Letter of the Duke of Bedford calling Joan of Arc a witch (1429)

The Duke of Bedford wrote to the English Council in London blaming the English loss at Orléans on a witch.

Quichert Vol V, pp. 136-137. The text was reprinted in 1434 in the Proceedings and Ordinances of the Privy Council of England. Volume 4 (Archive.org); p. 223.

And alle thing there prospered for you, til thety me of the siege of Orleans taken in hand, God knoweth by what advis. At the whiche tyme, after the adventure fallen to the persone of my cousin of Salysbury, whom God assoille, there felle, by the hand of God, as it seemeth, a greet strook upon your peuple that was assembled there in grete nombre, caused in grete partie, as y trowe, of lakke of sadde beleve, and of unlevefulle doubte that thei hadde of a disciple and lyme of the Feende, called the Pucelle, that used fals enchauntements and sorcerie. The which strooke and discomfiture nought oonly lessed in grete partie the nombre of youre people, there, but as well withdrowe the courage of the remenant in merveillous wyse, and couraiged youre adverse partie and ennemys to assemble hem forthwith in grete nombre.

In Modern English

And all things prospered there for you until the time of the siege of Orleans was undertaken, God knows by what council. At that time, after the fate fell upon my cousin of Salisbury, whom may God pardon, there fell, by the hand of God, it seemed, a great blow upon your people who were assembled there [at Orleans] in great number, caused in large part, as I believe, by their lack of firm faith, and ungodly fear that they had of a disciple and limb of the Fiend, called the Maid, who used false enchantments and sorcery. This blow and defeat not only diminished in large part the number of your people, but also took away the courage of the remainders in an incredible way, and encouraged your adversaries and enemies to quickly assemble in great numbers.

In the 1435 report to Parliament:

Articles submitted to the King by John Duke of Bedford, with the answers thereto, 14th and 15th June: —In these articles the Duke first adverts to a written statement he had before given to the King in defence of his conduct in the government of France; he then recapitulates the services which he had rendered at the commencement of the wars in that kingdom after the death of King Henry the Fifth up to the time of the siege of Orleans and the death of the Earl of Salisbury; and ascribes his subsequent want of success to a "lack of sad belief and of unlawful doubt that the people had of a disciple and limb of the fiend called ‘the Pucelle’- that used false enchantments and sorcery": he reminds the King that he had himself come to England to explain the state of affairs in France, and used his utmost endeavours, but without success, to procure the means to carry on the war; he expresses his deep regret that that country should be lost after the great expenditure of blood and treasure which had occurred; he advises that the revenues of the duchy of Lancaster, which had been vested in Cardinal Beaufort and others for the purpose of fulfilling the will of the late King, should be wholly employed in the defence of France;