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The Trial of Joan of Arc; Being the Verbatim Report of the Proceedings from the Orleans Manuscript. Translated and introduced by W.S.Scott.
To read verbatim the words of a person 600 years after the event is quite remarkable, but when that person is one of the most famous in history, and the event a compromised trial for blasphemy, it is fascinating.
Joan of Arc, the Virgin, Maid of Orleans, was one of the most enigmatic figures of the Middle Ages in her role as a substitute leader of the French forces as they fought the English who invaded northern France in 1429. For 15 months Joan dressed as a man in armour, claimed she had visions of saints who urged her on and told her what to do, and rallied the retreating French forces to the point where they had some significant victories.
All was in vain though. She was captured by the English, tried on multiple charges of blasphemy. heresy and dressing as a man, and eventually burnt at the stake.
She was cross examined many times by her accusers and this book has the word-for-word testimony she gave in response to these questions. The first 55 pages of the book comprise an introduction by W.S.Scott and a description of Joan’s exploits and trial as written by a Father Doncoeur after the trial.
The 173 page book has ten contemporary woodcut illustrations, all of which are in the summary section at the front of the book. The page tops are stained blue, the endpapers are plain white and it is bound in blue buckram blocked on the cover with a gilt design. The dark grey slipcase measures 26x16cm.
My edition is the second one published by the Folio Society. The first edition was in 1956 and differed only in its slipcase colour which was blue, and some minor resetting. The 1968 edition was reprinted in 1971 without alteration.
The FS also published a history of Joan of Arc in 1995 and 2019.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
To read verbatim the words of a person 600 years after the event is quite remarkable, but when that person is one of the most famous in history, and the event a compromised trial for blasphemy, it is fascinating.
Joan of Arc, the Virgin, Maid of Orleans, was one of the most enigmatic figures of the Middle Ages in her role as a substitute leader of the French forces as they fought the English who invaded northern France in 1429. For 15 months Joan dressed as a man in armour, claimed she had visions of saints who urged her on and told her what to do, and rallied the retreating French forces to the point where they had some significant victories.
All was in vain though. She was captured by the English, tried on multiple charges of blasphemy. heresy and dressing as a man, and eventually burnt at the stake.
She was cross examined many times by her accusers and this book has the word-for-word testimony she gave in response to these questions. The first 55 pages of the book comprise an introduction by W.S.Scott and a description of Joan’s exploits and trial as written by a Father Doncoeur after the trial.
The 173 page book has ten contemporary woodcut illustrations, all of which are in the summary section at the front of the book. The page tops are stained blue, the endpapers are plain white and it is bound in blue buckram blocked on the cover with a gilt design. The dark grey slipcase measures 26x16cm.
My edition is the second one published by the Folio Society. The first edition was in 1956 and differed only in its slipcase colour which was blue, and some minor resetting. The 1968 edition was reprinted in 1971 without alteration.
The FS also published a history of Joan of Arc in 1995 and 2019.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
