party. After considerable hesitation, the Chapter of Rouen issued letters authorizing Cauchon to proceed to trial in their city. The English thereon handed her over to the tender mercies, and they were indeed cruel, of Cauchon; the proclamation doing so (dated January 3, 1431) recited the crimes of which she was accused and stated plainly that the English Government would retake her into their custody in case she should not be convicted of the aforementioned crimes. Her fate was decided, die she must. Cauchon had a number of assessors, theo logians and jurists associated with him; sometimes forty or fifty were present at the proceedings, at other times not more than half a dozen, many were from the Univer sity of Paris, others local churchmen. Not withstanding that the judges were legion, the Inquisitor General of France had to be pres ent himself or by deputy, or else all the steps taken would be null and void. The Inquisitor himself was otherwise engaged, and his deputy had a very tender con science, and weeks passed ere he consid ered himself at liberty to sit at the trial. He took the point that he was only com missioned to act in the diocese of Rouen; that while geographically Joan's trial was being held in that diocese, still juridically it was being held in the diocese of Beauvais, and there he had no authority. Joan's trial (according to the custom of the land) consisted of two parts: first, the in quest, or informatio preparatoria, a general and wide-reaching investigation and search for evidence, the material found being used in framing the indictment, and then in prov ing it; secondly, the trial proper, or processus ordinarins, when it wa,s considered whether the evidence was sufficient to prove her guilty. She first appeared before her judges on January 9, 1431, when she was charged with dealings with familiar spirits of a wicked nature, with magic, with dancing round a fairy-tree in far-away Domremy days, with having a sword and banner of supernatural

nature, with the use of charms, with wearing men's clothes, using unwomanly exercises contrary to Holy Writ, with attacking Paris on a high festival, with attempting her own life at Heaurevoir, with having stolen a bishop's horse, with pretending to work miracles, especially bringing back a child to life. Seven weeks had passed since her first appearance, when she was brought again be fore her judges to be questioned at length upon these charges. Her irons were taken off. She looked pale and shabby as she, a simple, truthful girl of nineteen, stood before abbots, priors, canons, doctors of the law, to answer for her life. Her shrewdness, adroitness, good humor, wit, were wonderful. Al though by the law of the Church, being under twenty-one, she was entitled to counsel to aid and advise her, none was allowed to help her; her " voices" were her only coun selors. She obstinately refused to be sworn to unconditionally answer the questions put to her. " I do not know what you will ask me; perhaps it may be about things I will not tell you," said the Maid; and at last her judges had to be satisfied with her oath to reply to all questions touching her faith and matters bearing upon the trial, and nothing else. She was questioned at tedious length anent her early life and associates, her knowledge of religion and faith, her voices and military career, the fairy-tree and the magical fountain, her dress, and why she would not marry. At times, half a dozen questions were hurled at her at once. " My good Lords, one at a time," would be the answer. " When St. Catherine and St. Mar garet came to her did they speak one after another, or both at once? how did Joan know them apart, were they dressed alike? were they of the same age, did they wear their hair long, had they arms and legs, did they wear ear-rings? was there an angel above Charles' head when she first saw him at Chinon? " These and such like questions were flung at her for six long days. Many