abitants of Reims who desired to rid their town of
the burden of men-at-arms. If he had waited he would have had a crown
a thousand times more rich."

"Have you seen that richer crown?"

"I cannot tell you without committing perjury. If I have not seen it I
have heard tell how rich and how magnificent it is."[2315]

[Footnote 2315: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 90, 91.]

Jeanne suffered intensely from being deprived of the sacraments. One
day when Messire Jean Massieu, performing the office of ecclesiastical
usher, was taking her before her judges, she asked him whether there
were not on the way some church or chapel in which was the body of Our
Lord Jesus Christ.[2316]

[Footnote 2316: _Ibid._, vol. ii, p. 16.]

Messire Jean Massieu, dean of Rouen, was a cleric of manners
dissolute; his inveterate lewdness had involved him in difficulties
with the Chapter and with the Official.[2317] He may have been neither
as brave nor as frank as he wished to make out, but he was not hard
or pitiless.

[Footnote 2317: De Beaurepaire, _Recherches sur le proces de
condamnation_, p. 115.]

He told his prisoner that there was a chapel on the way. And he
pointed out to her the chapel of the castle.

Then she besought him urgently to take her into the chapel in order
that she might worship Messire and pray.

Readily did Messire Jean Massieu consent; and he permitted her to
kneel before the sanctuary. Devoutly bending, Jeanne offered her
prayer.

The Lord Bishop, being informed of this incident, was highly
displeased. He instructed the Usher that in the future such devotions
must not be tolerated.

And the Promoter, Maitre Jean d'Estivet, on his part, addressed many a
reprimand to Messire Jean Massieu.

"Rascal," he said, "what possesses thee to allow an excommunicated
whore to approach a church without permission? If ever thou doest the
like again I will imprison thee in that tower, where for a month thou
wilt see neither sun nor moon."

Messire Jean Massieu heeded not this threat. And the Promoter,
perceiving this, himself took up his post at the chapel door when
Jeanne went that way. Thus he prevented the hapless damsel from
engaging in her devotions.[2318]

[Footnote 2318: _Trial_, vol. ii, p. 16.]

The sixth sitting was held in the same court as before, in the
presence of forty-one assessors, of whom six or seven were new, and
among them was Maitre Guillaume Erart, doctor in theology.[2319]

[Footnote 2319: _Ibid._, vol