Royal Financial Administration and the Prosecution of Crime in France, 1670-1789

This book explores the French monarchy’s role in financing criminal prosecutions in the royal courts of the realm between 1670 and 1789.

Albert N. Hamscher

List of Tables List of Charts Acknowledgments Money-Distance-Weight Abbreviations Introduction Chapter One: The French Monarchy and Criminal "Frais de Justice": General Considerations 1. The Concept of Grand Criminel 2. The Royal Courts and Criminal Frais de Justice 3. The Division of Financial Responsibility 4. Lines of Administrative Authority and Royal Financial Accounts Chapter Two: The Establishment of Colbert's System, Mid-1660s--Early 1670s 1. The Royal Domain: Preliminary Observations 2. The Context of Judicial Reform 3. Colbert's System Chapter Three: The Implementation of Colbert's System, 1670-1683 1. Problems 2. Colbert's Response 3. The View from the Parlement of Paris Chapter Four: The Financial Records, Mid-1680s-1789 1. The Elements of a New System 2. Interpreting Financial Documents Chapter Five: Inside the Numbers, Mid-1680s--1789 1. Regional Diversity 2. Trends and Patterns of Expenditure Chapter Six: Challenges and Refinements, Mid 1680s--Mid-1740s 1. The System Under Stress 2. Positive Developments 3. Increased Expenditure 4. Work on a General Statute 5. Orry and Reform Chapter Seven: Maturity, Mid-1730s-1789 1. Orry's Legacy 2. Matters of Administration 3. New Financial Commitments and Traditional Restraints on Spending 4. Spending Rises Chapter Eight: A Shared Financial Responsibility, 1670s-1789 1. Private Individuals, Public Authorities 2. Recovery Rolls Final Thoughts Appendix Bibliography Index