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 the Saturday, therefore, very early in the morning I rose and
celebrated Mass; then Jeanne went to the attack of the Bridge Fort, in
which was the Englishman, Clasdas.[200] The attack lasted from morning
to sunset without interruption. At this assault, after dinner, Jeanne,
as she had predicted, was struck by an arrow above the breast. When she
felt herself wounded, she was afraid, and wept; but she was soon
comforted, as she said. Some of the soldiers seeing her severely wounded
wished to “charm” her; but she would not, saying: “I would rather die
than do a thing which I know to be a sin; I know well that I must die
one day, but I know not when, nor in what manner, nor on what day; if my
wound may be healed without sin, I shall be glad enough to be cured.”
Oil of olive and lard were applied to the wound. After the dressing, she
confessed herself to me, weeping and lamenting. Then she returned in all
haste to the attack, crying: “Clasdas! Clasdas! yield thee, yield thee
to the King of Heaven! Thou hast called me ... I have a great pity for
thy soul, and for thy people.” At this moment Clasdas, fully armed from
head to foot, fell into the Loire, where he was drowned. Jeanne, moved
to pity at this sight, began to weep for the soul of Clasdas, and for
all the others who, in great number, were drowned, at the same time as
he. On this day, all the English who were on the other side of the
bridge were taken and killed. The next day—which was a Sunday—before
sunrise all the English who were still in the plains around Orleans
grouped themselves together, and came to the foot of the trenches of the
town. From thence they departed for Meung-sur-Loire, where they remained
for several days. On this Sunday[201] there was in Orleans a solemn
procession and a sermon. It was then decided to go and seek the King;
and Jeanne went thither. The English entrenched themselves in Jargeau,
which was soon taken by assault. Finally, they were entirely defeated at
Patay.
I often heard her say of her work that it was her mission; and when
people said to her: “Never have such things been seen as these deeds of
yours. In no book can one read of such things,” she answered: “My Lord
has a book in which no Clerk has ever read, how perfect soever he may be
in clerkship!”
In war and in camp, when there was not enough provision, she would never
eat stolen food. I firmly believe she was sent from God on account of
her good works, and her many virtues; even on the poor English soldiers
she had so much compassion that, when she saw them dying or wounded, she
had them confessed. So much did she fear God, that for nothing in the
world would she displease Him. When she was wounded in the shoulder by
an arrow—which went through from one side to the other—some spoke of
“charming” her, promising in this manner to cure her on the spot. She
replied that it would be a sin, and that she would rather die than
offend God by such enchantments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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