And on the Wednesday, the Maid, with many knights, rode forth two leagues, and met the Bastard of Orleans and all the array from Blois, and all the flocks and herds that were sent to Orleans by the good towns.

Right beneath the forts of the English they rode and marched, with chanting of hymns, priests leading the way, but none dared meddle with them.

Yet a child might have seen that now or never was the chance: howbeit Talbot and Glasdale and Scales, men well learned in war, let fire not even a single cannon.

It may be that they feared an attack of the Orleans folk on their bastilles, if they drew out their men.

For, to tell the plain truth, the English had not men-at-arms enough for the task they took in hand; but they oft achieve much with but little force, and so presume the more, sometimes to their undoing.