day, being in her father's garden, suddenly beheld, on the right side of the village church, a dazzling light, while an unknown voice echoed in her ear. These sounds breathed the wisest counsels, telling her to frequent the church, to be always good and virtuous, and to rely upon the protection of Heaven.

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La jeune fille oust moult paour de ce: The young girl felt much afraid at this:" as appears from the statements of those who were present at the interrogatories during her trial: but she did not hesitate in believing it was sent from heaven, and in order to testify her gratitude, she voluntarily undertook to consecrate her virginity to the Lord.

Upon a subsequent occasion, when in the open country, the same voice was audible to Jean d'Arc, while an archangel presented itself to La Pucelle, accompanied by other celestial emissaries. This was Saint Michael, who expressed himself to the young girl to the following effect: "That the Almighty felt great pity towards France; and that it was necessary she should go to the king's assistance that she would cause the raising of the siege of Orleans, and deliver Charles from his enemies; that it was necessary she should present herself to Baudricourt, captain of Vaucouleurs, who would cause her to be conducted to the king, where she would arrive without meeting any obstacle; that Saint Catherine and Saint Marguerite would visit

her, they having been chosen to guide and assist her with their advice; and that it was requisite for her to believe and obey them in all they should prescribe, such being the will of the Omnipotent." Jeanne confessed that in the first instance she could scarcely give credit to these apparitions, but that unknown beings again presented themselves at different times, and in particular she stated that the personage who addressed her, was "truly a comely man." The two Saints, above named, whose images Jeanne had been accustomed to decorate with flowers in the chapel of Domremy, accordingly visited her; and from whatsoever cause these appearances testified by the girl arose, they certainly elevated her mind, which was naturally prone to contemplation.*

In proportion as Jeanne increased in years, the

• In the progress of the interrogatories that took place during the trial, Jeanne affirmed that these revelations and apparitions began when she had attained the age of thirteen, (see Laverdy, 36.) She did not, however, communicate these circumstances to her neighbours. Her belief in such revelations is little to be wondered at, if we take into consideration the superstitious credulity which reigned in that part of the country, of which we will quote one example. It was currently believed that the fairies visited Domremy, assembling under a large tree; wherefore the curate, in order to drive them away, used to repair thither to chant one of the gospels, on the eve of the Ascension, being accompanied thither by the inhabitants; among whom Jeanne followed with the rest; but she was not observed to repair to that spot alone. ·See Laverdy, 300; Dartigny, vii. 350.

injunctions of these heavenly emissaries became more importunate; recommending her to set forward upon her mission and enter France. Notwithstanding the caution which Jeanne observed in not communicating her revelations to any one, she nevertheless found it impossible to execute her project without giving publicity to some circumstances; and it appears that in the course of a conversation which took place with a labouring man of Domremy, residing near her father, she went so far as to state" that there was a girl residing between Compey and Vaucouleurs, who, before the expiration of a year, would cause the king of France to be crowned," which event certainly did take place within the period so stipulated. Assertions of this description being frequently made, caused considerable uneasiness to Jacques d'Arc and Isabella Romée, who became apprehensive lest their daughter should seek to accomplish her plan by joining some party of soldiers, many of which passed at

Lenglet, vol. i. page 13, says, from the representations made during the interrogatories of Jeanne, that when conversing with the villagers concerning the misfortunes of the kingdom, she frequently affirmed that a young girl of the country would present herself to succour France and the oppressed blood royal, and that she would conduct the Dauphin to be crowned at Rheims ; but those to whom she thus addressed herself were far from conceiving that Jeanne intended any allusion to herself by these

statements.

intervals through the village. In consequence of this, the proceedings of the girl were carefully watched by her parents, and upon one occasion, Jacques d'Arc said to his sons in the dialect of that period: "Si je cuidoye que la chose advinsit que j'ai songié d'elle, je vouldroye que la noyissiez, et se vous ne le faisiez, je la noyeroie moi même : If I thought that the circumstance would take place which I have imagined respecting her, I should wish you to drown her, and if you would not do so, I would drown her myself." Jacques d'Arc had previously a dream notifying to him that his daughter would quit her home with a band of armed men.

Such was the situation of Jeanne d'Arc with her family, when a troop of Burgundians suddenly appeared, ravaging the country, in order to punish the natives for their firm adherence to the cause of Charles VII. These troops advanced upon Domremy, and at their approach all the inhabitants took to flight, carrying with them their most valuable effects, and driving their flocks along the banks of the Meuse; seeking refuge within the walls of Neufchâteau. In this town Jeanne d'Arc and her family found an asylum in the dwelling of an honest labouring woman, named La Rousse, who kept a small inn;* and beneath her roof they

It has been surmised that Jeanne d'Arc was for some time servant at an inn; but the most ancient, as well as all her

continued for five days, during which time Jeanne was employed in superintending her father's flock in the neighbouring fields.

In the midst of these domestic avocations, and the embarrassments of her situation, Jeanne nevertheless scrupulously performed all her devotional offices, and went to confess two or three times. The residence, however, at Neufchâteau, became

modern biographers whose statements are worthy of credit, make no mention of her having served in a house of public resort. In the course of her trial it appeared from her own statement, that she was resident at an inn at Neufchâteau for about fifteen days, but that she never mounted horses to lead them to the water, continuing, on the contrary, quiet within the house, and solely occupied in attending to domestic concerns. If this residence at an inn for so short a period escaped the recollection of the witnesses examined during the second process instituted for the justification of Jeanne, it is not to be wondered at, as a lapse of twenty-five years had transpired since her execution. However, in order that the reader may be better enabled to form an opinion as to the confidence that should be placed in the testimony of the persons so examined, the following is an account of the occupations they severally followed, extracted from the lists of Laverdy, page 286, and Lenglet, vol. ii. page 166, &c.

One thatcher; nine labouring men; the wives of four labourers; the wives of a notary, a clerk, and a draper; two notaries; one priest; two curates; two canons who were curates; three esquires; two lords, and one of them a knight; the professions of four other men and one woman are not recorded; making in the whole thirty-four witnesses.