ouen--however, added the
following clause, that the latter should be her punishment, 'provided
that her revelations do not come from God.' But with the fear of
Cauchon before them, they added to this clause that the revelations
coming from such a source seems hardly probable, and they appeal to
the bachelors in theology to set them right on that head. The Bishop
of Lisieux, who had already given as his reason for not believing that
Joan of Arc's mission could be Heaven-inspired the fact of the low
station from which she came, now repeated the same absurdity on this
occasion. There were others who preferred delaying their verdict until
the decision arrived at by the University of Paris had been made
known. A number of the Churchmen belonging to the Chapter of the
Cathedral of Rouen hesitated, divided between two opinions, for and
against the Maid, and of these only twenty put in an appearance when
summoned by Cauchon to meet on the 13th of April. They were threatened
and bullied by the Bishop to come in stronger numbers on the next day,
when they attended to the number of thirty-one, but could not be
prevailed on to give a definite opinion until the answer arrived from
the University--which ultimatum Cauchon had to take with as much grace
as he could. While these things were taking place, Joan of Arc fell
ill--worn out probably by her long and harsh imprisonment, by the
mental as well as physical torment she must have undergone during
those weeks of cross-questioning and endless browbeating. Her jailers
were more alarmed about her condition than she was herself, for were
she to die a natural death, half the moral effect her enemies counted
on obtaining by giving her the death of a sorceress and heretic would
be lost. Doctors were sent for--sent by the Cardinal of Winchester and
Warwick. When asked what ailed her she said that her illness had
commenced after eating a fish that had been sent her by the Bishop of
Beauvais. Warwick is said to have had the brutality to tell the
doctors that her life must be saved at all hazards, for she had to die
by the hands of the executioners. The doctors ordered her to be bled,
and her naturally strong constitution soon restored her to health.
During the days of the weakness following her illness, Cauchon,
thinking probably that more might be then wrung from her than when
well, came to see her. This was on the 18th of April. He went to the
dungeon accompanied by the Vice-Inquisitor and ha