The sun., 1893-07-16

Satanic witchcraft. II was really no more ess'
credltable to the English and Bureunuisn Iso,
tions to maintain the one theory man
| was 10 the champions OF the Daupn'n' "''oi
ward Charles VII, to uphold the other.
The author OF this biography brings ou'
clearly enough the fact, sometimes oyeriooseo'
| that it was not by q secular but nm eooleslasu-
cai tribunal that she was condemned. Pernaps
| more empha asls might have been lnid hoWo'et'
| on the fact that the prelates and Clergy. w
| whom tho Maid OF Orleans was tried. were ai-
| most exclusively French, and. therefore, what
| ever odium attaches to her sentence must res.
mainly on her own countrym"1. In the long hs. .
OF bishops mitred abbots. priors canons' anu
| doctors OF the University OF Paris who consu-
tuted her judges. only two English names are
to be found. The Cardinal OF Winchester never
once nppcarod during the proceedings. That
the immediate guard OF the prisoner was COM
posed OF English soldiers was matter OF
course. inusmuch as Rouen was occupied ny
the English forces. point to be noted fs that.
before passing sentence. tho ecclesiastical
tribunal at Rouen submitted SIX queries TO
tho University OF Paris. Every one OF these
queries was answered by the theolosians In
way unfavorablo to tho interests Of the accused.
Not only was It French prince. tho Duke OF
Burgundy. who delivered joan OF Arc to the
Inquisiton: not only were they French eccle-
siasties who condemned her; but no steps
seem to have been taken by Charles tho Dau-
phin. afterward Charles VII. to rescue her or
to get her exchanged for any other prisoner or
prisoners. Although more than year elapsed
between her capture and her execution, ne
made not sign in her behalf In the docu-
ments OF the time there exists not trace OF
any negotiation or Of any wish to effect her re-
lease. Later. indeed. when almost the whole
OF France had been recovered. Charles became
anxious on his own account that his corona
tion at Rheims should not be imputed to the
actions and to the aid OF one whom the French
clergy and French judges had condemned and
executed as a hereto and apostate. Hence he
set on foot a vast judicial inquiry to vindicate
the fame OF her whose condemnation had been
formally pronounced In the name OF the
Church. Five years elapsed, however. be-
fore the assent OF the Papacy to
rehearIng OF the cause could be OBJ
tanned. Pope Nicolas v. refused to sane
tion the Kings purpose. and 1t was not until
after The accession OF Calixtus I'LL that pro-
ceedinRs for the reha Utilization OF the Maid Of
Orleans were begun. By tho judges who
directed these proceedings It was deemed in
dispensable to provo that Joan OF Arc was
person OF stainless purity Of body as well as
niHus uuu dccoEuluBy RTcAt uehi VI oNi-
dence was brought forward to demonstrate
that she was incontestably virgin. 1t was
reserved for a countryman OF Joan Of Arcs
tDu Bellay) to invent Legend to disprove the
fact and to tho shame OF French literature,
Voltaire adopted the cnlumny In his licentious
burles1ue-heroic poem. La Pucele dor
leans" AS regards the two trials to which we
have referred. that which resulted in the con-
viction Of the Maid OF Orleans and that which
ended IN her rehabilitation. seem equally un-
worthy Of respect In 143l the clergy Of
France to please tho English claimant OF the
crown. had. iu the name OF orthodoxy. and
with the tolerance OF Pope. denounced Joan
OF Arc as q hereto and idolatress. In 1855 the
French clergy. to please Charles VII. and
ngain with the tolerance Of the Pope. pro-
nounced the memory Of Joan Of Arc free from
all taint OF heresy and idolatry.
An appendix to this book contains some in |
data relating to the views taken OF |
] loan Of Arc in French and English history. It |
Is we'll known that Monstreet xealously at |
tacks the Maid. or rather her mission But |
Monstrelet was on the English side. Even in
the sixteenth century. French chronicler. |
Haillon. wrote dlsparagingy OF the heroine.
This called forth the publication OF q book by
The magistrates OF Orleans. the preface Of
which records tho "lamentable feet that the
Maid. respected by oil other nations. the Eng
ish alone excepted. finds among her country
men writings to injuro her memory by people
who are greater enemies to the honor OF France
han those who are strangers to their country"
Sismondi. in his history OF France published be-
ween 1921 and 1874. sums up the facts In
hese brief words: Tho Church was against
he Maid. All persons not delegated by her who
pretended to have supernatural powers were
.ccused Of using magical arts" Michelet, In
he chapter OF his history Of France which is
devoted to Joan OF Arc. attacks the entire
English nation as II they had been individu-
lily and collectively guilty OF the Maids
ieath. 1t is true. indeed. that English
hroniclers were. for O long time unjust to
Ter. Fabyan heaped upon her the most sour
ious abuse. and Hall and Hollinshed sinned
s deeply. Even Thomas Fuller does not seem
o have been able to make mp his mind whether
oan OF Arc was witch or heroine. 1t is
veil known with what contempt the Maid of
orleans is treated in the First Part OF King
ienry VI, but whether Shakespeare is the
uthor OF that play. or. at all events. Of those
ortions OF 1t In which Joan OF Arc appears,
nay be disputable. Nothing, however, in that
lay. or in any English chronicle can be COM
ared with tho abuse and filth with which her
wn countryman. Voltaire. bespattered the
lemory OF the Maid Of Orleans. As for Schil-
'r's play. tho "JunRfrau Won Orleans." It is
Historically mere travesty Of the life and
cath OF the heroine.