We next have 'venerable et circonspecte personne Maitre Andre
Marguerie'; this was one of Cauchon's most trusted creatures. His
'_ame damnee_,' Richard de Grouchet, canon of the collegiate Church of
Sans Faye, is the next witness. There is nothing of any interest in
the testimony of these Churchmen, nor in that of Nicolas Dubesert,
another canon of Rouen, nor in that of Nicolas Caval. Next appears a
prior, Thomas Marie, of the Church of Saint Michel, near Rouen. Four
other ecclesiastics follow them--John Roquier, Peter Bouchier, John
Bonnet, John de Lenozoles; but none of these men's testimony is of any
interest. The evidence of no less a person than the torturer is called
next. He is named--to give him his titles in full--'Honnete homme
Mauger Lessarmentrer, clerc non marier, appariteur de la cour
archiepiscopalle de Rouen.' The name of the chief torturer of the good
city of Rouen, Mauger, has a gruesome ring about it--it reminds one of
the headsman in Harrison Ainsworth's novel of the _Tower of London_.
Aged fifty-six in 1456, Mauger had seen Joan of Arc when she was
brought into the yet extant tower of the castle, and threatened by
Cauchon with the torture. 'We were,' deposed Mauger, 'my companion and
myself, ordered to go there to torture her. She was questioned, and
she answered with much prudence, and so well, that every one was
amazed. Finally, I and my companion left the tower without having laid
hands upon her.' Mauger attended at the execution, and this is what he
heard and saw there and then. 'As soon as the Bishop (Cauchon) had
read the sentence, Joan was taken to the fire. I did not hear whether
the civil judges delivered the sentence or not. Joan was placed
instantly upon the fire. In the midst of the flames she called out
more than six times the name of Jesus. It was when about to give the
last breath that she called out with a loud voice, "Jesus!" so that
every one could hear her. Nearly everybody wept, for all were overcome
with pity.'
After the torturer's witness came that of a soldier, Aimonde de Macy,
who was thirty years old when he met Joan in the Castle of Beaurevoir;
she being then a prisoner in the charge of Ligny.
De Macy was at Rouen at the time when Lord Stafford came so nearly
stabbing the Maid in her prison, and was only prevented from that
dastardly act by Warwick.
We next hear the evidence of an attorney, Peter Daron: he had also
seen Joan in her prison at Rouen, and had seen her die.
Next we have 'prudent homme Maitre Jean Fave, maitre des requetes du
roi Charles VII.': he, too, was present at the execution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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