+ 
€34 Manufcripts in the Library of the late King of France. {Nov. 1, 
age of difcretion, and fince I have feen the 
Angels atad the holy faims, I no more 
amufed myfelf with thefe childith games. 
I have neither had vifions or revelations 
near this tree ; but the two Saints have ap- 
peared to me near the fountain, but I do 
not recollect what they faid to me at that 
time. There is in the neighbourhood a 
wood, called the Oak-wood, which may be 
feen from my father’s houfe; and when F 
went to find the king, they afked me if that 
were true, becaule they told me that the 
propheteffes had foretold that there would 
come from near the Oak Wood a girl 
who would perform wonders; but I have 
no other knowledge in this ref{peét. 
<< Saint Michael infermed me long ago 
ef the calamities which France would ex- 
perience. He told me that I was a good 
young girl, and that I fhould go to the 
king’s affiftance. The two Saints have 
alfo told me that I muf% go into France, 
and caufe the fiese of O:leans to be railed, 
and render great fervices to the king. I 
afked them how that could+be, as I was 
but a poor girl, and could neither ride or 
fight. They told me to’go and find out 
the captain de Baxdricourt, who com- 
manded-for the king at Vaucouleurs. I 
had only quitted once my father and mo- 
ther’s houfe, excepting as I am going to 
inform you. My mother inftructed me 
in religion. She taught me the Paver 
Nofier, which I repeat freely, and which 
I never refufed to do but once, in order 
to prevail upon the Bifhop de Beauvais to 
contefs me. She alfo taught me tke fa- 
lutation of the angels and the creed, 
which I repeated to my confeffor. I was 
only employed ia my father’s houfe in 
domeftic affairs, ard not out of doors, and 
but feldom to take care of the flocks. 
*¢ F was obliged to go to Toul, on ac- 
count cf a man’s having cited me before 
the magifirates, in order to oblige me to 
marry him; but I gaired my_trial, on af- 
firming, as the truth was, that I had-ne- 
ver promifed him ; on the contrary, from. 
the firft day that Thad feen the two Saints, 
1 made a vow of virginity bothas to body 
and foul between their hands, although 
they did not demand tt; and they affured 
we that#if I kept my vow, they would 
condu&t me into Paradife, for which caufe 
I do not believe in deadly fin, becaufe if 
T had that misfortune they would not have 
come and fhewn themfelves to me. 
Therefcre, if I obferve my vow, I believe 
as confidently in my falvation as 1f I were 
now in Heaven. Why do you afk me 
for what reafon I confe‘s having this be- 
fei > Taniwer that 1 believe no perfon can 
purify his confcience too much. In fhort 
if I had committed a deadly fin, it would 
be to my confeflor that I would reveal it. 
«* About two years before I went to 
feek the king, my father dreamt that I 
fhould one day join the army, which 
made him watch me with extreme care, 
and keep me in the greate& {ubjeétion 
during my youth. My father was fo 
much afraid of this, that he faid he would 
hart me fooner than permit it, and he de- 
fired my brothers to do it, ifhe failed. I 
have always obeyed my father and mo- 
ther in every thing. I have only difobey- 
ed them in this inftance, and they have 
never forgiven me fince, notwithftanding 
the grief which they felt on my departure, 
with which they were extremely affected. 
‘<* Tt was one of my uncles who carried 
me to Vaucouleurs to fee the Captain de 
Baudricourt, for 1 was fo refolved to obey 
what was commanded to me on the fub- 
je&t from God, that I would have pre- 
ferred being torn in pieces by horfes foon- 
er than not have obeyed ; and although I 
had had‘a hundred kings for my father, 
I fhould neverthelefs have gone, feeing 
that the voices of the Saints came from 
God, and as they affured me that the 
king would receive and employ me in his 
ervice, and becaufe I was alfo as fure 
that they fpoke to me by the order of 
God himfelf, as I am of the truth 
of the Chriitian religion, and that Gad 
has redeemed us from the ftormests 
of hell. I was yet more refolved to aét 
in this manner, becaufe the two Saints 
had affured me that the king would re- 
cover his kingdom entirely, either by 
wiil or force. 
‘* On entering the houfe of the Captain ~ 
de Baudriccurt, 1 recognized him imme- 
diately from among thoie who were with 
him, aliheugh I had never feen him be- 
fcre; for the two Saints pointed him out 
tome. Notwithitanding what I told him 
of the revelation which had been made 
to me, he twice refufed, at different times, 
to pay any regard to it; but at length, 
on the third vifit; he made me fet out, 
drefied in the habit of aman, as the voices 
of the Saints had commanded me, witha 
{word which he gave me, and caufed me 
to be carried towards the King, attended 
by a knight, a fquire, and four fervants; 
faying, as we parted, Farewell: go, come 
‘on tt what may. 
‘¢T add that I have never wifhed to 
quit ‘the drelfs of a man, and I have re- 
fufed many times to do it, before, as well 
as fince, my confinement ; becaufe I did 
right tm obeying my foyereign inaftery 
