Joan had despatched two letters of a conciliatory tone to the Duke of Burgundy from Rheims.  The original of one of these is to be seen in the archives at Lille.  Like most of Joan of Arc’s letters, it commences with the name of Jesus and Mary.  As Joan could not write, the only portion of this letter which bears the mark of her hand is the sign of the Cross placed at the left of those names at the top of the document.  She strongly urged the Duke in these letters to make peace with the King; she appeals on the score of his relationship with Charles, to his French blood, in order to prevent further bloodshed, and to aid the rightful King.  While waiting some definite answer from the Duke, the King went to Vailly-sur-Aisne from Rheims.  He arrived at Soissons on the 28th of July, and Chateau Thierry on the next day.  Montmirail was reached on the 1st of August, Provins on the 2nd.  It will be seen that, instead of marching straight upon Paris, the King was making a mere detour from Rheims towards the Loire.

It was soon evident that Charles and his civil councillors had no intention of advancing direct upon Paris, and were merely marching and counter-marching until they could, as they trusted, get the Duke of Burgundy to join them.

In the meanwhile, Bedford saw his opportunity, and made prompt use of it.  Early in the month of August he issued a proclamation calling on all the subjects of Henry of England in France and Normandy to rally round their liege lord.  Leaving Paris on the 25th of July, Bedford marched to Melun with a force of ten thousand men.  Melun was reached on the 4th of August.  On the day after Bedford’s arrival at Melun a letter was sent by Joan of Arc to her friends at Rheims, announcing that the King’s retreat on the Loire would not be continued by his Majesty.  The King had, in fact, met with a check to his advanced guard at Bray-sur-Seine.  Charles had, she informed her correspondents, concluded a truce of fifteen days with the Duke of Burgundy, at the expiration of which the Duke had promised to surrender Paris to the King.  But, she adds, it could not be certain whether the Duke would keep to his promise.  She concludes her letter by saying that should the treaty not hold good, then the army of the King would be able to take active measures.

This letter is vaguely dated from a lodging on the road to Paris.  It was, she knew, necessary to be near the capital at the close of the period stipulated by Burgundy, and the royal army accordingly took the northern road, leading to Paris.

On the 7th of August the royal force reached Coulommiers; on the 10th La Ferte Milon, and on the 11th Crespy-en-Valois.  Bedford, apprised of this change in the movements of his foe, sent off an insulting letter to Charles, whom he addressed as ’Charles who called himself Dauphin, and now calls himself King!’ The Regent reproaches the King for having taken the crown of France, which he said belonged to the rightful King