Joan of Arc Letter to the Duke of Burgundy, July 17, 1429
On July 17, 1429, Saint Joan of Arc sent a letter to the Duke of Burgundy, who was allied with the English in this part of the Hundred Years War.
LETTRE DE LA PUCELLE AU DUC DE BOURGOGNE. 17 juillet 1429.
From Procès de condamnation et de réhabilitation de Jeanne d'Arc, dite La Pucelle (Archive.org); Vol V, p. 126-127
Introduction by Quicherat
Introduction, original French in Quicherat, Vol V, p. 126:
LETTRE DE LA PUCELLE AU DUC DE BOURGOGNE. 17 juillet 1429.
Publiée deux fois comme inédite: d'abord par l’archiviste Godefroy, dans le Journal de la littérature, des sciences et des arts, de l’abbé Grosier (aunée 1780, t. IV, p. 448), et en second lieu par M. Berriat Saint-Prix, dans l’histoire de Jeanne d’Arc, qu’il fit paraître en 1817. Dans l’intervalle, l’original s’était perdu et retrouvé. Il n’a jamais quitté le dépôt d’archives de Lille, autrefois archives de la Chambre des comptes de Flandre, aujourd’hui archives du département du Nord.
Notre texte a été établi d’après un fac-similé parfaitement exécuté que possédait M. Aimé Martin.
Introduction by Quicherat translated to English
LETTER FROM THE MAID TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY. 17 July 1429.
Published twice as if it were previously unknown: first by the archivist Godefroy, in the Journal of Literature, Science, and the Arts of Abbé Grosier (year 1780, vol. IV, p. 448), and a second time by M. Berriat Saint-Prix, in his History of Joan of Arc, which he published in 1817. In the meantime, the original had been lost and then rediscovered. It has never left the archive depository of Lille, formerly the archives of the Chamber of Accounts of Flanders, now the archives of the Department of the Nord.
Our text has been established based on a perfectly executed facsimile owned by M. Aimé Martin.
Lettre au Duc de Bourgogne
per Quicherat, Vol V, pp. 126-127
† Jehsus Maria.
Hault et redoubté prince, duc de Bourgoingne, Jehanne la Pucelle vous requiert, de par le Roy du ciel, mon droicturier et souverain seigneur, que le roy de France et vous faciez bonne paix ferme, qui dure longuement. Pardonnez l’un à l’autre de bon cuer, entièrement, ainsi que doivent faire loyaulx chrestiens; et s’il vous plaist à guerroier, si alez sur les Sarrazins. Prince de Bourgoingne, je vous prie, supplie et requiers tant humblement que requerir vous puis, que ne guerroiez plus ou saint royaume de France, et faictes retraire incontinent et briefment voz gens qui sont en aucunes places et forteresses dudit saint royaume; et de la part du gentil roy de France, il est prest de faire paix à vous, sauve son honneur, s’il ne tient en vous. Et vous faiz à savoir, de par le Roy du ciel, mon droicturier et souverain seigneur, pour vostre bien et pour vostre honneur et sur voz vie, que vous n’y gaignerez point bataille à l'encontre des loyaulx François, et que tous ceulx qui guerroient oudit saint royaume de France, guerroient contre le roy Jhesus, roy du ciel et de tout le monde, mon droicturier et souverain seigneur. Et vous prie et requiers à jointes mains, que ne faictes nulle bataille ne ne guerroiez contre nous, vous, voz gens ou subgiez; et croiez seurement que, quelque nombre de gens que amenez contre nous, qu’ilz n’y gaigneront mie, et sera grant pitié de la grant bataille et du sang qui y sera respendu de ceulx qui y vendront contre nous. Et a trois sepmaines que je vous avoye escript et envoié bonnes lettres par ung hérault, que feussiez au sacre du roy qui, aujourduy dimenche, xvije jour de ce présent mois de juillet, ce fait en la cité de Reims: dont je n’ay eu point de response, ne n’ouy oncques puis nouvelles dudit hérault. A Dieu vous commens et soit garde de vous, s’il lui plaist; et prie Dieu qu’il y mecte bonne pais. Escript audit lieu de Reims, ledit xvije jour de juillet
Sur l'adresse: Au duc de Bourgoigne
Letter to the Duke of Burgundy translated to English
Paragraph breaks added for readability
Translation version 1
† Jesus Maria.
High and mighty prince, Duke of Burgundy, Joan the Maid earnestly entreats you, in the name of the King of Heaven, my rightful and sovereign Lord, that the King of France and you make a good and firm peace, which may last long. Forgive one another with sincere hearts, completely, as loyal Christians ought to do. And if it pleases you to make war, then go against the Saracens.
Prince of Burgundy, I pray you, I implore and request you as humbly as I can, that you no longer wage war in the holy kingdom of France, and that you promptly and swiftly withdraw your troops who are in any towns and fortresses of the said holy kingdom. And on the part of the gentle King of France, he is ready to make peace with you, saving his honor, if it does not rest on your side.
And I make known to you, in the name of the King of Heaven, my rightful and sovereign Lord, for your own good, for your honor, and on your life, that you shall gain no battle against the loyal French, and that all who make war in the said holy kingdom of France are warring against the King Jesus, King of Heaven and of all the world, my rightful and sovereign Lord.
And I pray and beg you with joined hands, that neither you, nor your people, nor your subjects, make battle or war against us. And be assured that, whatever number of people you bring against us, they shall not win; and there will be great pity over the great battle and the blood that will be shed by those who come against us.
And it is now three weeks since I wrote to you and sent you good letters by a herald, that you should be present at the coronation of the king, which today, Sunday, the 17th day of this present month of July, is taking place in the city of Reims: of which I have received no response, nor have I heard any news since from the said herald.
To God I commend you; may He guard you, if it pleases Him; and I pray God to establish a good peace.
Written at the said place of Reims, the said 17th day of July.
Addressed: To the Duke of Burgundy
Translation version 2:
High and redoubtable prince, Duke of Burgundy,
Joan the Maid begs you, by the King of Heaven, my rightful and sovereign Lord, that the King of France and you make a good and lasting peace, firm and enduring. Forgive one another with good heart, fully and sincerely, as loyal Christians ought to do. And if it pleases you to make war, then go against the Saracens.
Prince of Burgundy, I pray you, entreat and request you most humbly—as humbly as I can—that you make war no longer upon the holy kingdom of France, and that you cause your men who are in any towns and fortresses of the said holy kingdom to withdraw at once and swiftly.
And on behalf of the gentle King of France, he is ready to make peace with you, preserving his honor, if it does not depend on you.
And I give you to know, on behalf of the King of Heaven, my rightful and sovereign Lord, for your good, your honor, and on your life, that you will gain no battle against the loyal French, and that all those who wage war in the said holy kingdom of France are waging war against King Jesus, King of Heaven and of all the world, my rightful and sovereign Lord.
And I beg and entreat you with joined hands that you make no battle and wage no war against us—you, your men, or your subjects. And believe firmly that, whatever number of men you bring against us, they will not win, and there will be great pity in the great battle and in the blood that shall be spilled of those who come against us.
And it has now been three weeks since I wrote to you and sent good letters by a herald, inviting you to be present at the anointing of the king, which today, Sunday the seventeenth day of this present month of July, is taking place in the city of Reims. Of this I have had no reply, nor have I heard any news since from the said herald.
To God I commend you; may He guard you, if it pleases Him. And I pray God that He establish a good peace.
Written at the said place of Reims, the said seventeenth day of July.
Address: To the Duke of Burgundy
Translation from Anatole France, Vol 1, p. 457
High and greatly to be feared Prince, Duke of Burgundy, Jehanne the Maid, in the name of the King of Heaven, her rightful and liege lord, requires you and the King of France to make a good peace which shall long endure. Forgive one another heartily and entirely as becometh good Christians; an if it please you to make war, go ye against the Saracens. Prince of Burgundy, I pray you, I entreat you, I beseech you as humbly as lieth in my power, that ye make war no more against the holy realm of France, and that forthwith and speedily ye withdraw those your men who are in any strongholds and fortresses of the said holy kingdom; and in the name of the fair King of France, he is ready to make peace with you, saving his honour if that be necessary. And in the name of the King of Heaven, my Sovereign liege Lord, for your good, your honour and your life, I make known unto you, that ye will never win in battle against the loyal French and that all they who wage war against the holy realm of France, will be warring against King Jhesus, King of Heaven and of the world, my lawful liege lord. And with clasped hands I beseech and entreat you that ye make no battle nor wage war against us, neither you, nor your people, nor your subjects; and be assured that whatever number of folk ye bring against us, they will gain[Pg i.457] nothing, and it will be sore pity for the great battle and the blood that shall be shed of those that come against us. And three weeks past, I did write and send you letters by a herald, that ye should come to the anointing of the King, which to-day, Sunday, the 17th day of this present month, is made in the city of Reims: to which letter I have had no answer, neither news of the said herald. To God I commend you; may he keep you, if it be his will; and I pray God to establish good peace. Written from the said place of Reims, on the said seventeenth of July."