Jeanne d'Arc, Maid of Orleans, Deliverer of France: Being the Story of Her Life, Her Achievements, and Her Death, as Attested on Oath and Set Forth in the Original Documents
History
Jeanne d'Arc, Maid of Orleans, Deliverer of France: Being the Story of Her Life, Her Achievements, and Her Death, as Attested on Oath and Set Forth in the Original Documents
Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412-1431 -- Trials, litigation, etc.
When she spoke of the kingdom and the war, I thought she was moved by
the Holy Spirit; but when she spoke of herself she feigned many things:
nevertheless, I think she should not have been condemned as a heretic.
When the Bishop asked if she would submit to the Church, she enquired,
“What is the Church? So far as it is you, I will not submit to your
judgment, because you are my deadly enemy.” She complained that the
Bishop would not allow them to write anything in her excuse, but only
what was against her. When she was asked whether she would submit to the
judgment of the Pope, she replied that, if they would take her to him,
she would be content.
She was adjudged relapsed because she had resumed her man’s dress. After
she had recanted, she resumed a woman’s dress, and begged to be taken to
the ecclesiastical prisons; but it was not permitted. I heard from
Jeanne, herself, that she had been assaulted by a great lord; and for
that reason she had resumed her man’s dress, which had been perfidiously
left near her. After her resumption of this dress, I heard the Bishop,
with some of the English, exulting, and saying publicly to the Earl of
Warwick and others: “She is caught this time!”
_Third Examination, May 9th, 1452._
Some of the Assessors, such as the Bishop of Beauvais, proceeded of
their own pleasure; some—to wit, the English Doctors—out of malicious
spite; some, Doctors of Paris, from desire of gain; some were induced by
fear, as the aforesaid Sub-Inquisitor and others whom I do not remember.
The Process was instituted by the King of England, the Cardinal of
Winchester, the Earl of Warwick, and other English, who paid all the
expenses. I remember well that Jean, Bishop of Avranches, for having
refused to give his advice in the Process, was threatened by the
Promoter d’Estivet; and Maître Nicolas de Houppeville, who would not
attend the Trial nor give an opinion, was in danger of exile. After the
first sermon, at which Jeanne recanted, I, Jean Delafontaine, and Maître
Guillaume Vallée, of the Order of Saint Dominic, went to the Castle by
order of the Judges to counsel Jeanne that she should persevere in her
good purpose. Seeing this, the infuriate English threw themselves upon
us, with swords and sticks, and violently drove us out of the Castle; on
this occasion, Jean Delafontaine escaped, and left the town and did not
return; also I suffered many reproaches from the Earl of Warwick,
because I had told Jeanne she should submit to the General Council. [On
the day that she said she would submit] Messire Guillaume Manchon, the
notary, asked whether he should write down the submission? The Bishop
replied, No, it was not necessary. Then Jeanne said to the Bishop: “Ah!
you will certainly write what is against me, and will write nothing that
is for me.” This submission was not registered, and there ensued in the
assembly a great murmur.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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