第80章 THE PUBLIC EXAMINATION.FEBRUARY,(8)

She said besides,that she had a sword which was given to her at Vaucouleurs;she said also that,being in Tours or at Chinon,she sent for a sword which was in the church of St.Catherine of Fierbois behind the altar,and that when it was found it was rusty.Asked,how she knew about this sword,she answered,that it was rusty because of being in the ground,and there were five crosses on it,and that she knew this sword by her voices,and not by any man's report.She wrote to the ecclesiastics of the place where it was and asked them for this sword,and they sent it to her.It was found not much below the ground behind the altar;she was not sure if it was before or behind the altar,but wrote that it was behind the altar.And when it was found the clergy cleaned it and rubbed off the rust,which came off easily;and it was an armourer of Tours who went to fetch it.The clergy made a scabbard for it before sending it to the said Jeanne,and they of Tours made another,so that it had two scabbards,one of crimson velvet and one of cloth of gold.And she herself procured another of strong leather.She said also that when she was captured she had not that sword.Said also that she continued to wear the said sword until she left St.Denis after the assault on Paris.Asked,what benediction she made,or if she made any on this sword,she answered,that she made no benediction,nor knew how to make one,but that she loved the sword because it had come to her from the Church of the blessed Catherine whom she loved much.Asked,if she had placed it on the altar at the village of Coulenges,Les Vineuses,or elsewhere,placing it there that it might bring good luck,she answered,that she knew nothing of this.Asked,if she did not pray that the sword might have good fortune:"It is good to know that I wish all my armour (/harnesseum meum;gallice,mon harnois/)to be very fortunate."Asked,where she had left the sword,answered,that she had deposited a sword and armour at St.Denis,but it was not this sword.She added that she had it in Lagny:but that she afterwards wore the sword which had been taken from a Burgundian,which was a good sword for war and gave good strokes (/gallice,de bonnes bouffes/and /de bons torchons/).Said also that to tell where she left it had nothing to do with the trial,and she would answer nothing.

She said also that her brothers had everything that belonged to her,her horses,swords,and everything,and that she believed they were worth in all about 12,000francs.She was also asked whether when she was at Orleans she had a standard,and what colour it was;answered,that she had a standard,the field of which was sown with lilies,and on it was a figure of the world with angels on each side.It was white,and made of a stuff called boucassin,upon which was written the name /Jhesus Maria/,so that all might see,and it was fringed with silk.Asked,if the name /Jhesus Maria/was written above or below or at the side,she answered,"At the side."Asked,if she loved her sword or standard best,she answered,that she loved her standard best.Asked,why she had that picture on the standard,she answered:

"I have sufficiently told you that I did nothing but by the command of God."She added that she herself carried her standard when in battle that she might not hurt anyone,and said that she had never killed any man.

Asked,how many men her King gave her when she began her work,answered,from ten to twelve[4]thousand men,and that she attacked first the bastile of St.Loup at Orleans,and afterwards that of the bridge.Asked,from which bastile it was that her men were driven back,she answered,that she did not remember;adding,that she had been sure that she could raise the siege at Orleans,for it had been so revealed to her;and that she told this to her King before it occurred.Asked,whether,when she made assault,she told her men that all the arrows,stones,cannon-balls,etc.would be intercepted by her,she answered no--that more than a hundred were wounded:that what she had said to her people was that they should have no doubts,for they should certainly raise the siege of Orleans.She said also that in attacking the bastile of the bridge she herself was wounded by an arrow in the neck,and was much comforted by St.Catherine,and was healed in fifteen days;but that she never gave up riding and working all that time.Asked,if she knew that she would be wounded,she answered,that she knew it well and had told her King,but that,notwithstanding,she went about her business.It was revealed to her by the voices of her two saints,the blessed Catherine and the blessed Margaret.She said besides,that she was the first to place a scaling ladder on the bastile of the bridge,and as she raised it she was struck in the neck.

She was then asked why she did not treat with the Captain of Jargeau;she answered that the lords of her party had replied to the English,who had asked for a truce of fifteen days,that they could not have it,but that they might retire,they and their horses at once;she had said for her part that if they retired in their doublets and tunics their lives should be spared,otherwise the city would be taken by storm.Asked,if she had consulted with her counsel,that is with her voices,whether the truce should be granted or not,she answered,that she did not remember.