Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/451

 9 th S. I. JUNE 4, '98.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

443

id from a gold medal commemorative of this first monument,* we believe, with the Abbe" Dubois, whose authority is so powerful in that which con- cerns Joan of Arc ana the siege of Orleans, that Christ was on the cross, the Virgin in tears stand- ing, and Charles VII. and Joan of Arc kneeling. All the personages were of natural size.

" In 1824, the year of his death, the Abbe" Dubois published a very short notice of the monuments of Joan of Arc. This small treatise, now very rare, contains some very curious notes extracted from the accounts of the city, and a lithograph. M. Dubois invokes to the support of his opinion the testimony of Pontus Heuterus. He renders famous, also, an ancient picture belonging to the Mairie, representing a view of Orleans taken from the left bank of the Loire, to the east of the Tourelles.

1 ' One cannot deny that this picture is prior to 1562, since one sees in it the Belle-Croix and the monument of the Maid such as they were before they were destroyed by the Protestants in 1562. What renders this picture extremely precious is that one knows neither pictures nor engravings which represent these two ancient monuments. In that of the Maid one sees not a simple cross, but a Christ with the Holy Virgin standing near the cross, Charles VII. kneeling on one side, and Joan of Arc on the other, holding her standard.

"M. de Buzonniere, whose indefatigable zeal, well known to archaeologists, has thrown light upon so many interesting questions, names also,

order to hint that the king persecuted by the Eng- lish and this generous virgin sent to relieve him had obtained help by virtue of the cross and by the intercession of the Virgin of Virgins, and, more- over, to represent that the Maid had by prophetic spirit known the devout prayer made by King Charles before the image of Our Lady of Pity for the preservation of France, when he was in his oratory of the Chateau de Loches (Symphorien Guyon, cure [parson J of St. Victor of Orleans)."

"The erection of this first monument has been commemorated by a gold medal, described in 'France Me'tallique,' by Jacques Debie. The re- verse of this medal represents it absolutely such as the engraving published in front [i. e., the engraved title] of the work of Jean Hordal makes it known, save some accessories which are not there repre- sented, such as the helmets of Charles VII. and Joan of Arc, and the crown of thorns of the Saviour. Here is the description of Jacques Debie: 'Caro- lus VII. Dei . gra . Franc . rex . Christianiss.' ' The obverse preserves to the eyes of posterity the effigy of the monarch named, in a walking position and the whole bust armed, the head adorned with a crown covered with fleurs-de-lis and pearls.' Reverse: 'A Domino . factum . est . istvd.' 'It represents the Virgin at the foot of the cross, holding upon her knees the dead body of her Son, taken down by His friends. The two effigies kneeling on both sides are to show, in this thanksgiving, the king on one side fully armed, and Joan the Maid on the other, also armed, her hair dishevelled upon her arms so as to recognize her.' Under the exergue : ' Aurel. civit. obsid. liber. grati. animi. civ. H. M. P. CC.' And this monument is still seen, of bronze, of the size of nature, upon the bridge of the city named, at the right hand of those who enter. We shall, besides, name an engraving of this monu- ment inserted in the ' Histoire de France,' in folio, of Jean de Serres, vol. i."

in support of the opinion that we have advanced, a perfectly exact drawing of the second restoration performed by Desfriches [in 1771], and showing Christ stretched upon the knees of Mary.

" The place of this first monument is indicated in the fragment of a picture painted by Martin in 1741. This picture is the property of M. Bordas. We say that the place only of the monument is indicated in the picture by Martin, because really it is there reproduced on so small a scale that it is scarcely possible to give the form or dimensions of it.

"In 1562 the Protestants took possession of Orleans, ' when some insolent and senseless soldiers rushed with rage upon the honourable statue of

au vray ').

"The images of Christ and the Virgin were broken, and one had much trouble to save the statue of the king from the fury of these vandals.

" On the 9th of October, 1570, the city made with Jean Hector Lescot, called Jacquinot, the following bargain to recast the images of the Virgin and Maid, to repair the crucifix, and make all other reparations to the monument of the Maid. This original bargain exists in one of the cartons of the public library of Orleans, and we earnestly counsel amateurs to examine it with care (Library of Orleans, MS. 431):-

founder, dwelling at Orleans, called Jacquinot, who confessed that he had undertaken and undertakes with the mayor and aldermen, who have and do put into his hands that which follows, in what is requisite to recast and resolder the effigies of Our Lady of Pity and the Maid which used anciently to be upon the bridge of this city. Firstly is necessary to resolder the body of the said Maid, except the legs, arms, and hands; then to resolder anew a lance with the standard turning at the end of the said lance, her helmet with a plume, a sword and spurs, a cross, a pelican, three iron nails, a chaplet of thorns at the upper part of the cross, another lance on the other side of the cross and a sponge; further, to resolder an arm to the crucifix and to put a large piece to the stomach; to make an encoileture [?] at the neck-stock of several other pieces as it is requisite to do and to resolder; and also to repair several blows from arquebuses to the body and head of the king, and to remake a crown which is put upon his coat of arnis; and generally to do all that which will be requisite, and to make up and fix the said Maid in like fashion as she used to be. For making which the said mayor and aldermen shall furnish copper and brittle brass, lead and other materials necessary for same; and as to the moulds, the said [undertaker shall
 * ' Before Gerard Dubois appeared Hector Lescot,

make them at his [own] costs and expenses in

consideration of the sum of 120 livres Tournois.' "

W. I. R. V.

(To be continued.)

" PARROT-LIKE."

I HAVE an old friend, a dab at Russ, an inmate of our house for twenty years. He is grey, but not with years, for in appearance, spirit, and appetite he is extremely young, not to say hobbledehoyish, Ha sits beside