Lord Archbishop of Embrun,[1126]
had at first been afraid that the King's enemies had sent him this
shepherdess to poison him, or that she was a witch possessed by
demons. In the beginning he had advised her being carefully
interrogated, not hastily repulsed, for appearances are deceptive and
divine grace moves in a mysterious manner. Now, after having read the
conclusions of the doctors of Poitiers, learnt the deliverance of
Orleans, and heard the cry of the common folk, Messire Jacques Gelu no
longer doubted the damsel's innocence and goodness. Seeing that the
doctors were divided in their opinion of her, he drew up a brief
treatise, which he sent to the King, with a very ample, a very humble,
and a very worthy dedicatory epistle.

[Footnote 1126: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 394, 407; vol. v, p. 413. Le P.
Marcellin Fornier, _Histoire des Alpes-Maritimes ou Cottiennes_, vol.
ii, p. 320. Le P. Ayroles, _La Pucelle devant l'Eglise de son temps_,
pp. 39, 52.]

About that time, on the pavement of the cathedral of Reims a labyrinth
had been traced with compass and with square.[1127] Pilgrims who were
patient and painstaking followed all its winding ways. The Archbishop
of Embrun's treatise is likewise a carefully planned scholastic
labyrinth. Herein one advances only to retreat and retreats only to
advance, but without entirely losing one's way provided one walks with
sufficient patience and attention. Like all scholastics, Gelu begins
by giving the reasons against his own opinion and it is not until he
has followed his opponent at some length that he returns to his own
argument. Into all the intricacies of his labyrinth it would take too
long to follow him. But since those who were round the King consulted
this theological treatise, since it was addressed to the King and
since the King and his Council may have based on it their opinion of
Jeanne and their conduct towards her, one is curious to know what, on
so singular an occasion, they found taught and recommended therein.

[Footnote 1127: L. Paris, _Notice sur le dedale ou labyrinthe de
l'eglise de Reims_, in _Ann. des Inst. provinc._, 1857, vol. ix, p.
233.]

Treating first of the Church's weal, Jacques Gelu holds that God
raised up the Maid to confound the heretics, the number of whom,
according to him, is by no means small. "To turn to confusion those
who believe in God as if they believed not," he writes, "the Almighty,
who hath on His vesture and on His thigh a nam