We must remember also that
this was a matter in which Old England was greatly concerned, and the
Regent loved his country with all his heart and all his strength.

[Footnote 2194: Vallet de Viriville, _Nouvelles recherches sur Agnes
Sorel_, pp. 33 _et seq._ Du Cange, _Glossaire_, at the word
_Matrimonium_.]

[Footnote 2195: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 102, 209.]

[Footnote 2196: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 155, 163.]

[Footnote 2197: A. Sarrazin, _Jeanne d'Arc et la Normandie_, p. 40.]

Upon the examination of the Duchess of Bedford as upon that of the
Queen of Sicily Jeanne appeared a virgin. The matrons knew various
signs of virginity; but for us a more certain sign is Jeanne's own
word. When she was asked wherefore she called herself the Maid,
whether she were one in reality, she replied: "I may tell you that
such I am."[2198] The judges, as far as we know, set no store by this
favourable result of the examination. Did they believe with the wise
King Solomon that in such matters all inquiry is vain, and did they
reject the matrons' verdict by virtue of the saying: _Virginitatis
probatio non minus difficilis quam custodia_? No, they knew well that
she was indeed a virgin. They allowed it to be understood when they
did not assert the contrary.[2199] And since they persisted in
believing her a witch, it must have been because they imagined her to
have given herself to devils who had left her as they found her. The
morals of devils abounded in such inconsistencies, which were the
despair of the most learned doctors; every day new inconsistencies
were being discovered.

[Footnote 2198: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 175.]

[Footnote 2199: _Ibid._, vol. i, pp. 217, 218.]

On Saturday, the 13th of January, the Lord Abbot of Fecamp, the
doctors and masters, Nicolas de Venderes, Guillaume Haiton, Nicolas
Coppequesne, Jean de la Fontaine, and Nicolas Loiseleur, met in the
house of the Lord Bishop. There was read to them the information
concerning the Maid gathered in Lorraine and elsewhere. And it was
decided that according to this information a certain number of
articles should be drawn up in due form; which was done.[2200]

[Footnote 2200: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 27, 28.]

On Tuesday, the 23rd of January, the doctors and masters above named
considered the terms of these articles, and, finding them sufficient,
they decided that they might be used for the examination. Then they
resolved that the Bishop of Beauvais should order a prelim