In 1454 the King, in consequence of a difficulty in paying the regular instalments of the usual salaries of the Parliament, created “after-dinner fees” (des gages d’apres dinees) of five sols parisis—­more than ten francs of our money—­per day, payable to those councillors who should hold a second hearing.  Matters did not improve much, however; nothing seemed to proceed satisfactorily, and members of Parliament, deprived of their salaries, were compelled to contract a loan, in order to commence proceedings against the treasury for the non-payment of the amount due to them.  In 1493, the annual salaries of Parliament were raised to the sum of 40,630 livres, equal to about 1,100,000 francs.

[Illustration:  Fig. 308.—­Supreme Court, presided over by the King, who is in the act of issuing a Decree which is being registered by the Usher.—­Fac-simile of a Miniature in Camareu of the “Information des Rois,” Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century, in the Library of the Arsenal of Paris.]

The first president received 4 livres, 22 solis parisis—­about 140 francs—­per day; a clerical councillor 25 sols parisis—­about 40 francs—­and a lay councillor 20 sols—­about 32 francs.  This was an increase of a fifth on the preceding year.  Charles VIII., in thus improving the remuneration of the members of the first court of the kingdom, reminded them of their duties, which had been too long neglected; he told them “that of all the cardinal virtues justice was the most noble and most important;” and he pointed out to them the line of conduct they were to pursue.  The councillors were to be present daily in their respective chambers, from St. Martin’s day to Easter, before seven o’clock in the morning; and from Easter to the closing of Parliament, immediately after six o’clock, without intermission, under penalty of punishment.  Strict silence was enforced upon them during the debates; and they were forbidden to occupy themselves with anything which did not concern the case under discussion.  Amidst a mass of other points upon which directions are given, we notice the following:  the necessity of keeping secret the matters in course of deliberation; the prohibition to councillors from receiving, either directly or indirectly, anything in the shape of a douceur from the parties in any suit; and the forbidding all attorneys from receiving any bribe or claiming more than the actual expenses of a journey and other just charges.

The great charter of the Parliament, promulgated in April, 1453, was thus amended, confirmed, and completed, by this code of Charles VIII., with a wisdom which cannot be too highly extolled.