Raymonde Arsen née Vital was a servant in the Comté de Foix in the early fourteenth century. She was made notable by appearing in

Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie Emmanuel Bernard Le Roy Ladurie (, born 19 July 1929) is a French historian whose work is mainly focused upon Languedoc in the ''Ancien Régime'', particularly the history of the peasantry. One of the leading historians of France, Le Roy Ladurie h ...

's ''

Montaillou Montaillou (; oc, Montalhon) is a commune in the Ariège department in the south of France. Its original, medieval location was abandoned and the current village is a short distance away. History The village is best known for being the ...

''. Born in

Prades d'Aillon Prades may refer to: Places ;France * Prades, Ardèche, in the Ardèche ''département'', France * Prades, Ariège, in the Ariège ''département'', France * Prades, Haute-Loire, in the Haute-Loire ''département'', France * Prades, Pyrénées-Or ...

to a poor peasant family in 1306 she left to work in the home of Bonet de la Coste in town

Pamiers Pamiers (; oc, Pàmias ) is a commune and largest city in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the most populous commune in the Ariège department, although it ...

. Whilst in the city she had an illegitimate child who she named Alazaïs. As a servant she could not care for the girl and she lived with a series of nurses. Later she was approached by her cousin Raymond Belot of

who needed a servant to replace his sister, Raymonde, who was soon to be wed to Bernard Clergue. She agreed and worked for the Belots. She lived in a small barn and her primary duties were baking bread and washing clothes. Also in the home was her brother Arnaud Vital a

cobbler Cobbler(s) may refer to: *A person who repairs, and sometimes makes, shoes Places * The Cobbler, a mountain located near the head of Loch Long in Scotland * Mount Cobbler, Australia Art, entertainment and media * ''The Cobbler'' (1923 fil ...

who was boarding with the Belots. She worked for the Belots for one year, later marrying Prades den Arsen and settling in Prades d'Aillon. Later in life she was arrested for heresy and she told the inquisition much about her associates. In 1324 she was sentenced by the Inquisition to wear the yellow cross forever as a punishment.

References

*Le Roy Ladurie, Emmanuel. ''Montaillou: The Promised Land of Error.'' translated by

Barbara Bray Barbara Bray (née Jacobs; 24 November 1924 – 25 February 2010) was an English translator and critic. Early life Bray was born in Maida Vale, London; her parents had Belgian and Jewish origins. An identical twin (her sister Olive Classe was al ...

. New York: G. Braziller, c1978. *The Yellow Cross - the story of the last cathars 1290 - 1329. René Weis . Penguin Viking 2000. {{DEFAULTSORT:Arsen, Raymonde 14th-century French people French domestic workers People from Montaillou 14th-century French women Maids