be argued, that it is lawful to promise a good thing
to an angel or to a man; and that this good thing, thus promised, may
form the substance of a vow. One vows to God what one has promised to
the saints. Pierre of Tarentaise (iv, dist: xxviii, a. 1) teaches that
all vows should be made to God: either to himself directly or through
the mediation of his saints.[2346]

[Footnote 2346: Lanery d'Arc, _Memoires et consultations_, pp. 224,
434, 435. Le P. Ayroles, _La vraie Jeanne d'Arc_, vol. i, pp. 351 _et
seq._, 481 _et seq._]

According to a statement made during the inquiry, Jeanne had given a
promise of marriage to a young peasant. Now the examiner endeavoured
to prove that she had been at liberty to break her vow of virginity
made in an irregular form; but Jeanne maintained that she had not
promised marriage, and she added:

"The first time I heard my Voices, I vowed to remain a virgin as long
as it should please God."

But this time it was Saint Michael and not the saints who had appeared
to her.[2347] She herself found it difficult to unravel the tangled web
of her dreams and her ecstasies. And from these vague visions of a
child the doctors were laboriously essaying to elaborate a capital
charge.

[Footnote 2347: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 128.]

Then a very grave and serious question was asked her by the examiner:
"Did you speak to your priest or to any other churchman of those
visions which you say were vouchsafed to you?"

"No, I spoke of them only to Robert de Baudricourt and to my
King."[2348]

[Footnote 2348: _Ibid._]

The vavasour of Champagne, a man of mature years and sound sense, when
in the days of King John, he, like the Maid, had heard a Voice in the
fields bidding him go to his King, went straightway and told his
priest. The latter commanded him to fast for three days, to do
penance, and then to return to the field where the Voice had spoken to
him.

The vavasour obeyed. Again the Voice was heard repeating the command
it had previously given. The peasant again told his priest, who said
to him: "My brother, thou and I will abstain and fast for three days,
and I will pray for thee to Our Lord Jesus Christ." This they did, and
on the fourth day the good man returned to the field. After the Voice
had spoken for the third time, the priest enjoined his parishioner to
go forthwith and fulfil his mission, since such was the will of
God.[2349]

[Footnote 2349: _Chronique des quatre premiers Valois_, p