they cannot take a 
ship, or conquer the British troops in 
equal numbers, St. Croix’s continu- 
ator, mentions a patriotic Abbé, whe 
went to all the coffee-houses in the Palais 
Royal, perpetually declaiming that twelve 
thousand men must be landed in England 
before it could be conquered, whence he 
got the name of Abbé Douze-muille hom- 
mes. If three hundred British marines 
and afew Turks resisted the whole army 
of Buonaparte at Acre for twenty-eght 
days, itisa matter of just doubt whether an 
equal regular army would not teach even 
this mighty general what Sieyes is said to 
have told him,that the ‘fters insulaires” 
would pluck the laurels from his brows 
HoweverBuonaparte is certainly to be ac- 
guitted of being the author ot ‘bombastic 
statement;” this of the fifteenth century 
being precisely so. It is the mal de pays. } 
* Hemeans a bombard, a huge mortar which 
shot enormous stones, such as those at Con- 
stantinople. 
To 
