l. Pension and 300 l. gratification at the end of their quarters Service But the eldest of the four has a Pension of 1000 l. Five other Brigadeers who have the same pay as the precedent ones bating the 300 l. gratification Eight Sub-Brigadeers who have every one 500 l. Pension 30 d. or half a Crown a day constant pay and 20 d. a day more extraordinary when they are actually on duty Four Standard-Bearers who have the same pay as the Sub-Brigadeers One Aid-Major and honorary Brigadeer who Commands in no Quarter but as Brigadeer has a Pension of 600 l. Four Trumpeters whose pay is 66 l. a quarter and one Kettle-Drummer at 200 l. The Cavaliers or Troopers of this Company have 30 d. or half a Crown a day ordinary pay and 20 d. a day extraordinary when they are upon duty There belong to them besides one Almoner or Chaplain who has 30 l. a Month besides the ordinary pay two Chyrurgeons one Farrier and one Sadler at 30 l. a Month each Their Extraordinary pay is paid out of the Kings own private Coffer and their ordinary pay by three Treasurers belonging to the Company The Devise or Emblem born in their Standards is Thunderbolts destroying the Giants with this Motto Sensere Gigantes i. e. The Giants felt them 3. Of the Regiments of Foot-Guards There are two Regiments of Foot-Guards viz. First of French and secondly another of Suissers The French Regiment consists of thirty Companies of a hundred Men in a Company besides four Serjeants These Companies are called by their Captains Names To this Regiment belong these Officers viz. A Colonel who is at present the Duke de la Feuillade whose yearly pay is 10000 l. Each Company has a Captain a Lieutenant a Deputy-Lieutenant an Ensign and four Serjeants and the Colonelry has three Lieutenants three Deputy Lieutenants two Ensigns and six Serjeants there are likewise a Major four Aid-Majors four Sub-Aid-Majors The Captains being thirty in number have 3000 l. a year each the Major as much the two eldest Aid-Majors 2500 l. each the two others but 2000 l. the Sub-Aid-Majors have each of them 1100 l. pay and 900 l. gratuity the Lieutenants 1100 l. the Deputy or Sub-Lieutenants 900 l. the Ensigns 660 l. The first Lieutenant of the Colonelry who is called the Lieutenant-Captain besides his Lieutenants pay has also the pay of a Captain and the Captain of the first Company following besides his Captains pay has the pay of a Lieutenant as being Lieutenant-Colonel More belonging to this Regiment are two chief Muster-Masters or Commissaries of the Conduct and four other Muster-Masters two Marshals of the Lodgings or Quarter-Masters called the Marshals of the Lodgings of the French Guards and of the Regiment of Guards one Provost of the French Bands and of the Regiment of Guards one Lieutenant-Provost one Register twelve Archers or Serjeants belonging to the Provost and one Executioner One Auditour-General of the French Bands two Drum-Majors one Serjeant appointed or Pensioner one Physician with an Aid or Assistant one Apothecary one Chaplain six Commissaries and Comptrollers for the War two other new created Comptrollers two General Treasurers of the Extraordinaries for the War and their Clerks or Deputies and three other General Treasurers for the ordinary pay of the said Regiment Note That the French Regiment of Guards takes always the right hand of the Regiment of the Suisse Guards and when two Sentinels are placed one French and the other Suisser the French-man stands on the right hand side which is to be reckoned with relation to the Kings right hand which changes as he may be going or coming and on all ocsions when his Majesty or other great Persons to whom they owe honours pass by the French make a Rank on the right hand and the Suissers on the left hand of them It is likewise remarkable that the Officers of the French Regiment wear gilt Corslets and the Suissers their only washt over with Silver This Regiment is quarter'd in the several Suburbs and Neighbouring Villages about Paris Of the Suisse-Regiment The Regiment of Suisse-Guards is composed of Suissers and Grisons consisting in all of ten Companies to which is lately added a new Company though they have not yet been on duty near his Majesties Person For the Conduct and Government of these There are Officers general and Officers particular The Officers general have Command not only over this Regiment but over all those of this Nation in the service of France The Officers General are a Colonel-General of the Suissers and Grisons who is at present the Duke de Maine the Kings Natural Legitimated Son by the Dutchess of Montespan who has for himself and twelve Halbardeers that always attend on his Person 74088 l. a year under whom there is a Lieutenant-Captain a Lieutenant a Deputy-Lieutenant an Ensign a Marshal of the Lodgings and another called the Great Harbinger or Quarter-Master an Interpreter a Chyrurgeon Major and an Almoner or Chaplain The General Company has likewise a Court of Justice apart from the Regiment which is the supreme one the Suissers have in France and to which lies their last appeal from other particular ones as we have elsewhere noted to which belong a Great Judge and other Assistants and necessary Officers To the Regiment of Suisse-Foot-Guards belong a Colonel a Lieutenant-Captain or Colonel another Lieutenant a Deputy-Lieutenant and an Ensign besides which because in honour of the several Cantons and places whence they come the King is pleased to join several Captains and other Officers of the same denomination with equal Commissions in one Company because the number of men many times brought by each singly is not sufficient to make a compleat Company alone there are eleven Captains nine Lieutenants nine Deputy Lieutenants and as many Ensigns two Majors one Muster-Master with title of Commissary of the Conduct another Muster-Master called Commissary of the Review or Muster of the ten Companies one Marshal of the Lodgings or Quarter-Master and an Aid one Interpreter two Almoners or Chaplains one Physician one Chyrurgeon-Major and one Auditour of the Bands This Regiment has likewise a peculiar Court of Justice to which belong A Great Judge a Great Provost a Registrer or Recorder the particular Judges of every Company the little Provosts twenty Archers or Serjeants belonging to the Great Judge and an Executioner There are likewise three Treasurers and four Comptrollers of the Regiment The Colonels pay of this Regiment is 1160 l. a Month for himself and 800 l. 8 d. a Month for the Officers of Justice and each Captain receives Monthly for himself and his Officers and to keep his Company compleat 4202 l. 2 d. All the Officers and Souldiers both of the French and Suisse Foot-Guards are obliged to stand to their Arms and to place themselves in two Ranks from the Gate or Draw-bridge outward the French on the right hand and the Suissers on the left the Captains appear at the head of
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
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
and their Attendants and First Of the Great Almoner of France THE Present Great Almoner of France is the Cardinal of Boüillon who by his Place is Commander of the Kings Orders He was named to this Office of Great Almoner of France the 10th of December 1671. And after having taken the usual Oath on that occasion to the King accordingly took possession of it the 12th of the same Month. He succeeded therein the late Cardinal Barberin Nephew to Pope Vrban the VIII High Chamberlain of the Holy Church Archbishop and Duke of Reims and first Duke and Peer of France who died the 3d of August 1671. He has of ancient standing Wages fixed in the general Pay-Book of the Houshold 1200 l. a year and 1200 more under the name of a Pension 6000 l. for his Table and Livery 3000 l. paid him by the Treasurer of the Mark of Gold on the 1st of January and 3000 more by the same Treasurer as Commander by his place of the Kings Orders making in all 14400 l. French which is about 1108 l. Sterling The Great Almoner of France is by vertue of his Place Commander of the Kings Orders And He or his Great Vicars are commonly appointed to make the Inquests of the Lives and Manners of the Knights of those Orders and to receive their profession of Faith Roillard and Loiuseau and some other Authors affirm that he is an Officer of the Crown This Office is in France the Solstitium honorum or highest Pinacle of Ecclesiastical Honour and has accordingly been almost always honoured with the Purple and possest by Cardinals Though in all times there always was a Head of the Court-Clergy yet he never bore the Title of Great Almoner of France tell the time of Francis the First who Created Antony Sanguin Gardinal of Meudon Great Almoner of France though even in the time of Charles the VIII Geffrie of Pompadour Bishop of Perigneux began to take that Title as appears in the Chamber of Accounes by the Account he gave of the Kings Alms in the year 1489 but was not followed in it till the said Reign of Francis the First The Great Almoner takes an Oath of Fidelity to the King He gives the usual Certificates of the Oaths of Fidelity taken by all new Archbishops and Bishops in France and in partibus infidelium as likewise by any General of the Order by Grand Priors of the Order of Malta in France who are Grand Priors of France by those of St. Giles or of Provence of Champagne of Aquitain and of Auvergne and by some Abbots for formerly all Abbots and Abbesses did likewise take Oaths of Fidelity to the King He likewise presents to the King the Book of the Holy Gospels when he is to swear solemnly to any Alliance as appeared in the Church of Nostre Dame at Paris at the Renewing of the Aliance with the 13 Swisse-Cantons performed the 18th of November 1663. He marches at the Kings right Hand in all Processions and when the King permits any Officers to sit down in his Presence during Sermon or other Church-Service the Great Almoners Seat is on his Majesties right Hand The Great Almoner has the Charge of Goal Deliveries usually made by Kings at their coming to the Crown at Kings and Queens Coronations at their Marriages at their first Entries into any Cities of the Kingdom at the Birth of any Children of France at the great Annual Festivals at Jubilies upon any signal Victory or Conquest and upon other occasions 'T is he that Disposes of the Revenue appointed for the Kings Alms and that gives Order for the making the necessary Ornaments ordinarily used in the Chappel he goes when he pleases and performs the Service as at the Kings rising and going to Bed to assist at the Kings Prayers at Royal Feasts or at the Kings ordinary Meals to crave a Blessing and give Thanks and at Mass where he takes the Kings Prayer-Book from the Clerks of the Chappel of the Oratory to present it to the King as likewise the springsing Brush when Mass is done to give the King some Holy Water He Accompanies the King when he goes to the Offertory from his praying Desk to the Altar The same Functions are also performed by the Chief Almoner or in his absence by the other Almoners He does likewise other Functions if he please to be present at all the Ceremonies that are done as on the days the King touches for evil He administers the Communion to his Majesty and other Sacraments of which he has need He is the Bishop of the Court as the Abbot of Peyrat one of the Kings Almoners shows in his Antiquities of the Chappel Royal and performs several Episcopal Functions in any Diocess where-ever it be that the Court is without asking leave of the Bishops of the places He Baptizes the Dauphins the Sons and Daughters of France the Princes and all others for whom the Kings and Queens or any Children of France are please to stand Godfathers or Godmothers for whether in person or by Proxy He affiances and marries in the Kings Palace Princes and Princesses You are to observe that on a Communion-day the Great Almoner with his Crosier and Miter gives the Absolution without asking leave of the ordinary or else appoints another Bishop to do it in his stead according to the practise used in Cathedrals 'T is he if he be in the Chappel that gives the King the Gospel and the Pax to kiss on certain Festivals and when his Majestry Communicates He gives the Ashes to their Majesties and the usual Dispensation for eating Eggs and Flesh in Lent The Abbot of Peyrat in his Book of the Antiquities of the Chappel Royal brings Examples to show that the Great Almoner gives permission to the Court Clergy to Contract and Marry and Officers in the Kings Service without any need of their going to a Parish Church He apoints those of the same Clergy to hear the Confessions of the Kings Officers especially on the great Festivals of the year and at Easter and to administer the Sacraments to them when they desire it and when they are sick The power of the great Almoner extends it self yet further out of the Kings Chappel and Household He has the disposing of all places in the Hospitals of France and he has power to appoint Vicars throughout all the Provinces and Diocesses of the Kingdom to take an account of the Revenues of the said Hospitals but he appoints one Vicar General who has power over the rest The Great Almoner has likewise power in the University of Paris over the 17 Lecturers of the Royal Colledge over the Colledge of Mr. Gervase and over that of Navarre He has the gift of the Scholars and Principals Places in those Colledges where he has the right of Visiting He has also the Super-Intendance of the Hospital of the Fifteen-score blind People at Paris of that of the sixscore blind at Chartres and of
the Houshold When the King has at any time received the Communion he presents to the Priest a Cup of Wine for his Majesty and at the same time a Napkin to the King to wipe his Mouth But if a Prince of the Blood or any Prince Legitimated be present then that Prince presents the Napkin The first Master of the Houshold or the Master of the Houshold then in Waiting goes along with the Broth that is carried to the King when he takes any He receives the Kings Orders concerning his Majesties Diet and the hours he prescribes for his Repasts and gives notice of them to the Officers of the Goblet and of the Mouth The next Officer is the Master of the Houshold in Ordinary who has yearly 1200 l. ordinary Wages 1420 l. Liveries and 60 l. for the Counters In the absence of the first Master of the Houshold he doth the same Functions as he both in the Kings-Office or Counting-House and in his Household It was Order'd in 1669. that whenever the King being at a Ball a Comedy a Balet or an Opera or the like should take a Collation without sitting down at Table that the Master of the Houshold in Ordinary should serve his Majesty In the absence of the Captain of the Guards he renders for him the same Honours at the Great Masters Table There are twelve more Masters of the Houshold that wait three and three by quarters who formerly had 900 l. a piece yearly of the Treasurers of the Houshold but now they have but 450 l. besides which they have at the Chamber of Deniers each Man 300 l. at the end of their quarters waiting and 64 l. for Counters besides several other profits and he that serves the Dauphin in the same quality has 225 l. Wages at the Treasure-Royal and 150 l. more at the end of his quarters waiting out of the Chamber of Deniers His Majesty by a Declaration in April 1654. reduced the number of the Masters of the Houshold to twelve and that of the Gentlemen-Walters or Servitors to thirty six By another Declaration of the 17th of October The Masters of the Houshold are stiled Counsellers and Masters in Ordinary of the Houshold Knights and Squires They may bear their Coats of Arms timbred and enjoy as do their Widows after them an exemption from all manner of Taxes and Impositions whatever They have a Command over all the Offices called the seven Offices and in the Kings House when they Conduct the Meat to his Table they carry Staves garnished with silver and gilt Vermilion having on the tops a Crown set with Flower-deluces They present to the King the first wet Napkin with which his Majesty washes his hands before he eats and they yield this honour to none but the Princes of the Blood the Legitimated Children of France and the Great Master They are present at all business that passes in the Kings Office or Counting-House as we shall show afterward In the absence of the first Master or Master in Ordinary they go every Night to ask his Majesty what hours he will please to eat at next day and especially when the Court is upon a Journey they ask the King the time and place he would please to dine at that they may give Order to the Officers of the Goblet and of the Mouth to provide accordingly The Officers of the seven Offices and several others that are accustomed to take the Oath of Fidelity in the presence of the Great Master may take it in an Assembly of this Office and then those who preside there which are the Master of the Houshold in Ordinary or the Masters of the Houshold then in Waiting may in the absence of the Great Master or the first Master receive the said Oaths of Fidelity On Fish-Dayes a Master of the Houshold is to be present at the taking in of the Fish When the King is to give any Holy or Blessed Bread in any Parish or Society the Master of the Houshold in Waiting that day holding his Staff in his hand is to accompany the Holy Loaves to the Church which are commonly six in number The Almoner that goes to present them from his Majesty marches between the Master of the Houshold and the Comptroller at whose left hand goes the Treasurer of the Offerings The Masters of the Houshold keep the Table called the Masters of the Housholds Table or else eat at the Table of the ancient Great Master and at the Dauphins they keep the Table of His Highnesses Ser-d'eau or Water-server that is his Deserver or Voider that takes away when Meals are done Of the Great Pantler Cup-Bearer and Carver These three Officers are always present at great Ceremonies where they have Rank as they had at the Kings Coronation c. They have 600 l. a year each as Wages paid them on the Book of the establishment of the Household in which they are only stiled First Pantler First Cup-bearer and First Vsher-Carver We shall tell you their Offices in speaking of the Gentlemen-Waiters or Servitors who daily their Functions The present Great Pantler is Timoleon Count de Cosse of which Office it is observable that there remains still an ancient Custom in the Kings House that upon every New-Years-Day and on the four principal Feasts in the Year as soon as the King is gone out of his Chamber to go to Mass the Serdeau or Voider cries aloud three times either out of a Balcony or from the Stairs head M. such a one Great Pantler of France lay the Cloth for the King The Great Cup-bearer is an Office set up instead of the Great Bottler or Butler which was antiently one of the Principal Officers of the Crown from the time of Charles the Great to a considerable time after the rise of the Kings of the third Race he used to Sign all Charters and Letters Patents and to be present at all Assemblies as other great Officers are The Great Vsher-Carver is the last of the three The Great Pantler has a Jurisdiction at the Palace which is at Paris what Westminster-Hall has here as we shall shew further when we come to speak of that All the Bakers of Paris are obliged on every next Sunday after the Epiphany to go and do homage to the Great Pantler between the hands of his Lieutenant-General and to pay him as they call it the good Denier Besides all Master-Bakers newly made free are bound likewise to come and present the Rosemary-Pot to the Lieutenant-General for the Great Pantler Of the Gentlemen-Waiters The Gentlemen-Waiters perform by turns the Functions of the three next abovenamed Officers They are always called Gentlemen-Waiters to the King because they serve none but Crowned Heads Princes of the Blood and Soveraign Princes when the King is pleased to entertain them In the Letters Patents for their places they are stiled Esquires and by a Declaration of the King of the 17th of October 1656. they may take the Titles of Knights and Esquires
on the Boards betake themselves presently to their Arms and make a Lane towards the Entry into the said Guard Chamber to do honour to those Great Persons as they pass and as for their Captains they Conduct them also all along the Guard-Chamber as far as the Door of the Anti-Chamber The Sentinel is not to suffer any Souldier of the Regiment of Foot-Guards to come into the Guard Chamber with his Bandoleer nor any of the Great Provosts Guards with their Jackets or Hoquetons nor any Lackeys or Livery-men If a Guard keep a Door through which one has a mind to pass one ought not to open it ones self though the Guard be at a distance from it but to call civilly to the Guard to open it The Life-Guards go every Morning at six a Clock and take the Keys of the Gates of the principal Court of the Royal Palace where the King lies which they keep from that time till six at Night when the Guards of the Scotch Company take it of them as we have already shewed At six a Clock at Night the Exempt leads up the Company to the Gate that is to keep Guard there all night with a Tierce of the Scotch Company and then all the other Guards retire as well those of the Gate as those belonging to the Provost of the Houshold They lie all in the Court of Guard and from six a Clock at Night that the Guards of the Gate are relieved there is but one Scotch Sentinel at the Gate till the King be in Bed after which the Brigadeer adds another Sentinel out of a French Company and this double Sentinel that is to watch all Night is to be relieved every hour by the Brigadeer There is also a Sentinel placed every night at the Door of the Guard-Chamber which should be relieved every hour but commonly by agreement among themselves he that is first placed there having watched half the night wakes another Guard who is to do Duty the remaining part of the night and so goes to Bed Always both day and night there are Sentinels drawn out of the Foot-Guards placed without the outward Gates of the Kings House as we shall show in due place If in the night time when all the Gates and Doors are shut there happens to come a Courier or any other person charged with business of consequence to the King that is not to be delayed the Guard that stands Sentinel is to tell it the Exempt who is to go and tell the Captain and then the Brigadeer with a Torch in his hand and the Exempt and the Captain with two other Torches carried before them go all together to the Kings Lodgings and calling upon the Chief Gentleman of the Bed Chamber desire of him to know of his Majesty whether he be pleased to admit the said Courier or other Person to his Speech and Presence When an Exempt goes to relieve the Watch he is allowed half a Pistol a day for his Diet. The King ordinarily allows the Queen twelve of his French Guards with an Exempt and six Suissers There are several Boys and Servants belonging to the Life-Guards to make their Beds go on Errands and fetch necessaries c. After having spoken of the Life-Guards it will not be improper to insert in this place The Order observed in the Kings March when he goes abroad either a Foot in a Coach or on Horseback and the rank and place then observed by the several Officers about his Majesty When the King goes forth of his Palace in a Coach with two Horses and Accompanied with his Officers this is the Order observed by them 1. First The Guards of the Gate with their Officers at the head of them betake themselves to their Arms and draw themselves up towards the Gate within the nearest Court to the Palace making there a Lane for his Majesty to pass through 2. Secondly The Souldiers of the Foot Companies then upon Duty both of the French and Suisse-Guards with their Officers at the head of them and their Colonels with their Pikes in their hands make a Lane for the King to pass in the middle of them from the going out of the nearest Court to the Palace on the out-side as far as ever they can reach the French Guards placing themselves on the right hand and the Suissers on the left 3. Thirdly The hundred Suissers march in two Banks at the head of the Coach-Horses and before them march the Guards of the Provost of the Houshold And the Porte-Manteau or Cloak-Bearer marches alone at the head of the Horses between the two Suissers that close the two Ranks of the hundred Suissers The Footmen march on both sides the forepart of the Coach from the Horses heads to the forepart of each Boot or Door of the Coach and two of them hold up only the two Fore-Buttons of the said Boots or Doors unless it be when the Life-Guards are on Horseback and then four of them hold up all the four Buttons And when the Queen is in the Coach with the King the Kings Footmen keep at the right Boot or Door and the Queens at the left and when the King sends the Footman that holds one of the Buttons any where his next Companion takes it up The Life-Guards march behind and on each side the Coach from the hinder-part of each Boot or Door backwards and if they be on foot the two foremost of them hold up the hinder Buttons or Tassels of each Boot or Door The Officer in chief of the Life-Guards marches behind the Coach on the right hand having the Querry in Waiting for that day on his left At Entries made into Cities the Trumpeters of the Chamber march likewise at the head of the Kings Coach-Horses The Pages of the Chamber get up behind the Coach or if it be night the Pages of the little Stable ride on Horseback before the Coach-Horses with each of them a Flambo in his hand because the King commonly marches something fast he is pleased to permit some of his own and of the Queens Footmen to get up behind his Coach When the King makes any solemn Cavalcade and rides in State as at his Majority and at his publick Entries into any great Towns or Cities his Footmen run on each side of him from his Stirrup to his Horses head and the Life-Guards march likewise on each side from his Stirrup backwards When the King walks on Foot through the Courts of his Palace or in the Streets he is Accompanied by a good number of his French and Suisse Life-Guards and of the Great Provosts Guards but when he is going into any of his Gardens to walk there all the said Guards withdraw and let him go save only some few French Life-Guards and some Officers that follow him But when the King goes out in his Coach or on Horseback as he most commonly does the Life-Guards both French and Suissers come out of their Guard-Chambers in the Palace and make a
Plot of ground about the breadth of the Ditch before the Principal Gate of the chief Court of the Palace where these Guards with their Officers place themselves in Order and make a Lane for his Majesty to pass through when the King goes out in a Coach with six Horses But when the King is at any Palace or other place where no such conveniency of ground is to be found then the Officers and Guards of the Provostship mark out for themselves as much ground next without the Gate as extends to the length of a Pike which the Regiments of French and Suisse-Guards or other Guards are obliged to leave them where they Post themselves in the manner aforesaid Note That the Sentinels already placed without the said Gate of the Palace whether they be taken out of the Regiments of French and Suisse-Guards or sometimes in their absence out of the Musketeers the Gensdarmes or Light Horsemen or out of any other Foot-Company keep still in the same Post they were placed in close by the outside of the Gate and the Officers and Guards of the Provostship place themselves in Ranks on both sides of the way from the said Sentinels forward as far as a Pikes length as is abovesaid and next them stands the Colonel of the Regiment of Foot-Guards or such other Head-Officer that Commands the Troops then upon the Guard without the Palace and then his Souldiers or Troopers placed in Ranks on each side the way These Guards wear Jackets or Hoquetons Embossed with massy silver upon a ground of the Kings Colours which are Carnation White and Blue with the Devise or Emblem of Henry the Great being a Hercules's Club with this Motto Erit haec quoque cognita Monstris i. e. And the Monsters shall also know or feel this They go up and down the Kings House to Execute the Orders relating to the Policy and Government of it and to clear it of Vagabond and suspicious Persons that can give no good account of themselves and attend to see whether the King will send them into the Town or any where out of the place where the Court resides to arrest any Body or take them into Custody There are likewise two supernumerary Guards of the Provostship that wait constantly on the Chancellour who have the same Salary as the others There is one Trumpeter at 272 l. Salary as for the other Officers we have named them in the other Chapter where we have spoken of the Great Provost as Judge of the Houshold CHAP. XXVIII Of the Guards without the Gate and I. Of the Gensdarms or Men at Arms of the Kings Guard THIS Company ought to consist of 220 Men at Arms that do duty quarterly Their Captain is the King himself under whom there is A Lieutenant Captain his pay in that quality is 1380 l. besides which the King allows him the Captains pay being 3280 l. and 2700 l. Extraordinary during their quarter Two Deputy-Lieutenants who have each of them 410 l. by the quarter and 1350 l. Extraordinary during their quarter Three Ensigns who have each of them 135 l. quarterly pay and 1080 l. Extraordinary during their quarter Three Guidons who have the same pay Note That the King in lieu of the Fees the Officers of this Company used to have at the reception of any new Officers or Souldiers among them and of the right of disposing the places vacant by Death gives them 26000 l. in Pensions viz. 13000 l. to the Lieutenant Captain 5000 l. to the Deputy-Lieutenant 4000 l. to the Ensign and 4000 l. to the Guidon So that for the future the places in this Company will be given gratis upon any vacancy by Death yet notwithstanding that the places of Men at Arms are fixed places and during their Lives they may dispose of them and resign them to others which the Light Horsemen cannot do There are two Marshals of the Lodgings or chief Quarter-Masters that have each 85 l. pay Quarterly and 600 l. Extraordinary Yearly One Commissary of the Conduct or Muster-Master whose ordinary pay is 3600 l. besides 240 l. for Taxations Ordinary and Extraordinary This Commissary Musters the Troop and receives the Oaths both of the Officers and Souldiers of it When a Horseman or Officer of Horse is sworn by him his Horse and his Pistols are his Fees and if he be a Foot-Officer his Corslet and Sword And when he himself is sworn by a Marshal of France he is to give the Captain six Ells of Black Velvet for his Fee The Commissaries of the Conduct or Muster-Masters have their place always fixed on the left hand of the Commander in Chief the Commissaries Horses Head advancing as far as the Commanders Stirrup both when they are on the march or engaged in a Battle And whether they be in the Field or quartered in Town or Country these Commissaries quarters are always next the Commanders so that they have always the second place in the Company about which there are many Rules and Orders Eight Brigadeers there being four Brigades and two Brigadeers to each Besides the pay they have as other Horsemen of this Company which is 680 l. apiece they have every one 600 l. Pension and 300 l. gratification at the end of their quarters service And the eldest among them that still does Service has 1000 l. Pension Eight Sub-Brigadeers who besides the common pay of 680 l. have every one a Pension of 500 l Besides these there is one Major Four Trumpeters one Kettle-Drummer one Harbinger or Under-Quarter Master in Ordinary and another Extraordinary one Almoner or Chaplain one Chyrurgeon one Sadler one Farrier all at 90 l. Salary apiece To pay all which there is one Treasurer and one Comptroller The whole Company consists of 220 Horsemen besides the great and small Officers and the Foot-men at Arms and their pay is 680 l. apiece There are added to them upon a new Roll twenty others who have the same pay The Devise or Emblem they bear in their Colours is thunder falling from Heaven with these Latin words Quo Jubet Iratus Jupiter i. e. Where angry Jupiter Commands The King has besides these other Companies of Gensdarmes in his Armies of which he is likewise Captain but these only are retained for the guard of his Person 2. Of the Company of Light Horse This Company is likewise composed of 220 Masters or Horsemen that serve quarterly To this belong A Captain who is the King A Lieutenant Captain and two Deputy-Lieutenants Four Cornets whose pay is 187 l. 10 d. Two chief Quarter-Masters or Marshals of the Lodgings whereof the first has 62 l. 10 d. and the other 125 l. a Month. Two other Harbingers or Quarter-Masters at 30 l. a Month each one Commissary of the Conduct or Muster-Master four chief Brigadeers who besides the ordinary pay of 30 d. or half a Crown a day all the year round and 20 d. a day more when they are upon actual duty have every one 600
Flame-Coloured Ribband The Great Priors and other great Officers of this Order wear this Cross tyed to a great large Flame-Coloured Ribband tied Scarf-wise and on the left side of their Cloaks or Coats another Cross composed of four Flames Cantoned with four Flower-deluces and in the middle the Image of the B. Virgin Environ'd with Rays of Gold all in Embroidery The Present King Confirmed the Rights Estates Commanderies Priviledges and Exemptions of this Order in the Month of April 1664. and in December 1672. The King is likewise Chief and Soveraign of this Order On the 8th of January 1668. the Marquiss of Nerestang took the usual Oath to the King for the Office of Great Master of the Royal Order of Nôtre Dame de Mont-Carmel and of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem both on this side of and beyond the Seas After which his Majesty put on upon him the Collar and Cross in the Presence of his principal Lords and at the same time he took his leave of his Majesty to go and Command a Squadron of Ships designed for the Guard of the Coasts of Brittany But he voluntarily resigned this Office into the Kings hands again in 1673. The Marquiss of Louvois was received Vicar General of this Order the 18th of February 1673. at the Carmelites Convent called les Carmes des Billettes where the Assemblies and Ceremonies of the Order are kept and Celebrated On New-Years Day in the year 1669. the Duke of Orleans received into the number of his Life-guards twelve Knights of St. Lazarus which are as 't were the Cadets or young Noblemen of his Guards There are five great Priories and 140. Commanderies of this Order viz. 28 Commanderies to each Great Priory to which his Majesty commonly nominates some of his Land or Sea-Officers or Commanders which have been wounded or which have render'd him considerable Services The General and Conventual House of this Order is the Commandery of Boigni near Orleans The Great Priories are as follows 1. The Grand Priory of Normandy the Grand Prior is the Chevalier de Montchevrueil Colonel of the Kings Regiment and Brigadier his Seat is at the Mont aux Malades or Mount of the sick people near Roüen 2. The Great Priory of Brittany the Great Prior is the Chevalier de Chateau Regnaud Commander of a Squadron of Men of War He resides at Auray and has annexed to his other Commanderies that of Blois 3. The Great Priory of Bargundy the Great Prior is M. de Bullonde His Seat is at Dijon 4. The Great Priory of Flanders the Great Prior is M. de la Rabliere Marshal in the Camps and Armies of the King and Commander of Lile where his Seat is 5. The Great Priory of Languedoc the Great Prior is M. de Rivarolles The Council established for taking cognisance of the affairs of this Order sits in the Arsenal at Paris those that compose it are 1. The Marquiss of Louvois Vicar-General and President of the Order 2. Florent d' Argouges Chancellour of the Order received in 1685. 3. M. Du Verdier Proctor-General of the Order received in 1672. 4. De Turmenies Sieur de Naintel Treasurer of the Order 5. Camus de Beaulieu Secretary and Recorder of the Order 6. M. William Seguier Dean of the Order received in 1638. 7. The R. Father TousseinT St. Luke Carmelite Almoner of the Order received in 1664. And five Counsellours Besides this there is also a Chamber-Royal established at the same Arsenal that takes cognisance of the reunion of Estates and of the property of stocks of Money Heritage and other rights which have been usurped upon this Order and alienated from the designed use which said Royal Chamber is composed of nine Counsellours to whom are subservient one General Proctor who has his Deputy or Substitute and one Registrer or Recorder Besides these abovesaid Orders of Knighthood there are in France many Knights of Malta and Great Priors and Commanders of that Order that possess there many rich Lordships with great Priviledges and Immunities for that they are obliged by their Order to expose themselves continually for the common defence of Christendom against the Turks and Infidels But there being Books enough that treat ex professo very largely and particularly of them It will be needless for me to insist upon any further description of them in this small Book In old time before these particular Orders of Knighthood were instituted this word Chevalier or Knight was used to signifie some great precedent merit from whence it comes to pass that Gentlemen of Quality and of ancient Families still to this day assume that Quality and write themselves Messire N. Knight and Lord of Messire being a Title intimating Nobility and Chevalier or Knight being reckoned a worthier Title than that of their Mannours or Seignieuries of which they are Lords And of these Knights there were two sorts or Orders viz. Bannerets and Batchellours the Banneret was he that could raise men enough of his own Vassals to follow his Banner the Batchellour was such a one as went to the Wars under another Mans Banner and under these was the Esquire which is a quality still taken by the last and lowest rank of Nobility there CHAP. XIV Of the general Dignities of the Kingdom and first of the High Constable THE High Constable was the first of all the Officers of the Crown and next to the King was Sovereign Head of the Armies of France and took place immediately next after the Princes of the Blood chiefly in Parliament At first he was no more than the Great Master of the Horse is now as appears by the Etymology of the word which is Comes Stabuli i. e. Count of the Stable On the sides of his Coat of Arms he bore as a mark of his Dignity two naked Swords with the points upward held by a right-hand armed with a Gantlet coming out of a Cloud He was sworn by the King himself At publick Entries of Kings the Constable marched foremost before his Majesty on his right hand holding a naked Sword And when the King sate on his Bed of Justice or in the Assembly of the general Estates he sate before him on his right hand The Power of this Officer was much augmented by the Successours of Hugh Capet when the Office of Mayor of the Palace was supprest and though there were Constables before Hugh Capet yet they had till then no power in the Armies If we may believe M. du Tillet who sets down the Constables according to their Succession the first to be found in History was Froger of Châlons under Lewis the Gross who therefore may well be called the first Constable he being the first that ever enjoyed that large power the Constables enjoyed after that time to whose Command in the Armies the very Princes of the Blood were subjected He that first Exalted the Power of Constable to a Soveraign Command over all the men of War not excepting the Princes of the Blood was Matthew
Councels which are likewise Officers General of the whole Kingdom CHAP. XXI Of the Kings Councels and Ministers of State Of the Chancellour of France THE Chancellour is the Head-Officer of Justice and of the Kings Councels and into his hands he has wholly deposited it that he may distribute and dispence it impartially to all his Subjects with the same Power and Authority as he might do himself in Person for this reason the Seals of France are committed to his Custody which he makes use of in the Administration of Justice and in conferring of Gifts Graces and Offices as he thinks most reasonable for the good of the State He presides in the Kings Councels 'T is he that on all occasions declares the Kings Pleasure and when his Majesty goes to Parliament to sit on his Bed or Throne of Judgment he sits before his Majesty on his left hand He wears a Robe of red Velvet lined with Scarlet Sattin and at publick Ceremonies a Cap fashioned like a Mortar covered with gold and adorned with Pearls and precious Stones Before him march the Ushers of the Chancellery carrying on their Shoulders Maces of guilt Silver and the rest of the Ushers after them The present Chancellour is M. Lewis de Boucherat Knight Lord of Compans and other places who after having Officiated the Places of Corrector of the Accounts of Counsellour in the Parliament and Commissary in the Requests of the Palace Master of Requests Intendant of Justice or Lord Chief Justice in Languedoc Honorary Counsellour in the Parliament of Paris and both Counsellour of State and Counsellour in the Councel Royal several years and rendred very considerable Services to the State and so acquired the universal approbation of all people by his indefatigable Industry and his great Capacity and Zeal for the service of his Majesty and of the publick was at length upon all these Considerations named to the Chancellorship by his Majesty on the Feast of All-Saints in the year 1685. who was pleased to Seal his Patents deliver him the Seals and swear him into the said high and important Office the 3d of November following The Chancellour of France bears as a mark of his Dignity a Mortar-fashioned Cap of Cloth of gold set with Ermines upon the Crest of his Arms out of which with the Figure of a Queen coming out of it representing the Kingdom of France holding in her right hand a Scepter and in her left the Great Seals of the Kingdom and behind his Coat of Arms two great Vermilion gilt silver Maces passed Salteir-wise with a Scarlet Mantle set with rays of gold towards the top and furred with Ermines This Office was instituted as some say by Clotair the First and the first Chancellour was Bodin in the year 562. He was antiently called the Great Referendary and Keeper of the Royal Ring and Seal When a Keeper of the Great Seal is made at any time he has the same Authority given him as a Chancellour only with this difference that a Chancellour is not deposable but by arraigning him at the Bar and taking away his Life whereas the Keeper of the Seals is an Officer changeable at the Kings Pleasure The Original of the word Chancellour comes from this All Letters Patents and Charters formerly passing through his hands when they were not well drawn up or that any thing were found in them not conformable to Law and Custom he used to cross them out by drawing certain strokes and bars cross them Lattice-wise which in Latin are called Cancelli from whence comes the word Cancellare and the English word at this day used to signify making void any Writings viz. to Cancel and from thence the word Chancellour Sometimes he is called for distinctions sake Summus Cancellarius i. e. High Chancellour because there were and are several other Chancellours We shall speak of the other Officers of the Chancery when we have described the Kings Councils CHAP. XXII A general State and account of the Kings Councils and of the persons that compose them THE Affairs hapning daily being different and various different Councils have been provided to debate and resolve them in as the Council of War the Council of Dispatches the Council of State and of the Finances or Revenues Of the Council of War The Great Council of War sits commonly in the Kings Chamber where he himself unless some great indisposition hinder him is present with such Princes of the Blood Marshals of France and Great Lords as he thinks fit for their experience in Military Affairs to assist thereat Of the Council of Dispatches and the Secretaries of State This Council is kept in the Kings Chamber in his Majesties Presence and at it are usually present the Dauphin Monsieur the Duke of Orleans the Lord Chancellour the four principal Secretaries of State and those that have the grant of the reversion of their Offices The matters there treated of are the affairs of the Provinces and all other things both Foreign and Domestick of which the Secretaries of State then present make their Reports who likewise are to keep Memorials of all the resolutions taken there and are afterward to see them duly dispatched according to their several Departments or Provinces There are four Principal Secretaries of State and of the Commandments of his Majesty who divide among them all the affairs of the Kingdom and have every one their several Functions and business according to their respective departments These four Secretaries at present are 1. Michael-Francis le Tellier Son to the late Chancellour of France Marquiss of Louvois He is likewise Knight Commander and Chancellour of the Kings Orders of Knighthood Great Vicar General of the Order of Nôtre-Dame of Mount Carmel and of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem Post-Master General and Super-intendant and Orderer General of the Royal Buildings and Protector of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture 2. John-Baptist Colbert Knight Marquiss of Seignelay c. Son of the late great Minister of State of that Name He is likewise President perpetual Chief and Director-General of the Company of the Commerce of the East-Indies and Great Treasurer of the Kings Orders of Knighthood 3. Peter-Baltasar Phylippeaux de la Vrilliere Marquiss of Chateau-neuf upon the Loire 4. Charles Colbert Knight and Marquiss of Croissy who is likewise Secretary of the Kings Orders and Finances President à Mortier or President wearing the Mortar Fashioned Cap in the Parliament of Paris formerly Ambassadour in England and since Plenipotentiary at the Treaty of Nimmeguen and in Bavaria for the Marriage of the Dauphin Their Departments are as follows The Departments of the aforesaid four Principal Secretaries of State are thus laid out 1. Mr. Louvois has for his Department The three Months of February June and October and the affairs of Poitou la Marche Catalonia and Rousillon Pignerol Lorain and the three Bishopricks Alsatia the places yielded or Conquered in Flanders Artois and Hainaut the Fortifications of the Places Conquered or recovered