."
Masselin, being called upon to give the king "in his privy chamber,
before the Dukes of Orleans and Lorraine and a numerous company of
nobles," an exact account of the estates' first deliberations, held in
his turn language more reserved than, but similar to, that of Lord Philip
de la Roche, whose views he shared and whose proud openness he admired.
The question touching the composition of the king's council and the part
to be taken in it by the estates was for five weeks the absorbing idea
with the government and with the assembly. There were made, on both
sides, concessions which satisfied neither the estates nor the court, for
their object was always on the part of the estates to exercise a real
influence on the government, and on the part of the court to escape being
under any real influence of the estates. Side by side with the question
of the king's council was ranged that of the imposts; and here it was no
easier to effect an understanding: the crown asked more than the estates
thought they ought or were able to vote; and, after a long and obscure
controversy about expenses and receipts, Masselin was again commissioned
to set-before the king's council the views of the assembly and its
ultimate resolution. "When we saw," said he, "that the aforesaid
accounts or estimates contained elements of extreme difficulty, and that
to balance and verify them would subject us to interminable discussions
and longer labor than would be to our and the people's advantage, we
hastened to adopt by way of expedient, but nevertheless resolutely, the
decision I am about to declare to you. . . . Wishing to meet
liberally the king's and your desires, we offer to pay the sum that King
Charles VII. used to take for the impost of talliages, provided, however,
that this sum be equally and proportionately distributed between the
provinces of the kingdom, and that in the shape of an aid. And this
contribution be only for two years, after which the estates shall be
assembled as they are to-day to discuss the public needs; and if at that
time or previously they see the advantage thereof, the said sum shall be
diminished or augmented. Further, the said my lords the deputies do
demand that their next meeting be now appointed and declared, and that an
irrevocable decision do fix and decree that assembly."

This was providing at one and the same time for the wants of the present
and the rights of the future. The impost of talliage was,