Saint Joan of Arc quotations

Quotes by and about Saint Joan of Arc

A few Saint Joan of Arc and others' classic quotations, ordered chronologically, as best possible, and categorized by the general places in which hey were spoken.

_{Back to Saint Joan of Arc main page}

> todo:

• state of Grace
• i will not look back to see who is following me

Vaucouleurs

Jean de Metz, Knight who accompanied Joan to Chinon to meet the Dauphin:

Then I pledged my faith to her, touching her hand, and promised that, with God’s guidance, I would conduct her to the King. I asked her when she wished to start. “Sooner at once than to-morrow, and sooner to-morrow than later,”

H L , cartwright, formerly of Vaucouleurs:

“I fear them not. I have a sure road: if the enemy are on my road, I have God with me, Who knows how to prepare the way to the Lord Dauphin. I was born to do this."

The way to Rheims

Jean Dunois, The Bastard of Orleans:

On attacking the English

“Have all of you good spurs?”

“What do you mean?” asked those present of her; “are we, then, to turn our backs?”

“Nay,” she replied, “it is the English who will not defend themselves, and will be beaten; and you must have good spurs to pursue them.”

To the Dauphin who hesitated to go to Rheims for his coronation:

“When I am vexed that faith is not readily placed in what I wish to say in God’s Name, I retire alone, and pray to God. I complain to Him that those whom I address do not believe me more readily; and, my prayer ended, I hear a Voice which says to me: ‘Daughter of God! go on! go on! go on! I will be thy Help: go on!’ And when I hear this Voice, I have great joy. I would I could always hear it thus.”

To the Dauphin who hesitated whether or not to attack Troyes:

“Noble Dauphin, order your people to come and besiege the town of Troyes, and lose no more time in such long councils. In God’s Name, before three days are gone, I will bring you into this town by favour or force, and greatly will the false Burgundy be astounded.”

The Trial of Condemnation at Rouen

Jeanne was often disconcerted by questions which were subtle and not pertinent. I remember that, on one occasion, she was asked if she were in a state of grace. She replied, that it was a serious matter to answer such a question, and at last said : *' If I am, may God so keep me. If I am not, may God so place me. I would rather die than not be in the love of God." At this reply the questioners were much confounded, and broke up the sitting ; nor was she further interrogated on that occasion.

< murray p. 299

May 9: threatening to torture her over what it considered her lies, "Then she was told that, if she would not tell the truth, she would immediately be put to the torture, the instruments of which were here, in this same tower, under her eyes." Joan replied,

Truly if you were to tear me limb from limb, and separate soul and body, I will tell you nothing more; and, if I were to say anything else, I should always afterwards declare that you made me say it by force.

May 23: formal charges are read and the priest Pierre Maurice admonishes her to save her soul:

“May Our Saviour Jesus Christ preserve you from all these evils!”

After being thus admonished and exhorted, Jeanne did reply:

“As to my words and deeds, such as I have declared them in the Trial, I refer to them and will maintain them.”

“Do you not, then,” We asked her, “think yourself bound to submit your words and deeds to the Church Militant, or to any other but God ?”

She replied : “ What I have always said in the Trial, and held, I wish still to say and maintain. If I were condemned, if I saw the fire lighted, the faggots prepared, and the executioner ready to kindle the fire, and if I myself were in the fire, I would not say otherwise, and would maintain to the death all I have said.”

Then, We, the Judges, asked of the Promoter and of Jeanne herself if they had anything else to say. They replied, No. In consequence, We did proceed to close the Process, following the formula contained in a schedule

On the margin of the transcript, the scribe Manchon added, "Responsio Johannæ superba" ("Joan's response superb")

---