第86章 THE PUBLIC EXAMINATION.FEBRUARY,(14)

Jeanne was then questioned concerning Catherine of La Rochelle，the supposed prophetess，who had been played against her by La Tremouille and his follows，and narrated how she had watched two nights to see the mysterious lady clothed in cloth of gold who was said to appear to Catherine，but had not seen her，and that she had advised the woman to return to her husband and children.Catherine's mission was to go through the "good towns"with heralds and trumpets to call upon those who had money or treasure of any kind to give it to the King，and she professed to have a supernatural knowledge where such money was hidden.[No doubt La Tremouille must have thought that to get money，which was so scarce，in such a simple way，was worth trying at least.

But Jeanne's opinion was that it was folly，and that there was nothing in it；an opinion fully verified.Catherine's advice had been that Jeanne should go to the Duke of Burgundy to make peace；but Jeanne had answered that no peace could be made save at the end of the lance.]

She was then asked about the siege of La Charité；she answered，that she had made an assault：but had not sprinkled holy water，or caused it to be sprinkled.Asked，why she did not enter the city as she had the command of God to do so，she replied："Who told you that I was commanded to enter？"Asked，if she had not had the advice of her voices，she answered，that she had desired to go into France (meaning towards Paris)，but the generals had told her that it was better to go first to La Charité.She was then asked if she had been long in the tower of Beaurevoir；answered，that she was there about four months，and that when she heard the English come she was angry and much troubled.Her voices forbade her several times to attempt to escape；but at last，in the doubt she had of the English she threw herself down，commending herself to God and to our Lady，and was much hurt.

But after she had done this the voice of St.Catherine said to her not to be afraid，that she should be healed，and that Compiègne would be relieved.

Also she said that she prayed always for the relief of Compiègne with her council.Asked，what she said after she had thrown herself down，she answered，that some said that she was dead；and as soon as the Burgundians saw that she was not dead，they told her that she had thrown herself down.Asked，if she had said that she would rather die than fall into the hands of the English，she answered，that she would much rather have rendered her soul to God than have fallen into the hands of the English.Asked，if she was not in a great rage，and if she did not blaspheme the name of God，she answered，that she never said evil of any saint，and that it was not her custom to swear.Asked respecting Soissons，when the captain had surrendered the town，whether she had not cursed God，and said that if she had gotten hold of the captain，she would have cut him into four pieces；she answered，that she never swore by any saint，and that those who said so had not understood her.