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 1920 REVIEWS OF BOOKS 267 English methods. Neither M. Waquet nor M. Chenon, by the way, appears to have taken account of recent discussions upon the origin of the Parlement of Paris as a distinct court. M. Jules Viard, adding precision to the conclusions of M. Maugis, has shown that until the ordinance of 11 March 1345 the word ' parliamentum ' was still used of a judicial session of the curia, not of a separate institution.^ The bailiff exercised la juridiction gracieuse, that is to say, he authenticated private transactions and deeds by giving them the authority of the seal of the bailliage. M. Waquet shows that, from 1291 onwards, this jurisdiction was actually exercised by keepers of the seal, established in the chief prevotes (pp. 70-1). The main point of interest in the chapters dealing with the military and financial functions of the bailiff is the analysis of the relations between the bailiff and the more specialized officers required in time of war and for the control of the revenue. Vermandois was a very important area in a highly exposed position, and it was occasionally found to be desirable to appoint inspectors of fortresses and frontiers, or a captain-general of the forces, who was independent of the bailiff (pp. 96-7). Similarly, in financial administration, the steady growth of the responsibility which fell upon the bailiff during the thirteenth century was followed in the early fourteenth century by the appointment of a receiver. The receiver appears in Vermandois in 1315, but his functions were at first not very clear nor comprehensive. In 1324 he disappears (in accordance with an ordinance of November 1323), only to reappear in 1325. This official, though he had a seal of his own and was in direct relations with the Chambre des Comptes, was not quite independent of the bailiff and did not relieve him of all financial duties and responsibility. The development of expedients for the assessment and collection of extraordinary taxes, loans, or aids is simpler. The administration of the aid granted by the estates of Verman- dois in 1348 was entrusted to five separate bodies of elected commissioners, working in five divisions of the bailliage, and responsible to a special receiver (p. 117). The whole of this chapter on finance suggests interesting parallels with English experiments. The remaining chapters are concerned with details regarding the various officials, clerks, and civil servants of the bailliage, and with a general survey of the relations between administrators and governed. In this regard, M. Waquet makes much use of the returns made to the famous investigations between 1248 and 1268. St. Louis, in the main, employed Franciscans and Dominicans in this very difficult and thorough task of inspection. The results are interesting and illuminating, but not startling, and M. Waquet concludes that the administration was on the whole sound and honest. St. Louis's example was followed by some later kings, but generally in the examination of specific charges. The very careful investi- gation into the charges against Bon-Jean of Sissonne, receiver in 1349-57, here printed for the first time (p. 229), is especially suggestive. Bon-Jean was acquitted, but the examination reveals the various ways in which any medieval bursar might avail himself of his opportunities. F. M, POWICKE. ' BiUiotJteque de I'Ecde des Charles, Ixxix, 1918, 60-7.