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 JOAN

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JOAN

text for the harshness shown regarding her confine- these, another set of twelve were drafted, better ar-

ment at Rouen, where she was at first kept in an iron ranged and less extravagantly worded. With this

cage, chained by the neck, hands, and feet. On the summary of her misdeeds before them, a large major-

otiaer hand she was allowed no spiritual privileges — ity of the twenty-two judges who took part in the de-

e. g. attendance at Mass — on account of the charge of liberations declared Joan's visions and voices to be

heresy and the monstrous dress (difformilate habitus) "false and diabolical", and they decided that if she

she was wearing. refused to retract she was to be handed over to the

As regards the official record of the trial, which, so secular arm — which was the same as saying that she

far as the Latin version goes, seems to be preserved was to be burned. Certain formal admonitions, at

entire, we may probably trust its accuracy in all that relates to the ques- tions asked and the an- swers returned by the prisoner. These answers are in every way favour- able to Joan. Her simplic- ity, piety, and good sense appear at every turn, de- spite the attempts of the judges to confuse her. They pressed her regard- ing her visions, but upon many points she refused

Standard of Joan of Arc

first private, and then public, were administered to the poor victim (18 April and 2 May), but she refused to make any sub- mission which the judges could have considered satisfactory. On 9 May she was threatened with torture, but she still held firm. Meanwhile, the twelve propositions were submitted to the Univer- sity of Paris, which, being extravagantly English in

to answer. Her attitude was always fearless, and, sympathy,denouncedtheMaidin violent terms. Strong

upon 1 March, Joan boldly announced that "within in this approval, the judges, forty-seven in ninnber,

seven years' space the English would have to forfeit a held a final deliberation, and forty-two reaffirmed that

bigger prize than Orleans". In point of fact Paris Joan ought to be declared heretical and handed over

was lost to Henry VI on 12 Nov., 1437 — six years and to the civil power, if she still refused to retract. An-

eight months afterwards. It was probably because other admonition followed in the prison on 22 May,

the Maid's answers perceptibly won sympathizers for but Joan remained unshaken. The next day a stake

her in a large assembly that Cauchon decided to con- was erected in the cemetery of St-Ouen, and in the

duct the rest of the enquiry before a small committee of judges in the prison itself. We may remark that the only matter in which any charge of prevarication can be reasonably urged against Joan's replies occurs espe- cially in this stage of the enquiry. Joan, pressed about the secret sign given to the king, declared that an angel ijrought him a golden crowti, l:>ut on further questioning she seems to have grown con- fused and to have contra- dicted herself. Most author- ities (like, e.g., M. Petit de Julleville and Mr. Andrew Lang) are agreed that she was trying to guard the king's secret behind an alle- gory, she herself being the angel; but others — for in- stance P. Ayroles and Canon Dunand — insinuate that the accuracy of the procis-verbal cannot be trusted. On an- other point she was preju- diced by her lack of educa- tion. The judges asked her to submit her.self to "the Church Militant". Joan clearly did not understand

STRlAN Statue of Joan of Arc Place du Martroi, Orleans Denis Foyatier, 1855

presence of a great crowd she was solemnly admon- ished for the last time. After a courageous protest against the preacher's insulting re- flections on her king, Charles MI, the accessories of the scene seem at last to have worked upon mind and body worn out by so many strug- gles. Her courage for once failed her. She consented to sign some sort of retractation, luit what the precise terms of that retractation were will never be known. In the of- ficial record of the process a form of retractation is in- serted which is most humili- ating in every particular. It is a long document which would have taken half an hour to read. What was read aloud to Joan and was signed by her must have been something quite different, for fi\-e witnesses at the re- habilitation trial, including Jean Massieu, the official who had himself read it aloud, declared that it was only a matter of a few lines. Even so, the poor victim did not sign unconditionally, but

the phrase and, though willing and anxious to appeal plainly declared that she only retracted iii so far as it

to the pope, grew puzzled and confu.sed. It was was God's will. However, in virtue of this concession,

as.serted later that Joan's reluctance to pledge her-self Joan was not then burned, but conducted back to

simple acceptance of the Church's decisions was prison.

hie to some insidious advice treachcrou.sly imparted to her to work her ruin. But the accounts of this alU'fji'd perfidy are contradictory aixl improbable.

The cxariiinalions terminated on 17 March. Sev- enty pni|iiisiticiiis were tlicii dniwii up, forming a very disorderly and unfair presentment of Joan's "crimes '

The English and Burgundians were fiu-ious, but Cauchon, it seems, placated them by saying, "We shall have her yet." Undoubtedly her position wotild now, in case of a relapse, lie worse than before, for no second retractation could save her from the flames. Moreover, as one of the points

but, after she had Ix'en permitted to hear and reply to upon which she had been condemned was the wear-