The Life of Joan of Arc Part 90

Some time before, a shepherd lad of Gevaudan, by name Guillaume, while tending his flocks at the foot of the Lozere Mountains and guarding them from wolf and lynx, had a revelation concerning the realm of France. This shepherd, like John, Our Lord's favourite disciple, was virgin. In one of the caves of the Mende Mountain, where the holy apostle Privat had prayed and fasted, his ear was struck by a heavenly voice, and thus he knew that G.o.d was sending him to the King of France. He went to Mende, just as Jeanne had gone to Vaucouleurs in order that he might be taken to the King. There he found pious folk, who, touched by his holiness and persuaded that there was power in him, provided for his equipment and for his journey, which provisions, in sooth, amounted to very little. The words he addressed to the King were much the same as those uttered by the Maid.

"Sire," he said, "I am commanded to go with your people; and without fail the English and Burgundians shall be discomfited."[2049]

[Footnote 2049: Summary of a letter from Regnault de Chartres to the inhabitants of Reims, _Trial_, vol. v, p. 168.]

The King received him kindly. The clerks who had examined the Maid must have feared lest if they repulsed this shepherd lad they might be rejecting the aid of the Holy Ghost. Amos was a shepherd, and to him G.o.d granted the gift of prophecy: "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." MATT. xi, 25.

But before this shepherd could be believed he must give a sign. The clerks of Poitiers, who in those evil days languished in dire penury, did not appear exacting in their demand for proofs; they had counselled the King to employ the Maid merely on the promise that as a token of her mission she would deliver Orleans. The Gevaudan shepherd had more than promises to allege; he showed wondrous marks on his body. Like Saint Francis he had received the stigmata; and on his hands, his feet and in his side were bleeding wounds.[2050]

[Footnote 2050: _Journal d'un bourgeois de Paris_, p. 272. Lefevre de Saint-Remy, vol. ii, p. 263. Martial d'Auvergne, _Vigiles_, vol. i, p.

124.]

The mendicant monks rejoiced that their spiritual father had thus partic.i.p.ated in the Pa.s.sion of Our Lord. A like grace had been granted to the Blessed Catherine of Sienna, of the order of Saint Dominic.

But if there were miraculous stigmata imprinted by Jesus Christ himself, there were also the stigmata of enchantment, which were the work of the Devil, and very important was it to distinguish between the two.[2051] It could only be done by great knowledge and great piety. It would appear that Guillaume's stigmata were not the work of the devil; for it was resolved to employ him in the same manner as Jeanne, as Catherine de la Roch.e.l.le, and as the two Breton women, the spiritual daughters of Friar Richard.

[Footnote 2051: A. Maury, _La stigmatisation et les stigmates_, in _Revue des Deux Mondes_, 1854, ch. viii, pp. 454-482. Dr. Subled, _Les stigmates selon la science_, in _Science catholique_, 1894, vol. viii, pp. 1073 _et seq._; vol. ix, pp. 2 _et seq._]

When the Maid fell into the hands of the Burgundians, the Sire de la Tremouille was with the King, on the Loire, where fighting had ceased since the disastrous siege of La Charite. He sent the shepherd youth to the banks of the Oise, to the Lord Archbishop of Reims, who was there opposing the Burgundians, commanded by Duke Philip, himself.

Messire Regnault had probably asked for the boy. In any case he welcomed him willingly and kept him at Beauvais, supervising and interrogating him, ready to use him at an auspicious moment. One day, either to try him or because the rumour was really in circulation, young Guillaume was told that the English had put Jeanne to death.

"Then," said he, "it will be the worse for them."[2052]

[Footnote 2052: Letter from Regnault de Chartres, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 168.]

By this time, after all the rivalries and jealousies which had torn asunder this company of the King's _beguines_, there remained to Friar Richard one only of his penitents, Dame Catherine of La Roch.e.l.le, who had the gift of discovering hidden treasure.[2053] The young shepherd approved of the Maid as little as Dame Catherine had done.

[Footnote 2053: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 295 _et seq._]

"G.o.d suffered Jeanne to be taken," he said, "because she was puffed up with pride and because of the rich clothes she wore and because she had not done as G.o.d commanded her but according to her own will."[2054]

[Footnote 2054: Letter from Regnault de Chartres, in _Ibid._, vol. v, p. 168.]

Were these words suggested to him by the enemies of the Maid? That may be: but it is also possible that he derived them from inspiration.

Saints are not always kind to one another.

Meanwhile Messire Regnault de Chartres believed himself possessed of a marvel far surpa.s.sing the marvel he had lost. He wrote a letter to the inhabitants of his town of Reims telling them that the Maid had been taken at Compiegne.

This misfortune had befallen her through her own fault, he added. "She would not take advice, but would follow her own will." In her stead G.o.d had sent a shepherd, "who says neither more nor less than Jeanne."

G.o.d has strictly commanded him to discomfit the English and the Burgundians. And the Lord Archbishop neglects not to repeat the words by which the prophet of Gevaudan had represented Jeanne as proud, gorgeous in attire, rebellious of heart.[2055] The Reverend Father in G.o.d, my Lord Regnault, would never have consented to employ a heretic and a sorcerer; he believed in Guillaume as he had believed in Jeanne; he held both one and the other to have been divinely sent, in the sense that all which is not of the devil is of G.o.d. It was sufficient for him that no evil had been found in the child, and he intended to essay him, hoping that Guillaume would do what Jeanne had done.

Whether the Archbishop thus acted rightly or wrongly the issue was to decide, but he might have exalted the shepherd without denying the Saint who was so near her martyrdom. Doubtless he deemed it necessary to distinguish between the fortune of the kingdom and the fortune of Jeanne. And he had the courage to do it.

[Footnote 2055: _Ibid._, p. 168.]

CHAPTER IX

THE MAID AT BEAUREVOIR--CATHERINE DE LA ROCh.e.l.lE AT PARIS--EXECUTION OF LA PIERRONNE

The Maid had been taken captive in the diocese of Beauvais.[2056] At that time the Bishop Count of Beauvais was Pierre Cauchon of Reims, a great and pompous clerk of the University of Paris, which had elected him rector in 1403. Messire Pierre Cauchon was not a moderate man; with great ardour he had thrown himself into the Cabochien riots.[2057]

In 1414, the Duke of Burgundy had sent him on an emba.s.sy to the Council of Constance to defend the doctrines of Jean Pet.i.t;[2058] then he had appointed him Master of Requests in 1418, and finally raised him to the episcopal see of Beauvais.[2059] Standing equally high in the favour of the English, Messire Pierre was Councillor of King Henry VI, Almoner of France and Chancellor to the Queen of England. Since 1423, his usual residence had been at Rouen. By their submission to King Charles the people of Beauvais had deprived him of his episcopal revenue.[2060] And, as the English said and believed that the army of the King of France was at that time commanded by Friar Richard and the Maid, Messire Pierre Cauchon, the impoverished Bishop of Beauvais, had a personal grievance against Jeanne. It would have been better for his own reputation that he should have abstained from avenging the Church's honour on a damsel who was possibly an idolatress, a soothsayer and the invoker of devils, but who had certainly incurred his personal ill-will. He was in the Regent's pay;[2061] and the Regent was filled with bitter hatred of the Maid.[2062] Again for his reputation's sake, my Lord Bishop of Beauvais should have reflected that in prosecuting Jeanne for a matter of faith he was serving his master's wrath and furthering the temporal interests of the great of this world. On these things he did not reflect; on the contrary, this case at once temporal and spiritual, as ambiguous as his own position, excited his worst pa.s.sions. He flung himself into it with all the thoughtlessness of the violent. A maiden to be denounced, a heretic and an Armagnac to boot, what a feast for the prelate, the Councillor of King Henry! After having concerted with the doctors and masters of the University of Paris, on the 14th of July, he presented himself before the camp of Compiegne and demanded the Maid as subject to his jurisdiction.[2063]

[Footnote 2056: This point was not called in question at the time; but what might be discussed is whether the Bishop of Beauvais could exercise ordinary jurisdiction over the Maid. On this subject see: Abbe Ph. H. Dunand, _Histoire complete de Jeanne d'Arc_, Paris, 1899, vol. ii, pp. 412, 413.]

[Footnote 2057: Robillard de Beaurepaire, _Notes sur les juges et a.s.sesseurs du proces de Jeanne d'Arc_, Rouen, 1890, p. 12. Douet d'Arcq, _Choix de pieces inedites relatives au regne de Charles VI_, vol. i, pp. 356, 357. Chanoine Cerf, _Pierre Cauchon de Sommievre, chanoine de Reims et de Beauvais, eveque de Beauvais et de Lisieux; son origine, ses dignites, sa mort et ses sepultures_, in _Travaux de l'Academie de Reims_, CI (1898), pp. 363 _et seq._, A. Sarrazin, _Pierre Cauchon, juge de Jeanne d'Arc_, Paris, 1901, in 8vo, pp. 26 _et seq._]

[Footnote 2058: Le P. Ayroles, _La vraie Jeanne d'Arc_, vol. i, p. 116.

A. Sarrazin, _P. Cauchon_, pp. 36, 37.]

[Footnote 2059: Du Boulay, _Historia Universitatis Parisiensis_, 1670, vol. v, p. 912. The Abbe Delettre, _Histoire du diocese de Beauvais_, Beauvais, 1842, vol. ii, p. 348.]

[Footnote 2060: Robillard de Beaurepaire, _Notes sur les juges_, p.

13.]

[Footnote 2061: A. Sarrazin, _P. Cauchon_, pp. 58 _et seq._]

[Footnote 2062: Rymer, _Foedera_, vol. x, p. 408, _pa.s.sim_.]

[Footnote 2063: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 13. Vallet de Viriville, _Proces de cond.a.m.nation_, pp. 10 _et seq._ A. Sarrazin, _P. Cauchon_, pp. 108 _et seq._]

He supported his demand by letters from the _Alma Mater_ to the Duke of Burgundy and the Lord Jean de Luxembourg.

The University made known to the most ill.u.s.trious Prince, the Duke of Burgundy, that once before it had claimed this woman, called the Maid, and had received no reply.

"We greatly fear," continued the doctors and masters, "that by the false and seductive power of the h.e.l.lish Enemy and by the malice and subtlety of wicked persons, your enemies and adversaries who, it is said, are making every effort to deliver this woman by crooked means, will in some manner remove her out of your power.

"Wherefore, the University hopes that so great a dishonour may be spared to the most Christian name of the house of France, and again it supplicates your Highness, the Duke of Burgundy, to deliver over this woman either to the Inquisitor of the evil of heresy or to my Lord Bishop of Beauvais within whose spiritual jurisdiction she was captured."

Here follows the letter which the doctors and masters of the University entrusted to the Lord Bishop of Beauvais for the Lord Jean de Luxembourg:

Most n.o.ble, honoured and powerful lord, to your high n.o.bility we very affectionately commend us. Your n.o.ble wisdom doth well know and recognise that all good Catholic knights should employ their strength and their power first in G.o.d's service and then for the common weal. Above all, the first oath of the order of knighthood is to defend and keep the honour of G.o.d, the Catholic Faith and holy Church.

This sacred oath was present to your mind when you employed your n.o.ble power and your person in the taking of the woman who calleth herself the Maid, by whom the glory of G.o.d hath been infinitely offended, the Faith deeply wounded and the Church greatly dishonoured: for through her there have arisen in this kingdom, idolatries, errors, false doctrines and other evils and misfortunes without end. And in truth all loyal Christians must give unto you hearty thanks for having rendered so great service to our holy Faith and to all the kingdom. As for us, we thank G.o.d with all our hearts, and you we thank for your n.o.ble prowess as affectionately as we may. But such a capture alone would be but a small thing were it not followed by a worthy issue whereby this woman may answer for the offences she hath committed against our merciful Creator, his faith and his holy Church, as well as for her other evil deeds which are said to be without number. The mischief would be greater than ever, the people would be wrapped in yet grosser error than before and his Divine Majesty too insufferably offended, if matters continued in their present state, or if it befell that this woman were delivered or retaken, as we are told, is wished, plotted and endeavoured by divers of our enemies, by all secret ways and by what is even worse by bribe or by ransom. But it is our hope that G.o.d will not permit so great an evil to betide his people, and that your great and high wisdom will not suffer it so to befall but will provide against it as becometh your n.o.bility.

For if without the retribution that behoveth she were to be delivered, irreparable would be the dishonour which should fall on your great n.o.bility and on all those who have dealt in this matter. But your good and n.o.ble wisdom will know how to devise means whereby such scandal shall cease as soon as may be, whereof there is great need. And because all delay in this matter is very perilous and very injurious to this kingdom, very kindly and with a cordial affection do we beseech your powerful and honoured n.o.bility to grant that for the glory of G.o.d, for the maintenance of the Holy Catholic Faith, for the good and honour of the kingdom, this woman be delivered up to justice and given over here to the Inquisitor of the Faith, who hath demanded her and doth now demand her urgently, in order that he may examine the grievous charges under which she labours, so that G.o.d may be satisfied and the folk duly edified in good and holy doctrine. Or, an it please you better, hand over this woman to the reverend Father in G.o.d, our highly honoured Lord Bishop of Beauvais, who it is said hath likewise claimed her, because she was taken within his jurisdiction. This prelate and this inquisitor are judges of this woman in matters of faith; and every Christian of whatsoever estate owes them obedience in this case under heavy penalty of the law. By so doing you will attain to the love and grace of the most High and you will be the means of exalting the holy Faith, and likewise will you glorify your own high and n.o.ble name and also that of the most high and most powerful Prince, our redoubtable Lord and yours, my Lord of Burgundy.

Every man shall be required to pray G.o.d for the prosperity of your most n.o.ble worship, whom may it please G.o.d our Saviour in his grace, to guide and keep in all his affairs and finally to grant eternal joy.

Given at Paris, the 14th day of July, 1430.[2064]

[Footnote 2064: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 10, 11. M. Fournier, _La faculte de decret_, vol. i, p. 353, note.]

At the same time that he bore these letters, the Reverend Father in G.o.d, the Bishop of Beauvais was charged to offer money.[2065] To us it seems strange indeed that just at the very time when, by the mouth of the University, he was representing to the Lord of Luxembourg that he could not sell his prisoner without committing a crime, the Bishop should himself offer to purchase her. According to these ecclesiastics, Jean would incur terrible penalties in this world and in the next, if in conformity with the laws and customs of war he surrendered a prisoner held to ransom in return for money, and he would win praise and blessing if he treacherously sold his captive to those who wished to put her to death. But at least we might expect that this Lord Bishop who had come to buy this woman for the Church, would purchase her with the Church's money. Not at all! The purchase money is furnished by the English. In the end therefore she is delivered not to the Church but to the English. And it is a priest, acting in the interests of G.o.d and of his Church, by virtue of his episcopal jurisdiction, who concludes the bargain. He offers ten thousand golden francs, a sum in return for which, he says, according to the custom prevailing in France, the King has the right to claim any prisoner even were he of the blood royal.[2066]

[Footnote 2065: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 13, 14.]

[Footnote 2066: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 14.]

There can be no doubt whatever that the high and solemn ecclesiastic, Pierre Cauchon, suspected Jeanne of witchcraft. Wishing to bring her to trial, he exercised his ecclesiastical functions. But he knew her to be the enemy of the English as well as of himself; there is no doubt on that point. So when he wished to bring her to trial he acted as the Councillor of King Henry. Was it a witch or the enemy of the English he was buying with his ten thousand gold francs? And if it were merely a witch and an idolatress that the Holy Inquisitor, that the University, that the Ordinary demanded for the glory of G.o.d, and at the price of gold, wherefore so much ado, wherefore so great an expenditure of money? Would it not be better in this matter to act in concert with the ecclesiastics of King Charles's party? The Armagnacs were neither infidels nor heretics; they were neither Turks nor Hussites; they were Catholics; they acknowledged the Pope of Rome to be the true head of Christendom. The Dauphin Charles and his clergy had not been excommunicated. Neither those who regarded the Treaty of Troyes as invalid nor those who had sworn to it had been p.r.o.nounced anathema by the Pope. This was not a question of faith. In the provinces ruled over by King Charles the Holy Inquisition prosecuted heresy in a curious manner and the secular arm saw to it that the sentences p.r.o.nounced by the Church did not remain a dead letter. The Armagnacs burned witches just as much as the French and the Burgundians. For the present doubtless they did not believe the Maid to be possessed by devils; most of them on the contrary were inclined to regard her as a saint. But might they not be undeceived? Would it not be good Christian charity to present them with fine canonical arguments? If the Maid's case were really a case for the ecclesiastical court why not join with Churchmen of both parties and take her before the Pope and the Council? And just at that time a Council for the reformation of the Church and the establishment of peace in the kingdom was sitting in the town of Bale; the University was sending its delegates, who would there meet the ecclesiastics of King Charles, also Gallicans and firmly attached to the privileges of the Church of France.[2067] Why not have this Armagnac prophetess tried by the a.s.sembled Fathers? But for the sake of Henry of Lancaster and the glory of Old England matters had to take another turn. The Regent's Councillors were already accusing Jeanne of witchcraft when she summoned them in the name of the King of Heaven to depart out of France. During the siege of Orleans, they wanted to burn her heralds and said that if they had her they would burn her also at the stake.