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III。 Services and Recompenses of the King。
Kings built the whole of this foundation； one stone after
another。 Hugues Capet laid the first one。 Before him royalty conferred
on the King no right to a province； not even Laon； it is he who added
his domain to the title。 During eight hundred years； through conquest；
craft； inheritance； the work of acquisition goes on； even under Louis
XV France is augmented by the acquisition of Lorraine and Corsica。
Starting from nothing； the King is the maker of a compact State；
containing the population of twenty…six millions； and then the most
powerful in …Europe。 … Throughout this interval he is at the head of
the national defense。 He is the liberator of the country against
foreigners； against the Pope in the fourteenth century； against the
English in the fifteenth； against the Spaniards in the sixteenth。 In
the interior； from the twelfth century onward； with the helmet on his
brow； and always on the road； he is the great justiciary； demolishing
the towers of the feudal brigands； repressing the excesses of the
powerful； and protecting the oppressed。＇14＇ He puts an end to
private warfare； he establishes order and tranquility。 This was an
immense accomplishment； which； from Louis le Gros to St。 Louis； from
Philippe le Bel to Charles VII； continues uninterruptedly up to the
middle of the eighteenth century in the edict against duels and in the
〃Grand Jours。〃＇15＇ Meanwhile all useful projects carried out under
his orders； or developed under his patronage； roads； harbors； canals；
asylums； universities； academies； institutions of piety； of refuge； of
education； of science； of industry； and of commerce； bears his imprint
and proclaim the public benefactor。…Services of this character
challenge a proportionate recompense； it is allowed that from father
to son he is wedded to France； that she acts only through him； that he
acts only for her； while every souvenir of the past and every present
interest combine to sanction this union。 The Church consecrates it at
Rheims by a sort of eighth sacrament； accompanied with legends and
miracles； he is the anointed of God。＇16＇ The nobles； through an old
instinct of military fealty； consider themselves his bodyguard； and
down to August 10； 1789； rush forward to die for him on his staircase；
he is their general by birth。 The people； down to 1789； regard him as
the redresser of abuses； the guardian of the right； the protector of
the weak； the great almoner and the universal refuge。 At the beginning
of the reign of Louis XVI 〃shouts of Vive le roi； which began at six
o'clock in the morning； continued scarcely interrupted until after
sunset。〃＇17＇ When the Dauphin was born the joy of France was that of
a whole family。 〃People stopped each other in the streets； spoke
together without any acquaintance； and everybody embraced everybody he
knew。〃＇18＇ Every one； through vague tradition； through immemorial
respect； feels that France is a ship constructed by his hands and the
hands of his ancestors。 In this sense； the vessel is his property； it
is his right to it is the same as that of each passenger to his
private goods。 The king's only duty consists in being expert and
vigilant in guiding across the oceans and beneath his banner the
magnificent ship upon which everyone's welfare depends。…Under the
ascendancy of such an idea he was allowed to do everything。 By fair
means or foul； he so reduced ancient authorities as to make them a
fragment； a pretense； a souvenir。 The nobles are simply his officials
or his courtiers。 Since the Concordat he nominates the dignitaries of
the Church。 The States…General were not convoked for a hundred and
seventy…five years； the provincial assemblies； which continue to
subsist； do nothing but apportion the taxes； the parliaments are
exiled when they risk a remonstrance。 Through his council； his
intendants； his sub…delegates； he intervenes in the most trifling of
local matters。 His revenue is four hundred and seventy…seven
millions。＇19＇ He disburses one…half of that of the Clergy。 In short；
he is absolute master； and he so declares himself。＇20＇ …Possessions；
freedom from taxation； the satisfactions of vanity； a few remnants of
local jurisdiction and authority； are consequently all that is left to
his ancient rivals； in exchange for these they enjoy his favors and
marks of preference。…Such； in brief； is the history of the privileged
classes； the Clergy； the Nobles； and the King。 It must be kept in mind
to comprehend their situation at the moment of their fall； having
created France； they enjoy it。 Let us see clearly what becomes of them
at the end of the eighteenth century； what portion of their advantages
they preserved； what services they still render； and what services
they do not render。
Notes ：
＇1＇。 〃Les Moines d'Occident；〃 by Montalembert； I。 277。 St。 Lupicin
before the Burgundian King Chilperic； II。 416。 Saint Karileff before
King Childebert。 Cf。 passim； Gregory of Tours and the Bollandist
collection。
＇2＇。 No legend is more frequently encountered； we find it as late
as the twelfth century。
＇3＇。 Chilperic； for example； acting under the advice of Fredegonde
after the death of all their children。
＇4＇。 Montalembert； ibid。； II。 book 8； and especially 〃Les Forêts de
la France dans l'antiquité et au Moyen Age；〃 by Alfred Maury。 Spinoe
et vepres is a phrase constantly recurring in the lives of the saints。
＇5＇。 We find the same thing to day with the colonies of Trappists
in Algiers。
＇6＇。 〃Polyptique d'Irminon；〃 by Guérard。 In this work we see the
prosperity of the domain belonging to the Abbey of St。 Germain des
Près at the end of the eighth century。 According to M。 Guérard's
statistics； the peasantry of Paliseau were about as prosperous in the
time of Charlemagne as at the present day。
＇7＇。 Taine's definition would also fit contemporary （1999） drugs
and video entertainment which also provide mankind with both hope；
pleasure and entertainment。 （SR。）
＇8＇。 There are twenty…five thousand lives of the saints； between
the sixth and the tenth centuries； collected by the Bollandists。 … The
last that are truly inspired are those of St。 Francis of Assisi and
his companions at the beginning of the fourteenth century。 The same
vivid sentiment extends down to the end of the fifteenth century in
the works of Fra Angelico and Hans Memling。 … The Sainte Chapelle in
Paris； the upper church at Assisi； Dante's Paradise； and the Fioretti；
furnish an idea of these visions。 As regards modern literature； the
state of a believer's soul in the middle ages is perfectly described
in the 〃Pélerinage à Kevlaar；〃 by Henri Heine； and in 〃Les Reliques
vivantes；〃 by Tourgueneff。
＇9＇。 As； for example； Tertulle； founder of the Platagenet family；
Rollo； Duke of Normandy； Hugues； Abbot of St。 Martin of Tours and of
St。 Denis。
＇10＇。 See the 〃Cantilenes〃 of the tenth century in which the
〃Chansons de Geste〃 are foreshadowed。
＇11＇。 Laws governing the feudal system （1372） where the feudal lord
is unable to transmit his property by testament but has to leave them
to the next holder of the title。 The 〃mainmortables〃 were serfs who
belonged to the property。 （SR。）
＇12＇。 See in the 〃Voyages du Caillaud；〃 in Nubia and Abyssinia； the
raids for slaves made by the Pacha's armies； Europe presented about
the same spectacle between the years 800 and 900。
＇13＇。 See the zeal of subjects for their lords in the historians of
the middle ages； Gaston Phoebus； Comte de Foix； and Guy； Comte de
Flandres in Froissart； Raymond de Béziers and Raymond de Toulouse； in
the chronicle of Toulouse。 This profound sentiment of small local
patrimonics is apparent at each provincial assembly in Normandy；
Brittany； Franche…Comté； etc。
＇14＇。 Suger； Life of Louis VI。
＇15＇。 〃Les Grand Jours d'Auvergne；〃 by Fléchier； ed。 Chéruel。 The
last feudal brigand； the Baron of Plumartin； in Poitou； was taken；
tried； and beheaded under Louis XV in 1756。
＇16＇。 As late as Louis XV a procès verbal is made of a number of
cures of the King's evil。
＇17＇。 〃Mémoires of Madame Campan；〃 I。 89； II。 215。
＇18＇。 In 1785 an Englishman visiting France boasts of the political
liberty enjoyed in his country。 As an offset to this the French
reproach the English for having decapitated Charles I。； and 〃glory in
having always maintained an inviolable attachment to their own king； a
fidelity； a respect which no excess or severity on his part has ever
shaken。〃 （〃A Comparative View of the French and of the English
Nation；〃 by John Andrews； p。257。）
＇19＇。 Memoirs of D'Augeard； private secretary of the Queen； and a
former farmer…general。
＇20＇。 The following is the reply of Louis XV。 to the Parliament of
Paris； March 3； 1766； in a lit de justice ： 〃The sovereign authority