During the night a councillor of the Parliament was surprised on horseback in the streets tearing down and disfiguring the decree of the Regency Council, which abrogated that of the Parliament.  He was taken to prison.

On Monday, the 27th of June, the Chief-President, at the head of all the other presidents, and of forty councillors, went to the Tuileries, and in the presence of the Regent read the wire-drawn remonstrance of the Parliament upon this famous edict.  The Keeper of the Seals said that in a few days the King would reply.  Accordingly on Saturday, the 2nd of July, the same deputation came again to the Tuileries to hear the reply.  The Regent and all the Princes of the blood were there, the bastards also.  Argenson, who from lieutenant of police had been made keeper of the seals, and who in his former capacity had often been ill-used—­nay, even attacked by the Parliament—­took good care to show his superiority over that assembly.  He answered that deputation in the name of the King, and concluded by saying that the edict would in no way be altered, but would receive complete application.  The parliamentary gentlemen did not expect so firm a reply, and withdrew, much mortified.

They were not, however, vanquished.  They reassembled on the 11th and 12th of August, and spat forth all their venom in another decree specially aimed at the authority of the Regent.  By this decree the administration of the finances was henceforth entirely to be at the mercy of the Parliament.  Law, the Scotchman, who, under the favour of M. le Duc d’Orleans, had been allowed some influence over the State money matters, was to possess that influence no longer; in fact, all power on the part of the Regent over the finances was to be taken from him.

After this the Parliament had to take but one step in order to become the guardian of the King and the master of the realm (as in fact it madly claimed to be), the Regent more at its mercy than the King, and perhaps as exposed as King Charles I. of England.  Our parliamentary gentlemen began as humbly as those of England, and though, as I have said, their assembly was but a simple court of justice, limited in its jurisdiction like the other courts of the realm, to judge disputes between private people, yet by dint of hammering upon the word parliament they believed themselves not less important than their English brethren, who form the legislative assembly, and represent all the nation.

M. and Madame du Maine had done not a little to bring about these fancies, and they continued in secret to do more.  Madame du Maine, it may be recollected, had said that she would throw the whole country into combustion, in order not to lose her husband’s prerogative.  She was as good as her word.  Encouraged doubtless by the support they received from this precious pair, the Parliament continued on its mad career of impudent presumption, pride, and arrogance.  It assembled on the 22nd of August, and ordered inquiry to be made of the Regent as to what had become of all the state notes that had been passed at the Chamber of justice; those which had been given for the lotteries that were held every month; those which had been given for the Mississippi or Western Company; finally, those which had been taken to the Mint since the change in the specie.