Joan of Arc's Letter to the Hussites (March 23, 1430)Translated by Allen

Williamson
English TranslationNotes and Commentary
Jesus, Mary
For a long time now, common knowledge has made it clear to me, Joan the
Maiden, that from true Christians you have become heretics and
practically on a level with the Saracens [i.e., Muslims]; you have
eliminated the valid faith and worship, and taken up a disgraceful and
unlawful superstition; and while sustaining and promoting it there is not
a single disgrace nor act of barbarism which you would not dare. You
corrupt the sacraments of the Church, you mutilate the articles of the
Faith, you destroy churches, you break and burn statues [of the saints]
which were created as memorials, you massacre Christians unless they adopt
your beliefs. What is this fury of yours, or what folly and madness are
driving you? You persecute and plan to overthrow and destroy this Faith
which God Almighty, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have raised, founded,
exalted, and enlightened a thousand ways through a thousand miracles. You
yourselves are blind, but not because you're among those who lack eyes or
the ability to see. Do you really believe that you will escape unpunished,

or are you unaware that the reason God does not [currently] hinder your
unlawful efforts and permits you to remain in darkness and error, is so
that the more you indulge yourselves in sin and sacrileges, the more He is
preparing greater suffering and punishments for you.
For my part, to tell you frankly, if I wasn't busy with the English wars
I would have come to see you long before now; but if I don't find out that
you have reformed yourselves I might leave the English behind and go
against you, so that by the sword - if I can't do it any other way - I
will eliminate your false and vile superstition and relieve you of either
your heresy or your life. But if you would prefer to return to the
Catholic faith and the original Light, then send me your ambassadors and I
will tell them what you need to do; if not however, and if you stubbornly
wish to resist the spur, keep in mind what damages and crimes you have
committed and await me, who will mete out suitable repayment with the
strongest of forces both human and Divine.
Given at Sully [i.e., Sully-sur-Loire] on the 23rdn10 of March, to the
heretics of Bohemia. Pasquerel [Joan's confessor and scribe]