Quotation from: A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3

Written by: Francois Pierre Guillaume Guizot


On this fresh vote, full of fidelity to the monarchy and at the same time
of patriotic independence, negotiations began between the estates and the
court; and they lasted from the 28th of February to the 12th of March,
but without result. At bottom, the question lay between absolute power
and free government, between arbitrariness and legality; and, on this
field, both parties were determined not to accept a serious and final
defeat. Unmoved by the loyal concessions and assurances they received,
the advisers of the crown thought no longer of anything but getting
speedily rid of the presence of the estates, so as to be free from the
trouble of maintaining the discussion with them. The deputies saw
through the device; their speeches were stifled, and the necessity of
replying was eluded. "My lord chancellor," said they, at an interview on
the 2d of March, 1484, "if we are not to have a hearing, why are we here?
Why have you summoned us? Let us withdraw. If you behave thus, you do
not require our presence. We did not at all expect to see the fruits of
our vigils, and the decisions adopted after so much trouble by so
illustrious an assembly rejected so carelessly." The complaints were not
always so temperate. A theologian, whom Masselin quotes without giving
his name, "a bold and fiery partisan of the people," says he, added these
almost insulting words: "As soon as our consent had been obtained for
raising the money, there is no doubt but that we have been cajoled, that
everything has been treated with contempt, the demands set down in our
memorials, our final resolutions, and the limits we fixed. Speak we of
the money. On this point, our decisions have been conformed to only so
far as to tell us, 'This impost shall no longer be called talliage; it
shall be a free grant.' Is it in words, pray, and not in things, that our
labor and the well-being of the state consist? Verily, we would rather
still call this impost _talliage,_ and even blackmail (_maltote_), or
give it a still viler name, if there be any, than see it increasing
immeasurably and crushing the people. The curse of God and the
execration of men upon those whose deeds and plots have caused such woes!
They are the most dangerous foes of the people and of the commonwealth."
"The theologian burned with a desire to continue," adds Masselin; "but
though he had not wandered far from the truth, many deputies chid him and
constrained him to be silent. . . . Already lethargy had fallen upon
the most notable amongst us; glutted with favors and promises, they no
longer possessed that ardor of will which had animated them at first;
when we were prosecuting our business, they remained motionless at home;
when we spoke before them, they held their peace or added but a few
feeble words. We were wasting our time."

PREVIOUS GROUP HOME SITE HOME NEXT
Part of the RabbitHoleResearch Project
Change Tag: ~~ 0 ~~