Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/80

66, assisted by the earls of Arundel and Suffolk, The garrison, on her appearance, believed themselves invincible. But their joy was of short duration. The maid, after performing prodigies of valour, was taken prisoner in a sally; and the duke of Bedford, resolved upon her ruin, ordered her to be tried by the ecclesiastical court for sorcery, impiety, idolatry, and magic. She was found guilty by her ignorant or iniquitous judges, of all those crimes, aggravated by heresy. Her revelalations were declared to be inventions of the devil, to delude the people. No efforts' were made by the French court to deliver her; and this admirable heroine was cruelly delivered over alive to the flames, at the age of nineteen, A. D. 1431, and expiated by the punishment of fire, the signal services which she had rendered to her prince and native country.

Joan appears not only to have been a virtuous and heroic character, but to have possessed that truth and sensibility, which should, and perhaps always does, accompany true genius. Her manner is recorded to have been mild and gentle, when unarmed, though courageous in the field. She was frequently wounded; and once drawing out the English arrow, cried out, "It is glory, and not blood, which flows from this wound!" and, when mounting the fatal pile, though her face was covered with tears, she said, "God be blessed!"

celebrated philosopher had instructed them with so much success, that his wife was able to teach philosophy and the sciences to her son, who was therefore called