The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-07-06

After prcliminarics that threatened
to DE endless, the public part of the
iriai began ON Wednesday. February
Il 1881. at eight in the morning, in
= &c great Chapel Of the chateau
fhe Bishop OF Beauvias presided
and of the sixty ecclesiastics sum
moned forty-four were present
Three authorized reporters were in
their places, and there were some
other clerks, concealed by curtain,
who took notes for the special use OF
the English regent There was a
crowd OF spectators, "a great tumult,n u
in the chapel, and very little order
in the proceedings. At time when
lords took their dogs and hawks into
church with tnem, and merchants
made their bargains in the naves OF
cathedrals, we ! aed not look for a
.;crupulous deco IN in a court con
vened to try gil for the crime oil
being "vehemently suspected OF
heresy." That was the charge
Yskcaealeat suseecte d'kereSie. And
such a grand tumult was there in
the chapel that day that the suhse-
quent sessions were held in a small.
er hall of the castle.
The prisoner was brought in,
freed from her chains, and was al
lowed t. si. No one of the many
pens employed in recording the
events of this day has given us aey
hint OF her appearance. We. have,
indeed, the enumeration cf the arti-
cles of her lnans attire. which was
made a heilious charge against her.
"The hair cut round like that OF
young men, shirt, breeches, doublet,
with twenty points reaching to the
knee, hat, only covering the top OF
the head, boots and CATERS, with
spurs, sword, dagger, cuirass, lance,
and other arms carried by soldiers" ="
This was her equipment for the field.
She still wore mans dress, and
doubtless her person showed the eff
fects of nine months Imprisonment
and three months of chains and fet-
ters.
The presiding bishop told her to
place her hands upon the Gospel
and swear to answer truly the ques-
tions that would be proposed to her.
Il do not know" said she, upon
what you wish to question me.
Perhaps you will ask me things
which | ought not to tell YOU"
Swear" reioined the bishop, "to
tell the truth upon whatever may be
asked of you concerning the faith
and facts within your knowledge
"As to my father and mother ,
she said, 'and what | did after set
ting out for France l will swear viii
lingly; but the revelations which
have come to me from God, to nc
one have | related or revealed them
except alone to Charles, my king
and | shall not reveal them to you,
though you cut off my head, be-
cause | have received them by Wis
ion and by secret communication
with injunction not to reveal them
Before eight days have passed
shall know if | am to reveal them to
you"
The bishop urged her again and
again to take the oath without con
ditions. She refused and they were
at length obliged to yield the poin'
and accept a limited oath. UpoI
her knees, with both hands placed
upon q missal, she swore to answer
truly whatever might be asked o
her, so far as she could, concerning
the common faith of Christians, bul
no more. Being then questioned
concerning her name and early life
she answered thus:
''In my own country | was called
Jeanette since ! have been il
France / have been called Jeanne
As to my surname / know nothing
| was born at the village of Domre
my, which makes one with village
of Greux. The principal church i:
at Greux My father is named
Jacques dare; my mother Ysabelle
| was baptized in the church Of
! Domremy. One Of my godmothers
was named Agnes, another Jeanne
a third Sibylle. One of my god
fathers was Jean Lingue, another
Jean Varray. | had several Other
godmothers, as / have heard my
mother say. / was baptized, l be
lieye, by Messire Jean Minet.
think he is still living. | think
am about nineteen years of age
From my mother | learned my Pa
ter, my Ave Marie, and my Credo
| learned from my mother all that
believe"
"Say your Pater," said the presid
ing bishop.
"Hear me in confession, and Twill
say it for you willingly"
Several times she was asked to say
the Lords Prayer, but she always
replied "No, | will not say nay Pa
ter for you unless you hear me ir
confession"
1--WE will willingly give you," sait
the bishop, zone or two notable mer
who speak French; will you say
your Pater to them ?'
Il shall not say it." was the reply
unless in confession"
As the session was about to close
the bishop forbade her to leave the
prison which had been assigned her
in the castle, under pain Of being
pronounced guilty Of heresy, the
crime charged.
Il do not accept such an injunc
tion," she replied. "If ever / escape
no one shall be able to reproach me
with having broken my faith, as !
have not given my word to any per
son whatever"
She continued 10 speak, in Ian.
guage not recorded, complaining
that they had bound her with chains
and shackles.
You tried several times" said the
bishop, ito escape from the prixor
where you were detained, and it was
to keep you more surely that you
were ordered to be put in irons"
1T is true" was her reply, Il wish.
ed to get away, and / wish it STILL