This text has been selected for inclusion in the EEBO-TCP: Navigations collection, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
The House wherein this is kept hath but a very ordinary appearance; and one would hardly be∣lieve by the outside, that it contains within so many curious things.
First, here is kept the Kings Library, which was heretofore at Fontainbleau, which Charles V. began, and which has been since much augment∣ed by Francis I. and Catherine de Medicis.
But of late years it hath been made much more numerous, in regard that at present here are more than fifty thousand Volumes, among which are twelve, or fifteen thousand Manuscripts in He∣brew, Greek, Arabick, Syriack, Latin, French, and almost all Languages. As for printed Books, there is no rare piece that can be heard of▪ but you may find here a Copy. Here are several very ancient Manuscripts of St. C••prian, which Cathe∣rine de Medicis brought with her, as also divers other very scarce Books, out of the famous Li∣brary of Laurence de Medicis. There are also some pieces of the History of France, which have been Collected very particularly and are kept here with great care. The Duke of Bethune, hath composed a considerable number touching the most important Negotiations which have been from the time of Francis I. to the Mini∣stry of Cardinal de Richelieu. All these Volumes are curiously bound in Turkie-Leather of a Flame-colour, gilt, and the Kings Arms on the Covers. Books of Prints have here also their proper places, of which there are here several great Volumes Collected by Monsieur the Abbot Marolles, the most curious person of his time, in these matters. The several Masters are pla∣ced in several Shelves, the Italians, Flemings, the Dutch, and the French, so that without much trouble one may observe their peculiar ways and fancies, and how these great Masters arrived to perfection in the Art of Painting, by different Roads. Here are also several Ancient Volumes of Limnings or Miniatures, well and carefully preserved, in which one may remarque the singularity of the Habits of our Ancestors, and their odd fancies in designing; but the most
beautiful things of this kind are certain Collecti∣ons of Animals and Plants, design'd upon Vellum, after the life, by Monsieur Robert, who hath la∣boured a long time to render this Work com∣pleat as we now see it. Here you may see a very great Volume in Folio, containing all sorts of Sea-Fish, this the States of Holland presented to Cardinal Mazarine, after a good Office re∣ceived from that Minister, in a long Negotiation; and after his death it was placed in this Cabinet. In fine you may view in this Library whatsoever Book you can desire upon any Subject. Monsieur the Prior of Nogent, Son to Monsieur Colbert, is the Library keeper, M▪ Carcavi is Keeper un∣der him, and M. Clement hath under him the care of placing the Books, and keeping the Cata∣logue.
Books are not the only Curiosity to be seen in this place. The Medals here are one of the most considerable Treasures. Here are of all sorts, Ancient and Modern, no less than twenty thou∣sand. Certainly there is not in all Italy a more considerable Collection, They are placed accor∣ding to the order of time in little Cabinets of Cedar, whose Drawers are▪ gilt and Titled neatly; The sequel of the latter Greek Empire is so compleat, that the Learned M. du Cange hath composed from hence the last Volume of his Bi∣zantine History. As for the Moderns here are all that can be met with not only of Popes, Kings, Princes of Grmany and Italy, but of every other Nation, even the very Jettons (or Counters) which remarque any particular event of History are here preserved. Here are also a great number of ancient Agates, among others one represent∣ing Constantine the Great Crowned with Lawrel,
extremely rare for its variety of Colours, and for its bigness, besides that it was wrought in the time of that Emperour as all Antiquaries agree. Also several others representing divers matters.
But one of the greatest and most singular Rari∣ties of this Cabinet, in the Judgment of all men, is the Tomb of Childeric the fourth King of France, who lived in the year 458. and was the immediate Predecessor of Clouis. This Monu∣ment was discovered at Tournay in the year 1653. As certain Workmen were digging near the Ca∣thedral Church in an old Burial-place in order to lay a Foundation for a Sacristy; they first disco∣vered the skeliton of a Horses Head, and after that near the same place a long Stone in nature of a Tomb, which Stone the Workmen were fain to break before they could remove it; But they were surprised to find under it the Bones of a Man all lying in their natural and pro∣per situation. Curiosity urging them to exa∣mine this discovery still further, they found among the Bones a good quantity of Greek Medals of Gold, of the latter Empire, with a great num∣ber of Flies of the same metal, with their wings half open, and enamelled with Cornelian. The noise of this spread over the Town immediately, and the Canons of the Cathedral Church came to the place to consider what these things might discover. In fine, they still found further a kind of Clasp, a great Buckle, and an Oxes head of Gold also, which last was apparently the repre∣sentation of that Divinity which they at that time Worshiped. There was also a Sword garnished with the same metal. But that which effectually discovered this to be the Tomb of King Childe∣ric, was a Seal-Ring of Gold, on which was cut a
head, with these words about it, Sigillum Chil∣derici Regis. We need not say that there was also certain Table-books, with their needle or pen, of gold, the Iron head of a Battle-axe almost consumed with rust, with a Ball of Christal solid and round like an egg which served in his Sickness to cool his mouth, or for some other use accor∣ding to the Custom of that age, now unknown. All these things were collected together with a great deal of care. And the Arch Duke who was then Governor of the Low-Countries, desi∣ring to have this precious Monument for his own Cabinet, the Canons of Turney could not refuse him; but that Prince dying, it came to the Em∣perours possession. After this the Elector of Col••gne, who had used his utmost endeavours to obtain it from the Arch-Duke in his life-time, made now the same requests to the Emperour, who sent him the Monument as soon as he desired. This the Elector presented to the King, who caused it to be placed in his own Cabinet, where it is now preserved as an evidence of the high An∣tiquity of the French Monarchy, and the original of the Flowers-de-Lis, contrary to what Chiflet hath writ in his Book called Anastasis Childerici, to which Book Monsieur de St. Amant hath ex∣tremely well answered and made it apparent that those things which they found in the Tomb like Flies, were indeed Flowers-de-Lis, and not Bees, as that Author imagines.
Under M Carcavi, abovementioned, M. Vail∣lant is employed in keeping the Medals, who hath been several times in the Levant, to make Collections of such things. He published in La∣tin not many years since a History of the King∣dom of the Seleucides, collected from the Medals
in this Cabinet, in which he has discovered his pro∣found knowledge in this Science, and hath at the same time been mighty serviceable to the Learned in explaining many things, which they would hardly have understood perfectly without his help.
Here you may see also over the Chimny several other Antiquities, as Lacrimatories, such as the Ancients used to gather the tears in of those that wept at Funerals and then place 'em in the Tombs; Lamps; little Idols, and abundance of such like things.
The Academy of Sciences, meet in this house; for whose use the King caused the Observatory to be built. The Learned Men who compose this Academy, labour continually for new Discoveries in Natural Philosopby and the Mathematicks, who being persons of extraordinary Science, the Reader will not be displeased to see their names and they are
The Names of those Members who are de∣ceased since 1666. About which time this Aca∣demy was first established by Monsieur Colbert, at the Solicitation of M. Duclos, and M. the Ab∣bot of Bourzay, are
In their Hall is a great Burning-glass, which does wonderful effects when exposed to the Sun; in a Cabinet near this they have a Momie brought from Egypt, but of late they have not shewn it, it being broke. All their Rooms are filled with Books, every Author being obliged to give a Copy here, to obtain his Priviledge, which makes the Number augment daily.