k about the windows on the street facade that
warns you to go through the little passage-way, to find the soldiers
of the Douane lounging about the courtyard inside. On the back of the
houses that look out upon the street you will see the arms and cipher
of Francois Premier, which show that in his days the Mint still
remained in a house that was far older. And in 1360 the "Officer of
the Mint of the parish of St. Eloi," who quarrelled about the price of
his chicken in the Parvis, "voulait avoir de la poulaille a son pris."
He must have done his bargaining in very strong language, for one of
the three brothers Sautel who kept the shop, smote him that he died,
and it was to these brothers that the privilege of raising the Fierte
St. Romain with pardon for this crime, was in that year granted.

Only three years afterwards, Blanche, Dowager-Queen of France, had
laid her hand by way of justice upon Jehan le Bourgeois of Neufchatel
in spite of the fact that his murder had been pardoned by the canons'
Privilege de St. Romain; and from this case, and the following one in
1391, it appears that the pardon given to a prisoner involved that
(apart from "civil" restitutions) he was released from any "criminal"
fine that might have been laid on him, and was of right to be restored
to all offices and goods held by him previous to his arrest. More than
this, the Bailli of Rouen was not allowed to condemn any prisoner at
all during the month that intervened between the "insinuation of the
privilege" and the actual ceremony of the pardon; the "insinuation"
being the technical word for the annual formality by which the legal
authorities were informed that the Chapter would inquire into the
various prisons of the town, and proceed to make their choice before
Ascension. In one case a prisoner condemned to death (Robert Auberbosc
in 1299) was only just saved (though he was not finally chosen for the
Fierte) at the last moment from the gallows, whither he had been taken
during this sacred period, contrary to the rights of the chapter; and
again in 1361 the Bailli had actually executed a man in the same
interval before the canons knew, or could prevent it; and he was then
and there solemnly excommunicated until full amendment had been made,
for that he had been so wicked as to "violer le previlege et libertes
de l'eglise de Rouen, en vitupere de la dicte eglise et de Monsieur
St. Romain."

The first woman to whom the famous privilege was acco