in which they obferved, that as the affairs of the United Provinces no longer left any fubject of difcuffion, and ftill lefs of contest between the two courts, they were authorized to afk, whether it was the intention of the king to carry into effect the notification made by his minifter on the 16th of September, which, by announcing that fuccour would be given in Holland, had occafioned the naval armaments made by his Britannic majefty, and which had fince become reciprocal?-That if the court of Versailles was difpofed to explain itself on this fubject, and upon the conduct to be obferved towards the republic, in a manner conformable to the defire which had been expreffed on both fides, of preferving the good underftanding between both crowns; and it being likewife understood that there is no view of hoftility towards any quarter in confequence of what has paffed, 'their mafter, ever anxious to concur in the friendly fentiments of his most christian majefty, would agree with him that the armaments, and all warlike preparations in general, fhould be difcontinued on both fides, and that the navies of both nations fhould be again placed upon the footing of the peace eftablishment, as it flood on the first day of the present year. This piece produced a counterdeclaration on the fame day, figned by M. de Montmorin, the minifter for foreign affairs, in which the French king declared, that he never had any intention of interfering by force in the affairs of the republic; the notification was palliated, and it was acknowledged that the motives to it no longer exifted; he declares, that he readily agrees to give no effect to it; concurs in the fentiments of his Britannic majefty for the prefervation of the harmony between the two courts; and agrees with pleasure to the propofal that the armaments, and in general all warlike preparations, should be difcontinued on both fides, and the navies placed upon the peace eftablifhment propofed.-A fhort inftrument, being in fome fort a fummary and confirmation of the foregoing documents, was then figned by all the parties, in the names of their refpective fovereigns; and thus all occafions of difference for the prefent between the two nations were happily removed. A few days previous to this event, the prefident of the parliament of Paris, in a speech to the king, conveyed the moft ample acknowledgments from that body of their grateful fenfe of his equity and justice, and of his affection for his people, in withdrawing the edicts for the ftamp-duty and the land-tax, accompanied with affurances of their zealous concurrence in all his majefty's beneficent views for relieving the people, and rendering them happy.-The king's answer was exceedingly gracious, containing profeffions of the moft perfect confidence in the fidelity and loyalty of the parliament, and of the greateft affection for his fubjects. Thus room was afforded to hope, that at the fame time that the public tranquillity was fecured from without, a fimilar conciliatory difpofition would have prevailed at home. But things were destined to take a turn widely different from thefe fond hopes. In an extraordinary full meeting of the parliament, attended by all the princes of the [*N] 2 blood, blood, great officers of ftate, and he alone who was to judge of the ufe and neceffity of thefe affemblies; and he would not fuffer himself to be indifcreetly importuned for that which ought to be expected from his wifdom, and the love he bore for his people, whofe interests were infeparable from his own. He then proceeded to explain the nature of the loan he demanded, to point out the advantages it poffeffed above others, and to fhew its neceffity. After which he touched upon the propriety of reftoring the protestants to their natural rights and due rank in fociety; threw fome blame upon the parliament of Bourdeaux; and then returning to the tone of authority on which he fat out, declared that his parliaments ought to reckon upon his confidence and affection; but they ought likewife to merit them, by confining themfelves within the functions confided to their execution by the kings his predeceffors, being careful neither to depart from nor to refuse them; and more particularly never to fail in giving to his fubjects examples of fidelity and obedi ence. The monarch opened the way for his edicts by a speech of unufual length, and which announced no lefs a change in his political temper and difpofition. He faid, he had come there to recall to his parliament thofe principles from which they fhould never have deviated; to hear what they had to Permiffion being then announced fay upon two great acts of admi- for every meinber of the affembly niftration and legiflation; and final- to deliver his fentiments without ly, to reply to certain reprefenta- refraint, a very warm debate comtions. The principles which he menced on the fubject of the loan, meant to recall to their recollection which was fupported with equal were part of the effence of the mo- perfeverance by the party on the narchy, and he would not fuffer fide of the crown, and by that them to be evaded or changed. He which oppofed its being registered, had no need of folicitation to af- until about fix o'clock when the femble the notables of his king- king, who had fat nine hours withdom. He fhould never be afraid out refreshment, being wearied by of being among his fubjects. A the length of the arguments, perking of France was never more haps chagrined at the freedom used happy than when he enjoyed their in them, and preffed by hunger, Adelity and affection; but it was fuddenly rofe, and commanded the ; edict to be registered without further delay. This compendious method of paffing a law, moft unexpectedly was oppofed by the duke of Orleans, who confidering it as a direct infringement of the rights of parliament, immediately protefted against the whole proceedings of the day, as being thereby rendered null and void. The king aftonished, however repeated his orders, and then quitting the affembly, returned to Verfailles without breaking his faft, and probably without any great difpofition to liften to future debates in parlia ment. Upon the king's departure the parliament refolved, that as the votes had not, according to their ftanding orders, been regularly counted, and as their deliberations had been interrupted, they could not confider themfelves as having any fhare in the bufinefs of that fitting; thereby confirming the duke of Orleans's proteft, and rendering the proceedings totally void. On the evening of the following day, the baron de Breteuil prefented a letter to the duke of Orleans from the king, in which he was concifely informed, that he had reafon to be diffatisfied with his conduct; that he ordered him to retire to Villars Cotterel (one of his feats, about fifteen leagues from Paris) where he was to receive no company except that of his own family; that he fhould depart immediately, and lie at Reincy (four leagues from Paris) where, for the prefent night, he should fee none of his family, nor any perfon belonging to his house.-On the fame day the abbé Sabatiere and M. Frereau, both members of the par liament, and who had both diftinguished themselves in the late debate, were, nothwith ftanding the freedom of fpeech which was then proclaimed, both taken up and fent off guarded, under the authority of lettres de cachet, the firft to the prifon of Mont St. Michel (an impregnable and almoft inacceffible rock on the coaft of Normandy) and the other to a prifon in Picardy. The parliament did not reft contented under thefe acts of oppreffion offered by power to their members. On the following day they waited on the king at Verfailles, where the first prefident in a fhort fpeech declared their aftonishment and concern at understanding that a prince of his own royal blood had been exiled, and two members of their body imprisoned, for having declared in his prefence what their duty and confciences dictated to them, in a fitting wherein his majefty himfelf had announced, that he came to take the fenfe of the affembly by a plurality of fuffrages. That, loft in confternation as they were at this incident, they humbly fupplicated his majefty to restore to the prince of his blood, and to the two magiftrates, the liberty which they had thus loft. To this the king anfwered, That when he put away from his presence a prince of his blood, his parliament ought to have believed, that he had very ftrong reafons for fo doing. That he had punished two magiftrates, with whom he ought to be diffatisfied. This laconic rebuff did not prevent the parliament from prefenting a very long and a very strong addrefs two days after. In this they [*N] 3 declared, blood, great officers of ftate, and The monarch opened the way for his edicts by a fpeech of unufual length, and which announced no lefs a change in his political temper and difpofition. He faid, he had come there to recall to his parliament thofe principles from which they fhould never have deviated; to hear what they had to fay upon two great acts of adminiftration and legislation; and finally, to reply to certain reprefentations. The principles which he meant to recall to their recollection were part of the effence of the monarchy, and he would not fuffer them to be evaded or changed. He had no need of folicitation to affemble the notables of his kingdom. He fhould never be afraid of being among his fubjects. A king of France was never more happy than when he enjoyed their fidelity and affection; but it was he alone who was to judge of the ufe and neceffity of thefe affemblies; and he would not fuffer himself to be indifcreetly importuned for that which ought to be expected from his wifdom, and the love he bore for his people, whofe interefts were infeparable from his own.He then proceeded to explain the nature of the loan he demanded, to point out the advantages it poffeffed above others, and to fhew its neceffity. After which he touched upon the propriety of restoring the proteftants to their natural rights and due rank in fociety; threw fome blame upon the parliament of Bourdeaux; and then returning to the tone of authority on which he fat out, declared that his parliaments ought to reckon upon his confidence and affection; but they ought likewise to merit them, by confining themfelves within the functions confided to their execution by the kings his predeceffors, being careful neither to depart from nor to refuse them; and more particularly never to fail in giving to his fubjects examples of fidelity and obedi ence. Permiffion being then announced for every meinber of the affembly to deliver his fentiments without reftraint, a very warm debate commenced on the subject of the loan, which was fupported with equal perfeverance by the party on the fide of the crown, and by that which oppofed its being registered, until about fix o'clock; when the king, who had fat nine hours without refreshment, being wearied by the length of the arguments, perhaps chagrined at the freedom used in them, and preffed by hunger, fuddenly rofe, and commanded the edict to be registered without further delay. This compendious method of paffing a law, moft unexpectedly was oppofed by the duke of Orleans, who confidering it as a direct infringement of the rights of parliament, immediately protefted against the whole proceedings of the day, as being thereby rendered null and void. The king aftonished, however repeated his orders, and then quitting the affembly, returned to Verfailles without breaking his faft, and probably without any great difpofition to liften to future debates in parlia ment. Upon the king's departure the parliament refolved, that as the votes had not, according to their ftanding orders, been regularly counted, and as their deliberations had been interrupted, they could not confider themfelves as having any fhare in the business of that fitting; thereby confirming the duke of Orleans's proteft, and rendering the proceedings totally void. On the evening of the following day, the baron de Breteuil prefented a letter to the duke of Orleans from the king, in which he was concifely informed, that he had reafon to be diffatisfied with his conduct; that he ordered him to retire to Villars Cotterel (one of his feats, about fifteen leagues from Paris) where he was to receive no company except that of his own family; that he fhould depart immediately, and lie at Reincy (four leagues from Paris) where, for the prefent night, he should fee none of his family, nor any perfon belonging to his houfe.-On the fame day the abbé Sabatiere and M. Frereau, both members of the par liament, and who had both diftinguished themselves in the late debate, were, nothwith ftanding the freedom of fpeech which was then proclaimed, both taken up and fent off guarded, under the authority of lettres de cachet, the firft to the prifon of Mont St. Michel (an impregnable and almoft inacceffible rock on the coaft of Normandy) and the other to a prifon in Picardy. The parliament did not reft contented under thefe acts of oppreffion offered by power to their members. On the following day they waited on the king at Verfailles, where the first prefident in a fhort speech declared their astonishment and concern at understanding that a prince of his own royal blood had been exiled, and two members of their body imprisoned, for having declared in his prefence what their duty and confciences dictated to them, in a fitting wherein his majefty himfelf had announced, that he came to take the fenfe of the affembly by a plurality of fuffrages. That, loft in confternation as they were at this incident, they humbly fupplicated his majesty to restore to the prince of his blood, and to the two magiftrates, the liberty which they had thus loft. To this the king anfwered, That when he put away from his prefence a prince of his blood, his parliament ought to have believed, that he had very ftrong reafons for fo doing. That he had punished two magiftrates, with whom he ought to be diffatisfied. This laconic rebuff did not prevent the parliament from prefenting a very long and a very strong addrefs two days after. In this they [*N] 3 declared, |