Saint Joan of Arc

          May 30, 1431 Saint Joan of Arc, age nineteen, was burned at
        the stake in Rouen, France for heracy.
        Bishop Pierre Cauchon ordered her execution:

        "Jeanne attributes to God, His Angels and His Saints, orders
        which are against the modesty of the sex, and which are
        prohibited by Divine Law, such as dressing herself in the
        garments of a man. To attribute this to the orders of God is
        blaspheme against the Church and violate of the Caninical Rules."

      Near Joan's home there was an huge old beach tree. The tree was
      considered sacred a vision of the Virgin Mary had been documented.
      The spring by the tree has healing properties. It was called
      'The Ladies Tree' others called it the 'The Fairies Tree'. Rumor had it
      that Merlin the sorcerer had prophecied a maid would come from
      this Tree of Domremy and unite the French people. In her childhood
      Joan would dance with garland wrapped around the Tree of Domremy
      using the tree as a May pole or in latin, fagus tree.

          Her judges questioned her relationship with Fairies and witchcraft.
      Joan refused to swear on the Gospels or recite the Lord's prayer or
      the Creed. This was seen as diabolical. Joan admitted that she slept
      in the same bed with a Catherine de la Rochelle. The judges had her
      examined by a pannel of women, who determined that she was a
      virgin. She was worshiped like a diety by the peasants, who flocked
      to her to touch her armor or body. The peasants believed she had
      the power to heal.

          The Synod of Treves, an Inquisition, condembed Lorraine
      the area where Joan grew up for believing in, "all kinds of magic,
      sorcery, witchcraft and Fairy Tales of women who ride May Poles
      at night with the Goddess Diana in the forest of Domremy.
      April 2, 1431 all charges of witchcraft were dropped against Joan.
      The court felt the charge of transvestism was enough to condemb
      her to death.+


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