questioned no further, God was pleased to permit this sign
to be seen by all those of my party who did see it."

"Did your King and you make any reverence to the angel when he brought
the sign?"

"Yes, for my part, I did. I knelt and took off my hood."[2340]

[Footnote 2340: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 120, 122.]

CHAPTER XII

THE TRIAL FOR LAPSE (_continued_)

On Monday, the 12th of March, Brother Jean Lemaistre received from
Brother Jean Graverent, Inquisitor of France, an order to proceed
against and to pronounce the final sentence on a certain woman, named
Jeanne, commonly called the Maid.[2341] On that same day, in the
morning, Maitre Jean de la Fontaine, in presence of the Bishop, for
the second time examined Jeanne in her prison.[2342]

[Footnote 2341: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 122-124.]

[Footnote 2342: _Ibid._, p. 125.]

He first returned to the sign. "Did not the angel who brought the sign
speak?"

"Yes, he told my King that he must set me to work in order that the
country might soon be relieved."

"Was the angel, who brought the sign, the angel who first appeared
unto you or another?"

"It was always the same and never did he fail me."

"But inasmuch as you have been taken hath not the angel failed you
with regard to the good things of this life?"

"Since it is Our Lord's good pleasure, I believe it was best for me to
be taken."

"In the good things of grace hath not your angel failed you?"

"How can he have failed me when he comforteth me every day?"[2343]

[Footnote 2343: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 126.]

Maitre Jean de la Fontaine then put her a subtle question and one as
nearly approaching humour as was permissible in an ecclesiastical
trial.

"Did Saint Denys ever appear to you?"[2344]

[Footnote 2344: _Ibid._]

Saint Denys, patron of the most Christian kings, Saint Denys, the war
cry of France, had allowed the English to take his abbey, that rich
church, to which queens came to receive their crowns, and wherein
kings had their burying. He had turned English and Burgundian, and it
was not likely he would come to hold converse with the Maid of the
Armagnacs.

To the question: "Were you addressing God himself when you promised to
remain a virgin?" she replied:

"It sufficed to give the promise to the messengers of God, to wit,
Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret."[2345]

[Footnote 2345: _Ibid._]

They had sought to entrap her, for a vow must be made directly to God.
However, it might