Dame de Cany was his mother, but he ought to have been the son of the Duchess of Orleans since the Duke was his father.

Not only was it no drawback to children to be born outside wedlock and of an adulterous union, but it was a great honor to be called the bastard of a prince.

There have never been so many bastards as during these wars, and the saying ran: "Children are like corn: sow stolen wheat and it will sprout as well as any other."[522] The Bastard of Orleans was then twenty-six at the most.

The year before, with a small company, he had hastened to revictual the inhabitants of Montargis, who were besieged by the Earl of Warwick.

He had not only revictualled the town; but with the help of Captain La Hire had driven away the besiegers.