Part 86 (1/2)
a.s.sisted by the judges of Lagny, he himself conducted the trial. The accused confessed that he was a murderer, a thief, and a traitor. We must believe him; and yet we cannot forbear a doubt as to whether he really was, any more than the majority of Armagnac or Burgundian men-at-arms, any more than a Damoiseau de Commercy or a Guillaume de Flavy, for example. He was condemned to death.
Jeanne consented that he should die, if he had deserved death, and seeing that he had confessed his crimes[1964] he was beheaded.
[Footnote 1964: _Ibid._, p. 159.]
When they heard of the scandalous treatment of Messire Franquet, the Burgundians were loud in their sorrow and indignation.[1965] It would seem that in this matter the Bailie of Senlis and the judges of Lagny did not act according to custom. We, however, are not sufficiently acquainted with the circ.u.mstances to form an opinion. There may have been some reason, of which we are ignorant, why the King of France should have demanded this prisoner. He had a right to do so on condition that he paid the Maid the amount of the ransom. A soldier of those days, well informed in all things touching honour in war, was the author of _Le Jouvencel_. In his chivalrous romances he writes approvingly of the wise Amydas, King of Amydoine, who, learning that one of his enemies, the Sire de Morcellet, has been taken in battle and held to ransom, cries out that he is the vilest of traitors, ransoms him with good coins of the realm, and hands him over to the provost of the town and the officers of his council that they may execute justice upon him.[1966] Such was the royal prerogative.
[Footnote 1965: _Ibid._, p. 254. Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 385. E.
Richer, _Histoire ma.n.u.scrite de la Pucelle_, book i, folio 82.]
[Footnote 1966: _Le Jouvencel_, vol. ii, pp. 210, 211.]
Whether it was that camp life was hardening her, or whether, like all mystics, she was subject to violent changes of mood, Jeanne showed at Lagny none of that gentleness she had displayed on the evening of Patay. The virgin who once had no other arm in battle than her standard, now wielded a sword found there, at Lagny, a Burgundian sword and a trusty. Those who regarded her as an angel of the Lord, good Brother Pasquerel, for example, might justify her by saying that the Archangel Saint Michael, the standard-bearer of celestial hosts, bore a flaming sword. And indeed Jeanne remained a saint.
While she was at Lagny, folk came and told her that a child had died at birth, unbaptized.[1967] Having entered into the mother at the time of her conception, the devil held the soul of this child, who, for lack of water, had died the enemy of its Creator. The greatest anxiety was felt concerning the fate of this soul. Some thought it was in limbo, banished forever from G.o.d's sight, but the more general and better founded opinion was that it was seething in h.e.l.l; for has not Saint Augustine demonstrated that souls, little as well as great, are d.a.m.ned because of original sin. And how could it be otherwise, seeing that Eve's fall had effaced the divine likeness in this child? He was destined to eternal death. And to think that with a few drops of water this death might have been avoided! So terrible a disaster afflicted not only the poor creature's kinsfolk, but likewise the neighbours and all good Christians in the town of Lagny. The body was carried to the Church of Saint-Pierre and placed before the image of Our Lady, which had been highly venerated ever since the plague of 1128. It was called Notre-Dame-des-Ardents because it cured burns, and when there were no burns to be cured it was called Notre-Dame-des-Aidants, or rather Des Aidances, that is, Our Lady the Helper, because she granted succour to those in dire necessity.[1968]
[Footnote 1967: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 105.]
[Footnote 1968: A. Denis, _Jeanne d'Arc a Lagny_, Lagny, 1896, in 8vo, pp. 4 _et seq._ J.A. Lepaire, _Jeanne d'Arc a Lagny_, Lagny, 1880, in 8vo, 38 pages.]
The maidens of the town knelt before her, the little body in their midst, beseeching her to intercede with her divine Son so that this little child might have his share in the Redemption brought by our Saviour.[1969] In such cases the Holy Virgin did not always deny her powerful intervention. Here it may not be inappropriate to relate a miracle she had worked thirty-seven years before.
[Footnote 1969: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 105.]
At Paris, in 1393, a sinful creature, finding herself with child, concealed her pregnancy, and, when her time was come, was without aid delivered. Then, having stuffed linen into the throat of the girl she had brought forth, she went and threw her on to the dust-heap outside La Porte Saint-Martin-des-Champs. But a dog scented the body, and scratching away the other refuse, discovered it. A devout woman, who happened to be pa.s.sing by, took this poor little lifeless creature, and, followed by more than four hundred people, bore it to the Church of Saint-Martin-des-Champs, there placed it on the altar of Our Lady, and kneeling down with the mult.i.tude of folk and the monks of the Abbey, with all her heart prayed the Holy Virgin not to suffer this innocent babe to be condemned eternally. The child stirred a little, opened her eyes, loosened the linen, which gagged her, and cried aloud. A priest baptized her on the altar of Our Lady, and gave her the name of Marie. A nurse was found, and she was fed from the breast.
She lived three hours, then died and was carried to consecrated ground.[1970]
[Footnote 1970: _Religieux de Saint-Denis_, vol. ii, p. 82. Jean Juvenal des Ursins, in _Coll. Michaud et Poujoulat_, p. 395, col. 2.]
In those days resurrections of unbaptized children were frequent. That saintly Abbess, Colette of Corbie, who, when Jeanne was at Lagny, dwelt at Moulins with the reformed Sisters of Saint Clare, had brought back to life two of these poor creatures: a girl, who received the name of Colette at the font and afterwards became nun, then abbess at Pont-a-Mousson; a boy, who was said to have been two days buried and whom the servant of the poor declared to be one of the elect. He died at six months, thus fulfilling the prophecy made by the saint.[1971]
[Footnote 1971: _Acta Sanctorum_, 6th of March, pp. 381 and 617. Abbe Bizouard, _Histoire de Sainte Colette_, pp. 35, 37. Abbe Douillet, _Sainte Colette, sa vie, ses oeuvres_, 1884, pp. 150-154.]
With this kind of miracle Jeanne was doubtless acquainted. About twenty-five miles from Domremy, in the duchy of Lorraine, near Luneville, was the sanctuary of Notre-Dame-des-Aviots, of which she had probably heard. Notre-Dame-des-Aviots, or Our Lady of those brought back to life, was famed for restoring life to unbaptized children. By means of her intervention they lived again long enough to be made Christians.[1972]
[Footnote 1972: Le Cure de Saint-Sulpice, _Notre-Dame de France_, Paris, in 8vo, vol. vi, 1860, p. 57.]
In the duchy of Luxembourg, near Montmedy, on the hill of Avioth,[1973]
mult.i.tudes of pilgrims wors.h.i.+pped an image of Our Lady brought there by angels. On this hill a church had been built for her, with slim pillars and elaborate stonework in trefoils, roses and light foliage.
This statue worked all manner of miracles. At its feet were placed children born dead; they were restored to life and straightway baptized.[1974]
[Footnote 1973: For the etymology of Avioth see C. Bonnabelle, _Pet.i.te etude sur Avioth et son eglise_, in _Annuaire de la Meuse_, 1883, in 18mo, p. 14.]
[Footnote 1974: Le Cure de Saint-Sulpice, _loc. cit._, vol. v, pp. 107 _et seq._ Bonnabelle, _loc. cit._, pp. 13 _et seq._ Jacquemain, _Notre-Dame d'Avioth et son eglise monumentale_, Sedan, 1876, in 8vo.]
The folk, gathered in the Church of Saint-Pierre de Lagny, around the statue of Notre-Dame-des-Aidances, hoped for a like grace. The damsels of the town prayed round the child's lifeless body. The Maid was asked to come and join them in praying to Our Lord and Our Lady. She went to the church, and knelt down with the maidens and prayed. The child was black, ”as black as my coat,” said Jeanne. When the Maid and the damsels had prayed, it yawned three times and its colour came back. It was baptized and straightway it died; it was buried in consecrated ground. Throughout the town this resurrection was said to be the work of the Maid. According to the tales in circulation, during the three days since its birth the child had given no sign of life;[1975] but the gossips of Lagny had doubtless extended the period of its comatose condition, like those good wives who of a single egg laid by the husband of one of them, made a hundred before the day was out.
[Footnote 1975: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 105, 106.]