1804.) . Adanuferitts in the Library of the late King of France. 
The Bithodp having reprefented to her, 
that fhe could not in any event, réefufe to 
{peak the truth in matters concerning 
faith ; fhe immediately knelt down, and, 
placing her hand upon a miflal, took an 
oath to declare the truth upon every point 
which fhould be demanded of her, relating 
to faith, but {till perfilted in her refolution 
to divulge ‘nothing concerning the revela~ 
tions which had been madetoher. The 
Court was contented with this oath, for 
their fir fitting; but on the fetond exa- 
mination, in the following day, the difh- 
culty which has been before noticed, pre- 
fented itfelf. She was therefore required 
to take a general oath, but fhe. ftill infifted 
upon adhering to that already adminifter- 
éi. On being preffed to comply, the com- 
plained of their perfecution, in demand- 
ing anew oath; adding, that there were 
fome things of which fhe could fpeak, and 
others that fhe ought to conceal; and that 
if they were well informed. concerning 
her, they ought to with that fhe was out 
of their hands, for the did nothing bat 
through the impulfe of the revelations 
which were made to her. 
At length, on the tlird examination, 
the recurrence of the fame dimculty in- 
duced the Court to demand from her a 
new oath of a general nature, which the 
three times refuled. The Bifhop warned 
her, that, if the perfifted, the charges 
againft her would be taken as true; and, 
upon her fourth refufal, he renewed his 
advice, that fhe fhould take an oath to 
fpeak the truth, at leaft, on every point 
Yelative to the profecution, This fubtl-ty 
prevailed. Shetook the oath, and wouid 
never take any other during the whole 
trial. 
The preliminary examinations, which 
lated from the 21 of February to the 
17th of March, 1430, old ftyle, and often 
occupied both morning and evening, were 
principally directed to procure as much 
information as poffible. 
Some obfervations appear neceflary here 
upon thefe preliminary proceedings. On 
the fitting of the a1ft of February, after 
afking her name, the place of her bicth, 
whether fhe had been baptized, the names 
of her parents, and allo of her god- 
father and god-mother, her age, which 
fhe faid was about 19, and the nature of 
the religious infruction fhe had received, 
which fhe declared had been taught her. 
folely by her mother, who had learned 
her to repeat the Sunday hymn, the-An- 
gel’s Salutation, and the Creed. The 
Bifhop of Beauvais requefted her to recite 
Phe Lorii’s Prayer... This the refuted, un- 
Monruyix Mas, No. 114. 
337 
lefs the Bifhop would confefs her; but in- 
ftead of complying with her demand, 
which would have prevented his con- 
tinuing a Judge, he offered her two capa- 
ble: perfons, underftanding the French: 
langnage, who might hear her repeat the 
Lord’s Prayer. She itill, however, per- 
filled in her refufal, unlefs the Bithop 
would himfelf confefS her; not, as the de- 
clared, becaufe fhe would not willingly re. 
peat the.prayer, but becaule fhe withed to 
engage the Bifhop to comply with her re- 
queit, for which fhe did not aflign any 
motive. 
In the fame fitting, the Bifop forbade 
her to go out of the prifon without leave, 
upon pain of being convited of the crime 
of herefy. This appears to be a form of 
the Inquifition, as le did not perfit, on 
her refulal to promife, which fhe faid fhe 
did, becaufe if the fhould be able to efcape, 
no one might reproach her with having 
broken her word, when fhe had never 
pledged it. 
Upon her complaining of being impri- 
foned in a cell, and chained with iron, the 
Bifhop anfwered, that he had ordered ir, be- 
caule fhe had feveral times attempted to 
efcape from the prifons in which fhe had 
been confined. She admitted that the had, 
and would again try to eicape, which fhe 
faid was fair for every prifoner to do. 
On the fecond fitting, the B.fho» did 
not conduét the examination himielf, but 
entrufted it to the Sieur Beaupere, al- 
though he at the fame time attended and 
affitted. The examinations. were conduct- 
ed in a room of the cafle at Rouen, which 
is called the Chamber of Parliament. Joan 
alfo was confined in a room of the caitle. 
At the fitting of the third of March, | 
after fhe had withdrawn, the Bithop of 
Beauvais informed the affeffors, that, 
without delaying the proceedings, he 
fhould advife with the doétors and jearn- 
ed men in both laws, as to colleéting the 
confeffions already made by the accufed 3 
and to learn from them, whether any more. 
information fhould be obtained. That 
fome of the affeffors only fhould be prefent 
at the new examinations, in order that the 
whole might not be fatigued by fuch fre- 
quent fittings. At the iame time all that 
chofe might deliberate upon what, had 
been already done ; and he exhorted them 
to employ their thoughts upon the holy 
canons and the laws, ccmmunicating te 
him, and thofe who fhould be delegated, the 
relulis of their reflections, He alfo tor 
bade them to depart from Roven until the 
trial fhould be concluded. Soe | 
On the 14th of March, the doétors in 
Yy divinity, 
