y grace; we should believe rather that our
hopes have been disappointed because of our ingratitude and our
blasphemy, or by some just and impenetrable judgment of God. We
beseech him to turn away his anger from us and vouchsafe unto us his
favour.

Herein we perceive lessons, first for the King and the Blood Royal,
secondly for the King's forces and the kingdom; thirdly for the clergy
and people; fourthly for the Maid. Of all these lessons the object is
the same, to wit: a good life, consecrated to God, just towards
others, sober, virtuous and temperate. With regard to the Maid's
peculiar lesson, it is that God's grace revealed in her be employed
not in caring for trifles, not in worldly advantage, nor in party
hatred, nor in violent sedition, nor in avenging deeds done, nor in
foolish self-glorification, but in meekness, prayer, and thanksgiving.
And let every one contribute a liberal supply of temporal goods so
that peace be established and justice once more administered, and that
delivered out of the hands of our enemies, God being favourable unto
us, we may serve him in holiness and righteousness.

At the conclusion of his treatise, Gerson briefly examines one point
of canon law which had been neglected by the doctors of Poitiers. He
establishes that the Maid is not forbidden to dress as a man.

Firstly. The ancient law forbade a woman to dress as a man, and a man
as a woman. This restriction, as far as strict legality is concerned,
ceases to be enforced by the new law.

Secondly. In its moral bearing this law remains binding. But in such a
case it is merely a matter of decency.

Thirdly. From a legal and moral standpoint this law does not refuse
masculine and military attire to the Maid, whom the King of Heaven
appoints His standard-bearer, in order that she may trample underfoot
the enemies of justice. In the operations of divine power the end
justifies the means.

Fourthly. Examples may be quoted from history alike sacred and
profane, notably Camilla and the Amazons.

Jean Gerson completed this treatise on Whit-Sunday, a week after the
deliverance of Orleans. It was his last work. He died in the July of
that year, 1429, in the sixty-fifth year of his age.[1135]

[Footnote 1135: _Oeuvres de Gerson_, ed. Ellies Dupin, Paris, 1706,
in folio, vol. iv, p. 864. _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 298; vol. v, p. 412.
Le P. Ayroles, _La Pucelle devant l'Eglise de son temps_, p. 24.]

The treatise is the political testament