then possessed, in addition to the
usual sources of ecclesiastical income, a peculiar privilege, entitled
the right of _Deport_; by virtue of which, he claimed the receipt of the
first year's proceeds of every benefice which might become vacant in his
diocese, whether by the resignation or death of the incumbent.[105]

A station so enviable as that of archbishop of Rouen, has been at almost
all times in the hands of some individual belonging to one of the
principal families of the kingdom. Among others, those of Luxembourg,
Bourbon, D'Estouteville, D'Amboise, Joyeuse, Harlay, Colbert, and
Tressan, have successively held it. To sum up the catalogue, in the
words of Pommeraye, "the cathedral has furnished many saints for heaven,
one pope for the apostolic chair, and thirteen cardinals to the church;
nine of its prelates have belonged to the royal family of France; and
many others, eminent for their birth, have been still more so for their
own merit, and for the services they have rendered to the catholic
church and the state."

NOTES:

[93] The destroying of dragons, or fiery serpents, or similar monsters,
appears to have been the most common of all miracles, in the early ages
of Christianity. After the exploits of St. Michael, St. Margaret, and
St. George, ecclesiastical history abounds in similar legends. St.
Romain, St. Marcel, St. Julian, St. Martial, St. Bertrand, St. Martha,
and St. Clement, make but a small proportion of the saints who
distinguished themselves by these acts of pious heroism. The dragons of
Rouen and of Metz were of sufficient celebrity to acquire the distinct
names of the _Gargouille_, and the _Graouilli_.--It has been commonly
supposed, that these various miracles were allegorical, and intended to
typify the confining of rivers within their channels, or the limiting of
the incursions of the sea. Other authors have been inclined to account
for their prevalence, as having reference to the sun, or to astronomical
phaenomena; but surely the most simple and satisfactory mode of
explaining them, lies in considering the dragon as the emblem of evil,
and the various victories gained over dragons, as so many conquests
obtained by virtue over vice.--A considerable fund of curious
information, on this subject, will be found in the _Magasin
Encyclopedique_ for _January, 1812_, p. 1-24, in a paper by M. Eusebe
Salverte, entitled _Legendes du Moyen Age_.

[94] _Histoire des Archeveques de Rouen_, p. 40.