It may be recalled that on Palm Sunday the morning prayer in the office of the Roman Church contains these words:  ’Deus in adjutorium meum intende.’ For her, however, no earthly gate was to be thrown open wide.  The gate through which she was to pass from suffering and death into life eternal and peace everlasting—­(per angusta ad augusta)—­was, however, not far distant.  But she had still to wait awhile amid the ever-darkening shadows.

‘If,’ said Cauchon to Joan, ’you will cease to wear this man’s dress, and dress as you would do were you back in your home, you shall be allowed to hear Mass.’

But Joan could not be prevailed on to consent to abandon the costume, which, as we have said, proved her safeguard against the brutality of her jailers.

By the 26th of March the articles were drawn up and ready, and were approved of in a meeting held by Cauchon in his own house.  And on these articles, or rather heads of articles, the further trial of the prisoner was to be carried on.

The examination took place on the days following in a chamber next to the great hall in the castle.  Nine judges, besides Cauchon, attended.  The Bishop ordered Joan to answer categorically all the accusations on which she was arraigned; if she refused to do so, or remained silent beyond a given time, he threatened her with excommunication.  He went on to declare that all her judges were men of high position, well versed in all matters appertaining to Church and State; and he had the audacity to qualify them—­and probably included himself among them—­as being benins et pitoyables, having no wish to inflict corporal punishment upon Joan, but filled only with the pious desire of leading her into the way of truth and salvation.  ‘Seeing that,’ he continued, ’she was not sufficiently versed in such weighty matters as those they had now to deal with, they in their pitifulness and benignity, would allow her to choose among the learned doctors present, one or more to aid her with counsel and advice.’

The Bishop had probably guessed that by this time Joan of Arc would have ceased to care for the benefit of counsel, having had to do without it till now; and his asking her whether she wished for it was merely made in order to appear as an act of judicial indulgence on his part—­perhaps, also, what Lohier had urged regarding the illegality of trying his prisoner without giving her the help of counsel may have influenced him.

In a few simple words Joan of Arc thanked the Bishop and the others for the offer, of which she, however, declined to avail herself.  She added that she felt no need now of having any human counsel, for that she had that of her Lord to aid her.