The Interdiction of the Court of Ayds of Paris.

VVHilest the Cardinal's incomparable Prudence was thus busied in these weighty forraign affairs, there passed some others in the Kingdom which I cannot omit, especially seeing his Genius which giveth orders for all things, tea∣cheth by his conduct divers maximes, very necessary for all Ministers. The great expen•es made the last four or five years in the Wars, having exhausted the Trea∣sure, and the factions of the Queen-mother and Monsieur breaking out, there was a necessity of raising great sums to support divers Armies at the same time. This was that which forced the King to lay new Impositions upon his Subjects, which he did with the greater regret in regard he had formerly by the Cardinal's counsel, used some expedients to ease them; but necessity, whose Empire is more absolute then that of Princes, forced his Majesty to defer them, until such time as his af∣fairs were setled in a sure Peace; neither did the Chamber of Accompts make any scruple to confirm those Edicts which did contribute thereunto when brought unto them, but it was not so with the Messieurs of the Court of Aydes of Paris. Men∣sieur le Comte having informed them that he was going to their Chamber from the King to do as much, they fell into such disorder that they all departed, thinking by this to disengage themselves from their duty of confirming them, so that, Monsieur de Compte comming thither found no body there. This their inconsideratenesse could not be without mis-prision of the royal Authority, and was looked upon as an example the more dangerous, in regard Magistrates are like the Primum mobile, which draw all the inferior Orbs after it; so their motion might be capable of ma∣king the people mutiny and refuse succours which they owed the King, and which his Majesty might lawfully demand from them to help discharge the necessi∣ties of the State, as we have formerly said. Justice and Prudence did both require that they should be made exemplary; they were suspended from the exercise of their Offices, and a Commission issued out to some of the Messieurs, Masters of Requests, and Counsellours of the grand Councel to do justice in their rooms, and to determine those affairs which were depending before them. This continued for some moneths to teach them against another time how they run into such mis-pri∣sions of his Majesties will, which made them unworthy to sit upon the Flower de Luces, seeing they had been so little affectionate in contributing to the means ne∣cessary to preserve them in their beauty: