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Tilly； 〃Mémoires；〃 II。 215。）
＇50＇。 Renauldon； ibid。。 45； 52； 628。 … Duvergier； 〃Collection des
Lois；〃 II。 391； law of August 31； … October 18； 1792。 … Statements
（cahier） of grievances of a magistrate of the Chatelet on seigniorial
courts （1789）； p。 29。 … Legrand； 〃 l'Intendance du Hainaut；〃 p。119。
＇51＇。 Archives Nationales； H； 654 （〃Mémoire〃 by René de Hauteville；
advocate to the Parliament； Saint…Brieuc； October 5； 1776。） In
Brittany the number of seigniorial courts is immense； the pleaders
being obliged to pass through four or five jurisdictions before
reaching the Parliament。 〃Where is justice rendered？ In the cabaret；
in the tavern； where； amidst drunkards and riff…raff； the judge sells
justice to whoever pays the most for it。〃
＇52＇。 Beugnot； 〃Mémoires；〃 vol。 I。 p。 35。
＇53＇。 Boivin…Champeaux； ibid。。 48。 … Renauldon； 26； 416。 …
Manuscript reports of the States…general （Archives nationales）； t。
CXXXII。 pp。 896 and 901。 … Hippeau； 〃Le Gouvernement de Normandie；〃
VII。 61； 74。 … Paris； 〃La Jeunesse de Robespierre；〃 pp。314…324。 …
〃Essai sur les capitaineries royales et autres；〃 （1789） passim。 … De
Loménie； 〃Beaumarchais et son emps；〃 I。 125。 Beaumarchais having
purchased the office of lieutenant…general of the chase in the
bailiwicks of the Louvre warren （twelve to fifteen leagues in
circumference。 approx。 60 km。 SR。） tries delinquents under this title。
July 15th； 1766； he sentences Ragondet； a farmer to a fine of one
hundred livres together with the demolition of the walls around an
enclosure； also of his shed newly built without license； as tending to
restrict the pleasures of the king。
＇54＇。 Marquis D'Argenson； 〃Mémoires；〃 ed。 Rathery； January 27；
1757。 〃The sieur de Montmorin； captain of the game…preserves of
Fontainebleau； derives from his office enormous sums； and behaves
himself like a bandit。 The population of more than a hundred villages
around no longer sow their land； the fruits and grain being eaten by
deer； stags and other game。 They keep only a few vines； which they
preserve six months of the year by mounting guard day and night with
drums； making a general turmoil to frighten off the destructive
animals。〃 January 23； 1753。 … 〃 M。 le Prince de Conti has established
a captainry of eleven leagues around Ile…Adam and where everybody is
vexed at it。〃 September 23； 1753。 … M。 le Duc d'Orléans came to
Villers…Cotterets； he has revived the captainry； there are more than
sixty places for sale on account of these princely annoyances。
＇55＇。 The old peasants with whom I once have talked still had a
clear memory of these annoyances and damages。 … They recounted how； in
the country around Clermont； the gamekeepers of Prince de Condé in the
springtime took litters of wolves and raised them in the dry moats of
the chateau。 They were freed in the beginning of the winter； and the
wolf hunting team would then hunt them later。 But they ate the sheep；
and； here and there； a child。
＇56＇。 The estates of the king encompassed in forest one million
acres； not counting forests in the appanages set aside for his eldest
son or for factories or salt works。
＇57＇。 De Montlosier； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。 175。
CHAPTER IV。 PUBLIC SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES。
I。 England compared to France。
An English example。 … The Privileged class renders no service in
France。 … The influence and rights which remain to them。 … They use it
only for themselves。
USELESS in the canton； they might have been useful at the Center of
the State； and； without taking part in the local government； they
might have served in the general government。 Thus does a lord； a
baronet； a squire act in England； even when not a 〃justice〃 of his
county or a committee…man in his parish。 Elected a member of the Lower
House； a hereditary member of the upper house； he holds the strings of
the public purse and prevents the sovereign from spending too freely。
Such is the régime in countries where the feudal seigniors； instead of
allowing the sovereign to ally himself with the people against them；
allied themselves with the people against the sovereign。 To protect
their own interests better they secured protection for the interests
of others； and； after having served as the representatives of their
compeers they became the representatives of the nation。 Nothing of
this kind takes place in France。 The States…General are fallen into
desuetude； and the king may with truth declare himself the sole
representative of the country。 Like trees rendered lifeless under the
shadow of a gigantic oak； other public powers perish through his
growth； whatever still remains of these encumbers the ground； and
forms around him a circle of clambering briers or of decaying trunks。
One of them； the Parliament； an offshoot simply of the great oak；
sometimes imagined itself in possession of a root of its own； but its
sap was too evidently derivative for it to stand by itself and provide
the people with an independent shelter。 Other bodies； surviving；
although stunted； the assembly of the clergy and the provincial
assemblies； still protect an order； and four or five provinces； but
this protection extends only to the order itself or to the province；
and； if it protects a special interest it is commonly at the expense
of the general interest。
II。 The Clergy
Assemblies of the clergy。 … They serve only ecclesiastical
interests。 … The clergy exempted from taxation。 … Solicitation of its
agents。 … Its zeal against the Protestants。
Let us observe the most vigorous and the best…rooted of these
bodies； the assembly of the clergy。 It meets every five years； and；
during the interval； two agents； selected by it； watch over the
interests of the order。 Convoked by the government； subject to its
guidance； retained or dismissed when necessary； always in its hands；
used by it for political ends； it nevertheless continues to be a
refuge for the clergy； which it represents。 But it is an asylum solely
for that body； and； in the series of transactions by which it defends
itself against fiscal demands； it eases its own shoulders of the load
only to make it heavier on the shoulders of others。 We have seen how
its diplomacy saved clerical immunities； how it bought off the body
from the poll…tax and the vingtièmes； how it converted its portion of
taxation into a 〃free gift；〃 how this gift is annually applied to
refunding the capital which it has borrowed to obtain this exemption；
by which delicate art it succeeds； not only in not contributing to the
treasury； but in withdrawing from it every year about 1；500；000
livres； all of which is so much the better for the church but so much
the worse for the people。 Now run through the file of folios in which
from one period of five years to another the reports of its agents
follow each other； … so many clever men thus preparing themselves for
the highest positions in the church； the abbés de Boisgelin； de
Périgord； de Barral； de Montesquiou； at each moment； owing to their
solicitations with judges and the council； owing to the authority
which the discontent of the powerful order felt to be behind them
gives to their complaints； some ecclesiastic matter is decided in an
ecclesiastical sense； so feudal right is maintained in favor of a
chapter or of a bishop； some public demand is thrown out。＇1＇ In 1781；
notwithstanding decision of the Parliament of Rennes； the canons of
St。 Malo are sustained in their monopoly of the district baking oven。
This is to the detriment of the bakers who prefer to bake at their own
domiciles as well as of the inhabitants who would have to pay less for
bread made by the bakers。 In 1773； Guénin； a schoolmaster； discharged
by the bishop of Langres； and supported in vain by inhabitants； is
compelled to hand his place over to a successor appointed by the
bishop。 In 1770； Rastel； a Protestant； having opened a public school
at Saint…Affrique； is prosecuted at the demand of the bishop and of
clerical agents； his school is closed and he is imprisoned。 When an
organized body keeps purse strings in its own hands it secures many
favors； these are the equivalent for the money it grants。 The
commanding tone of the king and the submissive air of the clergy
effect no fun mental change； with both of them it is a bargain；＇2＇
giving and taking on both sides； this or that law against the
Protestants going for one or two millions added to the free gift。 In
this way the revocation of the Edict of Nantes is gradually brought
about； article by article； one turn of the rack after another turn；
each fresh persecution purchased by a fresh largess； the clergy
helping the State on condition that the State becomes an executioner。
Throughout the eighteenth century the church sees that this operation
continues。＇3＇ In 1717； an assemblage of