Machet, Gerard or Girard

Machet, Gerard Or Girard, a French cardinal, confessor of Charles VII, was born at Blois in 1380; entered the College de Navarre, Paris, in 1391; was made doctor of divinity in 1411; attached himself to the College de Navarre as professor, was made vice-chancellor of that institution, and as such addressed the emperor Sigismond in 1416. Driven from his college by the Burgundian invasion (May 30, 1418), he became the confessor of his pupil, the future emperor, Charles VII. He lived a while at Lyons. Machet was one of the clergy who conducted the examination of the Maid of Orleans. His influence in Troyes, Champagne, was powerful in opening that city and province to the army of Charles VII. Machet was successively canon of Paris, Chartres, Tours, and in 1432 bishop of Castres. He died at Tours July 17, 1448. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.