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 Sunday following the first sentence, I was summoned to the Castle
with the other notaries to see Jeanne dressed in man’s dress; we went to
the Castle, entered the prison, and there saw her. Questioned as to why
she had resumed it, she made excuses, as appears in the Process. I
think, perhaps, that she was induced to act thus, for I saw many of
those concerned in the Process applauding and rejoicing that she had
resumed her old dress; yet some lamented, among whom I saw Pierre
Maurice grieving much.
On the following Wednesday, Jeanne was taken to the Old Market of Rouen,
where a sermon was preached by Maître Nicolas Midi upon the Sentence of
Relapse pronounced by the Bishop of Beauvais. After this sentence was
read, she was taken by the civil authorities, and, without further trial
or sentence, was led to the executioner, to be burnt. And I know, of a
truth, that the Judges and their adherents were henceforward notorious
to the population: after Jeanne was burnt, they were pointed at by the
people and hated; and I have heard it maintained that all who were
guilty of her death came to a shameful end. Maître Nicolas Midi died of
leprosy a few days later; and the Bishop died suddenly while he was
being shaved.
JEAN LEMAIRE, _Priest, Curé of the Church of St. Vincent at Rouen_;
[evidence of no special value.]
MAUGIER LEPARMENTIER, _Clerk, Apparitor of the Archiepiscopal Court of
Rouen_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne until she came to Rouen. I was summoned to the
Castle of Rouen, with my assistants, to submit Jeanne to torture. On
this occasion, she was questioned on various subjects and answered with
such prudence that all present marvelled. Then I and my associates
retired without doing anything.
[Illustration:
_Pierre Cauchon_,
_Bishop of Beauvais. Died Bishop of Lisieux 1442._
_Tomb formerly in the Cathedral of Lisieux._
]
She was a prisoner in the Castle, in a great tower. I saw her when I was
summoned to the torture, as aforesaid. I was present at the first
preaching at St. Ouen, and also at the last at the Old Market, on the
day when Jeanne was burnt. Wood was prepared for the burning before the
preaching was finished or the sentence pronounced; and as soon as the
sentence was read by the Bishop, without any interval, she was taken to
the fire. I did not notice that any sentence by the civil authorities
was read. When she was in the fire she cried, more than six times,
“Jesus!” And with the last breath she cried with a loud voice, so that
all present might hear, “Jesus!” Nearly all wept for pity. I have heard
it said that, after the burning, her ashes were collected and thrown
into the Seine.
LAURENCE GUESDON, _Burgher of Rouen, and Advocate in the Civil Courts_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne till she was brought to Rouen; but I was so
anxious to see her that I went to the Castle, and there saw her for the
first time. I did not see her again until the time of the preaching at
Saint Ouen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account