succeeded the King his Father the 14th of May 1643. He was declared Major or at Age the 7th of September 1651. Consecrated at Reims 1654 and Married at St. John de Luz's the 9th of the same Month 1660. As to his Consecration or Anointing for so the French call the Coronation of their Kings though the Medals made on that occasion bear date the 31th of May you are to remark that it was not performed till the 7th of June of the said Year 1654. I thought I could not give you a more faithful Draught of the Person of our Invincible Monarch than that which I have borrowed from the words of the late Archbishop of Paris in the History that Illustrious and Learned Prelate composed of Henry the Great Yes Sir saith he to him Heaven has given you a generous good and bounteous Soul a Wit sublime and capable of the greatest things an happy and easy Memory an Heroick and Martial Courage a clear and solid Judgment a strong and vigorous Body and over and above all this another very particular advantage and that is That Majestic Presence that Air and Gate almost Divine that shape and that beauty worthy of the Empire of the Vniverse that attracts the Eyes and Respect of the whole World and which without the Force of Arms and without the Authority of Commands wins you all those to whom your Majesty is pleased to shew your Self The King of France is called Most Christian for the great and Signal Services received by the Church and the Holy See from this Crown He is also for the same reason stiled the Eldest Son of the Church and by several Bulls of Popes a priviledge has been granted to the Kings of France that they should not be liable to Excommunication nor their Subjects absolved of the Oath of Allegiance due to them This Monarch is in point of precedence the first King of Christendom notwithstanding the opposition of the Kings of Spain who never disputed or did so much as take place next after our Kings before the time of the Emperour Charles the Fifth and then other Kings preceded them It is true indeed that that Emperour being likewise King of Spain because his Ministers and Ambassadours preceded those of France as representing the Emperour the Spaniards under his Successour Philip the Second who was only King of Spain endeavoured under that pretence in the Year 1558. at Venice to gain the Precedence of France but that Republick regulated that dispute and ordered the Precedence to be continued to the Ambassadours of France as Pope Paul the Fourth had done before And Philip the Fourth the King of Spain last deceased agreed to it by the satisfaction he caused to be made to the King of France by the Marquess de la Fuente his Ambassadour Extraordinary in the presence of eight Ambassadours and twenty two Residents or Agents the 24th of March 1662. for the Assault made by his Ambassadour on ours in England in October 1661. The Title of the King of France is so Excellent and so much exalted above that of other Kings that Suidas an ancient Greek Author writes that in the World when it is said only the King without naming who it was meant of the King of France Matthew Paris calls him Terrestrium Rex Regum the King of Earthly Kings And Bodin says that that King is Emperour in France and many assert it to be a common notion of all the Nations of the World that the Quality of King is much more sublime than that of Emperour Pope Gregory the first lib. 9. Ep. 6. Writing to Childebert King of France says that the Kings of France as much surpass all other Kings of the Earth as the Royal Dignity is exalted above the rest of men CHAP. IV. The Genealogy of the Royal Branch of Bourbon SAint Lewis the Ninth of that Name had four Sons of which there was none but Philip the Bold and Robert his Fourth Son that left Issue Of this Robert Count of Clermont who was afterward Lord or Sire of Bourbon are descended our Kings in manner as follows Robert Count of Clermont in the Country of Beauvais Married Beatrix Sole Heiress of John of Burgundy Count of Charolois and of Agnes Daughter of Archimbald the Younger Sire of Bourbon and by her he had Lewis Sire of Bourbon in favour of whom the said Land Sirerie Lordship or Barony of Bourbon was erected into a Dutchy or Peerage by Philip de Valois in the Year 1329. which Lordship belonged to him in right of his Mother whose Name he bore according to the Articles of the Contract of Marriage between his Father and Mother Lewis had Issue Peter Duke of Bourbon and James Earl of Ponthieu and de la Marche Constable of France But because the Masculine Line of the said Peter is extinct we shall leave it to speak of that of James of Bourbon Earl of Ponthieu James of Bourbon Earl of Ponthieu had John of Bourbon by Jean de Chatillon Daughter of the Earl of St. Paul John of Bourbon had by Catharine of Vendome Sister and Sole Heiress of Bouchard last Count of Vendome James King of Naples who leaving no Children transferred the Birth-right to his Brother Lewis Lewis of Bourbon Count of Vendome Grand Master of France had by Jean Daughter of Guy Count de Laval Lord of Gaure John the Second of that Name Earl of Vendome John the second of Bourbon had by Isabelle of Beauvais Daughter of the Lord of Pressigny Francis his Successour and Earl of Vendome and Lewis Prince de la Roche Sur-Yon Francis of Bourbon had five Children by Marie of Luxemburg Countess of St. Paul the Eldest was Charles Count and made Duke of Vendome by King Francis the First Charles the First of Bourbon Duke of Vendome had seven Male Children by Francise Daughter of Renie Duke of Alencon of which there were but two that left Issue viz. Antony of Bourbon who succeeded him as first Heir and was afterward King of Navarre and Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé Duke of Anguien Marquess of Conti Count of Soissons which latter had among other Children Henry the First of that Name Prince of Condé whose Son Henry the Second Prince of Condé was Father of Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Condé of Armand of Bourbon late Prince of Conti and of Anne-Geneveve of Bourbon Dutchess of Longueville who had Children as we shall say afterward Antony of Bourbon Duke of Vendome had by Joan d' Albret Queen of Navarre Daughter of Henry the Second of that Name King only of Navarre and of Margaret d' Angouleme-Valois Daughter of Francis the First King of France Henry the third of that Name of Navarre who reuniting together the two Crowns of France and Navarre was named Henry the Great the Fourth of that Name King of France and Navarre Father of Lewis the Just and Grandfather of Lewis our glorious Monarch who by his great Actions as well as his Grandfather has
and where they are to be judged too when they are impeacht of any Crime And though in the last Reign it was seen that de facto the Marshal de Marillac was Judged by Delegated Commissaries and the Duke of Montmorency by the Parliament of Toulouze the Parliament of Paris pretends That these two Acts were done against their Priviledges Secondly The Counsellers of the Parliament of Paris pretend a Priviledge to sit in all the other Parliaments without allowing the same Priviledge reciprocally to the Counsellers of the other Parliaments in the Parliament of Paris yet it is to be remarked That the Priviledge of sitting in the Parliament of Paris was granted to the Counsellers of the Parliament of Toulouze by an Ordinance of Charles the Seventh in the year 1454. which the Parliament of Paris refused to verifie whereupon the Parliament of Toulouze made a Decree in the year 1466. by which they Ordained That the Counsellers of the Parliament of Paris should have no Admittance into the Parliament of Toulouze till they had obey'd the abovesaid Ordinance made in their Favour Thirdly The other Parliaments not having that extent of Jurisdiction as the Parliament of Paris have but one Chamber of Inquests the Parliament of Toulouze but two whereas the Parliament of Paris has six The Parliament of Paris opens every year the next day after St. Martins Day in this manner The whole Body being in their Scarlet Robes go to a solemn Mass Celebrated on that occasion in the Great Hall of the Palace after which the Advocates and Proctors are sworn in the Grand Chamber and the Bishop that said Mass has that day Place and a deliberative Voice among them The Parliament continues sitting from that time till the 7th of September after which follows the Vacations During which Recess nevertheless there sits a Chamber called the Chamber of the Vacations which takes Cognisance of those Causes that require speedy dispatch and Criminal Affairs In the five Chambers of Inquests all Processes or Suits are Judged concluded and received by Writing that they may the better discern whether the Appeals made to this High Court of Parliament be made reasonably or no. The fourteen Presidents of the Chambers of Inquests and of those of the Requests which are two are but Counsellers that have accepted that Commission and when the Parliament is met and marches in State they take place among those of the Grand Chamber according to a Regulation of Parliament of the 1st of September 1677. By which it is Ordain'd That in Assemblies Processions and other publick Solemnities these Presidents shall be preceded only by two Counsellers of the Grand Chamber of which the first is to be Titular and the second may be only Honorary As for the Presidents of the Inquests and Requests among themselves they are to take place in their march according to their standing and the order of their admission The Court called the Tournelle-Civil established by Lewis the Great in 1667 and 1669. Judges of all Appeals in civil matters to the value of 1000. Livers or Pounds French and of an Estate of 50 Livers yearly rent It is composed of one President wearing the Mortar-Cap six Counsellers of the Grand Chamber and of four Counsellers out of every Chamber of Inquests who go thither by turns once in three Months The Kings Declaration for this purpose of the year 1669. bears date the 11th of August and was Registred in Parliament and in the Chamber of Accounts the 13th of August The Tournelle-Criminal Judges of all Appeals in Criminal matters excepting those made by Gentlemen and other persons of State which are to be judged in the Grand Chamber it is called the Tournelle because it is composed of two Presidents with Mortar-Caps ten Lay-Counsellers of the Grand Chamber and of two Counsellers out of every Chamber of Inquests which go thither every one Tour à Tour that is in their respective turns once in three Months excepting only those of the Grand Chamber which are there six Months from whence it is called the Tournelle At present there are four Presidents with Mortar-Caps The two Chambers of Requests of the Palace are of the Body of the Parliament according to what Charles the Fifth writ to Cardinal Vivazer in the year 1450. where he says that the Requests are de Gremio Curiae They Judge of all personal Possessory and mixt Causes between priviledged persons that have Committimus's whether they be Officers that are Commoners at Court or others There likewise the Requests of the Houshold composed of the Masters of Request we have spoken of above who take a like cognisance of the Causes of priviledged persons that enjoy Committimus's at whose choice it is to plead either before the Masters of the Requests of the Houshold or before those of the Palace In old time Justice was administred without Appeal by the Bayliffs and Seneschals that the King sent into the respective Provinces for that purpose which were chosen out of the ablest Sages of the Law of his Houshold but since the Parliaments have been Instituted or made fixed and sedentary Appeals are admitted to the Parliaments from the Sentences rendred by the said Bayliffs and Seneschals In fine the Parliament at present consists in all 1. Of one Chief or first President who is named Nicholas Potier Knight Lord of Novion c. and seven other Presidents called Presidents au Mortier or wearing Mortar-Fashioned Caps who are John de Coigneux Marquiss of Montmeliand c. Lewis de Bailleul Marquiss of Chateau-Gontier John-James de Mesmes Count d' Avaux John de Longueville Marquiss of Maisons Charles Colbert Brother to the late Great Minister of State of that Name formerly Ambassadour in England and at Nimmeguen c. and at present Secretary and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and lastly Lewis de Molé Lord of Champlatreux of thirty Clerks or Clergymen Counsellers of Lay-Counsellers of two Advocates and one Proctor-General of 19 Substitutes or Deputies of three Registrers or Recorders in the Chief Registers Office viz. One Recorder Civil and Prothonotary in Chief one Recorder of the Presentations and one Recorder Criminal and of eight other Secretaries and Notaries called the Notaries and Secretaries of the King and of the Parliament two Recorders for the Audiences and Council of the Tournelle five other Deputy Recorders in the five Chambers of Inquests one Recorder in Chief of the Requests of the Palace two other Deputy Recorders under him in each of the two Chambers of Requests 1. First or Chief Usher twenty eight other Ushers of the Parliament and of the Chambers of Inquests and of the Tournelle Eight Ushers of the Requests of the Palace The number of Advocates is not fixed but the Proctors are four hundred in number they have both of them a Dean over them CHAP. XXXII Of the Chamber of Accounts THE Chamber of Accounts is composed of 1. First or Chief President ten other Presidents seventy Masters of the
though they have not the Stage that is the usual time of Residence and Officiating there from which they are exempt The Priviledges of the Chyrurgions By a Declaration of Lewis the Thirteenth in favour of his Chyrurgions viz. to his Chief Chyrurgion in Ordinary and to eight other Chyrurgions in Ordinary quarterly Waiters they are priviledged to keep or cause to be kept open Shop and set out a Chyrurgeons Sign with the Kings Arms Exclusive to all Chyrurgeons who are forbid to molest them under pain of being fined 3000 l. and paying all Costs Dammages and Interest in Case of Contravention which concludes thus Given at Paris the 26th of August in the year of our Lord 1636. and of our Reign the Twenty Seventh Signed Lewis and Lower De Lomenie And on the side is written the Registring of it in the Parliament of Paris the 28th of March 1637. Collationed or Compared and Signed Farcette Which is confirmed by a Decree of Verification in Parliament the 18th of July 1637. There is a Declaration of the late Queen Mother for her four Chyrurgions of the 20th of October 1637. Verified by a Decree of the 20th of April 1638. Another Declaration of the late Duke of Orleans for five of his Chyrurgeons of the 26th of February 1638. Verified by a Decree of the 7th of September 1638. And lastly Another Declaration of the late Prince of Condé for four of his Chyrurgeons of the 29th of January 1639. Verified by a Decree of the 23d of March following Besides which there is an Order of the Court for the Master-Chyrurgeons at Paris Importing a Confirmation of the Declarations made in their favour in 1642. The Priviledges of the Life-guard Men. By a Decree or Order of the Privy-Council bearing date the 27th of June 1651. given against the Court of Aids of Rouen after several Suits of Law the Kings Life-guards are maintain'd in their Quality of Squires and in their exemption from Taxes and all other Impositions A like Sentence was given by the Council of State the 4th of June 1653. in favour of the Guards of the Gate Other Priviledges belonging to all the Officers of the Kings and other Royal Houses All the Officers and menial Servants of the Kings and of other Royal Housholds excepting a few whose Offices are too mean are noble that is are Gentlemen by their Places if they be not so otherwise as long as they are in Place and may bear a Crest above their Coats of Arms. All the Officers of the seven Offices of the Chamber and others wait always with their Swords by their sides unless it be when they are troublesome to them and may wear them always both in the Louvre and elsewhere Most of the Officers have the Quality of Squires if they be Sword-men or of Counseller if Gown-Men and are called Officers in Ordinary though they are but Quarterly or Half-yearly Waiters They enjoy all the Priviledges of Gentility Safeguards exemption from Taxes and other Duties Committimus c. as we have shewn above CHAP. XXVII Of the Military Officers and Troops of the Kings Houshold THE Kings of France have always kept several Guards for their Security and to preserve a Life that is the Lives of their Subjects We read in Gregory of Tours in the eighth Chapter of his seventh Book that Gontran King of Orleans or of the Burgundian part of France seeing his two Brothers Sigebert King of Mets or Austrasia being that part of France towards Germany including Lorrain and the Neighbouring Provinces and Chilperic King of Paris and of Soissons had been assassinated placed a great Guard about his Person about the year 587. without which he never went to Church or to his Recreations So upon different occasions the Guards have been reinforced and augmented Philip Augustus being in the Holy Land in the year 1192. established Serjeants at Arms or Mace-Bearers as may be seen in the Great Chronicles where the Old Historian La Montagne speaking of the Assasines or rather Arsacides a Desperate sort of people of Syria whom their Princes used to send to assasinate the most couragious and active Princes among the Christians uses these words When the King says he heard this news be began to be fearful of himself and by advice of his Council resolved to have his Person well guarded and chose Serjeants with Macis well armed and accoutred who were night and day to attend him to guard his Person The said King made use of the said Serjeants at the Battel of Bouvines who behaved themselves that day so valiantly that St. Lewis in the year 1229. founded for them in memory of that action the Church of St. Catharine du Val of the Scholars of Paris according to an Inscription to be seen upon two Stones at the entring into the said Church which contains these words At the intreaty of the Serjeants at Arms Monsieur St. Lewis founded this Church and laid the first stone of it for Joy of the Victory obtained at the Bridge of Bouvines in the year 1214. The Serjeants at Arms then in being had the keeping of the said Bridge and vowed to God that if he would give them the Victory they would found a Church and dedicate it to St. Catharine which was performed accordingly Where it is remarkable that there are four Serjeants at Arms represented upon those two Stones but in a different manner There are two upon one of them holding in their hands their Maces at Arms and armed Cap-a-pee to represent the Serjeants at Arms as they were in the Army and upon the other stone there are two more whereof one is Clothed with a Coat with great Sleeves cut in Labels wearing a Collar hanging down upon his Breast and I suppose that signifies the Usher at Arms Waiting at the Door of the Chamber for still to this day the Ushers of the Chamber bear Maces on Festival days to guard the Kings Person in the Day-time The other is wrapped up in a long Cloak well furred with shaggy furr with a Bonnet on his Head and his Mace in his hand which represents the Serjeants at Arms that watched by night And Du Tillet in his Chapter of the Marshals pag. 282. writes that some of them were appointed to carry Maces before the King in the day time and were called Vshers at Arms whose place is now supplyed by the Ushers of the Kings Chamber and others to guard his Chamber in the night time These Guards then took their name from the Arms they used and so when they quitted the Mace to take the Bow they were called Archers Charles the Seventh entertained a Guard of Scotch selected out of the Auxiliary Forces brought over to him by the Earls of Bucan Douglas and other Scotch Lords to drive the English out of France Philip de Comines calls them the Silver Guards because their Coats or Jackets called Hoquetons were set with spangles of Silver and Goldsmiths Work Lewis the Eleventh being at Puiseaux on the 4th
standing Wages Board-Wages and other Fees above 13000 l. yearly for he has 1800 l. yearly standing-Wages paid by the General Treasurer of the Kings Houshold half a Pistol a day or 1825 l. yearly Board-Wages paid by the Master of the Chamber of Deniers 8000 l. Pension paid at the Treasure Royal which amounts in all to 11625 l. Besides which he has Meat for his Broth consisting of twelve pounds of Meat viz. Beef Mutton and Veal in equal portions and a Fat valued at 37 d. and six deniers or a half-penny the King allowing for the whole 4 l. 17 d. half-penny a day which he receives all in money on those days the Officers of the Dauphins Mouth make ready no Victuals for him as usually in Journies c. But upon other days when they dress Victuals for him the said Officers give him but a Crown a day and a certain portion of Meat for his Dinner and Supper agreed upon between him and them He has likewise a Loaf called the Loaf of Essay or tasting Loaf and a Bottle of Wine called the Bottle of Essay or the tasting Bottle every day from the Kings Baker and Wine-Merchant One Chyrurgeon in Ordinary who has 1000 l. standing Wages and half a Pistol a day or 1825 l. Board-Wages One Barber in Ordinary who has 700 l. standing Wages and a Crown a day or 1098 l. Board-Wages One Cash-Keeper or Pay-Master for the Dauphin and all the Children of France at 400 l. standing Wages and 1464 l. Board-Wages One Arquebuse or Armour-Bearer whose appointments amounts to 2200 l. For Hunting one chief Hunter a Pack of Hounds with Officers belonging to it for the Hare and his Highness taking a fancy lately for Wolf-Hunting since the year 1682. maintains for that sport a Pack of a hundred Hounds and twenty Saddle Horses four Lieutenants in Ordinary four Prickers or Huntsmen two Servants of the Blood-Hounds c. The four Lieutenants in Ordinary have each of them 1500 l. yearly appointments paid them out of the Dauphins own private Money-Box or Privy-Purse by the hands of his said Highnesses chief Valet de Chambre or Waiting-Man Both they and the rest under them are Commanded by the Grand Louveteer or Wolf-Hunter of France Two Yeomen or Grooms of the Bed-Chamber who have each of them 400 l. standing Wages out of the Privy-Purse of the Kings Bed-Chamber 180 l. gratuity at the Treasure-Royal and 732 l. Board-Wages at the rate of 40 d. a day One Master of the Mathematicks at 1500 l. Salary who is the Famous Monsieur Blondel who was formerly Envoy Extraordinary to the Northern Kings to the Princes Electours of the Empire and the Grand Signior One Reader One Master Designer who has 300 l. standing Wages paid by the Treasurer of the Houshold 1200 l. Board-Wages at the Chamber of Deniers and 1200 l. Gratuity at the Treasure Royal. One Writing-Master 1200 l. one Fencing-Master 1800 l. one Dancing-Master who has 2000 l. standing Salary out of the Privy-Purse and 100 Crowns Extraordinary when his Highness is abroad in the Country or in the Field One Musick-Master who has 600 l. out of his Highnesses own Privy-Purse Three Yeomen or Grooms of the Wardrobe who have every one 732 l. Board-Wages at the rate of 40 d. a day and 240 l. gratuity at the Treasure Royal. One Landress of the Body 600 l. and One Starcher of the Body at 1000 l. yearly Salary standing and Board-Wages One Porter or Burden-Carrier of the Bed-Chamber who has 30 d. or half a Crown a day or 549 l a year Board-Wages The King being minded to place several Persons of Quality about the Dauphin continually to attend him as his Gentlemen in Ordinary without creating any fixed Offices or Places of that nature made choice for that purpose of nine Lords of his Court viz. the Count de Torigny the Marquiss of Florensac the Count of St. Maure the Chevalier de Grignan the Marquiss of Dangeau the Count of Chivergny the Marquiss of Thiange de ChalenCay the Marquiss d' Vrfé and the Marquiss d' Antain His Highness had three chief Pages called the Children of Honour of whom there remains but one who is at present Bishop and Duke of Laon and one of the antient Ecclesiastical Peers of France These Lords or Gentlemen of Honour have every of them a Pension of 2000 Crowns When the Marshals of the Lodgings or chief Harbingers mark them out Lodgings when they follow the Court they stile them Gentlemen of Honour to the Dauphin Besides these there are two Gentlemen that have been Pages to his Highness to whom the King gives 3000 l. Pension and two present Pages of his Bed-Chamber a Governour of the Pages who has 2000 l. out of the Privy-Purse one Servant or Groom of the Pages and a Sub-Groom one chief Master of the Horse and twelve Footmen Other Officers belonging to the King that after their Quarters Service to his Majesty go and serve the Dauphin Officers under the Great Almoner An Almoner a Chaplain a Clerk of the Chappel and a Groom of the Chappel Vnder the Great Master of the Houshold One Master of the Houshold two Gentlemen Waiters the Masters of the Chamber of Deniers and the Comptrollers-General of the Kings Houshold are likewise so at the same time to the Dauphins and send thither one Comptroller one Clerk or Deputy of the Chamber of Deniers and two Clerks Deputies of the General-Comptrollers serving six Months each Two Chiefs of the Goblet viz. One Chief Pantler and one Chief Butler of the Mouth and one Aid to them both The Officers of the Goblet are allowed 3 l. or a Crown augmentation for every Meal the Dauphin eats in private The said Officers are moreover allowed for Salt Pepper Herbs and other things for the dressing of their own diet because his Highness keeps no common Kitchin 45 l. every Quarter There are two Grooms or Yeomen of the Goblet who have for furnishing Cups Glasses and other things for his Highnesses Table 36 l. a quarter and 50 l. a piece for Cloaths every year An Usher of the Mouth who has 150 l. Wages and 40 d. augmentation to furnish inter-Messes at every Meal his Highness eats at his own private Table One Master Cook at 150 l. Wages one Rosting-Cook and one Boiling-Cook at 100 l. Wages each these three have besides for looking after the Vessels 30 l. quarterly and the Rosting-Cook 6 l. a quarter more for furnishing great Knives one Porter of the Mouth who has 75 l. standing Wages and 36 l. quarterly for furnishing and looking after Pots and Pans Cords Pails and Brooms c. The Grooms and Porters of the Goblet and of the Mouth are allowed 6 l. a quarter for Straw and the three Grooms of the Kitchin have each of them 50 l. a year for Cloaths They that serve under them as Children of the Kitchin have each of them 8 l. a quarter for Larding Pins and Packthred An Usher of the Hall A
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
Merinville Governour M. de Moransane Lieutenant 6. Carcassone Town and Castle M. de Bezons Governour 7. Brescon The Baron de la Fare 8. Pequay M. de Brissac 9. The Castle of St. Andrew The Marquiss de la Roche 8. In the Government of Picardie these principal Governments 1. Picardie it self 2. The Countries of Artois and Hainault or old Conquests Thirdly and lastly Flanders or the New Conquests 1. In Picardie there is a General Governour who is likewise Governour of Hainault and the Country and County of Artois and of the Town and Cittadel of Montreuil Being The Duke of Elbeuf 2. A Lieutenant-General in Picardie and Hainau't The Duke of Bethune 3. A Lieutenant-General in Artois The Count de Naneré The Governours of the Frontier Towns and Places in Picardie are these 1. Of Amiens the Governour and Bailiff is M. de Bar. 2. Abbeville Is now governed by its own Mayors 3. Boulogue and the Country of that Name the Governour is The Duke d' Aumont The Lieutenant M. de Colambert The Seneschal The Duke d' Etrées 4. Ardres M. de Rouville Governour M. de Tonadoux Lieutenant 5. Town and Cittadel of Callice Duke de Bethune Governour M. de St. Benoit Lieutenant 6. Fort de Nieulay Duke of Bethune 7. Gravelines M. de Mets Governour M. de St. Benoit Lieutenant 8. Dunkirk Town Fortress and Dependances The Son to the late Marshal d' Estrades Governour Lieutenant in the Town M. de la Bercantiere Of the Cittadel M. de St. Leon Governour M. Tibaut Lieutenant 9. Fort Lewis near Dunkirk M. de la Baroniere Commander 10. St. Valery sur Somme the Avowed Lord Vicount and Governour is The Marquiss de Gamaches 11. Guise M. de la Fyte 12. St. Quentin M. de Pradel Governour M. d' Abancourt Lieutenant 13. The Bayliff of Vermandois The Marquiss d' Olizy 14. Peronne Mondidier and Roye The Marquiss d' Hoquincourt Governour and under him at Montdidier M. d' Estrade 15. The Town and Cittadel of Montreüil The Duke d' Elbeuf In the Country of Artois are these Governments 1. Arras The Count de Nancré Lieutenant-Governour In the Town and Cittadel M. de la Pleniere Herbert Governour M. de Siffredi 2. The Great Bayliff of Artois ............. 3. Bethune Town and Castle ............ Governour M. de Limbeuf Lieutenant 4. Aire The Famous M. de Calvo Governour M. de St. Quentin Lieutenant 5. The Fort St. Francis of Aire The Sieur de la Tour Commander 6. St. Omer The Marquiss de Choiseul Governour The Sieur Raousset Lieutenant 7. Hedin ............ Governour M. de Villepaux Lieutenant 8. Bapaume M d' Orty Governour M. Drouart Lieutenant In Hainault are 1. Landrecy The Marquiss de Lignié Governour M. de Barthe Lieutenant 2. Quesnoy M. de Rancher Governour M. de Rougon the Kings Engineer Lieutenant 3. Avênes The Count Carle de Broglio Governour M. d' Amours Lieutenant In the New-Conquests in Flanders are these Governments Countries Towns Places Governours Lieutenants c. 1. The Governour General of Flanders and of all the Conquests made since the Pyrenean Treaty in 1659. The Marshal d' Humieres 2. A Lieutenant-General The Count of Montbron The more particular Governments are 1. Town of L' Isle The Marshal d' Humieres Governour The Famous Marquiss de la Rabliere Commander under him Cittadel M. de Vaubant Governour M. de Morillon Lieutenant M. de la Mothe Major Fort St. Sauveur or St. Saviour M. de Belloy Commander Town The Count de Maulevrier-Colbert Governour M. de Courcelles Lieutenant 2. Tournay Cittadel M. de Megrigny Governour The Count du Repaire Lieutenant 3. Douay Town and Cittadel M. de Pomereu Governour M. d' Ernemont Lieutenant Of the Fort de Scarpe M. le Chevalier du Repaire Commander 4. Cambray Town and Cittadel with Country and County of that Name M. de Montbron Governour M. de Dreux Lieutenant in the Town M. Parisot Ingenieur Major Cittadel of Cambray M. de Tilleul Under Governour M. de Frêne Lieutenant 5. Town and Cittadel of Courtray The Marquiss d' Vxelles Governour 6. Dixmuyde M ....... 7. Valenciennes M. Magalotti Count de Bardi Governour M. de Vincent Lieutenant 8. Bouchain The Commander de Fénix Governour M. de Couvrelle Lieutenant 9. Condé M. de Betou Governour M. de la Bergerie Lieutenant 10. Redoubt of Stincelles M. d' Angeli Commander 11. Phillipville The Count de Madaillan Governour M. de la Coste Lieutenant 12. Dinant in the Country of Liége The Marquiss de Choiseul-Beau-Pré Governour Dinant-Castle M. de St. Martin Commander 13. Charlemont M. de Reveillon Governour M. de Boutencourt Lieutenant 14. Mexin M. de Pertuis Governour M. des Crochets Lieutenant 15. Maubeuge The Famed Count de Montal Governour M. de la Mothe Lieutenant 16. Ypres The Marquiss de la Trousse Governour M. de la Neuville Lieutenant Fort of Kenoque M. de Bugnet Commander 17. Bergue St. Vinox M. de Boquemare Governour M. de Passillon Lieutenant Fort St. Francis de Bergue M. Pomarin Commander 9. In the Government of Dauphiné or Dauphinate are these general Governours 1. Chief General Governour The Marshal Duke de la Feuillade 2. The Lieutenant-General and Seneschal The Count de Tallard The Governours of the Frontier places are 1. Of the Town and Cittadel of Grenoble The Marquiss de Marcieu 2. Of the Town and Cittadel of Valence The Count de Moncha 3. Montlimart Town and Cittadel The Count de Vireville 4. Of the Fort de Barault The Marquiss de Genlis 5. Exille M. de St. Mars 10. In the Government of Provence are 1. The Governour General of the Country and County of Provence The Duke of Vendome 2. The Lieutenant-General The Count de Grignan 3. The Great Seneschal of Provence The Marquiss d' Oraison 4. The Great Seneschal of Arles The Marquiss de Boche The Governours of the Frontier places belonging to this Government are 1. The Towers of Toulon Commanding them and the Town The Duke of Vendome M. de Courcelles under the said Duke 2. The City of Marseilles M. de Piles de Forville Captain of the Gallies 3. Of the Isles of the Chateau or Gastle d' If Pomêne and Ratoneau M. de Coste-Chaude Brother to the former 4. Of the Cittadel of Marseilles and the Fort St. John The Count de Beringhen 5. The Seneschal of the Jurisdictions and Precinct of Marseilles is The Marquiss de Valbelle Of Notre Dame de Garde M. de Besmaux is Governour Of the Isles of St. Margaret and St. Honoratus M ...... Governour Of Antibe The Marquiss de Janson 11. In the Government of Lyonnois or the Country of Lyons and of its Forests and the Country of Beaujolois 1. The Governour and Seneschal is The young Duke of Villars 2. The Lieutenant-General of Lyonnois the Forests and Beaujolois is The Archbishop of Lyons and his little Nephew the Marquiss d' Alincourt in Reversion 3. The Bayliff of Lyonnois and Seneschal of the same Province is The Count