like Privilege of
_Juridical_ Assemblies: So that now there are several of these famous
Parliaments, to wit, those of _Paris, Tholouse, Rouen, Grenoble,
Bourdeaux, Aix_, and _Dijon_: All which are _fix'd_ and _sedentary_;
besides an Eighth, which is ambulatory and moveable, and is called the
_Grand Council_.

Within the Limits of these great _Juridical Kingdoms_ there are others
lesser, which we may call _Provincial Governments_, who do all they can
to imitate the Grandeur and Magnificence of their Superiors; and these
are called _Presidial Courts_: And so strong is the Force and Contagion
of this Disease, that a very great Part of the _French_ Nation spends
its Time and Pains in Strife and Law-Suits, in promoting Contentions and
Processes; just as of old, a great Number of the _Egyptians_ were
employ'd by their Tyrants in Building _Pyramids_, and other such useless
Structures.

Now the Word _Parliament_ in the old Manner of Speech used by our
Countrymen, "signifies a Debate, or discoursing together of many
Persons, who come from several Parts, and assemble in a certain Place,
that they may communicate to one another Matters relating to the
Publick." Thus in our ancient Chronicles, whenever Princes or their
Ambassadors had a Meeting to treat of Peace or Truce, or other Warlike
Agreements; the Assembly so appointed was always called a _Parliament_;
and for the same Reason the _Publick Council_ of the _Estates_ was, in
our old Language, called a _Parliament_. Which Assembly, being of great
Authority, the Kings of the _Capevingian_ Race having a Mind to diminish
that Authority by little and little, substituted in its Place a certain
Number of _Senators_, and transferred the August Title of a _Parliament_
to those _Senators:_ And gave them these Privileges: First, That none of
the King's Edicts shou'd be of Force, and ratified, unless those
Counsellors had been the _Advisors_ and _Approvers_ of them. Next, That
no Magistracy or Employment in all _France_, whether Civil or Military,
shou'd be conferr'd on any Person, without his being _inaugurated_, and
taking the _Oaths_ in that _Assembly_. Then that there should be _no
Liberty of Appeal_ from their judgment, but that all their Decrees
should stand firm, and inviolable. In fine, whatever Power and Authority
had anciently been lodged in the _General Council_ of the Nation, during
so many Years together, was at Length usurped by that _Counterfeit
Council_, which the Kings t