A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 5 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 863 pages of information about A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 5.

A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 5 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 863 pages of information about A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 5.
supply for the army of Italy, at the time of the second expedition to Mantua; it went so far as to have the dealers’ granaries thrown open, and the superintendent of finance, D’Emery, was obliged to come to terms with the deputies of Dauphiny, “in order that they of the Parliament of Grenoble, who said they had no interests but those of the province, might have no reason to prevent for the future the transport of corn,” says Richelieu himself in his Memoires.

The Parliament of Rouen had always passed for one of the most recalcitrant.  The province of Normandy was rich, and, consequently, overwhelmed with imposts; and several times the Parliament refused to enregister financial edicts which still further aggravated the distress of the people.  In 1637 the king threatened to go in person to Rouen and bring the Parliament to submission, whereat it took fright and enregistered decrees for twenty-two millions.  It was, no doubt, this augmentation of imposts that brought about the revolt of the Nu-pieds (Barefoots) in 1639.  Before now, in 1624 and in 1637, in Perigord and Rouergue, two popular risings of the same sort, under the name of Croquants (Paupers), had disquieted the authorities, and the governor of the province had found some trouble in putting them down.  The Nu-pieds were more numerous and more violent still; from Rouen to Avranches all the country was a-blaze.  At Coutances and at Vire, several monopoliers and gabeleurs, as the fiscal officers were called, were massacred; a great number of houses were burned, and most of the receiving-offices were pulled down or pillaged.  Everywhere the army of suffering (armee de souffrance), the name given by the revolters to themselves, made, appeal to violent passions; popular rhymes were circulated from hand to hand, in the name of General Nu-pieds (Barefoot), an imaginary personage whom nobody ever saw.  Some of these verses are fair enough.

[Illustration:  The Barefoots——­221]

TO NORMANDY.

               “Dear land of mine, thou canst no more
               What boots it to have served so well? 
               For see! thy faithful service bore
               This bitter fruit—­the cursed gabelle. 
               Is that the guerdon earned by those
               Who succored France against her foes,
               Who saved her kings, upheld her crown,
               And raised the lilies trodden down,
               In spite of all the foe could do,
               In spite of Spain and England too?

               “Recall thy generous blood, and show
               That all posterity may know—­
               Duke William’s breed still lives at need: 
               Show that thou hast a heavier hand
               Than erst came forth from Northern land;
               A hand so strong, a heart so high,
               These tyrants all shall beaten cry,
               ’From Normans and the Norman race
               Deliver us, O God of grace!’”

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A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 5 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.