Chapter 1.3.VI: Loménie's Plots
Background
Thwarted by the parlement’s intransigence, Loménie replaces the stamp and land taxes with a scheme in which the government will receive a series of loans over five years. In an attempt to get this plan passed, Louis holds a seance royale, or a royal session, a special session of parlement in which the King sits on as an observer. This differed from a lit de justice in that the King allows members of parlement to speak freely, and he cannot compel registration. Louis, however, frustratedly interrupts the session before the vote on registration, which probably would have passed, commanding instead that the plan be adopted: “It is legal because I will it”. This leads the Duke d’Orléans to emit a shocking outburst, asking if Louis meant for this session to be a lit de justice. The uppity Prince is therefore exiled, as are Sabatier and Freteau, the then-leaders of parlementary opposition.
Notes
behold Holland invaded by Prussia Between 1780 and 1787, the Orange Stadholderate was troubled by a democratizing Patriotic movement, which went too far when it arrested William V of Orange’s wife Wilhelmina of Prussia. Her brother King Frederick William II (Frederick the Great’s nephew who had succeeded him the previous year) invdaded to restore order.
emancipation of Protestants Protestants lacked certain civil rights, like the right to have their marriage recognized without first converting to Catholicism
shall cost a Loménie as little as the “Death-penalties to be put in execution” did In a previous life, Loménie was a great enemy of the Protestant cause in his role as Archbishop of Toulouse
old Foulon For the first mention of this staunch conservative and longstanding figure of parlement, see above Chapter 1.3.II.
‘Vous êtes bien le maître (You will do your pleasure)’ This remark seems to have been more caustic than this translation might indicate. Another translation is “You’re certainly playing the master”