large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_05_yonge_64kb_31
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_05_yonge_64kb
English
12344
They only intrigued and struggled for personal advantages and rivalries, and never thought of the good of the State. THEY ONLY INTRIGUED AND STRUGGLED FOR PERSONAL ADVANTAGES AND RIVALRIES AND NEVER THOUGHT OF THE GOOD OF THE STATE
tion to the civil offices held by lawyers was made hereditary in their families, on payment of a sum down, and of fees at the death of each holder. All these abuses were complained of; and one of the deputies even told the nobility that if they did not learn to treat the despised classes below them as younger brothers, they would lay up a terrible store of retribution for themselves. A petition to the king was drawn up, and was received, but never answered. The doors of the house of assembly were closed--the members were told it was by order of the king--and the States-General never met again for 177 years, when the storm was just ready to fall. 13. The Siege of Rochelle.--The rottenness of the State was chiefly owing to the nobility, who, as long as they were allowed to grind down their peasants and shine at court, had no sense of duty or public spirit, and hated the burghers and lawyers far too much to make common cause with them against the constantly increasing power of the throne. CIVIL OFFICES HELD BY LAWYERS WAS MADE HEREDITARY IN THEIR FAMILIES ON PAYMENT OF A SUM DOWN AND OF FEES AT THE DEATH OF EACH HOLDER ALL THESE ABUSES WERE COMPLAINED OF AND ONE OF THE DEPUTIES EVEN TOLD THE NOBILITY THAT IF THEY DID NOT LEARN TO TREAT THE DESPISED CLASSES BELOW THEM AS YOUNGER BROTHERS THEY WOULD LAY UP A TERRIBLE STORE OF RETRIBUTION FOR THEMSELVES A PETITION TO THE KING WAS DRAWN UP AND WAS RECEIVED BUT NEVER ANSWERED THE DOORS OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY WERE CLOSED AND MEMBERS WERE TOLD IT WAS BY ORDER OF THE KING AND THE STATES GENERAL NEVER MET AGAIN FOR ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN YEARS WHEN THE STORM WAS JUST READY TO FALL THIRTEEN THE SIEGE OF ROCHELLE THE ROTTENNESS OF THE STATE WAS CHIEFLY OWING TO THE NOBILITY WHO AS LONG AS THEY WERE ALLOWED TO GRIND DOWN THEIR PEASANTS AND SHINE AT COURT HAD NO SENSE OF DUTY OR PUBLIC SPIRIT AND HATED THE BURGHERS AND LAWYERS FAR TOO MUCH TO MAKE COMMON COURSE WITH THEM AGAINST THE CONSTANTLY INCREASING POWER OF THE THRONE
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