to which they were referred to
the king's former declarations. In consequence of this intimation, they
had spirit enough to resolve, "That, whereas certain evil-minded persons
had prevented truth from reaching the throne, the chambers remained
assembled, and all other business should be suspended." The affair was
now become very serious. His majesty, by fresh letters patent, renewed
his orders, and commanded them to proceed with their ordinary business,
on pain of incurring his displeasure. They forthwith came to another
resolution, importing, that they could not obey this injunction without
a breach of their duty and their oath. Next day _lettres de cachet_ were
issued, banishing to different parts of the kingdom all the members,
except those of the great chamber, which the court did not find more
tractable than their brethren. They forthwith resolved to abide by the
two resolutions mentioned above; and, as an instance of their unshaken
fortitude, ordered an ecclesiastic to be taken into custody for refusing
the sacraments. This spirited measure involved them in the fate of the
rest; for they were also exiled from Paris, the citizens of which did
not fail to extol their conduct with the loudest encomiums, and at the
same time to express their resentment against the clergy, who could not
stir abroad without being exposed to violence or insult. The example of
the parliament of Paris was followed by that of Rouen, which had courage
enough to issue orders for apprehending the bishop of Evreux, because he
had refused to appear when summoned to their tribunal. Their decrees
on this occasion being annulled by the king's council of state, they
presented a bold remonstrance, which, however, had no other effect than
that of exasperating the ministry. A grand deputation being ordered to
attend the king, they were commanded to desist from intermeddling in
disputes relating to the refusal of the sacraments, and to register this
injunction. At their return they had recourse to a new remonstrance; and
one of their principal counsellors, who had spoken freely in the debates
on this subject, was arrested by a party of dragoons, who carried him
prisoner to the castle of Dourlens. In a word, the body of the people
declared for the parliament, in opposition to ecclesiastical tyranny;
and had they not been overawed by a formidable standing army, would
certainly have taken up arms in defence of their liberties; while the
monarch weakly suffe