Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/509

I The Hundred Years War 473 Then the prince, the duke of Lancaster, the earl of Cam- bridge, the earl of Pembroke, Sir Guichard d'Angle, and all the others, with their companies, entered into the city, and all other foot-men ready apparelled to do evil, and to pill and rob the city, and to slay men, women, and children ; for so it was commanded them to do. It was a great pity to see the men, women, and children that kneeled down on their knees before the prince for mercy. But he was so inflamed with ire that he took no heed of them, so that none was heard, but all put to death as they were met withal, and such as were nothing culpable. There was no pity taken of the poor people who wrought never no manner of treason, yet they bought it dearer than the great personages, such as had done the evil and trespass. There was not so hard a heart within the city of Limoges and if he had any remembrance of God, but that wept pit- eously for the great mischief that they saw before their eyen, for more than three thousand men, women, and children were slain that day. God have mercy on their souls, for I trow they were martyrs. And thus entering into the city, a certain company of Englishmen entered into the bishop's palace, and there they found the bishop ; and so they brought him to the prince's presence, who beheld him right fiercely and felly, and the best word that he could have of him was how he would have his head stricken off, and so he was had out of his sight. . . . Thus the city of Limoges was pilled, robbed, and clean brent and brought to destruction. Father Denifle, a distinguished Dominican scholar, has brought together from the Vatican archives of which he is the head and from other sources a volume of letters and other material depicting the fearful results of the Hundred Years' War in France, especially upon the churches and monasteries. The following extracts relating to the period following the death of Joan of Arc