The court of Rouen was promptly formed, but not without opposition and difficulty.  Though Joan had lost somewhat of her greatness and importance by going beyond her main object, and by showing recklessness, unattended by success, on small occasions, she still remained the true, heroic representative of the feelings and wishes of the nation.  When she was removed from Beaurevoir to Rouen, all the places at which she stopped were like so many luminous points for the illustration of her popularity.  At Arras, a Scot showed her a portrait of her which he wore, an outward sign of the devoted worship of her lieges.  At Amiens, the chancellor of the cathedral gave her audience at confession and administered to her the eucharist.  At Abbeville, ladies of distinction went five leagues to pay her a visit; they were glad to have had the happiness of seeing her so firm and resigned to the will of Our Lord; they wished her all the favors of heaven, and then wept affectionately on taking leave of her.  Joan, touched by their sympathy and open heartedness, said, “Ah! what a good people is this!  Would to God I might be so happy, when my days are ended, as to be buried in these parts!”

When the Bishop of Beauvais, installed at Rouen, set about forming his court of justice, the majority of the members he appointed amongst the clergy or the University of Paris obeyed the summons without hesitation.  Some few would have refused; but their wishes were overruled.  The Abbot of Jumieges, Nicholas de Houppeville, maintained that the trial was not legal.  The Bishop of Beauvais, he said, belonged to the party which declared itself hostile to the Maid; and, besides, he made himself judge in a case already decided by his metropolitan, the Archbishop of Rheims, of whom Beauvais was holden, and who had approved of Joan’s conduct.  The bishop summoned before him the recalcitrant, who refused to appear, saying that he was under no official jurisdiction but that of Rouen.  He was arrested and thrown into prison, by order of the bishop, whose authority he denied.  There was some talk of banishing him, and even of throwing him into the river; but the influence of his brethren saved him.  The sub-inquisitor himself allowed the trial in which he was to be one of the judges to begin without him; and he only put in an appearance at the express order of the inquisitor-general, and on a confidential hint that he would be in danger of his life if he persisted in his refusal.  The court being thus constituted, Joan, after it had been put in possession of the evidence already collected, was cited, on the 20th of February, 1431, to appear on the morrow, the 21st, before her judges assembled in the chapel of Rouen Castle.