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• Translator’s Preface.
• Preface.
• History of the Formation and Progress of the Tiers Etat, an Essay
• Chapter I.: Extinction of Ancient Slavery—fusion of Races—rise of the Bourgeoisie of the Middle Ages.
• Chapter II.: The Parliament In the Thirteenth Century—the States-general of 1302, 1355, and 1356.
• Chapter III.: The Tiers Etat Under Charles V., Charles VI., Charles VII., And Louis XI.
• Chapter IV.: The States-general of 1484—the Tiers Etat Under Louis XII., Francis I., And Henry II.
• Chapter V.: The States-general of 1560 and of 1576
• Chapter VI.: The States-general of 1588; the Tiers Etat In the Reign of Henry IV.
• Chapter VII.: The States-general of 1614.
• Chapter VIII.: The Parliament Under Louis XIII., The Ministry of Richelieu, the Fronde.
• Chapter IX.: Louis XIV. And Colbert.
• Chapter X.: Social Character of the Reign of Louis XIV., Its Influence Upon the Progress of the Tiers Etat.

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE.

Though the Translator feels that the name of Augustin Thierry, already so well known in this country, especially by his “Histoire de la Conquête de l’Angleterre,” affords the best hope of drawing attention to the work which he has ventured to present in an English dress, yet he wishes to state briefly some few characteristics which particularly mark it, and which may excite an interest in the mind of the general reader, as well as of the student of French history.

They are as follows:—The very vivid sketches which the accurate and experienced author has given of the principal persons and events which are connected with those most interesting passages of French history, which form the subject of his work.

The manner in which, while purposely omitting facts which are already generally known, he has drawn attention to those which are but slightly noticed by other historians.

The insight which he gives into that growth of opinion and national progress which, like a strong under-current, was in reality silently determining the course of events, not only in France, but in civilized Europe, during the Middle Ages, and the period immediately subsequent to them.

And, lastly, the bold and earnest love of truth and laborious investigation of documentary evidence which have made history what it ought to be—a record of facts, rather than a mere expression of superficial opinions and prejudices—and which honourably distinguish the school of writers to which M. Thierry so eminently belongs, and to which a daily increasing value is justly attached.

The Translator begs to add, that he has thought it most conducive to accuracy to retain for the most part the names of offices and technical terms in the original language, where either there is no exact equivalent in English, or where the apparent equivalent might mislead from a different signification having been attached to it; but, in almost every instance of the kind, the reader will find them explained in the context or in the notes.

He has also left a few of the notes in old French untranslated, as the substance of them is generally embodied in the text, and their value seemed in great measure to depend on a certain quaintness of language which could not be preserved in the translation.