With conviction and courage, Joan sets out on the arduous eleven‑day journey to Chinon. She knows she is on a mission from God, and therefore fears no obstacles. She continually encourages her companions as well. Two of them later testify about this journey during the interrogation that took place as part of the rehabilitation trial for the saint.
The knight Bertrand de Poulengy:
It was an exciting ride, but Joan urged us not to be afraid, for the noble Dauphin would receive us kindly once we reached Chinon! And I assure you, I was completely inspired by her words, for she truly seemed to me to be sent by God; I have never been able to see the slightest evil in her. She was as good as a saint… So we arrived together without hindrance at Chinon, where the king was staying—who was then still the Dauphin (heir to the throne); it was there that we presented the maiden to the nobles and followers of the king.
The knight Jean de Metz:
Out of fear of the English and Burgundians, who occupied the surrounding countryside, we often rode only at night and took eleven days for the journey. And along the way I asked her if she would truly do what she had said. And she always replied, “Fear nothing, for I have been commissioned to carry it out—and my saints tell me what I must do.”
Every night Bertrand and I slept beside her. She lay next to me in a doublet and trousers. She instilled such respect in me that I would never have dared to desire her. I swear that I never felt any desire or lust toward her.
I believed the words of the Virgin. I was inspired by her words and her love of God. I believed that she was sent by God: she never cursed, she loved to go to Mass, and she made the sign of the cross when swearing. So we led her to the king, all the way to Chinon—as secretly as possible.
The king received Joan, and she was able to speak with him alone. He was deeply moved by her presence and wanted to be convinced that she was indeed sent by God. She told him many things and confirmed to him that he was the legitimate king on the throne, thereby dispelling the doubt he carried within himself and which weighed heavily upon him. Although Charles was already personally convinced that Jeanne had been sent by God to help him, he still wanted to receive confirmation through the Church.
During his interrogation in the trial of justification, the knight Raul de Gaucourt recounted how he witnessed Jeanne’s arrival at the royal court:
I was in Chinon when the maiden arrived there, and I was present when she presented herself to His Royal Majesty. In her modesty and simplicity, she was a humble shepherdess. I heard the words she addressed to the Dauphin: “Illustrious Lord Dauphin, I have come, sent by God, to bring aid—to you and to the Kingdom of France.”
The king ordered, he continues, that Joan be examined by clergy, prelates, and doctors to determine whether he should or might rightly believe her words. This was done: the interrogation by the clergy lasted three weeks or more, in Poitiers as well as in Chinon. After the clergy had duly examined her, they finally attested that there was nothing evil in her or in her words. After various interrogations, the Virgin was asked for a sign that could be believed.
She replied: “The sign I will give you is the lifting of the siege of Orléans…”
Joan had managed to convince both the king and the ecclesiastical examiners. They realized that she was in no way deluded. Her answers were simple and clear; the testimony of her life was sincere and convincing to all who had open hearts. The Virgin’s arrival was now seen by many as a sign from God and a source of hope.
Here we pause for a moment.
It is not only God’s miraculous intervention—choosing a young, simple woman to turn the tide of France’s fate—and the Virgin’s kindness and determination to follow His will that are moving, but also the faith of the people at that time. They were ready to follow a messenger of God, and even the inquisitorial judges in Poitiers and Chinon eventually cleared the way so that Jeanne could carry out her mission. Although Jeanne was dissatisfied that the trials took so long, the king was willing to grant her request.
Jeanne was eager to set out for Orléans, and there was every reason for it. Orléans still stood as an obstacle to the further expansion of English rule. It was known that if this city fell, the south of France would be nearly impossible to defend, and English rule would spread. The English troops had already begun to besiege Orléans and had erected fortifications. Supplies to the city were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, and this took its toll on the morale of the population.
But God’s intervention came just in time and in a way that could only come from Him. He sent His Joan of Lorraine. And at that hour, the king listened to His messenger, and God’s will was fulfilled.
News of the maiden’s imminent arrival in Orléans had already spread, and Jeanne was awaited by the people like a saving angel. There was hope again!
And Jeanne? She couldn’t set out for Orléans fast enough!