refuse to acknowledge the treaty of Troyes. H Henry VI., is born.

1422. Henry V. and Charles VI. of France is proclaimed at Paris King of England and F lowers of the French dauphin proclaim him C of France. The Duke of Bedford, the English r defeats the army of the dauphin at Crevant.

1424. The Duke of Bedford gains the great vi over the French partisans of the dauphin and t iliaries.

1428. The English begin the siege of Orlean

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It

eir victory at Salamis, the generals of the va-
s voted the prizes for distinguished individual
med the first place of excellence to himself, but
in giving their second votes to Themistocles.*
on as a decisive proof that Themistocles ought
= of all. If we were to endeavor, by a similar
which European nation had contributed the
ress of European civilization, we should find
England, and Spain each claiming the first de-
so naming France as clearly next in merit.
eny her paramount importance in history. Be-
ole part that she has for nearly three centuries
Ilona of the European commonwealth of states,
ing all this period over the arts, the literature,
the feelings of mankind, has been such as to
f her earlier fortunes a point of world-wide in-
ay be asserted, without exaggeration, that the
every nation was involved in the result of the
the unconscious heroine of France, in the be-
eenth century, rescued her country from becom-
and under the yoke of the triumphant English.
extinction of a nation's independence appeared
han was the case in France when the English
ed their lines round Orleans, four hundred and
ago. A series of dreadful defeats had thinned
'rance, and daunted the spirits of her soldiers.
d been proclaimed in her capital; and foreign
est veterans, and led by the ablest captains then
* Plutarch, Vit. Them., 17.

scribe. The sense of terror and wretchedness extended itself even to the brute creation.

"In sooth, the estate of France was then There appeared nothing but a horrible face, co desolation, solitarinesse, and feare. The lean a

in the country did terrifie even theeves themselve ing left them to spoile but the carkasses of these creatures, wandering up and down like ghostes their graves. The least farmes and hamlets w these robbers, English, Bourguegnons, and French ing to do his worst: all men-of-war were well the countryman and merchant. Even the catte the larume bell, the signe of the enemy's appro home of themselves without any guide by this ery.

In the autumn of 1428, the English, who we ters of all France north of the Loire, prepared th conquest of the southern provinces, which yet cause of the dauphin. The city of Orleans, on th river, was looked upon as the last stronghold of tional party. If the English could once obtain their victorious progress through the residue seemed free from any serious obstacle. Accor of Salisbury, one of the bravest and most experi glish generals, who had been trained under He to the attack of the all-important city; and, aft eral places of inferior consequence in the neighbo with his army before its walls on the 12th of O * De Serres, quoted in the Notes to Southey's

Ac

, capable of containing a garrison of considerd so long as this was in possession of the Ord communicate freely with the southern provnts of which, like the Orleannais themselves, e of their dauphin against the foreigners. Lord udged the capture of the Tourelles to be the toward the reduction of the city itself. ted his principal operations against this post, ere repulses, he carried the Tourelles by storm ber. The French, however, broke down the ge that were nearest to the north bank, and rect assault from the Tourelles upon the city he possession of this post enabled the English n greatly by a battery of cannon which they which commanded some of the principal streets. erved by Hume that this is the first siege in ant use appears to have been made of artilat Orleans both besiegers and besieged seem to eir cannons merely as instruments of destrucenemy's men, and not to have trusted to them olition against their enemy's walls and works. nnon in breaching solid masonry was taught rks a few years afterward, at the memorable nople.* In our French wars, as in the wars ns, famine was looked on as the surest weapon mission of a well-walled town; and the great gers was to effect a complete circumvallation. f the walls of Orleans, and the facilities which employment of artillery against slight defenses, as at o real exception.

country became more difficult, and the approach already to be felt in Orleans.

The besieging force also fared hardly for stores until relieved by the effects of a brilliant victory Fastolfe, one of the best English generals, gain near Orleans, a few days after Ash Wednesda only sixteen hundred fighting men, Sir John com an army of French and Scots, four thousand str been collected for the purpose of aiding the Orlea assing the besiegers. After this encounter, whic sively to confirm the superiority of the English their adversaries, Fastolfe escorted large supplie food to Suffolk's camp, and the spirits of the Eng highest pitch at the prospect of the speedy captur fore them, and the consequent subjection of all

their arms.

The Orleannais now, in their distress, offered city into the hands of the Duke of Burgundy, v ally of the English, was yet one of their native Regent Bedford refused these terms, and the sp of the city to the English seemed inevitable. Charles, who was now at Chinon with his rem: despaired of continuing any longer the struggle for was only prevented from abandoning the count masculine spirits of his mistress and his queen. nor the boldest of Charles's captains, could ha where to find resources for prolonging the war; could any human skill have predicted the quarter was to come to Orleans and to France.

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