Other Offices relating to Hunting are 1. Those that belong to a Pack of Running-Hounds to the number of 70 of which there is a Captain whose Appointments besides his Pensions amount yearly to 13338 l. 10 d. He has also his particular Officers under him he has likewise the Fallow-Deer Dogs and other Dogs for the Hare which have been established under the care of this Officer ever since the last Kings time under the name of the Roasters whereas before it was the Fox-Dogs 2. The Greyhounds of Champagne or Champain to which belong a Captain who has a yearly allowance of 2567 l. for himself his Dogs and four Servants to look after them Article II. Of the Captain-General of the Hunting-Nets and of the Equipage for Hunting the Wild-Boar The Title of this Officer is Captain-General of the Kings Hunting-Nets Tents and Pavilions and of the Equipage of the Wild-Boar He is sworn by the King himself He has 1200 l. standing Salary 3972 l. 12 d. Appointment 3200 l. for maintaining the Carriage of the Nets 1500 l. for Cloathing fifteen small Officers 1400 l. for Coating fourteen Guards 2196 l. for feeding forty Running-Hounds 1464 l. for keeping twelve Great Grey-hounds or lusty Dogs in all 14932 l. 10 d. He is allowed besides several other summs for particular Expences He delivers out the Grants to all the Officers of the Hunting and of the Equipage for Hunting the Wild-Boar all those places being at his disposal The Hunting of the Wild-Boar may be managed four several ways 1. The first way is to kill them with Swords and Darts when they are taken in the Nets 2. The second is to take them with Grey-hounds when they are in the said Nets The Ladies may take their part of the Divertisement either of these two first ways for they may be placed out of danger within the small inclosure of the Nets 3. The third way is to hunt the Wild-Boar with the Dog called Vautray or Tumbler 4. And the fourth and last way is to take him by force but these two last sorts of Hunting are very toilsome and not without danger When the King is a Hunting the Wild-Boar within the inclosure of the Nets it belongs to the Captain-General of this Equipage to present his Majesty a Sword or Darts to kill him and none of his Courtiers are to take any Darts unless expresly Commanded by the King The Captain of this Equipage goes or sends by the Kings Order into all the Forests and Thickets of France where he thinks fit to take with his Hunting-Nets Red-Deer Does or Fawns to stock the Parks of any Royal House There are two Lieutenants of this Equipage serving each half a year by turns at 900 l. Salary apiece and * two other Lieutenants in Ordinary * two Deputy-Lieutenants half yearly Waiters at 600 l. and * two Deputy-Lieutenants in Ordinary Eight Gentlemen in Ordinary of the Equipage the two first of which have 360 l. and the six others 300 l. apiece All the above-named Officers of the Nets may use the Title of Esquires * Four Prickers or Markers in Ordinary at 300 l. each Six Servants of the Blood-hounds at 360 l. Three Keepers of the Greyhounds at 200 l. and * four other Servants of the Dogs ordinarily looking to them who are to lie in the Dog-Kennel and two Keepers of the Great Greyhounds at 300 l. Two other Keepers of the Great Greyhounds at 200 l. One Commissary of the Nets at 300 l. and one Commissary Net-mender at 200 l. one Harbinger 200 l. one Captain of the Carriage 400 l. one Baker and one Farrier at 200 l. each Twenty Archers or Guards of the Hunting-Nets whereof the six first have 300 l. and the other fourteen but 250 l. apiece * one Gelder of the Dogs and Curer of Madness * fifteen small Officers ordinarily Waiting and fourteen Keepers of the Hunting Nets Note The Officers above-marked with a Star are not mentioned in the Establishment of the Court of Aids When the King goes a Hunting he has always by him his Arquebuse or Arms-Bearer that prepares him Arms ready charged We have already mentioned them among the Officers of the Chamber It is remarkable that when the Dogs are to run the Captains of the Packs then to run are to present the Staff or Wand the mark of their Office to the Great Hunter and he to the King as also when the Deer or any other Game is taken the Pricker cuts off the Foot which he gives to his Captain the Captain to the Great Hunter and he presents it to the King There are besides the Great Hunter and those under him several other Captains of the Game established in several Forests and Warrens of which we have spoken in the Chapter of the Royal Buildings and Houses There is likewise a Lieutenant of the Long-Robe belonging to the Court of Justice of the Captainship of the Waters and Forests The other Captains of Forests are to be seen at length in the Sieur de Salnove's Book of Hunting By a Declaration of the first of January 1644. the King established besides these three General Keepers of the Game and Pleasures of his Majesty throughout the whole extent of the Kingdom of France The Officers of the Hunting-Office or the Game enjoy the same Priviledges as the Commoners or Tablers of the Kings Houshold Article III. Of the Great Falconer The Great Falconer of France has the super-intendance over all the Kings Falconers and is sworn by the King He has 200 l. standing Wages 3000 l. Appointment 6000 l. as chief over a Flight of Hawks for the Crow and for maintenance of the said Flight 4000 l. for keeping four Pages 3000 l. for necessary Furniture and Implements for the Hawks and 6000 l. for buying of Hawks In all 22200 l. He disposes of all the vacant Offices of Chiefs or Captains of the several Flights of Hawks and 't is by his consent that those who have them resign them excepting only those of the Heads or Chiefs of the Flights of the Kings Chamber and Closet already spoken of which are in the Kings Gift The Great Falconer also disposes of all other vacancies of places entred in the Books of Establishment of the Falconry as also of the Keepers of the Hawks Nests in the Forests of Compiegne Aigue Val Dragon and Grand Trempo and of Lions Ardennes Perseigne and Descouves and other Forests And he Commissionates what persons he pleases to lay Snares for and take Birds of Prey in all places Plains and Thickets in the Kings Domain or Crown Lands All Hawk-Merchants both French and Foreigners are bound under pain of Confiscation of their Birds to come and present them to the Great Falconer for him to take his choice out of for the King before they can have permission to sell any elsewhere If his Majesty being a Hawking has a mind to have the pleasure to fly a Hawk himself the Chiefs or Heads put in by the Great Falconer present the
the second Baron of Montmorency The Constable had right to take a days pay as his Fee of all Military Persons entred into the Kings pay at the first payment they received and of the Horse and Foot that were under the Command of the Master or Clerk of the Cross-Bow-men and in general of all those that were paid by the Treasurers of the Wars except only the Princes of the Blood and their Domesticks that served in the War at their own Expences and the Officers and Souldiers at Sea It was Treason to offend the Constable as it was Judged in the Case of Peter de Craôn who had attempted upon the Life of Oliver de Clisson High Constable The Jurisdiction or Court held at the Marble Table is called the Constablerie and Marshalsey and though the Office of Constable was supprest by a Declaration of the last King in 1627. after the Death of the then Duke de Lesdiguieres the last Constable yet so much of his Jurisdiction and Power as was exercised at the Marble Table remains still in the hands of the Marshals of France that were formerly but his Lieutenants The number of Constables is differently related by the Annalists who as little agree in the Order of their Succession There is still always in the Armies a Provost of the Constablery that gives out Passports and has jurisdiction and power to take cognisance of all Disorders of Men of War and to decide all differences arising among them as likewise over all Traytors and Deserters of the Army He also sets the price of Victuals and enjoys many other Priviledges By an Order of the 13th of March 1627. and another of the 23d of April in 1643. The late King supprest the Offices of High Constable and Colonel-General of the Infantry of France with a Provision for the future that they should never be renewed again upon what pretence soever and the suppression of that of Colonel-General of the Infantry was again confirmed the 23d of July 1661. The first or eldest Marshal of France Officiates the duty of Constable and may as such bear on one side of his Coat of Arms a naked Sword and the Commanders Staff on the other as Marshal The other Prerogatives belonging to this Office may be seen in the relation of M. du Tillet Before we conclude this Chapter it will not be impertinent the following Article of the Priviledges of this High Office found in the Registers of the Chamber of Accounts in a Bag called Spalia and exprest in old French Item The Constable is to have his Chamber at Court near the King where-ever his Majesty be and in his Chamber is to have twelve Stools and twelve Cushions and Billets for his fire and he is to have a certain allowance of Wine and two pound of small Candles and a Torch by Night to conduct him to his House or into the Town which are to be redelivered next Morning to the Fruiterer And he is to have thirty six Loaves and one Pot of Wine for himself placed near the Stand and two Barrels for his Chamber one towards the Door and the other towards the ends and of every Mess cookt or raw as much as is necessary and a Stable for four-Horses Item If a Castle or Forteress be taken or do yield the Horses Harness Provisions and all other things found therein belong to the Constable except the Gold and the persons that belong to the King and the Artillery that belongs to the Master of the Cross-Bow-Men There has been sometimes made a Lieutenant-General representing the Kings Person throughout the Kingdom which is an Authority almost equal to the Constables though held only by Commission There was one of these made in 1560. under Charles the Ninth and the late Duke of Orleans enjoyed the same Dignity in the Minority of the present King Lemis the Great CHAP. XV. Of the Marshals of France IT will be no easy matter to tell you precisely at what time the Office of Marshal of France was first Instituted because the Historians that have made mention of it are not agreed about that point John le Feron that writes their History makes them to have begun under Clovis the second Son of Dagobert in the person of one Girard Count of Dammartin some others attribute their first Creation to Hugh Capet But I can subscribe to neither of these opinions my first reason is because John de Feron has not the approbation of all those well skill'd in History my second that after having perused over the most part of the French Annalists I can find no mention made of any Marshals of France till the time of Philip the First neither was it by History that I found out the name in that Reign but by reading the Records of the Foundation of the Church of St. Martin des Champs or of St. Martins in the Fields in Paris dated in the year 1067. Signed by his Majesty and other Lords and afterwards by Guy and Anselm Marshals of France without the addition of any other Sur-names This Charter which cannot be charged with Forgery induces me to believe that there were always some of that name and Dignity ever since their first Creation which agrees with the opinion of M. Du Tillet but because it is more commonly believed that they were always the Lieutenants of the Constables I shall not absolutely contradict it and because the Office of Constable was then but the fourth Dignity in the Kingdom and that their Command extended but over a part of the Kings Cavalry I cannot be persuaded that the Marshals of France have always been Generals of Armies The Office of Constable became the first Dignity of France by the Valour of Matthew of Montmorency who in the time of Philip Augustus gained the Battle of Bovines against the joint Forces of the Emperour Otho and the King of England who were then Armed and Leagued together against that Great Prince And then it was that the Dignity of Marshal of France raised it self to that Lustre which it keeps to this day for whereas they were before but Lieutenants of the Constable in the Kings Stables only they from that time his Lieutenants also in the Command of the Armies and since the suppression of that Dignity exercise the whole remainder of the Authority annexed to it which is conferred upon them by putting a Staff of Command into their hands The Marshals of France bear as a mark of their Dignity two Azure Staves set with Flower-deluces of gold passed Salteir-wise behind their Coats of Arms. Their Offices depend wholly of the Crown and they are Sworn for them by the King himself They are commonly given as recompences to Eminent Commanders for some great Military Exploits and are not Hereditary They cannot be deprived of the Title of their Dignities but with the loss of their Lives only they may be suspended from the Exercise of their Office They are not obliged to take any Oath in Parliament no
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
that under the said Count of the Stable or Constable took care of the Horses For some time there were several of these Squires or Master of the Horse of equal Command in the Kings Stables as in the time of Philip the Long when there was no Great Master but only four Masters of the Horse entred in the Book of the Establishment for though the same King in 1319. made one Henry de Braybant Great and Chief Marshal of his Stables yet he had not the Title of Great Master neither do we find any mention of the said Title till the reign of Charles the Seventh who made Pothon de Saintrailles and Tanneguy du Chatel Great Squires or Masters of the Horse of France The Great Master of the Horse or Grand Squire or Querry of France for so his Title imports in French carries as a Mark of his Office the Royal Sword in the Scabbard with the Belt both which are covered with Purple-Velvet set with Flower deluces of Massy Gold and the Handle of it is of Massy Gold with Flower-deluces of the same the Buckles of the Belt are likewise of Gold And he bears the Figure of the said Sword on each side of his Coat of Arms. He takes the Oath of Fidelity to the King Himself and he receives it from almost all the rest of the Officers of the Stables He has by his place the power of Deposing of almost all the vacant Offices in the great and little Stable of the Haras or Nursery of Horses and their Dependencies As of the Places of Gentlemen of the Horse or Querries of his Majesties Great Stable of Bearers of the Swords of State of Heralds and Pursuivants at Arms of Cloak-Carriers and Carriers of Gabans or Felt-Coats or Cloaks of Governour Under-Governour and Tutor of the Pages of the Stables of the Almoners Chief Valets Harbingers Coach-men Farriers Great Foot-men Grooms and other places of Officers that actually serve in the great and little Stables and in the Haras or Nursery of Horses of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Riders of both Stables of the Hoboys Violins Bag-Pipers Trumpeters Drummers and Flutes and of all Tradesmen and Workmen that make or furnish any thing to either of the Kings Stables And though the Great Master happen to be imployed elsewhere out of Court or out of France it self nay though he should happen to fall under the Kings Displeasure and be made a Prisoner of State yet till the very Day of his Death he has ever been known to retain the power of Disposing of the said places the Respect of the Kings of France to the dignity of this Office being so great that they have not yet taken it from any in possession of it till they took their Lives as was well seen in the time of the late King Lewis the Thirteenth during the Disgrace of Monsieur de Belle-garde and the Imprisonment of Monsieur de Cinq-mars The Great Master of the Horse has the management of all Monies allowed for the Expences of the Kings Stables and Nursery of Horses as likewise for the maintenance of the Gentlemen-Querries Pages and Officers serving and retained in the Stables and of the Great-Horses Race-Horses and Horses belonging to the Kings Coaches and Waggons and for the Wages Fees Gratuities and Payments of all the Officers of the Stables and of the Merchants or Tradesmen for necessaries they have furnished for any use thereunto belonging as also for Liveries and other Cloths order'd for any of the said Officers and for the Hoquetons or Coats Strait-Coats and Cloaks of the Kings Life-guard-men for the Coats of his Guard of 100 Suissers for the Strait-Coats of Guards of the Gate for the Coats called Hoquetons of the Guards of the Provost of the Houshold and for the Campagn-Coats of the Musketeers and lastly for the Expences of Coaches Waggons and Coverings of the Mules of the Kings Chamber and of the other Offices of his Houshold All the Officers above-named are sworn by him and cannot enjoy any Priviledges and Exemptions annexed to their places till they be Entred upon the Establishments that are fixed and signed by him No Querry or Professor of Horsemanship can set up an Academy to instruct young Gentlemen in Warlike Exercises or any other things proper for noble persons to learn without the Order and Permission of the Great Querry or Master of the Horse of France first obtained The Office of Post-Master General was annexed to that of Great Master of the Horse but was dismembred from it by Henry the Great and still remains so being at present enjoyed by the Great Secretary of State Monsieur Louvois who has as Post-Master General 1200 l. a year Board-Wages paid at the Chamber of Deniers The late King had once promised Monsieur Cinq-mars then Great Master of the Horse to re-annex the Post-Masters Office to that of the Great Master of the Horse but the said Monsieur Cinq-mars being afterwards Imprisoned and Executed for High-Treason that intention came to nothing The Great Master of the Horse has the Honour to have place in his Majesties Coach next the Princes of the Blood and when he is abroad on Horseback he rides next his Person He makes use of the Pages Footmen and Horses of the Kings Stables at his pleasure When the King is on the march for any Warlike Expedition or in the Body of an Army the Great Stable is lodged nearest him before the little Stable but in any Journey wherein he marches not upon any Warlike design nor in a Body of an Army the little Stable is placed nearest his Majesties Lodgings When the King makes his first Entry on Horse-back into any City within his Kingdome or into any Conquered Town where he is to be received with great Ceremony the Great Master of the Horse rides directly before the Kings Person carrying his Majesties Royal Sword in a Sheath of Purple-Velvet set with Flower-deluces of Massy Gold hung in a Belt of the same Stuff and Colour and on a Horse Caparison'd with the same And the Canopy born over his Majesties Head on that occasion is his Fee He rode in this manner at the Solemnity made for the Majority and at the Entry of their Majesties into Paris and it is to be noted likewise that at the Ceremony of the Majority he took his Seat in the Palais or Parliament-House on the right hand of the Great Chamberlain who always sits at the Feet of the Kings Bed of Justice He also bears the said Sword at Funeral Solemnities At the publick Entries of Kings and other great Solemnities He Orders the Trumpeters Hoboys Violins Flutes Tabourins Sackbuts Cornets and Drums to sound and Play for the greater State and Solemnity of the Feast At the Kings Death all the Horses of the Stables and Nursery and all the Harness and Furniture belonging to them fall to the Great Master of the Horse Every time the King Orders any Money for making any new Coaches for himself he
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
Revenues excepting the Regal Right or Due It also takes Cognisance of the Duties belonging to the King from Cathedral and Collegiate Churches upon the account of his joyful arrival to the Crown and of those due from Archbishops and Bishops when at their Instalments and Consecrations they swear Fidelity to the King of those arising from the Indults or Fees so called of Cardinals and other Prelates of the Kingdom from the Indult of the Officers of the Parliament of Paris From the appellations of the Provostship of the Houshold of the Warren of the Louvre and from those of the Chamber of the General Reformation of the Hospitals and Houses for the sick in France from the Commissions of the Chief Physian for the Reports of dead Bodies drowned and wounded and all Statutes or Orders of the said Chief Physician concerning Pharmacy from the Execution of or offences against the Statutes or Orders of the Kings Chief Barber and from Appeals concerning the Persons Estates or Priviledges of the Great Orders of the Kingdom as are those of Chiny the Cistercians the premonstrated Monks Grandmont the Trinity the Holy Ghost Fontevrault and St. John of Jerusalem From the withdrawing concealing and imbezeling Ecclesiastical Goods or Estates and Immunities and Franchises or Liberties of Ecclesiastick Persons and from several Appeals concerning the ancient Substitutions of the Great Houses of the Kingdom The Solemn and Ceremonial Habits used in the Grand Council are Robes of Black-Velvet for the Presidents and Black-Satin Robes for the Councellours Advocates and Proctor-General and the Recorder or Registrer The Great Council is a Court that Judges without Appeal and that follows the King whenever it pleases his Majesty The place where the Grand Council is held is in the Cloister of the Church of St. Germains l' Auxerrois at Paris near the Louvre And because the Chancellour is not only the Head and Chief of all the Kings Councils but also the Head of the Chancery since he has the Seals in keeping Now we have treated of the several Councils it will be most proper in the next place to speak of the Officers of the Chancery in their order and to explain what their Offices are CHAP. XXV Of the Councellours and Secretaries of the King House and Crown of France and of their Finances or Revenues THE Councellours so stiled as above are in number 240 and have his Majesty for the Chieftain and Soveraign Protector of their Company ever since the first Institution of it and his Majesty has the first Purse of the profits of the Seal The first of them is called their Dean These Secretaries-Councellours were reduced and united into one only Body and Company by an Edict of the Month of April 1672. by which they are maintained in all their ancient Priviledges and Exemptions of this number are the four Principal Secretaries of State the four Secretaries of the Council of the Finances or Revenues the four Registrers of the Council of Parties and the Chief Registrers or Recorders of the superiour Companies of the Kingdom Their principal Function is to be present and assisting at the application of the Seal and to dispatch and sign all Letters that are presented to the Lord Chancellour to be sealed they read to him all Letters of Pardon Remission and other Graces and Favours which he grants or refuses The Chancellour is Judge of all matters that relate to their Places and Functions and the Sentences given by them in Council run in this tenour The King in his Council by the advice of the Lord Chancellour has Order'd and does Order c. All the Offices of the Chanceries throughout the Kingdom excepting only those of the great Audiancers of France the 240 Secretaries of the King and some others are at the disposal and nomination of the Chancellour and of his Parties Casual CHAP. XXVI Of the Great or High Chancery of France FIrst There are in it four Great Audiencers that officiate quarterly each one in their quarter The Great Audiencers of France are the first Officers of the Seal Their principal Function is to view and examine the Letters that are to be sealed which are to be carried or sent to them the day before they are to be sealed by the Kings Secretaries abovesaid that they may present them and report them to the Chancellour and tax them at the Controll The four Great Audiencers of France the four Comptrollers-General the four Keepers of the Rolls of the Offices of France the four Conservatours of the Hypotheques and the Treasurers of the Seal are by their places Secretaries to the King perform the Functions of such and enjoy all their Priviledges and Exemptions There are four Comptrollers-General of the Audience of the Chancery of France that serve likewise quarterly The principal Function of the Comptroller-General of the Chancery of France in the time of his Waiting is to take and lay before the Wax-Chafer the Letters that are ready for the Seal and when they are sealed to receive them again from the hands of the Wax-Chafer and put them into the Chest for that purpose without imbezeling or fliding aside any one of them And he is to put to his Comptroll and Paraphe or Mark all along the sides after the Great Audiencer has taxed them as it was Order'd by the Edict of the Month of April in 1664. There are four Keepers of the Rolls of the Offices of France that officiate likewise quarterly Their Chief Function is to have and keep the Rolls and Registers of all the Offices of France that are sealed of what nature soever they be The Kings Secretaries that dispatch them are to send or carry the said Letters to them before they pass the Seal that they may present them and make their Report of them to the Chancellour It is in their hands that all oppositions to the sealing of them or dispatching them in the Offices whether it be upon the account of a Hypotheque or any other title or pretence are to be made of which they keep a Register and for which they are responsable in Case the Offices be sealed contrary to those oppositions because that if the said Offices that is what passes in them should be sealed without being charged with those oppositions they would be discharged of all Hypotheques There are under these four Deputy-Keepers of the Rolls whose places are united to theirs There are four Conservatours of the Hypotheques or of the Rents upon the Town-House or Guild-hall and on the augmentations of Wages that officiate quarterly Their Duty is to do the same thing in relation to the Rents and augmentations of Wages that the Keepers of the Rolls do in respect of the Offices that is to say to present and report to the Chancellour all Letters of Ratification of the acquisition or purchase of those Rents or augmentations of Wages that the Kings Secretaries have dispatched and signed to receive the oppositions made against the sealing and dispatching the said
according to a Declaration and List or Account of them verified in the Court of Aids at Paris Next to the Great or High Chancery of France are those establisht near the Parliaments The Masters of Requests preside in those Chanceries and keep the Seals of them when they are present there The Chancery of Paris is the greatest and antientest of them all It is composed of four Audiencers of four Comptrollers that officiate quarterly and of twelve Referendaries and some other Officers The Function of the Refendaries is to make Report of all Letters to that Master of Requests that keeps the Seal to sign them at the bottom when they find them civil and furnished with all the Clauses required by the Ordinances or to subjoin in the same place the refutata or Confutations of them if they contain any unusual Clauses or be ill digested and drawn up King Francis the First by his Edict of Creation in the Month of February 1522. gave them the Quality or Title of Councellours-Reporters and Referendaries and Henry the Second in the Month of July 1556. granted them Place and Voice in the Presidials in consideration that they were Learned and had been admitted to the practice of the Laws before the Masters of Requests Note That the four Wax-Chafers of the Great Chancery are the same that perform the like Function in the Chancery of Paris The Letters Sealed in the Chancery of Paris are ordinarily executable only within the Limits of the Jurisdiction of the Parliament But yet it has sometimes hapned that when the Chancellour was obliged to follow the King in a long Journey and carry the Great Seal with him that then by vertue of a Declaration from the King to that end the Letters which should have passed the Great Seal were only Sealed in the Chancery of Paris and thence transmitted to and Executed in the other Parliaments of the Kingdom CHAP. XXVII Of the Ecclesiastical Division of France into Archbishopricks and Bishopricks and of its Clergy THE Kings Collates or Presents within his Dominions to 18 Archbishopricks 107 Bishopricks to about 750 Abbies of Men besides those that have been united to other Communities or Benefices and to above 200 Abbies of Nuns and as the Conquests of Majesty increase so the number of Benefices in his nomination must needs proportionably increase too The Archbishopricks and Bishopricks according to their Alphabetical Order are these The 18 Archbishopricks are 1. AIx 2. Alby 3. Ambrun 4. Arles 5. Auch 6. Besançon 7. Bourdeaux 8. Bourges 9. Cambray 10. Lyons 11. Narbon 12. Paris 13. Reims 14. Rouen 15. Sens. 16. Toulouze 17. Tours 18. Vienna The 107 Bishopricks are 1. AGde 2. Agen. 3. Aire 4. Alet 5. Amiens 6. Angiers 7. Angoulême 8. Apt. 9. Arras 10. Auranche 11. Autun 12. Auxerre 13. Bayeux 14. Bayonne 15. Bazas 16. Beauvais 17. Bellay 18. Bethlehem 19. Beziers 20. Boulogne 21. St. Brien 22. Cahors 23. Carcassone 24. Castres 25. Cisteron 26. Chaalons 27. Chartres 28. Clermont 29. Cominges 30. Condom 31. Cornoüaille 32. Conserans 33. Coutance 34. De Dax 35. Digne 36. Dol. 37. Evreux 38. De Helne or Perpignan 39. St. Flour 40. Frejus 41. Gap 42. Geneva 43. Glandeve 44. Grace 45. Grenoble 46. Laitoure 47. Langres 48. Laon. 49. Lavaur 50. Leon. 51. Lescar 52. Limoges 53. Lizieux 54. Lodeve 55. Lombez 56. Luçon 57. Maçon 58. St. Malo 59. Mande 60. Du Mans. 61. Marseilles 62. Meaux 63. Mets. 64. Mire-Poix 65. Montauban 66. Montpellier 67. Nantes 68. Nevers 69. Nice 70. Nimes 71. Noyon 72. Oleron 73. St. Omer 74. Orange 75. Orleans 76. Pamiers 77. St. Papoul 78. St. Paul trois Chateaux or St. Paul 3 Castles 79. Perigueux Perpignan vide Elne 80. Poitiers 81. St. Pol de Lion 82. St. Pons de Tomiers 83. Le Puy 84. Rennes 85. Rieux 86. Riez 87. La Rochelle 88. Rodez 89. Saintes or Yaintes 90. Sars 91. Sarlat 92. Senez 93. Senlis 94. Soissons 95. Strasburg 96. Tarbas 97. Toul 98. Toulon 99. Tournay 100. Treguier 101. Troyes 102. Vabres 103. Valenco Die 104. Vannes 105. Vence 106. Verdun 107. Viviers 108. Vzais 109. Ypres Where Note That Valence and Die is a double Title and the Bishopricks of Geneva and Nice belong to the Duke of Savoy and are only named because part of them lie in the Territories of the King of France Now they follow according to the Order they are commonly placed in 1. And first because Paris is the Capital City of the Kingdom the ordinary Residence of our Kings and of the whole Court the Seat of the first and most August Parliament of the first University of Europe and of so many Famous and Illustrious Men I have thought fit to so many other Prerogatives and Primacies which it has above all other Cities of France to add that of naming it first among the Archbishopricks though it be but of late Creation with its three Suffragans which could not well be separated from it In placing the rest we shall follow the Ancient Division Secundum Notitiam Imperii and the Order of that considerable Book called Gallia Christiana or Description of France since made Christian 1. The Archbishoprick of Paris has three Bishopricks within its Jurisdiction viz. Chartres Meaux and Orleans The present Archbishop is Francis de Harlay Duke and Peer of France Provisour of the Sorbonne c. A Person of noble Extraction Learned Eloquent and very Courteous The Bishop of Chartres is Ferdinand de Neufville Councellour of State in Ordinary c. The present Bishop of Meaux is James Benigne Bossuet late Preceptor or Tutor to the Dauphin Famous for Controversy The Bishop of Orleans is Peter de Cambout de Coislin first Almoner to the King c. There are in this Archbishoprick 39 Abbies of Men besides five united to others and 32 Nunneries 2. The Archbishoprick of Lyons comprehends four Bishopricks viz. Autun Langres Chaalon and Macon The Archbishop is Archbishop and Count and Primate of the Gauls and is at present Camillus de Neufville de Ville-roy Lieutenant Governour for the King in the Country of Lyons c. The Cathedral of that City is very considerable the Canons of it being stiled Counts of Lyons and being obliged for their admission to make proof that they are noble by five Generations both on their Fathers and Mothers side The Bishop of Autun who is by his Dignity perpetual President of he States of Burgundy and Administrator of both the Spiritualties and Temporalties of the Archishoprick of Lyons when the See is vacant c. is Gabriel de Roquette c. The Bishop of Langres who is Bishop and Duke of Langres and one of the ancient Peers of France is at present Lewis Armand de Simianes de Gordes c. The Bishop of Châlons on Saone being both Bishop and Count is Henry Felix de Tassy c. The Bishop of Mâcon is named Michael Cassagnet de Tilladet c. In this Archbishoprick
the Kings mark which is a Flower-deluce and that Gratis and without exacting any Fees The present Chief President of this Court is Nicho'as Cotignon de Chauvry Lord of Chawvry and of Breüil c. There are besides eight other Presidents twenty nine Councellers two Advocates and one Proctor-General one Substitute or Deputy to the Proctor-General who is likewise the Kings Proctor in the general Provostship of the Monies of France and one other Substitute who is likewise an Assessour in the general Provostship of the Monies or Mint One Recorder or Registrer in Chief one Chief Usher and seventeen other Ushers besides which there is a Provost-General of the Monies or Mint and Marshalsy of France who takes place after the last Councellour when he comes thither to bring the Criminal Processes to be judged that he has drawn up and taken information of There are likewise several Lieutenants and Exempts one Assessour some Registrers and sixty Archers or Guards In the year 1685. the King established a Hall and Chamber or Court for the Mint in the Town of Lisle for the Provinces of Flanders Artois Hainault Luxemburg the Town and Country of Lisle and Towns of Tournay and Cambray and the Countries of their Name CHAP. XXXV Of the Treasurers of France THE Treasurers General of France whose Institution is almost as ancient as the Monarchy were Erected into generalities about the year 1450. which were establisht in divers parts of the Kingdom to judge of all matters relating to the Crown Lands and the Kings Revenues They are of the Body of the Sovereign Companies or Courts and injoy the same Priviledges as the Chamber of Accounts in which they have Place sitting Voice and opinion deliberative or freedom of debating as they have likewise in the Court of Aids when they go thither about any important affairs They have likewise place and sitting in the Parliament with the Councellours when it is necessary for them to go thither for the Kings business or that of the publick and are Commissaries by their Places of the Sovereign Chambers of the frank or free Fiefs or Tenures of the Crown Lands c. They are reckoned among the Kings Domestick Officers that are Commoners in his Houshold and enjoy all Priviledges as such And in that Quality they are sworn to the King by the Chancellour before they are admitted to their Offices They give out all Orders concerning the Buildings and Reparations of all Royal Houses of Palaces where Courts of Justice are held of Presidials Bayliwicks Seneschalsies Provostships and other Royal Jurisdictions and of Bridges Causeys Pavements and other publick works but the Palace of the Louvre and some other Royal Houses were dismembred from their Office and Care when the Sieur de Fourey Treasurer of France at Paris caused the Office of Super-intendant of the Buildings to be Erected of which he got himself provided by Patent selling his former place of Treasurer of France All Letters of ennobling restoration of Blood Naturalization Legitimation Aubaine or Grant of deceased Strangers Goods or Estates Disinheritance Erections of Lands into Baronies Marquisates Counties and Dutchies and all Letters of Donation Impost or Toll Pensions and other Letters concerning the Kings Crown-Lands are to be addressed to them to be Registred in their Office All Levies of Taxes are to be made by vertue of Letters Patents addressed to them after they have given in to the King and the Lords of his Councel the Departments made by them of the Taxes upon the Elections in Execution of the Brief or Brevets his Majesty directs every year to them for that effect upon which Letters they make Remonstrances to his Majesty when need requires and send their annexed Schedules or Bills and Commands to the Persons Elected to lay Impositions accordingly on the Parishes within their respective Elections That Imposition is made in the generality of Paris by the Treasurers of France and other Commissaries distributed throughout the several Elections depending of that generality whither they go and preside in order to make a Regulation of the said Taxes together with the Officers thereto belonging They afterwards send to the general and particular Receivers the Accounts or Calculations of recovering or collecting the said Taxes in order to their receiving them The same method is to be used in levying all the other Monies raised in the Kingdom of what nature soever they be There are two Receivers-General of the Finances or Revenues in the generality of Paris and two Comptrollers-General of the Domain or Crown-Lands and Treasure which were Commissionated in 1670. All the Officers of the Elections of the Granaries of Salt and all the Officers concerned in the Accounts of the general or particular receits thereof or the Commissioners for the Receit of the Royal Deniers or Monies are admitted and sworn by these Treasurers and give up their Accounts there truly and exactly before they give them up to the Chamber of Accounts They are great Seers or Surveyours and have the Direction Oeconomy and Policy of the Surveys particularly of that of Paris as well for the High-ways and for hindring all Enterprises that may be made in them as for the Buildings and all advances jettings out incumbrances and nuisances of High-ways Views or Prospects and publick ways and passages And all Letters Patent for the removal changing and stopping up or inclosing of High-ways and the like matters are addressed to them as persons to whom the Cognisance of the Cause belongs and the parties therein concerned are cited and plead before them where Justice is rendred them without further Appeal There are twenty three Generalities in the Kingdom of France and twenty three Treasurers of France in every Office the first of which is at Paris in the Palace near St. Michael's Chappel These Treasurers meet on Mondays Tuesdays Thursdays and Fridays in the Morning and every Saturday the Commissioners for the Pavements likewise meet In Vacation time they meet but twice a Week viz. on Tuesdays and Fridays These Treasurers-General of France and of the Finances or Revenues and Grands Seers or Surveyours in the generality of Paris are as follows There are four Presidents 19 Councellers-Treasurers two Advocates and one Proctor-General for the King one Recorder or Register one Chief Usher and House-Keeper and five other Ushers Of the Chamber of the Treasury In the Great Hall of the Palace is the Chamber of the Treasury which privately or exclusively to all other Judges takes cognisance of the payment of the Dues and Farms of the Crown-Lands and of the differences arising on that subject Of the Duties of Abeine or deceased Strangers Estates of Bastardise disinheriting and of the Fines and Amerciaments awarded by the Decrees of the Parliament and all incidents arising thence from which there lay an Appeal to the Parliament The Officers of the Chamber of the Treasury have another Chamber besides in the Office of the Treasurers of France where they assemble sometimes The Treasurers of
allowance of 131 l. 12 d. a Month for their Diet. The Super-Intendant of the Musicks Office is to examine the Voices and Instruments that compose it that so his Majesty may have good Musick All that is to be sung by this Musick is first to be concerted in his presence and he may if he please keep a Page with him There are two Masters of the Children of the Musick who have the charge of keeping and instructing the three Pages of the Musick of the Chamber and have a Salary of 720 l. These Masters in the absence of the Super-intendant officiate for him There is one Composer of the Musick who may if he please be always doing and beating the Measures of his Works before they come to be examined by the Super-Intendant He that now enjoys this place is the Famous Baptist Lully an Italian by Nation whose Salary is 600 l. There are besides several Singers and Players on Instruments belonging to this Musick who have each a Salary of 600 l. and an allowance of 800 l. for their Diet and 80 Crowns for their Horses to follow the Court. There is likewise a Band of Violins called still the great Band of 24 though they be at present 25 who have each a Salary of 365 l. and play at the Kings Dinner and at Balls and Comedies And another lesser Band called the little Violins in number 21 who have each 600 l. Salary They follow the King along the Country and commonly play at his Supper and at Balls and other his Majesties Recreations with whom at certain Ceremonies as at Coronations Entries into Towns Marriages and other great Solemnities and Rejoicings the other Band of the Violins of the great Stables together with the Hoboys and other Musick of which we shall speak in their place are made to play There is likewise one Usher in Ordinary and Advertiser of the Balets and one Keeper of the Musick-Instruments instead of the two Dwarfs which were used to be specified in the Book of Establishment who have each a Salary of 300 l. Note that whether it be to insinuate the Grandeur of the Kings and Sons of France above all other Soveraign Princes or for some other reason is uncertain it is the Custom in the Court of France that when the Musick of the Kings Chamber by his Majesties Order goes to play before any of the Princes of the Blood except the Sons of France or before any other Princes though they be Soveraign if those Princes put on their Hats the Musick of the Kings Chamber put on their Hats too Thus they did before the Duke of Lorrain at Nantes in the year 1626. but at Perpignan in the year 1642. the Prince of Morgues being told of this Priviledge choser rather to hear the Musick Bare-headed The same thing was observed at the Palace of Mazarin before the Princes of Modena and Mantua in presence of the late Cardinal Mazarin Of the Gentlemen in Ordinary of the Kings Houshold They were Created by Henry the Third to the number of 48 but Henry the Great reduced them to 24. They are entred upon the Book of Establishment and divided into two Bodies as serving each their half year although they observe not so exactly that Order in Waiting The last King Lewis the XIII having exiled one of these Gentlemen and given his place to another the Queen Anne of Austria being Regent re-establisht him that was Exiled without Discarding the other that held his place so that and since that another place was added by way of recompense to a Gentleman for Voyages he had made to Constantinople both which places are still continued so that there are at present 26 but the number to which Henry the IV. reduced them was but 24. They ought to keep near the Kings Person to receive his Commands and when the King has any business to negotiate in Foreign Countries any Troops to be conducted to the Army or to be disposed of into Winter-Quarters when he has occasion to have his pleasure Communicated in the Provinces of his Kingdom and in the Parliaments and Soveraign Courts he commonly makes use of these Gentlemen in Ordinary He likewise makes use of them in all Complements of Congratulation or Condoleance he has a mind to send to other Kings and Sovereign Princes upon any subject of Joy or Affliction befallen them or when he would sound their intentions in any actions that seem to have been done by their Ministers and owned by them as also when he is pleased so far to honour any of the Princes and great Lords of his Kingdom so far as to send to visit them or to present them any Dignities Offices or Marks of Honour from him When the King goes to the Army they have the honour to be his Aids de Camp and if any Prisoners of note be taken his Majesty charges them with the Conduct of them so far as to the Fortresses where his pleasure is to have them kept They are also appointed by the King to attend on Princes and Princesses Exiled that come into France At the Funeral Solemnities of any Children of France they have the Honour to hold up the Corners of the Pall. The King usually commits to them the Government of some young Prince or other They have every of them a Salary of 2000 l. a year which is paid them at the Treasure-Royal upon an establishment apart They had formerly too a Table to themselves but at present they eat at the old Table of the Great Master otherwise called the Table of the Masters of the Houshold They had once a Chief over them who was the Constable of Luynes who had been one of them but they desired his Majesty they might have no more Nor has this Order of Gentlemen onely produced one Constable but several Marshals of France and Knights of the King Orders as the Marshal de Toiras the Marshal de Marillac and several others And because in all Books of Establishments made for the Kings Houshold the Physicians and other Officers relating to the preservation or recovery of health are always placed next after those of the Chamber we shall therefore observe the same Order and speak now Of the Kings Physicians and other Officers of Health Under these two Titles are comprehended First The Physicians 2. The Chyrurgions 3. The Apothecaries 1. The Physicians are The Chief Physician has a Salary of 3000 l 2000 l. Board-Wages at the Chamber of Deniers 16000 l. for his Maintenance 3000 l. for his Coach and abundance of other Gratuities and Perquisites He has a very great Power and can License any to practice Physick though they never passed the formalities of taking Degrees in that Science Note That the Chief Physician sometimes gives Orders in the Kitchin what Diet shall be provided for his Majesty and how when he is under a Course of Physick The first Physicians of the King the Queen the Dauphin and Dauphiness though they be not Doctors of the Faculty
of Paris as very frequently they are not yet when they go to the Physick School at Paris in their White-Sattin Robes are received at the Door by the Dean of that Body accompanied with some Batchellors of Physick with the Beadles before them There is one Physician in Ordinary who is to attend on the Kings Person in the absence of the Chief Physician who has 1800 l. Salary upon the Establishment paid at the Treasure Royal and 1500 l. Board-Wages paid at the Chamber of Deniers And eight other Physicians serving two every Quarter who have each of them a Salary of 1200 l. paid at the Treasury Royal and 1098 l. Bord-Wages at the Chamber of Deniers at the rate of a Crown a Day These in their several turns of Waiting are always to be present at the Kings rising and going to Bed and at his Meals though he be never so well And when the King touches for the Evil and washes the poor peoples Feet on Maundy-Thursday they or their Superiours are first to visit the Persons that present themselves for Cure And every time the King Touches these Physicians have at the Chamber of Deniers each of them an allowance of 17 l. 9 d. and 4 Deniers in lieu of a former allowance of a dozen of Bread two Quarts of Table-Wine and six Larded Fowls There are besides four Spagyrical or Chymical Physicians who have each a Salary of 1200 l. and several Honorary or Titular Physicians 2. The Chyrurgions are 1. The Chief Chyrurgion who is like wise Guardian of the Charters and Priviledges of the Chyrurgions and Barbers of the whole Kingdom and has a very great Power He has a Salary of a 1000 l. paid by the Treasurers of the Houshold and 1277 l. Board-Wages paid at the Chamber of Deniers besides large and frequent Gratuities and License-Money and Presents from all the Chyrurgions of the Kingdom He has an Apartment in the Kings own Lodgings One Chyrurgion in Ordinary who has a Salary of 1000 l. paid by the Treasurers of the Houshold and 500 l. Board-Wages at the Chamber of Deniers Eight Chyrurgions waiting quarterly two every quarter who have every of them 600 l. Salary 300 l. gratuity at the Treasure Royal and 200 l. Board-Wages at the Chamber of Deniers Besides what is paid them by those that rent the Shops of them they have Priviledge to keep in Paris or in any other Town they shall chuse their dwelling House in And every time the King Touches they have the same allowance that the Physicians have as we have said on the same occasions The Chyrurgions are likewise to be present at the Kings Meals and at his rising and going to Bed as are the Physicians and besides are obliged to follow his Majesty on Hunting for fear of any accident and when he is upon the march into the Country or the Field they are always to keepnigh the Kings Coach There is one Chyrurgion-Major of the Kings Armies and Camps and many others that are only Titular and never wait as such The Kings Chyrugions and Apothecaries have the Priviledge to keep open Shop in Paris or elsewhere which they commonly let out as we have said to others 3. The Apothecaries Are four Chiefs who have a Salary of 1000 l. and 600 l. more allowed them for their Groom They serve quarterly every one their quarter and have every one his Aid or Helper These Aids or Helpers being likewise four have every one of them a Salary of 200 l. paid by the Treasurers of the Houshold and 266 l. 13 d. four Deniers Board-Wages at the Chamber of Deniers Note That a Denier is the twelfth part of a penny or the third of a farthing Besides which both the Chiefs and they have other allowances as followeth 1. The Head or Chief Apothecary that waits the first quarter of the year beginning at Newyears Tide is allowed instead of his Diet and some other things he used to have 1070 l. in Money and 42 l. more for furnishing Sugar to the Kings Kitchin on the 42 Fish-Days that happen in his quarter at 20 d. a day and his Aid 180 l. Augmentation Money at the Chamber of Deniers 2. He that waits the second quarter is allowed for the same Considerations 940 l. and 43 l. for furnishing Sugar to the Kings Kitchin on the 43 Meager or Fish-Days that happen in his quarter at the rate of 20 d. a day and his Aid is paid 182 l. at the Chamber of Deniers 3. He that waits the third quarter has upon the account aforesaid 940 l. and 29 l. for Sugar on the 29 Fish-Days in his quarter His Aid has 184 l. at the Chamber of Deniers 4. He that waits the last quarter has for Board-Wages and other things as abovesaid 1000 l. and 29 l. for Sugar for so many Fish-Days happening in his quarter And his Aid has an augmentation of 184 l. at the Chamber of Deniers It is only since 1682. that the Ordinary formerly allowed the Apothecaries in specie was turned into Money The Apothecary that attends on the Duke of Burgundy or any other of the Dauphins Children is allowed during the time of his Waiting 100 d. a day for his own and his Mans Diet. Note That in the Books of the Establishments the Physicians Chyrurgions and Apothecaries are stiled only Maitres or Masters which is a Title beneath that of a Gentleman so much less esteem do they put upon the Science of Physick in France than they do in England The Apothecaries furnish not only Medicines but also some kind of Comfits into the Coffers of the Chamber and other Compositions of Aniseed of Fennel and of Citron-Peel and Spirit of Wine and some other necessary Liquors without being obliged to the Formality of tasting any of them They make Sweet-Bags for the Kings Cloths Linnen and Perriwigs There is always a Carriage of Apothecaries Ware that follows the King There are besides these several Apothecaries Distillers and other Supernumeraries who have no certain times allowed them for waiting but only serve occasionally And many Operators Herbalists and others Of the Barber-Chyrurgions c. that serve the Houshold and the Chamber we have already spoken CHAP. XVII Of the Great Master of the Horse and of the Kings Stables THE Present Great Master of the Horse is Louis de Lorrain Count of Armagnac his Standing Salary is 3600 l. besides which he has 2400 l. Board-Wages upon the Establishment of the Great Stables and 6000 l. Board-Wages more upon the Establishment of the Chamber of Deniers and many other Fees and Perquisites It was formerly the Great or High Constable of France that had the Super-intendance over the Kings Stables who therefore was called Comes Stabuli that is Count of the Stable but when that Great Officer came to be entrusted with the general Command of the Armies the Care of the Kings Horses was wholly left to him who then was called Escuier that is Usher or Squire who was an Officer
Lodgings are meant those Lords or other Great Persons who are recommended to be lodged in the Town by the Kings express order Note That the same Harbinger that makes the Body very often marks to the Lodgings for the Ranks and abovesaid preferred persons 3. Another Harbinger marks out the Ordinary of the Kings Houshold that is Lodgings for the Officers of it viz. For the first or chief Almoner for the chief Master of the Houshold for the Master of the Houshold in Ordinary for the Captain of the Guards of the Gate for the Lieutenant and Ensigns of the Life-guards and generally for all the other Officers of the Kings Houshold It often happens that besides the Harbinger that marks out the Stables in the Town there is another that takes up Stables in the Neighbouring Villages and provides Lodgings for the Equipages The King generally is prevail'd on with much facility to grant to the Marshals of his Lodgings and his other Harbingers Reversions of their Places in favour not only of their Sons but of their Grand-Sons Sons-in-Law Brother and Nephews He also grants them Briefs impouring them to retain or stop a certain summ to be deducted out of the yearly Revenue of their places and paid by their Successours for their Wives if they have no Children for their Daughters if they have no Sons or if they have neither Wives nor Children for the younger Brethren of their Family At the first Entries made by Kings into any Cities of their Kingdom the Officers of the Town are to pay a certain summ as a Fee to the Marshals and Harbingers of the Kings Lodgings or else the one half of the profits of the Triumphal Arches Porches Tapistries and all the Decorations is to fall to the Marshals and the other to the Harbingers of the said Lodgings The Marshals of the Queens Lodgings and of those of the Dauphiness of Monsieur of Madame and the particular Harbingers of the Princes of the Bloud of the Chancery and of other Bodies as also the Men or Messengers sent by other Princes Dukes and Peers and other great Lords to take up their Lodgings receive their Quarters or Lodgings from the Marshals and Harbingers in Ordinary of the Kings Houshold Whenever Monsieur or Madame happen to be travelling in Company with the Queen or the Dauphiness when the King is not there then the Marshals or Harbingers of the Queen or Dauphinesses Lodgings are to appoint Monsieurs or Madams Harbingers what Lodgings and Quarters they are to take up The Marshals and Harbingers in Ordinary of the Kings Lodgings are reputed to be of the Body of the Kings Gend'armes or Men at Arms as having been formerly drawn out of the antient Companies of the said Gend'armes and the late King Lewis the Thirteenth who under-stood exactly well the original of all the different Offices of his Houshold gave the Marshals of his Lodgings place in and incorporated them into his Company of Gend'armes at the Head of which his Majesty usually fights on a day of Battel or on any other occasion and made the Harbingers serve in his Company of Musketeers at the Siege of Corbie to which service he summoned all his whole Houshold that is the Arrire-ban of his Houshold which he placed by themselves in his Army This said number of Gend'armes detached out of the antient Companies was usually sent before to provide Lodging and Quarters for his Majesty and the Troops that were with him And still to this day the Marshals of the Kings Lodgings both in Town and Country give out the Orders for the quartering of the French Life-guards of the hundred Suissers of the Gend'armes of the light Horse of the Musketeers of the Regiments of the French and Swisse-guards when all the said Troops attend the King in his march And in effect the Marshals of the Lodgings in France are what the Quarter-Masters are in Germany who rise to the Highest Commands in Armies The Marshals and Harbingers of the Kings Lodgings were formerly likewise Marshals or Quarter Masters of the Camps and Armies and the same persons that provided Lodgings for the Kings Houshold always took up Quarters to for the Armies as have done several of them that are still living But some of their Body in the time of the late King Lewis the Thirteenth got themselves made Marshals peculiarly of the Camps and Armies and got Patents of it as of a distinct Office notwithstanding which the Marshals and Harbingers of the Lodgings of the Houshold serve still in the Armies either in the absence of the others who have Patents as is said for being Camp-Marshals or Quarter-Masters or when the number of these others is not sufficient for all the Armies the King has on Foot When the King is in an Army the Marshals of the Lodgings of his Houshold have priviledge to take at least two thirds of the room to lodge his Majesty and all the Officers of the Royal Houses and it was Ordered by the King that the remaining third should be disposed of by the said Marshals of the Lodgings or Quarter-Masters of the Camps and Armies for the general Officers and other Officers in the Army necessary to be near his Majesties Person I say the Marshals of the Kings Lodgings have power to take up at least two thirds for the King because if after they have divided the whole into three equal parts there should remain two or but one Lodging over and above those one or two so over and above or supernumerary are to be taken up likewise for his Majesty and his Court that they may be scanted As for Example It is true that where there is but thirty Lodgings the Marshals of the Lodgings of the Houshold are to take but twenty and the general Officers of the Army are to have the other ten but of fifty Lodgings or Lodgments the Marshals of the Kings Lodgings will take thirty four and the general Officers of the Army will have but sixteen and of forty Lodgments the Kings Marshals will have twenty seven and leave the general Officers but thirteen By the antient Order according to the Rules made for that purpose none but the Kings Harbingers can mark out Lodgings with white Chalk those of the Princes and others being obliged for distinctions sake to mark out theirs with a yellow Crayon with this further difference that the Kings mark only is put upon the Street-Doors and the others only upon the Doors of particular Chambers within side the House The Order observed in Quartering in an Army In an Army where the King is Present the first Quarter is for him or where he is not for the General and the next belongs to a Marshal of France to chuse or if there be two Marshals of France there together then he that Commands that Day or Week is to have the Choice for sometimes they agree to Command by turns one one Day or one Week and another another But if there happen to
be more than two together without having any Command there then they chuse their Quarters according to their standing And next to the Marshals of France the Dukes and Peers take place for in Armies Dukes and Peers are Lodged always after Marshals of France But in following the Court out of an Army this Order is observed First their Majesties are Lodged then other Royal Persons then the Princes and Princesses then the Great Officers of the Crown after them the Dukes and Peers and lastly the Marshals of France The Chancellour is Lodged next after the Princes and in marking his Lodging the word Pour or for is used the meaning of which we have already explained Besides all which which are called the Ranks there are the Preferred of which we have spoken The Marshals and Harbingers of the Kings Lodgings are also employed by his Majesties special Command to provide Lodgings for the Assemblies of the States General of the Kingdom when any are called or for the States of any particular Province when the King is to be present at them as likewise for the Assemblies of the Clergy which is to be understood when they assemble in any other place but Paris for there no Lodgings are marked for them Likewise when the persons composing any Soveraign Courts or other publick Bodies are to meet at St. Denis in France by the Kings Order and according to Custom to assist at the Funeral Pomps or Solemnities made at the Burials or Anniversary Services for Kings Queens and Princes or Princesses of the Blood or others the Marshals and Harbingers of the Kings Lodgings go thither some dayes before to provide them Lodgings The King too usually sends the said Marshals and Harbingers of his Lodgings to meet Foreign Princes and Princesses that come into or pass through his Kingdom to order and prepare Lodgings for them every where as they pass The Title and Quality of Squires has been conferred and confirmed upon the Marshals and Harbingers in Ordinary of the Kings Lodgings by several Orders of the Council of State Next the Marshals and Harbingers of the Lodgings is the Captain of the Guides with his Company who is a necessary Officer in Journies Of the Captain of the Guides The Office of Captain of the Guides for the Conducting of his Majesty formerly enjoyed by one is now exercised by two Brothers who part between them the following Salary and Profits viz. 2000 l. Salary paid quarterly by the Treasurers of the Houshold 600 l. a Month extraordinary during any Voyage or Journey and 300 l. when the Court is at any of the Royal Houses they eat at the Kings Serdeau's or Water-Servers Table with the Gentlemen Waiters The Captain of the Guides when the King is on his march along the Country is always to keep by one of the Boots or Portals of the Kings Coach to be ready to tell his Majesty the names of the places Cities Castles Towns and Villages upon the Road if he ask them or resolve any other Question concerning them There are commonly at least two Guides on Horseback that wear the Kings Livery that ride a little before his Majesty to Conduct him and place themselves ordinarily at the head of the Light-Horse If there be any need of repairing the High-ways for the Kings Passage the Captain of the Guides usually lays out what is needful for that purpose and is repaid again at the Treasure-Royal For fear the Officers of the Goblet or of the Mouth should fail to come up to the place where the King is to eat when he is travelling along the Country the Captain of the Guides sometimes gives them notice in what part of the Way his Majesty has a mind to Dine He has power to settle Guides to Conduct his Majesty in every Town of the Kingdom and after he has given his Grants to the said Guides they are admitted as such before the Marshals of France These Guides wear the Kings Livery and are exempted from Billeting of Souldiers The Captain of the Guides is sworn by the High Constable of France when there is one or otherwise by the Eldest Marshal of France Of some other Officers necessary in Journies which depend on the Great Master of the Houshold viz. One Waggon-Master of the Kings Equipage that Conducts all the Equipage and commands all the Captains and takes his Orders from the Office of the Houshold This Office was Created in 1668. He has an allowance of 100 l. a Month out of the Chamber of Deniers when the Court is on its march along the Country and 50 l. a Month when it is at Paris and 400 l. besides extraordinary Wages for the extraordinary pains he takes for the Kings Service in doing what is order'd him by the Office allowed him upon the last Bill of every Quarter One Aid or Helping Waggon-Master whose Office was also Created the same year 1668. who has when the Court is at Paris 25 l. a Month and when it is on the march 50 l. a Month allowed him at the Chamber of Deniers We have already spoken of the Captain of the Mules of the Chamber in speaking of the said Chamber of which he depends Two Captains of the Carriages of the Kings Houshold who have a Salary of 300 l. a piece paid by the Treasurers of the Houshold and besides at the Chamber of Deniers an allowance to them for the maintenance of fifty ordinary Horses at the rate of 23 d. a day for each Horse 57 l. 10 d. a day or 21045 l. a year They Conduct all the Carriages of the seven Offices when the Court marches either in Person or by their Servants One Captain-Keeper and Guardian-General of the Tents and Pavilions of the Court and of his Majesties Pavilions of War who has a Salary of 800 l. and 50 l. a Month extraordinary in time of Service and One Keeper of the Tents of the Courts of the Kitchins and of his Majesties Stables who is allowed 50 l. a Month at Paris and 100 l. a Month in the Country at the Chamber of Deniers CHAP. XX. Of the Judge of the Kings Court and Retinue who is the Provost of the Houshold or Great Provost of France THE Provost of the Kings Houshold or Great Provost of France is the ordinary Judge of the Kings Houshold The Title of Great Provost implies two things For first He is Judge of the Kings Houshold and Secondly He is Captain of a Company of a hundred Guards called the Guards of the Provostship which is another part of his Office in the Kings House We shall speak of him here only as in the first quality reserving the latter till we come to the Military Officers of the Houshold His Office is one of the ancientest of the Kings Houshold and one may say that in the Jurisdiction which he retains of administring Justice to all the Kings Officers and other Persons that follow the Court he has succeeded the antient Count or Mayor of the Palace which
that pay the Officers of it THE Secretary of the Houshold who is at present the Marquiss of Seignelay the late Great Colberts Eldest Son who has as Secretary of the Kings Houshold 3000 l. Salary and 1200 l. as Secretary of the Chamber besides 6000 l. Board-Wages and 1200 l. for his first Commis or Clerk In all the Books of Establishment the Treasurers are placed after all the rest of the Houshold in this Order 1. There are three Treasurers of the Epargne or Spare Treasure that is to say the Treasure of the Kings clear Money all charges of the state born that are intituled Keepers of the Treasure Royal they wait by turns and pay all the Treasurers of the Kings Houshold 2. Three Treasurers of the Kings Offrings Alms and Devotions These Treasurers have no Comptroller 3. General Treasurers of the Houshold that serve by turns every one his year they are allowed each 1800 l. Board-Wages at the Chamber of Deniers 'T is upon the Certificates of these Treasurers that credit is given in all the Provinces throughout the Kingdom for maintaining the Kings Officers in their Priviledges as Exemption from Taxes Committimus c. They take the Oath of Fidelity in the Chamber of Accounts To these belong two Comptrollers Three Treasurers of the Cash or Pay-Office of the Chamber serving by turns Three Treasurers of the Kings Pocket or private Expences and of the affairs of his Chamber They pay the Expences of the Kings Cloaths and Furniture and the Fees allowed several Officers for their Cloathing We have already spoken of the Masters of the Chamber of Deniers and the Comptrollers-General of the Cash or Pay-Office of the Chamber and of the private Expences in treating of the Chamber Two Treasurers of the Stables that pay all the Expences and Officers of the Stables and one Comptroller of the same Four Treasurers of every Company of Life-Guards which make twelve in all besides the Quadriennial ones Three Treasurers of the hundred Suissers Three Treasurers of the Provostship of the Houshold three Treasurers of the Gend'armes or Men at Arms. The Treasurers of the other Companies as of the light Horse the Musketeers the Gentlemen au bec de Corbin or Gentlemen Pensioners Three Treasurers of the French-Guards and their Comptrollers Three Treasurers of the Suisse-Guards The Treasurers of the casual Revenues Two General Treasurers of the Ordinary of the Wars that pay all the old Regiments The Treasurers of the Extraordinary of the Wars that pay all the new Regiments Three Treasurers of the Game and of Hunting Three Treasurers of the Buildings One General Treasurer of the Vessels or Navy One Treasurer of the Gallies A Treasurer of the Bridges and Causeys and many others All these Treasurers receive their money every Month at the Treasure Royal except those of the Life-Guards who receive theirs once a Week for as for their other appointments they are not paid till the Years end Note That the Salaries and appointments of the Kings Officers cannot be stopt in the hands of the Treasurers according as it has been determined by several Orders and among others by an Order of the Privy-Council of the 5th of June 1657. CHAP. XXIV Of the Kings Pleasures and the Officers thereunto belonging FOrmerly instead of the Great Huntsman the Great Falconer and the Great Wolf-Hunter there were only entred upon the Books of Establishment of the Houshold Hunters Falconers Partridge-Catchers Fowlers Wolf-Hunters and other Officers necessary for the Game And there used to be two great Hunting-Seasons observed in the Year viz. at the risings of the Parlement or Assises which were held but twice a year I. Article Of the Great Hunter or Huntsman This Officer has a Salary of 1200 l. 10000 l. appointment and for his Dogs 6387 l. 10 d. which is in all 17587 l. 10 d. a year besides other Gifts from the King Almost all the Offices and places here under-named are in his disposal when vacant He is sworn by the King himself and gives Grants to the other Officers of the Venery or Hunting-Office He was formerly called The Great Forester He has the super-intendance over all the Officers of the Kings Hunting-Office The first Great Hunter was William de Gamaches under Charles the Sixth or long before as some will have it one Hugues Sire or Lord of Lesigems Under him are these Officers viz. One Lieutenant in Ordinary of the Hunting-Office whose Salary is 1000 l. Four Lieutenants Quarterly-Waiters put in by the King whose Salary is 1000 l. Four other Lieutenants ordinarily Waiting at the said Office Four Deputy-Lieutenants Quarterly-Waiters at 500 l. Salary One other Deputy-Lieutenant Forty seven Gentlemen Hunters and four other Gentlemen Hunters in Ordinary One Servant of the Dogs in Ordinary on Horse-back Salary 400 l. Four Servants of the Dogs in Ordinary on Horse-back Quarterly-Waiters Salary 200 l. Eighteen Servants of the Bloodhounds at 150 l. Salary Fifteen Servants of the Dogs Quarterly-Waiters at 100 l. and two other Servants of the Dogs at 60 l. Four Harbingers at 150 l. Four little Servants or Boys in Ordinary to look after the Dogs that lie under the same roof with them at 80 l. apiece Two Pages at 600 l. Two Farriers at 75 l. One Chyrurgion at 150 l. One Gelder of Dogs and Curer of Madness at 75 l. One Porter or Carrier of the Hunting Bed Three General Treasurers before-mentioned whose Salary with all other profits amounts yearly to 9300 l. each They take the Title of Counsellours to the King Three Comptrollers of the Hunting-Office of Hunting-Nets and of the Falconry who have each 2065 l. 13 d. 4 deniers Salary 1. The first and chief Hunting of France is that of the Red Deer 2. That of the Wild-Goat and Fallow-Deer 3. That of the Hare and Fox 4. That of the Wolf 5. That of the Wild-Boar There is a Pack of Hounds for the Wild-Goat to which belong two Lieutenants who have 800 l. apiece yearly allowance One Baker who has 60 l. Salary and 4925 l. for feeding and maintaining the Dogs Three Prickers or Markers who have 683 l. 6d and 8 Deniers or a half-penny Three Foot-Servants of the Dogs at 275 l. each and several other Servants of the Dogs at 300 l. apiece One Page at 600 l. There is a Company of Horse-Guards of the Kings Pleasures within the extent of the Plains Woods and Thickets near or within ten Leagues of the City of Paris under the Command of the Great Hunter under whom there is Lieutenant at 600 l. and a Deputy Lieutenant at 300 l. yearly Salary And six Archers or Horse-Guards at 150 l. a Man There is likewise a Pack of Scotch-Hounds for the Hare to which belong A Lieutenant who has 1000 l. Salary and 150 l. for a Page A Baker at 60 l. a Pricker or Marker of the Dogs who has 647 l. 10 d. Salary and 70 l. for Cloaths A foot Servant of the Dogs at 216 l. and a Page as abovesaid
who have 60 l. Salary apiece viz. One Shomaker in Ordinary one Shomaker of the Wardrobe one Jeweller one Shomaker of the Stable one Joyner one Linnen-Draper one Needle-Maker one Herb-man and Orange-Merchant one Grocer one Pin-Maker and one Baker There are four Marshals of the Lodgings or Chief Harbingers at 150 l. each In the Stable are One Chief Querry or Master of the Horse who has in all for his Appointments and Board-Wages 5445 l. Two Querries in Ordinary 2000 l. each Four Querries quarterly Waiters 500 l. each Six Pages Two Querries Cavalcadours or Riders 546 l. each One Comptroller-General of the Stable 1200 l. One Secretary of her R. Highnesses Commandments 4200 l. One Intendant or Surveyour of the House and Revenues Six other Secretaries 300 l. each Two Sollicitours of Affairs 500 l. One Treasurer of the Houshold whose Salary is 3000 l. Other Officers of the Stable Ten Great Footmen who have every of them 20 d. a day that is 366 l. a year besides their Summer and Winter Cloaths One Footman belonging to the Maids of Honour who is allowed 20 d. a day or 366 l. a year Two Manto-Carriers at 292 l. each Two Coaches the first called the Coach of the Body and a second Coach who have each of them one Coachman and one Postilion the Coachman of the first Coach has 200 l. Salary and he of the second 150 l. and the Postilions have each of them 100 l. Besides which there is a Coach for the Maids of Honour and another for the Waiting-Gentlewomen to each of which belong one Coachman and one Postilion who have every of them 100 l. Salary One Head-Groom in Ordinary 100 l. Two Chair-men 365 l. each Two Farriers 100 l. each One Keeper of the Moveables of the Stable 100 l. Two Taylors one Flock-Bed-Maker one Wheel-wright at 60 l. each One Chirurgeon 220 l. One Barber to trim the Pages 100 l. One Dancing-Master and one Fencing-Master at 200 l. each One Governour of the Pages 300 l. One Almoner in Ordinary and Tutor of the Pages 200 l. One Servant of the Pages 100 l. And lastly One Pay-Master or Cash-Keeper of the Stable whose Salary is 100 l. We have already spoken of the Duke of Chartres THE Present State OF FRANCE PART II. Of the Nobility of France CHAP. I. Of the Nobility in General IN France as in most other Countries not only those which are Princes Peers and Great Lords but all Gentlemen of ancient Descent and that are enobled by the King are reckoned into the Body of the Nobility and there the King often gives Letters of Nobility as they are called whereby he constitutes the person receiving them Noble or makes him a Gentleman without Conferring upon him any particular Title of Honour contrary to the practice used in England It is to be noted too that there neither Arts nor Sciences ennoble neither Lawyers nor Physicians nor Divines being accounted noble or Gentlemen unless they be otherwise so or enjoy some Place or Dignity that gives them the Title of Lord which is only temporary and personal The Chief Priviledges of Nobles or Gentlemen are to be Exempt from Taxes and to enjoy some other immunities and be capable of enjoying Dignities and rising to Honour If they take Church Dignities or addict themselves to the Law they derogate not from their Nobility though they increase it not but if they follow any Trade or Commerce or marry with any Family not Noble they derogate and lose their quality and till of late those that medled with Sea-Affairs were reckoned to derogate likewise but that being found prejudicial to the Improvement of the Power of France by Sea It was Order'd by the present King having concerns in publick Companies such as the East-India Company that studying or practising Sea-Experience should not only not derogate but be encouraged with Priviledges and accordingly appointed publick Schools and Nurseries in several Marine Places with good Endowments wherein a considerable number of the younger Sons of the meaner Nobility might be instructed in Navigation and Maritime Affairs and trained up to make useful Sea-Officers So that now the younger Sons or Cadets of the Gentry are either provided for in the Church with Ecclesiastical Dignities or raise themselves by Military employs by Sea or Land not so many as formerly affecting the civil ones because they are such as are often enjoyed by the Sons of rich Citizens or Farmers of Taxes whom they a little disdain for Companions The Nobility or Gentry in France is the most numerous of any Kingdom of the World they being reckoned above ten thousand able Bodies and generally well educated in all accomplishments that may make them serviceable to their Country and in them consists the Kings chief Force and he is in some respects as absolute over them as over the Peasants for though they pay no Taxes and cannot be legally compelled to take Arms unless upon an Invasion or imminent danger yet it is by Custom thought so disgraceful for any Principals or Heads of greater Families not to attend the King and spend what they have in his Court or Service or for Cadets or younger Brothers not provided for in the Church to follow any thing but the Wars by which only in a manner all Nobility was ever acquired there that the King can never want Souldiers among them It being almost impracticable for a Gentleman any thing considerable to live privately or retired there unless he thrust himself into a Convent CHAP. II. Of Dukes and Peers OF Dukes and of Peers severally and of such as are both Dukes and Peers there are six or seven sorts 1. The Antient Dukes and Peers 2. The Dukes and Peers verified in the Parliament of Paris as both Dukes and Peers 3. Such as are verified in the said Parliament only as Dukes 4. The Dukes or the Dukes and Peers that are verified as such in other Parliaments than that of Paris which is the only true Court of Peers 5. Those who are Dukes and Peers only by Patent under the Great Seal not verified or past yet in any Parliament 6. The Dukes and Peers by Brief as the House of Clermont-Tonnerre Besides which there are some Dukes of Foreign Creations as in the County of Avignon under the Pope and several other Persons who though they be no Princes nor Princesses yet are suffred by his Majesty to enjoy the Honours of the Louvre as to enter into the Louvre in their Coaches and their Ladies have the priviledge of the Low-stool or Tabouret before the Queen without having any Dutchy or Patent for any CHAP. III. Of the antient Peers of France THE Antient Peers were formerly twelve viz. Six Ecclesiastical Peers and six Secular ones The six Ecclesiastical ones are still in being and are these viz. 1. The Archbishop and Duke of Reims and first Peer of France who is at present Charles-Maurice le Teliier Brother to the Marquess of Louvois first Minister of State
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
all affairs relating to War the Tax called the Taillon the Artillery the Fortifications of the said Generalities the Buildings and Royal Houses and the Arts and Manufactures of France In this Department are the Parliament of Mets the Soveraign Councils of Perpignan Pignerol Tournay Alsatia and the Provincial Council of Artois 2. M. Seignelays Department comprises The Months of January May and September and the affairs of Paris and the Isle of France and Soissonnois as far as Noyon the Countries of Orleans and Blois the Fortifications of all Maritime Places and other Places within the Kingdom the Kings Houshold the Clergy the Admiralty and Sea-Affairs Commerce both within and without the Kingdom Manufactures out of the Kingdom the Gallies the East and West-India Companies and the Company of Senegal and other Countries within the Limits of their Patents the Breeding Horses and Pensions In this Department there is only the Parliament of Paris 3. Monsieur de Chateau-neufs Department comprises The Months of April August and December and the affairs of Languedoc both higher and lower and the County of Foix High and Low Guienne as far as Fontarabie Perigort Rouerge and Quercy Broüage the Country of Aunix the Town and Government of Rochelle Ré and Oleron Tourain Anjou Maine Perche and the County of Laval Bourbonnois Nivernois High and Low Auvergne Picardie and the Country of Boulogne Normandie Roüen Caen and Alençon Burgundy Bresse Bugey Valtomey and Gex and in general all Affairs relating to the Reformed Religion In this Department are the Parliaments of Toulouze Bourdeaux Roüen Dijon and Besançon 4. Monsieur Colbert de Croissy's Department contains The Months of March July and November and the affairs of Champagne and Brie Provence Brittany Berry Limousin Angoumois Xaintonge Lyonnois and Dauphiné Navarre Bearn Bigorre the Principality of Sedan Foreign Countries and Pensions In this Department are the Parliaments of Aix Grenoble Rennes and Pau. The Months set down under the name of each Secretary of State are those in which their turn is to dispatch all Letters or Patents for all the Liberalities Gifts and Benefices granted by the King in those Months The Parliaments contained within each Department are set down likewise under them to show that the Dispatches the King sends to any of the said Parliaments must all pass through the hands of that Secretary of State in whose Department they are and that the Deputies sent by the said Parliaments or States of the Provinces therein specified to the King are Conducted to their Audiences by the Secretaries of State to whose Department they belong In the time of Henry the second for the speedier Expedition of the many Affairs of State then depending there were six Secretaries of State chosen with this Proviso that the two first Vacancies among should not be filled up In that manner were the Secretaries of State established and reduced to the number of four as they continue to this day Rules made by the King at Fountainbleau for the Establishment of a Council-Royal for his Finances or Revenues With an account of the persons it consists of and the Order kept and observed in it The King having after it had pleased God to give Peace to his People seriously consider'd the ill condition of the Revenues of his Kingdom and the Causes from whence it proceeded His Majesty being willing to prevent the same inconvenience for the future resolved upon the present Regulation and Declaration of his will and pleasure therein First His Majesty has supprest for ever the Commission of Super-intendant of his Finances or Revenues with all the Functions annexed to it And his Majesty well knowing he could no way give greater marks of his love to his People than by taking to himself the care and administration of his Revenues for the more effectual retrenching of all the abuses crept thereinto and practised till now His said Majesty has resolved to call to his assistance a Council composed of Persons of known Ability and Honesty by whose advice he will act in the said Administration and Execute all those Affairs which were used to be formerly resolved on and put in Execution by the Super-intendant alone The said Council shall be called the Council-Royal of the Finances or Revenues and shall be composed of one Chief under the Authority and in the Presence of his Majesty when the Chancellour shall not be present in the said Council and of three Counsellers whereof one shall be Intendant of the Finances His Majesty reserving to himself the power to call in the Chancellour when he shall think fit at which times he shall take Place and Precedence there according to his Dignity as Chief of all the Kings Councils His Majesty reserves to himself the Sealing and Passing of all Orders touching the Expences accountable and the Monies employed as well for private Expences or Bills remitted any where and Interest and all other Expences whatever The Books and Accounts of the Disbursement of his Revenues as well those arising from the general Receits as from the Farms Woods Crown-Lands and all other Monies of what nature soever shall be returned by the Intendant of the Finances under whose Department they shall be with his Advices and Reasons concerning the Changes fit to be made therein into the hands of the said Council-Royal who are to make report thereof to his Majesty and receive his Orders thereupon after which the said Accounts shall be passed and signed by the said Intendant and returned into the hands of him that made the Report in Order to be Signed by his Majesty and by the Honourable Persons of the said Council in such Place and Order as his Majesty shall appoint The Intendant of the Finances that shall have the Honour to be of the said Council-Royal shall have the Exchequer or Treasure-Royal under his Department and consequently shall keep the Register of the whole that shall be received or disbursed which he shall Communicate to no Person whatever without express Order from his said Majesty All Orders shall be returned into his hands to be reported to his Majesty and shall be Registred and Paraphed or marked on the sides by him and afterwards passed by the Treasurers of the Exchequer whose turn it shall be to be in Office that year The said Intendant shall take all the Accounts of the Farms of the general Receits of the Woods Crown-Lands Extraordinary Affairs and all other Receits of what nature soever in order to making a Report thereof himself to the said Council-Royal that the said Accounts may be ratified and signed first by his Majesty and then by those of the said Council-Royal All Demands that shall be made of any new Offices within his Majesties Dominions shall be reported to and resolved on in the said Council-Royal And as to all those Affairs which used to be dedebated and determined in the Council of Finances and which were customarily signed by the Lord Chancellour his Majesty will hold the said Council on
of the Waters and Forests of Paris whose Court is kept in the Court of the Palace from whence Appeals are made to the abovesaid general Chamber of the Waters and Forests of France This particular Court is composed of one Master one Lieutenant one Proctor for the King and some other Officers CHAP. XXXVII Of the Constablrie and Marshalsy of France THE Constable and Marshals of France are the Head and Chief Officers that preside in this Court It is the Ordinary Court of Justice for the Militia or Souldiery both in Civil Politick and Criminal matters and is the sole and universal one for those matters throughout the whole extent of the Kingdom Their Sentences from whence Appeals may be made to the Parliament run in this stile The Constables and Marshals of France to all those who shall see these present Letters greeting c. Though at present there be no Constable because the eldest Marshal of France represents him making together with the other Marshals but one Body of which he is Head When the Marshals of France Assemble about any differences between any of the Nobility a person taken out of his Majesties Council and chosen by his Majesty out of those that are proposed to him for that purpose by the Marshals of France who is commonly either a Councellour of State or a Master of Requests assists together with the eldest Marshal of France then at Paris at all Assemblies that are held about the point of honour and makes report of all Affairs that pass there He that are present officiates that office is M. L' Advocat Master of Requests The Constabirie has power to take cognisance of the Admission and Functions of the Offices of all Provosts whether general provincial or particular and of Bayliffs Vice-Bayliffs Vice-Seneschals Lieutenants Criminal of the Short-Robe Knights of the Watch and their Lieutenants Assessours Kings Proctors Commissaries and Comptrollers for the Musters Treasurers of the Pay Receivers Payers and Registrers of the several Companies in what part of the Kingdom soever they be established It likewise Judges of all Faults Abuses and Misdemeanours committed by any of the Officers of the War Souldiery or Marshalfies The Officers of the Long-Robe belonging to this Court are a Lieutenant-General a Lieutenant particular and a Proctor for the King These three Officers besides the Priviledges which they enjoy as being esteemed Commoners of the Kings Houshold are Squires by their Places There are several Ushers belonging to this Court whereof four are always to attend actually upon it Of the Provost of the Constablrie The present Provost is M. Stephen Germain Sieur de St. Germain who is stiled Provost-General of the Constablrie and Marshalsy of France and Judge of the Camps and Armies of the King he is likewise called the Grand Provost of the Constablrie He has 2800 Livers or Pounds French yearly Salary and his Lodging among the Retinue of the Court and in the Camps and Armies he is lodged immediately next after the Marshal or Quarter-Master-General of the Lodgings of the Army He names and presents to the King all the Officers and Guards of his Company who upon his Nomination obtain Grants of their several Places in the Chancery He has priviledge to assist at the Examinations Admissions and swearing of the Provosts of the Marshals of Provinces and of Vice-Bayliffs Vice-Seneschals and Lieutenants Criminal of the Short-Robe of the Marshalsy and in general of all Officers of the Marshalsy of France with the Priviledge of having a deliberative Voice and a power of Inspection over them He Commands the Marshalsies when they are called together as when the Kings calls a Ban and Arriere Ban that is Summons the whole Body of the Nobility to appear in Arms. He is to take care all Military Ordinances be observed and takes cognisance of all Causes belonging to Provostships and others left to Extraordinary Judges He is supreme Judge without Appeal in all matters whether Civil Criminal or Political in the Camps and Armies where he sets a price upon Provisions and gives Pass-Ports to Merchants Furnishers of Munition Tradesmen and others following the Armies He has under him these following Officers viz. Three ancient Lieutenants whereof one is to be of the Long-Robe who have each of them 800 Livers yearly Salary two Lieutenants of later Creation whereof one has 500 and the other 600 Livers yearly Salary One Proctor for the King at 1200 Livers Salary He has power to substitute Deputies under him in other Marshalsies where there is no Proctor for the King Four Exemts who have 200 Livers Salary each one Register at 300 Livers and 48 Guards reckoning in the Trumpeter at 200 Livers each yearly Stipend To this Company belong a Commissary for the Musters whose Salary is 600 Livers and a Comptroller for the same at 300 Livers yearly stipend When they are in the Army these Officers have Extraordinary allowances over and above their standing Pay viz. The Lieutenant 150 Livers the Kings Proctor 100 Livers the Exempts 60 Livers apiece the Registrer 60 Livers and the Guards 25 Livers each When there are several Armies in the Field the Grand Provost of the Constablrie serves in the Army Royal or principal Army and his Lieutenants in the other Armies The Sword-Officers of this Company Mount the Guard and do service about the person of the eldest Marshal of France as Representing the Constable They are appointed for the Guard and keeping in Custody persons of Quality Gentlemen and Officers that have quarrels one with another And the Provost of the Constablry assists with the eldest Marshal of France at all Assemblies held upon occasion of such quarrels The Guards wear Hoquetons or Short-Coats wrought with Massie-Silver upon a blue ground and for their Device the first Letter of the Kings Name being a Crowned L between two Right Hands Armed with Gantlets set with Flower-deluces coming out of a Cloud and holding each a naked Sword with the point upwards with these words about it Non sine Numine i. e. not without a Deity or Divine Power which kind of Sword is called the Sword of the Constablrie These Officers are of the Body of the Gend'armerie or Men at Arms and have been hitherto maintain'd in the quality and priviledges of Commoners of the Kings Houshold The last Letters to this effect bear date the 22d of February 1653. There are also belonging to this Court and Company one Chief Assessour and one Chief Usher to serve Warrants and Orders who have each 300 Livers yearly Salary There is likewise a Provost-General of the Monies or Mint and Marshalsies of France named Augustin-Nicholas Langlois who has under him several Lieutenants and Exempts one Registrer and 60 Archers or Guards who have power to serve and execute Orders and Warrants The Provost-General of the Isle of France is Francis de Francini de Grand ' Maisons He has under him four Lieutenants eight Exempts one Registrer and ten Guards called Archers on
Horseback divided into six Brigades all about the Neighbourhood of Paris for the security of the Country The Provost of Senlis is Nicholas Bordereau CHAP. XXXVIII Of the Admiralty of France and other Courts kept within the inclosure of the Palace And first Of the Admiralty of France and of Guienne THis Court was formerly held too at the Marble Table but is at present kept in the great Hall of the Palace on that side next the Dauphins Hall It takes cognisance of all Affairs relating to the Admiralty and the splitting of Vessels Shipwracks and Commerce on the Sea both primarily and by way of Appeal and of the abuses and misdemeanours committed by the Officers of the particular subordinate Courts of Admiralty and of other Officers of Maritime Affairs The particular Courts from whence Appeals are made to this are those of Rochelle the Sands of Olonne Marans Callice Boulogâ—e Montreüil Abbeville St. Valery Eu and Hault The present Officers belonging to it are A Lieutenant-General who is the Sieur de Marbrelle and a Lieutenant particular four Counsellours one Proctor for the King one Recorder or Registrer and one Chief Usher The Days of Audience in this Court are Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays There are likewise other Chambers or Courts of Admiralty at Roüen Bourdeaux in Brittany and at Dunkirk and other places Of the Court of the Great Pantler of France This Court takes cognisance of all regulations among the Bakers who are admitted there To it belong A Lieutenant general and particular Mayor and Guardian of the Great Pantry of France who is Nicholas Petit-Jean or Little John one Proctor for the King one Registrer one Chief Usher and 13 Ushers Audiencers that reside some at Paris and some in the Countries The Audience Days in this Court are Mundays and Saturdays Of the Bailywick of the Palace In this Court are these Officers viz. A Bayliff who is Claudius Pelot a Lieutenant General a Proctor for the King and a Registrer This Court judges of all differences arising in the Halls and Court of the Palace The Court of the Masonry Is kept over the Dauphins Hall to it belong Three Counsellours who are Judges general of all Masons work in France The Court called the Court of the Bazoche For the regulation of the Clerks of the Palace and the Court for matters of Justice relating to importing and vending of Sea-Fish are still held too within the inclosure of the Palace And thus having spoke of the Courts of Judicature that are held within the inclosure of the Palace we shall next treat of the others held without it and particularly of the Chatelet or Castle of Paris Which is the ordinary Court of Justice of the City of Paris and the most considerable presidial Court in the Kingdom CHAP. XXXIX Of the Chatelet or Castle of Paris THE Administration of Justice for the Town Provostship and Vicounty of Paris is exercised under the Name of the Provost of Paris and in case of vacancy the Kings Proctor General of the Parliament is Guardian by his place of this Provostship and all Acts passing there during that time run in his name The Officers thereto belonging are A Provost called the Provost of Paris who is Charles-Denis de Bullion Marquiss of Gallerdon c. He had the Grant of this Office the 15th of February 1685. and took the usual Oath for it in Parliament on the 22d of May-following and the same day was solemnly Installed in the Chatelet and put into possession thereof by one of the Presidents à Mortier the Dean of the Lay-Counsellours of the Parliament and the eldest Clergy-man Counsellour of the Grand Chamber He has 8000 Livers yearly Sallary and allowance All Judgments and Sentences given in the Chatelet and all acts of Notaries run in his Name the Assembly of the Nobility of the Provostship of Paris for the Arriere-â—an is held in his House and it belongs to him to Conduct them to the Army This Office was always exercised by Persons of great Quality and Reputation Under him there are the following Officers viz. A Lieutenant Civil who is John le Camus Honorary Master of Requests a Lieutenant for the Policy or Government of the City Gabriel-Nicholas de la Reynie a Lieutenant Criminal James Defita two particular Lieutenants Fifty six Counsellours four Advocates and one Proctor for the King Eight Substitutes two Honorary Counsellours one Chief Recorder or Registrer with divers other Registrers both for Civil and Criminal Affairs and for Audiences Insinuations Presentations and other matters one Chief Usher Audiencer and several other Ushers Audiencers There are likewise belonging to it two Counsellours Judges-Auditours to decide small Suits not amounting to above the summ of 25 Livers one Registrer in Chief of the Auditours and one Chief Usher and two other Ushers-Audiencers of the said Auditours 48 Commissaries and 113 Notaries Together with the Proctors Ushers on Porseback and Ushers carrying Wands and the Ushers of the Provostship of Paris By the Edicts and Declarations of the present King Registred in Parliament the 7th of September 1684. The Court of the New Chatelet Created in 1674. was reunited to that of the old one and accordingly the Offices of Provost of Lieutenant-General Civil and Lieutenant-General Criminal were supprest as likewise that of Kings Proctor of the old Chatelet The Lieutenant Criminal of the Short-Robe of the Provostship and Vicounty of Paris is Reny Chrisanthe le Clere Baron of Sauteray c. He has under him four Lieutenants seven Exempts and 100 Archers or Guards which are also Ushers at the Chatelet The Provost of the Isle of France of whom we have already spoken has also under him several Lieutenants Exempts and Archers or Guards for the Execution of his Sentences and Judgments The Knight of the Watch has likewise under him four Lieutenants eight Exempts one Registrer one Comptroller and Clerk of the Watch one Guidon 40 Archers or Guards on Horseback and 100 on Foot that wear blue Hoquetons or Jackets set with Stars of Silver Besides which number there is a recruit as well of Horse and Foot which is much stronger in Winter than in Summer As for the solemn and Ceremonial Habits of the Officers of the Chatelet they are these The three Lieutenants-General the Kings Advocates and Proctors wear Scarlet-Robes and the Counsellours black ones Formerly there were several little Courts of Judicature held by the several Lords who had their peculiar Jurisdictions in the City Suburbs and Banlieu or Liberties of Paris which were suppressed upon the Creation of the Court of the new Chatelet in the Month of February 1674 and their Jurisdictions incorporated into the Courts of the old and new Chatelets which are now made but one as is abovesaid Having spoken of the ordinary Jurisdiction of the City we will proceed next to treat of the ordinary Jurisdiction for the Taxes Aids and other Dues to the King which is the ordinary Court of Justice for Pari as it
Savoy-Nemours was Born the 21st of June 1646. and was Married in 1665. to Alphonso the Sixth King of Portugal But afterwards that Marriage being declared void because of the Impotence of that King She was Re-Married to his Brother the Prince Don Pedro then declared Regent of Portugal the 28th of March 1680. and who is now King She died the 27th of December 1683. leaving behind her only one Daughter who was Born the 6th of January 1669. and Baptized the 2d of March following and named Elizabeth-Marie-Lewise-Josephe She is called the Princess or otherwise the Infanta of Portugal The Brother of the said Precedent Duke of Nemours was Born in 1625. and was named Henry of Savoy Duke of Aumale who after he had been brought up to the Exercises worthy of a Prince was promoted to the Archbishoprick of Reims and other Benefices But upon the Death of his said Brother he quitted his Benefices to take up the Sword to endeavour to keep up and make to flourish in his person the Illustrious House of Savoy And so taking the Title of Duke of Nemours he Married on the 22d of May 1657. Madamoiselle Anne-Marie of Orleans Daughter to the Duke of Longueville who is now Dutchess Dowager of Orleans but died without Heirs the 14th of January 1659. In whom the Branch of Nemours after it had subsisted in France about the space of 150 years was extinguished Of the Family de la Tour d' Auvergne of which the famous Godfrey of Boüillon All the Princes of this House have remained in France ever since the late Frederick Maurice de la Tour d' Auvergne made an exchange with the King of his Soveraignty of Sedan in the year 1651. who by Contract gave him in lieu thereof the Dutchies of Albret and of Chateau-Thierry and the Counties of Auvergne and Evreux without pretending any thing to the right of Soveraignty this Family has over Boüillon which then had been long usurped from him The said Prince Frederick-Maurice who died at Pontoise the 19th of August 1652. was the Son of Henry de la Tour-d ' Auvergne Duke of Boüillon Soveraign Prince of Sedan and of Raucourt Vicount of Turenne Count of Monfort and of Negrepelice◠and of Elizabeth of Nassau Daughter of William Prince of Orange He Married Eleonor-Fébronie de Bergh who died the 14th of July 1657. by whom he had Issue as follows 1. Emilia-Eleonor de la Tour-d ' Auvergne who is a Nun at the great Convent of the Carmelitesses at Paris 2. Godfrey-Maurice de la Tour-d ' Auvergne Soveraign Duke of Boüillon c. High Chamberlain of France and Governour of the upper and lower Auvergne The Principality of Boüillon upon the Kings Interposition was restored to him and put into his Possession the 15th of June 1678. On the 19th of April 1662. in Presence of their Majesties in the Chappel of the Louvre he Married the Lady Marie-Anne de Mancini Niece to the late Cardinal Mazarine by whom he has 1. Lewis de la Tour Prince of Turenne Born the 14th of January and Baptized the 18th of April 1665. upon whom the Reversion of his Fathers Office of High Chamberlain was Confirmed the 24th of January 1682. 2. A Daughter stiled Madamoiselle of Boüillon 3. Emanuel-Theodosius Abbot of St. Saviours of Redon now Duke of Albret 4. Madamoiselle d'Albret 5. The Duke of Chateau-Thierry 6. Lewis de la Tour d'Auvergne Count of Evreux 7. A Daughter Born the 26th of November 1679. 3. Frederick-Maurice de la Tour d'Auvergne Count of Auvergne Marquiss of Bergopzoom in the Low-Countries Colonel-General of the light-Horse of France Governour and Seneschal of the upper and lower Limosin and Lieutenant-General of the Kings Armies who in the year 1662. Married Henriette-Francise of Zollern only Daughter of the late Iter-Frederick Prince of Zollern of the Electoral House of Brandenburg and of Elizabeth de Berg Princess of Zollern by whom he has 1. Emanuel-Maurice de la Tour d'Auvergne Marquiss of Bergh 2. Henry de la Tour called the Abbot of Auvergne 3. Lewis called le Chevalier d' Auvergne 4. Francis Prince of Limeil 5. Elizabeth Eleonor de la Tour. 6. Lewise de la Tour. 7. Marie-Anne de la Tour. 4. Emanuel Theodosius de la Tour d'Auvergne Cardinal of Boüillon Great Almoner of France c. Great Provost of Liege and Doctor of Sorbon 5. Hippolyte de la Tour d'Auvergne who is a Carmelite Nun with her above-named eldest Sister 6. Mauricia-Phobronia de la Tour d'Auvergne called the Princess of Evreux who on the 25th of April 1678. was Married at Chateau-Thierry to Duke Maximilian-Philip of Bavaria Son of Maximilian Elector of Bavaria and of Marie-Anne Arch-Dutchess of Austria Henry de la Tour d'Auvergne Vicount of Turenne and of Castillon Count of Nêgrepêlice their Uncle was Governour and Seneschal of the upper and lower Limosin Colonel-General of the light Horse and Mareschal de Camp General to the Kings Army and was the Most Renowned Captain of this Age But alas on the fatal 27th of July 1675. New stile a Canon shot put an end to the Illustrious Life of that Great Man and to all the vast Projects he was about for the glory of his Majesties Arms. He Commanded then the French Army on the other side the Rhine against the Imperialists under the Command of Count Montecuculi The King in Honour of his Memory caused a solemn service to be said for him in the Church of Nostre Dame at Paris on the 9th of September 1675 at which the Parliament and all the Superiour Companies were present and ordered him a Stately Tomb in the Church of St. Denis in France among the Mausolaeums of his own Royal Predecessors Of the Family of Grimaldi de Mourgues or of the Prince of Monaco in Italy Lewis the first of that Name Soveraign Prince of Monaco c. Duke of Valentinois Peer of France c. and Lord of the Town of St. Remy was Born the 25th of July 1642. on the 30th of March 1660. He Married Catherine Charlotte of Gramont who died the 4th of June 1678. leaving him two Sons and two Daughters 1. Antony de Grimaldi called the Duke of Valentinois who is Colonel of the Regiment of Soissons and was Born the 27th of January 1661. 2. The Chevalier de Monaco Born in 1669. 3. Marie-Charlotte Grimaldi called Madamoiselle of Monaco Born the 14th of January 1662. And 4. N ..... de Monaco who is a Nun. The Prince of Monaco's Sisters are Marie-Hippolyte de Grimaldi Born in 1644. and Married in 1659. to Charles-Emanuel-Philibert de Simiane Marquiss of Pianezz lately first Minister of Savoy 2. Joan-Marie de Grimaldi who was Born in 1645. Widow of N .... Imperiale 3. Devote-Marie-Renée Grimaldi Born in 1646. who is a Nun. And 4. N .... de Grimaldi Born in 1648. Of the Family of Rohan The Family of Rohan being descended from the first Soveraigns of Brittany is one of the most illustrious ones of the Kingdom The Princes of
this Family still maintain a Rank comformable to their Extraction as they formerly did enjoying the same Honours and Prerogatives as the fore-mentioned Families This Family has had several Alliances with our Kings with the Emperours and with the Kings of England Scotland Spain Arragon and Navarre and if Anne the Heiress of Brittany who was afterward Queen of France and Wife both to Charles the VIII and Lewis the XII had died without Children there was no Family nearer to succeed to that Dutchy than this But the better to particularize in Order those which at present remain of this Illustrious Family we shall make this Observation That they descend all from these three following Heads or Chiefs 1. From the late Henry Duke of Rohan 2. From the late Peter Prince of Guémené 3. From his late Brother Hercules of Rohan Duke of Montbazon 1. The late Henry Duke of Rohan Prince of Leon left by Margaret of Leon his Wife Daughter to the late Duke of Suilly Margaret of Rohan his only Heiress who died the 9th of April 1684. In her the Dutchy of Rohan as well as the Vicounty of Leon fell to the Distaffe as they call it in France She Married Henry Chabot Lord of St. Aulaye the last in Rank of the Barons of Jornac and Grand-Child to Admiral Chabot and died the 27th of February 1655. by whom she had a Son and three Daughters viz. 1. Lewis de Rohan-Chabot Peer of France of whom we shall speak among the Dukes and Peers 2. Anne Chabot de Rohan Married the 16th of April 1663. to Francis of Rohan Prince of Soubize 3. Margaret Chabot of Rohan Widow of the Marquiss of Coëtquen Governour of St. Malo who died the 24th of April 1679. 4. Joan-Pelagia Chabot of Rohan called Madamoiselle of Leon She was Married to the Prince d' Epinoy the 11th of April 1668. II. The late Peter of Rohan Prince of Guémené Count of Montauban Elder Brother of the late Duke of Montauban Married Magdalene of Rieux Daughter to the Lord of Chateau-neuf by whom he had Anne of Rohan who was Married to the late Lewis of Rohan her Cousin-German as we shall show further in due place III. The late Hercules of Rohan Duke of Montbazon Count of Rochefort Knight of the Kings Orders Peer and Great Huntsman of France Governour of the City of Paris and Gentleman-Usher to Queen Marie of Medicis who died in the year 1654. Married to his first Wife Magdalene of Lenoncourt Daughter and sole Heir of Henry of Lenoncourt and the Lady Francise Laval and to his second in the year 1628. Marie of Brittany Daughter of the Count of Vertus By both which he had the Children following His Children by the first Wife were 1. Lewis of Rohan the Seventh of that Name Prince of Guémené Duke of Montbazon Peer and Great Huntsman of France Knight of the Kings Orders who died the 19th of February 1667. in the 68th year of his Age He Married Anne de Rohan Princess of Guémené his Cousin-German above-mentioned who died the 14th of March 1685. by whom he had one Son viz. Charles de Rohan Duke of Montbazon Peer of France Count of Rochefort and of Montauban who Married Joan Armanda of Schomberg Daughter and Sister of the two late Counts and Marshals of that Name by whom he has these following Children 1. Charles of Rohan Prince of Guémené Duke of Montbazon who Married to his first Wife Madamoiselle de Luyne Marie-Anne d' Albret who died the 21st of August 1679. and to his second on the 2d of December the same year Charlotte-Elizabeth de Cochefilet called Madamoiselle de Vauvineux 2. John-Baptist-Armandus of Rohan called The Abbot of Rohan 3. John of Rohan called the Prince of Montauban who in 1682. Married N .... de Bautru Nogent Widow of the Marquiss of Ranes Lieutenant General of the Kings Armies 4. Anne of Rohan called Madamoiselle of Guémené 5. Elizabeth of Rohan called Madamoiselle of Montbazon Born the 25th of March 1643. 6. And Madamoiselle of Montauban 2. The late Marie de Rohan Dutchess Dowager of Chevreuse who died the 13th of August 1679. was Daughter to the same late Hercules of Rohan by the same Wife She was first Married to Charles D' Albot Duke of Luyne Peer Constable and Great Falconer of France Knight of the Kings Orders Principal Gentleman of the Kings Bed-Chamber and Governour of Picardie who died in 1621. By whom she had Lewis-Charles d' Albert Duke of Luyne who was first Married to Lewise-Marie Seguier Daughter of the Marquisse d' O by whom he had several Children and since to the abovesaid Madamoiselle of Montbazon The same Marie of Rohan after the Death of the said Constable of Luyne was Married again as we have said to Claudius of Lorain Duke of Chevreuse and had by him three Daughters of whom there remains only Henriette of Lorain Abbess of Joüare The Children of the said late Hercules of Rohan by his second Wife were one Son and two Daughters viz. I. Francis of Rohan Prince of Soubize Count of Rochefort in Iveline Lieutenant-Captain of a Company of the Kings Gens d' armes Governour of Berry and Lieutenant General of the Kings Armies who on the 16th of April 1663. Married his Cousin Madamoiselle de Rohan Lady of Honour to the Queen By whom he has had several Children the Eldest of which is 1. Lewis of Rohan of Soubize who was Baptized at the Royal Chappel at St. Germains en Laye the 16th of February 1675. Their Majesties being pleased to stand for his Godfather and Godmother 2. Hercules-Meriadec of Rohan Abbot of St. Taurin of Evreux called the Abbot of Rohan 3. Anne-Margaret of Rohan of Soubize who is a Nun in the Convent of the Benedictin Nuns of Nostre Dame de Consolation in the Street called the Rue de Chasse-midy in the Suburbs of St. Germain at Paris 4. Madamoiselle de Frontenay N. ◠de Rohan 5 6. Two Boys more II. Constance Emilia of Rohan who was Married by Proxy on the 18th of May 1683. to Don Joseph Rodrigo de Camara Son of Don Miguel de Camara Count de Ribeyra-grande Grandee of Portugal This Don Joseph-Rodrigo de Camara is of the Privy Council to the present King of Portugal Governour and Captain-General and Lord of the Island of St. Michael and of the Town de Poule-Delgade The Ceremony of the Espousals was performed the day before at Versailles in the Kings Great Cabinet in Presence of their Majesties of my Lord the Dauphin and my Lady Dauphiness of Monsieur and Madame and of all the Princes and Princesses and principal Lords of the Court She arrived in Portugal in the Month of October 1683. Of the Family of Tremoille I. The late Prince of Tarente Charle-Henry de la Tremoille Duke of Thoüars Peer of France Knight of the Order of the Garter bore Arms in Holland and was General of the Cavalry of the States of the United Provinces and Governour of Bois le