Original meaning of the word Bastile—Various Bastiles—Description of “The Bastile”—Officers of the fortress—Interior of it—The Garden—The Court where the prisoners took exercise—The Towers, Dungeons, Apartments, Furniture, Food, of the prisoners—The Library—The Chapel—Lettres de Cachet described—Advocate of them—Change in the treatment of prisoners—Narrative of a prisoner—Strict search of prisoners—Harshness to them—Artifices employed against them—Silence enjoined to the Guards, &c., of the prison—Mode of receiving visitors—Suppression of letters—Secrecy and mystery—Medical attendance—Wills—Insanity—Clandestine burial of the dead. 1 CHAPTER II. Reign of John II.—Stephen Marcel, Provost of the Merchants—Reign of Charles V.—Hugh Aubriot—Reign of Charles VI.—Noviant—La Rivière—Peter des Essarts—John de Montaigu—Contests of the factions at Paris—The Count of Armagnac—The Burgundians obtain possession of Paris—Massacre of the Armagnacs—Assassination of the Duke of Burgundy—Reign of Charles VII.—Paris in the hands of the English—Villiers de l’Isle Adam—The English expelled from Paris—Reign of Louis XI.—Anthony de Chabannes—The Count de Melun—Cardinal de Balue—William d’Haraucour—Charles d’Armagnac—Louis de Luxembourg—The Duke of Nemours and his children. 33 CHAPTER III. Reign of Francis I.—Semblançai—The Chancellor Duprat—The Chancellor Poyet—Admiral de Chabot—Fall of Poyet—Reign of Henry II.—Anne du Bourg—Louis du Faur—Reign of Francis II.—Execution of Du Bourg—Francis de Vendôme—Reign of Charles IX.—The Duke of Lunebourg—Henry of Navarre and the Prince of Condé in danger of the Bastile—Faction of the Politicians—La Mole—Coconas—Marshal de Montmorenci—Marshal de Cossé—Reign of Henry III.—Bussi d’Amboise. 74 CHAPTER IV. Reign of Henry III. continued—Conspiracy of Salcede—Francis de Rosières—Peter de Belloy—Francis le Breton—Bernard Palissy—Daring plots of the League—Henry III. expelled from Paris—The Bastile surrenders to Guise—Bussi le Clerc appointed governor—Damours—James de la Guesle—Reign of Henry IV.—Members of the parliament arrested—President de Harlay—Potier de Blancmesnil—The family of Seguier—Speeches of Henry IV.—Louis Seguier—James Gillot—Outrage committed by the Council of Sixteen—It is punished by the Duke of Mayenne—Henry IV. enters Paris—Surrender of the Bastile—Du Bourg—Treasure deposited in the Bastile by Henry. 102 CHAPTER V.