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.
On one occasion, Maître Jean de Chatillon, Archdeacon of Evreux and
Doctor in Theology, found that Jeanne was being asked questions too
difficult for her, and complained of the mode of procedure, saying that
they ought not to act in this manner. But the other Assessors told him
to let them alone; to which he answered: “I must acquit my own
conscience.” For this cause he was forbidden, by whom I do not remember,
to attend further unless he was summoned.
On Trinity Sunday, in the afternoon, Maître André Marguérie, hearing
that Jeanne had resumed her male attire, went to the Castle of Rouen,
saying that he must find out why she had done so, and that it was not
enough for him merely to see her in this dress. One of the English
soldiers, lance in hand, called out to him, “Traitor! Armagnac!” and
raised his lance against him, so that Marguérie fled, fearing to be
slain, and was in consequence much upset and ill.
At the first sermon, I was on the platform with Jeanne, and read the
Schedule of Abjuration to her; at her request and petition I instructed
her, shewing her the danger that might arise from abjuration unless the
Articles were first seen by the Church, to whom she should refer as to
whether she should abjure or not.
Seeing this, Maître Guillaume Érard, the preacher, asked me what I was
saying to her, and, when I replied, said: “Read her this schedule, and
tell her to sign it.” Jeanne answered that she did not know how to sign;
she desired that the Articles might be seen and deliberated upon by the
Church; [she said] she ought not to abjure this schedule, and requested
that she might be placed in the custody of the Church, and no longer be
kept by the English. Érard replied that she had had long enough delay,
and that, if she did not abjure this schedule, she should be immediately
burned; and he forbade me to speak further with her or to give her more
counsel.
I remember that incomplete questions were often put to Jeanne, and many
and difficult interrogations were made together; then, before she could
answer one, another would put a question; so that she was displeased,
saying, “Speak one after the other.” I marvelled that she could so
answer the subtle and captious questions put to her; no man of letters
could have replied better.
The examinations lasted generally from eight o’clock to eleven.
I often heard Jeanne say that God would not permit her to say or do
anything against the Catholic Faith. I heard her tell the Judges that,
if she had ever said or done anything ill, she was willing to correct
and amend according to their decision. I heard Jeanne saying to the
Doctors who questioned her: “You ask me of the Church Triumphant and
Militant. I do not understand these terms; but I am willing to submit to
the Church as a good Christian should.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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