The herald., 1896-06-21

during the Empire craze, for most of
the time the girl was attired as a man,
with sword, lance, spurs and shield.
and when not garbed in the dress of war
she wore a simple waist and shirt like
the other peasant women of her time.
1t is not generally known that in the
little hamlet of Domreny in Lorraine
is still standing the house in which Joan
of Arc was born. The garden is still
there in which she saw the vision COM
manding her to go forth and drive the
invading foreigners from her land
Nearby is the little Church of st. Remi
In which she prayed as child, was bap-
tized and confirmed an confessed to the
priests. All the scenes of 450 years ago
can be gone over there, for in many ways
the obscure hamlet has been untouched
by the vigorous hand of progress. II is
German now instead of French, as a
result of the war of 1870.
Much that is fantastic and unreal has
been written about the Maid of Orleans,
and most of it unsuccessfully, for the
Historical society of France owns many
official records Of what transpired dur
ing her time, and patient examination
of these give facts which are clearly be-
yond the pale of dispute. OF all these
records the most interesting perhaps is
one of five manuscript copies made of
the evidence taken at the trial of Joan.
at which she was condemned to die at
the stake.
The copy designed for the child of
Henry V. and Catherine of France, the
boy king of England, is one in posses
sion of the Historical society. This was
written in the French of 1430. Much of
the original manuscript of the evidence
written in the trial room by the court
reporter still exists in Paris. 1t shows
that, while StenOgraphy did not exist
In those days, the records of the ques
tions and answers We're as faithfully
made as at the present day.
The hamlet of Domreny was not
French in the days of Joan. but the peo-
pie were intensely French. The invading
King Henry ", by the battle of Agin-
court, had made an English dominion of
a considerable portion of France and a
few years later controlled fully two
thirds of the land, including Paris. BY
that time France had ceased to be an
king, Charles VII. was too indolent or
too cowardly to reassert his rights by
the force of arms.
THE TRIAL PLACE
The trial of Joan took place in the Cas-
tie of Rouen, one tower of which is still
standing. Her name was really Jehan-
nette Rommee. Her mother was named
Rommee. and in that time and country
girls bore the surname of their Mothers
Her father was farm laborer named
Jacques Dare. Usually the girl was
spoken of Jeanne dare.
oner on May "a. 1880, under the walls of
Compiegne by French troops, fighting
on the side of the English. For fifteen
months prior to that she had led the
French forces to many victories, yet at
the time of the capture she was but Is
years old. Immediate preparations
were made for her trial. 1t was the aim
of her enemies to give her an ostensibIy
fair trail, but to show that instead of be-
ing the inspired agent of heaven she was
the wanton emissary of SATAN Sixty no.
table leaders of the church were as
signed as her judges. They were all
frenchmen, and many of them We're
honest in their purpose to judge her
fairly. The little boy king of England
was in the castle at Rouen at this time
with his guardians.
When first captured she was confined
IN a grand chateau and treated with dig
n1ty She refused to lay aside the mans
dress she wore. claiming that she first
oonned IL by divine command and could
not replace it until so ordered from hea-
ven. 49,
The news reached her at length that
she had been sold to the English and
was about to be given up to them. "I
would father die she cried in despair.
than be surrendered to the English,"
rs it possible" she added. chat God
VIII let those good people of Compiegne
perish. who have been and are So low
al to their Lord?" Some davs NJ an.