has the Administration of the Government in her Hands,
&c._"--But when the Affairs of the Commonwealth were reduced to that
desperate Future, that all Things went to Rack and Ruin, She was by the
_Publick Council_ banished to _Tours_, and committed to the Charge of
Four Tutors, who had Orders to keep her lock'd up at Home, and to watch
her so narrowly, that She shou'd be able to do nothing; not so much as
to write a Letter without their Knowledge. A large Account of all this
Transaction we have in _Monstrellet's_; History. [_cap._ 161 & _cap._
168.]

* * * * *

CHAP. XXI.

_Of the_ Juridical Parliaments _in_ France.

Under the _Capevingian_ Family there sprung up in _Francogallia_ a Kind
of Judicial Reign, [_Regnum Judiciale_] of which (by Reason of the
incredible Industry of the Builders up and Promoters of it, and their
unconceivable Subtilty in all subsequent Ages), we think it necessary to
say something. A Sort of Men now rule every-where in _France_, which are
called _Lawyers_ by some, and _Pleaders_ or _Pettyfoggers_ by others:
These Men, about 300 Years ago, managed their Business with so great
Craft and Diligence, that they not only subjected to their Domination
the Authority of the _General Council_, (which we spoke of before) but
also all the _Princes_ and _Nobles_, and even the _Regal Majesty_ it
self: So that in whatever Towns the Seats of this same _Judicial
Kingdom_ have been fix'd, very near the third Part of the Citizens and
Inhabitants have applied themselves to the Study and Discipline of this
wrangling Trade, induced thereunto by the vast Profits and Rewards which
attend it. Which every one may take Notice of, even in the City of
_Paris_, the Capital of the Kingdom: For who can be three Days in that
City without observing, that the third Part of the Citizens are taken up
with the Practice of that _litigious_ and _Pettyfogging_ Trade?
Insomuch, that the General Assembly of Lawyers in that City (which is
called the _Robed Parliament_) is grown to so great a Heighth of Wealth
and Dignity, that now it seems to be (what _Jugurtha_ said of old of the
_Roman Senate_) no longer an _Assembly_ of _Counsellors_, but of
_Kings_, and _Governors_ of _Provinces_. Since whoever has the Fortune
to be a Member of it, how meanly born soever, in a few Years Time
acquires immense and almost Regal Riches: For this Reason many other
Cities strove with Might and Main to have the