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 du Grand Chantier.

To see this Street in Order you ought to begin at the little Rüe des Deux Portes, in which you will see a new-built house, belonging to the Sieur Provost one of the Kings Secretaries, who has be∣stowed a great deal of Care and Charges to make it so handsom as it is, in one of the vilest places in all Paris. On the Court-side it is adorned with Ionick Pilasters, and Sculpture well per∣formed. The Stair-case (which stands in the middle of the Building, is) as light as it can be according to its Situation. But that which is most singular, and the handsomest thing in the house, is a great Closet, the Wainscot of which is set off with Pilasters gilt, the Pannels between which, are of inlaid Work, representing Vases full of Flowers, and which is still more ob∣servable the Cieling piece and the Parquet are of the same workmanship. All these pieces appear so much the finer as they are the scarcer to be met with, they being almost the only things of this kind in Paris.

In the Street at the end of this you have the House called Les Billetes. Here formerly dwelt a

Jew who by a most execrable impiety, burnt the Consecrated Hoast, having strook it through in several places with a Penknife. But by a singu∣lar Miracle it was gathered up by an old Woman, who unexpectedly came into his House at that time, and by her was carried to the Curate of St. Johns Church, where ever after it was pre∣served with great Veneration. This wicked Jew was for this Fact burnt alive, and his House given to the Carmelite Fathers where they have since that continued. The Learned Papirius Mas∣son whose Writings are so well known among all Scholars, is here interred. The Knights of S. La∣zarus do here use to make their Assemblies. And the Members of the French Academy perform here the Funeral Services for those who die out of their Society.

The Rüe des Billetes ends at the Rüe S. Croix de la Bretonnerie, so called from a Convent that stands there, founded by St. Lewis in the year 1268. In which he placed Religious Mendicants of the Order of St Augustin, but since that time several eminent and pious persons having confer∣red upon them considerable Maintenance, they no longer beg, because they will not hinder those who have greater need, but live upon their Re∣venues. The Wainscot Work of their Altar is very pretty, but that which is most remarkable is a Bas-relief of Marble over the Seats where the Religious sit, this was done by Sarazin and is highly esteemed. From hence you enter into

The Rüe du grand Chantier; the first thing that you see here is,

The Hôtel de Guise, built by the Princes of that Family, who bore so great a share in all the Transactions of these last Ages, that what relates

to them makes the greatest part of the History of that time, especially in the Reign of Henry III. who put to death Henry Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother, in the Castle of Blois, where the Estates were then assembled, and this he did in order to cure those Tumults and disquiets which at that time so much disturbed the Peace of France. This Hôtel takes up a great deal of Ground. The Gate is built after the old manner with two great round Towers. The Apartments are very handsom, since the considerable Repa∣rations that have been made of late. Once we might have seen here most magnific Furniture, among which was a Suit of Tapistry representing the twelve Months of the year, of most exquisite Workmanship; this is at present at the Kings Garde-Meuble (or Wardrobe) and Monsieur Colbert hath caused it to be Copied. Madamoiselle de Guise, who at present dwells in this Hôtel, hath one of the best furnished Cabinets in Paris for Curiosities. In it are several pieces of Fila∣grame enriched with Jewels, and several Minia∣tures extremely fine. You may see there also di∣vers pieces of Wooden Work of St. Lucie, re∣presenting several Subjects of Devotion, cut ex∣tremely fine; not to speak of several other Cu∣riosities little inferiour to these. Cross the way is

The Church of the Fathers de la Mercy, a neat place. The Portal will be very handsom when finished, and the Altar is of a sort of Wainscot not ill wrought. The Institution of these is to go into Barbary and redeem Captives, like the Mathurins. And this they do by the assistance of Pious People who furnish them with considera∣ble Sums for this purpose.

The Hospital of the Enfans Rouges (or Red Boys) built for poor Orphan Children, by Mar∣garet Queen of Navarre, Sister of Francis I. in the year 1534. It is of late years united to the Hospital General.

It is observable that this Street is full of hand∣som Houses, among which there is one at the Cor∣ner of the Rüe de Quatre-fils designed by Mansard. The Front is extreme handsom, and set off with many Vases. Near this is the house of Monsieur de Grand-Maison where you will see very hand∣som pictures, and a considerable quantity of Por∣celanes, of the finest and best sorts. The Ma∣ster to whom this House belongs, is of a very deli∣cate Gust for curious things.

At the end of this Street you see the great square Tower of the Temple, with four other round ones, very high and discovered a great way off. They served heretofore for an Arsenal, be∣fore that near the Celestins was built.