very good woman; but I know not how the matter will terminate-God alone can speak to that." This conversation, being made known to the earl of Warwick, involved Massieu in very great danger. He was summoned before the bishop of Beauvais, who reproached him for having so expressed himself; and concluded by stating, that he had better beware how he misconstrued circumstances, or that he should be taught to drink once too much for his opinions. The bishop of Beauvais then issued express orders that the accused, in future, should not be permitted to go near the chapel.

Before we enter upon a concise detail of the proceedings that occurred during each sitting, it may be well to state that Jeanne d'Arc made many fruitless applications to be transferred to the prison of the archbishopric, she being subjected to ecclesiastical authority. It was in vain that she demanded to be judged by others than her avowed enemies, or that, at any rate, an equal number of unprejudiced ecclesiastics should be the arbitrators of her fate. Every thing was denied her, not excepting her appeal to the pope a request that never had before been refused when made by the greatest criminals. In such case the king's proctor preferred his appeal to the pope as a matter of right, even in case the accused had neglected to have recourse to such a proceeding.

The process commenced on Wednesday, the 21st

of February, 1431. accused was to demand that as many ecclesiastics should be summoned on the part of Charles VII. as on that of the king of England, and that she might be released from the irons with which her ancles were loaded. At the inexperienced age of nineteen years, it may be reasonably supposed, she would be in need of some friendly advisers; but such assistance, when requested, was refused. An oath was exacted from Jeanne that she should declare the truth; which she took without any apparent reluctance, only demanding that no inquiry should be made respecting her secret communications with the king, which, she stated, she had never revealed to any one, nor would make them known, even though death should be inflicted for her silence. On this point Jeanne continued inflexible, notwithstanding the repeated interrogatories proposed to her respecting it. The bishop of Beauvais, in the course of this sitting, having commanded her not to make any attempt to escape from prison; she answered with firmness, that she could not see the justice of such a command, and should not scruple to disobey it if a favourable opportunity occurred.

The first step taken by the

On the ensuing day, the 22d of February, the second sitting was convened, when Jeanne was interrogated as to the manner in which she had resolved to proceed on joining Charles at Chinon; and it was on this occasion that she made known

66

the precise words used by the lord de Baudricourt— Va, et advienne tout ce qui pourra,"―at the period of her departure from Vaucouleurs.

The letters dictated by Jeanne, and forwarded to the English on her arrival at Orleans, were also laid before her; and such was the strength of her memory, that although ten months had transpired since they were penned, she discovered during their perusal the alterations which we have before mentioned as purposely made in the wording of those instruments. It was then demanded of the accused whether she had seen an angel over the head of the king? to which she answered, "Pardonnez moi, et passez outre,― Excuse me, proceed to other matters." The tribunal next touched upon the most essential points which they wished to ascertain the apparitions or revelations which Charles VII. had seen or heard; but Jeanne would say nothing on that subject, advising them to send to her king if they were desirous of acquiring such information. She afterwards repeated this resolution of secrecy in the course of the fifth sitting.

As the assembly were desirous of expediting the process as much as possible, a third sitting took place on Saturday, the 24th of February, during which she cautioned the bishop of Beauvais to take heed how he styled himself her judge: but he was not susceptible of any scruples of conscience from such remonstrances. It was in vain that further attempts

were then made to draw from La Pucelle certain statements concerning the king; she persisted in her silence, nor would she submit to be put upon her oath, but invariably desired them to pass on to other matters. Jeanne further stated, that there were certain points upon which she was not bound to reply; and when doubtful questions were proposed, she required time to frame her answers. Far from taking to herself any share of praise for the actions she had performed, she modestly attributed all her successes to the interposition of the Almighty.*

* M. Luchet, at p. 31, says, that during the third sitting Jeanne being interrogated respecting the period when she heard the voices of her celestial advisers, her reply was to the following effect. That they addressed her three times; in the morning, and at the hours of Vespers and of Ave Maria ;-that they awoke her and commanded her to speak boldly. "This," continues our author, may have been a vision or a dream; there exists no more proof of the one than of the other. In the ordinary course of things, is it not more easy to believe that Jeanne was dreaming, than to suppose a useless miracle ?"

After this La Pucelle stated, that the voices told her to communicate all things to the king, but not to them.

When they proposed other questions, for the express purpose of urging her to contradict herself, she observed, "Le dict des petits enfans est, qu'on pend bien aucunes fois les gens pour dire la vérité: The adage of little children is, that persons should never be hanged for speaking the truth."

When asked whether the natives of Domremy were favourable to the Burgundians or the Armagnacs, she answered: That she had only known of one Burgundian whose head she should like

Being asked by the judges whether she thought herself blessed with the grace of God, she thus expressed herself:-" Si je n'y suis, Dieu veuille m'y mettre; et s'y j'y suis, Dieu veuille m'y tenir; car je m'estimerais la plus malheureuse des femmes, j'aimerais mieux mourir que de me savoir hors de la grace et de l'amour de Dieu. If I am not, may God effect it; and if I am, may God retain me in it; for I should esteem myself the most unfortunate of women, I would rather die than know that I were without the pale of the grace and love of God." It appears that one of the assessors conceived this question to be of such a difficult nature to resolve, that he decidedly expressed his opinion that the prisoner was not bound to answer it. Even the severe critic Luchet allows that the above reply of Jeanne d'Arc was sublime.

On being asked why she had borne her banner foremost at the coronation of Charles VII. at Rheims, in preference to those of the captains attending, she answered," Il est juste que qui a "Il eu part au travail en ait à l'honneur-It is but just that such

to have seen struck off. Upon this reply M. Luchet remarks, that such a desire could not originate with Heaven, but must have been the result of fanaticism.

The residue of this sitting, continues our authority, was employed in ascertaining what was The Ladies' Tree, and the Wood of Oaks; concerning which, however, the replies of Jeanne afforded nothing satisfactory.