HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
perfe&tly ; and, blinded by applaufe 
and emulation, nothing could be 
withheld that wasdemanded. The 
feudal fervices were given up onall 
fides ; and the contelt between the 
- nobles and clergy feemed to be, who 
fhould be foremoft in facrificing the 
rights of chafe, of fihing, of war- 
ren, and of dove-houfes. The: pa- 
rifh priefts, feeling the general im- 
preflion, and eager to emulate, fo far 
as they were able, the example of 
their {uperiors in rank and fortune, 
rufhed forward impatiently to make 
a free offering of their cuftomary 
perquifites ; while the beneficiaries, 
difdaining to be left behind in this 
race for glory and popularity, dif- 
claimed all pluralities, and: bound 
themfelves never to ho!d more than 
a fingle benefice. 
As if it had been to crown the 
events of this memorable night, and 
to afford a proof of the univerfality 
of the enthufiafm which then pre- 
vailed; the deputies of the Pais 
d’état, with thofe of feveral privi- 
leged towns, advanced in fucceffion, 
and with a patriotic eagernefs of- 
fered up the. facrifice of their an- 
tique rights and charters, covering 
the fteps of the bureau with their 
parchments and perdant feals; while 
they at the fame time proclaimed 
their defire, that there fhould be no 
more provinces; that there fhould 
be but one fole nation, one fole fa- 
mily, one fole empire. 
In the higheft excefs of the joy 
and enthufiafm which were fpread 
through the affembly ; both were 
fuddenly checked through the iil- 
timed, and it might be faid infati- 
ate avidity ofa member of the com- 
mons; who by ftretching it too far, 
feermed upon the point of fnapping 
the bow-ftring. This member pro- 
-pofed the total abolition of all ma- 
wy 
nerial jurifdictions. Asthis did not 
come at all within the line of in« 
tended conceffion, it could not but 
occafion a fhort paufe; the nobility, 
however, agreed to the propotal 
with a tolerable grace; but one of 
them inftantly returned the favour 
by moving, that juftice fhould for 
the future be, in all cafes, adminif. © 
tered gratuitcufly, and that judicial 
offices fhould no longer be’ venal. 
Nothing could have pointed a more 
direct or vexatious blow at the 
commons than this motion, which 
went to cut them off from the only 
means they poffefled of being ever 
ennobled’ That body, however, 
difdained to be outdone even in the 
appearances of patriotifm; and the 
other fide could not but be furprifed 
at the vehemence of the approbation 
with which the motion was receive 
ed and confirmed by the cornmons, 
This circumftance undoubtedly 
contributed to give rife to that o- 
pinion which has been adopted by 
fome, that the bufinefs of this cele« 
brated night was neither more nor 
lefs than a game of crofi-purpofes, 
played by the contending parties 
that the facrifices made were moftly 
dictated by a fpirit of revenge, 
when one party, incenfed by the 
loffes it had been made to: fuffer, 
propofed to the other aéts of pene- 
rofity by way of punifhment; and 
that they mutually dated each other 
to conceffions, of which thofe who 
fuggefted them expeéted to enjoy 
the honour, without feeling the ine 
convenience. 
Whether this opinion may be cone 
fidered as too refinefl or not, it is 
however certain, that under the 
mixed operation of fear, hope, pos 
licy, emulation, enthufiafm, vanitys, 
and impetuofity of temper, feveral 
things were done on that night, 
[22] which, 
