Some of these verses are fair enough.
[Illustration: The Barefoots----221] TO NORMANDY.
"Dear land of mine, thou canst no more What boots it to have served so well?
For see! thy faithful service bore This bitter fruit--the cursed gabelle.
Is that the guerdon earned by those Who succored France against her foes, Who saved her kings, upheld her crown, And raised the lilies trodden down, In spite of all the foe could do, In spite of Spain and England too?
"Recall thy generous blood, and show That all posterity may know-- Duke William's breed still lives at need: Show that thou hast a heavier hand Than erst came forth from Northern land; A hand so strong, a heart so high, These tyrants all shall beaten cry, 'From Normans and the Norman race Deliver us, O God of grace!'" The tumult was more violent at Rouen than anywhere else, and the Parliament energetically resisted the mob.

It had sent two counsellors as a deputation to Paris to inform the king about the state of affairs.
"You may signify to the gentlemen of the Parliament of Rouen," said Chancellor Seguier, in answer to the delegates, "that I thank them for the trouble they have taken on this occasion; I will let the king know how they have behaved in this affair.

I beg them to go on as they have begun.

I know that the Parliament did very good service there." In fact, several counsellors, on foot in the street and in the very midst of the revolters, had, at the peril of their lives, defended Le Tellier de Tourneville, receiver-general of gabels, and his officers, whilst the whole Parliament, in their robes, with the premier president at their head, perambulated Rouen, amidst the angry mob, repairing at once to the points most threatened, insomuch that the presidents and counsellors were "in great danger and fear for their skins." [_Histoire du Parlement de Normandy,_ by M.Floquet, t.

iv.] It was this terror, born of tumults and the sight of an infuriated populace, which, at a later period, retarded the Parliament in dealing out justice, and brought down upon it the wrath of the king and of the cardinal.
Meanwhile the insurrection was gaining ground, and the local authorities were powerless to repress it.