let long since to bee called La plus belle Capitainezie du monde au moins de la Chrestiente The goodlyest gouernment in the world at least in Christendome There are requisite in all Ports to make them perfit these foure things 1. Magnarum multarum NauiuÌ„ capabilitas 2. Nauibus tutissima statio 3. Ad hostilem vim coercendam habilitas 4. Mercatorum frequentatio 1. Roome to receiue many and great Ships 2. Safe riding 3. Facility of repelling forraine force 4. Concourse of Marchants The most of these French Ports haue all foure properties except onely the last which in the time of these ciuill broyles haue discontinued and except that we will also graunt that Calais fayles in the first The Cities in France if ye will count none Cities but where is a Bishops Sea are onely one hundred foure There be so many Archbishops and Bishops in all as shall in more fit place be shewed But after the French rekoning calling euery Ville a City which is not eyther a Burgade or a Village we shall finde that their number is infinite and indeed vncertaine as is also the number of the townes in generall Some say there bee one million and seuen hundred thousand but they are of all wise men reprooued Others say sixe hundred thousand but this is also too great to be true The Cabinet rateth them at one hundred thirty two thousand of Parish Churches Hamlets and Villages of all sorts Bodin sayth there be twenty seuen thousand and foure hundred counting only euery City for a Parish which will very neere agree with that of the Cabinet and therefore I embrace it as the truest By the reckoning before set downe of two hundred leagues square which France almost yeeldeth we must compute that here is in all forty thousand leagues in square and in euery league fiue thousand Arpens of ground which in all amounteth to two hundred millions of Arpens which summe being deuided by the number of the Parishes sheweth that one with another eche Village hath one thousand fiue hundred and fifteene Arpens which measure is bigger then our Acre Wee may if wee will abstract a third because Bodin will not admit France to be square but as a Lozenge For in matter of such generality as this men doe alwayes set downe suppositions not certaynties Of all these Cities and great Townes I will omit to speake in particular though a Stranger must very precisely obserue whatsoeuer he sees in his trauayle affying in La Noue his censure for their maner of Fortification Sion veut sayth hee regarder par toute la France ie cuyde qu'on n'y trouuera horsmis quelques chasteux aucune ville qui soit à demy parfaite sâ—lon les regles des ingenieures If a man will looke throughout all France I thinke that some Castles excepted hee shall not finde any Towne halfe perfectly fortifyed according to the rules of Ingeners Onely I must adde that since his time which is now aboue twenty yeeres many Townes also haue bettered their maner of fortifying amongst which none more by report then that of Rochell and lately that of Amiens of which wee might last yeere while the Spanyard held it say as is sayd of Decelea in the Territory of Athens which Alcibiades counselled the Lacedemonians to take and fortify namely that it did consumet et mettre a bas la puissance de la France autant et plus que nulle autre chose Consume and bring low the power of France as much as any thing else whatsoeuer And that it kept and scowred all the passages from Paris to Rouen like that other from Athens to Eleusina But as the losse of this Towne wounded the whole body of France so the regayning of it was not onely the healing of the hurt receyued wherin it was better then the Pelias Hasta but also the raysing of it to these happy tearmes wherein it now stands This Towne would giue mee good occasion to speake of the last yeeres siege the Cardinalles comming and the Cittyes yeelding with many other accidents very memorable and worthy the recounting wherein I had rather spend an howres time in talking then any Paper in writing for that to pen it asketh the iudgement of a Soldier of which honour I am most vnworthy Neyther will I also spend time in the discoursing of other Cities which we haue seene heere in France as of their situation building wealth and fortification saue onely of Paris because the French say this is a world no City After that I will breefly relate of the Castles in France and of some reasons why it is preiudiciall to the quiet of a State to haue many of them except they all belong to the Prince who ought to haue of them in his frontier places and Lymitrophes as they call them and vpon Cities which are strong to keepe theÌ„ in awe not else and as that of S. Katherines which you sawe at Rouen now rased and then I will end the first branch of this Relation namely of the Topography of this Countrey The City of Paris seated in a very fruitful and pleasant part of the I le of France vpon the Riuer of Sein is by the same deuided into three parts that on the North towards S. Denis is called the Burge that on the South toward the Fauxbourges of S. Germaines is called the Vniuersity and that in the little I le which the Riuer there makes by deuiding it selfe is called the Ville This part no doubt is the most ancient for saith my Authour Lutece est vne ville des Parisiens assisse en vne Isle de Seine Lutecia is a City of the Parisians seated in an I le of the Seine We may distinguish it thus into Transequana Cifequana and Interamnis The part beyond the Seine that on this side the Seine and that in the I le encompast with the Riuer It is reputed not onely the capitall City of France but also the greatest in all Europe It is about the walls some ten English miles these are not very thicke the want whereof is recompenced with the depth of the ditch and goodnes of the Rampart which is thicke and defensible saue on the South side which no doubt is the weakest part of the Towne on which side it is reported that the L. Willoughby offred the King in foure dayes to enter at such time as he besieged it Wherevnto the King condescended not by the counsell of the olde Marshall Biron who told him It was no policy to take the Bird naked when he may haue her feathers and all On the other side especially towards the East it is very well fortified with Bulwarke and Ditch fayre and moderne Les Rampars furent faictes es portes S. Antoine S. Michel et S. Iaques et ailleurs 1544. The Ramparts of the Gates S. Anthony S. Michel and S. Iames and elsewhere were made 1544. This
de Beaulieu Gouernours and Lieutenants generall of Cities and Prouinces are as it were Viceroyes Regents of those places committed to them indeed the persons sustaining these charges are much more Noble then those of the Secretaries as being for the most part conferd vpon the Princes of the Bloud and Peeres of France The Gouernours of Cities were in olde time called Dukes and they of Prouinces Counts They were at first onely in frontier Prouinces but now since the troubles of France they haue had the commaund ouer Cities and Countries euen in the middest and bowels of the Land So that now saith Haillan France is become Frontiere de tous costez à elle mesme A Frontier to it selfe on euery side There are but few Cities whereof anciently there were Gouernours as Rochell Calais Peronne Bologne Mondidier Narbonne Bayonne and two or three others Others that had keeping of some small Castle or Fort was onely called the Keeper or Captayne at most But now sayth Haillan lib. 4. euery paltry fellow that hath the keeping of a Colombier Pigeon-house must forsooth be called Monsieur le Gouerneur My Lord the Gouernour and my mistresse his wife Madame la Gouernarete My Lady the Gouernesse The Gouernor of Daulphenie hath greatest priuiledges for he giueth all Offices in his Prouince in other places they can giue none except they haue it by expresse words in their Patent The Gouernor may not be absent aboue sixe moneths in a yere but the Lieutenant must neuer be absent without leaue of the Prince except the Gouernour be present There is yet an Office whereof I must remember you which is one of the chiefest in France either for honuor or profit called grand Maistre des Eauës Forests All matters concerning the Kings Chases Forests Woods and Waters whatsoeuer are determined by him by the grand M. Enquesteur and by the Reformateur at the Table of Marble vnder him are infinite sorts of Officers as Les Maistres particuliers de chaque forrest leurs LieutenaÌ„ts les grâ—yers les grayers segrayers maistres des gardes maistres sergents gardes des marteaux procureurs greffiers arpenteurs collecteurs des amendes and diuers others As the particular Masters of each Forrest their Lieutenants Ouerseers of the sale of woods and the other Officers here specified But I will not loade this short Relation with reckoning vp all the diuers and infinite sortes of Officers wherewith France her selfe seemeth to be ouerloaden as partly yee haue heard alreadie and yee shall reade in Bodin how he complaines not onely of the multiplicitie of Offices in generall but also that euen the Counsell of Estate is surcharged with number where you may likewise obserue how he approues the Priuie Counsel of England erected some foure hundred and odde yeeres since where are neuer saith he aboue twentie by whose sage direction the Land hath long flourished en armes et loix In armes and lawes And for the execution of Lawes and administration of Iustice yee may remember what hath beene said before that the Lawes are good and iust but they be not iustement exercez iustly executed Where Haillan comparing the times Alors saith he on punissoit les grands depuis on n' a puny que les petits et les grands demeurent impunis Then great ones were punished but since onely petty fellowes and the great ones goe scot-free So that now the Lawes of France are become like Spiders webbes which onely catch the little Flies and the great ones breake thorowe Dâ—t veniam Coruis vexat censura Columbas Th'ensnaring Lawes let Crowes goe free While simple Doues entangled bee Hauing now related of the Topographie and Policy of France it remayneth I speake somewhat of the Oeconomy that is of the people of France comprised vnder the three Estates of the Clergy the Nobility and Comminalty of the seuerall humour profession and fashion of each of them which is the third and last branch of this Relation The Church Gallicane is holden the best priuiledged of all those of Christendome that haue not yet quit their subiection to the Pope It hath alwayes protested against the Inquisition it is more free from payments to the Pope then the Church of Spaine as also to the King for here in France they onely pay the Disme but in Spaine the King hath his Tertias subsidio pila and Escusado in all a moytie of the Church liuing Indeede it is reported of this Catholike King that hee hath founded many Abbies and Religious houses but what saith his Subiect Hee steales the sheepe and giues the Tratters for Gods sake In this Church of France are twelue Archbishopprickes one hundred and foure Bishopprickes fiue hundred and fortie Archpriories one thousand foure hundred and fiftie Abbies twelue thousand three hundred and twentie Priories fiue hundred sixtie seuen Nunneries one hundred and thirtie thousand Parish Priests seuen hundred conuents of Friers and two hundred fiftie nine CoÌ„mendams of the order of the Knights of Malta There are saith the Cabinet du Roy three millions of people that liue vpon the Church of France where hee particularly setteth downe in each Diocesse the number of all sortes of Religious people as also the number of their Whores Bawds Bastards and seruants of all sortes And why not sayth hee as well as the Magicians vndertake in their Inuentory of the Diabolique Monarchy to set downe the names and surnames of 76. Princes and seuen millions foure hundred and fiue thousand nine hundred twenty and sixe diuels The Church hath for all this rabble to liue vpon these two things First her temporall Reuenues and secondly her Spirituall which they call the baise-mani Of her temporall Reuenues diuers men iudge diuersly The Cabinet who in all his computations makes of a Mouse an Elephant saith that they are fourescore millions of Crownes the yeere besides the baise-mani which is as much more and besides an infinite prouision which they reserue and is paid them ouer and except their Rents by their Farmers and Tenants as of Wheat foure millions fiue hundred thousand septiers quarters of Rye two millions three hundred thousand septiers quarters of Oates nine hundred thousand of Barly eight hundred thousand of Pease and Beanes eight hundred sixty thousand Capons one hundred sixty thousand Hennes fiue hundred sixty thousand Partridge fiue hundred thousand Beeues twelue thousand Muttons one million two hundred thousand Wine one million two hundred thousand cuues Egges seuen millions Butter two hundred thirty thousand quintaux Cheese fiue hundred thousand Hogges one hundred thirty sixe thousand Pigges three hundred forty thousand Tallowe sixty thousand quintaux Hey sixe hundred thousand loades Straw eight hundred thousand Wood two millions with an infinite proportion of other necessaries imaginary onely and incredible And yet he there avoweth al things with as great confidence as if himselfe had had the true abstrâ—ct from all the Bookes of Accounts
neuer made his great banquets of Fish but when he was farthest from Sea and Aesope the Tragicke that spent 15000. crownes at a feast bestowed it all in birdes tongues as of Linnets Nightingales and such others as had beene taught to sing that the price might be the greater Giue me for all this the good old Bishop of Toledo his Capon who vpon a fasting day would needs make the companie at table beleeue that by the force of certaine wordes of consecration he had transsubstantiate this fat Fowle into fish and that there onely remained the outward forme as Poggio the Florentine reports of him This Country must needs be wel stored with fish for besides the benefit of the sea the lakes and ponds belonging only to the Clergie which at the most haue but one third of France are reported to be 135. thousand The riuers also of France are so many as Boterus reporteth of the Queene Mother she should say heere were more then in all Christendome but we hold her for no good Cosmographer shee had her other qualities which shall not be forgotten in their fit place True it is that the riuers here are many and very faire and so fitly seruing one the other al the whole as it seemeth naâ—ure in the framing of our bodies did not shew more wonderfull prouidence in disposing veines and arteries throughout the bodie for their apt conueyance of the blood and spirit from the liuer and heart to each part thereof then shee hath shewed in the placing of these waters for the transporting of all her commodities to all her seuerall Prouinces Of all those these are the principall the Seine vpon which standeth the Citie of Paris Rouen and many other It hath his head a little aboue Chatillon in the northwest of Lingonois and receyueth nine Riuers of name whereof the Yonne the Marne the Oyse are nauigable that is doe carrie boats with sayle The Some whereupon standeth the Citie of Amyens Abbeuile and many other It hath his head aboue S. Quentin diuideth Picardie from Artois and receyueth eight lesser Riuers The Loire hath standing vpon it the Cities of Orleans Nantes and many other his head is in Auuergne it parteth the middle of France his course is almost two hundred Leagues it receyueth 72. Riuers whereof the chiefe are Allier Cher Mayne Creuse Vienne all nauigable The Garond vpon which standeth Bourdeaux Thoulouse and other Cities it hath his head in the Pyreney mountaines it diuideth Languedocke from Gascoine it receyueth sixteene riuers whereof Iarne Lot Bayze Dordonne and Lisle are chiefest And lastly the Rhosne vpon which standeth the Citie of Lions Auignon and diuers others it hath his head in the mountaines Alpes deuideth Sauoy from Lyonnois and Dolpheine from Languedocke it receyueth thirteene riuers whereof the Soane the Doue Ledra and Durance are the chiefest All the other Riuers carrie their streames into the Ocean Some at Saint Vallery Seine at Newhauen Loyre beneath Nantes and Garond at Blay onely the Riuer of Rhosne payeth his tribute to the Mediterranean at Arles The Seine is counted the richest the Rhosne the swiftest the Garond the greatest the Loyre the sweetest for the difference which Boterus makes of them where he omits the Garond and makes the Soane a principall Riuer is generally reiected When we rightly consider the happie fruitfulnesse of this soyle and the exceeding benefit of these riuers I know not what wee should say is wanting vnlesse yee will say Animus qui his vtatur deest wit to vse them for in deede the French hath these eight and thirtie yeeres abused them with their ciuill and intestine warres Doe but conceyt in your imagination the faire Townes of Italy heere seated and in them the English Nation planted and in my opinion ye haue the right Idea of Platoes happy State O vtinam O si But I must remember one inconuenience and discommodity it hath I haue heard some poore Countrey-man say He loues not to haue his house too neere a Lawyer It should seeme they bee ill Neighbours and it may be that Themistocles roued at some such matter when hee caused the Sergeant to cry in publike place that besides all the good properties which his Farme had that hee set to sale Qu'il auoit bon voisin That he had a good neighbour This is the mischiefe that faire France hath about her so many bad neyghbours as Lorraine Sauoy and Spayne of whose good affection to this Countrey wee may say with the Poet Vnum cognoris omnes noris Knowe one and knowe them all Neyther of them wish her better then other as hath well appeared in the late ciuill warres wherein eche thought to haue had his share howsoeuer now they loue no Grapes The Ports and passages into France where Custome is payd to the King were in times past more then they be now the names of them at this present are these In Picardy Calais Bologne S. Vallery In Normandy Diepe Le Haure de Grace Honnefleux Caen Cherbrouge In Bretaigne S. Malo S. Brieu Brest Quimpercorentine Vannes Nants In Poictowe Lusson les sables d'Olonne In Rochellois Rochelle In Xantogne Zoubisse In Guyenne Bourdeux Blay Bayonne In Languedocke Narbonne Agde Beucaire Maugueil In Prouence Arles Marseilles Fransts In Lionnois Lions In Burgogne Ausonne Langres In Champagne Chaumont Chalons Trois In the Territory Metzin Metz Toul Verdun In all thirty seuen Of all these Lions is reputed to be the most aduantageous to the Kings Finances as being the key for all silks clothes of gold and siluer and other marchandise whatsoeuer which come or goe from Italy Swisserland and all those Southeast Countreyes into France which are brought to this Towne by the two faire Riuers of Rhosne and Soan the one comming from Sauoy the other from Burgundy and heere meeting where by the way me thinks I may fitly compare these two Waters to two great Princes of these two great Countries comming to be maried at this great City which within the walles is within ten Toyses as large as Paris In which allusion I make the Rhosne which in the French toung is of the masculine gender the Sauoyard Prince and the Soane which is likewise in this language the feminine the Princesse of Burgundy which conceit is the better warranted because le Rhosne is a very swift and furious Riuer which well agreeth with the nature and condition of the man and la Sona a still and sweet water which rightly symbolizeth with the quality of a woman I would our Poet that made a marriage betweene the Medun and Thames at Rochester had the handling of this matter for it becomes a Poeme better then a Relation For profit next to Lions are Bourdeaux Rochell Marseilles Nantes Newhauen But for capability of shipping I haue heard that Brest excelleth and for strength Calais especially as it is now lately fortified by the Spanyard which was not
the East end this towne is full in so much as ye may say of the French Noblesse as is elsewhere said of the Agrigentines They build as if they should liue euer and feede as if they should dye to morrow But among all these there is none sayth this Author that exceed more then the Lawyers Les gens de Iustice et sur tout les Tresoriers ont augmente aux seigneurs l' ardeur de bastir The Lawyers and especially the Officers of the Kings money haue enflamed in the Nobilitie the desire of building I haue heard a tale of a President of Parliament whose friends comming on a time to see him at his new house began exceedingly to commend it as indeed it deserued as well for the rarenesse of the workmanship as the goodnesse of the Stone Timber Marble and such like No quoth he ye mistake the stuffe whereof it is made this house is onely built de testes des fols of fooles heads I thinke many of our newe buildings in England are made of the same stuffe Ye must note it is not yet one hundred yeeres since this stately kind of building or I should rather say beautifull for still the most stately is the most ancient came first in request La Noüe sayth Il n'y a gueres plus de soixants ans que l'architecture a este restablié en France et au parauant on se logoit asses grossierement It is not much more then threescore yeeres since Architecture was reestablished in France and before that time men were housed but homely Hee there seemes to commend it as a great grace to his Countrey Marry saith he Si on coâ—te aussi combien telles magnificensez ont enuoyé de gens au bissae on dira que la marchandise est bien chere If we reckon withall how many such magnificence hath sent to the we may say t is very deare marchaÌ„dize I am for my part of Frier Iohn of Antomaure his mind who seeing in a great Palace such stately Halls such goodly Galleries such fayre Chambers such well contriued Offices and on the other side the Kitchin so leane the Chimneyes so cold and the Cellars so dry Vn beau Chasteu dit-il a faire de belles promenades et me câ—rez mes dens a ieun a la Napolitaine A faire Castle said he to walke faire turnes in and picke my teeth fasting after the Neapolitane fashion The Vniuersities wherein in times past were wont to bee by report aboue thirty thousand of all sorts are now by reason of the warres reduced to a fourth part and many of these children such as our petty schooles in the Countries are furnished withall The streets both in the City Vniuersity and Suburbs are very faire straight and long very many of them the shops thick but nothing so full of wares nor so rich as they of London in comparison whereof these seeme rather Pedlers then otherwise But for number I suppose there be three for two of those The Faulxbourges are round about the City ruined and vtterly desolate except those of Saynt Germaynes which was very fayrely builded and was very neere as great as the faire Towne of Cambridge The benefit of this Towne is very great which it hath by the Riuer as by which all the Commodities of the Countrey are conueyed Wherevpon Monsieur d' Argenton reports of it C'est la ville que iamais ie veisse â—nuironeâ— de milleux païs et plantureux Of all the Townes that euer I sawe it is enuironed with the best and fertilest Countrey And he there reports that for twenty moneths that he was Prisoner he saw such an infinite company of Boates passe and repasse as but that he was an eye-witnesse he would haue thought incredible which he also after proues by the mayntenance of the three Armies of the three Dukes of Burgundy Guyenne and Bretaigne which consisted of an hundred thousand men against the Cittie of Paris wherein they had besieged Lewes the eleuenth and yet neyther the Campe nor Towne had any want of victualls Faut bien dire qu'en ceste Isle de France est bien assise cette ville de Paris de pouuoir fournir deux si puissans hosts car iamais nous n'auions faute de viures et dedans Paris à grand penie s'apperceuoient ils qu'ily eust iamais bien enchery que le pain sealement d'un denier It must needs be graunted that this Towne of Paris is excellently seated in the I le of France to be able to furnish two so great Armies for we neuer wanted victuals and they within Paris hardly found any thing the dearer but onely bread a denier vpon a loafe The Sea floweth no neerer this City then Pont de Larche some 25. leagues off Some say this Towne was builded in the times of Amasias King of Iuda by some reliques of the Troian warre and that it was called Lutece a Luto because the soyle in this place is very fatte which is of such nature as ye cannot wel get it out it doth so staine whereof they haue a By-word Il gaste comme la fange de Paris It stayneth like the durt of Paris Other say it was called Paris of Parresia a Greeke word which signifieth saith this Authour hardiesse ou ferocite valour or fiercenesse alleadging this verse Et se Parrisios dixerunt nomine Franci Quod sonat audaces c. And the Franks called themselues Parrisians which signifieth valiant And by this Etymologie would inferre that the French is a warlike Nation But he is much mistaken in the word for it signifieth onely a boldnes or liberty of speach which whether they better deserue or to be accounted valiant you shall see when I come to speake of the Frenchmans humour and nature in generall As for the nature of the people of this Towne their Histories taxe it of infinite mutinies and Seditions matchable to the two most rebellious Townes of Europe Liege and Gant and yet this last is praysed in one thing Qu à la personne de leur Prince ils ne touchent iamais That they neuer harme their Princes Person Whereof the Barricades make Paris vnworthy And du Haillan sayth of them wheÌ„ they stood fast to Lewes the eleuenth against the three Dukes abouenamed Iamais les Parrisiens ne tindrent vn bon parti n'y ne firent rien qui vallut que ceste fois-la The Parrisians neuer held good side nor neuer shewed any honesty but then onely But I can reade no such matter in Commines for I well remember that euen then diuers of the chiefe of the Towne had practized secretly with the enemy and were vpon tearmes of concluding when by the Kings wisdome they were preuented The Armes of this City were giuen them Anno. 1190. by Philip le Bel who creating them a Preuost and Escheuins like Office as our Maior and Aldermen Leur donnoit les
the chiefe Gamesters had their heeles blowne vp the Duke of Guise stabbed at Bloies the Cardinall strangled in the Castle the Duke of Parma poysoned at Arras the Duke Ioyense slayne at Coutras the Duke de Mayenne ruyned at Iuery the Duke de Mercaeure come in this March who lately marched afore his troupes in Bretaigne a capalto with an erected countenance now walketh vp and downe Paris like Dionisius in Corinth Capo chino hanging the head This was iust such an Hexarchie as Charles Duke of Burgogne wished in France who had hee liued till now had seene what hee wished When Mons. Durfé charged him that he loued not France but sought by all meanes possible to disturbe the State thereof â—ush sir saith he you are deceiued l' ayme mieux le bien du royaume que vous ne pensez car pour vn roy qu'il y a ie y en voudroy siâ— I wish better to the Kingdom then you imagine for one King that there is nowe I would there were halfe a dozen All these forsooth agreed that the Common-wealth was sicke and out of temper ech one pretended with his Phisicke to cure her The D. of Guise to ease the paine which was at the hart ment as he doth that giues the best remedy for the tooth-ake to pull them all out to strike off the head To which purpose at the Barucadoes of Paris hee had the King fast in the Castle of the Louure but yet most vnwisely hauing the bird in the cage let him flye away The Cardinall that should by his calling haue ministred the most gentle and lenitiue kind of Phisicke and if it had beene possible haue cured France with good counsell prescribing a good diet ministred nothing but corrasiues and bitter pilles of disdaine among the Nobles The Duke of Parma like a Doctor of good practise brings with him a whole shop ful of Phisicke inough to purge all France hee applieth his receipt of the Low-Countrey Souldiers to ease her of her malady but the weake stomacke of this Countrey could not brooke so strong an ingrediens and therefore shee vomited them out againe before they had done the deed The Duke Ioyeuse like a desperate young Doctor that would get credit in his trade vpon his first patient by putting all to the hazard without vsing any preparatiues or obseruation of criticke dayes giues the potion before Monsieur Matignon could come at him who came with other good phisicke to assist him in this practise but at that time they say that Mars a maleuolent Planet was retrograde in Aries or entring into Taurus and so it should seeme for one of the King of Nauarres troupes called Monsr Taurin as they say gaue him a Pistolade in the head Ioyeuse was not so precipitate to breake the Impostume before it was ripe but the Duke de Mayenne was as much a dreamer to forslow the occasion for wheÌ„ his brother Guise was stabbed and all the great Cities reuolted to him Ioe then was she sicke at the hart he should then haue plyed to haue applyed his medicines but then had he his Phisicke to seeke And after when the party was pretily recouered began to refuse Phisick hauing a little relished the wholesome diet of good counsell then comes he in such haste that hee brake his bottels by the way and so was a loser by the bargayne As for Monsieur de Mercaeure hee playd the good Kitchin Doctor of whome Rablais speaketh who gaue his patient the necke and bones to tyre vpon and kept the wings himselfe for he left them all France tyred and tewed as bare as a birdes bone and kept Bretaigne one of the fattest wings of the Countrey to himselfe purposing to haue entituled himselfe Duke thereof But these were all pretended Phisicians the poore King Henry the third ment wel indeed but wanted skill who found by experience after hee had slaine the Guise and left the rest of his house that were then in action how dangerous a thing it is in matter of execution to doe it to the halfe and that in ministring phisicke a violent potion is not so dangerous as one that is too weake which onely stirreth the humors and is not able to expell them Among so many Phisicians we must needes haue one woman to looke to the patient this was the Queene Mother of whom and her Sonne Charles 9. that consented to the Massacre of Paris we may say with the Poet Crudelis mater magis an puer improbus ille Improbus ille puer crudelis tu quoque mater Which hath poore France more ruinde and vndone The cruell Mother or her wicked Sonne A wicked Sonne was he A cruell Mother she This Queene who with the two other Queenes with whom she is before compared may be called the Alecto Tesiphone and Megera the three Furies of France in stead of being a Nurse and cherisher of her Infants and family which shee should haue bene by all law of reason became a Stepdame as shee was by nature being an Italian Who for more as it is thought then honest loue to the Guisard Doctors desired still to haue her people kept lowe and sickely that they might be aduanced by their practise These were they that left France in such pitifull taking vnder a false pretext of reformation of the State as we might well say of it as is said of the abandoned French Constable in Lewes 11. his time Il ne sçauoit à quel Saint se vouÄ›r se tenoit comme pour perdu He knew not to what Saint to vow himselfe but held himselfe for a lost man or as their prouerbe is here Il ne sçauoit de quel bois faire ses flesches He knewe not of what wood to make his arrowes But leauing France for a while in this grieuous sicknesse till the Hercules that now reignes conquered this monstrous Hidra and like a skilfull Esculapius recouered her of this pestilent feuer ye may obserue this one Epiphonema heere necessarily imployed namely That Diuision in an Estate is the most compendious way to her downefall Discordia res magnae dilabuntur By discord great matters melt away to nothing as hath well appeared by this great State of France Here is also a good lesson for other to beware by Tum tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet The burning of your neighbours Towers Concernes you neere next turne is yours And as Rablaies saith Vn fol enseigne bien vn sage A foole may teach a wise man wit And if you would haue yet more instances of the miserable effects of Factions read Guicciardine and you shall bee plentifully furnished as with the Colonni and Vrsini in Rome the Bianchi and Neri in Florence the Adorni and Fregosi in Genoa and so almost through euery particular Citie and in generall ouer all Italy the Guelphi and Ghibellini Here was also one here in France about no greater cause
sayth The Reuenue of Charles the sixt which was but fourteene hundred thousand Francks was as sufficient to mayntayne the greatnesse of a French King as that of Charles the nynth which was fifteene millions considering the price of all things and pension of Officers enhaunced And so by consequent the ransome of the Sultane of Egypt of fiue hundred thousand Liures which hee payd the Turke not much lesse then the three millions of Crownes which Francis the first paide to Charles the fift It remaineth I speake of of the Administration and Execution of Iustice and of those places and persons where and by whome it is done I will therefore begin with their Assemblies as the highest and greatest Court of al which well resembleth the Parliament of England the Diet of the Empire or the Counsell of the Amphyrthions in Greece We may say of these Assemblies of France where matters are concluded by the multiplicitie of voyces not by the poyze of reason as was said of the Romanes elections where the Consull propounded and the people approoued by suffrage or disprooued or as the Philosopher Anacharsis said of Solons Common-wealth Es consultations et deliberations des Grecs les sages proposent les matieres et les fols les decident In the consultations and deliberations of the Greekes wise men propound the matters and fooles decide them There are three especiall causes of calling these Assemblies The first Quand la succession à la Coronne estoit douteuse et controuersé ou qu' il estoit necessaire de pouruoir à la Regence durant la captiuité ou minorité des Roys ou quand ils estoyent preclus de l' vsage de leux intendement When the succession of the Crowne was doubtful and in controuersie or when it was to take order for the Regencie during the Kings captiuitie or minoritie or when they had not the right vse of their wits Hereof ye haue examples Anno 1327. S. Lewes an infant and Charles the sixt Anno 1380. lunaticke and 1484. Iohn prisoner For all which occasions Assemblies were called to determine who should haue the Regencie of the Realme in the meane while The second cause is Quand il est question de reformer le Royaume corriger les abus des Officers et Magistrats ou appaiser les troubles et seditions When there is question of reforming the kingdome correcting the abuses of Officers and Magistrates or appeasing troubles and seditions Hereof ye haue examples 14.12 when a peace was made between the Infants of Orleans Burgundy whose houses had long warred one with another and distracted all the Nobilitie of France to their parts taking Also anno 1560. when Frances the second called an assembly at Orleans for the different of Religion where the Prince of Condie was arrested and condemned of treason and where this young King died before hee could see the execution And anno 1587. an assembly called at Blois for the reformation of the State punishment of diuers abuses in Magistrates as the Duke of Guise pretended and for the deposing of the King as some thought that he entended others say that he had here plotted to kill the King and that the King had but the start of the Duke one day for if he had deferred the death of the Guise till the next day the lot had fallen vpon himselfe There is a very iudicious late writer who discoursing of this assembly at Blois where the three Estates excepted against the Kings ill Gouernment complayneth that of late they are growne too insolent in their demaunds Ye shall reade in our Histories of such a like Parliament as this in England called by Henry of Derby against Richard the second The third cause is la necessitè du Roy ou royaume où l' on exhortoit aux subsides subuentions aides et octrois The want and necessity of the King or kingdome in which case the Estates are exhorted to giue Subsidies subuentions aides and gratuities For in former times the Kings contenting themselues with their Domaine and impost of such wares as came in or went out of the land the two most ancient and most iust grounds of Finances were not accustomed to leuy and impose vpon their Subiects any taxe whatsoeuer without the consent of the three States thus assembled They did not say as of later yeeres Lewes the eleuenth was wont Que la France estoit vn pré qui se tondoit trois fois l' anneé That France was a Meddowe which hee mowed thrice a yeere The next Soueraigne Court for so the French call it is the Court of Parliament le vray temple de la Iustice Françoise Seige du Roy et de ses Paires The true temple of French Iustice Seate of the King and his Peeres And as Haillan calles it L'archbouttan des droicts the Buttresse of equitie This Court very much resembleth the Star-Chamber of England the Areopage of Athens the Senate of Rome the Consiglio de' dieij of Venice There are no lawes saith Haillan by which this Court is directed it iudgeth secundum aequum et bonū according to equitie and conscience and mitigateth the rigour of the Law Les nom des Parlements sont appliquez aux compagnies de Cours Soueraignes qui cognossoient en dernier ressort de matieres de iustice The names of Parliaments are giuen to the bodies of Soueraigne Courtes which determine without appeale in matters of Iustice Of these Courts of Parliament ye haue eight in France That of Paris the most ancient highest in preeminence which at first was ambulatory as they call it euer followed the K. Court whither soeuer it wēt but since Philip le bel it hath beene sedentary in this Citie That of Grenoble was erected anno 1453. That of Tholouse anno 1302. That of Bourdeaux anno 1443. That of Dijon in the yeere 1476. That of Rouen in the yeere 1501. That of Aix the same yeere And lastly that of Bretaigne in the yeere 1553. Anciently all Arch-Bishops and Bishops might sit and giue voyces in this Parliament of Paris but in 1463. it was decreed that none but the Bishop of Paris and Abbot of Saint Denis might sit there except he be of the Bloud for all these are priuiledged The Presidents and Councellors of the Court of Parliament of Paris may not depart the Towne without leaue of the Court by the ordinance of Lewes 12. in the yeere 1499. Senatores semper adesse debent quòd grauitatem res habet cum frequens est ordo The Senators ought alwayes to be present because things are carried with more maiestie when that Court is full To this Parliament they appeale from all other subalterne Courts throughout the Realme as they doe in Venice to the Consiglio grande Neither can the King conclude any warre or peace without the aduice and consent hereof or at least as Haillan sayth hee demaundeth it for
fashion sake sometimes when the matters are already concluded The Parliament of Paris consists of seuen Chambers the Grande chambre and fiue others of Enquests and the Tournelles which is the Chamber for the criminall causes as the other sixe be for the ciuill It is called the Tournelles because the Iudges of the other Chambers sit there by turnes euery three moneths the reason whereof Bodin giues that it might not alter the naturall inclination of the Iudges and make them more cruell by being alwayes exercised in matter of condemnations and executions There bee of this Court of Presidents Councellors Cheualliers of honour Procureurs Aduocates Clerkes Sergeants and other Officers of all sortes not so few as two hundred Besides this Court there are also other Courtes for the administration of Iustice in this Citie as the Chatellet of Paris with a Lieutenant ciuill and another criminall and the Hostel de Paris with a Preuost and other inferiour Officers which is as ye would say the Guild Hall of the Citie So haue ye throughout the Realme certayne places as all Cities in generall where there be Chatellets like our places of Assise and in them a Lieutenant ciuill and criminall to iudge and determine all causes reall or personall and here many Lawyers and Procurers as are our Councellors at law Atturnies who pleade before these Lieutenants and Preuosts and certaine Councellors which are the Iudges in these Courts whereof the number is incredible in France Insomuch as ye may well say of them as is said of Sienna There be more readers then auditors so here be more Pleaders thē Clients This Chiquanerie pettifogging multiplicitie of pleaders came first from the Popes Court when his Seate was at Auignon as my Author saith who in the same place calles these Aduocates les Sourris de Palais The Mice of the Palace These are they that Rablais the true Lucian of France calles Doriphages i. deuourers of bribes whose badnesse he scoffingly taxeth where he saith that the diuell was not chayned till such time as he did eate fasting one morning the soule of one of the Officers of these Courts whereupō he was so vexed with the Collicke saith he finding a worse deuill then himselfe rumbling in his belly as there was no stirre with the collericke Marchant till he was bound The processes and sutes in these Courts throughout France are innumerable wherein wee come nothing neere them and yet there is no want of these in England for I haue heard of 340. Nisi prius betweene parties tryed at one Assise in Norff. as many I thinke as in halfe England besides But these are only twice in the yeere that causes are tried at Assizes in our Countrey whereas heere they are tried euery day in the yere that is not festiuall So that it is not much vnlikely that here are as many Processes in seuen yeres as haue beene in England since the Conquest An Aduocate must vse no iniurious words nor superfluous he must plead briefly and recite summarily hee may bee compelled by the Iudge to plead a poore mans cause without fee Hee must be a Graduate and haue taken the othe He may not buy the lands in question of one of the parties and besides many other inhibitions he may not enter the Pladoye sans faire collation the pleading place till he haue broken his fast which in my opinion is needlesse they are forward enough There are besides these Courts of Chatellets in Cities the Courts also of the Builliages Seneschauses that is of Bayliwicks and Sheriffalties who as Haillan saith keepe Courts in eche Prouince and iudge in all matters ciuill and criminall There is also the Court of the Eauës et Forests kept at the Table of Marble in the Palaice and infinit others which to speake particularly of would be very tedious and not very necessary I will here onely remember you of the two Counsels which I must confesse not to haue their due place for I should haue spoken of them next after the Court of Parliament or if ye will next after the Assemblie The chiefe of these as being alwayes about the King is the Conseil priué or des affaires Priuy Councell or Councell of affaires of these Counsellors amōg which are his foure Secretaries he calleth certaine euery morning at his rising to whome he communicates apart his principal and most importing affaires where are read all letters which come from other Princes and such like publike businesse after a conclusiō what is to be done the dispatch thereof is committed to the Secretaries The other is the Grand Conseil or Conseil d' Estat Great Councell or Councell of Estate which at first was as it were a mēber of the Parliament cōsisted of the Princes of the Bloud Nobility hauing only to deale in the matters of the policy general of France or of wars or of the enacting publishing of Edicts But the factiō of Orleans Burgundy caused it to be changed to a choyse nūber of Counsellors prouisioned of 1000. crownes pension a peece yerely Of this Counsel the Chancellor is chief for neither the King himself nor any Prince of the Bloud comes there This is the Court of which the Frenchman saith euery time it is holden it costs the K. 1000. crownes a day And now saith Haillan hee cannot keep thē so cheape so infinite is the nūber of thē grown Where he also cōplaines that this Conseil d' Estat which was wont only to determine publike affaires as the establishmēt of Iustice the Reglemēt of Finances redressing of cōmon grieuāces is now so charged with priuate contentions as the glory thereof is much diminished Ye shall now note in a word the Officers that execute and administer Iustice through France wherein I will not be precise to name all but according to the superficiall course before taken onely to remember the chiefest The Chancellor anciently serued as a Secretary and so were called in the olde Chartes of France where he is likewise called the grand Referendaire The Secretary doeth signe and the Chancellor doeth seale Some deriue this word of cancellare which Haillan reprooueth others of cancellus Cuias vpon the Code sayth they be the same that Quaestores were in time of the Empire at Rome Therefore he is sometime called Quaestor Iustitiae legum custos Thesaurus famae publicae armarium legum The Iudge of Iustice and Keeper of the Lawes the Treasurer of publike fame and Store-house of the Lawes Secretary is the next Office who at first were called Clerkes Some old Writers call them Tôn aporretôn Grammateast Suetonius calles them Ab Epistolis or Emanuenses They are eyther of the Finances which haue their place among the Officers of the Finances before remembred or of Affaires which we here speake of Of these are foure which are called the principall Monsieur Villeroy Monsieur Geuure Monsieur de Fresne and Monsieur