and rebellions broke out in several provinces:  in Paris the mob destroyed the house of Stephen Barbette, master of the mint, and insulted the King in his palace.  It was necessary to enforce the royal authority with vigour, and, after considerable difficulty, peace was at last restored, and Philip learned, though too late, that in matters of taxation the people should first be consulted.  In 1313, for the first time, the bourgeoisie, syndics, or deputies of communities, under the name of tiers etat—­third order of the state—­were called to exercise the right of freely voting the assistance or subsidy which it pleased the King to ask of them.  After this memorable occasion an edict was issued ordering a levy of six deniers in the pound on every sort of merchandise sold in the kingdom.  Paris paid this without hesitation, whereas in the provinces there was much discontented murmuring.  But the following year, the King having tried to raise the six deniers voted by the assembly of 1313 to twelve, the clergy, nobility, and tiers etat combined to resist the extortions of the government.  Philippe le Bel died, after having yielded to the opposition of his indignant subjects, and in his last moments he recommended his son to exercise moderation in taxing and honesty in coining.

[Illustration:  Gold Coins of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries.

Fig. 273.—­Masse d’Or.  Philip IV.

Fig. 274.—­Small Aignel d’Or.  Charles IV.

Fig. 275.—­Large Aignel d’Or.  John the Good.

Fig. 276.—­Franc a Cheval d’Or.  Charles V.

Fig. 277.—­Ecu d’Or.  Philip VI.

Fig. 278.—­Salut d’Or.  Charles VI.]

On the accession of Louis X., in 1315, war against the Flemish was imminent, although the royal treasury was absolutely empty.  The King unfortunately, in spite of his father’s advice, attempted systematically to tamper with the coinage, and he also commenced the exaction of fresh taxes, to the great exasperation of his subjects.  He was obliged, through fear of a general rebellion, to do away with the tithe established for the support of the army, and to sacrifice the superintendent of finances, Enguerrand de Marigny, to the public indignation which was felt against him.  This man, without being allowed to defend himself, was tried by an extraordinary commission of parliament for embezzling the public money, was condemned to death, and was hung on the gibbet of Montfaucon.  Not daring to risk a convocation of the States-General of the kingdom, Louis X. ordered the seneschals to convoke the provincial assemblies, and thus obtained a few subsidies, which he promised to refund out of the revenues of his domains.  The clergy even allowed themselves to be taxed, and closed their eyes to the misappropriation of the funds, which were supposed to be held in reserve for a new crusade.  Taxes giving commercial franchise and of exchange were levied, which were paid by the Jews, Lombards, Tuscans, and