The whole transaction sounds more like what one might expect to have occurred amongst an uncivilised nation rather than among a people who prided themselves on their chivalry and their usages of fair-play in matters relating to warfare.  That a high dignitary of the Church, and a countryman of Joan of Arc, should have bought her from a prince, the descendant of emperors and kings, also a countryman of the heroic Maid’s, for English gold, is bad enough; and that the so-called ‘good’ Duke of Burgundy should have been a silent spectator of the infamous transaction, brands all the actors as among the most sordid and meanest of individuals.  But what is infinitely worse is the fact that no steps appear to have been taken by Charles to rescue the Maid, or to attempt an exchange of her for any other prisoner or prisoners.

Thus Joan of Arc, bound literally hand and foot, was led like a lamb to the shambles, not a hand being raised by those for whom she had done such great and noble deeds.

The University of Paris, whose decisions carried so great a weight in the issue of the trial of the Maid of Orleans, consisted at this period of an ecclesiastical body of doctors; but as far as its attributes consisted it was a body secular, and holding an independent position owing to its many privileges.  The University was a political as well as an ecclesiastical body, supreme under the Pope above the whole of the Gallican Church.  Although divided into two parties through the war then raging between England and France, its judicature was greatly influenced by the Church.  It was a matter of certainty that the Doctors of Theology who sat in the University of Paris, and who were all, or nearly all, French by birth, would favour the English, and give an adverse decision to that of those French ecclesiastics who had examined into Joan’s life and character when assembled at Poitiers, and who then considered her to be acting under the influence and with the protection of the Almighty.

As a prisoner, Joan of Arc’s behaviour was as modest and courageous as it had been in her days of success and liberty.  In the first times of her durance, d’Aulon, who, as we mentioned, had been captured at the same time, appears to have been allowed to remain with her.  On his telling her that he feared Compiegne would now probably be taken by the enemy, Joan of Arc said such a thing could not occur, ’For all the places,’ she added, ’which the King of Heaven has placed in the keeping of King Charles by my means will never again be retaken by his enemies, at any rate as long as he cares to keep them.’