s year, there were only two
houses of ill fame left. The women, of the description before alluded
to, used to wear black and white hats, of a sugar-loaf form, over the
veil which covered their faces; and they were confined strictly to
this dress by the magistrates. These women were sometimes represented
in the sculptured figures about the cathedral. Hermann says that there
may yet be seen, over the door of a house in the _Bickergase_ (one of
the streets now called _Rue de la fontaine_, which was formerly
devoted to the residence of women of ill fame) a bas-relief,
representing two figures, with the following German inscription
beneath:

_Diss haus steht in Gottes Hand
Wird zu deu freud'gen kindern gennant._

which he translates thus:

_Cette maison; dans la main de Dieu,
S'appelle aux enfans bien joyeux_.

It should seem, therefore, (continues Hermann) that this was one of
the houses in which a public officer attended, to keep order, prevent
quarrels, and exact municipal rights. The book, in which the receipt
of this tax was entered, existed during the time of the Revolution,
and is thought to be yet in existence. Hermann, vol. i. p. 156.

[227] See p. 401 ante.

[228] For the English metrical version I am indebted to "an old hand at
these matters."

[229] Since the publication of this Tour, I have received several pleasant
and thoroughly friendly letters from the above excellent Individual:
and I could scarcely forgive myself if I omitted this opportunity of
annexing his autograph:--as a worthy companion to those which have
preceded it.

[Autograph: Schweighaeuser]

[230] [Madame Francs, whose kind and liberal conduct towards me can never
be forgotten, has now herself become the subject of a monumental
effigy. She DIED (as I learn) in the year 1826.]

END OF VOL. II.

* * * * *

London: Printed by W. Nicol,
Cleveland-row, St. James's.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and
Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Two, by Thomas Frognall Dibdin

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ***

***** This file should be named 17107.txt or 17107.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/1/0/17107/

Produced by R