76'2 F R. A 
which was regiftered in parliament, granted to the re¬ 
formed permiffion to aflemble at what place and at what 
time they pleated, to admit foreigners into their fynods, 
and at pleafure to quit the kingdom to join foreign fynods, 
the parliament hefitated not to remonftrate againft a con- 
ceilion fo dangerous to the royal authority. Tire fove- 
reign ardently liftened to the language of loyalty ; but 
the reformed were entitled to his confidence ; he wifhed 
to extinguifli the rancour between the proteftants and 
catholics by a generous toleration ; and he compelled the 
parliament reluctantly to regifter the edidt. 
On the death of Henry IV. the parliament confirmed 
the title of his widow to the regency, during the minority 
of Louis XIII. Even after that prince came of age to 
alfiime the reins of government, they vindicated their 
authority againft the duke d’Epernon, who had prefumed 
to releafe by force a foldicr from the prifon of St. Ger¬ 
main. The king, partial to the duke, commanded the 
parliament to difcontinue their proceedings ; the parlia¬ 
ment obeyed ; but at the fame time they determined to 
flop the adminiftration of juftice, till they had received 
fatisfaClion for this infult to their body ; and though 
the king difapproved their refolution, the duke d’Eper¬ 
non was at length compelled to a perfonal fubmiflion. 
But when the commanding genius of Richelieu guided 
the counfels of his fovereign, the parliament were 
taught to refpedl the voice of a ntafter: their media¬ 
tion in favour of the queen mother was feverely reproved, 
and they were reduced, at Metz, to implore the pardon 
of infulted majefty. By acquiefcing in the defires of the 
court in diffolving the marriage of the duke of Orleans 
with Margaret of Lorrain, they reconciled themfelves to 
the haughty cardinal ; yet unmindful of their late humi¬ 
liation, they again expofed themfelves to his refentment 
by refitting the eftablifhment of the French Academy ; 
and though their oppofition was ineffectual, that minifter 
ever after regarded them with jealoufy and averfion. 
The death of the cardinal was foon fucceeded by that 
of Louis XIII. and the minority of his fon was entruft- 
ed to the queen mother, Anne of Auftria. That princefs 
called to the fupreme direction of affairs cardinal Maza- 
rin ; and the nation fubmitted with reluctance to the 
authority of a foreigner and a prieft. The parliament 
availed themfelves of the general indignation to (hake off 
the fetters which Richelieu had intpofed, and to a (Turn e 
powers unknown before. Some vexatious edicts which 
they refufed to regifter, was the fignal of public revolt; the 
queen, to enforce obedience, arretted feveral of the coun- 
fetlors ; and the people efpouling the cauieof the parlia. 
ment, whom they confidered as their champions againft 
an oppreffive minifter, tumultuoufly affembled in arms, 
and barricadoed theftreets. The court, alarmed at their 
hoftile appearance, reftored the members of the parlia¬ 
ment to their freedom; and foon after abandoned a capital 
which it could no longer govern. For four fucceftive 
years the parliament alternately oppofed the authority of 
the regent, and launched its edicts againft the princes of 
the blood. Amidft every fpecies of anarchy and civil 
commotion, Louis XIV. attained the age fixed for his 
majority ; he appeared in his parliament, boldly repri¬ 
manded their prefumption, and banifhed tliofe members 
whole activity had rendered them molt confpicuous. 
The reft of the affembly lubmitted to the mandates of 
tlieir fovereign ; they cancelled the abnoxious edicts 
againft Mazarin ; they received that minifter with every 
mark of regard ; and during the reign of Louis XIV. the 
parliament of Paris was content to adminilter juftice in 
obfequious (ilence. But no fooner had Louis expired, 
than the parliament embraced the opportunity of efcaping 
from that fubjection in which he had held them; and, con¬ 
trary to the will of the deceafed monarch, they velted the 
foie power of the regency in the hands of the duke of Or¬ 
leans. Yet the freedom of their expoftulations with that 
prince oil the ruinous fyftem of law, determined him to 
difmifs them to Pontoife ; and they were compelled to 
purchafe their recal by the moft degrading conceliions. 
N C E: 
We have fince beheld them, on the refumption of the bull 
Unigenitus, refitting Louis XV. in the plenitude of- his 
power; and, though repeatedly banifhed, yet conftantly 
recalled, and gathering from each fall, increafe of vigour. 
From the time of Philip the Fair the parliament of 
Paris advanced rapidly and continually gathered ftrength 
in its progrefs. In the different and moft flourifhing ci¬ 
ties of France, other parliaments, on a fimilar principle, 
were gradually ereCted ; but, though we have traced the 
counfellors of law thus elevating themfelves to the higheft 
and nobleft office of government, and difpenfmg juftice in 
the fupreme court of the kingdom, yet the notions of ho¬ 
nour peculiar to the gothic nations precluded them from 
being ennobled by tlieir places : they were officially al- 
fociated with peers, and had fat in judgment on princes 
of the blood ; yet for" feveral centuries they in vain 
struggled to obtain admiflion into the order of nobility ; 
and it was not till the reign of Louis XIV. who had 
humbled their power, that their vanity was gratified by 
the indulgence of that monarch, whofe edidt firft entitled 
them to the honours and privileges of the nobles. 
In the reign of Louis XV. the parliament, jealous of 
its judicial functions, even affurned a fuperiority beyond 
that of the king, in expelling the Jefuits from the domin¬ 
ions of France. Yet one feeble ray of hope broke in from 
the profpeCt of royal favour ; and Louis, who had beheld 
the proceedings with indifference, was allured by the fo- 
licitations of the friends to the fociety, to interpofe in their 
behalf. The royal mandate, for the fpace of a year, 
averted their impending deftiny ; and during that period, 
all aecifions againft the fociety were commanded to be fuf- 
pended. A plan of accommodation was drawn up, and fub¬ 
mitted to the pope and the general of the order; but the 
parliament declared the bulls, briefs, conftitutions, and 
other regulations of the fociety called of Jefus, to be en¬ 
croachments of authority, and abufes of government ; 
they diffolved the fociety; forbad the members to wear 
the habit of the order; and interdicted them from the 
pofteftion of any prebends, livings, or pulpits, or any other 
clerical or municipal offices. Their colleges were feized ; 
their effects confilcated ; and the king joining in the ge¬ 
neral refentment, feconded the decree of the parliament, 
by an edict'which, in 1762, utterly abolifhed the order 
of Jefuits throughout his dominions. 
The parliament, elated by their vi6tory over ecclefiafti- 
cal tyranny, in 1763, attempted to fet bounds to the abfo- 
lute power of the crown, and feemed determined to con¬ 
fine it within the limits of law. An edidt which L*uis 
iffued for the continuance of fome taxes which were to 
have ended with the war, was confidered by the parlia¬ 
ments as an unwarrantable burthen ; and a fecond edidt, 
which enabled the crown to redeem its debts at an inade¬ 
quate price, was reprefented as a violation of the public 
faith. The flame rapidly fpread through the kingdom ; 
the provincial parliaments ftrongly remonftrated againft, 
and ultimately refufed to regifter, the edidts ; and thofe 
of Paris and Rouen diftinguifhed themfelves by their firm 
and animated language : The fubjedt, faid the latter, 
has a right to the eafieft and leaft burthenfome method of 
contributing to the wants of the ftate. This right, which 
is founded in nature, belongs to every nation in the world, 
whatever may be its form of government ; and it is the 
firft right of the Franks. The parliament of Bourdeaux, 
alfo hefitated not to declare, that it was their duty in re- 
giftering an edidt to bear witnefs to the people that the 
tax was juft, and to the king, that his people are (fill able 
to furnifti the fupplies ; at Thouloufe, at Grenoble, in 
Brittany, and Bef'angon, they purfued the fame meafures, 
and held the fame language. Nor did the parliament ot 
Paris, behold with indifference the exertions of their 
brethren in Brittany; they applauded their condudt, and 
exhorted them to perfevere. But the freedom of their 
behaviour foon drew upon them the royal cenfure; Louis 
fuddenly appeared in the public court, and feverely re¬ 
primanded the temerity of the members ; he added, with 
the dignity of offended majefty, “I will not fuffer an af- 
lociation 
