marie seong-hak kim – he may have been freer than de Thou to voice his criticism against its impact on royal authority. L’Hôpital tightened the regulations of resignation in favoremand survivance to stamp out corruption.94 He pointed out that bribes and solicitation were often a common usage for procuring an office for a relative or a friend.95 Judges looked to prominent seigneurs for favors, he pointed out, and did not hide their efforts to promote their patrons’ interests rather than royal interests. The chancellor told the magistrates of Paris in 1560 that “there are more solicitors than judges” in the Parlement.96 He pointed out again in 1566 that At the lit de justice at the Parlement of Rouen in 1563, the chancellor declared that the doctrine of irremovability did not confer on judges immunity for their actions. They were still accountable to the king, In 1565 at the Parlement of Bordeaux, the chancellor reminded the judges that Parlements had been instituted by the king and held their autho94 Survivancewas the practice of resignation in favor of a designee, a son or a relative in most cases, while in fact the résignataire and résignant were jointly holding the office until it eventually passed into the possession of the survivor at the death of the incumbent. Shennan, J. H. 1968 p. 114. 95 L’Hôpital told the parlementaires: “...plusieurs se sont desbordez, usans de leurs offices comme d’un bien temporel et propre patrimoine, s’estudians plus à leur profit qu’à faire le service qu’ils doyvent au Roy.” Remonstrance à Moulins, 1566, in L’Hospital, Michel de 2013 p. 82. 96 Discourse of 5 July 1560, at the Parlement of Paris, in L’Hospital, Michel de and Petris, Loris 2002 p. 366. 97 Remonstrance de Moulins, in L’Hospital, Michel de 2013 p. 87. 98 Discourse of 17 August 1563, at the Parlement de Rouen, in L’Hospital, Michel de 2013 p. 57. 155 many presidents and judges are more devoted to the princes and seigneurs than to the king, to such an extent that they do not hesitate to compromise the interests of the king in order to serve their patrons; [the judges] attend to their patrons’ affairs and lawsuits as if they were domestic servants, a situation very unworthy of their position.97 from whom you hold your honors and judgeships for an indeterminate length of time, that is, as long as it pleases him. Unlike in other countries, you judges enjoy the permanent tenure. Do not abuse it, and do not change this legitimate honor into tyranny, and, finally, obey the king and his ordinances.98
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=