Part 112 (2/2)
”Ah! right terribly hast thou been deceived, n.o.ble house of France, once the most Christian of houses! Charles, who calls himself thy head and a.s.sumes the t.i.tle of King hath, like a heretic and schismatic, received the words of an infamous woman, abounding in evil works and in all dishonour. And not he alone, but all the clergy in his lords.h.i.+p and dominion, by whom this woman, so she sayeth, hath been examined and not rejected. Full sore is the pity of it.”[2461]
[Footnote 2461: _Ibid._, vol. ii, pp. 15, 17.]
Two or three times did Maitre Guillaume repeat these words concerning King Charles. Then pointing at Jeanne with his finger he said:
”It is to you, Jeanne, that I speak; and I say unto you that your King is a heretic and a schismatic.”
At these words Jeanne was deeply wounded in her love for the Lilies of France and for King Charles. She was moved with great feeling, and she heard her Voices saying unto her:
”Reply boldly to the preacher who is preaching to you.”[2462]
[Footnote 2462: _Ibid._, vol. i, pp. 456, 457. U. Chevalier, _L'abjuration de Jeanne d'Arc_, pp. 46, 47.]
Then obeying them heartily, she interrupted Maitre Jean:
”By my troth, Messire,” she said to him, ”saving your reverence, I dare say unto you and swear at the risk of my life, that he is the n.o.blest Christian of all Christians, that none loveth better religion and the Church, and that he is not at all what you say.”[2463]
[Footnote 2463: _Trial_, vol. ii, pp. 15, 17, 335, 345, 353, 367.]
Maitre Guillaume ordered the Usher, Jean Ma.s.sieu, to silence her.[2464]
Then he went on with his sermon, and concluded with these words: ”Jeanne, behold my Lords the Judges, who oftentimes have summoned you and required you to submit all your acts and sayings to Mother Church.
In these acts and sayings were many things which, so it seemed to these clerics, were good neither to say nor to maintain.”[2465]
[Footnote 2464: _Ibid._, p. 17.]
[Footnote 2465: _Ibid._, vol. i, pp. 444, 445.]
”I will answer you,” said Jeanne. Touching the article of submission to the Church, she recalled how she had asked for all the deeds she had wrought and the words she had uttered to be reported to Rome, to Our Holy Father the Pope, to whom, after G.o.d, she appealed. Then she added: ”And as for the sayings I have uttered and the deeds I have done, they have all been by G.o.d's command.”[2466]
[Footnote 2466: _Ibid._, p. 445.]
She declared that she had not understood that the record of her trial was being sent to Rome to be judged by the Pope.
”I will not have it thus,” she said. ”I know not what you will insert in the record of these proceedings. I demand to be taken to the Pope and questioned by him.”[2467]
[Footnote 2467: _Ibid._, vol. ii, p. 358.]
They urged her to incriminate her King. But they wasted their breath.
”For my deeds and sayings I hold no man responsible, neither my King nor another.”[2468]
[Footnote 2468: _Ibid._, vol. i, p. 445.]
”Will you abjure all your deeds and sayings? Will you abjure such of your deeds and sayings as have been condemned by the clerks?”
”I appeal to G.o.d and to Our Holy Father, the Pope.”
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