Series 1 > Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda, 1665-1676

PILESIDIAL OF POITOU
101
The judges being sit doune on the bench, the Kings
Advocat began a harangue, reading it of his papers, wery
elegantly extolling the lily or fleur de Us above al other
flowers, and then France and its Kings above all other nations,
alleging that the whitnese and brightnese of the lily denotated
the purity and integrity of iustice thats don in France. He
ending, the president in his scarlat robes (for they war al so
that day wt their 4 nooked black bonnets lined wt scarlet)
began a very weill conceaved harangue in the commendation
of justice and vertu. That being done they gave their oath
wt the Advocats and procureurs or Agents (for they swear
anew every sitting doune of the Palais, when we give but one
oath for all wt us and that at the entry vnto to the office); the
judges that they sal passe no sentence contrare to ther con¬
science, but that they sal judge Qdum allegata et probata;
the Advocats that they shal never patronize a false cause; and
if any cause they have taken in hand appeir after to them
false, that they sail immediatly forsake it : that they shal
plead the causes of the widow and orpheling, etc.
The Praesidial of Poitou at Poictiers is the greatest of France :
yea it consistes of mo conseillers or judges (to wit, about 30 wt 2
Kings Advocats, 2 Kings procureurs), is of greater extent then
several parliaments: their be not so many membres in the
parliament of Grenoble, which is for Dauphine, etc. The
parliament of Dijon for Burguiogne hath not so great
extent.
The song they sing at St. Martins is thus :
‘ Pour celebrer la St. Martins,
II nous fault tous chantre et boire
Celuy quy a converty L’eau au Vin
Pour luy que ne doibt on point faire
A1 le bon vein, bon vein, bon vein,
Chasse de la melancolie
Je te boire 2 Jusque a la lie.’
My host after his drinking of his glasse of wine, usually lifting
up his eyes to heaven in admiration, shakt his head (as we
remember Charles his nurse did at the seek),3 crying, oh but
1 Probably for Ah ! 2 For boirai. 3 Sack.