This is an account of the battle for control of Orleans. It was given by one of the leaders of the French forces who was called Dunois and was also known as the Bastard of Orleans (he was thought to be an illegitimate son of Charles VI). When the French army was finally grouped and organised for battle, they attempted to regain control of the Tourelles and the bridge over the Loire. At first they were not successful and they must have lost a great many troops in the attack. Dunois recalled how he had seen the battle turn against the French and decided that more assaults would be useless, when Joan led the French in one last attack which so terrified the English that they turned and fled. Thus, he said, the battle was turned because Joan of Arc had inspired the people of Orleans.

This is part of the official record of the inquiry into the trial of Joan of Arc set up by the French King Charles VII in 1450. This inquiry aimed to show that the trial itself had been illegal and biased and that the sentence had been wrongly given. It lasted over five months and a great deal of evidence was collected. On July 7 1456 the sentence of condemnation against Joan was declared to have been null and it was quashed, but of course she was already dead.