They intended to capture the damsel, cast her into a pit, and keep her there beneath a great stone, in the hope that the King who had sent for her would give a large sum for her rescue.[458] It was the custom for freebooters and mercenaries thus to cast travellers into pits delivering them on payment of ransom.

Eighteen years before, at Corbeil, five men had been kept in a pit on bread and water by Burgundians.

Three of them died, being unable to pay the ransom.[459] Such a fate very nearly befell Jeanne.

But the wretches who were lying in wait for her, at the moment when they should have struck did nothing, wherefore is unknown, perhaps because they were afraid of not being the stronger.[460] [Footnote 458: _Trial_, vol.iii, p.

203.] [Footnote 459: Abbe J.-J.