Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 5.djvu/440

426 vocation of the states-general, he assured them that he was the proper judge of the necessity of its assembling, and that he would not suffer himself to be indiscreetly importuned for what ought to be expected from his wisdom and love to his people. He then demanded that they should register two edicts—one for a succession of loans, running through five years, and amounting altogether to nine millions sterling, the other for granting all civil rights to the protestants of his dominions.

The emancipation of the protestants was become a popular subject in France, and was not likely to encounter any opposition; on the contrary, there is little doubt but that it was linked to the other and less palatable edict to render it the more passable.



But the enormous loans, and the peremptory tone of the king, produced a scene of the most violent debate, which continued for six or seven hours, and to which Louis was compelled to listen. There was a loud and general demand for the calling of the states-general. D'Espréménil, Sebastian de Cabre, and Frếteau, especially urged the king to this measure, as of inevitable necessity. But, at length, Lamoiguon, the keeper of the seals, whispered to Louis to put an end to the sitting, and he rose and commanded the edicts to be instantly registered. The duke of Orleans, the king's cousin, and first prince of the blood next to his own brothers, who was soon to occupy so remarkable a position in the revolution, asked whether this was a bed of justice or a séance royale. Louis replied a séance royale, and Orleans rejoined that edicts could not be registered at a séance royale, and he, for one, must enter his protest against such a registry. Notwithstanding this, Louis insisted, and the registry was made. Orleans, according to court etiquette, accompanied Louis to the gate on his departure, but he then returned and entered a determined protest against the legality of the registry, in which he was joined by the majority of the parliament. The duke was applauded as the greatest of patriots, and the parliament voted the registry of the edicts, under such circumstances, null and void.

The next morning the duke of Orleans received an order to quit Paris, and confine himself to his chateau of Villars-Cotterets; Frếteau was arrested by lettre de cachet, and sent to the fortress of Ham, and Cabre to that of Mount St. Michael. The parliament was ordered to attend at Versailles with their journal, where they were soundly reprimanded, and the offensive protest erased. They returned, accompanied by the plaudits of the people, entered a fresh protest, and felt themselves stronger than ever. They boldly demanded the liberation of their members, Orleans, Frếteau, and Cabre. The king, paying no attention to their demand regarding the imprisoned members, ordered them to erase the second protest; they refused, and this state of antagonism continued several months. As Louis could not master his parliament, he was advised to abolish it, and to substitute in its place a cour plếnière, consisting only of princes of the blood, great officers of the church, state, and army, nobles, governors of provinces, knights of