individuals returned to Orleans, and there gave an account of every thing they had witnessed at Chinon.*

Measures were now adopted in order to proceed in the examinations to which it was thought proper La Pucelle should be subjected; and, to give more celebrity to these sittings, it was determined they should be held at Poitiers,† in presence of the king, the parliament, and an assembly of theologians. Jeanne d'Arc was interrogated, and answered with an

On receiving this intelligence, Dunois, according to his deposition at the process of the revisal, made the 22d of February, 1426, caused the citizens of Orleans to be assembled, and related to them all that his emissaries had heard and seen. This recital elevated the public mind; every one made his own comment; and some individuals went so far as to assert that several ecclesiastics had beheld an angel behind Jeanne d'Arc, who conducted her steps. The first use which count Dunois made of the celebrity of La Pucelle showed his sound policy, and was a lively indication of the result of Jeanne's interference.

↑ Jeanne was conducted to Poitiers, whither the king repaired for the express purpose of subjecting her to fresh interrogatories. During her residence in the above city she inhabited the house of the advocate-general, whose wife invited many young and elderly devout women to keep her company, and scrupulously examine whether or not she would belie any of her former assertions. Her conduct was uniformly found correct, and her conversation most exemplary, although she was allowed to speak and to act as she thought proper.-Lenglet, vol. i. page 47.

*

admirable presence of mind to all the litigious questions that were put to her. Among other points it was observed to her, that if, according to her assertion, the Lord was desirous of rescuing France from its calamities, men at arms were quite unnecessary; to which Jeanne replied, without being in the least disconcerted: "En mon Dieu, les gens d'armes batailleront, et Dieu donnera la victoire : In the name of God, the men at arms will fight, and God will give the victory." On being pressed to give some certain proofs respecting her divine mission, she made this dignified reply: "Je ne suis pas venue à Poitiers pour faire des signes; mais conduisez-moi à Orléans, et je vous montrerai des signes pourquoi je suis envoyée: I am not come to Poitiers to perform miracles; but conduct me to Orleans, and I will then give you proofs wherefore I am sent." Brother Seguin, a doctor of Limousin, who is styled in one of the old chronicles, "un bien aigre homme-a very captious man," having demanded of Jeanne d'Arc, in what language she was addressed by her supernatural agents? she replied with peculiar vivacity: "Meilleur que le vôtre-Better than yours."

* M. Luchet, at page 12, makes this sensible remark: "that Jeanne d'Arc, upon the present occasion, had only to prove the revelation stated to have been made by her to Baudricourt respecting the defeat of the French at the battle of Herrings, and then her judges must have remained mute.”

Do you believe in God? then demanded the monk: Mieux que vous-Better than you," was Jeanne's reply.

Quotations were very frequently made to her from sacred writers, for the purpose of invalidating her mission, when she contented herself by remarking: "Il y a ès livre de Messire (Dieu), plus que ès vostres: There is more in the book of God than in yours." As the interrogatories were prolonged, Jeanne remarked: "Il est temps et besoin d'agir: It is time, and there is a necessity for action." La Pucelle concluded by announcing to the assembly the several events which were subsequently realized: the overthrow of the English and the raising of the siege of Orleans; the coronation of the king at Rheims; the reduction of Paris to the obedience of Charles VII.; and the return of the duke of Orleans from England, where he had been detained. captive ever since the memorable battle of Azin

court.

After many sittings, the assembly of the doctors at length came to a decision that the king might lawfully accept the services of La Pucelle. It would appear from what is stated by Edmond Richer, who wrote the history of Jeanne d'Arc, that the parliament were less propitious; but none of the original documents which might afford a satisfactory conclusion are now extant.

Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulengy, who had

escorted La Pucelle from Vaucouleurs, made known to the public all the marvellous circumstances attending their journey through a territory occupied by the enemy. The bishop of Castres fomented the general enthusiasm which was thus created, by affirming that he believed Jeanne d'Arc was a messenger from God, and that it was to her the prophecies alluded which were at that period current among the people. These prognostics, the origin of which was altogether unknown, went to state, that the kingdom of France, lost by a woman, (Isabella of Bavaria,) would be saved by a virgin of the marches (frontiers) of Lorraine.*

Before he placed implicit confidence in Jeanne, Charles deemed it expedient to subject her to a new trial. She was supposed to be inspired, and such she might be by the intervention of Lucifer. According to the absurd prejudices of those times, the devil could not enter into any compact with a

*"Qu'aussi, avant que La Pucelle d'Orléans arriva à Chinon, où estoit le roy Charles VII., il luy avoit esté prédit, que luy et son royaume seroient fort affligés, mais que devers luy il viendroit une Pucelle qui le délivreroit."- Gerson, Pasquier, Hordal, Dupleix.

"Auxquelles révélations estoient jointes les prophéties des Anglois, qui disoient qu'ils avoient une certaine prophétie de Merlin, leur prophète, qui leur prédisoit qu'ils devoient estre destruits en France par une Pucelle."-Hist. et Antiq. de la Ville d'Orléans, par François le Mair, 1648, fol. 187 et 188.

virgin; and, in consequence, Jeanne d'Arc was obliged to submit to an examination, at which the queen of Sicily, Jolande of Arragon, and the ladies de Gaucourt and de Treves, presided. She was, in consequence, pronounced pure ;* and it is stated, on this occasion, to have been ascertained that Jeanne, who was then between seventeen and eighteen years of age, had not been subject to the monthly appearances incidental to her sex; which, it is further said, she never experienced: a peculiarity worthy of being remarked. According to the deposition of Jeanne Pasquerel, it appears that previous to this inquiry respecting her virginity, Jeanne had been subjected to an examination as to her sex.

During these transactions, the agents who had been forwarded to Domremy returned to Chinon, having brought the most favourable testimonies in regard to La Pucelle, who having thus surmounted every impediment, was at length permitted to proceed to the city of Orleans. The fame of her mission was now disseminated far and wide; the men at arms, who had previously felt discouraged, voluntarily flocked around La Pucelle; and the oldest captains, nay, even princes, felt disposed to march under her ensign.

Charles despatched the duke of Alençon to Blois,

See Notes to the Diary, pp. 156 and 159.