these many days, I must have you here, and tend you till you be fit to
bear arms."

Therewith she made me much good cheer; then, very tenderly taking her
arms from about me, lest I should be hurt again, she cried--

"But we speak idly, and thou hast not seen the standard, and the banner,
and the pennon of the Maid that my father is painting."

Then I must lean on her shoulder, as, indeed, I still had cause to do,
and so, right heedfully, she brought me into the painting-chamber. There,
upon great easels, were stretched three sheets of "bougran," {21} very
white and glistering--a mighty long sheet for the standard, a smaller
one, square, for the banner, and the pennon smaller yet, in form of a
triangle, as is customary.

The great standard, in the Maiden's wars, was to be used for the rallying
of all her host; the pennon was a signal to those who fought around her,
as guards of her body; and about the banner afterwards gathered, for
prayer and praise, those men, confessed and clean of conscience, whom she
had called and chosen.

These cloths were now but half painted, the figures being drawn, by my
master's hands, and the ground-colours laid; but some portions were quite
finished, very bright and beautiful. On the standard was figured God the
Father, having the globe in His hand; two angels knelt by Him, one
holding for His blessing the lily of France. The field was to be sown
with fleurs-de-lys, and to bear the holy names: Jhesu--Maria. On the
banner was our Lord crucified between the Holy Virgin and St. John. And
on the pennon was wrought the Annunciation, the angel with a lily