Sermon of Jean Graverent, Paris July 4, 1431, condemning Joan of Arc

As recorded in the chronicle, Journal d'un Bourgeois de Paris, on July 4, the Grand Inquisitor of France (under English and Burgundian rule) gave a fiery public sermon condemning Joan of Arc.

Of concern at the time to the English was the possibility of another Joan of Arc, so English and Burgundian propaganda hit hard on the need for vigilance against copy-cat heretics. Here, Graverent reviews the satanic errors of Joan and the dangers of other heretics, pointing to several others who appeared around the time of Joan of Arc's public actions, 1420-1431.

Original French

Notes from the editor of the published manuscript.

Item, le jour Sainct Martin le Bouillant fut faite une procession générale à Sainct-Martin-des-Champs, et y fist on une prédication. Et la fist ung frère de l’ordre Sainct Dominique, qui estoit inquisiteur de la foy, maistre en théologie, et prononça derechief tous les fais de Jehanne la Pucelle. Et disoit qu’elle avoit dit qu’elle estoit fille de très pouvres gens, et qu’environ l’aage de xiiii ans elle s’estoit ainsi maintenue en guise d’homme ; et que son père et sa mère l’eussent voulentiers faite dès lors mourir, s’ilz eussent peu sans blecier conscience. Et pour ce se départit d’eulx acompaignée de l’ennemy d’enfer, et depuis vesquit homicide de chrétienté, plaine de feu et de sanc, jusques à tant qu’elle fut arse. Et disoit qu’elle se fust révoquée, et qu’on lui ot baillé penitence, c’est assavoir, ung an en prinson à pain et à eaue, dont elle ne fist oncques jour, mais se faisoit servir en la prinson comme une dame. Et l’ennemy s’apparut à elle lui iiiᵉ, c’est assavoir sainct Michel, saincte Katherine et saincte Marguerite, comme elle disoit, qui moult avoit grant paour qu’elle ne les perdist : c’est assavoir iceulx ennemis en la fourme de ces trois sains. Et lui dist : « Meschante créature, qui pour paour de la mort as laissé ton habit, n’aies paour, nous te garderons moult bien de tous. » Par quoy sans attendre elle se despouilla et se revestit de toutes ses robbes qu’elle vestoit quant elle chevauchoit, lesquelles boutées avoit ou feurre de son lict, et se fia en l’ennemy tellement qu’elle dist qu’elle se repentoit de ce que oncques avoit laissé son habit. Quant l’Université ou ceulx de par elle virent ce et qu’elle estoit ainsi obstinée, si fut livrée à la justice laie pour mourir. Quant elle se vit en ce point, elle appella les ennemys qui s’apparoissoient à elle en guise de sains ; mais oncques, puis qu’elle fut jugée, nul ne s’apparut à elle pour invocation qu’elle sceust faire. Adonc s’avisa, mais ce fut trop tart. Encore dist-il en son sermon qu’ilz estoient quatre, dont les miracles avoient esté prinses : c’est assavoir ceste Pucelle, et Péronne sa compaigne, et une qui est avec les Arminalx nommée Katherine de la Rochelle, laquelle disoit que, quant on sacre le précieux corps Nostre Seigneur, elle veoit merveilles du hault secret de Nostre Seigneur Dieu. Et disoit que toutes ces quatre pouvres femmes frère Richart le cordelier, qui après lui avoit si grant suyte quant il preschoit à Paris aux Innocens et ailleurs, les avoit toutes ainsi gouvernées, car il estoit leur beau-père. Et que le jour de Noël en la ville de Jarguiau il bailla à ceste dame Jehanne la Pucelle trois fois le corps Nostre Seigneur, dont il estoit moult à reprendre ; et avoit baillé à Péronne celui jour deux fois, par le tesmoing de leur confession et d’autres qui présens furent aux heures qu’il leur bailla le prédeux.

English translation

From CHatGpt

Item, on the day of Saint Martin the Bouillant, a general procession was held at Saint-Martin-des-Champs, and there was made a preaching. And it was delivered by a brother of the Order of Saint Dominic, who was inquisitor of the faith, a master of theology, and he pronounced again all the deeds of Jeanne the Maid. And he said that she had declared that she was the daughter of very poor people, and that around the age of fourteen she had maintained herself in the guise of a man; and that her father and mother would willingly have put her to death then, if they could have done so without wounding their conscience. And for this reason she departed from them, accompanied by the enemy of hell, and thereafter lived as a homicide of Christendom, full of fire and of blood, until such time as she was burned. And he said that she had recanted, and that she had been assigned penance, namely one year in prison on bread and water, which she never did even a day, but had herself served in prison like a lady. And the enemy appeared to her in three forms, namely Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret, as she said, who were very fearful lest she should lose them — that is to say, those enemies in the form of these three saints. And he said to her: “Wretched creature, who for fear of death hast abandoned thy dress, fear not, we shall guard thee well from all.” Whereupon, without delay, she stripped herself and dressed again in all the garments she wore when she rode, which she had stowed in the straw of her bed, and she trusted so much in the enemy that she said she repented of ever having laid aside her dress. When the University, or those representing it, saw this and that she was thus obstinate, she was delivered to secular justice to die. When she saw herself in this plight, she called upon the enemies who appeared to her in the guise of saints; but never, once she was judged, did any appear to her in response to any invocation she could make. Then she reflected, but it was too late. Still further he said in his sermon that there were four of them, from whom the miracles had been taken: namely this Maid, and Péronne her companion, and one who is among the Arminalx, named Katherine of La Rochelle, who said that, when the precious body of Our Lord is consecrated, she saw marvels of the high secret of Our Lord God. And he said that all these four poor women had been governed by brother Richard the Cordelier, who after her had such a great following when he preached at Paris at the Innocents and elsewhere, for he was their paramour; and that on Christmas Day in the town of Jarguiau he gave to this lady Jeanne the Maid the body of Our Lord three times, for which he was much to be reproved; and that he had given to Péronne that day twice, by the testimony of their confession and of others who were present at the hours when he gave them the sacrament.