The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-05 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF JOAN OF ARC.

On the 10th of May, 141.2, she was taken from her
prison under an escort of 120 men at: arms, and appeared
dressed in female apparel, while on her head was placed a
mitre with this inscription, " A relapsed hlretic, . n
.apos-
t ate, an idol: e.." heE was supported by two D. m nican
friars, and, in p issing through the street., sl excl aimed,
" Oh ! Rouen, Itquen! must thou be my last abode I"
The Cardinal of Winchester, the Bishop of Terouume,
Chlincellor of France, the Bishop of Beau vais, and the
other Judges were seated upon a scaffold, w iting the ar-
rival of Joan of Arc. When she appeared, ski was heavily
fettered, and, as she mounted the scaffold, her fit, a ap-
peared bathed in tears. Her funeral sermon was then
preached by Nicholas Midy ; a discourse, which, had his
conscience not been totally callous, he would have
trembled to pronounce in the face of Heaven, as he stood
confronted with the innocent victim about to be murdered
with his consent and concurrence. The infamous P. Cauchon,
Bishop of Beauvais, then pronounced the sentence of con-
demnation, at. the end of which he invoked ih mercy of the
secular judges, who were seated on a lower scaffold. Before
she descended from the scaffold to mount the fatal pile,
Joan turned round to the Bishop of Beauvais, and extend-
ing her fettered band towards him, " You," she exclaimed
" arc the cause of my death ; you promised to restore me to
the church, and you have delivered me up to my enemies r
Joan then knelt down, and implored the mercy of the
Supreme Being : she called upon the ecclesiastics and
all around her, solemnly to assist in her prayers. Nor,
though her last moments were attended with circum-
stances peculiarly awful, was her ungrateful Sovereign
forgotten. No further sentence was pronounced by the
secular tribunal, except the words " Take her away." The
executioner advanced trembling as he came to receive her from
the guards. She asked for a crucifix, and an Englishman pre-
sent broke a stick and formed a sort of cross, which she took,
and after kissing it pressed it to her heart and ascended
the fatal pile. Before it was lighted they brought a cross
from a neighbouring church, which at her earnest request
was placed before her. As soon as she felt the fire ap-
proach, with her usual humanity she warned the priests to
retire. The pile was raised very high, so that all the spec-
tators had a full view of her, in order that any doubt of
her death might be prevented. The fire was removed as
soon as she was ,upposed to be dead, that the people might
have an opportunity of seeing the body. As long as she
retained the power of utterance, the sacred name of Jesus
was heard to issue from the flames. The sobs and groans
which the violence of her anguish extorted from her, alene
interrupted her ejaculations. Her heart was found entire,
after the rest of her body was quite consumed. The Car-
dinal of Winchester ordered her ashes to be collected
and thrown into the Seine. So perished the unhappy Maid
of Orleans, at the age of nineteen.---James s Memoirs of
Celebrated Women.

On Friday last, Southrepps was visited by one of
the most tremendous storms ever remembered. It commencei
about half-past five o'clock in the afternoon, and continued
about half an hoar, Oaring tl at time the rain fell in torrerta,
accompanied with hail and ice, destroying turnips, corn,'&o.
to a wonderful extant.—Norwich Gazelle.