large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb_82
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb
English
12344
Besides which, they were called off from the cultivation of their own fields for a certain number of days to work at the roads; their horses might be used by royal messengers; their lord's crops had to be got in by their labour gratis, while their own were spoiling; and, in short, the only wonder is how they existed at all. BESIDES WHICH THEY WERE CALLED OFF FROM THE CULTIVATION OF THEIR OWN FIELDS FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS TO WORK AT THE ROADS THEIR HORSES MIGHT BE USED BY ROYAL MESSENGERS THEIR LORD'S CROPS HAD TO BE GOT IN BY THEIR LABOR GRATIS WHILE THEIR OWN WERE SPOILING AND IN SHORT THE ONLY WONDER IS HOW THEY EXISTED AT ALL
 the most enormous and absurd degree, so that every royal personage had some hundreds of personal attendants. Princes of the blood and nobles of every degree were contented to hang about the court, crowding into the most narrow lodgings at Versailles, and thronging its anterooms; and to be ordered to remain in the country was a most severe punishment. 6. France under Louis XIV.--There was, in fact, nothing but the chase to occupy a gentleman on his own estate, for he was allowed no duties or responsibilities. Each province had a governor or _intendant_, a sort of viceroy, and the administration of the cities was managed chiefly on the part of the king, even the mayors obtaining their posts by purchase. The unhappy peasants had to pay in the first place the taxes to Government, out of which were defrayed an intolerable number of pensions, many for useless offices; next, the rents and dues which supported their lord's expenditure at court; and, thirdly, the tithes and fees of the clergy. TIPLIED TO THE MOST ENORMOUS AND ABSURD DEGREE SO THAT EVERY ROYAL PERSONAGE HAD SOME HUNDREDS OF PERSONAL ATTENDANTS PRINCES OF THE BLOOD AND NOBLES OF EVERY DEGREE WERE CONTENTED TO HANG ABOUT THE COURT CROWDING INTO THE MOST NARROW LODGINGS AT VERSAILLES AND THRONGING ITS ANTE ROOMS AND TO BE ORDERED TO REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY WAS A MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENT SIX FRANCE UNDER LOUIS THE FOURTEENTH THERE WAS IN FACT NOTHING BUT THE CHASE TO OCCUPY A GENTLEMAN ON HIS OWN ESTATE FOR HE WAS ALLOWED NO DUTIES OR RESPONSIBILITIES EACH PROVINCE HAD A GOVERNOR OR INTENDANT A SORT OF VISAROY AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITIES WAS MANAGED CHIEFLY ON THE PART OF THE KING EVEN THE MARES OBTAINING THEIR POSTS BY PURCHASE THE UNHAPPY PEASANTS HAD TO PAY IN THE FIRST PLACE THE TAXES TO THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF WHICH WERE DEFRAYED AN INTOLERABLE NUMBER OF PENSIONS MANY FOR USELESS OFFICES NEXT THE RENTS AND DUES WHICH SUPPORTED THEIR LORD'S EXPENDITURE AT COURT AND THIRDLY THE TITHES AND FEES OF THE CLERGY
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