第104章 RE-EXAMINATION.MARCH-MAY,(6)

After an explanation of the solemn care given by the University to the consideration of every one of the twelve articles of the indictment，that learned tribunal pronounced its verdict upon each.The length of the proceedings makes it impossible to reproduce these.First as to the early revelations given to Jeanne，described in the first and second articles，they are denounced as "murderous，seductive，and pernicious fictions，"the apparitions those of "malignant spirits and devils，Belial，Satan，and Behemoth."The third article，which concerned her recognition of the saints，was described more mildly as containing errors in faith；the fourth，as to her knowledge of future events，was characterised as "superstitious and presumptuous divination."The fifth，concerning her dress，declared her to be "blasphemous and contemptuous of God in His Sacraments."The sixth，by which she was accused of loving bloodshed，because she made war against those who did not obey the summons in her letters bearing the name Jhesus Maria，was declared to prove that she was cruel，"seeking the shedding of blood，seditious，and a blasphemer of God."The tenor is the same to the end：Blasphemy，superstition，pernicious doctrine，impiety，cruelty，presumption，lying；a schismatic，a heretic，an apostate，an idolator，an invoker of demons.These are the conclusions drawn by the most solemn and weighty tribunal on matters of faith in France.The precautions taken to procure a full and trustworthy judgment，the appeal to each section in turn，the Faculty of Theology，the Faculty of Law，the "Nations，"all separately and than all together passing every item in review--are set forth at full length.

Every formality had been fulfilled，every rule followed，every detail was in the fullest order，signed and sealed and attested by solemn notaries，bristling with well-known names.A beautiful judgment，equal to the trial，which was beautiful too--not a rule omitted except those of justice，fairness，and truth！The doctors sat and listened with every fine professional sense satisfied.

"If the beforesaid woman，charitably exhorted and admonished by competent judges，does not return spontaneously to the Catholic faith，publicly abjure her errors，and give full satisfaction to her judges，she is hereby given up to the secular judge to receive the reward of her deeds."The attendant judges，each in his place，now added their adhesion.

Most of them simply stated their agreement with the judgment of the University，or with that of the Bishop of Fecamp，which was a similar tenor；a few wished that Jeanne should be again "charitably admonished"；many desired that on this selfsame day the final sentence should be pronounced.One among them，a certain Raoul Sauvage (Radulphus Silvestris)，suggested that she should be brought before the people in a public place，a suggestion afterwards carried out.

Frère Isambard desired that she should be charitably admonished again and have another chance，and that her final fate should still be in the hands of "us her judges."The conclusion was that one more "charitable admonition"should be given to Jeanne，and that the law should then take its course.The suggestion that she should make a public appearance had only one supporter.

This dark scene in the chapel is very notable，each man rising to pronounce what was in reality a sentence of death，--fifty of them almost unanimous，filled no doubt with a hundred different motives，to please this man or that，to win favour，to get into the way of promotion，--but all with a distinct consciousness of the great yet horrible spectacle，the stake，the burning：--though perhaps here and there was one with a hope that perpetual imprisonment，bread of sorrow and water of anguish，might be substituted for that terrible death.