g the supremacy of General Councils, the freedom of
episcopal elections, the suppression of annates and the rights of the
Gallican Church. At that moment it was not likely that either one or
the other remembered the poor Maid. From the deliberations of this
assembly, in which Maitre Thomas played an important part, there
issued the solemn edict promulgated by the King on the 7th of July,
1438; the Pragmatic Sanction. By this edict the canons of Bale became
the constitution of the Church of France.[2688]

[Footnote 2685: Le P. Ayroles, _La Pucelle devant l'eglise de son
temps_, p. 10.]

[Footnote 2686: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 565.]

[Footnote 2687: _Ibid._, vol. i, p. 403.]

[Footnote 2688: _Ordonnances_, vol. xiii, pp. 267, 291. _Preuves des
libertes de l'eglise gallicane_, edited by Lenglet-Dufresnoy, second
part, p. 6. De Beaucourt, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol. iii, pp.
353, 361. N. Arlos, _Histoire de la pragmatique sanction, etc._]

The Emperor also agreed to the reforms of Bale. So audacious did the
Fathers become that they summoned Pope Eugenius to appear before their
tribunal. When he refused to obey their summons, they deposed him,
declaring him to be disobedient, obstinate, rebellious, a breaker of
rules, a perturber of ecclesiastical unity, a perjurer, a schismatic,
a hardened heretic, a squanderer of the treasures of the Church,
scandalous, simoniacal, pernicious and damnable.[2689] Such was the
condemnation of the Holy Fathers pronounced among other doctors by
Maitre Jean Beaupere, Maitre Thomas de Courcelles and Maitre Nicolas
Loiseleur, who had all three so sternly reproached Jeanne with having
refused to submit to the Pope.[2690] Maitre Nicolas had been extremely
energetic throughout the Maid's trial, playing alternately the parts
of the Lorraine prisoner and Saint Catherine; when she was led to the
stake he had run after her like a madman.[2691] This same Maitre
Nicolas now displayed great activity in the Council wherein he
attained to some eminence. He upheld the view that the General Council
canonically convoked, was superior to the Pope and in a position to
depose him. And albeit this canon was a mere master of arts, he made
such an impression on the Fathers at Bale that in 1439, they
despatched him to act as juris-consult at the Diet of Mainz. Meanwhile
his attitude was strongly displeasing to the chapter which had sent
him as deputy to the Council. The canons of Rouen sided with the
Sovereign