Possibly finding the chapel of the castle too small for the number of
people present at the trial, the next meeting of the judges was held
in a different place, more suitable--namely, in the great hall of the
castle. That second day's trial took place on the 22nd of February.
The tribunal consisted of Cauchon and forty-seven assessors.
Cauchon commenced the proceedings by introducing John Lemaitre, vicar
of the Inquisition, to the judges, after which Joan was brought into
the hall--a splendid chamber used on happier occasions for festivities
and Court pageants.
Cauchon again commanded the prisoner to take the oath, as on the first
day's trial. She said that she had already once sworn to speak nothing
but the truth, and that that should suffice. Cauchon still insisted,
and again Joan replied that as far as any question was put to her
regarding faith and religion she had promised to answer, but that she
could not promise more, and Cauchon failed to get anything more from
her.
The Bishop then applied to one of the doctors of theology to examine
and cross-question the prisoner. This man's name was Beaupere.
B.--'In the first place, Joan, I will exhort you to tell the truth, as
you have sworn to do, on all that I may have to ask you.'
J.--'You may ask me questions on which I shall be able to answer you,
and on others about which I cannot. If you were well informed about me
you should wish me out of your power. All that I have done has been
the work of revelation.'
B.--'How old were you when you left your home?'
J.--'I do not exactly know.'
B.--'Did you learn any trade at home?'
J.--'Yes, to sew and to spin, and for that I am not afraid to be
matched by any woman in Rouen?'
B.--'Did you not once leave your father's house before you left it
altogether?'
J.--'We left for fear of the Burgundians, and I once left my father's
house and went to Neufchateau in Lorraine, to visit a woman named La
Rousse, where I remained for fifteen days.'
B.--'What was your occupation when at home?'
J.--'When I was with my father I looked after the household affairs,
and I went but seldom with the sheep and cattle to the fields.'
B.--'Did you make your confession every year?'
J.--'Yes, to my curate, and when he was prevented hearing it, to
another priest, with my curate's permission. I think on two or three
occasions I have confessed to mendicant friars. That happened at
Neufchateau. I took the Communion at Easter.'
B.--'Have you received the Eucharist at other festivals besides that
of Easter?'
Joan of Arc said that what she had already told regarding this
question was sufficient.
'_Passez outre_' is the term she used, not an easy one to translate.
Perhaps 'that will suffice' is like it.
Beaupere now began questioning Joan of Arc regarding 'her voices,' and
one can imagine how eagerly this portion of the prisoner's examination
must have been listened to by all present.
'When did you first hear the voices?' asked Beaupere.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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