was an Office that begun with the Monarchy it self He is sworn by the King himself and is received into the Great Council where he takes place as Secretary of State He has the Priviledge to chuse his Lodging after the Princes Dukes and Peers and Marshals of France have chosen theirs for which reason he is called the last in the Ranks He has a Salary of 2000 l. and an annual Gratuity of 8000 l. All the Officers of the Provost-ship are received by his Majesty upon the nomination of the Great Provost and afterwards take out Letters from the King under the Great Seal directed to the Great Council where they are admitted upon those Letters and qualified Judges The Great Provost Judges of all matters both Civil and Criminal hapning between the Officers of the Kings Houshold among themselves or between them and others which are not so The Jurisdiction of the Provostship of the Houshold is the ordinary Court of Justice for the Kings Houshold and therefore from the beginning was ordered to be kept in the Louvre that so the Kings Officers and others of his Court and Retinue having their natural Judge within the Kings House might not be diverted from the service of his Majesty for some years the place where the Provosts Court used to be kept being taken up by the Queen-Mother it was transferred to the Fort-Eveque or Bishops-Fort At present the Officers of the Provostship have their Auditory in the inclosure of the Great Council-Chamber there they have their Hall of Audience their Council-Chamber their Civil and Criminal Records or Registers and there is the Office of the Ushers of the Provostship The present King by a Brief bearing date the 8th of September 1658. declared that he would settle the Seat or Court of the Jurisdiction of the Provost of the Houshold re-established in the Louvre and that he would cause a convenient place there to be marked out and set apart for that purpose The said Court is kept there three times a Week viz. on Tuesday Thursday and Saturday-Mornings People plead there by a Proctor as in other Courts but in a more summary and concise way In civil matters there lies an Appeal from it to the Great Council but in matters Criminal the Great Provost Judges without Appeal as well as the Masters of Requests and those of the Great Council The Officers of the Kings Houshold and those of his Court and Retinue may by special priviledge bring all their Causes into this Court whether they be Civil or Criminal since the Court was chiefly erected in their favour There needs no Committimus to cite any one that belongs to or follows the Court but only an assignation or warning taken out of the Provosts Court by vertue of a Commission out of the Registry there But as the said persons have the priviledge to bring their actions against their Debtors in this Court or to appeal from their Prosecutors thither they may do it if they please by vertue of their Committimus and at their choice bring their Causes either before the Masters of the Requests of the Palace or of the Requests of the Houshold or before the Provost of the Houshold The Great Provost only has power to apply Seals make Inventories and do all other acts of Justice in the Louvre and in the Galleries and other places thereunto belonging and in other Royal Houses within fourteen Leagues distance of Paris as it was determined a Contradictory Sentence of the Council of the 25 of March 1650. given in favour of the Officers of the Provostship of the Houshold against the Officers of the Chatelet He may also take cognisance of all crimes and particular offences and other Causes pro or con any way relating to the people of the Court and of the Kings Retinne and belonging to the Royal Houses and against Vagabonds and of several other Cases with the consent and advice of the other Provosts When he follows the Court any where he Taxes and sets a price upon all Provisions gives assistance for taking of Lodgings if any resistance be made and doth other things necessary for the civil Government there by his Lieutenants of the Long Robe or in their absence by the Lieutenants and Exempts of the short Robe who call to their assistance the Officers or Magistrates and chief Inhabitants of the place When the Court takes a Journey the Great Provost Commands a sufficient number of Tradesmen and Handicrafts-men to follow it to whom he grants Letters of Priviledge by which they are obliged to furnish the Court and its Retinue with all necessaries who are called the Priviledged Tradesmen and by vertue of the said Letters are impowered to keep open Shop in Paris or elsewhere and enjoy several other Exemptions Of the Officers of Judicature belonging to the Provostship of the Houshold For the better administration of Justice to the Officers of the Kings Houshold and to the rest of his Court and Retinue the great Provost has under him two Lieutenants which are put in by the King but named by the Great Provost and are admitted as such in the Great Council where they are sworn There was formerly but one Lieutenant-General the other being but a particular Lieutenant but by an Edict of the Month of September registred in the Great Council the 7th of November following the King made these two Offices equal so that at present there are two Lieutenants-General for both Civil and Criminal matters they have each of them 400 l. Salary and 600 l. gratuity The first of these exercises his Office the first six Months of the Year where the Kings Court is and the other six Months he keeps the Provosts Court at Paris within the Inclosure of the Great Council-Chamber when the King is abroad and the Great-Council at Paris The other serves the latter six Months of the Year at the Kings Court and the first six Months keeps the Provosts Court at Paris for the causes of those that are Officers of any Royal Houses within his Precinct and priviledged persons and others So that there is always two Seats or Courts of Justice of the Great Provost one at Paris for the better expedition of the Causes of the Officers and priviledged Persons belonging to the Royal Houses and another where the Court is when his Majesty is not in Paris as he never is to stay Note That the two Lieutenants the Kings Proctor and the Register of the Provosts Court are allowed each of them at the Salt-Granary at Paris two Minots of Free-Salt that is for paying only some ancient Duties The Kings Proctor there has a Salary of 400 l. 75 l. Augmentation-Money and a gratuity of 1200 l. He serves all the year round and has a Substitute There is one Register in chief both for Civil and Criminal matters who has 104 l. Salary and 400l gratuity He has under him two Commis or Deputies that have the priviledge to wear both Gowns and Caps at
Declarations of War Treaties of Peace Contracts of Marriage of the Kings and Children of France with their Apanages or Portions all Re-unions and Alienations of Crown Lands Letters of Naturalization and Amortising Legitimations Gifts Pensions Gratuities and generally all Letters of Grace or Pardon And the Creations of Dutchies Peerages Principalities Marquisates Counties Vicounties Baronies Chatellanies and Courts of High Justice together with all Letters of ennobling and Confirmations and Restorations of Nobility having the power not only to pass and verifie the gift of it but to liquidate or discharge the Kings Finance or Revenue for the Indempnity thereby from the Kings Dues as also that of the Parishes in which the new ennobled persons were Taxable before the said Letters and for that reason the Title of their Nobility is and must necessarily be established by the verification of this Chamber All verifications are made here too for the noble Partages or Portions of noble or Gentlemens Children in the Parliaments and for the Exemptions from Taxes at the Court of Aids The Children of France have power to erect a Chamber of accounts in the principal place of their Appanages or Lands allotted them for their maintenance but they cease in case they happen to Revert to the Crown for want of Heirs Male And they most commonly oblige their Treasurers to give up their Accounts in the Chamber of Accounts at Paris This Chamber likewise verifies all Priviledges granted to Towns or Provinces Amortisings Affranchisements or Freedoms Naturalizations Permissions for Fairs and Markets Gifts Sales and Engagements of Crown-Lands The Presidents Masters of Accounts Correctors Auditours Kings People that is his Advocates and Proctor-General and Treasurers of France are subject to be examined at every Semestral or half yearly Assembly The other Proctors as also the Ushers are likewise subject to an Examination but not before any other then Commissioners expresly deputed for that purpose The first or Chief President and the other Presidents of this Chamber are reconducted by the Ushers in Waiting for the time being with their Wands in their hands till they come before the Lower Holy Chappel CHAP. XXXIII Of the Court of Aids THE Court of Aids is composed of six Presidents and of forty Councellours divided into three Chambers In the first is the first or Chief President and the eldest of the other Presidents with fifteen Councellers of the longest standing In the second Chamber there are two Presidents and thirteen Councellers and in the third two Presidents and twelve Councellers The Court of Aids was erected soon after the Parliament was made Sedentary at Paris And excepting only the Parliaments of Paris and Toulouze it precedes in antiquity all the other Parliaments It was established after a general Assembly of the Estates under King John about the year 1355. by Charles the Fifth then Dauphin and by vertue of a particular Prerogative the Books of Accounts of the Royal Housholds and of those of the Princes of the Bloud are Registred in this Court. And all the Officers named upon the Rolls of the said Books have no other supreme Judges to have recourse to in relation to the Aids or Taxes but those of this Court though their Seats or Dwellings be within the Precincts of the Jurisdiction of the other Courts of Aids The Jurisdiction of the Court of Aids extends to take cognisance off and judge without Appeal of all Causes relating to the Taxes Aids Gabelles and Impositions and of all Farms and Dues to the King the Cognisance of Titles of Nobility does likewise belong to this Court Their Solemn Habits are thus The Presidents wear Black-Velvet Robes and the Councellers and Advocates and Proctors-General Scarlet ones The Chief President of this Court at his rising from Audience is Reconducted as far as the Higher Holy Chappel by the Ushers then in Waiting Next to the Court of Aids at Paris that of Montpelier was establisht by Charles the Seventh in 1437. it is joined to the Chamber of Accounts of the same Country That of Rouen is for Normandy that of Glermont-Monferrand in Auvergne was establisht by Henry the second in 1557. There is another at Bourdeaux for Guienne That of Provence is joined to the Chamber of Accounts for the same Country There is likewise one at Grenoble in the Dauphinate and another in Burgundy that is joined to the Chamber of Accounts at Dijon The present Chief President of this Court is Nicholas le Camus Lord of La Grange c. and besides the forty Councellers there are belonging to it two Advocates and one Proctor-General four Substitutes two Recorders or Registers four Secretaries one Chief Usher and seven other Ushers and three Honorary Councellers CHAP. XXXIV Of the Court of Monies or Coynage UNder the very first Race of our Kings there were three Generals of the Monies of France who were made Sedentary at Paris at the same time as the Parliament The like Offices were Created in the reign of Philip the Fair and in some other Reigns and annexed to the Chamber of Accounts from these Generals of the Monies or Coins as they are stiled were separated in the year 1358. They have judged without Appeal both in Civil and Criminal matters within their Jurisdiction ever since the year 1551. under Henry the Second who gave them the Title of the Court of the Monies or Coinage They take place in all Solemnities next after the Court of Aids Their Habits on solemn occasions are these the Presidents wear Black-Velvet Robes the Councellers the Kings Advocates and Proctor-General and the Chief Recorder Black-Satin ones and the Chief or first Usher one of Black Taffaty This Court gives Audience on Wednesdays and Saturdays to the Advocates and Proctors of the Parliament and sits in a Room above the Chamber of Accounts from whence the Chief President of it is reconducted every day by the Ushers as far as the bottom of the great Stairs before the lower Holy Chappel as is the Chief President of the Chamber of Accounts This Court Judges without Appeal of all Causes relating to Monies Metals Mines and Weights and the Officers and Artificers employed therein as also of all things that concern the fabrick title currantness value and policy or regulation of all Monies or Coins and receives the Appeals made from the Judgments or Sentences of the Chambers of the Monies and of other Judges depending of it There are two Presidents and several Counsellers whose Offices are fixt that go every year to visit the Provinces In this Court are kept with great care the Original Standard weights of France from which are taken those of the several Towns of the Kingdom One of the Councellers who is at present M. Chassebras du Breau has been deputed and authorised ever since the year 1668. to look after the keeping a general Uniformity in all the Weights and marks of France and accordingly causes all publick weights when they are conformable to the Kings Standard to be markt with
2. The Bishop and Duke of Langres who is Louis-Marie-Armand de Simianes de Gordes 4. The Bishop and Count of Beauvais who is named Toussaint de Fourbin de Janson 5. The Bishop and Count of Chaalons in Champain Lewis Antony of Noailles of the Family of the Duke of that Name 6. The Bishop and Count of Noyon named Francis of Clermont-Tonnerre The six secular ones that are now only represented were The Dukes of Burgundy Normandy Guyenne And Counts of Toulouze Flanders and Champain The Quality of the twelve antient Peers of France is at present but a kind of Ceremonial Dignity by vertue of which those that possess it have a certain Rank or Precedence in France at the Consecration and Coronation of Kings have Place in Parliament and in the general Assembly of Estates and enjoy the Honours of the Louvre Their first Institution is so uncertain that it is impossible to gather out of History their true Original some attributing it to Hugh Capet and some to Charlemaine or Charles the Great But the Original of the Name and Functions of the Peers of France can properly be derived from nothing else then from the common use and custom of Fiess and Tenures which is that the Vassals holding moveable Fiefs fully and directly of the same Lord are called Pares Curiae aut Domus which is as much as to say Peers of the Fiefs or of the Court that are to assist when the Lord takes possession of his Land to be present at those days when causes relating to the Fiefs are pleaded and judged and have several other rights which are analogically common to them with our Peers of France who in like manner assist at the Consecration and Coronation of the King who is the supream Lord are Counsellers in his Court of Parliament which for this reason is called the Court of Peers so that in a word the Peers of France are but as Tenants that hold of the Monarchy and depend immediately on the Crown such as were the seven Peers in the time of Lewis the Young in the year 1179 or in the time of Hugh Capet who reunited to the Crown the Dutchy and Peerage of France or of Paris which he possessed before he was King So that there remained after that but six ancient Peers that were Seculars to which at several times by degrees were afterwards added six other Ecclesiastical Peers over whom Lewis the Young gave the Primacy to the Archbishop of Reims with the Prerogative of Consecrating and Crowning the Kings Since the time of the said Lewis the Young the number of twelve Peers at those great Ceremonies has been always continued till the present But the Secular Peers are as we have said only represented on that occasion there being none now that bear any of those Titles but only now lately the Duke of Burgundy Eldest Son to the Dauphin and the Count of Toulouze one of the Kings Natural Legitimated Sons Their several Functions at the Kings Consecration and Coronation are these The Archbishop of Reims Consecrates or anoints the King with the Oil of the Holy Ampull or Viol kept in the Cathedral of that Name from Age to Age only for that purpose The Bishop of Laon carries the said Viol the Bishop of Langres carries the Scepter the Bishop of Beauvais the Mantle Royal the Bishop of Chaalons the Ring the Bishop of Noyons the Belt The Duke of Burgundy carries the Crown Royal and girds on the Kings Sword the Duke of Guyenne carries the first square Banner the Duke of Normandy the Second the Count of Toulouze the Spurs the Count of Champain the Banner Royal or Standard of War the Count of Flanders the Kings Sword On the day of the Consecration and Coronation and during the Ceremony these Peers wear a Circle of gold in form of a Crown Now because of the six Secular Peerages there are now five reunited to the Crown and that of Flanders is likewise in part reunited and in part remains still in foreign hands therefore there are on such occasions six Princes or great Lords chosen to represent them and to perform their Functions The Order observed at the Coronation of the present King Lewis the Fourteenth now happily Reigning which was on the 7th of June 1654. was as follows The Ecclesiastical Peers that officiated on that occasion were 1. Anne-Marie de Levis de Ventadour late Arch-bishop of Bourges instead of the Bishop and Duke of Laon. 2. Francis de Harlay then Archbishop of Rouen and at present of Paris for the Bishop and Duke of Laugres 3. Nicholas Choart de Buzanval late Bishop and Count of Beauvais 4. Henry de Baradat late Bishop and Count of Noyon 5. Felix Vialar de Herse late Bishop and Count of Chaalons 6. The late Bishop of Soissons as first Suffragan of Reims anointed the King being assisted by the Bishop of Amiens as Deacon and by Monsieur de Bourlon now Bishop of Soissons but then but Coadjutour to the said Bishoprick as Sub-Deacon The other Bishops that were likewise assistants there were the Bishops of Rennes Coutances of Rhodes of St. Paul irois Chateaux or three Castles of Agde and of Leon. Cardinal Grimaldi performed the Office of Great Almoner of France because of the absence of Cardinal Barberin The Hostages given for the Holy Ampull or Viol were the Marquesses of Vardes of Richelieu of Biron and of Coislin since Duke and Monsieur de Manciny at present Duke of Nevers held up the Kings Train Those who represented the Secular Peers were 1. The Duke of Anjou now Duke of Orleans represented the Duke of Burgundy 2. The late Duke of Vendome the Duke of Aquitain or Guyenne 3. The late Duke of Elbeuf the Duke of Normandy 4. The late Duke of Epernon the Count of Champagne 5. The Duke of Rouanez Gouffier the Count of Flanders 6. The Duke of Bournorville the Count de Toulouze The late Marshal d' Etrées performed the Office of High Constable the late Marshal d' Hospital carried the Scepter the late Marshal du Plessis-Pralin the Crown the late Marshal d' Aumont the hand of Justice The late Chancelour Seguier officiated his own place the Marshal Duke of Villeroy performed the Office of Great Master or High Steward of France the late Duke of Joyeuse did his Office of High Chamberlain and the Count de Vivonne who had the Reversion of one of the places of chief Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber after the Duke of Mortemar his Father performed the Function of First or Chief Chamberlain He is at present Marshal Duke de Vivonne CHAP. IV. Of the particular Lords that are at present Dukes and Peers according to the Order of their Verification being in all 29. Names of the Dukedoms and the date of their Verification 1. USês in 1572. 2. Ventadour in 1594. 3. Suilly in 1606. 4. Luynes in 1619. 5. Les diguieres in 1620. 6. Brissac in 1620. 7. Chaunes in 1631. 8. Richelieu in 1631. 9. St.
and where they are to be judged too when they are impeacht of any Crime And though in the last Reign it was seen that de facto the Marshal de Marillac was Judged by Delegated Commissaries and the Duke of Montmorency by the Parliament of Toulouze the Parliament of Paris pretends That these two Acts were done against their Priviledges Secondly The Counsellers of the Parliament of Paris pretend a Priviledge to sit in all the other Parliaments without allowing the same Priviledge reciprocally to the Counsellers of the other Parliaments in the Parliament of Paris yet it is to be remarked That the Priviledge of sitting in the Parliament of Paris was granted to the Counsellers of the Parliament of Toulouze by an Ordinance of Charles the Seventh in the year 1454. which the Parliament of Paris refused to verifie whereupon the Parliament of Toulouze made a Decree in the year 1466. by which they Ordained That the Counsellers of the Parliament of Paris should have no Admittance into the Parliament of Toulouze till they had obey'd the abovesaid Ordinance made in their Favour Thirdly The other Parliaments not having that extent of Jurisdiction as the Parliament of Paris have but one Chamber of Inquests the Parliament of Toulouze but two whereas the Parliament of Paris has six The Parliament of Paris opens every year the next day after St. Martins Day in this manner The whole Body being in their Scarlet Robes go to a solemn Mass Celebrated on that occasion in the Great Hall of the Palace after which the Advocates and Proctors are sworn in the Grand Chamber and the Bishop that said Mass has that day Place and a deliberative Voice among them The Parliament continues sitting from that time till the 7th of September after which follows the Vacations During which Recess nevertheless there sits a Chamber called the Chamber of the Vacations which takes Cognisance of those Causes that require speedy dispatch and Criminal Affairs In the five Chambers of Inquests all Processes or Suits are Judged concluded and received by Writing that they may the better discern whether the Appeals made to this High Court of Parliament be made reasonably or no. The fourteen Presidents of the Chambers of Inquests and of those of the Requests which are two are but Counsellers that have accepted that Commission and when the Parliament is met and marches in State they take place among those of the Grand Chamber according to a Regulation of Parliament of the 1st of September 1677. By which it is Ordain'd That in Assemblies Processions and other publick Solemnities these Presidents shall be preceded only by two Counsellers of the Grand Chamber of which the first is to be Titular and the second may be only Honorary As for the Presidents of the Inquests and Requests among themselves they are to take place in their march according to their standing and the order of their admission The Court called the Tournelle-Civil established by Lewis the Great in 1667 and 1669. Judges of all Appeals in civil matters to the value of 1000. Livers or Pounds French and of an Estate of 50 Livers yearly rent It is composed of one President wearing the Mortar-Cap six Counsellers of the Grand Chamber and of four Counsellers out of every Chamber of Inquests who go thither by turns once in three Months The Kings Declaration for this purpose of the year 1669. bears date the 11th of August and was Registred in Parliament and in the Chamber of Accounts the 13th of August The Tournelle-Criminal Judges of all Appeals in Criminal matters excepting those made by Gentlemen and other persons of State which are to be judged in the Grand Chamber it is called the Tournelle because it is composed of two Presidents with Mortar-Caps ten Lay-Counsellers of the Grand Chamber and of two Counsellers out of every Chamber of Inquests which go thither every one Tour à Tour that is in their respective turns once in three Months excepting only those of the Grand Chamber which are there six Months from whence it is called the Tournelle At present there are four Presidents with Mortar-Caps The two Chambers of Requests of the Palace are of the Body of the Parliament according to what Charles the Fifth writ to Cardinal Vivazer in the year 1450. where he says that the Requests are de Gremio Curiae They Judge of all personal Possessory and mixt Causes between priviledged persons that have Committimus's whether they be Officers that are Commoners at Court or others There likewise the Requests of the Houshold composed of the Masters of Request we have spoken of above who take a like cognisance of the Causes of priviledged persons that enjoy Committimus's at whose choice it is to plead either before the Masters of the Requests of the Houshold or before those of the Palace In old time Justice was administred without Appeal by the Bayliffs and Seneschals that the King sent into the respective Provinces for that purpose which were chosen out of the ablest Sages of the Law of his Houshold but since the Parliaments have been Instituted or made fixed and sedentary Appeals are admitted to the Parliaments from the Sentences rendred by the said Bayliffs and Seneschals In fine the Parliament at present consists in all 1. Of one Chief or first President who is named Nicholas Potier Knight Lord of Novion c. and seven other Presidents called Presidents au Mortier or wearing Mortar-Fashioned Caps who are John de Coigneux Marquiss of Montmeliand c. Lewis de Bailleul Marquiss of Chateau-Gontier John-James de Mesmes Count d' Avaux John de Longueville Marquiss of Maisons Charles Colbert Brother to the late Great Minister of State of that Name formerly Ambassadour in England and at Nimmeguen c. and at present Secretary and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and lastly Lewis de Molé Lord of Champlatreux of thirty Clerks or Clergymen Counsellers of Lay-Counsellers of two Advocates and one Proctor-General of 19 Substitutes or Deputies of three Registrers or Recorders in the Chief Registers Office viz. One Recorder Civil and Prothonotary in Chief one Recorder of the Presentations and one Recorder Criminal and of eight other Secretaries and Notaries called the Notaries and Secretaries of the King and of the Parliament two Recorders for the Audiences and Council of the Tournelle five other Deputy Recorders in the five Chambers of Inquests one Recorder in Chief of the Requests of the Palace two other Deputy Recorders under him in each of the two Chambers of Requests 1. First or Chief Usher twenty eight other Ushers of the Parliament and of the Chambers of Inquests and of the Tournelle Eight Ushers of the Requests of the Palace The number of Advocates is not fixed but the Proctors are four hundred in number they have both of them a Dean over them CHAP. XXXII Of the Chamber of Accounts THE Chamber of Accounts is composed of 1. First or Chief President ten other Presidents seventy Masters of the
comprehends a certain Territory in which Taxes are levied by Officers Elected for that purpose which is thence called an Election where all Causes relating to the said Levies or Taxes are pleaded primarily and at the first instance as they term it CHAP. XL. Of the Election of Paris THE Election of Paris comprehends 440 Parishes The Officers of the Court of this Election who sit in the Court of the Palace Assess and Rate the Taxes and judge all differences which arise about Taxes Aids Entries or Duties of Importation of Goods or Merchandises into Paris and about the five great Farms and in general all contestations that happen about the Imposition and Levying the Kings Revenues of what nature soever they be excepting only those of the Kings Crown Lands and Gabelles or Revenue on Salt The Appeals from their Sentences are made to the Court of Aids The days of Audience for the Kings Farms are Mundays and Thursdays in the Morning and for the Taxes on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the Morning The Officers belonging to the Court of the Election of Paris are A President who is Laurence de Chenevieres one Lieutenant one Assessour sixteen Counsellours Elect one Advocate and Proctor for the King one Substitute two Registrers one Chief Usher three Ushers-Audiencers eight Ushers of the Taxes and eight Proctors There are also in this Election two Receivers of Taxes c. One Honorary Counsellour Elect. CHAP. XLI Of the Granary of Salt at Paris THE Magazin or Granary of Salt at Paris is near the River at the end of the Pontneuf or New-Bridge where the Seat of the Court is established that was Erected to judge of all Contestations hapning about the Gabells or Duties on Salt and about the distribution of it and levying his Majesties Duties Appeals are made from this Court to the Court of Aids The Audience days in this Court are Wednesdays and Saturdays and in Winter Mundays too from the first of October to the first of February on the same dayes the Salt is distributed out to the people in the Afternoon The Officers belonging to this Court are Two Presidents three Granateers or Granary-Keepers three Comptrollers two Lieutenants two Comptrollers and Keepers of the Measures two Advocates and two Proctors for the King three Registrers these Registrers may make Deputies for the exercise of their Offices three Ushers Audiencers six Ushers and Serjeants of the Gabels eight Proctors thirty Measures of Salt sixty Carriers or Porters of Salt whereof thirty are of old and thirty of new Creation they are called the sworn Hanoüards ten Runners of Salt ten Bruisers twelve Comptrollers and Visiters of the Barillage or Barels of the Salt-Pits and Salt-Fish one Receiver at the Salt Granary and one Commissioner for business one Captain one Lieutenant some Brigadeers and fifteen Guards both on Horseback and on Foot Next to the ordinary Royal Courts of Judicature follow those of the City CHAP. XLII Of the Guildhall or Town-House of Paris NExt to the Governour of Paris who is now the Duke de Gêvres the other Officers of the Guildhall or Town-House called the Hotel de Ville are The Provost of the Merchants who is at present M. de Fourcy President of the third Chamber of Inquests four Echevins who are in the nature of Sheriffs twenty six Counsellours of the City the Kings Proctor for the City one Recorder one Receiver for the City sixteen Quarteniers together with Dixeniers or Decurions and Cinquanteniers which are certain Officers which are set over Wards and Precincts distinguished into the different numbers of 16 10 and 50. intimated in the Titles aforegoing There are 300 Guards called Archers belonging to the City who are divided into three Companies their Colonel is John Fournier There are likewise several Officers for Policy and keeping good Order as well for the Merchandises and Wares brought thither and for regulation of their Conveyance by the River and of all things vended at the several Keys and other places of Sale The Provost of the Merchants who is as 't were the Mayor of the City has a Jurisdiction in ordinary at the first Suit as well over the Rents of the City and over all causes and differences between the Townsmen and the Officers of the City in things relating to the Policy or good order of it or about the Wages and Salaries of the Officers These City-Magistrates set prices on all Wares and have the over-sight and inspection of all the Ports or Keys and of all Wheat or other Grain Wine Wood Coal Billets Hay Fish Apples Nuts and other Commodities The Officers of the Chatelet as we have remarked above are likewise Judges in matter of Policy and good Order and have power to set a price on Commodities CHAP. XLIII Of the Judges Consuls THE Judges who are called Judges and Consuls hold their Court of Judicature behind the Church of St. Mederick They take cognisance of all Causes that relate to trading or dealing between Merchant and Merchant or Letters of Exchange Promises Obligations or Contracts made between Partners or Associates for Merchandises of what nature or condition soever they be Their Jurisdiction was establisht at Paris by King Charles the Ninth in the year 1563. Their Sentences may be appealed from to the Parliament when the summ in question amounts to above 500 Livers For this Court there is an Election made every year of one Judge and four Consuls out of the Body of the Merchants who before they enter upon the exercise of their Functions take the usual Oath at the Parliament there belong further to this Court one Registrer and four Ushers There was formerly another Court called the Citizens Parlour to which this Court succeeded and there are still six Officers that retain the Title of Serjeants of the Citizens Parlour The Merchants have still a place where they meet in the Palace underneath the Dauphins Hall to confer about their Affairs which is much in the nature of the publick Changes at Lions Roüen Toulouze and London The six principal and original Bodies or Corporations of Merchants in Paris which are like the Companies in London under which all the other Trades are comprehended are 1. The Drapers 2. The Spicers or Grocers and Apothecaries 3. The Mercers 4. The Skinners or Furriers 5. The Bonneteers or Cap-Makers And 6. The Goldsmiths The Booksellers and Wine-Merchants injoy also the like Priviledges as those of the six Companies CHAP. XLIV Of the Generalities of France THE Generalities are the general Offices of the Treasurers General of France established for the facilitating the receiving and levying of the Monies arising from Taxes and other Impositions called by the name of Taillons or lesser Taxes and subsistance Money They are in number twenty three in all viz. Seventeen that are divided into Elections and six of the Countries governed by their peculiar Assemblies of Estates which are not divided into Elections but Assemble their own Estates something like the Parliaments of England to
Audiences and two other Deputies to take informations under the Lieutenants of the Short-Robe in the Field and out of the Kings Quarter and then they are obliged within twenty four hours to put up their informations into the Registry or Recorders Office and to cause their Prisoners to be brought up to be Examined by the Lieutenants of the Long-Robe and in their absence by the Lieutenants and Exempts of the short one who only have power to take cognisance of and judge criminal Causes among the Kings Retainers and in his Quarter All the Officers above-mentioned are Commoners or Tablers in the Kings Houshold and on the four chief Festivals of the year are allowed Bread Wine and Meat Candles on Candlemas and Corpus Christi days and Prayer-Books and Cloth in the Holy Week There are also twelve Proctors called Postulants One Chief Usher and twelve other Ushers that wear the Kings Livery and carry in their hands a blue Wand with Flower-deluces at the end They are Exempt from Taxes Subsidies and Loans and enjoy all the other Priviledges of the Commoners of the Kings Houshold There are likewise two Notaries and Keepers of the Royal Notes that follow the Court And One Usher Trumpeter at 272 l. 10 d. Salary And One Executioner of Criminal Sentences Besides these there are other Officers as they call them of the Short-Robe that are a kind of Medium between Civil and Military Officers which we shall add here viz. One Lieutenant-General Four Lieutenants officiating each two quarters in a year who have a Salary of 400 l. and a gratuity of 600 l. Four other Lieutenants quarterly Waiters The Lieutenant of the quarter beginning in January has the liberty if he will to serve and bear the Staff in the quarter beginning in July he of July quarter in January he of April in October and he of October in April In the absence of the Great Provost they receive Orders immediately from the King When the Lieutenant of the Sword or of the Short-Robe of the Provosts Court has a mind to go up to the Seat of the Audiences at Paris he sits on the right hand of the Lieutenant-General that is of the Long-Robe and that presides there and the Kings Proctor as a Counsellour by his place sits on his left This has been practised several times and lately on Saturday the 30th of August 1681. When the Sieur Barbier Lieutenant-General of the Long-Robe had at his right hand the Sieur Tournier Lieutenant of the Short-Robe and the Sieur Le Roy de Gomberville Proctor for the King on his left and in the absence of the Lieutenant-General of the Long-Robe the Lieutenant of the Sword presides and has the Kings Proctor on his left hand There is likewise another Lieutenant of the Provostship that ordinarily waits on the Chancellour where he has his Diet and 5500 l. Salary and gratuity They are likewise Commoners of the Houshold and enjoy the same Priviledges with other Officers of the same As for the Exempts and Guards belonging to the Provostship we shall speak of them among the Military Officers of the Kings Houshold There are belonging to the Provostship besides these one Chaplain called the Chaplain of St. Barbara One Marshal or Harbinger of the Lodgings Three Treasurers of the Provost-ship that pay all the Officers of it both Civil and Military they serve by turns each one his year CHAP. XXI Of the Great Master the Master and Aid or Assistant of the Ceremonies THE Great Master of the Ceremonies of France is Jule Armand Colbert Marquiss of Blainville he was sworn the 30th of January 1685. His Salary is 3000 l. He is sworn by the Great Master of the Houshold under him there is One Master of the Ceremonies who has 2000 l. Salary and is likewise sworn by the Great Master of the Houshold and One Aid or Assistant of the Ceremonies at 600 l. Salary The Great Master Master and Assistant or Aid of the Ceremonies exercise their Offices jointly at Royal Solemnities bearing in their hands a Staff of Ceremony covered with black Velvet with the handle and top tipt with Ivory The Assistant of Ceremonies is also sworn by the Great Master of the Houshold They are to be present at Coronations of Kings and at the opening of Assemblies of the Estates at Christnings and Marriages of Kings and Princes at the first and last Audiences of Ambassadours both Ordinary and Extraordinary at the conducting of Queens or Princesses and at their Obsequies and Funeral Pomps where they order all and take care to give every one their Rank and Precedence due to their quality They are clad in different habits almost at every one of those different Ceremonies When the Great Master the Master or the Aid of the Ceremonies go to carry any Order or Message to any of the Soveraign Courts after they have saluted them they take their place among the Counsellours but with this difference that if it be the Great Master of the Ceremonies himself he takes place above the last Counsellour but if it be the Master in Ordinary or his Aid he takes his Seat after them all and then upon a sign made to him by the chief President he speaks to them from his Seat with his Head covered his Sword by his side and his Staff of Ceremonies in his hand At the first and last Audiences of Ambassadours the Great Master the Master or Aid of the Ceremonies marches on the right hand of the Ambassadour a little before him from the bottom of the Stairs to the Guard-Chamber where being come he advances before him to give notice to his Majesty There is likewise an Exempt of the Kings Guards appointed to wait at Ceremonies who in the Book of the Establishment is called Major of the first Company of the Guards Commanded at present by the Duke of Noailles CHAP. XXII Of the Introductour of Ambassadours THere were formerly two of these Introductours or Conductours but by the present King they were reduced to one who is stiled the sole Introductour of Foreign Princes and Ambassadours to his Majesty who at present is Monsieur Michael de Chabenat Knight and Count de Bonneville c. His Salary is 1200 l. But he has another under him at a like Salary The Introductour of Ambassadours both for Audiences and all other things relating to his Office receives Orders only from the King He conducts receives and introduces into the Chamber of their Majesties or of the Children of France and Princes and Princesses of the Blood any other Kings Soveraign Princes and Princesses or Cardinals Ambassadours Ordinary and Extraordinary Gentlemen Envoys Residents Agents Heads of the Orders Foreign Deputies bearing any Character or making any publick Figure and generally all Foreign Persons of Quality when they come to the Kings Palace for Audience He likewise Conducts the Wives of any such persons abovesaid to the like Audience of the Queen CHAP. XXIII Of the Secretary of the Houshold and the Treasurers
though they have not the Stage that is the usual time of Residence and Officiating there from which they are exempt The Priviledges of the Chyrurgions By a Declaration of Lewis the Thirteenth in favour of his Chyrurgions viz. to his Chief Chyrurgion in Ordinary and to eight other Chyrurgions in Ordinary quarterly Waiters they are priviledged to keep or cause to be kept open Shop and set out a Chyrurgeons Sign with the Kings Arms Exclusive to all Chyrurgeons who are forbid to molest them under pain of being fined 3000 l. and paying all Costs Dammages and Interest in Case of Contravention which concludes thus Given at Paris the 26th of August in the year of our Lord 1636. and of our Reign the Twenty Seventh Signed Lewis and Lower De Lomenie And on the side is written the Registring of it in the Parliament of Paris the 28th of March 1637. Collationed or Compared and Signed Farcette Which is confirmed by a Decree of Verification in Parliament the 18th of July 1637. There is a Declaration of the late Queen Mother for her four Chyrurgions of the 20th of October 1637. Verified by a Decree of the 20th of April 1638. Another Declaration of the late Duke of Orleans for five of his Chyrurgeons of the 26th of February 1638. Verified by a Decree of the 7th of September 1638. And lastly Another Declaration of the late Prince of Condé for four of his Chyrurgeons of the 29th of January 1639. Verified by a Decree of the 23d of March following Besides which there is an Order of the Court for the Master-Chyrurgeons at Paris Importing a Confirmation of the Declarations made in their favour in 1642. The Priviledges of the Life-guard Men. By a Decree or Order of the Privy-Council bearing date the 27th of June 1651. given against the Court of Aids of Rouen after several Suits of Law the Kings Life-guards are maintain'd in their Quality of Squires and in their exemption from Taxes and all other Impositions A like Sentence was given by the Council of State the 4th of June 1653. in favour of the Guards of the Gate Other Priviledges belonging to all the Officers of the Kings and other Royal Houses All the Officers and menial Servants of the Kings and of other Royal Housholds excepting a few whose Offices are too mean are noble that is are Gentlemen by their Places if they be not so otherwise as long as they are in Place and may bear a Crest above their Coats of Arms. All the Officers of the seven Offices of the Chamber and others wait always with their Swords by their sides unless it be when they are troublesome to them and may wear them always both in the Louvre and elsewhere Most of the Officers have the Quality of Squires if they be Sword-men or of Counseller if Gown-Men and are called Officers in Ordinary though they are but Quarterly or Half-yearly Waiters They enjoy all the Priviledges of Gentility Safeguards exemption from Taxes and other Duties Committimus c. as we have shewn above CHAP. XXVII Of the Military Officers and Troops of the Kings Houshold THE Kings of France have always kept several Guards for their Security and to preserve a Life that is the Lives of their Subjects We read in Gregory of Tours in the eighth Chapter of his seventh Book that Gontran King of Orleans or of the Burgundian part of France seeing his two Brothers Sigebert King of Mets or Austrasia being that part of France towards Germany including Lorrain and the Neighbouring Provinces and Chilperic King of Paris and of Soissons had been assassinated placed a great Guard about his Person about the year 587. without which he never went to Church or to his Recreations So upon different occasions the Guards have been reinforced and augmented Philip Augustus being in the Holy Land in the year 1192. established Serjeants at Arms or Mace-Bearers as may be seen in the Great Chronicles where the Old Historian La Montagne speaking of the Assasines or rather Arsacides a Desperate sort of people of Syria whom their Princes used to send to assasinate the most couragious and active Princes among the Christians uses these words When the King says he heard this news be began to be fearful of himself and by advice of his Council resolved to have his Person well guarded and chose Serjeants with Macis well armed and accoutred who were night and day to attend him to guard his Person The said King made use of the said Serjeants at the Battel of Bouvines who behaved themselves that day so valiantly that St. Lewis in the year 1229. founded for them in memory of that action the Church of St. Catharine du Val of the Scholars of Paris according to an Inscription to be seen upon two Stones at the entring into the said Church which contains these words At the intreaty of the Serjeants at Arms Monsieur St. Lewis founded this Church and laid the first stone of it for Joy of the Victory obtained at the Bridge of Bouvines in the year 1214. The Serjeants at Arms then in being had the keeping of the said Bridge and vowed to God that if he would give them the Victory they would found a Church and dedicate it to St. Catharine which was performed accordingly Where it is remarkable that there are four Serjeants at Arms represented upon those two Stones but in a different manner There are two upon one of them holding in their hands their Maces at Arms and armed Cap-a-pee to represent the Serjeants at Arms as they were in the Army and upon the other stone there are two more whereof one is Clothed with a Coat with great Sleeves cut in Labels wearing a Collar hanging down upon his Breast and I suppose that signifies the Usher at Arms Waiting at the Door of the Chamber for still to this day the Ushers of the Chamber bear Maces on Festival days to guard the Kings Person in the Day-time The other is wrapped up in a long Cloak well furred with shaggy furr with a Bonnet on his Head and his Mace in his hand which represents the Serjeants at Arms that watched by night And Du Tillet in his Chapter of the Marshals pag. 282. writes that some of them were appointed to carry Maces before the King in the day time and were called Vshers at Arms whose place is now supplyed by the Ushers of the Kings Chamber and others to guard his Chamber in the night time These Guards then took their name from the Arms they used and so when they quitted the Mace to take the Bow they were called Archers Charles the Seventh entertained a Guard of Scotch selected out of the Auxiliary Forces brought over to him by the Earls of Bucan Douglas and other Scotch Lords to drive the English out of France Philip de Comines calls them the Silver Guards because their Coats or Jackets called Hoquetons were set with spangles of Silver and Goldsmiths Work Lewis the Eleventh being at Puiseaux on the 4th
Paris Of the Grand Council Of the Leagues of the Suiffers The Rents upon the Guildhall or Town-House of Paris 3. Mr. De Breteuil has The eighteen Generalities of the Countries of Election The greater and lesser Tax called the Taille Taillon The Revenue of the Chamber of Accounts or Counting-Chamber at Paris That of the Court of Aids at Paris There are four Secretaries of the Council who are M. Berrier M. de Beauchamol M. Ranchin and M. Coquille And M. Bartillat and M. Du Mets with the Title of Commissionated Keepers of the Treasure-Royal exercise by turns what was formerly exercised by three Persons with the Title of Treasurers of the Main Treasury or Exchequer called L' Epargne or Spare Revenue There are eighty Masters of Requests in Ordinary of the Kings Houshold that officiate quarterly The Officers called les Gens du Roy are One Proctor-General M. Lewis Maboul who likewise performs the Function of Advocate-General One Advocate-General M. Francis-Nicholas Berthelot The Secretaries of the Court of Finances are the same with those of the Council of State There are four Secretaries-Registrers of the Privy-Council four Commissioners of the Register of the Council and four Registrers-Keepers of the Council-Bags all officiating quarterly And one Chief Registrer of the Requests of the Houshold There are eight Ushers or Door-Keepers in Ordinary belonging to the Kings Councils and eight other Ushers of the Requests of the Houshold There is also held another Council called the Council of Parties because it was established to take cognisance of the Processes or Suits moved by particular Parties one among another whether it be upon their Appeals from the Judges of a particular Jurisdiction or of a Parliament or any other entire Jurisdiction or for particular Affairs between City and City or between one private Person and another that this Council has called before it or of which it has reserved the cognisance to it self The Councellors of State that sit in this Council of Parties or in the Council of the Finances are for the most part Persons that have served a long time in other Courts or Jurisdictions as in the Parliament Grand-Council and even in the very Body of the Masters of Requests or in Embassies to Foreign Princes and States Those of the last sort enjoy the Quality and Pension of Councellours of State at their return from their Ambassages but yet have not all Entrance into the Council Some of them serve there all the year and some but six Months their Salary when they serve all the year is 2000 Crowns to each They are sworn by the Chancellour Anciently there were three Masters of Requests taken out of the Body of the Parliament that used to stand at the Door of the Kings Lodgings leaning with their Elbows on the Rails ready to receive all Requests or Petitions that people had a mind to present to the King And if they were businesses of no great consequence they commonly dispatcht them immediately but if they were of Consequence then they made report of them to the King when he was in his Chamber or when he was going to Mass or a walking And when business begun to increase they waited no more at the Door but near the Kings Person who committed to their Examination all the Petitions that were presented him They usually had Lodgings in the Kings Palace and were tabled at Court They at present take cognisance in their Court of Masters of the Requests of the Houshold of the personal and possessory Causes of the Crown-Officers and of the Officers that are Commoners and Tabled in the Royal Housholds and others that have the priviledge of Committimus There lies an Appeal from them to the Parliament of Paris unless it be when a Sovereign Jurisdiction is given them by a solemn remission of any cause to them by the Council of State They serve likewise in the Chancery and in the Council of State where they report and sign all Petitions that come thither and have extraordinary Commissions in the Provinces where they are Intendants of Justice of Policy and of the Finances or Revenues as also in the Armies where they have a very great Authority and Power They have power to preside in the place of the Presidents in all Seneschalchies and Baily-wicks The Habit used by the Masters of Requests at great Ceremonies and Solemnities is a Scarlet-Gown as being of the Body of the Parliaments where they have Entrance Place and Voice or freedom of Suffrage and opinion deliberative When the Masters of Requests march all in a Body accompanying the Chancellour as they did in the year 1660. at the Kings solemn Entry they wear as they did then black Velvet-Gowns with golden Girdles and Hat-Bands CHAP. XXIV Of the Grand Council THE Grand Council being at its Original or first Institution the only Councils of the Kings of France the Princes of the Blood Officers of the Crown and chief Presidents of the superiour Courts used to stile themselves Councellours of it Afterwards the Title of Councellour to the King in his Councils was taken up instead of it as soon as a plurality of Councils was erected The Grand Council was reduced by Charles the Eighth to 17 Councellours and one Proctor-General and since augmented by Lewis the Twelfth with three Councellours to make up the number of twenty and that served by the half year since that the Advocates-General and the Presidents were added thereto and the number of Councellours augmented from time to time by new Creations insomuch that at present this Company is composed of eight Presidents serving by turns four each half year 54 Councellours serving by turns 27 each half year two Advocates-General serving half a year apiece and one Proctor-General who only is perperpetual The half-yearly waiting times of the Councellours begin in October and April Besides these there are fourteen Councellours of Honour or Titular Councellours in the Grand Council who are Candidates as it were of it and succeed in the Vacancies There are likewise twelve Substitutes or Deputies one Registrer or Recorder in Chief five Secretaries one Chief or first Usher twenty other Ushers and 23 Proctors The Jurisdiction of the Grand Council extends throughout all the whole Monarchy and Dominions of the King At its first beginning it had power to judge of Appeals from and of the Regulations of Judges and of the nullities and contrarieties of Sentences of which Regulations of Judges and contrarieties of Sentences it still takes Cognisance as also of the Jurisdiction of Presidials and of the Provosts of the Merchants and of whatsoever depends thereon concerning the Honour Function and Regulation of their Offices It also takes Cognisance of all matters concerning Consistorial Benefices Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbies and Conventual Priories and in general of all other Benefices that are at the Kings Nomination Presentation Collation or other Disposal whatsoever as well in respect of the Title to them as of the Pensions charged on their
remain free to his M. C. Majesty over the Lands of his Imperial Majesty and of the Empire by the Ordinary Road called Landrass The Duke of Lorrain is thereby re-established in the possession of Lorrain excepting first the Town of Nancy and its Banlieu or Jurisdiction in lieu of which Town the King of France is to give him the Town and Banlieu of Toul which he warrants him to be of equal extent and value In the second place except four High-ways of the breadth of half a Lorrain League which shall lead from Nancy into Alsatia to Vesoul in the Franche Comté to Mets and to St. Dizier And all the Borroughs Villages Lands and their Dependancies which shall be found within the extent of the said High-ways of half a Leagues breadth with all Rights as well of Superiority and Soveraignty as of Propriety shall belong to his Most Christian Majesty Thirdly The Town and Provostship of Longui and its Dependancies shall remain to his Most Christian Majesty who yields to him in Exchange another Provostship of the same extent and value in one of the three Bishopricks Remarks concerning the Governours of Provinces The Governours and Lieutenants for the King in the Provinces are what the Dukes were formerly and the Governours of Towns what the Earls or Counts were Under every Duke there were twelve Counts and over all the Dukes there was one that was stiled Duke of the Dukes or Duke of France who was the Mayor of the Palace The said Qualities of Dukes and Counts became Hereditary under Hugh Capet who having made himself King every one of the other Great Men would needs make himself Master and Proprietour of the Government of which he was in Possession Hugh Capet to have their good will winked at this Usurpation but yet being not willing on the other side that the Royal Authority should remain always Clouded he assembled all these Dukes and made an Agreement with them by which he left them a lawful Succession to all their respective States but with condition however that for lack of Heirs Male to succeed in a Right Line or when the Possessours of them should happen to be Attainted and Convinced of the Crime of Felony they should return to the Crown They that are well read in History have without doubt remarked the return of all these parcels to their principle by the one or the other of these reasons And because the Quality of Mayor of the Palace or of Count of Paris in which the first was Confounded had served him as it had done to Pepin for a step to arrive to the Throne he supprest that too at the same time for the better securing of the Crown to his Successours The Governours and Lieutenants for the King in the Provinces have under them the Governours of Towns as the Dukes had the Counts but with this difference that the number of Governours of Towns that are under each Governour of a Province is not determined one Province having more Towns and another fewer The Power of the Governours and Lieutenants-General of Provinces is altogether like that of the ancient Dukes and Counts which is to keep in the Kings Obeysance the Provinces and Places given them in Custody to maintain them in Peace and Tranquility to have Power or Command over their Arms to defend them against Enemies and against Seditious attempts to keep the places well fortified and provided with what is needful and assist the Execution of Justice every one in his respective Government But at the beginning when these Governours were first established there were none but only in the Frontier Towns but because in the time of the Civil Wars all the Provinces became Frontier there was a necessity of placing Governours not only in the Provinces but in all the Towns Their Commissions are verified in the Parliaments of their respective Provinces in which the Governours of the same Provinces have place ordinarily next after the Chief Presidents They are only simple Commissions whose Continuation depends only of the Kings sole Pleasure though some years past there were crept in some abuses in this affair and the Governours were become as it were Hereditary Note That all the Lieutenants-General of Provinces and Lieutenants of particular Towns and Places are stiled Lieutenants for the King because they are put in by the King and have no dependance on the Chief Governour under whose Command they are CHAP. XXIX Of France as divided into Parliaments Courts judging without Appeal and other Courts of Justice 1. Of the Administration of Justice and the first Institution of Parliaments JUstice was formerly administred by the Kings themselves who render'd it in Person to their People but Affairs multiplying every day more and more the Kings were obliged to ease themselves of that Burden reserving to themselves only the Cognisance of Affairs of State And for the Administration of Ordinary Justice he established a certain Council which they called a Parliament which judged and decided all Causes and Affairs both Civil and Criminal between Man and Man and that without Appeal in which were present all the Peers of France both Ecclesiastical and Secular This Parliament followed the King in all his Voyages and consequently for that reason was in those times Ambulatory It was first Instituted by Pepin in the year 757 and was doubtless the same thing that the Privy-Council is now But at length the Kings parted with this Council in favour of their people And Philip the Fair was the first that made the Parliament Sedentary and gave them a part of his Palace at Paris to be the Seat of that August Senate which by the Integrity of its Decrees and Sentences has acquired so great a Reputation among all Nations that Popes Emperours Kings and Foreign Princes have voluntarily submitted their differences to their Judgments as may be seen by several Examples in History and among others by that of the Emperour Frederick with Pope Innocent the Fourth and of the King of Castile with the King of Portugal King Philip the Fair following the Example of his Predecessours Ordained there should be only two Sessions of the Parliament viz. At the Feasts of Easter and All-Saints and distinguisht them into two Chambers of which one because it judged of the most important matters was called the Grand Vault or Grand Chamber and the other the Chamber of Inquests or Inquiries CHAP. XXX Of the Institution of all the Parliaments of France and of the extent of their Jurisdiction with the present number of the Chief Presidents and other Counsellours THere are in France and its Dominions 11 Parliaments viz. 1. Paris 2. Toulouze 3. Roüen 4. Grenoble 5. Bourdeaux 6. Dijon 7. Aix 8. Rennes now Vannes 9. Pau. 10. Mets. 11. Besançon 1. The Parliament of Paris as we have already told you was Instituted by Pepin in the year 757 and made Sedentary at Paris by Philip the Fair in 1302. When there was but one Parliament People came thither
Accounts thirty Correctors and seventy four Auditors one Advocate and one Proctor-General for the King one Comptroller-General of the Remains two Chief Recorders who are stiled the Kings Secretaries two Book-Keepers one Chief Usher thirty other Ushers twenty nine Proctors one Commissioner for the Receit of the Duties called the Spices of the Accounts one Receiver of small necessities of the Chamber and three Receivers and Payers of Wages The Presidents Masters Correctors and Auditours are of the Long Robe if they have taken any Degrees in Law and of the short Robe if not but however they have all used the Long Robe since the Late Queens Entry into Paris in 1660. Four of the Masters of the Accounts are Secretaries to the King sharing each a Purse in the Great or High Chancery of France The Chief President and the three eldest Presidents that serve half-yearly keep always in the Grand Office and the two last that serve by the half year keep the second Office The Masters serve alternatively and by turns that is to say the eldest Master of that half year officiates in the Grand Office in January March and May and in the second in February April and June the second Master of the same half year serves in the Grand Office in February April and June and in the second in January March and May and so forward the third and fourth Masters which same order is practised in the other half year Commencing in July The Chief President of this Chamber at present is Nicholas Nicolai Marquiss of Goussainville This Chamber was established at Paris according to the Register of the Sieur de Just under the reign of St. Lewis since which Philip the Fair when he made the Parliament Sedentary at Paris re-establisht that at the same time At its first establishment it consisted but of two Presidents of which the first who was a Clergyman was ordinarily some Archbishop or Bishop and the other a Lay-man or for the most part they were both Clergymen of six Masters of Accounts viz. Three Clergymen and three Laymen Philip the Long added thereto another Master Clergy-man that there night be always two in the Chamber to hear the Accounts and two below to correct them and eight Clerks two of which were to keep the accounts one to keep the Journal for Registring Affairs and the five other to look after the business of the Examination of the Accounts according to the Ordinance of the 6th of January 1319. Since that Charles the Fair added another Lay-Master and another Clergy-man Master Lewis the XI Establisht the second Office Created a third President and augmented the number of Masters so that till the time of Francis the First the Chamber of Accounts was composed but of three Presidents twelve Masters and sixteen Clerks since called Auditors to whom Henry the second gave the Quality or stile of Councellours to the King with priviledge of having a Voice and opinion deliberative under whose reign it was made Semestral or to be distinguished by six Months alternative service In the year 1410. there were Created two Correctors which were chosen out of the number of the Masters who had the same Salaries Priviledges and Honours as the Masters and place in the Office The solemn and Ceremonial Habits of those of this Chamber are as follows The Presidents wear Robes of Black-Velvet the Master of the Accounts of Black-Satin Correctors of Accounts of Black Damask the Auditours of Black Taffaty the Advocates and Proctors-General of Black-Satin the Comptroller-General of the Remains of Black Taffaty the Recorders Black Damask the Chief Usher of Black Taffaty This Chamber has been in so much estimation that the most important affairs of the State of the Finances or Revenues and of Justice were there debated and thither were cited the principal Officers of the Crown and of the Parliament And Patriarchs Archbishops and Bishops Princes Constables and other great Persons used to sit in it And in the year 1497. It had the honour to have for its President James of Bourbon a Prince of the Bloud several Kings have honoured it with their Presence as Philip of Valois who during his absence into Flanders left his Seal in their Keeping and gave them Power and Authority to distribute his Graces and Favours nay and to grant Letters of Pardon or abolition of Crimes as amply as he himself might have done The same hapned under the reigns of Charles the Fifth and Sixth and of Lewis the Twelfth in the years 1330 1359 1381 and 1498. At that time it was not only a supreme Court to judge of all Causes Criminal or Civil relating to the Finances or Revenue but also of those concerning the Policy and Direction or surveying and maintaining of Bridges Causeys and High-ways This Chamber Registers the Oaths of Fidelity or Allegiance taken by Archbishops Bishops and Abbots and others in Royal Abbies and of Heads or Chiefs of Orders that are subject to the rights called the Regalia which cease not till the day they be registred in this Chamber and the Fruits and Profits of these Benefices belong to the King from the day of the Decease of the Archbishop Bishop or Abbot till the day of the Registring of the Oath of a new Successour Which fruits St. Lewis gave towards the maintenance of the Holy Chappel viz. One Moiety to the Canons and the other for the maintenance of the Structure of the said Chappel and of the Houses of its Dependance of which the Gentlemen Officers of the Chamber of Accounts are the Orderers and Directors At present by Letters verified in this Chamber the King returns these Regalia or Regal Rights to the Archbishops and Bishops as soon as they have taken the usual Oaths of Fidelity and as soon as the Counsellours Auditours of this Chamber to whom alone that Priviledge belongs have delivered out their expedition or dispatch of them This Chamber examines closes and casts up and fixes the accounts of the Treasure Royal those of the Kings Houshold of the other Royal Housholds and of all the Officers that are accountable and have the managing of receits and expences The other Chambers of accounts are obliged to send every year to that of Paris duplicates of the accounts of their respective Provinces that so they may there have a general knowledge of the Finances or Revenues and accordingly make the necessary Verifications and Corrections of the Accounts of the Treasure Royal and of the Officers that are accountable and that take there their Assignations This Chamber receives Fealty and Homage of the Vassals of Principalities Dutchies Peerages Marquisates Counties Vicounties Baronies and Chatellanies or Captainships and may receive the like of all that hold moveables Fees or Fiefs depending on the Crown it has the keeping of all the acknowledgments and numbrings of all those under its Jurisdiction and even of the Fealties and Homages of the Fiefs or Fees which the Treasurers of France are to receive It Registers the
France are the Presidents of this Chamber of the Treasury or when they think good they go and preside at the Audiences and Processes or Suits managed in Writing And those of Paris give Law to the Councellers of the Treasury when they present themselves for Admission and some among them on set days for that purpose go and examine them and afterwards admit them Their Days of Audience are Wednesdays and Saturdays at which times the Advocates and Proctors of the Parliament go thither to plead The Officers of the Chamber of the Treasury are one Lieutenant-General who is both for Civil and Criminal matters and a particular Lieutenant six Councellers one Advocate and Proctor for the King one Recorder or Registrer in Chief one Recorder of the Presentations and Comptrol one Chief Usher or House-Keeper and three other Ushers Next to the Treasurers of France it will be most proper next to speak of those Jurisdictions which used to sit at the Marble-Table of the Palace as those of the Waters and Forests the Constablery and Marshals of France of the Admiralty c. CHAP. XXXVI Of the Waters and Forests THE Jurisdiction of the Waters and Forests is very ancient and of a very great extent It was establisht to hinder the Abuses Delinquencies and Misdemeanours which might be committed in the Kings Woods which are the goodliest part of his Crown-Lands it likewise takes cognisance of the same abuses committed in the Woods belonging to the Princes of the Blood and other Noblemen and to Prelats Gentlemen and other private Persons as also to Communities or Corporations It also takes cognisance both primarily and by way of Appeal of all Enterprises or attempts made in Woods Warrens Rivers Isles Islets Mills Fishings Chaces and of all Processes or Suits both Civil and Criminal arising upon those Accounts between any Persons of what Quality soever nay and of those too that concern the very Fund or propriety it self in any of them and all Regulations of Customs thirds and tenths of Forests and Woods c. This Chamber is held in the Great Hall of the Palace near the Parquet or Bar of the Kings Advocates and Proctor-General in the Parliament It s Jurisdiction extends farther than that of the Parliament of Paris for besides the Appeals of Masterships of the Game and of the particular Courts of Justice of private Lords in relation to the Waters and Forests that are within the limits of the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris It receives likewise those of the other Parliaments where there is not as yet any Marble Table as of those of Grenoble Bourdeaux Dijon Aix Pau and Mets. And it has likewise an over-ruling Jurisdiction over the Waters and Forests of other Parliaments The principal Officers of the Masterships and Captainships of the Game and of the Louvetry or Wolf-Hunting are admitted in this Chamber or Court Dukes and Peers proceed in all Cases of this nature in this Court rather than in any other Chamber for the Waters and Forests under other Parliaments although the things contested about be scituate within the extent of the Jurisdiction of those other Parliaments They have there too the like priviledge as in the Grand Chamber in which they can have no remedy for these kinds of affairs as they may have in all other Cases because the Ordinances made for this purpose attribute to this Court the full and plenary cognisance of all Causes belonging to it privatively and exclusively to all other Judges notwithstanding any Committimus or any other priviledge whatsoever It is divided into two sorts of Jurisdiction viz. Ordinary and Extraordinary From the Ordinary Jurisdiction Appeals may be made to the Parliament but in the Extraordinary Jurisdiction all Processes or Suits concerning Reformations Misdemeanours Delinquencies and Degradations relating to Woods c. are Judged without Appeal by the Chief President with seven Councellers of the Grand Chamber and four of the Chief Officers of this Marble Table upon the Conclusions of the Kings Advocates and Proctor-General of this Chamber When the Grand Masters of the Waters and Forests are pleased to come to this Court they commonly preside there and the Judgments passed there are intitled by their names in this manner The Grand Masters Chief Inquisitours and Reformers of the Waters and Forests of France at their General Seat at the Marble Table of the Palace at Paris And in the Extraordinary Jurisdiction they are stiled The Judges appointed by the King to judge finally and without Appeal of all Processes or Suits concerning the Reformations of the Waters and Forests of France at the Judgment Seat of the Marble-Table of the Palace at Paris By a Declaration from the King Issued in the Month of December 1675. and Registred in Parliament the 15th of June 1676. The Great Masterships of the Waters and Forests of France are divided into eight Departments of which seven are officiated by Commission and that of the Country of Orleans by Patent These Departments are 1. That of the Isle of France Brie Perche the Country of Blois Picardie and of the Conquer'd and Reconquer'd Countries Of which M. James Francis de Joanne is Grand Master He is likewise Governour of Chambor and Bayliff of Blois 2. The Department of Normandy and Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Roüen the Grand Master by Commission is M. Feron the Father Master of the Waters and Forests at Compiegne 3. In Tourain Anjou Maine Poitou Berry the Country of Bourbon Nivernois Aunix Angouleme Saintonge la Marche and Limosin The Grand Master is M. Florimond Huraut 4. In the Country of Orleans Mr. Peter L' Allemant Lord of L' Estrée c. Lieutenant of the Town of Chaalons is Grand Master by Patent 5. In Champain and within the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Mets the Grand Master is Charles Renart of Buchsamberg 6. In Burgundy and Bresse and Countries of Lyons Beaujoly Forëts and Auvergne M. de Mauroy 7. In the Government and within the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Brittany M. Savary 8. In Guienne the Lower Navarre Soule the Country of Labour Languedoc Provence and the Dauphinate M. Froidour is Grand Master In Flanders the Grand Master is M. le Feron du Plessis the Son The Office of Master of the Waters and Forests of Hainaut which was Created in 1661 is possest by M. Talon first Yeoman of the Kings Wardrobe The Office of Grand Master of the Waters and Forests of France was of very ancient Institution and possessed by two persons of Quality Afterwards there was but one till the year 1575. when Henry the third Created six which have since been augmented The present Officers of the Waters and Forests at the Marble-Table at Paris are A Lientenant-General and another particular Lieutenant six Councellers one Proctor and one Advocate-General two Recorders or Registers two Ushers Audiencers The ordinary days of Audience at this Chamber or Court are Wednesdays and Saturdays in the Morning There is likewise a particular Mastership
Horseback divided into six Brigades all about the Neighbourhood of Paris for the security of the Country The Provost of Senlis is Nicholas Bordereau CHAP. XXXVIII Of the Admiralty of France and other Courts kept within the inclosure of the Palace And first Of the Admiralty of France and of Guienne THis Court was formerly held too at the Marble Table but is at present kept in the great Hall of the Palace on that side next the Dauphins Hall It takes cognisance of all Affairs relating to the Admiralty and the splitting of Vessels Shipwracks and Commerce on the Sea both primarily and by way of Appeal and of the abuses and misdemeanours committed by the Officers of the particular subordinate Courts of Admiralty and of other Officers of Maritime Affairs The particular Courts from whence Appeals are made to this are those of Rochelle the Sands of Olonne Marans Callice Boulogâ—e Montreüil Abbeville St. Valery Eu and Hault The present Officers belonging to it are A Lieutenant-General who is the Sieur de Marbrelle and a Lieutenant particular four Counsellours one Proctor for the King one Recorder or Registrer and one Chief Usher The Days of Audience in this Court are Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays There are likewise other Chambers or Courts of Admiralty at Roüen Bourdeaux in Brittany and at Dunkirk and other places Of the Court of the Great Pantler of France This Court takes cognisance of all regulations among the Bakers who are admitted there To it belong A Lieutenant general and particular Mayor and Guardian of the Great Pantry of France who is Nicholas Petit-Jean or Little John one Proctor for the King one Registrer one Chief Usher and 13 Ushers Audiencers that reside some at Paris and some in the Countries The Audience Days in this Court are Mundays and Saturdays Of the Bailywick of the Palace In this Court are these Officers viz. A Bayliff who is Claudius Pelot a Lieutenant General a Proctor for the King and a Registrer This Court judges of all differences arising in the Halls and Court of the Palace The Court of the Masonry Is kept over the Dauphins Hall to it belong Three Counsellours who are Judges general of all Masons work in France The Court called the Court of the Bazoche For the regulation of the Clerks of the Palace and the Court for matters of Justice relating to importing and vending of Sea-Fish are still held too within the inclosure of the Palace And thus having spoke of the Courts of Judicature that are held within the inclosure of the Palace we shall next treat of the others held without it and particularly of the Chatelet or Castle of Paris Which is the ordinary Court of Justice of the City of Paris and the most considerable presidial Court in the Kingdom CHAP. XXXIX Of the Chatelet or Castle of Paris THE Administration of Justice for the Town Provostship and Vicounty of Paris is exercised under the Name of the Provost of Paris and in case of vacancy the Kings Proctor General of the Parliament is Guardian by his place of this Provostship and all Acts passing there during that time run in his name The Officers thereto belonging are A Provost called the Provost of Paris who is Charles-Denis de Bullion Marquiss of Gallerdon c. He had the Grant of this Office the 15th of February 1685. and took the usual Oath for it in Parliament on the 22d of May-following and the same day was solemnly Installed in the Chatelet and put into possession thereof by one of the Presidents à Mortier the Dean of the Lay-Counsellours of the Parliament and the eldest Clergy-man Counsellour of the Grand Chamber He has 8000 Livers yearly Sallary and allowance All Judgments and Sentences given in the Chatelet and all acts of Notaries run in his Name the Assembly of the Nobility of the Provostship of Paris for the Arriere-â—an is held in his House and it belongs to him to Conduct them to the Army This Office was always exercised by Persons of great Quality and Reputation Under him there are the following Officers viz. A Lieutenant Civil who is John le Camus Honorary Master of Requests a Lieutenant for the Policy or Government of the City Gabriel-Nicholas de la Reynie a Lieutenant Criminal James Defita two particular Lieutenants Fifty six Counsellours four Advocates and one Proctor for the King Eight Substitutes two Honorary Counsellours one Chief Recorder or Registrer with divers other Registrers both for Civil and Criminal Affairs and for Audiences Insinuations Presentations and other matters one Chief Usher Audiencer and several other Ushers Audiencers There are likewise belonging to it two Counsellours Judges-Auditours to decide small Suits not amounting to above the summ of 25 Livers one Registrer in Chief of the Auditours and one Chief Usher and two other Ushers-Audiencers of the said Auditours 48 Commissaries and 113 Notaries Together with the Proctors Ushers on Porseback and Ushers carrying Wands and the Ushers of the Provostship of Paris By the Edicts and Declarations of the present King Registred in Parliament the 7th of September 1684. The Court of the New Chatelet Created in 1674. was reunited to that of the old one and accordingly the Offices of Provost of Lieutenant-General Civil and Lieutenant-General Criminal were supprest as likewise that of Kings Proctor of the old Chatelet The Lieutenant Criminal of the Short-Robe of the Provostship and Vicounty of Paris is Reny Chrisanthe le Clere Baron of Sauteray c. He has under him four Lieutenants seven Exempts and 100 Archers or Guards which are also Ushers at the Chatelet The Provost of the Isle of France of whom we have already spoken has also under him several Lieutenants Exempts and Archers or Guards for the Execution of his Sentences and Judgments The Knight of the Watch has likewise under him four Lieutenants eight Exempts one Registrer one Comptroller and Clerk of the Watch one Guidon 40 Archers or Guards on Horseback and 100 on Foot that wear blue Hoquetons or Jackets set with Stars of Silver Besides which number there is a recruit as well of Horse and Foot which is much stronger in Winter than in Summer As for the solemn and Ceremonial Habits of the Officers of the Chatelet they are these The three Lieutenants-General the Kings Advocates and Proctors wear Scarlet-Robes and the Counsellours black ones Formerly there were several little Courts of Judicature held by the several Lords who had their peculiar Jurisdictions in the City Suburbs and Banlieu or Liberties of Paris which were suppressed upon the Creation of the Court of the new Chatelet in the Month of February 1674 and their Jurisdictions incorporated into the Courts of the old and new Chatelets which are now made but one as is abovesaid Having spoken of the ordinary Jurisdiction of the City we will proceed next to treat of the ordinary Jurisdiction for the Taxes Aids and other Dues to the King which is the ordinary Court of Justice for Pari as it