The people who had put Joan to death immediately began to regret their actions. Witnessing the death of Joan and interpreting her as truly being holy struck fear into the witnesses. Pernoud included one witnesses statement along with a couple of reasons to worry about any divine consequence. Pierre Cusquel admitted to not being there but "heard say that Master Jean Tressard, secretary to the king of England, returning from Joan's execution afflicted and groaning, wept lamentably over what he had seen in that place and said indeed: 'We are all lost, for we have burnt a good and holy person'..." (Pernoud, 233). It went on to include an Englishman confessing his sins for his role in Joan's death and that he "greatly feared to be damned for he had burned a holy woman" (Pernoud, 233). The reasons for such a change of heart came from Joan crying out Christ's name throughout her death, wishing for there to be a cross visible and a small cross with her, a white dove appearing after her death, etc. The idea that such an awful consequence must follow whatever group of people responsible for a great sin was shown during the middle ages with Jewish men and their need for blood libels and the curse that women have to suffer. There was a belief that Jewish men had menses as a divine punishment for the crucifixion of Jesus and women suffered from menstruation for the original sin Eve committed.
The fear that some of the Englishmen and witnesses portrayed immediately after Joan's death seemed to have been a learned fear based on the religion. If Joan was holy enough to have had a heart that could not be destroyed by fire and be reincarnated into a white dove, it would have been understandable to be concerned of God's wrath if they were religious.
Resnick, Irven M. "Medieval Roots of the Myth of Jewish Male Menses." Harvard Theological Review: 241-63. https://druryonline.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-1155555-dt-content-rid-8250650_2/courses/2014_FA_RELG0385DMAINSE01/JewishMaleMenses.pdf.
http://www.joanofarc.us/joan-of-arc-images/joan-of-arc-stake.jpg
I wonder if the examiners and prosecutors truly feel remorseful for killing an innocent girl OR if they were afraid of being sent to hell because they killed a saint. And based on the sources, they were probably more afraid of being sent to hell since they witness "signs" such as the white doves.
ReplyDeleteI liked your title Cindy. There is so much cause and effect t/o history. In Joan's case, we get to look back posthumously. As people reflect on Joan's life, there are white doves as a symbol of the holy spirit. I'm reminded of similar stories with ancient Romans or even the death of Abelard and Heloise. If I die, there will be be no doves; but the fact that there were with Joan tells us how she was perceived by others later.
ReplyDeleteYou must have Dr. Horsby--we were just talking about this article.