Joan of Arc and Bluebeard. its purpose, in exciting popular odium — in fact, the whole ecclesiastical trial was use less, save as assisting the civil process, and leading up to a confiscation of his estates. On bended knee, with sighs and groans, the convicted man asserted that he had not knowingly lapsed into heresy, but as the Church asserted that he had, he begged for pardon, and to be received back into the fold and absolution for his transgressions. All these were accorded. Next, he had to appear before the secu lar court, which had been proceeding against him while the ecclesiastical trial was in progress, and which had already con demned to death two of his accomplices. On arraignment, he pleaded guilty of mur der, and freely confessed his transgressions. Quickly came the sentence; his goods were declared forfeited, and he was condemned to be hanged and burned, and that he might have opportunity to crave mercy from God, his execution was delayed until the next day at an hour after noon. At his urgent prayer he was allowed to be exe cuted with his two convicted servants, that (as he said) being the cause of their sins, he might admonish them, and show them
425
the example of a good death, and by the grace of God be the cause of their salva tion. The clergy also were requested to at tend the execution. The next day saw the clergy and wellnigh the whole population of Nantes march ing through the streets, singing solemn lita nies, and praying for the salvation of those about to die. As they went to the scaffold Gilles assured his old servants and fellow sinners that so soon as their souls left their bodies they would all meet in Paradise. The men were as penitent and as full of the grace of assurance as their master. All mounted platforms over piles of faggots, the halters round their necks were attached to the gallows above, the stands were pushed away, the bodies swung off, and their souls went — ah! whither? The piles of wood were lighted, the bodies of the servants were burnt to ashes, but when the rope around Gilles' neck burnt through and his body fell, the noble dames of his kindred rushed for ward and rescued it from the fire. It was honored with a magnificent funeral, some of the bones being first abstracted to be kept by his family as relics of his repentance. His widow married a year afterward.
