The Institution of the Parliament of Mets, after the King had reduc'd to his Obedience, divers Cities and Places of Lorrain.

AFter the King had reduc'd to his Obedience divers Cities and places of the Bi∣shopricks of Mets, Toul, and Verdun. and recovered to his Crown divers Lands and Lordships, heretofore pulled from it; he thought it necessary for the preservation of the people in Obedience and Peace, and for conservation of the Rights of his Crown to establish a Soveraign court of Justice, which should have full power to Judge, without further Appeal, all matters both civil and criminal. His Majesty was the rather invited unto it, by the earnest intreaties of all the Or∣ders of the Cities and Provinces, in prosecution of the promise made unto them, by the late King Henry le grand; especially to redresse those great abuses committed in the Administration of Justice, in regard of the inexperience of the Magistrates, as to prevent the Dukes of Lorrain's usurpation, who had oftentimes presumed to give judgement in places; and upon persons depending on the Crown of France. It was resolved about the beginning of the year. The King ordained a Soveraign court, with the Title of Parliament, in his Bishopricks of Toul, Mets, and Ver∣dun; the seat whereof he founded at Mets; both in regard of the commodious∣nesse of the scituation; as also the populousness of the place, and confluence of the people, which came from all parts; and besides, that place having been formerly Page  549the Metropolis of Austracia, one of the best Flowers of this Crown. His Majesty ordained there should be one chief President, six other Presidents, forty six Coun∣sellors, of which six should be of the Clergy, the rest of the Laity, one Attorney General, two Advocates General; and to brief, all Officers usual in other Parliaments, to execute Justice, without Appeal, every six moneths, upon the Cities and persons of those Bishopricks; as also upon Mouzon, Chasteau-Regnaud, and its Appurte∣nances; notwithstanding any Soveraignty they might heretofore claim: Lastly, desiring to chuse such persons as might be capable of doing actual service in this Parliament, he committed the charge of chief President to the Sieur de Bretaign, and of the other Presidents to the Sieurs of Charpentier, Blundeau, Pinon, Tres∣lon, Vignier and Chanteclair, all men of worth; that of Attorney General to the Sieur de Paris, Master of Requests; those of the two Advocates General, to the Sieurs de la Gresliere, Remifort, and Fardoil; they had all Commission to go with four Masters of Request, and five or six who were created Counsellours, to esta∣blish the Parliament, which they did about the end of August, to the great happi∣nesse and satisfaction of the inhabitants of Mets, glad to see their City re-assume its ancient splendour; and true it is, the industry they used to preserve his Maje∣sties right, and the people in their obedience, did not a little conduce to the esta∣blishment of the Royal Authority in its lustre.