The Prince went first to the College of the chancery, where he read with a loud voice the above order, and then demanded that the feals fhould be delivered up to him; but the Keeper being abfent, his Royal Highness's requeft could not be complied with. The Prince then fignified to the members of the College, that, if they continued to make any ufe of them, they should be refponfible to his Majesty and the ftates.

From the Chancery, the Prince went fucceffively to the other Colleges, where he made the fame notification. The streets were filled with crowds of people, impatient and anxious to learn the iffue of a scene, fo extraordinary, and fo critical,

In the mean time the Senate, thrown into the greateft perplexity by this bold and unexpected manœuvre, fent a third deputation to the King, earneftly to requeft that he would change his refolution; but this meffage proved as unfuccessful as the two former. They then fent two Secretaries of ftate to the Prince, to endeavour to diffuade him from proceeding in the tour he was making to the Colleges; this effort was alfo as ineffectual as the rest.

Every thing was now at a ftand; all the public offices fufpended their functions, and the people looked at each other with dismay,

dreading, and unable to guefs the confequences. The Senate, ftill more alarmed at this dreadful paufe in all the functions of government, and apprehenfive of the effects that might enfue from the King's great popularity, fent orders to the Generals Ferfen and Ehrenfward, and to the Vice-Admiral, to double in all places the guards; they alfo, at the fame time, ordered the College of ftate accounts to iffue double pay to the troops of the garrifon. It was only at this critical juncture, that the Senate firft difcovered that it had entirely loft its power. The Generals waited upon that affembly, and declared that they could not obey any orders that were not authorized by the King; that they had indeed doubled the night guards and reinforced the patroles; but that they had done both these acts of their own accord, to provide for the public fecurity, and not because the Senate had ordered it. The Office of ftate accounts alfo declared, that it was inconfiftent with their inftructions to comply with any extraordinary expences, unless jointly authorized by the King and the Senate; and that they could not confequently grant double pay to the garrifon.

During thefe tranfactions, the court was more numerous and brilliant than ever. The different Colleges went in proceffion to the King with addreffes upon the occafion, and to return his Majefty thanks for the notification he had fent them by the Prince Royal. Next day all the Colleges went to the Senate, and made delarations in form of their having fufpended all the functions of their respective departments; and at the fame time

recom

recommending to them a compliance with the King's request.

In the mean time the apprehen fions of the public increased hour ly; accounts were fent to all parts of the kingdom of the throne's being vacant. The King had fent expreffes to the Governors of the provinces, with inftructions how to act to prevent tumults and dif, orders; as the nature of thefe in Atructions were not known, it in creafed the anxiety, and many were afraid that the order of pea fants, from the love and attachment they were known to bear to his Majefty, would have rifen and ftruck fome great blow.

At laft the members of the magiftracy of the city went in a body, with the Grand Governor at their head, to the Senate, and declared that as all the Colleges of ftate had ceafed to exercife the functions of their refpective departments; as the whole public adminiftration was in diforder, and as no letters patent were iffued for convoking the diet, they (the magiftrates), agreeable to the form of government, found themfelves under a neceffity of convoking the order of burghers.

This ftroke was conclufive; the Senate was at length compelled to confent to the defired affembly of the ftates; and the King's concurrence was accordingly requested, to confirm the proclamation for that purpofe; an affent which there was no doubt of obtaining. As foon as the King Dec. 21. had figned the letters patent for the convocation of the

ftates, he immediately refumed the reins of government, and business went on as ufual at all the public offices. Upon his first appearance in the Senate, the King made the following fpeech:

។

I appear again in this place, penetrated with the most lively acknowledgement at its having pleafed the Divine Providence, who directs all things, that I fhould refume the government of my kingdom, and with the more fatisfaction, as the convocation of the ftates gives me hopes of being able to relieve our faithful fubjects from their mifery. I will not undertake to anfwer what the fenators

have alledged against my refo lution, fince it is all buried in oblivion by the convocation of the ftates. I fhall demonftrate to the ftates the utility and the neceffity of my refolution, for the mainten ance of the liberty and juftice of the nation. the nation. My confcience does not in the leaft reproach me in all this; what has lately happened will perhaps be alone fufficient to evince the juftice of my defigns. I am moreover fully perfuaded, that all that I have done will be approved, not only at prefent, but in future.'

The 19th of February was fixed upon for the opening of the diet; and the King in the mean time iffued orders for treating the peafants with lenity, and that their cattle fhould not be feized when it appeared they were unable to pay the taxes.

CHAP.

THE demands that were jointly

made on the Pope, by the French, Spanish, and Neapolitan Ambaffadors, to withdraw his brief against the Duke of Parma, and to make fatisfaction for the infult of fered, not being complied with, the French King thought proper to reclaim the city and territories of Avignon and the Venaiffin, as fiefs belonging to him. The Marquis de Rochecovart was fent at the head of the regiment of Dauphiny attended by the Prefident and eight Counsellors of the Parliament of Provence, to execute this commiffion. The Marquis having fum moned the Vice Legate, and notified the King's commiffion to him, that Prelate made answer, that, as he had no troops to oppofe him with, he could only make ufe of the arms of the church; and there fore he denounced against him the bull in cœna Domini, which contains the penalties incurred by thofe who feize upon effects belonging to the church.

Thefe arms, though once formidable, were of no manner of ufe upon the prefent occafion; the Legate quitted the city, a detachment of dragoons entered it early in the morning. June 11. About thirty old Swifs foldiers, who ftood with rufty partizans before the gates of the Pope's palace, were put like ufelefs lumber out of the way, the gates kicked open by the dragoons jack boots, and pof feffion taken with all the acclamations and joy of a compleat victory. Te Deum was then fung at the cathedral, and at night the city was illuminated; in the mean time all the religious houfes were fealed up, thofe belonging to the Jefuits being firft ftript of every thing valuable. The Marquis having then received the homage and fubmiffion of the people, the King's arms were put up over the gates, and the Commiffaries of the Parliament made the neceffary regulations, and nominated proper perfons for the administration of

juftice.