Translated from the French by Elizabeth Bennett, © 2005. This translation is based on the edition in Le Paris de Charles V et de Charles VI: vu par des écrivains contemporains. Textes édités et commentés par Le Roux de Lincy et L.M. Tisserand. Caen: Paradigme, 1992, pp. 82-166. The original manuscript is in Brussels, Bibliothèque royale Albert 1er, MS. 9559-64.
Guillebert de Metz is known primarily from the two manuscripts attributed to his hand. The first is a manuscript containing the Description and works by Christine de Pisan; the other contains Laurent de Premierfait's French translation of Boccaccio's Decameron. He is thought to have been in the service of the Dukes of Burgundy in the early fifteenth century.
The interested reader may follow Guillebert's directions for a walking tour of medieval Paris, using the map made by
Olivier Truschet and Germain Hoyau in 1552. The original of the map is at the
Bibliothèque de Bâle. It was republished in facsimile as Plan de Paris sous le regne de Henri II par Olivier Truschet et Germain Hoyau. Reproduit en fac-simile d'aprés l'exemplaire unique de la Bibliothèque de Bâle, par M.F. Hoffbauer. Sous la direction de Mm. Louis Sieber ... et Jules Cousin ... Paris, H. Champion, 1877. The "Plan de Bâle" is also available at http://www.paris.org/Maps/Map6/map6.f.html.
XX. The description of the city of Paris in the year 1407 follows. This description is in five parts. The first part covers the middle part, called "the City," between the two arms of the Seine. The second part is about the upper part of the city where the schools of the university are located. The third part speaks of the lower part of the city near Saint Denis in France. The fourth part is about the gates of the city. The fifth part explains the excellence of the city in general.
There is the cathedral church of Notre Dame, which is two hundred feet long and eighty feet wide. In the three principal entrances there are forty columns which one can walk around; also there are twenty columns each of which has a chapel which one cannot walk around. In the heart of the church are more columns and chapels. The middle of the church, between the center and the entry, contains as much space as twelve columns; and there are six chapels. Around the court are carved in stone the deeds of the apostles and the story of Joseph the patriarch, in fair work, and Master Pierre du Coingnet. At the entry is a statue of Saint Christopher, marvellously proud and noble. In this church is the head of Saint Philip the Apostle, and the head of Saint Marcel, Bishop of Paris, and many other relics. The table of the great altar above, and that below, are of silver gilt. There are two bell towers in which there are as many steps as there are days in a year. In one is a bell that one can hardly reach around four times with extended arms. There is a side chapel where the chapter is, of marvelous fashion; and there the legend of Job is carved; and around the church are beautiful images. Next to the church, is the bishop’s palace to one side: there the officials and auditors of the Bishop hear pleas; and there the master of the wills holds his court. On the other side live the canons; and there is the court of the official and the archdeacon. The said church of Notre Dame is of excellent workmanship above and below.
In the City are fifteen parish churches, that is: of Saint Pierre aux Boeufs, of Saint Pierre des Assis, of Saint Christophe, of Sainte Marie Madeleine, of Sainte Marine, of Saint Denis de la Chartre, where Our Lord gave communion to Saint Denis; of Saint Berthélemy, of Sainte Genèvieve des Ardens, of Saint Symphorien, of Saint Landry, of Saint Germain le Vieux, of Holy Cross, of Saint Jean le Rond, of Saint Martial and of Saint Michel.
In the City is the priory of Saint Eloi, and the college called the "Dix Huit" [the "Eighteen"]
The Palais Royale runs from the Grand Pont where there is a clock just to the Pont Neuf. The hall of the Palace is one hundred twenty feet long and fifty feet wide; it has eight columns: there is the nine-piece marble table; there are statues of the kings who have reigned in France; there are procurers and advocates of Parlement. The hall of the merchants is eighty feet long. There they sell many jewels of gold, silver, precious stones, and others.
In the Sainte Chapelle is a large piece of the Holy Cross, of the Crown of Thorns, and other blessed and marvelous relics. And there is a great gryphon’s foot.
In the Palace are rooms and chambers for lodging the King and the twelve peers. It is a beautiful building with towers and images inside and outside; and there is a beautiful garden. At the Palace are the lords of Parlement, where the kings of France are accustomed to sit in judgment. There are the lords of petitions who have responsibility for the cases of the officers of the King. There is the chamber of the lords of the accounts, the treasurers, the receivers, the concierge and other officers. There is the audience [held by the king]. And in front of the Palace lives a tinsmith, a good worker in marvelous vessels of tin; and there are nightingales which sing in winter.
The great hospital founded by the king Saint Louis, runs from the church of Notre Dame, up to the Petit Pont; in front of the hospital, in the Rue Neuve, there are thirty-seven houses and a butcher shop, and an empty plaza in front of the chapel of the hospital.
The Grand Pont has sixty eight houses on one side and seventy-two on the other; the money changers live on one side and the goldsmiths on the other. In the year 1400, when the city was in flower, so many people crossed this bridge every day, that one continually met a white monk [that is, a Cistercian] or a white horse.
The bridge of Notre Dame: there are beautiful houses; there are sixty four that belong to the City, and eighteen that belong to various people; another five houses were being built in the year 1422, when this description was made.
The Petit Pont is very strong; and at the base the stones are held together with iron and lead. There is the Petit Châtelet, with walls so thick that one could drive a cart on top of them. Behind the walls are beautiful gardens; there is a double spiral staircase, such that those going up on one side do not know anything about those going down on the other side.
The Pont Neuf is well [built] with houses.
The streets that are in the City follow thus, as one could go along them, that is to say: from the Petit Pont to the Rue Neuve Notre Dame, from there to the Rues des Coulons, to Saint Christophe, the alley du Parvis, the port L’Evêsque, the great street of Saint Christophe, Saint Pierre aux Boeufs, Sainte Marine, the [street of the] Cocatris, the Confrérie, Champ Roussy, the Pomme, the Licorne, Marché Palus, the Juiverie, the Petite Orberie, the Rue des Fevres, the Calandre, the Ganterie, the Grant Orberie, the Barillerie, the Vieille Draperie, the Saveterie, Holy Cross, Saint Laurent, the [street of the] Lanterne, the [street of the] Marmousets, the [street of the] Colombe, the gate of Saint Landry, the [street of the] Cage, the [street of] Limage, Glatigny, or the red-light district; Saint Denis de la Chartre, the Pelleterie, where they make beds, and thence to the Grant Pont.
The parish church of Sts. Pierre and Paul, which is called "Sainte Genevieve." Item, the churches of Saint Étienne, Saint Severin, Saint Cosmas, Saint Nicolas au Chardonneret, Saint Hilaire, and Saint Benoit. The abbey of the regular canons at Sainte Genevieve, where they hear pleadings in cases before the abbot that the pope has referred [to him]. There is the chancellery of the university; and it is fitting that the chancellor be of the order of the abbey; and the abbot holds the power of high, middle and low justice. Also the church has the prerogative that no patriarch, archbishop or bishop can enter there in their customary habit, but [they must] enter in the habit of a canon. Item there is a crypt under the middle part of the courtyard, where are the tombs of Saint Genevieve and other saints. Item in the lower third of the courtyard where the canons sing; there is the tomb of King Clovis, the first Christian who founded this church, and of the blessed Queen Crotilde his wife. At the college of the Bernardins there is a very lovely and tall church; and there is a marvelous spiral staircase with double steps, such that those who go up on one of the steps do not know anything about those who are on the other set of steps. The church of the Mathurins, where the rector hears pleas; and the conservator and the official of the chancellor; there also they hold meetings of the whole university. The four orders, that is to say: Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians and Carmelites; The colleges of Cardinal Lemoine, of the Bons Enfants, of Beauvais, of Reims, of Saint Jean, where the doctors meet on the steps, of the Sorbonne, of Navarre, where there are three subjects of study: the arts, grammer and theology; that of Chollets, of Thérouanne, of Ave Maria, of Boncourt, of Laon, of Cligny, of Harcourt, of Trésoriers, of Narbonne, of Dampville, of Prémonstré, of Bourgogne, of Autun, of Saint Gervais, of Tours, of Saint Étienne, of Saint Benoit, de Denmark, of Prelles, of Cambrai, of Dainville, of Justice, of Arras, de Bayeux, of Mignon, of Lisieux, of Master Gervais, of Boncourt, of Marmoutier, of Sainte Genevieve, of Saint Denis and others.
Item [there are] many teachers and a great number of students. Item [on] the Petit Pont they sell poultry, eggs, meat and other foodstuffs; and in the Place Maubert, bread. The walls of the town are very strong and thick, so that one could lead a cart on the top. On the isle of Notre Dame are pells for combat practice and targets for shooting with the crossbow and the longbow.
The streets beginning with the Petit Pont in the Rue de la Huchette: Sacalie, Hirondelle, the street Pavée, the street of the Abbey of Saint Denis, Saint Germain, Saint André des Arts, Poupée, the Barre, [the street] at the Poitevins, the Serpente, the Plâtrière, Haultefeuille, Champ Petit, [the street] of the Paon, [the street] of the Cordelles, [the street] of Harcourt, Pierre Gasselin, [the street] of the Harpe, the great street of Saint Severin, the crossroads of Saint Jacques, the [street of the] notaries and scribes, the alley of Saint Severin, Bourc de Brie, [the street] of the Parcheminiers, [the street] of the Foin, Saint Mathurin, the cloister of Saint Benoit, Sorbonne, [the street] of Cligny, [the street] of Thorel, [the street] of Porel, [the street] of the Cordiers, [the street] of the Jacobins, Saint Étienne of the Greeks, [the street] of Loteraine, [the street] of the Hospital, the Charterie, Saint Symphorien, [the street] of Maine, of the Duke of Burgundy, [the street] of the Lavendiers, [the street] of Savoie, Saint Hilaire, [the street] of Judas, of the Petit Four, the crossroads of Saint Hilaire, the courtyard of Brunel, where the law schools are; Roseau, [the street] of the Englois, where the good cutlers live, [the street] of the Lavendieres, a Tournant, the great street of Sainte Genevieve and the little alley of Saint Marcel, Clopin, Traversaine, [the street] of the Mathurins, Saint Victor, [the street] of Versailles, [the street] of the Bon Puits, [the street] of Alixandre, Saint Nicolas, [the street] of Bièvre, the street Perdue, the Place Maubert, at the Deux Portes, the Calandre, [the street] of the Ras, [the street] of Feurre, where they study the arts, Saint Julien, the Boucherie, the Poissonnerie.
The parish churches of Saint Jacques la Boucherie, of Saint Eustache, of Saint Germain l’Auxerrois, of the Innocents, of Saint Merry, of Saint Sauveur, of Saint Honoré, where is Our Lady of the Virtues, of Saint Paul, of Saint Gervais, of Saint Jean, of Saint Nicolas next to Saint Martin, of Saint Josse, of Saint Gilles and Saint Julien.
The abbey of Saint Magloire, where the abbot has temporal jurisdiction. The priories of Saint Martin, of the Trinity and the Temple, which is the Hospitalers. The lodgings for the three hundred blind men [the "Quinze Vingts," a shelter founded by St. Louis IX]. The Beguines. The Bons Enfants. The chapel of the good women of Haudry. The churches of Saint Bon. of Saint Avoie, The churches of Saint Eloi, the nuns called the Daughters of God. The colleges of the Louvre, of Saint Opportune, The colleges of the Holy Sepulcre, of the Trinity, of the Billettes, of Holy Cross, of the Guillemins, The colleges of Sainte Katherine, of the Celestins, The colleges of Saint Antoine le Petit, of the Holy Ghost and of Saint Jacques, called "of the hospital," which Charlemagne founded, and others.
At Saint Antoine is a wooden holy water font excellently carved.
At Sainte Kateleine is the tomb of Our Lord in the same form as at Jerusalem; and there is in that church a picture of Bertram Clakin, just as he was when living.
In the Celestins is a picture of heaven and hell, with other depictions of good works in a courtyard to one side. Item in front of the heart of the church on an alter is a painted image of Our Lady, of surpassing workmanship.
In the church of the Innocents is an engraved reliquary of gold and silver, [with the bones of one of] the innocents. There are the images of the three living and the three dead, ingeniously carved in stone; there is a great cemetary, surrounded by charnel-houses, where the bones of the dead are crammed in. There are notable pictures of the dance of death and other subjects, with inscriptions, to move the people to devotion. One part of the cemetary belongs to the church of the Innocents, another part belongs to the hospital, and a third part belongs to the churches of Paris that have no cemetaries of their own. Item in the cemetary is a tower in place of a tombstone, where there is an image of Our Lady carved of stone, very well made; they say the tower was made by a man for his burial because he boasted while still living that no dogs would piss on his tombstone.
The tower and the castle of the Louvre where the king and the twelve peers dwell.
Item the Bastille of Saint Antoine, which is very strong.
Item the house of Bourbon, which is of very rich and pleasing work.
The houses of Saint Paul, where the King and the Queen live; The house of Sicily, belonging to the King of Jerusalem and Sicily; The house of Tournelles, belonging to the Duke of Orleans; The house of Artois, belonging to the Duke of Burgundy; The house of the King of Navarre; The house of Flanders, which Duke John of Burgundy gave to Duke Anthony of Brabant; The house of Alençon, of Holland, The houses of Montagu, of Tournai of Clisson and many others;
The Châtelet, where the Provost of Paris and his auditors hear pleas; and there are prisons in marvelous number.
The Hotel de Ville in the Place de Grève, where the Provost of the Merchants and the Echevins make the law;
The house called "the Bishops’ Oven," where one pleads secular cases under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Paris; it is in the Rue de l’Ecole Saint Germain;
[The markets of] Les Halles for cloth, furs, mercery, leather, bread, fruit and other things, which fill the space of a fair-sized town.
In Les Halles, near the pillory, is a fountain, in the Rue Saint Denis there are two, and in the Rue Saint Martin two. In the Grève is the staple of wines, firewood, charcoal, hay, and other things shipped on boats; there are the porters of horse equipment and the butlers of the hay. The beautiful house of Bureau Dammartin, in the Courroirie; in which Bureau, among other things appropriate to his estate, maintains a poet of great authority, called Master Laurence de Premierfait; the house of Digne Responde, in the old Mint, and many others.
The door of which is carved with marvelous skill; in the courtyard are peacocks and various exotic birds. The first room is embellished with various pictures with informative inscriptions attached and hanging on the walls. Another room is filled with all kinds of instruments, harps, organs, viols, guitars, psalteries and others, and Master Jacques knows how to play all of them. Another room is filled with games of chess, backgammon, and other kinds of games, a great number of them. Item a beautiful chapel where there are reading desks for books of marvelous skill, to which one can bring many chairs near and far, on the right and the left. Item a study where the walls are covered with precious stones and spices with a sweet odor. Item a bedroom where there are furs of many kinds. Item many other bedrooms richly furnished with beds, with tables ingeniously carved and decorated with rich cloths and embroidered tapestries. Item in another high room are a great number of crossbows, some of which are painted with beautiful images. There are standards, banners, pennons, long bows, axes, falchions, maces, hatchets, battle axes, chainmail of iron and of lead, large and small shields and bucklers, cannons and other engines, with plenty of armor; and briefly there is also all manner of equipment for war. Item there is a window made with marvelous artifice, out which there is a head of hollow plates of iron, through which one can see and speak to those outside, if need be, without fear of being shot. Item over the house is a square room, where there are windows on all sides to see above the town. And when one dines there, the food and wine comes up on a pulley, because it is too high to carry things there. And on the pinnacles of the house are beautiful gilded statues. This Master Jaques Duchie is a fair man, of honest behavior and very famous; there are servants who are well brought up and taught, very capable, among whom are a master carpenter, who works on the house continually. There are many rich townspeople, and officials called "the little kinglets of magnanimity."
The house of Guillemin Sanguin, in the Rue Boudonnais, of excellent construction, where there are as many keys as there are days in the year. The houses of the bishops and prelates in great number, of the lords of Parlement, the lords of the chambre des comptes, knights, townspeople and many officials. Among them is the house of Sire Mille Baillet in la Voirrie, who is the royal treasurer; in this house there is a chapel where the divine office is celebrated every day. There are rooms, chambers and studies below, on the ground level, for living in, in summer, and above all is the same for living in, in winter; there are as many windows as there are days in the year. Beyond this, Sire Mille has, outside of Paris, on the three sides of the town where his estates are, great houses with high and low buildings, that a great prince could live well there. Also many others have fair houses outside.
Around the Châtelet they sell salt, fruit and vegetables, and there they make wreaths of various flowers and greenery all year round; and in front of the Châtelet there is a great meat market. In front of the hose of the Admiral, next to Saint Jean, there is a diverse great stone of marvelous shape, which is known as the Devil’s Fart. And at the Porte Baudent they sell many foodstuffs.
Beginning from the Grand Pont a la Pierre au Poisson; from there to the Rue de la Saunerie, where they sell sausages. The Mégisserie; the school of Saint Germain, where they sell firewood; the street of Lavendières, [the street] of Jehan Lointier, [the street] of Berthin Porée, [the street] of Guibert, [the street] of Male Parole, [the street] of Gasselin, the street of Haubergerie; the Tabletterie, where they make combs, eyeglasses, writing tablets, and other things in ivory; a Petis Soulers, the cloister of Saint Opportune, the Charronnerie, the Ferronnerie, [the street] of Baudoin Prenage, [the street] of Raoul l’Avenier, [the street] of the Deschargeurs; the Place aux Porceaux, the street of the Bourdonnais, the street of Thibaut aux Dès, [the street] of Bethissi, [the street] of Jean d’Orleans, [the street] of Tirechappe, the celler of Ponthis, Gloriette, the Arbre Sec, Cul de Bacon, the moat of Saint Germain, the Trou Bernart, the gate of the Louvre, Haute Riche. At the Porte Saint Honoré live the drapers. The street of Avignon, [the street] of Jean Tison, the cross of Thirouer, the street of Nesle, [the street] of the Piet, [the street] of the Étuves, [the street] of the Four, the street of the Escus, [the street] of Chasteau, [the street] of Pironnes, a la Crois Neuve, [the street] of Montmartre, [the street] of the Prestre de Saint Eustace, the Tonnellerie; the market for wheat, and all the markets for cloth, bread, flour, used clothing, and many other things. the street of Feurre, where the merchants live; la Cochonnerie, where they sell poultry; [the street] of the Précheurs, [the street] of the Chanverie, [the street] at Maudestour, at the crossroads, [the street] of Jehan Pourchelet, the street of the Truanderie, [the street] of Jehan Vigne, [the street] of Nicholas Buée, [the street] of Mauconseil; [the street] of Saint Denis, where the spicers, apothecaries and saddlers live; the street at the Senez; Bourc L’abbé, where the prostitutes live; the street of Saint Martin, where the tinsmiths live; [the street] of Petis Champs; [the street] of Beaubourg, where there are prostitutes in the cul-de-sac; [the street] of Geoffrey of Anjou; [the street] of the Ménestrels, where the schools of minstrelsy are held; [the street] of the Étuves; [the street] of la Tresseilie, of Sleepy Bertraut; [the street] of Quiquempoit, where the goldsmiths live; the street of Aubry le Bouchier; la Courarie, where the workers in diamonds and other stones live; [the street] of Amaury de Roussi; [the street] of Troussevache; [the street] of Guillaume Josse; [the street] of the Lombards, where the doublet-makers live in the front, and merchants live behind; [the street] of Marivaux, where the nailmakers and threadsellers live; la street of the Vielle Monnoie; the Heaumerie, where they make armor; the Saunerie; [the street] of Jehan le Conte; the Savonnerie; the Pierre au Lait, where they sell milk; near the church of Saint Jacques, where the scribes live; [the street] of Jean Pain Molet; [the street] of Arsis; the street of Saint Bon, la Buffeterie, la Lamperie, [the street] of Bouveries, of the Chevrotins, the stable of the Cloister; [the street] of Baille Hou, where the women of pleasure live; [the street] of Saint Merry; the Court Robert, where there are prostitutes; the street of the Boulerie, [the street] of Simon le Franc, the street of the Temple, [the street] of the Étuves, [the street] of the Blancs Manteaux, [the street] of Perrenelle la Pastourelle, [the street] of Plâtre, [the street] of Bon Puis, [the street] of the Juges, the Bretonnerie, the crossroads of the Temple, the street of the Jardins, [the street] of the Tort, [the street] of the Poterie, the crossroads of Guillori, the street of Jean de Lépine, [the street] of Gracien, [the street] of Jehan Malet, [the street] of Saint Jean, the street of the Tissanderie, [the street] of the Voirrie, where they make glass, [the street] of the Chartron, [the street] of the Franc Mourier; the cemetary of Saint Jean, where the makers of chests and hutches live; [the street] of Boutibourc, the street of Anquetin le Faucheur, [the street] of the Temple, [the street] of the King of Sicily, [the street] of Robert le Fevre, the Petit Musc, [the street] of Tiran, [the street] of the Écoufles, the street Perchée, [the street] of Rosiers, [the street] of the Nonnains, [the street] of Jouier, [the street] of Frogier l’Asnier; the Mortelerie, where the lumber merchants live; the street of Ameline Boyleane, [the street] of Garnier, [the street] of the cemetary of Saint Gervais, [the street] of Fermanteaux, [the street] of Lompont, [the street] of the Rive, [the street] of Saint Jean de Grève, where they sell hay; the Vennerie, where they sell oats; the street of the Tacherie, the Rosiere, [the street] of the Commanderesses, where the women who run the employment agencies for valets and chambermaids live; [the street] at the Planches de Mibrai, the Place aux Veaux, [the street] of l’Angle; the street of the Échorcherie, where the butchers live; the Cordouennerie, where they make shoes; [the street] of the Grande Boucherie, [the street] of the Triperie, [the street] of the Poulaillerie.
Total number of streets in the lower part of the town: 194
Total number of streets in Paris: 310.
At the two ends of the lower part of the town, on the river, there are very high and strong walls with great towers: that is, at the Louvre, there are double guardhouses, one(s) inside the town, and the other outside of the town. And also at the Celestins, which was built by Hugues Aubriot, Provost of Paris. In the isle of Notre Dame are targets for shooting with the crossbow and the longbow; and the equipment for combat practice. In the Field of Sainte Kateline there is an enclosed field for carts.
The Porte Victor, outside of which is the abbey of Saint Victor, near the town; and there is a very great pine tree. The Porte Saint Marcel, outside of which are the parish churches of Saint Marcel, of Saint Medard, and Saint Hippolite; item there are the canons of Saint Marcel and the cloister of the Cordelières. Item there is a very large strong burgh, like a town apart; there live workers in various trades, especially butchers, dyers, workers in tile and in building stone, and others. The Porte Saint Jacques, where there are suburbs; also there is the hospital of Saint Jacques du Haut Pas, and the church of Notre Dame des Champs. The Porte d’Enfer, which is now called the Porte Saint Michel; the Charterhouse is outside. And there is a house called the wine press of the Hôtel Dieu, which runs from that gate just to the the Charterhouse. The Porte Saint Germain: there are suburbs where many butchers live; there is the abbey of Saint Vincent, which is now called the abbey of Saint Germain des Prés, the abbot of which [holds the rights of] high, middle and low justice. The Porte d’Orleans, near to which is the postern gate of Nesle, outside of the field called "of the Clerks."
The Porte Saint Antoine: outside near to this is a convent called "of Saint Antoine;" then the Merchant’s Hall; then the house of Conflans; item the place the King stays; item the bridge of Charenton, where there are two great towers, beyond which is the church of Notre Dame de Mets. And on the other side the abbey of Saint Mor des Fossez, to which two places many pilgrims come. Item, a league and a half away, near the gate, is the Bois de Vincennes, which is enclosed with very high walls; and it is larger than the town of Paris; there is a castle with eleven great towers tall as belltowers, there is a canonry and lodging for the King. In these woods is a church after the fashion of the hermits called the "good men;" item on one side is a fair house called "Beauty." In these woods there are all kinds of wild animals. The gate of the Temple, where there are great gardens; the gate of Saint Martin: there are suburbs where is the parish church of Saint Laurent; at one league is Longheville, and at three leagues is Bourget, on the highway. The gate of Saint Denis: there are suburbs where is the church of Saint Ladre; at one league is the church called "la Chapelle." Item at two leagues is the abbey of Saint Denis, which is excellently built: there is the body of Saint Denis and his companions, Saint Ruth and Saint Eleuthère in great rich reliquaries; there is a little house below called "Tegurion," all of silver, with rich stones, which was made by Saint Eloi. From the beginning the church was covered in silver, but after, on account of a great war, it was stripped, and on account of this the church was given one of the holy nails, a part of the Crown of Thorns, a part of the lance, a part of the Holy Cross, the suiare [handkerchief?] of Our Lord, the right arm of Saint Simeon, an undergown of Our Lady and other notable relics. There are many rich tombs of kings and princes; there the King takes up the oriflamme when he goes to war: it is a pennon, of which the flagstaff is gilded and the banner vermilion with five fringes, and green tassels. Between Paris and Saint Denis is the place du Lendit; and on the road are many great and notable crosses carved of stone, with great images; and they are on the road to show the way, like little Calvaries. The gate of Montmartre; at a half league is the hill from whence comes the plaster with which one makes the houses of Paris; on the hill is an abbey of nuns. Item, at the foot of the hill, is the church called "of the Martyrs," which Sainte Genevieve founded, where Saint Denis and his companions were beheaded. The gate of Saint Honoré: there are suburbs in which is the church called "au Rolle." Item at two leagues is the church of Notre Dame de Boulogne the Less, where people make pilgrimage; near there is the bridge of St.Cloud, where there are two strong towers.
One may estimate that Paris has four thousand taverns where wine is served, more than eighty thousand beggars, more than sixteen thousand scribes; item innumerable students and tradesmen; item no one can perfectly describe the company of prelates, princes together, nobles, estates, and the rich and diverse solemnities, novelties and marvels of Paris. One can estimate that the gold, silver and stones of the relics and vessels of the churches of Paris are worth [as much as] a great kingdom. At Paris, counting each after the other, every week people eat four thousand sheep, two hundred forty cows, five hundred calves, two hundred salted pigs and four hundred fresh pigs. Item every day seven hundred tuns of wine are sold, of which the King received his fourth [tax], not counting the wine drunk by students and other who don’t pay the tax, like lords and many others who get wine from their estates.
It is a great thing in Paris when Master Eustace de Pavilly, Master Jehan Gerson, Brother Jacques le Grant, the master of the Mathurins and other doctors and clerics preach so many excellent sermons; and the beautiful divine service that is celebrated there. Item when the kings of France, Navarre and Sicily, many dukes, counts, prelates and other notable lords, go there assiduously. Item when Master Gille des Champs, sovereign doctor of theology, is there; Master Henry de Fontaines, astrologer; the abbot of Mont Saint Michel, doctor of canon law; the bishop of Puy, doctor of civil law; Master Thomas of Saint Pierre, in medicine; Master Gille Soubz le Four, in surgery, and many other excellent clerics of pleasing rhetoric and eloquence. Item where there converse Master Lorent de Premier Fait, the poet; the German theologian, who plays on the vielle; Guillemin Dancel and Perrin de Sens, sovereign harpers; Crescques, player on the rebec; Chynenudy, a good player on the guitar and on the flute; Bacon, who plays songs on the pipes and the tragedies. Item Gobert, the sovereign scribe who wrote [a book on] the art of writing and on making pens; and their disciples who are employed by princes because they write so well, like young Flamel, [who is employed by] the Duke of Berry, Sicard by King Richard of England, Guillemin by the great Master of Rhodes, Crespy by the Duke of Orleans, Perrin by the Emperor Sigismond of Rome, and many others.
Item many artists, like Herman, who carves diamonds into various shapes; Willelm the goldsmith; Andry, who works in brass and gilt or silvered leather; the workman who cares for the nightingales that sing in winter; the three brothers who illuminate manuscripts and other ingenious trades. Item the elder Flamel, scribe, who gives so much in alms and hospitality; and made several houses when the tradesmen live below, and the rent that they pay supports poor laborers above. Item the fair lady salt-seller, the fair lady butcher, the fair lady carpenter and other ladies and demoiselles; the fair lady herbalist and she who is acclaimed the most beautiful, and those who are simply beautiful. Item Demoiselle Christine de Pisan, who teaches all manner of doctrine and various treatises in Latin and in French. Item the prince of love, who is surrounded by musicians and galans, who know how to sing all manner of songs, ballads, rounds, virelais and other love ditties, and play melodiously on instruments.
It is a long and great thing to recount the goods that are used there, if you were even able to do such a thing, such as the tax on chaplets of roses and greenery, which is worth ten thousand francs to the King each year. The emperor of Greece, the emperor of Rome, and other kings and princes of many parts of the world should come to enjoy themselves at Paris. Item at the coronation of the Queen of France, Isabel of Bavaria, when she first came to Paris, there came with her more than one hundred twenty thousand people on horseback who were in her employment. Item in the year 1419, in a plague, more than thirty thousand people died in the Hotel Dieu, near Notre Dame, as it is recorded in the Chambre des Comptes, where they give out the shrouds [for the poor].
Here ends the description of the town of Paris.