Jeanne never claimed any
such visions of our Lord. The story of the clairvoyance as to the
Battle of the Herrings is also given in the 'Chronique de la
Pucelle.'* M. Quicherat thinks that the passage is amplified from
the 'Journal du Siege.' On the other hand, M. Vallet (de Viriville)
attributes with assurance the 'Chronique de la Pucelle' to Cousinot
de Montreuil, who was the Dauphin's secretary at Poictiers, when the
Maid was examined there in April 1429.** If Cousinot was the
author, he certainly did not write his chronicle till long after
date. However, he avers that the story of clairvoyance was current
in the spring of 1429. The dates exactly harmonise; that is to say,
between the day of the battle, February 12th, and the setting forth
of the Maid from Vaucouleurs, there is just time for the bad news
from Rouvray to arrive, confirming her statement, and for a day or
two of preparation. But perhaps, after the arrival of the bad news,
Baudricourt may have sent Jeanne to the King in a kind of despair.
Things could not be worse. If she could do no good, she could do no
harm.
*Proces, iv.
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