Joan’s Final Warning to English in Orleans

After Joan of Arc arrived in Orleans she continued to try to warn the English besieging the town to leave with two more letters (Joan first warned the English in a letter on March 22, 1429).  Joan sent a letter to Lord Talbot, the English leader in Orleans, that was later described by the “Bastard of Orleans” at her trial of rehabilitation as follows:

“She did in fact address to the English a letter, written in her mother tongue, to raise the siege or, if they refused, to attack them so strongly they would be forced to retire. This letter was addressed to my Lord Talbot. And I affirm that from that hour, while formerly the English with two hundred of theirs could put to flight a thousand of ours, it required only four or five hundred of our soldiers to combat all the power of the English, and we were so successful with the enemy that they no longer dared to leave their strongholds and bastilles."

Joan then had a letter shot into the fort Les Tourelles on May 5, 1429 that contained her final warning:

“You, men of England, who have no right in the kingdom of France, the King of Heaven sends word to you, and commands by me, Joan the Maid, that you leave your fortresses and return to your own country. Otherwise I will produce a clash of arms to be eternally remembered. This is the third and last time I will write to you, and I will not write to you any more. 
Jesus Maria
              Joan the Maid”

Joan of Arc's First Letter

Joan of Arc sent her first letter to the English on March 22, 1429 asking them to peacefully withdraw from France and give up all of the cities and territories they had conquered and warning them of the consequences if they refused. This letter shows the boldness of Joan as well as her chivalric nature as she believed in giving her enemies a warning before engaging in battle. There is no record of how the English reacted upon receiving this letter however it is not hard to imagine them laughing at what they considered a preposterous threat from a presumptive teenage girl. They were soon to regret not taking Joan and her letter more seriously.

+ Jesus Maria +
King of England, and you, Duke of Bedford, who call yourself Regent of the kingdom France; you William de la Pole, Count of Suffolk; John, Lord Talbot; and you Thomas, Lord Scales, who call yourselves lieutenants of the said Duke of Bedford, do justly by the King of Heaven; render to the Maid who is sent here of God, the King of Heaven, the keys of all the good cities that you have taken and violated in France. She has come here from God to restore the royal blood. She is all ready to make peace, if you will deal rightly by her, acknowledge the wrong done France, and pay for what you have taken. And all of you, archers, companions of war, nobles and others who are before you; and if this is not done, expect news of the Maid, who will go to see you shortly, to your very great damage. King of England, if you do not do this, I am Chef de Guerre, and in whatever place I shall find your people in France, I will make them go
Read the Rest of Joan of Arc's letter to the English here