The present state of France containing a general description of that kingdom corrected and purged from the many gross mistakes in the French copy, enriched with additional observations and remarks of the new compiler, and digested into a method conformable to that of the state of England / by R.W. ...

CHAP. XXVI.

Of the Priviledges of the Commoners, or those that are tabled in the Kings House∣hold.

THE Domestick Officers and Commoners of the Kings Houshold, and other Royal Housholds, have from all Antiquity, enjoyed several Priviledges and Immunities, but because it would be too tedi∣ous to recite all the Decrees and Declarations made and repeated several times, in confirmation of their Priviledges, we shall only quote some of the latest date, which will be as significant as if they were all inserted at length.

Priviledges common to all the Kings menial Officers and Servants in general.

First, As to their exemption from Taxes, though that priviledge has been sometimes suspended in time of War, but it was re-established again by a De∣claration of the 26th of November, 1643. which was verified in the Court of Aids, the 10th of De∣cember the same year; which exempts the said Offi∣cers from paying Taxes, Taillons, or lesser Taxes, Subsistance-money, in lieu of Billeting Souldiers, and all extraordinary Impositions for any thing of

their own growth: But he that would enjoy this exemption, must get an Extract of his being entred on the Establishment, which is at the Court of Aids, Signed by the Register or Recorder of that Court in the usual manner; and he must be registred as such in the Office of his Election, and published in his Parish Church.

The Declaration runs thus.

Having considered that it would be in some sort to debase the Lustre of the Royal Family, and of our Blood, to retrench the Priviledges of the Officers there∣unto belonging, and deprive them of that mark of honour to the tenderness of their affection, and the fide∣lity of their services, for these causes, notwithstand∣ing the Edict of November, 1640. We Declare, that all our Domestick Servants and Commoners, the four Companies of our Life-Guards, the Archers, or Guards of the Provostship of our Houshold, the hundred Suissers of our Guard, the Officers of our Stables, Hunting, Falconry, and Wolf-Hunting; those of the Queen Re∣gent, our most honoured Lady and Mother; of the late Queen Mary, our most honoured Lady and Grand∣mother; of our Dearest Brother, the Duke of Anjou; of our Dearest Ʋncle, the Duke of Orleans, and of our Dearest Aunt the Dutchess of Orleans, his Wife at present living, and of his former Wife deceased, of our Dearest Cousin her Daughter; and of our Dearest Cou∣sin, the Prince of Condé; of our Companies of Gensd∣armes, or Men at Arms, and light Horsemen, consist∣ing of two hundred Men apiece; the Company of our Guard of Musketeers on Horseback, and that of the Guards of our said Lady and Mother, named and comprised in the Establishments to be by us Signed and agreed to, and Counter-signed by our Secretary of State, and of our Commandments, who has the depart∣ment of our Houshold, shall enjoy the Priviledges and Exemptions granted and given to them in all times,

and from all Antiquity, because of their Services; and the same we grant to their Widows as long as they shall continue so.

Provided nevertheless, that if any of the aforesaid Officers shall make any Traffick with Merchandises, and keep Inns, or manure any more than one Farm of their own, and that with their own hands; or hold any Farms of others, whether in their own Names, or in those of their Domesticks, or Servants, they shall be liable to be taxed towards our Taxes in every of the Parishes where the Lands or Heritages, by them so manured, shall lie.

In another Declaration given at Poitiers, in the Month of January, 1652. His Majesty says, We con∣firm by these Presents, all the Priviledges, Franchises, Liberties, Immunities, Exemptions, and Affranchise∣ments granted to the Officers of the Royal Housholds entred upon the Establishments of the Court of Aids, and to their Widows during their Widow-hood: Wil∣ling, that they be henceforward held, quit, and ex∣empt from all manner of contributions, whether it be Loans general, or particular, made or to be made, as well by us, as by any of the Cities of our Kingdom; likewise for furnishing Provisions or Ammunition for the War, for Fortifications, Reparations, Charges, and Conducts, Taxes, Aids, and Impositions, &c. and of all other Subsidies, Dues, charges and subventi∣ons in general whatever they be, made or to be made, in any sort, and on any occasion whatsoever, though it be not here particularly specified and declared.

They are exempt from the Duty, called the Duty of Aids, for the Wines of the product of their own grounds, by a Decree of the Council of State of the 16th of December, 1654.

By a Decree of the Council of State of the 20th of January, 1644. The King declares his intentions to be, that no Officers shall enjoy Priviledges and Exemptions from Taxes, but those that actually serve, and that receive at least 60 l. for their Wa∣ges

and Appointments; and not a great number of honorary and titular Officers that have obtained Briefs of some Offices, but serve not, and have no Wages; nor the Keepers of the Plains, and of the Game which his Majesty pretends shall be taxed with the common Taxes, excepting the Keepers of the Game of St. Germains, Fountainbleau, Blois, Li∣mours, Mont••••••hery, and Boisgency.

There are a great many other Decrees and Or∣ders, that say almost the same thing; the Decree of the Counsel of State of the 14th of March, 1654. maintaining the Kings Officers, those of the Queen Mother, the Duke of Anjou, and of the Duke and Dutchess of Orleans, exempt from the greater and lesser Taxes, Subsistance money, &c. and other publick charges. There are other Decrees of the Great Council, in Conformity to the Edicts and Declarations of the King of the 22th of February, 1673. and the first of March, 1675. importing an Exemption from Lodging or Billeting of Souldiers, for the Officers of the Royal Housholds, their Per∣sons, their Houses, Farms, Tenements, Farmers, Domesticks and Servants.

There are likewise several Decrees and Declara∣tions in favour of the Queens Houshold in particu∣lar, and of that of Monsieur, and of some of their Officers, as also for those of the late Duke of Orleans.

The Kings Declaration of the last of January, 1647. which was Registred in the Court of Aids, the 19th of March the same year, imports a re∣establishment of the Priviledges and Exemptions of the Widows and Veterans of the Officers of the Royal Housholds in the same manner as the Com∣moners of his Majesties own Houshold enjoy the same.

In a Declaration set forth by the King in the Month of July, 1653. It is said, that the said Offi∣cers possess fully and entirely their Officers, so as

that the Coheirs with them, in other things, can∣not pretend any share therein, either upon their Salaries, or upon the value of their Offices, if sold; which being in the Kings sole Disposition, cannot be reputed of the nature of those goods that are liable to be divided among the Heirs and Successours of Families.

As for what concerns the point of Precedence of the Kings Officers; and of the rank they ought to have in publick Assemblies, whether general or par∣ticular; several Kings by their Declarations, and Decrees, have Order'd, that they shall march and place themselves immediately after the Counsellers of the Bailiwicks, Seneschals, and presidial Courts, before the Officers of the Elections, of the Salt-Gra∣naries, Judges not Royal, and all others that are in∣feriour in degree to the said Counsellers, as it was Ordained by Henry the Fourth, by a Declaration of the 22th of March, 1605. in favour of the Valets, or Yeomen of the Bed-Chamber, and other Officers of the Chamber, Cabinet, and Anti-Chamber; and by Lewis XIII. First, By a Declaration of the 27th of July, 1613. in favour of the Marshals of the Lodgings, the Harbingers of the Body, and the Harbingers in Ordinary to his Majesty; Secondly, By another of the 20th of December, verified in the Great Council, in favour of the Life-Guards; And thirdly, By his Letters Patents of the 12th of February, 1618. and by a Decree of the Great Coun∣cil, dated the 27th of May, 1630. and by the pre∣sent King, by another Decree of the said Council, of the 29th of May, 1653.

The Priviledges of the Court-Clergy.

The Clergy of the Kings Houshold, and other Royal Housholds, have the Priviledge to be always reputed resident at their Benefices, during the time of their Service, and are allowed two Months to

go to and come from their Benefices; and that, by several Bulls of Popes, Declarations of Kings, De∣crees of Parliament, of the Great and Privy-Coun∣cil, &c. And they are paid the full Revenues of their Canonries, though they have not the Stage, that is, the usual time of Residence, and Officiating there, from which they are exempt.

The Priviledges of the Chyrurgions.

By a Declaration of Lewis the Thirteenth, in fa∣vour of his Chyrurgions, viz. to his Chief Chyrur∣gion in Ordinary, and to eight other Chyrurgions in Ordinary, quarterly Waiters, they are priviledged to keep, or cause to be kept open Shop, and set out a Chyrurgeons Sign with the Kings Arms, Ex∣clusive to all Chyrurgeons, who are forbid to molest them under pain of being fined 3000 l. and pay∣ing all Costs, Dammages, and Interest, in Case of Contravention, which concludes thus; Given at Paris, the 26th of August, in the year of our Lord, 1636. and of our Reign the Twenty Seventh. Signed Lewis, and Lower, De Lomenie. And on the side is written the Registring of it in the Parliament of Paris, the 28th of March, 1637. Collationed, or Compared, and Signed, Farcette. Which is con∣firmed by a Decree of Verification in Parliament, the 18th of July, 1637.

There is a Declaration of the late Queen Mother, for her four Chyrurgions, of the 20th of October, 1637. Verified by a Decree of the 20th of April, 1638.

Another Declaration of the late Duke of Orleans, for five of his Chyrurgeons, of the 26th of February, 1638. Verified by a Decree of the 7th of September, 1638. And lastly,

Another Declaration of the late Prince of Condé, for four of his Chyrurgeons, of the 29th of Ja∣nuary, 1639. Verified by a Decree of the 23d of March following.

Besides which, there is an Order of the Court for the Master-Chyrurgeons at Paris, Importing a Confirmation of the Declarations made in their favour in 1642.

The Priviledges of the Life-guard Men.

By a Decree, or Order of the Privy-Council, bear∣ing date the 27th of June, 1651. given against the Court of Aids of Rouen, after several Suits of Law, the Kings Life-guards are maintain'd in their Quality of Squires, and in their exemption from Taxes, and all other Impositions.

A like Sentence was given by the Council of State, the 4th of June, 1653. in favour of the Guards of the Gate.

Other Priviledges belonging to all the Officers of the Kings, and other Royal Houses.

All the Officers, and menial Servants of the Kings, and of other Royal Housholds, excepting a few, whose Offices are too mean, are noble, that is, are Gentlemen by their Places, if they be not so otherwise, as long as they are in Place, and may bear a Crest above their Coats of Arms.

All the Officers of the seven Offices of the Cham∣ber, and others, wait always with their Swords by their sides, unless it be when they are troublesome to them; and may wear them always, both in the Louvre, and elsewhere.

Most of the Officers have the Quality of Squires, if they be Sword-men, or of Counseller, if Gown-Men, and are called, Officers in Ordinary, though they are but Quarterly, or Half-yearly Waiters. They enjoy all the Priviledges of Gentility, Safe∣guards, exemption from Taxes, and other Duties, Committimus, &c. as we have shewn above.