opening of States General of lyS^ 2>7 



should make to the invitation of the third estate.*'^ Biauzat says 

 that at this point the members of the third estate shouted that 

 they had sent no one to the clergy, that they did not recognize 

 any chamber of the clergy, that no resolutions could be received 

 by the commons, and that they recognized only the acts which 

 should take place in the national hall.^^ 



Shortly after this, the formal deputation came from the 

 clergy. ^^ The commons must have awaited their announcement 

 with the keenest interest. Would the clergy accept the invitation 

 of the third estate and join them in their hall, thus defeating the 

 nobles at the very outset, or would they, on the other hand, 

 absolutely refuse to unite with the third estate, insist on separate 

 verification of credentials and thus force the commons to take 

 matters into their own hands and begin open warfare? 



It is said that when the deputies from the clergy came into the 

 hall of the third estate, someone called out, " Your places are 

 vacant ! ", meaning that they should seat themselves in the section 

 that had been occupied by the clergy on the opening day and 

 which the third estate had evidently taken care not to occupy.'^" 

 Biauzat calls attention to the fact that some of the members of 

 the commons had taken the trouble to remove the six seats which 

 were near the dean's chair, and which were intended for the six 

 assistants, lest the deputation from the clergy might take these 

 seats and so avoid taking their places in the section reserved for 

 their order.'^^ The third estate was using every opportunity to 



^"^ Biauzat, II, 41 ; Vallet, Souvenirs, 23. 



6s Biauzat, II, 41. The writer relates this incident in the following man- 

 ner: "II s'eleva des voix pour crier que nous n'avions envoye personne, 

 que nous ne connaissions point de chambre du clerge, que nous ne pouvions 

 point recevoir de deliberations, et que nous n'en connaissions de possible 

 que celles qui seraient faites dans la salle nationale." 



^^ Recit des seances des deputes des commtmes, 9; Biauzat, II, 41. 

 Biauzat says that the deputation came about half an hour after the cures 

 had come in. The Recit states that it came in about half an hour after 

 the return of the deputation that had gone from the third estate. 



''^ Biauzat, II, 41 ; Coster, 7 mai. Coster says that the deputation was 

 given the seats reserved for the clergy, but says nothing of the shouts 

 from the members of the third estate, nor of the removal of the chairs. 



"1 Biauzat, II, 41. 



239 



