THE FRENCH SPIRIT 31 



travesty on justice ! Of coui-se her conviction was a fore- 

 gone conclusion. On such flimsy charges the doctors of 

 the University of Paris declared graxely : 



She has offeuded beyond measure the honour of God, abjured the Charges 

 faith in a manner not to be expressed, and extraordinarily defiled the slander 

 church. By her idolatry, false doctrine and other innumerable crimes 

 have invaded the soil of France ; never, in the memory of man, would 

 so great hurt have been given to our holy religion, and such damage 

 to the kingdom, as if they were to let her escape without satisfying 

 the ends of justice. But were they to deliver up the maid, they would 

 obtain the grace and love of God, and at the same time augment 

 the glory of the faith and splendour of their noble and illustrious 

 names. 



IV 



The venerable doctors of the University, with the 

 Bishop Beauvais, visited her from time to time to ex- 

 amine her, and to torture her with their questions. On 

 one occasion they exhorted her to make her submission ; 

 they quoted Scripture, but without success. 



As they were leaving the prison one hissed to Joan : jean's 

 -*' If you refuse to submit to the chui'ch, the church will PosTtion 

 abandon you as if you were a Saracen." To this she 

 replied : ''I am a good Christian — a Christian born and 

 baptized — and a Christian I shall die. ' ' Before the bishop 

 left his victim he made another attempt to make her sub- 

 mit, presenting a bait that he thought would be sure to 

 catch her, namely, permission to receive the eucharist. 

 Said he : "As you dasire the eucharist, will you, if 

 you are allowed to do so, submit yourself to the 

 church?" To this Joan replied: "As to that sub- 

 mission I can give no other ai^swer than I have already 

 given you. I love God. Him I serve as a good Chris- 

 tian should. Were I able I would help the church with 

 all my strength." 



Some of the judges requested that in a more public PubUc 

 place than in her prison, Joan should be again admonished ^'""'"^ 

 relating to the crimes of which she was accused ; and the 



