love her and would maintain her with all my
power, for religion's sake," the Maid replied; "and I am not one to be
kept from church and from hearing mass. But as for the good works
which I have wrought, and touching my coming, for them I must give an
account to the King of Heaven, who has sent me to Charles, son of
Charles, King of France. And you will see that the French will shortly
accomplish a great work, to which God will appoint them, in which they
will shake nearly all France. I say it in order that when it shall
come to pass, it may be remembered that I have said it."[2387]

[Footnote 2387: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 174.]

But she was unable to name the time when this great work should be
accomplished; and Maitre Jean de la Fontaine returned to the point on
which Jeanne's fate depended.

"Will you submit to the judgment of the Church?"

"I appeal to Our Lord, who hath sent me, to Our Lady and to all the
blessed saints in Paradise. To my mind Our Lord and his Church are
one, and no distinction should be made. Wherefore do you essay to make
out that they are not one?"

In justice to Maitre Jean de la Fontaine we are bound to admit the
lucidity of his reply. "There is the Church Triumphant, in which are
God, his saints, the angels and the souls that are saved," he said.
"There is also the Church Militant, which is our Holy Father, the
Pope, the Vicar of God on earth; the cardinals, the prelates of the
Church and the clergy, with all good Christians and Catholics; and
this Church in its assembly cannot err, for it is moved by the Holy
Ghost. Will you appeal to the Church Militant?"

"I am come to the King of France from God, from the Virgin Mary and
all the blessed saints in Paradise and from the Church Victorious
above and by their command. To this Church I submit all the good deeds
I have done and shall do. As to replying whether I will submit to the
Church Militant, for the present, I will make no further answer."[2388]

[Footnote 2388: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 174, 176.]

Again she was offered a woman's dress in which to hear mass; she
refused it.

"As for a woman's dress, I will not take it yet, not until it be Our
Lord's will. And if it should come to pass that I be taken to judgment
and there divested of my clothes, I beg my lords of the Church the
favour of a woman's smock and covering for my head. I would rather die
than deny what Our Lord hath caused me to do. I believe firmly that
Our Lord will not let