Oath to the Great Almoner Besides these there are the Almoners belonging to the great and little Stables and to the other Bodies of the Kings Houshold and the Chaplains belonging to the several Companies of Guards and of the Gentlemen-Musqueteers and others of which we shall speak in their places The New Chappel of the Louvre was Consecrated the 18th of February 1659. by the late Bishop of Rhodes since Archbishop of Paris and that of little Bourbon pull'd down in the Month of August the same year The Kings Ecclesiastical Officers keep always on his Majesties right hand in the Chappel and the Bishops Abbots and Ecclesiastical Officers of the Queen on his left Now on his Majesties right hand the Great Almoners Place is next to the Kings Person then follows that of the first Almoner on the right hand of the Great Almoner As for the Kings Father Confessour he places himself at the Great Almoners left hand more within the Kings Praying-Desk The Master of the Chappel-Musick takes his place on the left hand next adjoining to the Kings Praying-Desk The rest of the Almoners rank themselves to the right-hand-ward from the foot of the Kings Praying-Desk toward the Altar and after them the Chaplains and Clerks of the Chappel and Oratory and the other Clergy of the Kings Houshold every one in their Order CHAP. XIV Of the Great Master of the Kings Houshold and those who depend on him and of the Stewards of the Houshold THE Prince of Conde is at present Grand Master of the Kings Houshold and his Son the Duke of Enguien has it in Reversion The Grand Master has yearly under the name of Wages 3600 l. for Liveries 42000 l. paid quarterly for his Collations 1200 l. and 1800 l. for his Steward Under the first Race of our Kings the Great Master of France was called the Mayor of the Palace who was a Lieutenant-General over the whole Kingdom and according to the ancient Disposition of the State as there was a Duke placed over twelve Earls and sometimes a Duke over whole Provinces so the Mayor of the Palace was the Duke of Dukes and stiled himself Duke or Prince of the French His Authority was not confined only within the Kings Houshold where he disposed of all Offices but he had a great power over all Officers of War and Justice over the Managers of the Revenue and Treasury and indeed over all Affairs of State and grew so great at last that it Eclipsed the Kings and gave Pepin who was but Mayor of the Palace opportunity to assume the Crown which having done and fearing that if he continued any longer any such great Authority as this in an Officer his own practice might be returned on him and his Successors he suppressed this Office of Mayor of the Palace and Erected in its stead that of Seneschal for the Government only of his Household reserving all the other powers of that former Office to himself Yet it has happened since that the Seneschal for all that has taken upon him some Command in the Armies even so far as to have the Guard of the Kings Person Some have called him the Great Gonfanonïer or Standard-Bearer This Office became Hereditary to the Counts of Anjou from the time of Geffry Grisegonelle to whom King Robert gave it about the year 1002. and those that exercised it about the King held it in Fee of those Counts to whom they did Homage for it and paid certain acknowledgments as going to meet the Count of Anjou when he came to the Palace Lodging him letting him serve the King c. and furnishing him in the Armies with a Tent big enough to hold a hundred Knights as Hugh de Cléries reports at large This Officer also retained still a part of the power of the Mayors of the Palace in other things and decided all differences arising among the Attendants of the Court and among the Officers of the Houshold After the Kings Death he throws his Staff upon the Coffin before all the rest of the Officers Assembled together to show that their Offices are expired but the succeeding King ordinarily restores them out of his special Grace and Favour The Great Master Regulates every year the expence of the Mouth of the Kings Houshold He has an entire Jurisdiction over the seven Offices the most part of which places he disposes of and the Officers thereof take the Oath of Allegiance to the King between his hands Nevertheless the Great Masters have voluntarily resign'd the Office of Intendant of the Gobelet and of the Mouth into the Kings hands ever since Monsieur de Soissons Great Master of the Kings Houshold under Henry IV. refused to trouble himself any longer with the care of them He receives the Oath of Allegiance from the first Master of the Houshold from the Master of the Houshold in Ordinary and from twelve Masters of the Houshold that wait Quarterly from the Great and Chief Pantler Cup-Bearer and Carver from the thirty six Gentlemen Servitors from the three Masters of the Chamber of Deniers from the two Controulers-General from the sixteen Controulers Clerks of Offices from the Master of the Kings Chappel-Musick and from the Master of the Kings Oratory from the Almoners of the Kings Houshold from the Great Master the Master and the Aid of the Ceremonies from the Introductor of Ambassadours and from ........ from the Kings Master of the Horse in Ordinary and of the twenty other Masters of the Horse that serve quarterly from the four Lieutenants of the Guards of the Kings Gate from the Keepers of the Tents c. When he serves in Ceremony and that he goes along with the Meat he marches nearer the Kings Meat than all the Stewards of the Houshold carrying his Staff strait and bolt upright like a Scepter and the other Masters of the Houshold hold theirs more downward in his presence It is he likewise that at all Great Ceremonies presents the first wet Napkin to the King The Office called the Kings Office or Counting-House is kept under the Authority of the Great Master CHAP. XV. Of the first Master of the Houshold and of the other Masters under him THE first Master of the Houshold is at present the Marquiss de Livry who has a Jurisdiction over the seven Offices as far as relates to their Service but has not the disposal of their places He may also receive the Oath of Fidelity from the Offieers of the Cup or Goblet and of the Mouth and of the other Officers and in the Great Masters absence of those other Officers which ought to perform that Ceremony to him He has his Lodging in the Louvre and has yearly for Wages 3000 l. for Liveries 7968 l. and for the Counters 60 l. He keeps the Great Chamberlains Table and has the last course of it for his Fee The priviledge of the said Table is an acquisition that has been made to this Office by some preceding First Masters of
this Family still maintain a Rank comformable to their Extraction as they formerly did enjoying the same Honours and Prerogatives as the fore-mentioned Families This Family has had several Alliances with our Kings with the Emperours and with the Kings of England Scotland Spain Arragon and Navarre and if Anne the Heiress of Brittany who was afterward Queen of France and Wife both to Charles the VIII and Lewis the XII had died without Children there was no Family nearer to succeed to that Dutchy than this But the better to particularize in Order those which at present remain of this Illustrious Family we shall make this Observation That they descend all from these three following Heads or Chiefs 1. From the late Henry Duke of Rohan 2. From the late Peter Prince of Guémené 3. From his late Brother Hercules of Rohan Duke of Montbazon 1. The late Henry Duke of Rohan Prince of Leon left by Margaret of Leon his Wife Daughter to the late Duke of Suilly Margaret of Rohan his only Heiress who died the 9th of April 1684. In her the Dutchy of Rohan as well as the Vicounty of Leon fell to the Distaffe as they call it in France She Married Henry Chabot Lord of St. Aulaye the last in Rank of the Barons of Jornac and Grand-Child to Admiral Chabot and died the 27th of February 1655. by whom she had a Son and three Daughters viz. 1. Lewis de Rohan-Chabot Peer of France of whom we shall speak among the Dukes and Peers 2. Anne Chabot de Rohan Married the 16th of April 1663. to Francis of Rohan Prince of Soubize 3. Margaret Chabot of Rohan Widow of the Marquiss of Coëtquen Governour of St. Malo who died the 24th of April 1679. 4. Joan-Pelagia Chabot of Rohan called Madamoiselle of Leon She was Married to the Prince d' Epinoy the 11th of April 1668. II. The late Peter of Rohan Prince of Guémené Count of Montauban Elder Brother of the late Duke of Montauban Married Magdalene of Rieux Daughter to the Lord of Chateau-neuf by whom he had Anne of Rohan who was Married to the late Lewis of Rohan her Cousin-German as we shall show further in due place III. The late Hercules of Rohan Duke of Montbazon Count of Rochefort Knight of the Kings Orders Peer and Great Huntsman of France Governour of the City of Paris and Gentleman-Usher to Queen Marie of Medicis who died in the year 1654. Married to his first Wife Magdalene of Lenoncourt Daughter and sole Heir of Henry of Lenoncourt and the Lady Francise Laval and to his second in the year 1628. Marie of Brittany Daughter of the Count of Vertus By both which he had the Children following His Children by the first Wife were 1. Lewis of Rohan the Seventh of that Name Prince of Guémené Duke of Montbazon Peer and Great Huntsman of France Knight of the Kings Orders who died the 19th of February 1667. in the 68th year of his Age He Married Anne de Rohan Princess of Guémené his Cousin-German above-mentioned who died the 14th of March 1685. by whom he had one Son viz. Charles de Rohan Duke of Montbazon Peer of France Count of Rochefort and of Montauban who Married Joan Armanda of Schomberg Daughter and Sister of the two late Counts and Marshals of that Name by whom he has these following Children 1. Charles of Rohan Prince of Guémené Duke of Montbazon who Married to his first Wife Madamoiselle de Luyne Marie-Anne d' Albret who died the 21st of August 1679. and to his second on the 2d of December the same year Charlotte-Elizabeth de Cochefilet called Madamoiselle de Vauvineux 2. John-Baptist-Armandus of Rohan called The Abbot of Rohan 3. John of Rohan called the Prince of Montauban who in 1682. Married N .... de Bautru Nogent Widow of the Marquiss of Ranes Lieutenant General of the Kings Armies 4. Anne of Rohan called Madamoiselle of Guémené 5. Elizabeth of Rohan called Madamoiselle of Montbazon Born the 25th of March 1643. 6. And Madamoiselle of Montauban 2. The late Marie de Rohan Dutchess Dowager of Chevreuse who died the 13th of August 1679. was Daughter to the same late Hercules of Rohan by the same Wife She was first Married to Charles D' Albot Duke of Luyne Peer Constable and Great Falconer of France Knight of the Kings Orders Principal Gentleman of the Kings Bed-Chamber and Governour of Picardie who died in 1621. By whom she had lewis-Lewis-Charles d' Albert Duke of Luyne who was first Married to Lewise-Marie Seguier Daughter of the Marquisse d' O by whom he had several Children and since to the abovesaid Madamoiselle of Montbazon The same Marie of Rohan after the Death of the said Constable of Luyne was Married again as we have said to Claudius of Lorain Duke of Chevreuse and had by him three Daughters of whom there remains only Henriette of Lorain Abbess of Joüare The Children of the said late Hercules of Rohan by his second Wife were one Son and two Daughters viz. I. Francis of Rohan Prince of Soubize Count of Rochefort in Iveline Lieutenant-Captain of a Company of the Kings Gens d' armes Governour of Berry and Lieutenant General of the Kings Armies who on the 16th of April 1663. Married his Cousin Madamoiselle de Rohan Lady of Honour to the Queen By whom he has had several Children the Eldest of which is 1. Lewis of Rohan of Soubize who was Baptized at the Royal Chappel at St. Germains en Laye the 16th of February 1675. Their Majesties being pleased to stand for his Godfather and Godmother 2. Hercules-Meriadec of Rohan Abbot of St. Taurin of Evreux called the Abbot of Rohan 3. Anne-Margaret of Rohan of Soubize who is a Nun in the Convent of the Benedictin Nuns of Nostre Dame de Consolation in the Street called the Rue de Chasse-midy in the Suburbs of St. Germain at Paris 4. Madamoiselle de Frontenay N. ◠de Rohan 5 6. Two Boys more II. Constance Emilia of Rohan who was Married by Proxy on the 18th of May 1683. to Don Joseph Rodrigo de Camara Son of Don Miguel de Camara Count de Ribeyra-grande Grandee of Portugal This Don Joseph-Rodrigo de Camara is of the Privy Council to the present King of Portugal Governour and Captain-General and Lord of the Island of St. Michael and of the Town de Poule-Delgade The Ceremony of the Espousals was performed the day before at Versailles in the Kings Great Cabinet in Presence of their Majesties of my Lord the Dauphin and my Lady Dauphiness of Monsieur and Madame and of all the Princes and Princesses and principal Lords of the Court She arrived in Portugal in the Month of October 1683. Of the Family of Tremoille I. The late Prince of Tarente Charle-Henry de la Tremoille Duke of Thoüars Peer of France Knight of the Order of the Garter bore Arms in Holland and was General of the Cavalry of the States of the United Provinces and Governour of Bois le
Montausier we have already spoken La Valiere otherwise called Vaujours is a Dutchy and Peerage Erected in 1667. in favour of Madamoiselle de la Valiere and verified in Parliament the same It now belongs to her Daughter the Princess of Conti. Of Rouanez and Chevreuse we have likewise spoken apart CHAP. VIII Of the Ancient Counties and Baronies Erected formerly into Peerages most of which since reunited to the Crown POitou a County and Peerage Erected by Lewis Hutin in 1315. The County of Beaumont le Roger made a Peerage by Philip de Valois in 1338. Given to the House of Boüillon The County of Mortaigne made a Peerage in 1331. by Philip de Valois The County and Peerage of Clermont by the same in the same year The County and Peerage of Macon in 1359. by Charles Dolphin and Regen while his Father was absent in England The County and Peerage of Maine in 1360. by King John The County and Peerage of Soissons by Charles the Sixth in 1404. enjoyed by a Prince of the House of Savoy The County and Peerage of Saintonge or Xaintonge in 1428. by Charles the Seventh The County and Peerage of Auxerre by Charles the Seventh in 1435 and verified in 1436. The County and Peerage of Foix by Charles the Seventh in 1458. The County and Peerage of Eu by the same in 1458. It belongs to Madamoiselle of Orleans of Monpensier The County and Peerage De Foret held by the Dukes of Bourbonnois The County of Perche Erected into a Peerage by Charles the Ninth in 1566. The County and Peerage of Dreux Erected by the same in 1569. The County and Peerage of Evreux given to the House of Boüillon in 1652. Baronies and Peerages reunited to the Crown Chateauneuf in Timerais held so by Charles of Valois and Charles his Son in 1314. Mante and Meulan Erected by Philip de Valois Coucy Perone Montdidier Roye and Ham by Charles the Sixth in 1404. Mortaigne near Tournay by Charles the Sixth in 1407. Beaujolois held in Peerage by Peter Duke of Bourbonois La Fêre in Tartenois Erected by Lewis the Twelfth in 1507. Colomiers is an ancient Peerage and a principal Member of the Dutchy of Nemours It was lately revived again in favour of the late Duke of Longueville but now Extinct CHAP. IX Of the Orders of Knighthood in France THE Orders of Knighthood were always used as honourable recompenses and marks of the Kings favour to such as had signalized their service to their Prince and the State Kings likewise have been used to confer them on such as have the honour to be of Kin or allied to them or considerable persons in the State It being needless to speak here of all the Orders of Knighthood that have been instituted in France it will be sufficient to tell you that there was formerly the Order of the Star Instituted in memory of the Star that Conducted the three Kings or wise Men of the East to Bethlehem by Robert the Devout King of France in the year 1022. which is attributed to by some to Hugh Capet but more commonly to King John because after a long disuse he reestablished it in the year 1351. The Knights of this Order were the Figure of a Star wrought in gold with five rays upon their left Breasts The Great Collar of the Order was made like a Chain of gold wreathed with three Links fastned or knotted together with Roses of the same Enamel'd with white and red and in the time of King John the Knights wore at the end of the said Collar or upon their Cloaks a golden Star with this Inscription or Motto Monstrant Regibus stra viam This Order growing common as some say even in the time of King John the Restorer of it and others in the time of Charles the Seventh and thereupon observed by Lewis the XI to be grown into contempt with the people the said King tototally supprest it by taking the Collar of the Order in presence of several of the Knights of it and putting it with a Black Ribband about the Neck of his Captain of the Watch which is even to this day a badge of that Office from whence he is stiled le Chevalier du Guet or Knight of the Watch upon which nobler persons disdaining to own it any longer the Order ceased CHAP. X. Of the Orders of Knighthood at present subsisting called the Kings Orders AT present there are only two Orders of Knighthood subsisting viz. of St. Michael and of the Holy Ghost which are usually called the Kings Orders The Order of St. Michael was Instituted the first day of August in the year 1469. by King Lewis the XI in honour of St. Michael the Archangel He Ordained that this Order should consist of thirty six Knights which should be obliged in accepting it to quit all other Orders they might have received from Foreign Princes unless they were Emperours Kings or other Sovereign Princes who only were priviledged to wear it together with the other Orders of which themselves were Chiefs or Soveraigns with a Proviso nevertheless that the Brotherhood by common consent might modifie this regulation according to their pleasure And in like manner he provided that the Kings of France should be free to wear the Orders of other Princes with this Order The Knights of this Order wear a golden Collar wrought all in the form of double Sea-Shells interlaced one with another in true Lovers Knots composed of double points of silk tag'd with gold at the end of which hangs a Medal on which is Engraven a Rock upon which is figured St. Michael Fighting with the Dragon But Francis the First changed these Laces called true Lovers Knots into Cords of gold of the fashion of those worn by the Cordelier Fryers because he bore the name of the Founder of that Order All the Knights of the Holy Ghost are obliged by way of preparation to take this Order the Eve before they are to take that of the Holy Ghost for which reason their Arms are Encompassed with the Collars of both the Orders and they are called Knights of the Kings Orders in the plural number Of the whole number of those that had formerly received the Order of St. Michael the King selected and retained a hundred on the 12th of January 1665. of which a List was Printed since which his Majesty has reformed several of them as you may see in the following List The Order of the Holy Ghost was Instituted at Paris on New-Years Day in the year 1579. by Henry the Third King of France and Poland as an Eternal-Mark of his Piety and thankful acknowledgment he desired to render to Almighty God for the repeated and signal Favours he had received from him on the day of Pentecost or of his sending the Holy Ghost for that on that day he was Born was Elected King of Poland and succeeded to the Crown of France by the Death of Charles the Ninth He likewise stinted the number of these
Knights to thirty six but their number has now been a long time unlimited the late King Lewis the Thirteenth in the year 1633. at Fountainbleau gave the Order to fifty of his Lords and at the last Promotion that was made in 1662. there were Installed threescore and ten The Knights of this Order wear at present a silver Cross set on Orange-Coloured Velvet upon the left side of their Cloaks and Suits in the midst of which is a Dove Embroidered in silver with rays of Silver and at the Corners Flowerdeluces also of Silver with another Cross all of gold hung about their Necks with a Sky-Coloured Ribband which Cross is Enameld with white on the sides having at the Corners Flowerdeluces and in the middle the Figure of a Dove on both sides The Great Collar of this Order is composed of Flowerdeluces of gold Crowned with golden Flames Enameld with red enterlaced with three Cyphers likewise of gold Enamel'd with white The first Cypher is an H and a double A all double which may be read upward or downward the H standing for Henry the Third the Letter L for Lewise of Lorrain his Wife and another for something which is as yet a mystery The Cross of the Order is of Gold in the midst of which there is a Dove Enameld with white on one side and on the other side the Image of St. Michael On the last of June in the year 1594. Henry the Great took out of the Collar of the Order the Cyphers of Henry the Third his Predecessour and caused to be put in their place Trophies of Arms interlaced together and intermingled with Crowned H's Some assert that this Order was first Instituted by King Lewis of Scicily and that Henry the Third did but renew it The Knights upon the day of their reception or Instalment are clad in Cloth of Silver with Breeches tuckt up white Silk Stockings and Pumps of white Velvet their Bonnets of Black-Velvet and their Cloaks made with a Cape after the ancient Fashion of Black-Velvet uncut and their Ruffs stiff-starched When they are received their Capes are taken off and a long Green-Velvet Cloak is put on their Shoulders trailing on the ground wrought all over with Trophies of gold for the Knights and Flames for the Officers and lined with Orange-Coloured Satin They kneel down before the King who taking their joined hands between his own strikes them gently over the Shoulders with his Sword and Kisses them on the Cheek When the King Confers this Order in any Church he goes and sits down near the Altar in the middle of the Officers of the Order then the Great Master of the Ceremonies of the Order Accompanied with the Usher and the Herald goes and gives notice to the Lords which are to receive the Order who presently advance towards his Majesty one after the other or else by two and two and kneeling down take the usual Oath holding their two hands between his Majesties in the manner aforesaid and touching the Book of the Holy Gospels which is held by the Chancellour After which the Provost and Great Master of the Ceremonies present the King with Cloaks and Mantles to Invest the Knights and then his Majesty taking the Collars of the Order from the hands of the High Treasurer puts them about the Knights Necks saying to them these words Take from our hand the Collar of our Order of the blessed Holy Ghost c. In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost CHAP. XI Of the Knights of the Order and Militia of the Holy Ghost 1. THE King Soveraign of the Order 2. The Dauphin to whom the Officers of the Order carried the Blue-Ribband presently after his Birth on the first of November 1661. Since which the King made him Knight on New-Years Day in 1682. 3. The Duke of Burgundy to whom the Great Treasurer of the Order being the Marquiss of Seignelay carried the Cross and Blue-Ribband presently after his Birth on the 6th of August 1682. 4. The Duke of Anjou had it likewise presently after his Birth on the 19th of December 1683. And 5. The Duke of Berry soon after he was Born on the last of August 1686. 6. The Duke of Orleans who had likewise the Blue-Ribband soon after his Birth and was afterward made Knight Where note that the Kings Sons Grand-Children or Brothers are Born Knights and wear the Blue-Ribband presently after their Birth though they be not fully and actually received as such till the King thinks fit The last King made a Promotion of Knights of this Order in the year 1633. of which remain only two Knights viz. the Duke of St. Simon and the Marquiss of St. Simon Of the Knights promoted in 1662. The Present King with the greatest Ceremony that perhaps was ever practised on the like occasion made a Promotion of several Knights of this Order in the year 1662. in which number were two Princes of the Blood nine Prelates and fifty nine other great Persons and Commanders Besides the King sent the Collar of his Orders of his Ambassadours at Rome and in Spain to Julius Cesarini Duke of Castel-Nove a Roman Baron and to the Prince of Conty Father of the present Prince of that Name and to the seven other Lords absent in the Southern Parts of France who repairing immediately to the then Prince of Conty who was Governour of Languedoc and kept his Residence at Pezenas were Installed the same year in Nôtre-Dame Church at Pezenas with the same Ceremonies that had been used in the Great Augustines Church at Paris the Order being Confer'd on them by the Duke d' Arpajon who was sent thither on purpose by the King where Monsieur Martineau and des Prés as Herald and Usher of the Orders officiated their Places Some dayes before the Ceremony of Installing the said Knights at Paris the King gave the Cross of the Order of the Holy Ghost to the late Duke of Beaufort in the Month of December 1661. who was then going out upon an Expedition to Sea who upon his return in 1663. received the Collar of the Order from his Majesty upon the Feast of the Assumption in the Chappel of Germains en Laye Those of them that are still alive are 1. Prince of the Blood 1. The Prince of Condé Prelates 1. The Archbishop of Arles 2. The Bishop of Mets. 3. The Archbishop of Paris 4. The Archbishop of Lyons Other Commanders are 1. The Duke de Chaunes 2. The Duke de Luynes 3. The Duke de Crequy 4. The Duke of Nevers 5. The Duke of St. Aignan 6. The Marquiss de Vardes 7. The Count de Beringhen 8. The Duke de Montausier 9. The Marquiss de Polignac 10. The Marquiss de Pompadour 11. The Marquiss de Gamaches 12. The Marshal Count d' Estrades 13. The Count de Guitault The rest are dead Since that his Maiesty was pleased to Confer the said Order on the Duke of Mecklenburg on the first of November 1664.