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Joan of Arc Letter to the English

From Rejoice in Saint Joan of Arc

In March of 1429, the day she was given permission to lead the French relief of Orléans, she sent a letter to the English, directed to the King, Henry VI, and his various leaders in France.

Letter to the English

  • In English per Murray translation.
  • See below for version with paragraph breaks added for easier reading
    Jhesus Maria.

    King of England; and you, Duke of Bedford, who call yourself Regent of the Kingdom of France; you, William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk; John, Lord Talbot; and you, Thomas, Lord Scales, who call yourselves Lieutenants to the said Duke of Bedford: give satisfaction to the King of Heaven: surrender to the [King[1]], who is sent hither by God, the King of Heaven, the keys of all the good towns in France which you have taken, and broken into. She is come here by the order of God to reclaim the Blood Royal. She is quite ready to make peace, if you are willing to give her satisfaction, by giving and paying back to France what you have taken. And as for you, archers, companions-in-arms, gentlemen and others who are before the town of Orleans, return to your own countries, by God's order; and if this be not done, then hear the message of the Maid, who will shortly come upon you, to your very great hurt. King of England, [I am a Chieftain of war[2]] and, if this be not done, wheresoever I find your followers in France, I will make them leave, willingly or unwillingly; if they will not obey, I will have them put to death. I am sent here by God, the King of Heaven, [body for body,][3] to drive them all out of the whole of France. And if they will obey, I will have mercy on them. And do not think in yourselves that you will get possession of the realm of France from God the King of Heaven, Son of the Blessed Mary; for King Charles will gain it, the true heir: for God, the King of Heaven, so wills it, and it is revealed to him[4] by the Maid, and he will enter Paris with a good company. If you will not believe the message of God and of the Maid and act aright, in whatsoever place we find you we will enter therein and make so great a disturbance that for a thousand years none in France will be so great. And believe surely that the King of Heaven will send greater power to the Maid, to her and her good men-at-arms, than you can bring to the attack; and, when it comes to blows, we shall see who has the better right from the God of Heaven. You, Duke of Bedford, the Maid prays and enjoins you, that you do not come to grievous hurt. If you will give her satisfactory pledges, you may yet join with her, so that the French may do the fairest deed that has ever yet been done for Christendom. And answer, if you wish to make peace in the City of Orleans; if this be not done, you may be shortly reminded of it, to your very great hurt. Written this Tuesday in Holy Week.[5]

  1. ↑ At the Trial of Condemnation at Rouen, Joan twice corrected the letter. First, Joan brought up the letter herself on February 22, 1431: "I sent a letter to the English before Orleans, to make them leave, as may be seen in a copy of my letter which has been read to me in this City of Rouen; there are, nevertheless, two or three words in this copy which were not in my letter. Thus, 'Surrender to the Maid,' should be replaced by 'Surrender to the King.' The words, 'body for body' and 'chieftain in war' were not in my letter at all." (Murray, p. 12; note: I have replaced Murray's "give up" with "surrendered") And on March 2, the letter was read to her in full and she was asked if she knew the letter. She replied: "Yes, excepting three words. In place of 'give up to the Maid,' it should be 'give up to the King.' The words 'Chieftain of war' and 'body for body' were not in the letter I sent." (Murray, p. 38)
  2. ↑ ibid. "The words... 'chieftain in war' were not in my letter at all." (Murray, p. 12)
  3. ↑ ibid: "The words, ' body for body ' ... were not in my letter at all." (Murray, p. 12)
  4. ↑ the King of France
  5. ↑ March 22, 1429

Letter to the English with paragraph breaks

Jhesus Maria.

King of England; and you, Duke of Bedford, who call yourself Regent of the Kingdom of France; you, William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk; John, Lord Talbot; and you, Thomas, Lord Scales, who call yourselves Lieutenants to the said Duke of Bedford: give satisfaction to the King of Heaven: surrender to the [King[1]], who is sent hither by God, the King of Heaven, the keys of all the good towns in France which you have taken, and broken into.

She is come here by the order of God to reclaim the Blood Royal. She is quite ready to make peace, if you are willing to give her satisfaction, by giving and paying back to France what you have taken. And as for you, archers, companions-in-arms, gentlemen and others who are before the town of Orleans, return to your own countries, by God's order; and if this be not done, then hear the message of the Maid, who will shortly come upon you, to your very great hurt.

King of England, [I am a Chieftain of war[2]] and, if this be not done, wheresoever I find your followers in France, I will make them leave, willingly or unwillingly; if they will not obey, I will have them put to death. I am sent here by God, the King of Heaven, [body for body,][3] to drive them all out of the whole of France. And if they will obey, I will have mercy on them. And do not think in yourselves that you will get possession of the realm of France from God the King of Heaven, Son of the Blessed Mary; for King Charles will gain it, the true heir: for God, the King of Heaven, so wills it, and it is revealed to him[4] by the Maid, and he will enter Paris with a good company.

If you will not believe the message of God and of the Maid and act aright, in whatsoever place we find you we will enter therein and make so great a disturbance that for a thousand years none in France will be so great. And believe surely that the King of Heaven will send greater power to the Maid, to her and her good men-at-arms, than you can bring to the attack; and, when it comes to blows, we shall see who has the better right from the God of Heaven.

You, Duke of Bedford, the Maid prays and enjoins you, that you do not come to grievous hurt. If you will give her satisfactory pledges, you may yet join with her, so that the French may do the fairest deed that has ever yet been done for Christendom. And answer, if you wish to make peace in the City of Orleans; if this be not done, you may be shortly reminded of it, to your very great hurt.

Written this Tuesday in Holy Week.[5]

  • Notes:
  1. ↑ At the Trial of Condemnation at Rouen, Joan twice corrected the letter. First, Joan brought up the letter herself on February 22, 1431: "I sent a letter to the English before Orleans, to make them leave, as may be seen in a copy of my letter which has been read to me in this City of Rouen; there are, nevertheless, two or three words in this copy which were not in my letter. Thus, 'Surrender to the Maid,' should be replaced by 'Surrender to the King.' The words, 'body for body' and 'chieftain in war' were not in my letter at all." (Murray, p. 12; note: I have replaced Murray's "give up" with "surrendered") And on March 2, the letter was read to her in full and she was asked if she knew the letter. She replied: "Yes, excepting three words. In place of 'give up to the Maid,' it should be 'give up to the King.' The words 'Chieftain of war' and 'body for body' were not in the letter I sent." (Murray, p. 38)
  2. ↑ ibid. "The words... 'chieftain in war' were not in my letter at all." (Murray, p. 12)
  3. ↑ ibid: "The words, ' body for body ' ... were not in my letter at all." (Murray, p. 12)
  4. ↑ the King of France
  5. ↑ March 22, 1429

Lettre aux Anglais

  • In original French, per Jules Quicherat
Jhesus Maria.

Roy d'Angleterre, et vous duc de Bethfort qui vous dites regens le royaulme de France; Guillaume de Lapoula, conte de Suffort, Jehan sire de Thalebot, et vous Thomas, sire d'Escalles, qui vous dictes lieutenans dudit de Bethfort, faites rayson au roy du ciel de son sang royal[1]; rendes à la Pucelle cy envoiëe de par Dieu le rov du ciel, les clefs de toutes les bonnes villes que vous avés prises et violées en France. Elle est ayci[2] venue de par Dieu le roy du ciel , pour reclamer le sang royal; elle est toute preste de faire paix, se vous luy voilés faire rayson par ainssi que France vous mectés sur[3] et paies de ce que l'avez tenu. Entre vous arçhiers, compaignons de guerre gentilz, et autres qui estes davant la bonne ville d'Orliens, alés vous an, de par Dieu, en vous pais; et se ainssi ne le faictes, attendés lez nouvelles de la Pucelle qui vous ira veoir briefment a vostre bien grant domaige. Roy d'Angleterre, se ainssi ne le faites, js suis chief de guerre, et en quelque lieu que je attaindré vous gens en France, je lez en feray aller, veuilhent ou non veuilhent; et se ilz ne veullent obéir, je le feré toulx mourir,[4] et se ilz veuillent obéir, je lez praudray à mercy. Je suis cy venue[5] de par Dieu , le roy du ciel, corps pour corps pour vous bouter hors de toute France, encontre tous ceulx qui vouldroient porter traîson , malengin ne domaige au royaulme de France.[6] Et n'aies point en vostre oppinion, que vous ne tenrés mie le royaulme de France de Dieu , le roy du ciel, filz de saincte Marie; ains le tenra le roy Charles, vray héritier; quar Dieu, le roy du ciel, le vieult ainssi, et luy est révélé par la Pucelle: lequel entrara à Paris à bonne compaignie. Se vous ne voulés croire lez nouvelles de par Dieu de la Pucelle,[7] en quelque lieu que nous vous trouverons, nous ferfons dedans à horions,[8] et si ferons ung si gros hahaye, que encores ha mil années que en France ne fut fait si grant , se tous ne faictes rayson. Et créés fermement que le roy du ciel trouvera[9] plus de force à la Pucelle que vous ne luy sauriés mener de toulx assaulx , à elle et à ses bonnes gens d'armes; et adonc verront[10] les quielx auront meilleur droit, de Dieu du ciel ou de vous.[11] Duc de Bethfort, la Pucelle vous prie et vous requiert que vous ne vous faictes pas destruire. Se vous faictes rayson, y pouverra venir lieu[12] que les François feront le plus biau fait qui oncques fut fait pour la crestienté. Et faites réponse en la cité d'Orliens, se voulés faire paix; et se ainssi ne le faictes, de yoz bien grans doumaiges vous souviengne briefment. Escript le mardi de la sepamaine saincte.

DE PAR LA PUCELLE.[13]

Et desus: Au duc de Bethfort, soy disant régent le royaulme de France, ou à ses lieutenans estans devant la ville d'Orliens.

Source: Procès de condamnation et de réhabilitation de Jeanne d'Arc, dite La Pucelle: Vol 5 (Archive.org) p. 96-98

Notes:

  1. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 96: "(1) De son sang royal manque dans la version însérée au procès; mais se trouvent dans les textes rapportés p. 139 et S15 de notre t. IV"
  2. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 96: "(2) Àyci est la lecture de Battenay. La copie du Cabinet des titres porte ayte Uti^n porte ayte; le texte inséré au procès , d."
  3. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 96: "(3) Jus dans la lecture de Battenay et dans le procès."
  4. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(1) Occire dans le texte da proces."
  5. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(2) Envoiée' dans le texte du procès."
  6. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(3) Tout ce membre de phrase depuis 'ncontre tous ceulx' n'est nulle par ailleurs."
  7. ↑ (4)Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(4) Texte du procès: 'Et la Poucelle."
  8. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(5) A horions' manques au procès."
  9. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(6) Envoier dans le texte du procès."
  10. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(7) Et aux horrions verra-on, ibidem."
  11. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 97: "(8) Bonne variante au texte du procès, où manquent les mots ou de."
  12. ↑ Footnote per Quicherat, p. 98: "(1) Le texte du procès est ici préférable: encors pourrez venir en au compaign l'où que les François, etc. C'est une invitation indirecte au du de Bedfort de coopérer i un triomphe universel de la foi que la PnoeHe avait alors en pensée."
  13. ↑ Foodnote per Quicherat p. 98: "(2) Cette souscription n'est nulle part ailleurs."
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