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 Place Royal.

This place was built in the Reign of Henry the Great: The Houses that are erected about it, are very beautiful and of the same symetry. They take up all that Ground which was formerly the Gar∣dens belonging to the Palais des Tournelles which stood on the side of the Rampart, in which Palace Francis II. and several other Kings his Predeces∣sors kept their Courts. But after that unhappy accident which befel Henry II. who was wound∣ed to death by the Earl of Montgemmery in the fatal Turnament then celebrated in the Rüe St. Antoine upon the Marriage of Isabel of France to Philip II. King of Spain, Catherine of Medicis Widow of the deceased King sold this Palace, which had been first built by Charles V. to divers particular Persons, who turned it into many Tenements; but the whole Street which runs along near the Rampart still keeps the an∣cient name.

The place of which we were speaking is exactly square, composed of six and thirty Pavilions raised of the same Symmetry; the materials are of Brick and Free-stone, raised upon a long row of Ar∣ches, under the shelter of which one may walk round the place. In the middle of these Build∣ings they have left a great void piece of Ground, which at present is about to be converted into a Garden and is to be inclosed with a Palisade of Iron, into which none may enter but those be∣longing to the Houses about the Place, who only are to have keys. Report says this Work will cost a hundred Pistolls for every House, which

we may easily believe, if we consider the vast quan∣tity of Iron which it will require. In the middle of this Garden stands the Statue in Brass of Lewis XIII. on Horseback raised on a great Pe∣destal of white Marble, on the four sides of which you may read the following Inscriptions.

In the forepart

POUR LA GLORIEUSE ET IM∣MORTELLE MEMOIRE
DU
TRES-GRAND ET TRES-IN∣VINCIBLE LOUIS LE JUSTE
XIII. DU NOM, ROI DE FRANCE ET DE NAVARRE
ARMAND CARDINAL DUC DE RICHE∣LIEU, SON PRINCIPAL MINISTRE DANS TOUS SES ILLUSTRES ET HEUREUX DES∣SEINS
COMBLE D'HONNEURS, ET DE BIENFAITS D'UN SI GENEREUX MONARQUE, A FAIT ELEVER CETTE STATUE.
POUR UNE MARQUE ETERNELLE DE SON ZEIE, DE SA FIDELITE, ET DE SA RE∣CONNOISSANCE 1639.

To the Glorious and Immortal Memory of the most Great and most Invincible Lewis the Just, XIII. of that name, King of France and Navarre, Armand Cardinal Duke of Richelieu his

Principal Minister in all his Illustrious and Happy Designs, being loaden with Honours and Benefits from so Generous a Monarch, hath caused this Statue to be erected as an eternal mark of his Zeal, Fidelity, and Gra∣titude, 1639.

On the hinder part, next the Minimes.

LUDOVICO XIII. CHRISTIANISSIMO GAL∣LIAE ET NAVARRAE REGI,
JUSTO, PIO, FOELICI, VICTORI, TRIUM∣PHATORI,

SEMPER AUGUSTO,
ARMANDUS CARDINALIS DUX RI∣CHELIUS,
PRAECIPUORUM REGNI ONERUM AD∣JUTOR▪
ET ADMINISTRATOR,
DOMINO OPTIME MERITO, PRINCIPIQUE
MUNIFICENTISSIMO,
FIDEI SUAE, DEVOTIONIS,
ET OB INNUMERA BENEFICIA, IM∣MENSOSQUE
HONORES SIBI COLLATOS
PERENNE GRATI ANIMI MONUMENTUM,

HANC STATUAM EQUESTREM
PONENDAM CURAVIT,
ANNO DOMINI, 1639.

To Lewis XIII. Of France and of Navarre, the most Christian King,
To the Just, the Pious, the Happy, the Conqueror, and the Triumpher, always Au∣gust.
Armand Cardinal and Duke of Richelieu His chief Minister of State,
To his excellent Master and most boun∣tiful Prince, as an eternal Monument of his Faithfulness, Devotion, and Gratitude, for those innumerable: Benefits and great Honours conferred upon him, caused this Statue to be erected in the year of our Lord, 1639.

On the right side.

POUR LOUIS LE JUST. SONNET.

QƲe ne peut la Vertue, que ne peut le Courage? Jay domté pour jamais l'Heresie en son fort, Du Tage imperieux ••'ay fait trembler le bord, ••t du Rhin ••usqu' à l'El're a crû mon heritage.

Je sauvé par mon bras l'Europe d'esela∣vage: Et si tant de travdun n'eussent hâsté mon sort: Jusse attaque ••' Asie, & d'un pieux effort, Jeusse du sainte Tomb•••••• vange le long servage.

Armand, le grand Armand, 〈…〉〈…〉 ex∣ploits, Porte de toutes partes mes Armes 〈…〉〈…〉 Et donna tout l'éclat aux rayons 〈…〉〈…〉.

Enfin il m'éleva ce pompeux monument. Où pour rendre à son nom, memoire pour me∣moire; Je veux qu'avec le mien, il vive incessamment.

To LEWIS the Just. SONNET.

What cannot such a Soul, such Vertue do? Rebelling Hereticks I did subdue: Spain and her Armies trembled; nor cou'd those Of Germany my Victories oppose. Europe from Bondage by my Power was freed: And had not Death forbid the glorious deed, I had to Asia born my Arms, and there Rescu'd from Turks the Sacred Sepulchre. Richelieu! Great Richelieu Soul of my Renown, Guide of my Arms and Splendor of my Crown; He did the Glories of my life contrive And in this Statue made me still survive. For which Memorial I this other give, That with my Name, his may for ever live.

On the left side.

QƲod bellator hydros paccm spirare rebelles. Deplumes trepidare aquilas, mitescere pardos, Et depressa jugo submittere colla Leones, Despeclat Lodoicus, equo sublimis aheno, Non digiti, non artifices facere camini, Sed Virtus & plena Deo fortuna peregit. Armandus vindex fidei, pacisque sequester, Augustum curavit opus; populique verendam Regali voluit Statuam consurgere circo. Ʋt post civilis d••pulsa pericula belli, Et circum domitos armis civilibus hostes, Aeternum demina Lodoicus in Ʋrbe triumphet.

That Lewis from his Brazen Horse doth view, How Rebel Water Snakes for Pardon sue, Pluck'd Eagles trembling, fiercer Leopards meek, How Lions to the Yoak submit their neck: Is not what Art, nor Furnace did bestow, But what to's valour, and his God we owe. Armand Religions friend, on whom depend Both Peace and War, the Noble Work de∣sign'd: And plac'd this Statue in this Royal Square. That after all the toils of Civil-War, And Foreign Foes subdu'd, this Monarch might For ever Peaceful and Triumphant sit.

This Horse is one of the most beautiful pieces that can be seen. The famous Daniel de Voltere, an Italian, one of the ablest Sculptors of his time, made it for Henry II. but it was never set up for that King, by reason of those many troubles which overflowed all France during the following Reigns.

The most considerable Houses, and in which you will find most Curiosities, in this place, are

The Hôtel de Richelieu, in which are very excellent Pictures of divers Masters, but above all of Rubens, a famous Flemming, whose Works are highly esteemed by the curious, because of that beauty of design, and vivacity of colouring, in which he has been more successful than all other Painters. You will see in this Hôtel more than in all Paris beside: and with these very rich moveables.

The House of Monsieur the Marquess de An∣geau, Governor of Touraine. On the Wall of this House is a piece of Perspective representing certain Architecture in Forest, in a very exqui∣site manner. With this you may observe at the further end of the Garden a Pavilion not ill built. The great Stair-case is very lightsom, and all the rest of the House extreme neat. All which does sufficiently declare the Master to be a person of a delicate Gust.

Almost over against this on the other side of the place stands the Hôtel de Chaunes. One en∣tire Wing of the Building has been raised of late years, in which may be observed much Regulari∣ty. At the bottom of the Court lies the Garden, in which you have some Water-works, and at the further part of it a piece of Perspective which answers to the Gate, and as you enter makes a cu∣rious

shew. Monsieur the Duke of Chaunes, Go∣vernor of Britanny dwells here.