Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-11-30

are clearly beyond the pale Of dispute.
Of all these records the most interest
ing 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 the one in pos
session of the Historical society. This
was written in the French of 1880
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 questions and answers were as
faithfully made as at the present day.
The hamlet of Domreny was not
French in the days of Joan, but the
people were intensely French. The in
vading King Henry ", by the battle
of Agincourt, had made an English do
minion of a considerable portion of
France, and a few years later con-
trolled fully two-thirds Of the land,
including Paris. By that time France
had ceased to be an independent
power, and the French King Charles
VII. was too indolent or too cowardly
to re-assert his rights by the force OF
arms.
The trial of Joan took place in the
castle of Rouen, one tower of which
is still standing. Her name was really
Jehannette 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 as Jeanne Dare.
The maid of Orleans was taken
prisoner on May "a, 143O, 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 prepara-
tons were made for her trial.
It was the aim Of her enemies to
give her an ostensibly fair trial, but to
show that instead Of being the inspired
agent of Heaven she was the wanton
emissary of Satan. Sixty notable
| leaders of the church were assigned as
| her judges. They were all French
men, and many of them were 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
great dignity She refused to lay
aside the mans dress she wore, claim
| ing that she first donned it by divine
command and could not replace it until
so ordered from Heaven.
The news reached her at length that
she had been sold to the English and
was about to be given up to them. 81
would rather die" she cried, in he1
despair, than be SURRENDERED to the
| English
rs it possible" she added, ''that
God will let those good people Of Com
| piegne perish, who have been and are
so loyal to their Lord?" Some days Of
anguish passed Then she took a des-
perate resolution. Il could bear it nc
Ilonger,'' she afterward said; and so
recommending herself to God and
our lady" she sprang one night from
the tower in which she was confined tt
the ground, a height of between so ani
20 feet. 1t was her only chance, and i
was a chance, for she was found ths