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 Chamber of Accouuts.

VVIthin the inclosure of the Palais, is also this Sovereign Jurisdiction se∣parate form the Parliament. Here all the Re∣ceivers of the Finances make up their Accounts. And all those who have had the management of any of the King's Money, ought here to justifie their proceedings. Here also they keep the Ar∣chives, and antient Charters of the Crown; among which there are a great many which our Historians have made use of. The famous Mon∣sieur du Cange, among others, hath collected from hence a great number of Memoires, to serve him in Commenting upon those antient Histo∣rians. which he hath publisht. The reading of which Pieces will give us a sufficient Idea of his profound Knowledge. The principal are

The History of Constantinople under the French Emperors, Writ by Geoffry de Ville-Hardoüin, and by Philip de Mou••••es, in the Language of their time, in Folio;

The History of St. Lewis, by the Sire de Join∣ville.

Beside these, this Learned Author hath Pub∣lished.

Historia Bysantina duplici commentario illustrata; Prior continens familias ac stemmata Imp. Con∣stant.

&c. alter descriptionem urbis Constant. qualis extitit sub Imperatorib. Christianis, in Folio.

Glossarium mediae atque infimae Latinitatis; 3. Vol. Fol.

This last Book hath gained him a greater repu∣tation than all, and that as well in Foreign Parts as in France. And it stands with reason, since this is esteemed one of the greatest Works that has been undertaken in this Age, for which the Author had need of all the time he had, even for many years, to treat of all those various Sub∣jects therein contained, with so much Learning as he hath done.

I might here name many other Learned Men, who have drawn great Light for History out of the Chamber of Accounts; among others the Mes∣sieurs Godefroy, who have made publick a great many of our old Historians, now lately Printed at the Royal Press in the Louvre, with excellent Commentaries at the end. Monsieur d'Herouval, Auditor of the Accounts, hath assisted them, in procuring for their sight all the helps that lay in his power, as we may perceive in their Works; they acknowledging in express terms, how ob∣liging he hath been in searching out for them those things, that might be useful for their occa∣sions; and one may justly say, that without him the greatest part of the best Monuments of our History had been unknown and remained buried in dust.

The buildings of the Chamber of Accounts, hath been in its time esteemed as a handsom piece of Work. It was at first raised by Lewis XII.

whose Device is to be seen in several places of it, which is a Porcupine with these words,

COMINUS ET EMINUS.

Near and far off.

In one of the Chambers are several very curious antient Pictures, representing, according to the Life, several Princes and Princesses of the Blood Royal, in the Court of Charles the V. and of some other Kings, whose Pictures we cannot elsewhere meet with. Father Menétrier thought them so curious and so singular, that he caused them to be graved, and we may meet with the Prints in some places, with Historical explicati∣ons of the Persons and Blazons represented, which are writ by the said Father.

La Cour des Monnoys, or Court belonging to the Mint and Coynage, is over the Chamber of Accounts. in which there is nothing singular to be observed. Monsieur Croussin is one of the Presidents, to the praise of whom it may be said, that no Man hath laboured with more Success for the improvement of the French Tongue. He has Translated out of Greek all the Authors that have writ of the Constantinopolitan History; in the beginning of which he hath adjoin'd very Learned Prefaces, for the better understanding of those Historians, who for the most part are so obscure and intricate, that, without his helps, we should hardly be able to understand any thing in them. Never did any body before un∣dertake this Work, because so very difficult; those Historians being lookt upon as half Barba∣rous. But now by the assistanc eof this Learned

Man, they may be read in French, Translated with all the Elegancy and Fidelity that can be expected, in a piece writ on purpose for the Language only. They begin with the antient Justin, and continue to Constantine Paleologus; un∣der whom the Eastern Empire ended. They all make Nine Volumes in Quarto. He hath also Translated the Roman History of Xiphilinus, of Zonaras, and of Zosimus. The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius, of Socrates, Sozomen, The∣odoret, and Evagrias, in Quarto. Certain pra∣ctical Books of Devotion of Cardinal Bona; and lastly the History of the Empire of the East, written by Eginard, and other Authors, which was pub∣lish'd about the beginning of this year, 1684.

The Hôtel of Monsieur the Premier President, behind the Chamber of Accounts, has nothing remarkable.