Paris, which since the invasion of the English had been a prey to their
tyranny, did not dare to declare in favour of Charles VII., who had
just been crowned at Rheims. The king attempted to enter the capital,
followed by his whole army. All the small neighbouring places vied
with each other in their eagerness to receive him. He took possession
of St. Denis, and occupied the posts of La Chapelle, Aubervilliers,
and Montmartre. His generals, confiding in the intelligence they
maintained with some in the city, resolved to attempt an assault
on Sunday, 8th of September, 1429. They approached the gate of St.
Denis with the design of persuading the English that they meant to
attack the capital at that point; at the same time, a considerable
detachment presented itself before an intrenchment which the enemy had
raised before the rampart of the hog-market, upon which is built the
quarter now called La Butte-Saint-Roch. The boulevard was carried at
once. Whilst the English, led by the bishop of Thérouanne, L’Ile-Adam,
Crequi, and Bonneval, were hastening thither, numerous voices shouted
out in various quarters of Paris, for the purpose of terrifying the
people,--“All is lost! all is lost! The royalists are masters of the
city! Let every one look to himself!” This _ruse_ produced the effect
the English had expected: the people, in a state of consternation,
precipitately sought refuge in their houses, and delivered the English
from the suspicions they had conceived. In the mean time the royalists,
finding the people made no movement in their favour, judged it prudent
to retreat. Joan of Arc, who had joined the party in order to animate
the French by her presence, accustomed by her successes never to
recede, would not consent to give up the affair; she persisted in
wishing to fill up the ditch filled with water, of which she did not
at all know the depth. She was crying aloud for fascines to be brought
to her, when she was wounded by an arrow from a cross-bow, in the
thigh. Obliged by the pain of the wound and the quantity of blood she
lost to recline behind the shelter of a little eminence, she remained
there till evening, when the duke of Alençon was compelled to force
her to return to St. Denis. Charles, conceiving the capture of Paris
impossible, thought it best to retreat: his army decamped, and took the
road to Lagni-sur-Marne, which had declared for him.