large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_05_yonge_64kb_89
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_05_yonge_64kb
English
12344
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. TEEN 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
easant class, exempting the clergy and the nobles, among which last were included their families to the remotest generation, but it had become the court custom to multiply offices, in order to pension the nobles, and keep them quiet; and this, together with the expenses of the army, made the weight of taxation ruinous. Moreover, the presentation 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. NT CLASS EXEMPTING THE CLERGY AND THE NOBLES AMONG WHICH LAST WERE INCLUDED THEIR FAMILIES TO THE REMOTEST GENERATION BUT IT HAD BECOME THE COURT CUSTOM TO MULTIPLY OFFICES IN ORDER TO PENSION THE NOBLES AND KEEP THEM QUIET AND THIS TOGETHER WITH THE EXPENSES OF THE ARMY MADE THE WEIGHT OF TAXATION RUINOUS MOREOVER THE PRESENTATION 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 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 THIR
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