A new description of Paris containing a particular account of all the churches, palaces, monasteries ... with all other remarkable matters in that great and famous city / translated out of French.

The Little AUGUSTINS.

THE Convent of these Fathers is in the Street which bears their Name, leads from the Rüe Columbier to the Edge of the Seine. Their House hath nothing extraordi∣nary no more than their Church. The great Altar is of Joyners Work, well enough wrought, Marble Painted, and adorn'd with Statues of great esteem, especially that of the Dying Fi∣gure. They are made, Clay baked, by one call'd Biardeau of Anjou, and so are all the rest, which are of a very good manner. M. Varin esteem'd the Head of this dying Figure worth its weight in Gold. Margaret of Valois, Wife of Henry IV. and Sister of Henry III. was one of their principal Benefactors, and by her Testament left them part of her Plate, which they use in adorning their Altar with that rich Furniture, which they expose on Festival Days. This Queen built entirely of her own Cost the Cha∣pel on the right hand of the great Altar, which is in manner of a Dome, and the first which has been raised at Paris of this sort. The follow∣ing Inscription is there ingraved on black Mar∣ble.

LE 21. MARS MIL SIX CENS HUIT, LA REINE MARGUERITE DUCHES∣SE DE VALOIS, PETITE FILLE DU GRAND ROI FRANCOIS, SOEUR DE TROIS ROIS, ET SEULE RESTE'E

DE LA RACE DES VALOIS; A IANT ETE' VISITE'E ET SECOURUE DE DIEU, COMME JOBET JACOB; ET LORS LUI AIANT VOUE' LE VOEU DE JACOB, ET DIEU L'AIANT EXAUCE'E, ELLEA BATI ET FONDE' CE MONASTERE, POUR TENIR LIEU DE L'AUTEL DE JACOB; où ELLE VEUT QUE PERPETUELLEMENT SOIENT RENDUES ACTIONS DE GRACES, EN RECONNOISSANCE DE CEL∣LES QU'ELLE A RECEUES DE SA DIVINE BONTE. ELLE A NOMME' CE MONASTERE DE LA SAINTE TRINITE', ET CET∣TE CHAPELLE DES LOUANGES, où ELLE A LOGE' LES PERES AU∣GUSTINS DECHAUSEZ.

On the 21. of March, One thousand six hundred and eight, Queen Margaret Dutchess of Valois, Grand Daughter of the great King Francis, Si∣ster of three Kings, and the only remainder of the Race of Valois, having been visited and re∣lieved by God, like Job and Jacob; and having at that time vowed the Vow of Jacob, and God having heard her, she built and establish'd this Monastery, instead of Jacob's Altar, in which she desires that perpetual thanks be given to God, in return of those Favours which she hath received from his divine bounty. She hath named this Monastery from the Holy Trinity, and this Cha∣pel the Chapel of Praises, and she hath here placed

the barefooted Fathers of Saint Augustine's Order.

One may perceive by this Inscription that these Fathers were formerly more austere than they are at present, in regard they were then Dé∣cháussez or barefooted. That Queen built this Monastery in favour of her Confessor who was of this Order; his name was Francis Amet, origina∣ry of the Town of Montargis. You ought to see their Library, which is very neat. Among these Fathers is Father Lubin, who is esteem'd one of the most skilful Geographers that we have. This is he who Translated the Relation of Lapland, which is sold at the Widow Varenne's at the Palais.

In the Ruë de Seine, behind the Colledge of the four Nations, is the Hôtel de la Roche-foucault, which was formerly known by the name of Hô∣tel de Liancourt, whose building is very regular, and of a beautiful Ordinance. Here were for∣merly very excellent Pictures, but they have been dispersed since the Death of the Duke of Liancourt who made the Collection.

Parallel to this Street lies the Ruë Mazarin, so call'd, since the building of the Colledge of the four Nations which takes up part of the Street, of which Colledge Cardinal Mazarin was the Founder. In the middle of this Street is the Theater of French Comedies over against the end of the Rüe Guenegaud; this is the only place where at present they act French Plays. Former∣ly there were three places in Paris, where you had such Spectacles, at the Palais Royal, at the Marais du Temple, and at the Hotel de Bourgogne; but since the Invention of Opera's, these things

have been changed, and these here are the only Company of French Comedians that remain at present. They often Act here new Pieces that are very pleasant, but are not of equal Beauty with those of M. Corneille, nor of M. Racine for serious Matters, no more than they are equal to those of the famous Moliere for Comick. All Strangers agree however that the French Scene is the handsomest and most magnificent of Europe, as well for the decoration of the Thea∣ter, as for the Beauty of the Pieces there repre∣sented; the Comedians moreover spare no Costs to satisfie the Spectators in the richness of their habits. There are some among them who com∣pose Plays themselves, which makes them more expert, and enables them more thorowly to understand the Character which they repre∣sent.

From the Ruë Mazarin you may turn into the Ruë de Guenegaud, in which dwells Monsieur the Abbot de la Roque, Author of the Journal des Sçavans, which he publishes every Fifteen days: The Curious receive this piece with extream satisfaction, since he shews so great care to en∣rich it with all the fine things he can collect. M. de Salo, Counsellor in the Parliament, was the first who began this Journal in the Year 1665. and gave the Idea to Strangers, who found the invention so profitable and so pleasant, that they have imitated the same thing in divers parts of Europe. M. the Abbot Gallois continued the Journal for some years after, from 1666. to 1674. at which time M. the Abbot de la Roque undertook the Work, in which he hath always labour'd since then, with such success as has ac∣quired him a very great Reputation in the

World. He holds at his House every Thursday Conferences, at which many Learned Persons meet, and propose to him the Discoveries they have made in the Arts and Sciences.

From this Street you go upon the Key of the Augustines, which begins at the Pont Saint Mi∣chael, and runs all along the River as far as the Pont-Neuf.