Such was the case of Jean Ducoudray, citizen of Saumur, a prisoner in the castle of Belleme in 1429.

He commended his soul devoutly to Saint Catherine, then leapt forth, throttled the guard, climbed the ramparts, dropped the height of two lances, and went out a free man into the country.[463] [Footnote 463: _Les miracles de Madame Sainte Katerine_, _passim_.

G.
Launay, Article in _Bull.soc.archeol.du Vendomois_, 1880, vol.xix, pp.

23-25.] Perhaps these miracles would have been less frequent had the English been in greater force in France; but their men were few: in Normandy they intrenched themselves in towns, abandoning the open country to soldiers of fortune who ranged the district and captured convoys, thus greatly promoting the intervention of Madame Saint Catherine.[464] [Footnote 464: G.Lefevre-Pontalis, _La guerre des partisans dans la Haute Normandie_ (1424-1429), in _Bibliotheque de l'Ecole des Chartes_ (1893-1896).] The prisoners, who had become her votaries and whom she had delivered, discharged their vows by making the pilgrimage to Fierbois.

In her chapel there, they hung the cords and chains with which they had been bound, their armour, and sometimes, in special cases, the armour of the enemy.
This had been done nine months before Jeanne's coming to Fierbois by a certain knight, Jean du Chastel.