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 RUE SAINT JACQUES.

THis Street is almost all inhabited by Booksellers, by reason of the Neigh∣bouring University. The first thing of Note that you observe here, is

The Church of Saint Severin, which is very Antient, and one may think so, in regard the Patron himself was the Founder: Who lived in the Reign of Clovis, and was by him invited out of Savoy, where he was at that time a Hermite, to come into France, and cure him of a grievous Fever, with which that King was afflicted; and was at last cured through the Prayers of this Holy Man. During his abode at Paris, he dwelt in this place, at that time very solitary; where there had been already built a small Chappel in a Wood, Dedicated to St. Clement: Having re∣main'd here some time, he resolved to return to his former dwelling; but as he past by Château-Landon, a small Village in Gatinois, he met with two Priests, who dwelt there in the reputation of Sanctity; he stopt his Journey, and after two years abode with them, he dyed there. Childe∣bert

caused a Church to be built in the same place, which is at present an Abby of St. Augu∣stine's Order, of the Congregation of St. Gene∣viéve. It is not well known when this Parish-Church was built, but according to Appearance it is not above 200. years old. There is nothing to be seen in it of Curiosity, it being but an old Go∣thick Building, not very regular, and very dark in some places. The great Altar was finisht but a while ago; it is composed of eight small Marble Pillars, disposed in form of a Semi-Circle, which support a Dome cut in half, as it were, with some Ornaments of Brass gilt, which shew very handsomly; it is the Workmanship of Monsieur le Brun. In the Church-Yard, the side next the Church, is raised a Tomb, upon which in a demicumbent Posture, is the Figure of a Young Lord of East-Friseland, who dyed here, being a Scholar of this University. His Name was d'Embda. The Tomb was built by his Mo∣ther's Order; a Lady extraordinarily afflicted at his Death, he being her only Son, and the Pre∣sumptive Heir of Friseland. The two Epitaphs on his Monument are as follow:

Nobilitate generis Comitum Orientalis Phrisiae & animi corporisque do••ibus praeclaro, D. Ennoni de Embda, Civitatis Embdensis Praeposito, ac electo Satrapae, propter certam hujus corporis resurrecturi spem, ac in amoris sinceri testimonium, avia, mater∣que pia unico suo filio, qui bic ex studiorum ••ursu pa∣triae ac amicis omnibus magno cum luctu, anno aetatis suae XXIII. morte praereptus est, hoc monumentum statuerunt.

ANNO DOMINI 1545. 18▪ JULII.

To Enno d'Embda of the Noble Family of the Earls of East-••riseland, and of a beautiful Mind and Body, Provost of the City of Embden, and Chief Magistrate elect, in sure hope of the Resur∣rection of the Body, and in Testimony of their sin∣cere Love, his Grand-Mother and Mother to their only Son, who was here snatch'd by Death, from his Studies, to the great Grief of his Country and Friends, in the XXIII. Year of his Age, erected this Monument.

In the Year of our LORD, 1545. 18. of July.

On the other side of the Tomb are these Verses:

Quid fuerint nostra, haec recubans commonstrat imago: Quid sim, quam teneo, putrida calva docet. Peccati hanc poenam nobis ingenuere parentes, Cujus sed Christus solvere vincela venit. Hunc miht viventi spes, qui fuit & morienti, Aeternam corpus, quale habet ille, dabit. Peccati, fidei, Christique hinc perspice vires, Ʋt te mortisices, vivisicetque Deus.

What once I was, this Image doth disclose, And what I am, the Carcase under shews. This said reward of Sin our Parents gave, But our deliverance from Christ we have▪

He's now my Hope when dead, as when alive, A Body Glorious like his own he'll give. Of Sin, Faith, Christ, this Tomb the force dis∣plays, Who mortifies himself, him God will raise.

On the other side of the Rüe Saint Jacques, as you enter into the Rüe Galande, which Street butts upon the former, there stands a very anti∣ent Church named

Saint Julien le Pauvre, which, doubtless, was formerly an Hospital. Gregory of Tours, in the ninth Book and the ninth Chapter of his Works mentions it; and tells us, That coming to Paris on certain private affairs, he Lodged in this place, at such time as they had taken a Notorious Cheat, who pretended he had brought from Spain certain precious Reliques, among others some of St. Vincent, and St. Felix, with which, no doubt, he would have abused the Credulity of the Parisians. But when his pretended Reliques came to be examined, they found in his Bag no∣thing but the Roots of divers Plants, the Teeth of Moles, the Bones of Mice, with the Fat and Claws of Bears. Which things being appre∣hended to serve only for some Magical use or other, they were all thrown into the River. The Cheat himself was committed close Prisoner, and put in Chains, according to the Custom of those times. This happen'd in the Reign of Chilperic, who was unhappily slain just enter∣ing into his Palace at Chelles, as he return'd from Hunting, about the Year Five hundred Eighty four.

A little further on in the Rüe Saint Jacques, is

The Church of Saint Yves, built in the year 1347. at the Charge and Care of a ••amous Confra∣ternity of Bretons, at that time residing at Paris, and who caused Divine Service to be there Celebrated daily, by certain Ecclesiasticks, whom they hired. On the side of this Chappel lyes

The Rüe des Noïers, which hath been of late en∣larged, and thereby render'd much more com∣modious than formerly.