although, to encourage the soldiers, she may have foretold events which
were not realized, nevertheless, when she spoke seriously of the war,
and of her deeds and her mission, she only affirmed earnestly that she
was sent to raise the siege of Orleans, and to succour the oppressed
people of that town and the neighbouring places, and to conduct the King
to Rheims that he might be consecrated.
SIEUR DE GAUCOURT.[153]
I was at the Castle of the town of Chinon when Jeanne arrived there, and
I saw her when she presented herself before the King’s Majesty with
great lowliness and simplicity; a poor little shepherdess! I heard her
say these words: “Most noble Lord Dauphin, I am come and am sent to you
from God to give succour to the kingdom and to you.”
After having seen and heard her, the King, so as to be better instructed
about her, put her under the protection of Guillaume Bellier, his
Major-Domo, my Lieutenant at Chinon, afterwards Bailly of Troyes,[154]
whose wife was most devout and of the best reputation. Then he had her
visited by the Clergy, by Doctors, and by Prelates, to know if he could
lawfully put faith in her. Her deeds and words were examined during
three weeks, not only at Chinon, but at Poitiers. The Examinations
finished, the Clergy decided that there was nothing evil in her deeds
nor in her words. After numerous interrogations, they ended by asking
her what sign she could furnish, that her words might be believed? “The
sign I have to shew,” she replied, “is to raise the siege of Orleans!”
Afterwards, she took leave of the King, and came to Blois, where she
armed herself for the first time, to conduct a convoy of supplies to
Orleans and to succour the inhabitants.
[On the subject of the sudden change of wind and of the way in which the
convoy of supplies was brought into Orleans, the witness deposed as the
Sieur de Dunois. He added only this: Jeanne had expressly predicted
that, before long, the weather and the wind would change; and it
happened as she had foretold. She had, in like manner, stated that the
convoy would enter freely into the town.
The declaration of the witness agrees equally with that of the Sieur de
Dunois as to the taking of the Bastille, the raising of the siege, and
the expulsion of the English.
On all the other points the Sieur de Gaucourt is also in perfect
agreement, in matter and form, with the said Sieur de Dunois, as to all
that concerns the setting free of Orleans, the taking of the camps and
the towns on the borders of the Loire.
He agrees equally on all points with what concerns the journey of the
King for the ceremony of his consecration at Rheims.
Jeanne, he adds, was abstemious in food and drink; nothing came from her
lips but excellent words, which could serve only for edification and
good example. No one could be more chaste, ... she had always at night a
woman in her room. She confessed herself frequently, being often in
prayer, hearing Mass every day, and constantly receiving the Sacrament
of the Eucharist; she would not suffer any to use in her presence
shameful or blasphemous words, and by her speech and actions she shewed
how much she held such things in horror.]
MAÎTRE FRANÇOIS GARIVEL, _Councillor-General to the King_.
I remember that, at the time of the coming of Jeanne the Maid, the King
sent her to Poitiers, where she lodged with Maître Jean Rabateau, then
King’s Advocate in Parliament. In this town of Poitiers were deputed [to
examine Jeanne], by the King’s Order, certain venerable Doctors and
Masters,—to wit, Pierre de Versailles, then Abbot of Talmont, afterwards
Bishop of Meaux; Jean Lambert; Guillaume Aimery, of the Order of Saint
Dominic; Pierre Séguin, of the Carmelite Order, Doctors in Theology;
Mathieu Message, and Guillaume Le Marie, Bachelors in Theology, with
many others of the King’s Councillors, licentiates in Canon and Civil
Laws. Many times and often, during the space of three weeks, they
examined Jeanne, studying and considering her deeds and words; and
finally, taking into consideration her condition and her answers, they
said that she was a simple girl, who, when interrogated, persisted in
her answer, that she was sent from the God of Heaven in favour of the
noble Dauphin, to replace him in his kingdom, to raise the siege of
Orleans, and to conduct the King to Rheims for his consecration; and
that first she must write to the English and command them to retire, for
such was the Will of God.
When I asked Jeanne why she called the King _Dauphin_, and not _King_,
she replied that she should not call him King till he had been crowned
and anointed at Rheims, to which city she meant to conduct him.
Afterwards, the Clergy told Jeanne she ought to shew them a sign by
which it might be believed that she was sent from God; but she replied:
“The sign given to me from God is to raise the siege of Orleans; I have
no fear that it will be done, if the King will give me soldiers, as few
as he may like.”
She was a simple shepherd-maiden, who confessed often; she was entirely
devoted to God, and frequently received the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
At last, after long examinations made at great length by clerics of
various faculties, all decided and concluded that the King might
lawfully receive her, and might send a body of soldiers to the siege of
Orleans, for that there was nothing found in her which was not Catholic
and reasonable.
GUILLAUME DE RICARVILLE,[155] _Seigneur de Ricarville, Steward to the
King._
I was in Orleans—then besieged by the English—with the Count de Dunois
and many other captains, when news came that there had passed through
the town of Gien a shepherdess, called the Maid, conducted by two or
three gentlemen of Lorraine, from which country she came; that this Maid
said she was come to raise the siege of Orleans, and that afterwards she
would lead the King to his anointing; for thus had she been commanded by
God.
Notwithstanding this, she was not readily received by the King, who
desired that she should first be examined, and that he should know
something of her life and estate, and if it were lawful for him to
receive her. Therefore, the Maid, by the King’s order, was examined by
many Prelates, Doctors, and Clergy, who found evidence in her of good
life, honest estate, and praiseworthy repute; nor was there aught in her
which should cause her to be repelled.
She lived honourably, most soberly as to food and drink, was chaste and
devout, hearing Mass daily, and confessing often, communicating with
fervent devotion every week. She reproved the soldiers when they
blasphemed or took God’s Name in vain; also when they did any evil or
violence. I never observed in her aught deserving reproof, and from her
manner of life and actions I believe she was inspired by God.
MAÎTRE REGINALD THIERRY, _Dean of the Church of Meung-sur-Yèvre; Surgeon
to the King_.
I saw Jeanne with the King at Chinon, and heard what she said; to wit,
that she was sent from God to the noble Dauphin, to raise the Siege of
Orleans, and to conduct the King to his anointing and coronation.
When the town of Saint-Pierre-le-Moustier was taken,[156] by assault,
Jeanne being there, the soldiers wanted to pillage the Church and to
seize the sacred vessels and other treasure there hidden; but Jeanne
prohibited and forbade them with great energy, so that nothing was taken
away.
JEAN LUILLIER, _Burgher of Orleans_.
Many of the inhabitants of Orleans desired the coming of the Maid, for
they had heard the current rumour that she had told the King how she was
sent from God to raise the siege then held against the town; the
inhabitants were then in such straits, on account of the English, that
they knew not where to turn, except to God.
I was in the town when Jeanne reached it. She was received with as much
rejoicing and acclamation from old and young, of both sexes, as if she
had been an Angel of God; because we hoped through her to be delivered
from our enemies, which indeed was done later.
When Jeanne was come into the City, she exhorted us all to hope in God;
saying that, if we had good hope and trust in God, we should escape from
our enemies. She said, moreover, she would summon the English to leave
the town, and drive them away before she permitted any attack to be
made; and this she did, summoning the English by letter, in which she
told them to retire from the siege and return to England, or else she
would make them retreat by force. From that time the English were
terrified, nor had they power to resist as before; so that a few of our
people might often fight with a great number of the English, and in such
manner that they no longer dared to come out of their forts.
On the 27th May,[157] 1429, I remember well that an assault was made on
the enemy in the Fort of the Bridge, in which Jeanne was wounded by an
arrow; the attack lasted from morning till evening, and in such manner
that our men wished to retreat into the town. Then Jeanne appeared, her
standard in her hand, and placed it on the edge of the trench; and
immediately the English began to quake, and were seized with fear. The
army of the King took courage, and once more began to assail the
Boulevard; and thus was the Boulevard taken, and the English therein
were all put to flight or slain. Classidas and the principal English
captains, thinking to retreat into the Tower of the Bridge, fell into
the river, and were drowned; and the fort being taken, all the King’s
army retired into the city.
On the next day, very early in the morning, the English came out of
their tents and ranged themselves in order of battle, as it seemed.
Hearing this, the Maid rose from her bed and armed herself; but she
would not allow any one to attack the English, nor to ask anything of
them, but that they should be permitted to depart: and so, indeed, they
did, no one pursuing them; and from that hour the town was free from the
enemy.
I believed, like all in the town, that, had the Maid not come in God’s
Name to our help, we should soon have been, both town and people, in the
hands of the enemy: we did not believe it possible for the army then in
the town to resist the power of the enemy who were in such force against
us.
JEAN HILAIRE and GILLES DE SAINT MESNIN, [_Evidence of no importance_].
JACQUES L’ESBAHY.
I remember that two heralds were sent on the part of the Maid to
Saint-Laurent, one named Ambeville, and the other Guienne, to Talbot,
the Earl of Suffolk, and Lord Scales, telling the English in God’s
name to return to England, or evil would come to them. The English
detained one of these heralds, named Guienne, and sent back the
other—Ambeville—to the Maid, who told her that the English were
keeping back his companion Guienne to burn him. Then Jeanne answered
Ambeville and assured him in God’s Name that no harm should happen to
Guienne, and told him to return boldly to the English, that no evil
should happen to him, but that he should bring back his comrade safe
and sound. And so it was.
When Jeanne first entered Orleans, she went, before all else, to the
Great Church, to do reverence to God, her Creator.
GUILLAUME LE CHARRON, _Burgher of Orleans_ [_testified to the same
effect_].
COSMA DE COMMY, _Burgher of Orleans_.
I heard Maître Jean Maçon, a famous Doctor in Civil and Canon Law, say
that he had many times examined Jeanne as to her deeds and words, and he
had no doubt she was sent from God; that it was a wondrous thing to hear
her speak and answer; and that he had found nothing in her life but what
was holy and good.
MARTIN DE MAUBOUDET, JEAN VOLANT, GUILLAUME POSTIAU, DENIS ROGER,
JACQUES DE THOU,[158] JEAN CARRELIER, AMIAN DE SAINT-MESMIN,[159] _all
burghers of Orleans, gave witness to the same effect_.
JEAN DE CHAMPEAUX.
On a certain Sunday I saw those of Orleans preparing for a great
conflict against the English, who were drawn up in order of battle.
Seeing this, Jeanne went out to the soldiers; and then she was asked, if
it were well to fight against the English on that day, being Sunday; to
which she answered that she must hear Mass; and then she sent to fetch a
table, and had the ornaments of the Church brought, and two Masses were
celebrated, which she and the whole army heard with great devotion. Mass
being ended, Jeanne asked if the English had their faces turned toward
us; she was told no, that their faces were turned towards Meung. Hearing
this, she said: “In God’s Name, they are going; let them depart; and let
us give thanks to God and pursue them no further, because it is Sunday.”
_This story is confirmed by_ PIERRE JONGAULT, PIERRE HUE, JEAN AUBERT,
GUILLAUME ROUILLART, GENTIAN CABU, PIERRE VAILLANT, _and_ JEAN COULON,
_all burghers of Orleans_.
All agreed that they never perceived anything by which they could
conjecture that Jeanne attributed to herself the glory of her wonderful
deeds; but she ascribed all to God, and, so far as she could, resisted
when the people sought to honour her or give her the glory; she
preferred to be alone rather than in others’ society, except when she
was engaged in warfare.
JEAN BEAUHARNAYS.[160]
I often saw Jeanne while in Orleans; there was nothing in her which
could merit reproof; she was humble, simple, chaste, and devoted to God
and the Church. I was always much comforted in talking with her.
MAÎTRE ROBERT DE FARCIAUX, _Priest, Licentiate in Law, Canon and
Sub-Dean of the Church of Saint-Aignan at Orleans; testified to the same
effect_.
MAÎTRE PIERRE COMPAING, _Priest, Licentiate in Law, Canon of
Saint-Aignan_.
I have seen Jeanne, at the Elevation of the Host, weeping many tears. I
remember well that she induced the soldiers to confess their sins; and I
indeed saw that, by her instigation and advice, La Hire and many of his
company came to confession.
The SIEURS PIERRE DE LA CENSURE, _Priest, Canon and Warden of
Saint-Aignan_; RAOUL GODART, _Priest, Licentiate in Decrees, Prior of
Saint Samson, and Canon of Saint-Aignan at Orleans_; HERVÉ BONART,
_Prior of Saint-Magloire, of the Order of Saint-Augustine_; The SIEUR
ANDRÉ BORDES, _Canon of Saint-Aignan; and_ JEANNE, _wife of_ GILLES DE
SAINT-MESMIN. _All agreed with the preceding as to Jeanne’s life and
morals._
JEANNE, _wife of_ GUY BOYLEAUD; GUILLEMETTE, _wife of_ JEAN DE COULONS;
JEANNE, _widow of_ JEAN DE MOUCHY, _gave similar testimony._
CHARLOTTE,[161] _wife of_ GUILLAUME HAVET.
At night I slept alone with Jeanne; I never saw anything evil in her,
either in word or deed, but always simplicity, humility and chastity.
She was in the habit of confessing frequently and hearing Mass daily.
She often told my mother, in whose house she lodged, that she must put
trust in God, and that God would help the town of Orleans, and drive
away the enemy.
She was accustomed, before going to an assault, to take account of her
conscience, and to receive the Sacrament after hearing Mass.
REGINALDE, _widow of_ JEAN HURÉ.
I remember well to have seen and heard, one day, a great lord, walking
along the street, begin to swear and blaspheme God; which, when Jeanne
saw and heard, she was much perturbed, and went up to the lord who was
swearing, and, taking him by the neck, said, “Ah! master, do you deny
Our Lord and Master? In God’s Name, you shall unsay your words before I
leave you.” And then, as I saw, the said lord repented and amended his
ways, at the exhortation of the said Maid.
PETRONILLE, _wife of_ JEAN BEAUHARNAIS; _and_ MASSEA, _wife of_ HENRI
FAGONE; _testified to the same effect_.
DEPOSITIONS IN PARIS: 1455–6.
[No questions for the Examinations at Paris and Rouen appear in the
Rehabilitation Reports, but, as M. Jules Fabre was the first to point
out, the numbers appended to the answers correspond with the first
thirty-three of the hundred and one Articles of the Act of Accusation.]
EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES.
MAÎTRE JEAN TIPHAINE, _Priest, Master in Arts and Medicine, Canon of the
Sainte Chapelle, Paris_.
On the first four Articles, I declare that I knew nothing of Jeanne
until she was brought to the town of Rouen for her trial. I was summoned
to take part. At first I would not go; but I was commanded a second
time, and was present and heard the enquiry and her answers: she made
many beautiful answers. When I was present at this Trial, the Judges and
the Assessors were in the small hall behind the Great Hall of the
Castle; and she answered with much prudence and wisdom and with great
bravery.
On the occasion when I was present, Maître Beaupère was the principal
questioner; and Jacques de Touraine, of the Order of Friars Minor, also
questioned her. I well remember that this Maître Jacques once asked her,
if she was ever in a place in which the English were overcome; to which
she answered: “In God’s name, surely. How mildly you put it! Why, have
many not fled from France and gone back to their own country?”[162] And
there was a great lord of England, whose name I do not remember, who
said, hearing this: “Truly this is a brave woman! Would she were
English!” And this he said to me and to Maître Guillaume Desjardins. No
Doctor, however great and subtle he might be, had he been questioned by
so many Doctors and before so great an assembly as was this Jeanne, but
would have been perplexed and upset. With regard to the illness of
Jeanne during the Trial, I was summoned by the Lords Judges to visit
her, and was brought to her by one named d’Estivet; in presence of this
d’Estivet, Maître Delachambre, and several others, I felt her pulse in
order to know the cause of the malady, and asked what ailed her and from
what she suffered. She replied that some carp had been sent her by the
Bishop of Beauvais, and that she doubted this was the cause of her
illness. Upon this, d’Estivet, who was present, found fault with her,
saying she had spoken ill, and called her “paillarde,” saying: “Thou
paillarde! thou hast been eating sprats and other unwholesomeness.” She
answered that she had not; and then they—Jeanne and d’Estivet—exchanged
many abusive words. Afterwards, I wished to know further as to the
malady of Jeanne, and learnt that she had had severe vomiting. Except as
to her malady, I gave no opinion.[163]
MAÎTRE GUILLAUME DELACHAMBRE, _Master in Arts and Medicine_.
I gave no opinion during the Trial, but allowed myself to affix my
signature, under compulsion from the Bishop of Beauvais. I made excuses
to him that in these matters it did not belong to my profession to give
an opinion: however, finally, the Bishop forced me to subscribe as
others had done, saying that otherwise some ill would befall me for
having come to Rouen. I say, too, that threats were also used against
Maître Jean Lohier and Maître Nicolas de Houppeville, who, not wishing
to take part in the Trial, were threatened with the penalty of drowning.
Sometimes it was the Abbot of Fécamp who interrogated Jeanne. Once, I
saw the Abbot of Fécamp interrogating Jeanne, and Maître Jean Beaupère
interrupted with many and divers questions. Jeanne would not reply to
them both at once, saying that they did her much harm by thus vexing
her, and that she would reply presently. As to her illness, one day the
Cardinal of England and the Earl of Warwick having sent for me, I found
myself associated with Guillaume Desjardins and other doctors. The Earl
of Warwick told us that Jeanne had been ill and that we had been sent
for to give her all our attention, for the King would not, for anything,
that she should die a natural death: he had bought her too dear for
that, and he intended that she should die at the hands of justice, and
should be burnt. For this, I and Guillaume Desjardins and others visited
her. Desjardins and I felt her pulse on the right side, and found fever,
from which we recommended she should be bled. “Away with your bleeding!”
said Warwick, “she is artful, and might kill herself.” Nevertheless, we
did bleed her, and she recovered. One day, after she had recovered,
there arrived a certain Maître Guillaume d’Estivet, who used evil words
against Jeanne, calling her ... and a _paillarde_. This abuse upset her
to such a point that the fever returned, and she had a relapse. And this
being brought to the notice of the Earl, he forbade d’Estivet to abuse
Jeanne from that day forth.
I was present at a sermon of Maître Guillaume Érard. I do not remember
the sermon, but I remember well the Abjuration made by Jeanne. She was
long in doing this. Maître Guillaume Érard decided her by saying that,
if she did what he advised her, she would be delivered from prison. She
abjured on this condition and no other, and immediately read a small
schedule containing six or seven lines on a piece of paper folded in
two. I was so near her that, in all truth, I could see the lines and
their form.
For the rest, I can only say that I was present at the last discourse
made in the Old Market-Place of Rouen by Maître Nicolas Midi. As soon as
the sermon was over, Jeanne was burnt, the stake being already prepared.
Her pious lamentations and ejaculations made many weep; only some
English were laughing. I heard her say these or like words: “Alas!
Rouen, I fear me that thou wilt have to suffer for my death.” Shortly
after she began to cry “Jesus” and to invoke St. Michael; and then she
perished in the flame.
_The Reverend Father in God, the Lord_ JEAN DE MAILLY, _Bishop of
Noyon_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne before she came to Rouen; and I saw her only
two or three times. I do not remember either being present at the Trial
or giving my opinion.
I remember that, the day before the discourse at St. Ouen, I was present
at an Exhortation addressed to Jeanne; but what was said or done I do
not remember. I was present also on the day after, when a sermon was
given at St. Ouen by Maître Guillaume Érard. There were two galleries or
scaffolds: on one were the Bishop of Beauvais, myself and others; and on
the other the preacher, Maître Guillaume Érard, and Jeanne. The words of
the preacher I do not remember; but I remember well that, either then or
on the preceding day, Jeanne said that, if there had been aught evil in
her words or deeds, whatever of either good or ill had been in her
speech or action came from herself alone, and not from her King. After
the sermon, I perceived that Jeanne was ordered to do or say something.
I believe it was to abjure; they said to her: “Jeanne, do what you are
advised. Would you cause your own death?” These words verily moved her
to make her Abjuration. After this Abjuration, many said that it was a
mere trick, and that she had acted only in derision.
I remember to have heard—from whom I cannot recall—that the man’s dress
was returned to her by the window.
For the rest, I was present at the last sermon on the day she was burnt.
There were three galleries or scaffolds: one where sat the Judges, one
where many Bishops sat, myself among them, and one where wood was
prepared for the burning of Jeanne. At the end of the sermon the
sentence was pronounced which delivered Jeanne to secular justice. After
this sentence was pronounced, Jeanne began to make many pious
exclamations and lamentations; and among other things she said that
nothing she had done, either good or ill had been suggested by the King.
Thereupon I left, not wishing to see the burning of Jeanne. I saw many
of the bystanders weeping.
As to certain letters of guarantee which the King of England gave to the
Bishop of Beauvais and others concerned in this Trial, in which I, the
Bishop of Noyon, am mentioned as having been present, I can well believe
that it was so, though I do not remember much about it.
MAÎTRE THOMAS DE COURCELLES, _S.T.P., Canon of Paris_.
I believe that the Bishop of Beauvais undertook the Trial brought
against Jeanne in the matter of the Faith because he was a Counsellor of
the King of England, and also Bishop of Beauvais, in which territory
Jeanne had been taken captive.
I have heard it said that money was given to the Inquisitor by a certain
Surreau, receiver-general, for his participation in the said Trial; but
I never heard that the Bishop received anything.
At the time when Jeanne was brought to Rouen, I, being in Paris, was
summoned by the Bishop of Beauvais aforesaid to proceed to Rouen for the
Trial. I went in the company of Maîtres Nicolas Midi, Jacques de
Touraine, Jean de Rouel,[164] and others whom I do not remember, to the
town of Rouen, at the expense of those who took us, among whom was
Maître Jean de Reynel.[165]
About that time Maître Jean Lohier came to the town of Rouen, and order
was given to put him in possession of the details of the Action. And
when the said Lohier had seen the evidence, he told me that evidently
they ought not to proceed against Jeanne in a matter of Faith without
previous information as to the charges of guilt, and that the law
required such information.
I remember well that in the first deliberation, I never held Jeanne to
be a heretic, except in that she obstinately maintained she ought not to
submit to the Church; and finally—as my conscience can bear me witness,
before God—it seems to me that my words were: “Jeanne is now what she
was. If she was heretic then, she is so now.” Yet I never positively
gave an opinion that she was a heretic. I may add that in the first
deliberations there was much discussion and difficulty among those
consulted as to whether Jeanne should be reputed a heretic. I never gave
an opinion as to her being put to the torture.[166]
Many of the Assessors were of opinion and advised that Jeanne should be
put in the hands of the Church, into an ecclesiastical prison; but I do
not remember that this subject formed a part of our discussions.
Certain Articles, to the number of twelve, were made and extracted from
the confessions and answers of the said Jeanne. They were drawn up, I
verily believe, by the late Maître Nicolas Midi. It was on these Twelve
Articles, thus extracted, that all deliberations and opinions were made
and given. I do not know if there was ever any question of correcting
them, or if they were corrected.
I often heard from Maître Nicolas Loiseleur that he many times visited
Jeanne in an assumed dress; but what he said I know not: and I always
counselled him that he should reveal himself to Jeanne, and let her know
that he was a priest. I believe he heard Jeanne in confession.
After the first preaching came word that Jeanne had resumed a man’s
attire; and immediately the Bishop went to the prison, accompanied by
myself, and questioned her as to her reasons for resuming this dress.
She replied that she had resumed it because it seemed to her more
suitable to wear man’s clothing, being with men, than a woman’s dress.
I was present at the last preaching made in the Old Market-Place, on the
day of her death. I did not see her burnt, for, after the sermon and the
reading of the sentence, I went away.
MAÎTRE JEAN MONNET, _S.T.P., Canon of Paris_.
Three or four times I went to the Trial and wrote out the questions put
to Jeanne and her answers, not as notary but as clerk and servant to
Maître Jean Beaupère. Among other things, I remember hearing Jeanne say
to me and to the other notaries, that we were not writing properly; and
often did she correct us. Often, in these questions and answers, when
questioned on something which I could see she ought not to answer, she
said that she would refer to the conscience of the questioner as to
whether she ought to answer or not.
I was present at the preaching at Saint-Ouen, seated on the platform at
the feet of Maître Jean Beaupère, my master. When the preaching was
finished, and while the sentence was being read, Jeanne said that if she
were advised by the clerics and if their consciences approved, she would
willingly do as they recommended. Hearing this, the Bishop of Beauvais
asked the Cardinal of England what he ought to do in face of this
submission of Jeanne. To which the Cardinal answered the Bishop, that he
should receive Jeanne to penitence. And therefore he laid on one side
the sentence which he had begun to read, and admitted Jeanne to
penitence. I saw the Schedule of Abjuration, which was then read; it was
a short schedule, hardly six or seven lines in length. I remember well
that Jeanne referred to the consciences of the Judges as to whether she
ought to abjure or not. It was said that the executioner was already on
the spot, expecting that she would be handed over to the secular power.
I left Rouen on the Monday or Sunday before the death of Jeanne.
LOUIS DE CONTES.[167]
The year that Jeanne came to Chinon I was fourteen or fifteen years old.
I was page to the Sieur de Gaucourt, Captain of the Castle. Jeanne
arrived at Chinon in the company of two gentlemen, who conducted her to
the King. I saw her many times going and coming to the King; there was
given her for residence the Tower of Coudray, at Chinon. I resided and
lived with her all the time that she stayed there, passing all the time
with her, except at night, when she always had women with her. I
remember well that while she was living at Coudray persons of great
estate came many days to visit her there. I do not know what they did or
said, because when I saw them coming I retired; nor do I know who they
were. Very often while she lived in this town I saw her on her knees
praying; but I did not understand what she was saying; sometimes also I
saw her weep.
Shortly afterwards she was taken to Poitiers; then to Tours, where she
resided with a woman called Lapau. In this place the Duke d’Alençon made
her a present of a horse, which I saw at the house of the woman Lapau.
At Tours I became her page; with me also was one named Raymond. From
that time I remained with her, and was always with her as her page, at
Blois, as well as at Orleans, and until she reached the walls of Paris.
While she was at Tours the King gave her a complete suit of armour and
an entire military household. From Tours she went to Blois with the
army, who had great faith in her. Jeanne remained some time with the
army at Blois; how long I do not remember. Then it was decided that she
should go to Orleans by the Sologne. She started fully armed,
accompanied by her men-at-arms, to whom she said without ceasing that
they were to put all their confidence in Our Lord and to confess their
sins. On the way I saw her during this journey receive the Sacrament of
the Eucharist.
[Illustration:
CHINON.
]
Having arrived near Orleans on the side of the Sologne, Jeanne with many
others and myself were conducted to the opposite side of the Loire, on
which side is the city of Orleans; and from thence we entered the said
town. In her journey from Blois to Orleans, Jeanne had been all bruised,
because on the night of the start from Blois she had slept fully armed.
At Orleans she lived at the house of the Treasurer[168] of the Town,
facing the Bannier Gate; and in this house she received the Sacrament.
The day after her arrival she went to seek the Sieur Bastard of Orleans,
with whom she had an interview. On her return I saw she was quite vexed
that, as she told me, the captains had decided not to attack the English
on that day. She went nevertheless to a Boulevard which the French were
occupying, opposite to one garrisoned by the English, and there she
spoke with them, telling them to retire in God’s Name, or otherwise she
would drive them away. One of them, called the Bastard of Granville,
assailed her with many insults: “Do you wish us,” he said, “to surrender
to a woman?” At the same time, he called the Frenchmen who were with her
“maquereaux mescreans.” Then Jeanne returned to her lodging, and went up
into her chamber: I thought she was going to sleep: shortly afterwards,
there she was, coming down from her chamber; “Ah! bloodthirsty boy,” she
said to me, “you did not tell me that the blood of France was being
shed!”[169] And she ordered me to go and look for her horse. At the same
time she was being armed by the lady of the house and her daughter. When
I returned with her horse I found her already armed: she told me to go
and seek her banner, which had been left in her chamber: I passed it to
her through the window. Immediately she rode hastily towards the
Burgundy gate, whither the lady with whom she lodged told me to follow
her, which I did. The attack took place against the Fort of Saint Loup;
and in this attack the Boulevard was taken. On the way Jeanne met
several of the French wounded, at which she was much disturbed. The
English were preparing to resist when Jeanne advanced against them in
all haste. As soon as the French saw her they began to shout aloud; and
thus was the Fort of Saint Loup taken. I heard it said that the English
ecclesiastics had taken their ornaments, and had thus come before her;
that Jeanne had received them without allowing any harm to be done them,
and had had them conducted to her lodging; but that the other English
had been killed by the people of Orleans.
In the evening Jeanne returned to supper in her lodging. She had always
most sober habits: many times I saw her eat nothing during a whole day
but a morsel of bread. I was astonished that she ate so little. When she
was in her lodging she ate only twice a day.
The next day, towards 3 o’clock, the soldiers of the King crossed the
Loire to attack the Fort of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, which they took, as
also the Fort of the Augustins.[170] Jeanne crossed the river with them,
and I accompanied her: then she re-entered Orleans, and went back to
sleep at her lodging with some women, as she was in the habit of doing:
for every night, as far as possible, she had a woman to sleep by her,
and when she could not find one in war, or in camp, she slept fully
dressed.
The following day, in spite of many Lords pretending that it was
exposing the King’s followers to too great a danger, she had the
Burgundy gate opened, and a small gate near the great tower: she then
crossed the water with some of her followers to attack the Fort of the
Bridge, which the English still held. The King’s troops remained there
from morning to night, and Jeanne was wounded: it was necessary to take
off her armour to dress the wound; but hardly was it dressed when she
armed herself afresh and went to rejoin her followers at the attack and
the assault, which had gone on from morning without ceasing. And when
the Boulevard was taken Jeanne still continued the assault with her men,
exhorting them to have a good heart and not to retire, because the fort
would very soon be theirs. “When,” she told them, “you see the wind
drive the banner towards the fort, it will be yours!” But the evening
was drawing on, and her followers, seeing they made no way, despaired of
success; yet Jeanne persisted always, assuring them they would take the
fort that day. Then they prepared to attempt a last assault; and when
the English saw this they made no resistance, but were seized with
panic, and nearly all were drowned; nor did they during this attack even
defend themselves. Those who survived retreated the next day to
Beaugency and Meung. The King’s army followed them, Jeanne accompanying
it. The English offered to surrender Beaugency by agreement, or to
fight; but on the day of combat they retired again; and the army began
afresh to pursue them. On this day La Hire commanded the vanguard, at
which Jeanne was much vexed, for she liked much to have the command of
the vanguard. La Hire threw himself on the English, and the King’s army
was victorious: nearly all the English were slain.
Jeanne, who was very humane, had great compassion at such butchery.
Seeing a Frenchman, who was charged with the convoy of certain English
prisoners, strike one of them on the head in such manner that he was
left for dead on the ground, she got down from her horse, had him
confessed, supporting his head herself, and comforting him to the best
of her power.
Afterwards she went with the army to Jargeau, which was taken by
assault, with many English, among whom were Suffolk and de la Pole[171].
After the deliverance of Orleans, and all these victories, Jeanne went
with the army to Tours, where the King was. There it was decided that
the King should go to Rheims for his consecration. The King left with
the army, accompanied by Jeanne, and marched first to Troyes, which
submitted; then to Chalons, which did the same; and last to Rheims,
where our King was crowned and anointed in my presence—for I was, as I
have already said, page to Jeanne, and never left her. I remained with
her until she arrived before Paris.
She was a good and modest woman, living as a Catholic, very pious, and,
when she could, never failing to be present at the Mass. To hear
blasphemies upon the Name of Our Lord vexed her. Many times when the
Duke d’Alençon swore[172] or blasphemed before her, I heard her reprove
him. As a rule, no one in the army dared swear or blaspheme before her,
for fear of being reprimanded.
She would have no women in her army. One day, near Château-Thierry,
seeing the mistress of one of her followers riding on horseback, she
pursued her with her sword, without striking her at all; but with
gentleness and charity she told her she must no longer be found amongst
the soldiers, otherwise she would suffer for it.
I know nothing more, not having seen her after Paris.
GOBERT THIBAUT, _Squire to the King of France_.
I was at Chinon when Jeanne came to seek the King, who was then residing
in that city. Before this, I knew nothing of her; but henceforward I had
more acquaintance with her, for, when I went with the King to the town
of Poitiers, Jeanne was also taken thither and lodged in the house of
Jean Rabateau. I know that Jeanne was questioned and examined in the
town of Poitiers by the late Maître Pierre de Versailles, S.T.P.,—then
Abbot of Talmont and, at the time of his death, Bishop of Meaux,—and by
Maître Jean Erault, S.T.P. I went with them by the command of the late
Lord Bishop of Castres. As I have said, she was living in the house of
Rabateau, in which house de Versailles and Erault talked with her in my
presence. When we arrived at her house, Jeanne came to meet us, and
striking me on the shoulder said to me that she would gladly have many
men of such good-will as I. Then Maître Pierre de Versailles told Jeanne
that he had been sent to her from the King. She replied: “I well believe
that you have been sent to question me,” adding, “I know neither A nor
B.”
Then she was asked by them for what she had come. She replied; “I am
come from the King of Heaven to raise the siege of Orleans and to
conduct the King to Rheims for his crowning and anointing.” And then she
asked if they had paper and ink, saying to Maître Jean Erault: “Write
what I say to you. You, Suffolk, Classidas, and La Poule, I summon you
by order of the King of Heaven to go back to England.” Versailles and
Erault did nothing more on this occasion, so far as I remember. Jeanne
remained in the town of Poitiers as long as the King did.
Jeanne said that her Counsel had told her she should have gone more
quickly to the King. I saw those who had brought her—Jean de Metz, Jean
Coulon, and Bertrand Pollichon,[173] with whom I was very friendly and
familiar. I was present one day when they told the late Bishop of
Castres—then Confessor to the King—that they had travelled through
Burgundy and places occupied by the enemy, yet had they always travelled
without hindrance, at which they much marvelled.
I heard the aforesaid Confessor say that he had discovered in a writing
that there should come a maiden who would aid the Kingdom of France.
I do not know whether Jeanne was examined otherwise than as aforesaid. I
heard the said Lord Confessor and other Doctors say that they believed
Jeanne to be sent from God, and that they believed it was she of whom
the prophecies spoke; because, seeing her actions, her simplicity, and
conduct, they thought the King might be delivered through her; for they
had neither found nor perceived aught but good in her, nor could they
see anything contrary to the Catholic faith.
On the day that the Lord Talbot, who had been taken at Patay, was
brought to the town of Beaugency, I arrived at that town; and from
thence Jeanne went with the men-at-arms to Jargeau, which was taken by
assault, and the English were put to flight.
Jeanne assembled an army between Troyes and Auxerre, and found large
numbers there, for every one followed her. The King and his people came
without hindrance to Rheims. Nowhere was the King turned back, for the
gates of all cities and towns opened themselves to him.
SIMON BAUCROIX, _Squire_.
It was Jeanne’s intention that the army should go towards the Fort or
Bastille of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc: but this was not done; and they went to
a place between Orleans and Jargeau, whither the inhabitants of Orleans
sent boats to receive the provisions and to take them into the town; and
the said provisions were put into the boats and brought into the town.
And because the army was not able to cross the Loire, it was decided to
return and cross the river at Blois: for there was no bridge nearer
within the King’s jurisdiction. At this Jeanne was very indignant,
fearing they would not be willing to fall back, and so would leave the
work unfinished. Neither could she go with them to Blois; but she
crossed the river with about 200 lances in boats to the other bank, and
entered Orleans by land. The Marshal de Boussac went that night to seek
the King’s army which had gone to Blois; and I remember that shortly
before the arrival of the said Marshal at Orleans, Jeanne said to Sieur
Jean d’Aulon that the Marshal would arrive, and that she knew well he
would come to no harm.
When Jeanne was in her lodging, she, being led by the Spirit, cried out:
“In God’s Name! our people are hard pressed.” Then she sent for a horse;
and, arming herself, she went to the Fort of Saint Loup, where there was
an assault being made by the King’s people on the English: and no sooner
had Jeanne joined in the attack, than the fort was taken.
The next day the French in company with Jeanne went to attack the Fort
of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, and drew near to the island; and when the
English saw that the King’s army had crossed the water, they quitted the
Fort of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, and retreated to another fort near the
Augustins. And there I saw the King’s army in great peril. “Let us
advance boldly in God’s Name,” said Jeanne: and they advanced on the
English, who, now in much danger, held their three forts.[174] At once,
without much difficulty, this fort of the Augustins was taken; and the
captains then advised Jeanne to re-enter Orleans; but this she would not
do, saying, “Shall we leave our men?” The next day they attacked the
fort at the end of the bridge, which was very strong and almost
impregnable, so that the King’s army had much to do; and the attack
lasted the whole day, up to nightfall. I saw the Seneschal of Beaucaire
break up the bridge with a bombard. When evening came and they despaired
of gaining the fort, orders were given that Jeanne’s standard should be
brought to the fort; and this being done another attack was made on the
fort, and thereupon without much difficulty the King’s army entered with
the standard; and the English fled, in such manner that when they
reached the end of the bridge it broke down beneath them, and many were
drowned.
The next day the King’s army sallied out to give battle to the English;
but they, on seeing the French, fled. When Jeanne saw them in flight and
the French following after, she said to the French: “Let the English go,
and slay them not; let them go; it is enough for me that they have
retreated.” On that day, they escaped from the city of Orleans and
turned back on Blois, which they reached the same day.
Jeanne stayed there two or three days; and from thence she went to
Tours, and to Loches, where the King’s army was preparing to go to
Jargeau; and from thence they went to attack that town.
In war time, she would not permit any of those in her company to steal
anything; nor would she ever eat of food which she knew to be stolen.
Once, a Scot told her that he had eaten of a stolen calf: she was very
angry, and wanted to strike the Scot for so doing.
She would never permit women of ill-fame to follow the army; none of
them dared to come into her presence; but, if any of them appeared, she
made them depart unless the soldiers were willing to marry them.
[Illustration:
ORLEANS CATHEDRAL.
]
She was good not only to the French, but also to the enemy. All this I
know of a surety, for I was for a long time with her, and many times
assisted in arming her.
Jeanne lamented much, and was displeased when certain good women came to
her, wishing to salute her: it seemed to her like adoration, at which
she was angered.
MAÎTRE JEAN BARBIN, _Doctor of Laws, King’s Advocate_.
I was sent to Poitiers, where I saw Jeanne for the first time. When she
arrived at the town she was lodged in the house of Maître Jean Rabateau;
and while there I have heard the wife of Rabateau say that every day
after dinner she was for a long time on her knees, and also at night;
and that she often went into a little oratory in the house and there
prayed for a long time. Many clergy came to visit her,—to wit, Maître
Pierre de Versailles, S.T.P., sometime Bishop of Meaux, and Maître
Guillaume Aimery, S.T.P. There were also other graduates in theology,
whose names I do not remember, who questioned her in like manner at
their will.
I heard from these said Doctors that they had examined her and put many
questions, to which she replied with much prudence, as if she had been a
trained divine; that they marvelled at her answers, and believed that,
taking into account her life and conversation, there must have been in
her something divine.
In the course of these deliberations Maître Jean Erault stated that he
had heard it said by Marie d’Avignon,[175] who had formerly come to the
King, that she had told him that the kingdom of France had much to
suffer and many calamities to bear: saying moreover that she had had
many visions touching the desolation of the kingdom of France, and
amongst others that she had seen much armour which had been presented to
her; and that she was alarmed, greatly fearing that she should be forced
to take it; but it had been said to her that she need fear nothing, that
this armour was not for her, but that a maiden who should come
afterwards should bear these arms and deliver the kingdom of France from
the enemy. And he believed firmly that Jeanne was the maiden of whom
Marie d’Avignon thus spoke.
All the soldiers held her as sacred. So well did she bear herself in
warfare, in words and in deeds, as a follower of God, that no evil could
be said of her. I heard Maître Pierre de Versailles say that he was once
in the town of Loches in company with Jeanne, when the people, throwing
themselves before the feet of her horse, kissed her hands and feet; and
he said to Jeanne that she did wrong to allow what was not due to her,
and that she ought to protect herself from it lest men should become
idolatrous; to which she answered: “In truth, I know not how to protect
myself, if God does not protect me.”
DAME MARGUERITE LA TOUROULDE, _widow of the late Réné de Bouligny,
Councillor to the King_.
I was at Bourges when Jeanne arrived at Chinon, where the Queen was. In
those days there was in the kingdom—especially in that part still
obedient to the King—such great calamity and penury as was sad to see;
so that the followers of the King were almost in despair: and this I
know, because my husband was then Receiver-General, and at that time
neither of the King’s money nor of his own had he four crowns.
The town of Orleans was in the hands of the King, and there was no way
of help. And in this calamity came Jeanne, and I firmly believe that she
came from God and was sent for the relief of the King and his faithful
subjects, who then were without hope save in God.
I did not see Jeanne until the time when the King came from Rheims,
where he was consecrated. He came to Bourges, where was the Queen, and I
with her. When the King approached, the Queen went to meet him as far as
the town of Selles-en-Berry, and I accompanied her. While the Queen was
on the way, Jeanne encountered and saluted her, and was then taken on to
Bourges, and by command of my Lord d’Albret lodged in my house, although
my husband had said that she was to be lodged with a certain Jean
Duchesne.
She remained with me for the space of three weeks—sleeping, drinking,
and eating [in the house]. Nearly every night I slept with her, nor did
I ever perceive aught of evil in her, but she comported herself as a
worthy and Catholic woman, often confessing herself, willingly hearing
Mass, and many times asking me to accompany her to matins, which at her
request I often did. We often talked together, and I would say to her:
“If you do not fear to go to the attack, it is because you know that you
will not be killed”: to which she would reply that she had no greater
security than other soldiers. Sometimes Jeanne would tell me how she had
been examined by the Clergy, and that she had made them the answer:
“There are books of Our Lord’s besides what you have.”
I heard from those that brought her to the King that at first they
thought she was mad, and intended to put her away in some ditch, but
while on the way they felt moved to do everything according to her good
pleasure. They were as impatient to present her to the King, as she was
to meet him, nor could they resist her wishes.
They testified as others did to the purity of her conduct and influence.
Jeanne told me that the Duke de Lorraine who was ill, wished to see her,
that she talked with him, and told him that he was not living well, and
that he would never be cured unless he amended; also she exhorted him to
take back his good wife.[176]
Jeanne had great horror of dice.
I remember that many women came to my house while Jeanne was living
there, and brought _pater nosters_ and other religious objects that she
might touch them; but Jeanne laughed, saying: “Touch them yourselves.
Your touch will do them as much good as mine.”
Jeanne was very liberal in almsgiving, and willingly succoured the poor
and indigent, saying that she had been sent for their consolation.
... I have no doubt that she was virgin. According to my knowledge she
was quite innocent, unless it be in warfare. She rode on horseback and
handled the lance like the best of the knights, and the soldiers
marvelled.
JEAN MARÇEL, _Burgess of Paris_.
Maître Jean Sauvage, of the Order of Saint Dominic, who often talked
with me of Jeanne, has told me that he was engaged in the Process
against her; but it was difficult to make him speak of it. He did once
say, that he had never seen a woman of such years give so much trouble
to her examiners, and he marvelled much at her answers and at her
memory. Once the notary reporting what he had written, she declared that
she had not said what they had made her say, and referred it to those
present, who all recognized that Jeanne was right, and the answer was
corrected.
I was present at the sermon at Saint-Ouen; and there for the first time
I saw Jeanne. I remember that Maître Guillaume Érard preached in
presence of the said Jeanne, who was in a man’s dress. But what was said
or done in the sermon I know not. I was at some distance from the
Preacher. I heard it said that Maître Laurence Calot said to Maître
Pierre Cauchon, that he was too slow in pronouncing judgment, and that
he was not judging rightly; to which Maître Pierre Cauchon replied that
he lied.
I was also at the second preaching, on the day that Jeanne was burnt,
and saw her in the flames calling out in a loud voice many times
“Jesus!” I believe firmly that she died a Catholic and ended her days
well in good Christian estate; and this I know from what I had from the
monks who were with her in her last hours. I saw many—the greater part
of those present—weeping and bewailing for pity, and saying that Jeanne
had been unjustly condemned.
THE DUKE D’ALENÇON.[177]
When Jeanne arrived at Chinon, I was at Saint Florent. One day, when I
was hunting quails, a messenger came to inform me that there had come to
the King a young girl, who said she was sent from God to conquer the
English and to raise the siege then undertaken by them against Orleans.
It was for this reason that I went on the following day to Chinon, where
I found Jeanne talking with the King. Having approached them, she asked
me who I was. “It is the Duke d’Alençon,” replied the King. “You are
welcome,” she then said to me, “the more that come together of the blood
of France the better it will be.” The next day she went to the King’s
Mass; and when she perceived him she made a profound salutation. After
Mass the King took her into his private room, where he kept me with him,
as well as the Sieur de la Tremouille, after having sent away all the
others. Jeanne then made several requests to the King—amongst others
that he would make a gift of his kingdom to the King of Heaven, because
the King of Heaven, after this gift, would do for him as He had done for
his predecessor, and reinstate him in all his rights. Many other things
were said, up to the hour of dinner, which I do not remember. After
dinner the King went for a walk; Jeanne coursed before him, lance in
hand. Seeing her manage her lance so well I gave her a horse.
Following on this the King caused her to be examined by the Clergy.
Choice was made of the Bishop of Chartres, the King’s Confessor; the
Bishop of Senlis[178], Mende and Poitiers; Maître Pierre de Versailles,
since Bishop of Meaux; Maître Jourdin Morin, and many others whose names
I do not recall. They questioned her in my presence and asked why she
had come, and who had caused her to come to the King? She replied that
she had come from the King of Heaven, that she had voices and a Counsel
which told her what she was to do; but I do not remember if she made
known what those voices told her.
One day when dining with me she told me that the clergy had examined her
well, but that she knew and could do more than she had told them. The
King, when he had heard the report of his commissioners, wished that she
should still go to Poitiers, in order to submit to another examination.
I did not assist at this examination; I only knew it to be afterwards
reported to the Council, that the examiners at Poitiers held the opinion
that there was nothing in her contrary to the Faith, and that the King,
considering his extreme necessity, might make use of her assistance.
On receiving this news the King sent me to the Queen of Sicily[179] to
prepare a convoy of supplies for the army, which was then being directed
against Orleans. I found with the Queen the Sieur Ambroise de Loré,[180]
and the Sieur Louis—his other name I do not remember—who prepared the
convoy: but money was lacking, and in order to obtain it I returned to
the King, to whom I made known that the supplies were prepared, and that
it only remained to procure the necessary money to pay for them and for
the army. The King then sent people who delivered the necessary sums; so
that in the end soldiers and supplies were ready, and there was nothing
more to be done but to gain Orleans, and try to raise the siege.
With this army Jeanne was sent. The King had caused armour to be made
for her.[181]
The King’s army started with Jeanne. What happened on the way, and
afterwards in Orleans, I know only by hearsay—for I was not present, not
having then gone to Orleans—but I went there shortly after, and saw the
works which had been raised by the English before the town. I was able
to study the strength of these works; and I think that, to have made
themselves masters of these—above all, the Fort of the Tourelles at the
end of the Bridge, and the Fort of the Augustins—the French needed a
real miracle. If I had been in either one or the other, with only a few
men, I should have ventured to defy the power of a whole army for six or
seven days: and they would not have been able, I think, to have mastered
it. For the rest, I heard from the captains and soldiers who took part
in the siege, that what had happened was miraculous; and that it was
beyond man’s power.
I did not see Jeanne from the time she left the King until after the
raising of the siege of Orleans. After this siege, we succeeded in
assembling as many as 600 lances, with which we decided to march on
Jargeau, then occupied by the English. That night we slept in a wood. On
the following morning we were joined by another division, under the
guidance of the Sieur Bastard of Orleans, the Sieur Florent
d’Illiers,[182] and many other captains. When we were all joined
together, we found ourselves to number about 1,200 lances. There was
then contention among the captains: some were of opinion that the attack
should be made; and others opposed it, seeing the great strength of the
English and their large numbers. Jeanne, seeing us thus divided, said:
“No, do not fear their numbers; do not hesitate to make the attack; God
will conduct your enterprise; if I were not sure that it is God Who
guides us, I would rather take care of the sheep than expose myself to
such great perils!” On these words we marched to Jargeau, counting on
gaining the suburbs that day and passing the night there. But on the
news of our approach, the English came to meet us and at first drove us
back. Seeing this Jeanne seized her standard and began the attack,
telling the soldiers to have good courage. We succeeded so well that we
were able that night to camp in the suburbs. I think truly it was God
Who was leading us; for, in the night that followed, we kept no guard;
so that, had the English made a sally, we must have been in great
danger. The next morning we prepared artillery and had the machines and
bombards placed in position. Then we consulted for some time as to what
should be done against the English in Jargeau in order to take the town.
While we were deliberating, we were told that La Hire was in conference
with the English Lord Suffolk. I and the other captains were much
provoked at this, and sent for La Hire, who came at once. The attack
being resolved upon, the Heralds-at-Arms began to sound, “To the
Assault!” “Forward, gentle Duke, to the assault!” cried Jeanne to me.
And when I told her it was premature to attack so quickly: “Have no
fear,” she said to me, “it is the right time when it pleases God; we
must work when it is His Will: act, and God will act!” “Ah! gentle
Duke,” she said to me, later, “art thou afraid? dost thou not know that
I promised thy wife[183] to bring thee back, safe and sound?”
And indeed when I left my wife to come with Jeanne to the head-quarters
of the army, my wife had told me that she feared much for me, that I had
but just left prison[184] and much had been spent on my ransom, and she
would gladly have asked that I might remain with her. To this Jeanne had
replied: “Lady, have no fear; I will give him back to you whole, or even
in better case than he is now.”
During the assault on Jargeau Jeanne said to me: “Go back from this
place, or that engine”—pointing out an engine of war in the city—“will
kill you.” I retired, and shortly after that very engine did indeed kill
the Sieur de Lude in that very place from which she told me to go away.
On this account I had great fear, and wondered much at Jeanne’s words
and how true they came. Afterwards, Jeanne made the attack; in which I
followed her. As our men were invading the place, the Earl of Suffolk
made proclamation that he wished to speak with me, but we did not
listen, and the attack continued. Jeanne was on a ladder, her standard
in her hand, when her standard was struck and she herself was hit on the
head by a stone which was partly spent, and which struck her
calotte.[185] She was thrown to the ground; but, raising herself, she
cried: “Friends! friends! come on! come on! Our Lord hath doomed the
English! They are ours! keep a good heart.” At that moment the town was
carried; and the English retired to the bridges, where the French
pursued them and killed more than 1,100 men.
The town taken,[186] Jeanne and the army went to Orleans; then from
Orleans to Meung-sur-Loire, where were the English under the command of
‘the child of Warwick’ and Scales. Beneath the walls of Meung, I passed
the night in a Church with a few soldiers, and was in great peril. The
day after the taking of Meung, we went to Beaugency; and in the
neighbourhood of this town we rallied to us a part of the army with
which we attacked the English who were in Beaugency. In consequence of
our attack the English abandoned the town and retired into a camp which
we had watched during the night for fear they should beat a retreat. We
were there when the news reached us that the Constable was coming to
join us: Jeanne, the other Captains, and I myself were much troubled by
this news, and wished to retire, because we had orders from the King not
to receive the said Constable into our company. I told Jeanne that if
the Constable came I should retire. The next day, before his arrival, we
learned that the English were marching upon us in great number, under
the command of Talbot.[187] Our men immediately called “To arms!” and,
seeing that I wished to retire because of the arrival of the Constable,
Jeanne told me that we must help one another. The English surrendered
their camp by agreement, and retreated by a safe-conduct which I gave
them: for I was then Lieutenant to the King, and thus in command of the
army. We thought they had retired, when a man of La Hire’s company told
us they were marching upon us, and that in a moment we should have them
before us, to the number of a thousand men-at-arms. Jéanne asked what
this messenger had stated; and when she knew what was going on she said
to the Lord Constable,[188] “Ah! fair Constable, you have not come by my
will, but now you are here you are welcome.” Many were in fear and said
it would be well to await the arrival of the cavalry. “In God’s Name!”
exclaimed Jeanne, “we must fight them at once: even if they were hanging
from the clouds we should have them, because God has sent us to chastise
them.” She assured us she was certain of obtaining the victory, saying
in French: “The gentle King shall have to-day the greatest victory he
has ever had. My Counsel has told me they are all ours.” Without great
difficulty the English were beaten and slain, and Talbot made prisoner.
There was a great slaughter. Then the army went to Patay, where Talbot
was brought before me and the Constable in the presence of Jeanne. I
said to Talbot that in the morning I had never expected what had
happened. “It is the fortune of war,”[189] he replied. Afterwards we
returned to the King, and it was decided to direct our way towards
Rheims for his coronation and consecration.
Many times in my presence Jeanne told the King she would last but one
year and no more; and that he should consider how best to employ this
year. She had, she said, four duties to accomplish: to beat the English;
to have the King crowned and consecrated at Rheims; to deliver the Duke
d’Orléans from the hands of the English;[190] and to raise the siege of
Orleans.
Jeanne was a chaste maiden; she hated the women who follow in the train
of armies. I saw her one day at Saint Denis on the return from the
coronation, pursuing one of them sword in hand: her sword was broken on
this occasion. She was very vexed if she heard any of the soldiers
swear. She reproved me much and strongly when I sometimes swore; and
when I saw her I refrained from swearing.
[Illustration:
THE COUNT DE RICHEMONT,
Constable of France.
]
So far as I could judge, I always held her for an excellent Catholic,
and a modest woman: she communicated often, and, at sight of the Body of
Christ, shed many tears. In all she did, except in affairs of war, she
was a very simple young girl; but for warlike things—bearing the lance,
assembling an army, ordering military operations, directing
artillery—she was most skilful. Every one wondered that she could act
with as much wisdom and foresight as a captain who had fought for twenty
or thirty years. It was above all in making use of artillery that she
was so wonderful.
BROTHER JEAN PASQUEREL.[191]
The first time I heard of Jeanne, and that she had come to find the
King, I was at Anche,[192] in which town was her mother[193] and some of
those who had accompanied her thither. One day, they invited me to go
with them and see her, and told me they would not leave me till I had
seen her. I came then with them to Chinon; then to Tours, in which town
I was at that time Reader in a Convent; and there we found her lodging
in the house of a citizen named Jean Dupuy,[194] a burgher of Tours. My
companions addressed Jeanne in these terms: “Jeanne, we bring you this
good father; when you know him you will love him much.” “I am very glad
to see you,” she said to me; “I have already heard of you; I should like
to-morrow to confess myself to you.”
The next day, indeed, I heard her in confession, and recited Mass before
her. From that day onward, I always followed her and was always with her
as her Chaplain, until Compiègne, where she was taken prisoner.
On her arrival at Chinon, I heard that she had been visited on two
occasions by women. The Lady de Gaucourt and the Lady de Trèves, it is
said, were those who visited her.
Afterwards, she was taken to Poitiers, to be examined there by the
Clergy of that University as to what should be done with regard to her.
Maître Jourdin Morin, Maître Pierre de Versailles, since deceased as
Bishop of Meaux, and many others, after having questioned her, came to
the conclusion that, in view of the necessity which weighed upon the
Kingdom, the King might make use of her aid, and that they had found
nothing in her contrary to the Catholic Faith. She then returned to
Chinon, and thought she would be allowed to speak with the King; but it
was not yet to be. At last, by the advice of the Council, she was
permitted an interview with the King. The day on which this interview
was to take place, just as she entered the Castle, a man, mounted on
horseback, said, “Is that the Maid?” He insulted her, and swore with
horrid blasphemy. “Oh! in God’s Name,” she said to him, “dost thou
blaspheme God, thou who art so near thy death!” And, an hour after, this
man fell into the water and was drowned. I report this fact as I
gathered it from Jeanne and from many others, who said they had been
witnesses of it.
[Illustration:
CHARLES VII.
(Gallery of the Louvre.)
]
It was the Sieur Count de Vendôme who brought her into the King’s
apartment. When he perceived her, the King asked her her name. “Gentle
Dauphin,” she replied, “I am called Jeanne the Maid; and the King of
Heaven sends you word by me that you will be consecrated and crowned at
Rheims, and that you will be the lieutenant of the King of Heaven, who
is King of France.” After the King had asked her a number of questions,
she said to him, “On the part of My Lord, I tell thee thou art true heir
of France and son of the King[195]; and He sends me to lead thee to
Rheims to the end thou mayst receive thy crowning and thy consecration,
if thou wilt.” At the close of this interview, the King said that Jeanne
had confided to him secrets which were not known and could not be known
except by God, which gave him great confidence in her. All this I heard
from Jeanne, but without having been witness of it.
She told me she was not pleased at so many examinations; that they
prevented her carrying out the work for which she was sent, and that it
was quite time for her to act. She told me she had asked from the
Messengers of her Lord—that is to say, God—who appeared to her, what she
ought to do; and they had told her to take the banner of her Lord. It
was for this she had her banner made, on which was painted the image of
Our Saviour seated in judgment on the clouds of Heaven, with an Angel
holding in his hand a fleur-de-lys which Christ was blessing. I was at
Tours with her when this banner was painted.[196]
A short time after Jeanne departed with the army to the succour of the
town of Orleans, which was then besieged; I went with her, and did not
leave her until the day when she was taken at Compiègne. I acted as her
Chaplain, confessed her, and sang Mass for her. She was, indeed, very
pious towards God and the Blessed Mary, confessing nearly every day and
communicating frequently. When she was in a neighbourhood where there
was a Convent of Mendicant Friars, she told me to remind her of the day
when the children of the poor received the Eucharist, so that she might
receive it with them; and this she did often: when she confessed herself
she wept.
When Jeanne left Tours to go to Orleans, she prayed me not to forsake
her, and to remain always with her as her Confessor; this I promised to
do. We were at Blois about two or three days, waiting for the supplies
with which the boats were to be loaded. At Blois she told me to have a
banner made, round which the Priests might assemble, and to have painted
thereon the Image of Our Saviour crucified. I had it done, as she
required of me. As soon as this banner was made, Jeanne, twice a day,
morning and evening, charged me to assemble the Priests around this
banner: they then sang anthems and hymns to the Blessed Mary. Jeanne was
with them, permitting only the soldiers who had that day confessed
themselves to join her; she told her people to make confession, if they
wished to come to this assemblage. There were Priests always ready to
confess those in the army who wished to apply to them.
[Illustration:
BLOIS
_Reproduced from an engraving of the XVIIth Century._
]
On leaving Blois to march to Orleans, Jeanne made all the Priests
assemble round this banner; and in this wise they marched at the head of
the army. They departed, thus assembled, from the side of the Sologne,
singing the “_Veni Creator Spiritus_” and many other anthems. On that
and the two following days, we slept in the fields. On the third day, we
arrived at Orleans, where the English held their siege right up to the
bank of the Loire: we approached so close to them that French and
English could almost touch one another. The French had with them a
convoy of supplies; but the water was so shallow that the boats could
not move up-stream, nor could they land where the English were. Suddenly
the waters rose, and the boats were then able to land on the shore where
the [French] army was. Jeanne entered the boats, with some of her
followers, and thus came to Orleans. As for myself I returned to Blois,
by Jeanne’s command, with the Priests and the banner. Then, some days
after, accompanied by the whole army, I came to Orleans by way of the
Beauce—always with this same banner surrounded by Priests—meeting no
obstacle. When Jeanne knew of our approach, she came to meet us; and
together we entered Orleans without difficulty, bringing in the
provisions in sight of the English. This was a marvellous thing; for the
English were in great number and strength, all prepared for fight. They
had opposite them our army, very inferior to theirs: they saw us; they
heard our Priests singing; I was in the midst of the Priests bearing the
banner. The English remained immovable, never attempting to attack
either the Priests or the army which followed them.
As soon as we entered Orleans, the French sallied from the town at
Jeanne’s urgent entreaties, and went to attack the English, who were
shut up in the Fort of Saint Loup. After dinner the other Priests went
with me to seek Jeanne at her residence. When we arrived, we heard her
calling out: “Where are those who should arm me? The blood of our people
is falling to the ground!” And, so soon as she was armed, she sallied
from the town and made for the Fort of Saint Loup, where the attack was
taking place. On the road she met many wounded soldiers; the sight of
them distressed her much. She went to the assault, and did so well, that
by force and violence the fort was at last taken, and all the English
who were there were taken prisoners. I remember that this took place on
the Eve of the Ascension of Our Saviour.
When the Fort of Saint Loup was taken, the English died there in great
numbers. Jeanne was much afflicted when she heard that they had died
without confession, and pitied them much. On the spot she made her
confession. She ordered me to invite the whole army to do likewise, and
to give thanks to God for the victory just gained. Otherwise, she said,
she would help them no more, but would abandon them. On this day, the
Eve of the Ascension, she predicted that within five days the siege
would be raised, and that not a single Englishman would be left within
the walls of Orleans.[197] And so it was: for on this Wednesday, as I
have already said, the Fort of Saint Loup was taken, which formerly had
been a convent.[198] More than one hundred men of distinction were found
there, all well armed, not one escaping. In the evening, when Jeanne
returned to her lodging, she told me that on the following day, the
Ascension of Our Saviour, she would not fight, nor even put on her
armour; and that she wished, out of respect for the Festival, to confess
and to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist. And this was done.
On Ascension Day, she ordered that no one should go out of the town to
the attack on the same day without first making confession, and forbade
women of bad reputation to follow her, lest, on account of sin, God
should cause us to lose the battle. All these orders were carried out.
It was on Ascension Day that she wrote to the English, entrenched in
their forts, a letter thus couched:
“You, men of England, who have no right in this kingdom of France, the
King of Heaven orders and commands you by me, Jeanne the Maid, that you
quit your strong places, and return to your own country; if you do not I
will cause you such an overthrow as shall be remembered for all time. I
write to you for the third[199] and last time, and shall write to you no
more.
Signed thus—
“_Jhésus Maria_, JEHANNE LA PUCELLE.”
And lower:
“I would have sent you this letter in a more suitable manner, but you
keep back my heralds: you have kept my herald Guyenne; I pray you to
send him back, and I will send you some of your people who have been
taken at the Fort of Saint Loup,—for all were not killed there.”
As soon as this letter was written, Jeanne took an arrow, on the point
of which she fastened this letter with a thread, and ordered an archer
to shoot this arrow towards the English, crying out, “Read! here is
news!” The English received the arrow with this letter, which they read.
After having read it they began to cry out with all their power: “It is
news sent to us from the ... of the Armagnacs!” At these words Jeanne
began to cry, shedding many tears, and prayed the God of Heaven to come
to her aid. Soon she appeared to be consoled, having had, as she said,
news from her Lord. In the evening after supper, she ordered me to rise
earlier than I had done on Ascension Day, because she wished to confess
very early in the morning: and this she did.
The next day, Friday, I rose very early; confessed her, and sang Mass
before her and all her followers: she then started with them at once for
the attack, which lasted from morning to evening. On this day the Fort
of the Augustins was taken, after a great assault. Jeanne, who was
accustomed to fast every Friday, could not do so on that day because she
was too troubled, and she took supper. After this supper there came to
her a noble and valiant captain, whose name I do not remember. He told
her that all the captains were assembled in Council; that they had taken
into consideration the small number of their forces in comparison with
the large forces of the English, and the abundant grace which God had
granted them in the success already obtained: “The town is full of
supplies; we could keep it well while we await fresh succour, which the
King could send us; it does not seem,” he ended by saying, “expedient to
the Council that the army should go forth to-morrow.” “You have been to
your Counsel,” Jeanne answered him, “and I have been to mine; and
believe me the Counsel of God will be accomplished and will succeed;
yours on the contrary will perish.” And addressing herself to me who was
near her: “Rise to-morrow morning even earlier than you did to-day; do
your best; keep always near me; for to-morrow I shall have yet more to
do, and much greater things; to-morrow blood shall flow from my body,
above the breast.”
[Illustration:
THE BRIDGE OF ORLEANS ON THE LAST DAY OF THE ENGLISH SIEGE, SUNDAY,
MAY 8, 1429.
]
[Illustration:
THE BRIDGE SHORTLY BEFORE ITS DEMOLITION IN 1760.
]
_Reproduced by kind permission of M. Herluison_,
_Vice-President of the Archæological Society Of Orleans_.
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.
I marvel much that such great Clerks as those who caused her death at
Rouen should have dared such a crime as to put to death so poor and
simple a Christian, cruelly and without cause—sufficient at least for
[the penalty of] death: they might have kept her in prison or elsewhere;
but she had so displeased them that they were her mortal enemies; and
thus, it seems, they assumed the responsibility of an unjust court. Her
actions and her deeds are all perfectly known to our Lord the King and
to the Duke d’Alençon, who knew certain secrets which they might declare
if they would.
As for me I know no more than what I have said, unless it be that many
times Jeanne expressed to me a desire that, if she were to die, the King
would build a Chapel, where the souls of those who had died in defence
of the kingdom might be prayed for.
MAÎTRE JEAN DE LENOZOLLES, _Priest, of the Order of St. Pierre
Celestin_.
At the time when Jeanne was at Rouen, I was in the service of Maître
Guillaume Érard, with whom I came from Burgundy. After we had arrived, I
heard talk of this Trial; but of what was done therein I know nothing,
for I left Rouen and went to Caen, and stayed there until the feast of
Pentecost; at this feast I returned to Rouen to meet my master, who told
me that he had a heavy task—to preach a sermon for this Jeanne, which
much displeased him. He said he would he were in Flanders: this business
disturbed him much.
I saw Jeanne at the second sermon; and in the morning before the sermon
I saw the Body of Christ carried to the said Jeanne with much solemnity,
and the singing of Litanies and intercession “_Orate pro eâ_,” and with
a great multitude of candles; but who decided or ordered this, I know
not. I was not present at the reception, but I afterwards heard it said
that she received It with great devotion and abundance of tears.
SIMON CHARLES, _President of the Council_.
The year in which Jeanne came to seek the King was the very year in
which the King sent me as ambassador to Venice. I returned about the
month of March, at which time I heard from Jean de Metz, who had
conducted her, that she had visited the King. When Jeanne came to
Chinon, there was discussion in the Council as to whether the King
should hear her or not. And first she was questioned as to why and to
what end she had come; and she began by replying that she would answer
nothing except to the King. She was compelled, by order of the King, to
state the cause of her mission.
She said she had two commands from the King of Heaven: the one to raise
the siege of Orleans, the other to conduct the King to Rheims for his
coronation and anointing.
Hearing this, some of the King’s Council said that the King ought not to
put faith in this Jeanne; others said that, as she declared she was sent
from God and commanded to speak to the King, the King ought at least to
hear her. The King desired that she should first be examined by the
Clergy and Ecclesiastics, and this was done; after many difficulties it
was arranged that the King should hear her. I have heard the Seigneur de
Gaucourt relate that, when she was at Orleans, the King’s people had
decided it was not well to make the attack. This happened on the day
when the Fort of the Augustins was taken and he, de Gaucourt, had been
commissioned to guard the gates of the town that none should go out.
Jeanne, discontented with the orders of the generals, was of opinion
that the King’s soldiers with the people of the town should go out and
attack the fort; and many of the soldiers and people of the city agreed
with her. Jeanne told de Gaucourt that he was a bad man, saying to him:
“Whether you will or no, the soldiers shall come; and they will succeed
this time as they have succeeded before.” And, against the will of the
said Lord de Gaucourt, the soldiers left the city and marched to the
assault of the bastille of the Augustins, which was taken by force. My
Lord de Gaucourt added that he had come that day into great peril.
The King made a treaty with the people of Troyes, and entered the town
of Troyes in great array, Jeanne carrying her banner by his side.
Shortly after, the King left Troyes and went with his army to Chalons,
and thence to Rheims. When the King feared to find resistance at Rheims,
Jeanne said to him: “Have no fear! for the burghers of the city will
come out to meet you;” and she said that, before he got near the city of
Rheims, the burgesses would meet him. The King feared their resistance
because he had no artillery or engines for carrying on a siege, in case
they should prove rebellious. Jeanne told him that he must go forward
boldly and fear nothing, for if he would go forward like a man he would
soon obtain all his kingdom.
THIBAULD D’ARMAGNAC, _Knight, Seigneur de Termes, bailiff of Chartres_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne until she came to Orleans to raise the siege
made by the English, in the defence of which town I was in the company
of my lord of Dunois.
I afterwards saw her at the assault of the Forts of Saint Loup, the
Augustins, Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, and at the Bridge. In all these assaults
she was so valorous and comported herself in such manner as would not
have been possible to any man, however well versed in war; and all the
captains marvelled at her valour and activity and at her endurance.
I believe that she was good and worthy, and that the things she did were
divine rather than human. She often reproved the vices of the soldiers;
and I heard from a certain Maître Robert Baignart, S.T.P., of the Order
of Saint Dominic, who often heard her in confession, that Jeanne was a
godly woman, that all she did came from God, that she had a good soul
and tender conscience.
After the raising of the siege of Orleans, I with many others of the
army went with Jeanne to Beaugency, where the English were. The day that
the English lost the battle of Patay, I and the late La Hire, knowing
that the English were assembled and prepared for battle, told Jeanne
that the English were coming and were all ready to fight. She replied,
speaking to the captains: “Attack them boldly, and they will fly; nor
will they long withstand us.” At these words, the captains prepared to
attack: and the English were overthrown and fled. Jeanne had predicted
to the French that few or none of them should be slain or suffer loss:
which also befell, for of all our men there perished but one gentleman
of my company.
Apart from affairs of war, she was simple and innocent; but in the
conduct and disposition of troops and in actual warfare, in the ordering
of battle and in animating the soldiers, she behaved as the most skilled
captain in the world who all his life had been trained in the art of
war.
RAIMOND, SIEUR DE MACY, _Knight_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne until I saw her in prison, in the Castle of
Beaurevoir, where she was detained for and in the name of the Count de
Ligny; then I saw her often and many times talked with her: she would
allow no familiarity, but repelled such with all her power; she was
indeed of modest bearing, both in words and deeds.
She was taken to the Castle of Rouen, where she was placed in a prison
facing the fields. Whilst she was there, in this prison, came the Count
de Ligny, on whom I was in attendance. The Count de Ligny desired to see
Jeanne, and came to visit her, in company of the Earls of Warwick and
Stafford, the present Chancellor of England, then Bishop of Thérouanne,
the brother[202] of the Count de Ligny, and myself. He said to her:
“Jeanne, I have come to ransom you, if you will promise never again to
bear arms against us.” She answered: “In God’s Name, you mock me, for I
know well that you have neither the will nor the power;” this she
repeated often, because the Count persisted in his statement. “I know
well,” she ended by saying, “that the English will do me to death,
thinking after my death to gain the kingdom of France; but if they were
a hundred thousand more ‘godons’[203] than they are at present, they
would not have the kingdom.” Indignant at these words, the Earl of
Stafford half drew his dagger to kill her, but the Earl of Warwick
withheld him. After this, while I was still at Rouen, Jeanne was taken
to the Place St. Ouen, where a sermon was preached to her by Maître
Nicolas Midi,[204] who, amongst other things, said, in my hearing:
“Jeanne, we have great compassion for thee; it behoves thee to revoke
what thou hast said, or we must give thee up to the secular judges.” She
answered, that she had done no evil, that she believed in the Twelve
Articles of the Faith and in the Ten Commandments of the Decalogue;
adding, that she referred herself to the Court of Rome, and that she
wished to believe all things in which Holy Church believed.
Notwithstanding this, they pressed her much to recant, to which she
answered: “You take much pains to seduce me;” and, to escape danger, she
said at last that she was content to do all they required. Then a
Secretary of the King of England there present, named Laurence Calot,
drew from his pocket a little written schedule, which he handed to
Jeanne to sign. She replied that she could neither read nor write.
Notwithstanding this Laurence Calot, the Secretary, handed Jeanne the
schedule and a pen to sign it; and by way of derision Jeanne made some
sort of round mark. Then Laurence Calot took her hand with the pen and
caused her to make some sort of signature,—what, I cannot remember.
I believe her to be in Paradise.
COLETTE, _wife of_ PIERRE MILET.
I first knew of Jeanne when she came to Orleans; she was lodged in the
house of one Jacques Bouchier, where I went to visit her. Jeanne
continually spoke of God, saying, “My Lord hath sent me to succour the
good town of Orleans.” I often saw her attend Mass with great devotion,
as a good Christian and Catholic. During the time she was at Orleans,
for the raising of the siege, Jeanne was sleeping in the house of her
host, Jacques le Bouchier; on the Vigil of the Ascension, she suddenly
awoke, and, calling her page, Mugot,[205] said to him: “In God’s Name!
This is ill done. Why was I not sooner awakened? Our people have much to
do.” Then she asked for her armour, and armed herself, her page bringing
round her horse; then, all armed, she mounted, lance in rest, and began
to ride along the main street so rapidly that the stones struck fire.
She made straight for Saint Loup; and gave order, by sound of trumpet,
that nothing should be taken from the Church.
On the morning of the day that the Fort of the Bridge was taken, Jeanne
was still in the house of her host when a fish was brought to her: on
seeing it she said to her host, “Take care of it till the evening,
because I will bring you back a ‘godon’ and I shall return by the
bridge.”
Jeanne was very frugal in eating and drinking. There was nothing but
modesty in her conduct, in her actions, and in all her manner of life. I
believe firmly that her deeds and actions were rather the works of God
than of man.
PIERRE MILET, _Clerk to the Electors of Paris_.
Soon after she came to Orleans, she sent to the English, who were
besieging the town, and summoned them in a kind of simple schedule
written in her mother-tongue, which I read myself, notifying that it was
the will of God that they should depart:
[“Messire vous mande que vous en aliez en vostre pays, car c’est son
plaisir, ou sinon je vous feray ung tel hahay....”[206]]
MAÎTRE AIGNAN VIOLE, _Licentiate in Law, Advocate of the Court of
Parliament_.
On the Sunday after the taking of the Forts of the Bridge and of Saint
Loup, the English were drawn up in order of battle before the town of
Orleans, at which the greater part of [our] soldiers wished to give
combat, and sallied from the town. Jeanne, who was wounded, was with the
soldiers, dressed in her light surcoat. She put the men in array, but
forbade them to attack the English, because, she said, if it pleased God
and it were His will that they wished to retire, they should be allowed
to go. And at that the men-at-arms returned into Orleans.
It was said that Jeanne was as expert as possible in the art of ordering
an army in battle, and that even a captain bred and instructed in war
could not have shown more skill; at this the captains marvelled
exceedingly.
She frequently confessed, often received the Holy Sacrament, and, in all
her deeds and conversation, bore herself most worthily, and in
everything save in warfare she was marvellously simple.
DEPOSITIONS AT ROUEN: 1455–6.
GUILLAUME COLLES, _or_ BOISGUILLAUME, _Priest, Notary Public_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne till she was brought to Rouen for her trial, at
which I was one of the notaries. In the copy of the Process shown to me,
I recognize my own signature at the end. It is the true Process made
against Jeanne, and is one of five similar copies made. In the said
Process were associated with me Maître Guillaume Manchon and Maître
Pierre Taquel. In the morning we registered the notes and answers, and
in the afternoon we collected them together. For nothing in the world
would we have failed in anything that should have been done.
I remember well that Jeanne answered more prudently when questioned a
second time upon a point whereon she had been already questioned; she
failed not to say that she had elsewhere replied, and she told the
notaries to read what she had already said.
Maître Nicolas Loyseleur, feigning to be a cobbler—a captive on the part
of the King of France, and from Lorraine—obtained entrance to Jeanne’s
prison, to whom he said that she should not believe the Churchmen,
“because,” he added, “if you believe them, you will be destroyed.” I
believe the Bishop of Beauvais knew this well, otherwise Loyseleur would
not have done as he did. Many of the Assessors in the Process murmured
against him. It is said that Loyseleur died suddenly at Bâle; and I have
heard that, when he saw Jeanne condemned to death, he was seized with
compunction and climbed into the cart, earnestly desiring her pardon; at
which many of the English were indignant; and that, had it not been for
the Earl of Warwick, Loyseleur would have been killed; the said Earl
enjoined him to leave Rouen as soon as he possibly could, if he wished
to save his life.
In the same way, Maître Guillaume d’Estivet got into the prison,
feigning to be a prisoner—as Loyseleur had done. This d’Estivet was
Promoter, and in this matter was much affected towards the English, whom
he desired to please. He was a bad man, and often during the Process
spoke ill of the notaries and of those who, as he saw, wished to act
justly; and he often cruelly insulted Jeanne, calling her foul names. I
think that, in the end of his days, he was punished by God; for he died
miserably. He was found dead in a drain outside the gates of Rouen.
Jeanne was often disconcerted by questions which were subtle and not
pertinent. I remember that, on one occasion, she was asked if she were
in a state of grace. She replied, that it was a serious matter to answer
such a question, and at last said: “If I am, may God so keep me. If I am
not, may God so place me. I would rather die than not be in the love of
God.” At this reply the questioners were much confounded, and broke up
the sitting; nor was she further interrogated on that occasion.
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.
I was at the final sermon in the Old Market Place, at Rouen; I went as
Bailly, for whom I was then acting as deputy. The sentence by which
Jeanne was handed over to the civil authorities was read; and, as soon
as it was pronounced,—at once, without any interval of handing her over
to the Bailly, without more ado, and before either the Bailly or myself,
whose office it was, had given sentence,—the executioner seized her and
took her to the place where the stake was already prepared: and she was
burned. And this I hold was not a right proceeding: for soon after, a
malefactor named George Folenfont was in like manner handed over, by
sentence, from the ecclesiastical to the civil authorities; and, after
the sentence, the said George was conducted to the Cohue,[207] and there
condemned by the secular justice, instead of being immediately conducted
to execution.
I think Jeanne died as a Catholic, for, in dying, she cried on the name
of the Lord Jesus. She was very devout, and nearly all present were
moved to tears. After she was dead, the ashes that remained were
collected by the executioner and thrown into the Seine.
JEAN RICQUIER, _Priest, Chaplain in the Cathedral of Rouen, and Curé of
the Church at Hendicourt_.
I first saw Jeanne at the sermon at Saint Ouen, and again at the Old
Market. I was then about twenty.
At the time when Jeanne was brought to Rouen, I was in the choir of the
Cathedral, and sometimes heard of the Trial from the Clergy of the
Cathedral.
I was present at the sermon in the Old Market, on the day Jeanne died. I
know she was handed over by the ecclesiastical authorities. I saw the
English followers and soldiers seize her, and lead her immediately to
the place of execution; nor did I see any sentence read by the secular
authorities.
On that morning, before the sermon, Maître Pierre Maurice came to visit
her; to whom she said, “Maître Pierre, where shall I be this evening?”
Maître Pierre replied, “Have you not a good hope in God?” She answered
that she had; and that, God willing, she would be in Paradise. This I
heard from the aforesaid Maître Pierre. When Jeanne saw that they were
setting fire to the pile, she began to say, with a loud voice, “Jesus!”
and constantly, to the end, she cried, “Jesus!”
And after she was dead, because the English feared that people would say
she had escaped, they ordered the executioner to part the flames a
little, in order that those present might see she was dead. I was near
to Maître Jean Alépée, at that time Canon of Rouen, and heard him say
these words, weeping greatly: “God grant that my soul may be in the
place where I believe this woman’s to be!”
JEAN MOREAU, _Visitor in the city of Rouen_.
I live at Rouen; but I came from Viville, in Bassigny,—not far from
Domremy, where Jeanne was born.
At the time when Jeanne was at Rouen, and during the Trial against her,
a man of note from Lorraine came to the town. We soon made acquaintance,
being of the same country. He told me that he came from the Marches of
Lorraine, and that he had been called to Rouen, having been commissioned
to get information in the native country of the said Jeanne, and to hear
what was said about her. This he had done, and had brought it to the
Bishop of Beauvais, expecting to have satisfaction for his labour and
expense. But the Bishop blamed him for a traitor and a bad man, and said
he had not done in this as he had been told. My compatriot complained
that he could not get any wage from the Bishop, who found his
information of no use: he told me that in this information he had learnt
nothing of Jeanne which he would not willingly know of his own sister,
although he had made enquiries in five or six parishes near Domremy as
well as in the village itself. I remember it was said that she had
committed the crime of _lèse majesté_,[208] and had led the people away.
HUSSON LE MAÎTRE, _of Viville, in Bassigny, Coal Merchant_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne until she came to Rheims, for the King’s
coronation, in which town I was then living. Thither came also her
father and her brother Pierre, both of whom were friendly with me and my
wife, as we were compatriots; and they called my wife “neighbour.”
I was in my own neighbourhood when Jeanne went to Vaucouleurs, to Robert
de Baudricourt, that she might get an escort to go to the King. I then
said it was by the grace of God, and that Jeanne was led by the Spirit
of God. Jeanne requested the said Robert to give her an escort to
conduct her to my lord the Dauphin.
I heard, at the time when she was taken from Vaucouleurs to the King,
that some of the soldiers who conducted her feigned to be on the other
side, and, when those who were with her pretended to fly, she said to
them: “Fly not, in God’s Name! they will do us no harm.” When she came
to the King, she recognized him, though she had never seen him before;
and afterwards she took the King without hindrance to Rheims, where I
saw her; and from Rheims the King went to Corbignac, and afterwards to
Château Thierry, which was surrendered to the King. And there arrived
news that the English were come to fight against the King; but Jeanne
told the King’s people not to fear, for the English would not come.
PIERRE DARON, _Locum Tenens, Deputy to the Bailiff of Rouen_.
I knew nothing of Jeanne until she was brought to Rouen, where, at that
time, I was Procurator of the town. Having much curiosity to see the
said Jeanne, I enquired the best means to accomplish this: and a certain
Pierre Manuel, Advocate of the King of England, who was also anxious to
see her, came, and together we went to see her.
We found her in the Castle, in a certain turret, in shackles, with a
great piece of wood chained to her feet, and having many English guards.
And Manuel said to her, in my presence, jokingly, that she would never
have come there if she had not been brought: and he asked her if she
knew, before she was captured, that she would be taken; to which she
replied that she had feared it. When he asked her, afterwards, why, if
she feared to be taken prisoner, she did not guard herself on the day
that she was captured, she replied that she did not know either the day
or hour when she was to be taken.
I saw her once again during the Trial, when she was being brought from
the prison to the great hall of the Castle.
I heard from several, during the Trial, that Jeanne was quite wonderful
in her answers, and that she had a remarkable memory; for, on one
occasion, when questioned as to a point on which she had answered eight
days before, she replied: “I was asked about this eight days ago, and
thus replied.” Boisguillaume, the other notary, said she had not
answered; and, when some of those present declared that what Jeanne said
was true, the answers of that day were read: and it was found that
Jeanne had spoken right. At this she rejoiced, saying to Boisguillaume
that, if he made mistakes again, she would pull his ears!
I was present at the sermon at the Old Market on the day that Jeanne
died. Among other things, I heard her say: “Ah! Rouen, Rouen, wilt thou
be my last dwelling?” She inspired in all the greatest pity, and many
were moved to tears; many, too, were much displeased that Jeanne had
been executed in the town of Rouen. At the close of her life, she
continually cried “Jesus!” Her ashes and remains were afterwards
collected and thrown into the Seine.
BROTHER SÉGUIN DE SÉGUIN, _Dominican, Professor of Theology, Dean of the
Faculty of Theology of Poitiers_.
I saw Jeanne for the first time at Poitiers. The King’s Council was
assembled in the house of the Lady La Macée, the Archbishop of Rheims,
then Chancellor of France, being of their number. I was summoned, as
also were Jean Lombart, Professor of Theology of the University of
Paris; Maître Guillaume le Maire, Canon of Poitiers and Bachelor in
Theology; Maître Guillaume Aymerie, Professor of Theology, of the Order
of Saint Dominic; Brother Pierre Turrelure; Maître Jacques Maledon; and
many others whose names I do not remember. The Members of the Council
told us that we were summoned, in the King’s name, to question Jeanne
and to give our opinion upon her. We were sent to question her at the
house of Maître Jean Rabateau, where she was lodging. We repaired
thither and interrogated her.
Among other questions, Maître Jean Lombart asked her why she had come;
that the King wished to know what had induced her to come to him. She
answered, in a grand manner, that “there had come to her, while she was
minding the cattle, a Voice, which told her that God had great
compassion for the people of France, and that she must go into France.”
On hearing this, she began to weep; the Voice then told her to go to
Vaucouleurs, where she would find a Captain who would conduct her safely
into France and to the King, and that she must not be afraid. She had
done what the Voice had ordered, and had come to the King without
meeting any obstacle.
Thereupon, Guillaume Aymerie put to her this question: “You assert that
a Voice told you, God willed to deliver the people of France from the
calamity in which they now are; but, if God wills to deliver them, it is
not necessary to have soldiers.” “In God’s Name!” Jeanne replied, “the
soldiers will fight, and God will give the victory.” With which answer
Maître Guillaume was pleased.
[Illustration:
JEANNE D’ARC.
From a Miniature of the XVth Century.
]
I, in my turn, asked Jeanne what dialect the Voice spoke? “A better one
than yours,” she replied. I speak the Limousin dialect. “Do you believe
in God?” I asked her. “In truth, more than yourself!” she answered. “But
God wills that you should not be believed unless there appear some sign
to prove that you ought to be believed; and we shall not advise the King
to trust in you, and to risk an army on your simple statement.” “In
God’s Name!” she replied, “I am not come to Poitiers to shew signs: but
send me to Orleans, where I shall shew you the signs by which I am
sent:” and she added: “Send me men in such numbers as may seem good, and
I will go to Orleans.”
And then she foretold to us—to me and to all the others who were with
me—these four things which should happen, and which did afterwards come
to pass: first, that the English would be destroyed, the siege of
Orleans raised, and the town delivered from the English; secondly, that
the King would be crowned at Rheims; thirdly, that Paris would be
restored to his dominion; and fourthly, that the Duke d’Orléans should
be brought back from England. And I who speak, I have in truth seen
these four things accomplished.
We reported all this to the Council of the King; and we were of opinion
that, considering the extreme necessity and the great peril of the town,
the King might make use of her help and send her to Orleans.
Besides this, we enquired into her life and morals; and found that she
was a good Christian, living as a Catholic, never idle. In order that
her manner of living might be better known, women were placed with her
who were commissioned to report to the Council her actions and ways.
As for me, I believed she was sent from God, because, at the time when
she appeared, the King and all the French people with him had lost hope:
no one thought of aught but to save himself.
I remember that Jeanne was asked why she always marched with a banner in
her hand? “Because,” she answered, “I do not wish to use my sword, nor
to kill any one.”
When she heard any one taking in vain the Name of God, she was very
angry; she held such blasphemies in horror: and Jeanne told La Hire, who
used many oaths and swore by God, that he must swear no more, and that,
when he wanted to swear by God, he should swear _by his staff_. And
afterwards, indeed, when he was with her, La Hire never swore but by his
staff.
TESTIMONY OF D’AULON:[209] 1456.
And first, Deponent saith that, twenty years ago or thereabouts, the
King being in the town of Poitiers, he [d’Aulon] was told that the said
Maid, who was from the country of Lorraine, had been brought to the said
Lord by two gentlemen, the same being of the company of Messire Robert
de Baudricourt, Knight—the one named Bertrand; the other Jean de
Metz—and presented [to the King]; to see whom (the said Maid) the
Deponent visited the said town of Poitiers;
That, after the presentation, the Maid spoke privately to our Lord the
King, and told him several secret things—what, he [the Deponent] knew
not: saving that, shortly after, the King sent to fetch some of the
people of his Council, among whom was the Deponent. He [the King] then
informed them that the Maid had told him she was sent from God to help
him to recover his kingdom, which at that time was for the most part
occupied by his ancient enemies, the English;
[Illustration:
THE BATTLE OF PATAY.
]
[Illustration:
LA HIRE AND XANTRAILLES.
]
That, after these words had been declared to the people of his Council
by the King, it was agreed to interrogate the Maid—who, at that time,
was of the age of sixteen years or thereabouts—upon sundry points
touching the Faith;
That, to do this, the King sent for certain Masters in Theology,
Jurists, and other expert people, who should well and diligently examine
her on these points;
That he was present at the said Council when the Masters made their
report on what they had found in the Maid; at which it was publicly said
by one of them, that they did not see, know, or recognize in the Maid
anything, excepting only whatever should be in a good Christian and true
Catholic: and for such they held her, and it was their opinion that she
was very worthy;
Also that, the report being made to the said King by the Masters, the
Maid was then handed over to the Queen of Sicily, the mother of our
Sovereign Lady the Queen, and to certain ladies with her, by whom the
Maid was seen, visited, and privately looked at and examined; and after
examination made by these matrons, the lady stated to the King that she
and the other ladies found most surely that this was indeed a true
Maid ...;
That he was present when the lady made her report;
That, these things being heard, and considering the great goodness in
the Maid, and that God had sent her to him, as she had said, it was by
the King concluded in his Council that henceforward he would make use of
her help in his wars, inasmuch as for this she had been sent;
That, it was then decided she should be sent to the city of Orleans, at
that time besieged by the enemy;
That, for this end people were given for her own service, and others to
conduct her;
That, the guard and conduct of the same was appointed by our Lord the
King;
Also that, for the safety of her body the King caused to be made armour
fit for the Maid’s body, and, this done, appointed a certain number of
men-at-arms for the same [Maid] and for those of her company, to lead
and conduct them safely to the City of Orleans;
That, immediately afterwards, he [the Deponent] took the road with them,
following in this direction;
That, as soon as it came to the knowledge of my Lord Dunois—then called
the Bastard of Orleans, who was in the city of Orleans in order to keep
and guard it from the enemy—that the Maid was coming that way, he
assembled together a certain number of men of war to meet her, such as
La Hire and others. And to do this, and more safely to lead and conduct
her to the city, this Lord and his followers placed themselves in a
boat, and went to meet her by the river Loire, about a quarter of a
league distant, and there found her;
That, the Maid and the Deponent immediately entered the boat, while the
remainder of her soldiers turned back toward Blois. And, with the Lord
Dunois and his followers, they entered the city sure and safe; in which
[city] the Lord Dunois lodged her well and comfortably in the house of
one of the principal burghers of the city, who had married one of the
principal women thereof;
That, after the said Lord Dunois, La Hire, and certain other captains of
the party of our Lord the King, had conferred with the Maid as to what
was expedient to do for the guardianship, keeping, and defence of the
city, and also by what means the enemy could be best harassed, it was
between them agreed and concluded to be necessary that a certain number
of men-at-arms of their party, then near Blois, should be sent for and
brought. To put this into execution, and to fetch them to the city, were
appointed the Lord Dunois and the Deponent, and certain other captains,
with their followers, who sent to the country of Blois to bring the
same;
That, as soon as they were ready to depart and bring those who were in
the country of Blois, and that this came to the notice of the Maid,
immediately she mounted her horse, and, together with La Hire and a
certain number of her followers, she went out into the fields to keep
the enemy from doing them injury. And, in order to do this, the Maid
placed herself with her followers between the army of the enemy and the
city of Orleans; and so wrought, that,—thanks to God!—notwithstanding
the great power and number of the soldiers in the army of the enemy, the
Lord Dunois and the Deponent, with all their followers, passed through,
and safely went their way: and in the same way returned the Maid and her
followers to the city;
That, as soon as she knew of the coming of the aforesaid, and that they
brought with them those whom they had gone to fetch for the
reinforcement of the city, immediately the Maid mounted her horse and,
with a party of her followers, went to meet them, to support and succour
them, if there were need of it;
That, in the sight and knowledge of the enemies, the Maid, Dunois,
Maréchal La Hire, and the Deponent, with their followers, entered the
city without any opposition whatsoever;
Moreover, that, the same day, after dinner, came the said Lord Dunois to
the lodging of the Maid, where she and the Deponent had dined together.
And, in speaking to her, Dunois told her that he knew, of a truth, from
people of worth, that one named Fastolf, captain of the enemy, would
shortly join the enemy at the siege, not only to give them help and
reinforce them, but also to victual them, and that he was then at
Vinville. At which words the Maid much rejoiced—so it seemed to the
Deponent—and said to my Lord Dunois these or such-like words: “Bastard,
Bastard, in the Name of God I command thee that, so soon as thou knowest
of the coming of the said Fastolf, thou dost let me know; for, if he
pass without my knowing, I promise thee I will have thy head.” To which
replied the Lord Dunois, that of this he had no fear, for he would
certainly let her know;
That, after these words, the Deponent being tired and overdone, placed
himself on a couch in the chamber of the Maid, to rest himself a little,
and also the Maid placed herself with her hostess on another bed in the
same way, to sleep and rest; but, as the Deponent was beginning to take
his rest, suddenly the Maid, though asleep, arose from her bed and,
making a great noise, awoke him. And then the Deponent asked of her what
she wanted; to which she answered: “En Nom Dè! my Counsel hath told me
that I should attack the English; but I know not if I should attack
their bastilles or go against Fastolf, who would victual them”; on which
the Deponent immediately rose, and, as soon as he could, armed the Maid;
That, as soon as he had armed her, they heard a great noise and cry made
by those of the city, saying that the enemy were doing much harm to the
French. Then the Deponent armed himself, and, while he was so doing,
without his knowledge, the Maid left the room, and went forth into the
street. Here she found a page, on horseback, who at once dismounted from
the horse; and immediately she mounted thereon, and, as straight and as
speedily as she could, she took her way direct to the Burgundy Gate,
where was the greatest noise;
That, the Deponent immediately followed the Maid; but, go as quickly as
he might, she was already at the gate;
That, as they were coming to the gate, they saw being carried away one
of the people of the city, who was terribly wounded; and then the Maid
asked of those carrying him who this man was. They replied that he was a
Frenchman. Then she said she had never seen French blood without feeling
her hair stand on end;
That, at the same time, the Maid, the Deponent, and many other men of
war of their company, went out from the city to help the French, and to
harass the enemy to the best of their power; but, as soon as they were
outside the city, the Deponent was told that never had there been seen
so many men-at-arms of their side as were now there;
That, after this passage, they took their road towards a very strong
fort of the enemy, called the Fort of Saint Loup, which was at once
attacked by the French, and, with very little loss to them, was taken by
assault; and all the enemy within were killed or taken: and the fort
remained in the hands of the French;
That, this being done, the Maid and those of her company returned into
the city of Orleans, where they refreshed themselves and rested that
day;
That, next day, the Maid and her people, considering the great victory
obtained by them the day before over their enemies, sallied from the
town in good order, to attack another fort in front of the city, called
the Fort of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc: for which purpose, seeing that they
could not get there by land—because their enemies had made another very
strong fort, at the foot of the bridge of the city, so that it was
impossible for them to cross [the bridge]—it was decided among them to
pass over to a certain island in the river Loire, and there to assemble
their entire army: and, in order to take the Fort of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc
and to cross to the other arm of the river Loire, two boats were
brought, of which a bridge was made, for the attack of the fort;
That, this done, they went to the fort, which they found quite deserted;
for the English who were therein, so soon as they perceived the coming
of the French, went away, retreating to another stronger and greater
fort, called the Fort of the Augustins;
That, seeing the French were not powerful enough to take the fort, it
was decided they should return without doing anything further;
That, in order to return and cross more safely, the most notable and
valiant of the party of the French were ordered to remain behind, in
order to keep the enemy from troubling them on their return; and for
this were appointed Messires de Gaucourt, de Villars, then Seneschal of
Beaucaire, and the Deponent;
That, while the French were returning from the Fort of
Saint-Jean-le-Blanc to the island, the Maid and La Hire both crossed
over, each with a horse, in a boat from the other side of the island;
and on these horses they mounted as soon as they had crossed, each with
lance in hand. As soon as they saw that the enemy was making a sally
from the fort to rush upon their people, immediately the Maid and La
Hire, who were always in the front to protect them, couched their lances
and were the first to attack the enemy; others then followed and began
to attack the English, in such wise that they forcibly constrained them
to retreat and enter the Fort of the Augustins;
And, while this was going on, the Deponent, being in guard of a passage
with others appointed and ordered thereto—among whom was a very valiant
man-at-arms of the country of Spain, named Alphonse de Partada—saw
passing before them another man-at-arms of their company, a tall man,
big and well armed, to whom, because he was about to pass on, the
Deponent remarked that he ought to remain there for a time, with the
others, and make resistance to the enemy, should need arise; and he
immediately replied that he would do nothing [of the kind]. Then
Alphonse said he also would remain with the others, and that there were
many as valiant men as he who would remain willingly; who answered
Alphonse, that it would not be he. Upon which there were between them
certain proud words, so much that they decided to go, both of them, the
one and the other, against the enemy; and then it would be seen which
was the more valiant, and which of the two would best do his duty. And,
taking one another by the hand, at the greatest pace they could, they
went towards the fort of the enemy, and so to the foot of the palisade;
That, as they reached the palisade of the fort, the Deponent saw within
the palisade a tall, strong and powerful Englishman, armed at all
points, who so resisted them that they could not enter. Then the
Deponent shewed the Englishman to a man named Maître Jean the Cannoneer,
telling him to shoot at the Englishman; for he was doing much harm and
injury to those who wished to approach the fort. This Maître Jean did;
for, as soon as he saw him, he aimed a shot at him, so that he fell dead
to the ground; then the two men-at-arms won the passage, by which all
the others of their company crossed, and entered the fort, which most
fiercely and with great persistence they assailed on all sides, so that
within a short time they won it and took it by assault. There were
killed or taken the greater part of the enemy; and those who were able
to save themselves retreated into the Fort of Tourelles, at the foot of
the bridge. Thus, the Maid and those who were with her obtained victory
over the enemy that day. And the great battle was won; and the Lords and
their people with the Maid remained before the same [fort] all that
night;
Moreover, that, the next day, in the morning, the Maid sent to fetch all
the lords and captains before the captured fort, to consult as to what
more should be done; by the advice of whom it was concluded and resolved
to attack this day a great Boulevard, which the English had made, before
the Fort of Tourelles, and that it was expedient to gain it before doing
anything else. To do and put this into execution, the Maid, the captain,
and their people, on this day, very early in the morning, went from one
place to the other, before the Boulevard, and on this they made the
assault from all sides, making every effort to take it, in such manner
that they were before the Boulevard from morning till sunset without
being able to take it or gain it. And the lords and captains who were
with her, seeing that they could not well gain it this day, considering
the hour, which was late, and that all were very tired and worn out, it
was agreed amongst them to sound the retreat for the army; which was
done; and, at sound of the trumpet-call, each one retreated for that
day. In making this retreat, because the Deponent, who was carrying the
standard of the Maid, and holding it upright before the Boulevard,
became fatigued and worn-out, he gave the standard to one named La
Basque, who was of the following of De Villars; and because the Deponent
knew La Basque to be a valiant man, and feared that, by reason of the
retreat, evil would ensue, and that the fort and Boulevard would remain
in the hands of the enemy, he had an idea that, if the standard were
pushed to the front,—from the great affection which he knew the soldiers
had for it—they might for this reason gain the Boulevard. Then the
Deponent asked La Basque, if he were to enter and go to the foot of the
Boulevard, would he follow him; who said and promised that he would;
then the Deponent entered the trench, and went up to the foot of the
sides of the Boulevard, covering himself with his shield for fear of the
stones, and left his companion on the other side, believing he would
follow him step by step. But when the Maid saw her standard in the hand
of La Basque, and because she believed she had lost it, as he who bore
it had gone into the trench, the Maid came and took the standard by the
end in such wise that he could not hold it, crying, “Ha! my standard! my
standard!” and shook the standard in such wise that the Deponent thought
that, in so doing, the others might imagine she was making some sign to
them; then the Deponent cried: “La Basque, is this what thou didst
promise me?” Then La Basque so pulled at the standard that he dragged it
from the hand of the Maid; and, this being done, he went to the Deponent
and brought the standard. On this account all the army of the Maid
assembled together and rallied again, and, with great fierceness,
assailed the Boulevard, so that, shortly after, the Boulevard and the
fort were taken by them, and abandoned by the enemy, the French [on
their return] entering the city of Orleans by the bridge;
And the Deponent saith that, on this very day, he had heard it spoken by
the Maid: “In God’s Name, we shall enter the town this night by the
bridge.” This done, the Maid and her followers returned into the town of
Orleans, in which the Deponent had her [wound] dressed, for she had been
wounded by an arrow in the assault;
Also that, next day, all the English still remaining before the town on
the other side of the Fort of Tourelles, raised the siege and retreated,
being discomfited and in confusion. Thus, by the help of God and the
Maid, was the city delivered from the hands of the enemy;
Moreover, that, some time after the return from the consecration of
the King, he [the King] was advised by his Council—then at
Meung-sur-Yèvre—that it was most necessary to recover the town of La
Charité, which was held by the enemy; but that first must be taken the
town of Saint Pierre le Moustier, which likewise was held by the
enemy;
That, to do this and to collect men, the Maid went to the town of
Bourges, in which she assembled her forces; and from thence, with a
certain number of men-at-arms, of whom Lord d’Elbret was the head, she
went to besiege the town of Saint Pierre le Moustier;
That, after the Maid and her followers had made siege against the town
for some time, an assault was ordered to be made against the town; and
so it was done, and those who were there did their best to take it; but,
on account of the great number of people in the town, the great strength
thereof and also the great resistance made by those within, the French
were compelled and forced to retreat, for the reasons aforesaid; and at
that time, the Deponent was wounded by a shot in the heel, so that
without crutches he could neither keep up nor walk: he noticed that the
Maid was left accompanied by very few of her own people and others; and
the Deponent, fearing that trouble would follow therefrom, mounted a
horse, and went immediately to her aid, asking her what she was doing
there alone and why she did not retreat like the others. She, after
taking her helmet [“_salade_”] from her head, replied that she was not
alone, and that she had yet in her company fifty thousand of her people,
and that she would not leave until she had taken the town;
And the Deponent saith that, at that time—whatever she might say—she had
not with her more than four or five men, and this he knows most
certainly, and many others also, who in like manner saw her; for which
cause he told her again that she must leave that place, and retire as
the others did. And then she told him to have faggots and hurdles
brought to make a bridge over the trenches of the town, in order that
they might approach it the better. And as she said these words to him,
she cried in a loud voice: “Every one to the faggots and hurdles, to
make the bridge!” which was immediately after done and prepared, at
which the Deponent did much marvel, for immediately the town was taken
by assault, without very great resistance;
That, all the deeds of the Maid seemed to him to be more divine and
miraculous than otherwise, and that it was not possible for so young a
Maid to do such things without the Will and Guidance of Our Lord;
Also that, for the space of a whole year, by command of our Lord the
King, he remained in the company of the Maid, during which time he
neither saw nor knew of anything in her which should not be in a good
Christian; and he has always seen and known her to be of very good life
and modest conversation in all and every one of her acts;
Also that, he knew the Maid to be most devout; that she shewed herself
very reverent in hearing the Divine Service of our Lord, which she would
constantly hear, that is to say, High Mass, on solemn days, wherever she
was, with the Hours following; and on other days Low Mass; and that she
was accustomed to hear Mass daily if it were possible;
That, many times he saw and knew that she confessed herself and received
Our Lord, and did all that belongs to a good Christian to do, and that,
never when he was conversing with her, did he hear her swear, blaspheme,
or perjure the Name of Our Lord, nor the Saints, for whatever cause or
occasion it might be;
And that, in his opinion, she was a good Christian, and must have been
inspired; for she loved everything that a good Christian ought to love,
and especially she loved a good honest man [“_bon prudhomme_”] whom she
knew to be of chaste life; ... Also that, when the Maid had anything to
do for the conduct of war, she told the Deponent that her Counsel had
advised her what she ought to do;
That, he asked her who was the Counsel, and that she replied there were
three Counsellors, of whom one always remained with her; another went
away, but came often, to visit her; and the third was he with whom the
two others consulted. And it happened that, one time, among others, the
Deponent prayed and besought her that she would shew him the Counsel; to
whom she replied that he was not worthy, nor of sufficient virtue to see
them: and upon this the Deponent desisted from speaking or asking her
further about them;
And the Deponent firmly believes as aforesaid, that, considering the
deeds, actions and great leadership of the Maid, she was full of all the
virtue which might or should be in a good Christian;
And thus he hath deposed, as is above written, without love, favour,
hate, or suborning, but for the truth, and as he knew it to be in the
Maid.
SENTENCE OF REHABILITATION.
In the name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, Amen!
The Providence of the Eternal Majesty, the Saviour Christ, Lord God and
Man, hath instituted, for the rule of His Church Militant, the Blessed
Peter, and his Apostolic Successors; He hath made them His principal
representatives, and charged them, by the light of truth, which He hath
manifested to them, to teach men how to walk in the paths of justice,
protecting the good, relieving the oppressed in the whole universe, and,
by a reasonable judgment, bringing back into the right road those who
have turned therefrom:
Invested with this Apostolic authority for the matter in question, we
Jean of Rheims, Guillaume of Paris, and Richard of Coutances, by the
Grace of God Archbishop and Bishops, and Jean Bréhal, of the Order of
Saint Dominic, Professor of Sacred Theology, one of the two Inquisitors
of the Heretical Evil for the Realm of France, all four Judges specially
delegated by our most Holy Lord the Pope actually reigning:
Having seen the solemn Process brought before us, by virtue of the
Apostolic Mandate addressed to us, and by us respectfully accepted:
In the Case concerning the honest woman, Widow Isabelle d’Arc, mother,
Pierre and Jean d’Arc, brothers german, natural and legal, of the
deceased Jeanne d’Arc, of good memory, commonly called the Maid:
The said Case brought in their name,
Against the Sub-Inquisitor of the Heretical Evil for the Diocese of
Beauvais, the Promoter of the Officiality of the said Diocese of
Beauvais, and also the Reverend Father in Christ and Lord Guillaume de
Hellande, Bishop of Beauvais, and against all others and each in
particular who might be thought to be therein interested, all together
respectively Defendants, as well conjointly as separately:
Having seen, in the first place, the peremptory citation and the
execution of this citation made against the said Defendants, at the
request not only of the said Plaintiffs but of the Promoter of our
Office appointed by us, sworn and created, to the end that the said
Defendants might see the carrying out of the said Rescript, hear the
conclusions against them, and answer themselves; and to proceed, in one
word, according to right:
Having seen the request of the said Plaintiffs, their deeds, reasons,
and conclusion set down in writing under the form of Articles, putting
forward a declaration of nullity, of iniquity, and of cozenage against a
certain Process in a pretended Trial for the Faith, formerly done and
executed in this city against the above-named woman, now deceased, by
the late Lord Pierre Cauchon, then Bishop of Beauvais, Jean Lemaître,
then Vice-Inquisitor of the said Diocese of Beauvais, and Jean
d’Estivet, Promoter, or having at least acted in this capacity; the said
request putting forward and inferring further the breaking down and
annulling of the Process in question and of all which followed it, to
the justification of the said Deceased, and to all the other ends
therein enumerated:
Having seen, read, re-read and examined the original books, instruments,
means, acts, notes and protocols of the said Process, shewn and sent to
us, in virtue of the compulsory letters, by the Registrars and others
whose signatures and writings have been, as a preliminary, acknowledged
in our presence:
After having studied at length all these documents, not only with the
said Registrars and other officials appointed in the said Process, but
also with those of the Counsellors who were called to the same Process,
those, at least, whom we have been able to bring before us:
And after having ourselves collated and compared the final text, with
the Minute itself of the said Process:
Having considered also the Preparatory Enquiries,—first, those which
were conducted by the Most Reverend Father in Christ the Lord Guillaume,
Cardinal Priest under the title of Saint-Martin-les-Monts,[210] then
Legate of the Holy Apostolic See in the Kingdom of France, assisted by
the Inquisitor, after the examination which had been made by the said
Cardinal-Legate of the books and instruments then presented:
Having afterwards considered the Preparatory Enquiry conducted at the
beginning of the actual Process by us or our Commissaries:
Having considered also divers treatises[211] which had come from the
Prelates, Doctors, and men of learning, the most celebrated and the most
authorized, who, after having studied at length the books and
instruments of the said Process, have separated from these books and
instruments the doubtful points which they would have to elucidate in
their said treatises composed afterwards and brought to light, whether
by the order of the most Reverend Father aforesaid or of us:
Having considered the Articles and Interrogations to be submitted to the
witnesses, presented to us in the name of the Plaintiffs and of our
Promoter, and after many citations admitted in proof by us:
Having considered the depositions and attestations of the witnesses
heard on the subject of the said Articles and Interrogations on the life
of the said Deceased in the place of her birth;—on her departure; on her
examination before several Prelates, Doctors, and others having
knowledge thereof, in presence notably of the Most Reverend Father
Reginald, then Archbishop of Rheims and Metropolitan of the said Bishop
of Beauvais: an examination made at Poitiers and elsewhere, on several
occasions; on the marvellous deliverance of the city of Orleans; on the
journey to the city of Rheims and the coronation of the King; and the
divers circumstances of the Trial, the qualifications, the judges, and
the manner of proceeding:
Having considered also letters, instruments, and measures, besides the
letters, depositions and attestations just mentioned, sent to us and
produced in the course of law:
Having afterwards heard our Promoter, who, considering these productions
and these sayings, declares himself fully joined with the Plaintiffs:
Having heard the other requests and reserves made by our Promoter, in
his own name as well as in that of the Plaintiffs, the said requests and
reserves admitted by us and received at the same time as certain reasons
of law briefly formulated, of a nature also to impress our minds:
After the Case had been concluded, in the Name of Christ, and this day
had been assigned by us to give sentence:
After having, with great matureness, weighed, examined, all and each one
of the aforesaid things, as well as certain Articles beginning with
these words “A certain Woman, &c.,”[212] which the Judges in the first
Process did pretend to have extracted from the confessions of the said
Deceased, and which have been submitted by us to a great number of staid
persons for their opinion; Articles which our Promoter, as well as the
Plaintiffs aforesaid, attacked as iniquitous, false, prepared without
reference to the confessions of Jeanne, and in a lying manner:
That our present Judgment may come as from the Face of God Himself, Who
weigheth the spirits, Who alone infallibly knoweth His revelations, and
doth hold them always at their true value, Who bloweth where He listeth,
and doth often choose the weak to confound the strong, never forsaking
those who trust in Him, but being their Support in their sorrows and
their tribulations:
After having had ripe deliberation, as much on the subject of the
Preparatory Enquiries as on the decision itself, with persons at the
same time expert, authorized, and prudent:
Having considered their solemn decisions, formulated in the treatises
written out in a compendious manner, and in numerous consultations:
Having considered their opinion, written or verbal, furnished and given,
not only on the form but also on the basis of the Process, and according
to which the actions of the said Deceased, being worthy of admiration
rather than of condemnation, the judgment given against her should, in
form as well as in basis, be reprehended and detested:
And because on the question of revelations it is most difficult to
furnish a certain judgment, the Blessed Paul having, on the subject of
his own revelations, said that he knew not if they came to him in body
or in spirit, and having on this point referred himself to God:
In the first place, we say, and, because Justice requires it, we
declare, that the Articles beginning with the words “A woman,” which are
found inserted in the pretended Process and Instrument of the pretended
sentences, lodged against the said Deceased, ought to have been, have
been, and are, extracted from the said pretended Process and the said
pretended confessions of the said Deceased, with corruption, cozenage,
calumny, fraud and malice:
We declare, that on certain points the truth of her confessions has been
passed over in silence; that on other points her confessions have been
falsely translated—a double unfaithfulness, by which, had it been
prevented, the mind of the Doctors consulted and the Judges might have
been led to a different opinion:
We declare, that in these Articles there have been added without right
many aggravating circumstances, which are not in the aforesaid
Confessions, and many circumstances both relevant and justifying have
been passed over in silence:
We declare, that even the form of certain words has been altered, in
such manner as to change the substance: