The Ecclesiastical Tribunal. Record in the Archives of Loire-Inférieure. The Trial. His Confession. Judgment and Sentence 93 CHAPTER VI THE TRIAL BEFORE THE CIVIL COURT Trial before the Civil Court. Depositions. Conviction and Sentence 167 CHAPTER VII THE EXECUTION 177 APPENDIX A MOTHER GOOSE PUBLICATIONS 183 APPENDIX B BLUEBEARD STORIES 186 APPENDIX C MYSTERY OF THE SIEGE OF ORLEANS 189 APPENDIX D DEPOSITIONS IN CIVIL COURT AGAINST GILLES 195 [Illustration] ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE CHÂTEAU (CASTLE) OF NANTES, WHERE GILLES WAS TRIED.--FROM THE RIVER LOIRE _Frontispiece_ GILLE’S SIGNATURE AND RUBRIC 22 A STREET IN NANTES--ANCIENT HOUSES 47 FACSIMILE OF FOLIO PAGE FROM ARCHIVES OF TRIAL AT NANTES. CONFESSION OF GILLE DE RETZ 138 GROTTO OF BONNE VIERGE DE CRÉÉ-LAIT. EXPIATORY ALTAR OF GILLES ERECTED BY HIS DAUGHTER 179 [Illustration] INTRODUCTION The story of Bluebeard has become a classic in infantile mythical (folk-lore) literature wherever the English and French languages are spoken. Rev. Dr. Shahan suggests its possible existence in earlier languages and more distant countries (see p. xiv.). The story is more or less mythical. While it does not follow history with any pretence of fidelity, it has come to be recognised by the historians and literati of France as representing the life of Gilles de Retz (or Rais), a soldier of Brittany in the first half of the fifteenth century. He was of noble birth, was possessed of much riches, was the lord of many manors, had a certain genius and ability, made some reputation as a soldier at an extremely early age, fought with Joan of Arc, and was Marshal of France. At the close of these wars he retired to his estates in Brittany, and, in connection with an Italian magician, he entered upon a search for the Elixir of Youth and the Philosopher’s Stone. Together they became possessed by the idea that the foundation of this elixir should be the blood of infants or maidens, and, using the almost unbridled power incident to a great man (at that early date) in that wild country, they abducted many maidens and children, who were carried to some one of his castles and slain. Suspicion was finally directed toward him; he was arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced to death, and executed at the city of Nantes, October 27, 1440, at the early age of thirty-six years.