S. Julian Hospitator, who watches over travellers, ferrymen, boatmen and
travelling minstrels. He was a nobleman much given to the chase, and one
day, while pursuing a deer, the frightened creature turned round, and
cried out, "Thou followest me, thou who wilt one day kill thy father and
mother."[93] Thereupon Julian rushed away to a far country, where he was
made a knight, and much honoured by the king. But his parents, grieved
at his loss, set off to try and find him, and coming to his castle, they
made themselves known to his wife, who put them in their son's chamber,
and left them for the night. In the morning she went to early mass to
give thanks for this great mercy, and during her absence, Julian,
finding the old people in his room, and not recognizing them in the dim
light of dawn, turned upon them and slew them, as it seems, somewhat
hastily. Then Julian resolved to depart and devote himself to some good
work; but his wife would not let him go alone, so they journeyed until
they came to a great river, where many people were drowned in trying to
ford it, and there they set up a hermitage and a hospital, and a ferry
boat for travellers free of charge. One day, when a leper presented
himself, Julian not only ferried him over, but carried him in his arms
to his own bed, and tended him with the aid of his good wife. And in the
morning the leper arose, transformed, and saying, "Julian, the Lord hath
sent me to thee; thy penitence is accepted, and thy rest and that of thy
wife is near at hand," vanished out of their sight. And shortly after,
both Julian and his wife fell asleep.[94] The Cathedral of Rouen
possesses a window presented by the company of _bateliers-pêcheurs_ in
the 14th century, upon which this legend of the ferry is represented.
[Illustration: BAS-RELIEF OF THE FERRY.]
There can be little doubt that the church was originally dedicated to
Julian the Martyr, as recorded by Grégoire de Tours, and that later the
_culte_ of the other two Julians was added; particularly as we find upon
one of the houses of the Rue Galande, which abuts upon one side of the
church, a curious 13th century bas-relief of this very legend of the
ferry. S. Julian and his wife are rowing the boat, apparently in
opposite directions, and standing up is the passenger, no other than Our
Lord Himself, as we see from the cruciform nimbus. Is it not probable
that at some time, when repairs were going on, this bas-relief was
removed from the church, and does not the situation of S. Julien le
Pauvre, or _des_ pauvres, close to a river and a fish-market, seem to be
further proof that the Hospitator was one of the later patrons of the
church? There are said to be nearly sixty[95] saints of this name, and
as a proof of their popularity in France, we find no less than one
hundred and sixty-two villages called after them. In Spain they were
still more popular. Saint-Julien le Ménétrier, or des Ménétriers, was a
hospital founded in 1330 by Jacques Grare and Huet le Lorrain, for
fiddlers, jugglers, and acrobats. It was situated near the Rue S.
Martin. One of the attributes of S. Julian Hospitator is a mask. He is
thus seen on some of the windows at the cathedrals of Chartres and
Rouen, the latter of the 14th century. His name also seems to have had
virtue in it as an expletive, for in the _Chronique des Ducs de
Normendie et des Rois d'Engletierre_ the following exclamation occurs:
"_'Par Saint Julian!' dist Hubiers Gautiers li bons archevêsque de
Chantorbire_ (Canterbury)."
S. Julien was also invoked by travellers:
(Saint Ylaire) saint Juliens
Qui héberge les Crestiens,
was a rhyme of the _Moustiers de Paris_, written in 1270; and a document
of 1325 upon the _Churches and Monasteries of Paris_ thus confirms the
usefulness of S. Julien-le-Pauvre:
Or m'en iray outre le pont
Pour des autres moustiers trouver
Que l'on ne puisse réprouver,
Quar s'en mon dit faille de rien,
Premiers trouverez saint Julien
Le Povre, et bien ai regardé
Que maint compagnon a gardé
De mort, ce n'est pas mesprison
Et d'estre en vilainne prison;
Il les héberge et si les tence
De héberger a la poissance.
The early history of S. Julien is similar to that of all the other
churches of Paris. Destroyed in 886 by the Normans,[96] it fell into lay
hands, but was rebuilt in the 12th century, and became the property of
Etienne de Vitry and Hugues de Monteler, who, in consequence of a vow
made during sickness in the Holy Land, gave it over to the monks of
Longport, near Monthéry, who rebuilt the church and erected a priory for
fifty brothers.
The 13th and 14th centuries were periods of great intellectual activity.
Students flocked to Paris from all parts of Europe, and the left bank of
the Seine became a colony of colleges. According to Victor Hugo, there
were no less than forty-two in 1465.[97] S. Julian was in the midst of
these schools, and in the streets surrounding it were dwellings for the
students of the various nationalities. The little Rue du Fouarre takes
its name from _fourrage_, the straw upon which the students sat during
the lectures; and so large was the attendance in 1535, that the
authorities were obliged to erect two gates to prevent the circulation
of carriages during the lessons. Brunetto Latini, Dante Alighieri,
Petrarca, and Rabelais, were among the students of the Rue du Fouarre;
the three last referring to it in their writings. Dante, especially,
mentions his old master Sigier de Brabant in his _Divinia Commedia_:
_Essa la luce eterna de Sigieri_
_Che, leggendo nel vico degli Strami,_
_Sillogizo' invidiosi veri._ (_Il Paradiso_, canto x.)
The poet also bears witness to the violent discussions which took place
in the street, and adds that he found comfort in going to S. Julien to
say his prayers. Ambroise-Firmin Didot speaks of Dante living in the Rue
du Fouarre, _in vico stramineo_; and Mézières adds his testimony: "Il
est allé chercher la science à Bologne et entendre à Paris, dans la Rue
du Fouarre, de la bouche de Sigier, ces leçons hardies qui effrayaient
ces contemporains."
The colleges and dwelling-houses of the students, together with the
buildings of the priory, formed a small town. In an old plan of the
church, and its dependencies in the precincts, during the 14th century,
we find a number of most curious names attached to the houses: Maison
d'Angleterre, de la Hure, de Picardie, de Normandie, de l'Ymaige
Notre-Dame, du Paon, de l'Escu de France, de la Nef[98] d'Argent, du
Sabot, du Soufflet vert, du Papegaut, des Carneaulx, des Deux Cygnes,
des Lyons, de la Heuze, des Trois Boittes, des Quatre filz Hémon, de la
Corne de Daim, du Lièvre cornu, de la Cuiller, des Trois Canettes, du
Poing d'or, de la Main d'argent, du Turbot, les Étuves de la Queue du
Reynard, l'Escouvette d'or, and la ruelle du Trou-Punais; la maison des
Sept-Arts, à la nation d'Angleterre; les Escolles du Cheval Rouge à la
nation de Picardie, et la maison de la Corne de Cerf; these are only a
few of the names. Many of the houses were demolished quite recently to
make way for the Rue Monge. Much as I love Paris and admire it, I
sometimes wish a new street were not obliged to proceed upon its way in
a perfectly straight line, thereby destroying all that comes in its
path. A remnant of the houses attached to S. Julien may be seen in the
Rue Galande, No. 42, _maison de la Heuze et de Saint-Julien_--the
bas-relief of the old portal, mentioned above.
For several centuries the old church was the seat of the general
assemblies of the University; and by a decree of Philippe le Bel, the
Provost of Paris was obliged to go there every two years, to take an
oath to observe the privileges of the students, who were under his
jurisdiction. He bore the title of _Conservateur de l'Université_ with
much pride; but he must have had a troublous life, for the students were
always quarrelling with the citizens; and in the reign of Charles VI.,
the then Provost, Hugues Aubriot, rebuilt the Petit-Châtelet (which was
close to S. Julien), in order to defend the city against the nocturnal
incursions of the scholars. To such a pass had matters come in 1601,
that the Parliament issued the following decree: "La court a faict
inhibitions et défences aux dicts escolliers porter espées et dagues sur
le quay de la Tournelle ny commettre aucune insolence." There were
several classes of students, _Boursiers_ and _Pensionnaires_
(_Convicteurs ou Portionnistes_) living with the masters; _Caméristes_,
rich young men who lived without control and were only provided with
teaching and firing; _Externes libres_, or _Martinets_, troublesome
students who gained their name because they rarely appeared before the
Principal except for punishment with the rod or _martinet_; and the
_Galoches_, who lived out of college (_externes_), and were named after
the clogs (_patins_ or _galoches_) with great nails which they wore to
keep their feet dry in traversing the muddy or snowy streets. These were
often older men whose presence at lectures flattered the professors. Up
to the 16th century, S. Julien was also the scene of the election of the
Rector of the Faculty of Arts, _Rector Magnificus de l'Alma Parens_; and
upon these occasions, notably in 1524, the students seemed to have
amused themselves, after their kind, by breaking doors and windows,
wrenching knockers, and such like playful imbecilities. The next year
Parliament decreed that the elections should take place elsewhere; the
new localities chosen being, first the Mathurins, and then the College
Louis le Grand.
The University of Paris was established in 1200, but the word was not
commonly used until the time of S. Louis. In the time of Philippe
Auguste there were three schools in Paris, at Notre-Dame, and at the
abbeys of S. Victor and S. Geneviève. Naturally to keep so many students
in order was no easy task, and we can easily understand that upon every
excuse, every small discontent of the citizens, the scholars were only
too glad to help in the scrimmage. They were at first classified in
nations, or Société de Maîtres; thus in 1169 we read of la nation de
France, surnamed _Honoranda_; la nation de Picardie, _Fidellissima_; la
nation Normande, _Veneranda_; and la nation d'Angleterre,
_Constantissima_. In the "town and gown" rows between students and
citizens, the members of the University were only amenable to the
Provost of Paris, who gloried in the title of _Conservateur de
l'Université_; and when this gentleman found the gownsmen in the wrong,
the University suspended its lectures.
But S. Julien was not simply the centre of the University; it was also
the head-quarters of many guilds and corporations, such as the
Confraternity of Notre-Dame-des-Vertus, the Paper-makers, the
Ironfounders, and Roof-tilers.
Even before the Revolution, church property was not entirely exempt from
taxation. The abbeys and other ecclesiastical communities possessed
enormous privileges; but they were not enjoyed without certain
obligations, as witness requisitions from the sovereigns to furnish
supplies to carry on their little warlike pastimes. Sometimes the amount
was sent in money, but more often in kind; a few silver saints, some
golden shrines, and so on. S. Julien possessed a good revenue in the old
days, but in the 16th century the priory had begun to decline in
position and in wealth. The colleges moved up the "mountain" of S.
Geneviève; teachers and scholars deserted the old quarters; the houses,
which had been the greatest source of revenue, had begun to fall into
decay; and the priors became indifferent to their business affairs, and
were often absentees. At last things became so bad that, in 1643, a
prior named E. Thiboust had to be deposed, and replaced, nominally by
Pierre de la Valette, practically by Pierre Méliand, who accused his
predecessor "d'avoir laissé dépérir l'église depuis l'an 1612 qu'il
était entré en jouissance du prieuré. Et pendant cette jouissance, qui a
duré 18 ans, le sieur Thiboust a laissé tomber une grande partie de
l'église en ruine." Not only did prior Thiboust allow the buildings to
fall into decay, but he must have kept back part of the revenues; for
the next step was a petition to the King's _procureur-général_ to beg
him to oblige Thiboust to pay 16,500 _livres_, the repairs requisite
having been estimated at that sum by the King's judges Villedo and
Monnard. But notwithstanding this, Thiboust took upon himself to grant a
lease to Nicolas Brossier and Edme Porrion for a certain stone quarry
situated at Croix Faubin; and although the King confirmed Méliand in the
priory, the audacious Thiboust pleaded youth at the time of his
appointment, and subsequently shuffled out of payment of the whole sum.
[Illustration: THE SANCTUARY.]
The church was in a parlous state when prior Méliand began his repairs.
The roof was in a miserable condition, with a temporary covering over
the altar to keep out the rain and the door was almost in the last state
of decay; so Messire Claude Menardeau was called in (he was a councillor
of the King's, and a _commissaire_), and he decided "que des réparations
seraient faites au plus tôt, d'autant que l'églize despérit
journellement par la pluye et autres injures du temps, qui y tombent,
comme en plaine campagne." Unfortunately the master mason, Bernard
Roche, to whom the work was given, began by destroying the Gothic west
front and portal, to make room for lodgings for the ecclesiastics. Then
we read of plasterings, and a new front with pediment and Ionic columns,
and all the Classicisms so much beloved in the 17th and 18th centuries.
In 1655 the priory and its possessions were made over to the Hôtel-Dieu;
and thenceforth, until the demolition of the old building a few years
ago, it was used as the hospital chapel. But previous to this, Cardinal
Mazarin had turned over an annual payment of 2,500 _livres_ to the
Hôtel-Dieu from the revenue of his abbey of Saint-Étienne at Caen, and
in his capacity of abbot in chief of the order of Cluny, he made a
bargain which put an end to the independence of S. Julien. The prior was
to resign, and all the revenues of the convent were to go to the
establishment of a convalescent hospital; the Hôtel-Dieu undertaking, in
return, to carry on Divine service in the church, and to fulfil the
conditions of the different foundations belonging to it. At this time,
1660, the property of S. Julien consisted of thirty-eight houses and
gardens in the neighbouring streets, besides certain lands in the
Faubourg S. Jacques, at Montmartre, at Vitry, Villeneuve and Versailles,
together with revenues in kind--corn and fodder, and donations made at
burials; altogether amounting to about 2,400 _livres_.
It appears that the misfortunes of S. Julien were not over when it lost
its independence, for Louis Roche required payment for his various
"improvements," and so the poor church had to sell its plate. Nor could
services be held there without the permission of the archbishop, as the
_curé_ of S. Séverin seems to have objected: "Défense lui (the chaplain
of S. Julien) est faite de célébrer des messes hautes, de faire l'eau
bénite, la bénédiction du pain, de reçevoir offrande, faire quête,
chanter l'office et le salut, ni même exposer le Saint-Sacrament en
ladite église, sans la permission de Son Eminence."
In 1705 an inventory of the furniture, vestments, and plate was taken,
and a very poor collection it seems to have been; indeed, at that time,
even the hospital revenues were only about a sixth of the expenses. The
inhabitants of Paris had largely increased, and famines and wars had
brought many of them to the Hôtel-Dieu; so full was it that seven or
eight patients were packed into one bed, which, even considering the
width of an 18th-century sleeping place, must have been rather
unpleasant crowding.
[Illustration: EXTERIOR OF SAINT-JULIEN.]
At the Revolution, the revenues passed over to the State, and God's
House was converted into the "House of Humanity." The old church became
a salt warehouse, the _asile_ was pulled down, and it was only in 1826
that S. Julien was restored to its right use.
The first time I visited the church was before the Franco-German war,
when I was taken over the hospital by one of the Augustinian sisters.
Two or three patients were there pouring out their sorrows, or giving
thanks for mercies received. Outside, in the garden, were a few more
sitting about among the trees, making a charming picture, such as Fred
Walker would have delighted in. All this is now changed, and the sisters
are gone with the old hospital buildings and the quaint covered
bridge--a second _Ponte Vecchio_. Whether the poor have gained anything
by being nursed by lay-women instead of religious, we cannot say; but no
one will deny that the sisters were devoted to their work--kindly,
patient, sweet-tempered, of the same spirit as when, in the old time,
they not only nursed, but "au plus fort de l'hiver," they broke the ice
of the river, "qui passe au milieu de cet hôpital, et y entrer jusqu'à
la moitié du corps pour laver les linges." It was in S. Julien that the
White Sisters took the veil, and devoted themselves specially to the
service of God and the care of His poor.
The Miraculous Well and some of the foundations are all that remain of
the first Carlovingian church; the arcades of the nave and some of the
columns date back to the commencement of the 12th century, but the rest
of the building belongs to the end of that period. The tower, like the
portal, was improved away by Master Bernard Roche, and the old bell has
at present to content itself with a little pointed roof as a covering.
Its inscription is dated, and is in French:
[Symbol: Maltese Cross]
J. H. S.
MARIE SUIS NOMMÉE PAR M. JEAN BOURLON, CONSEILLER DU ROY
ET GREFFIER EN SA CHAMBRE DES COMPTES, ET PAR DAME MARIE
PAJOT, FEMME DE M. ALEXANDRE REBOURS, CONSEILLER DU ROY
EN SON CONSEIL D'ÉTAT ET PRIVÉ, ET PRÉSIDENT DE LA COUR DES
AYDES DE PARIS ET V^{E} DE BARTHÉLEMY TOUSSAINCT MOUSSIER
GOUVERNEUR DE L'ÉGLISE DE CÉANS DELAUNAY.
1640.
The plan of the church was originally a nave and aisles of six bays,
each terminating in an apse, but in 1675 two bays were demolished with
the entire west end, to make room for a forecourt. (It is said that, of
all the churches of Paris, the two which stand most truly East and West
are Notre-Dame and S. Julien.) Although parts of the interior have
suffered from "improvements" and neglect, the two bays of the choir and
the apsidal terminations have lost nothing of their original beauty. The
single-shaft pillars, recalling upon a small scale those of Notre-Dame,
the clustered columns which support the vault, and the little columns of
the windows; the capitals, the bosses, and the mouldings are all in the
best style of the end of the 12th century. The sculpture of the details
is treated with the greatest care, and the ornamentation of the capitals
(about one hundred and fifty in all) has all the variety of foliage and
imagery so dear to the Mediæval artists. The most curious example is on
the south side of the choir. Springing from a mass of foliage are four
figures of birds with female heads, bodies of feathers, outspread wings,
and clawed feet. Some of the foliage is the acanthus, but still more
represents the water plants which probably, in those early days, grew in
the Seine; for it must be remembered that the sculptors of the Middle
Ages were in the habit of taking their inspiration from the types of
Nature which surrounded them. It is curious that one of the capitals in
Notre-Dame, in the same position (the south side of the choir) is almost
identical with the one just described. On the right side of the altar is
the _piscina_, which is said to communicate with the Miraculous Well;
the water having been held in great veneration, people came to fetch it
from far and near.
[Illustration]
The church contains no monuments of any artistic value. A curious
bas-relief with a very long inscription was erected to the memory of
_Honorable et sage Maistre Henry Rousseau, jadis avocat en Parlement,
seigneur de Chaillaut (Chaillot) ... lequel trépassa l'an 1445 le IXe
jour de novembre_. _Dieu en ait l'âme. Amen._ The defunct left money to
endow masses, and also for the Hôtel-Dieu. He is represented enveloped
in a winding-sheet, addressing a prayer to our Lord, which is written
upon a streamer. The words in italics are lost:
Peccavi super numer [_um arene maris et multiplicata sunt peccata
mea_] non sum Dignus videre altidinem [_Celi pre multitudine
iniquitatis mee [=qm] irrita_] ram tuam. Et malum coram te feci
[=qm] ini [_[=qu]it[=ate] mea ego cognosco et_] delictum meum Coram
me est semper. Tibi soli pecca [_vi ideo deprecor_] majestatem tuam
Ut tu deleas iniquitatem meam miserere mei [_secundum mag[=n]a
misericordia_] tuam.
The epitaph is in Gothic letters, and in an excellent state of
preservation. Above the bordering we read:
Cy devant gist honorable homme et sage maîstre Henry Rousseau,
Jadis advocat en Parlement, seigneur de Chaillaut et de
Within the framing:
Compans en partie, lequel dès son vivant a fondé en cest hostel
trois messes Par chascune sepmaine qui sont et doivent estre dites
et célébrées à l'autel et Chapelle de Mons. S. Loys, jadis Roy de
France, située et assise au milieu de cest Ostel, aux jour de
Mercredi, Vendredi et Dimenche. Cest assavoir au mercredi De
Requiem, au vendredi de la Croix et au dimenche de la Solennité du
jour, où A la voulenté du célébrant, et en la fin de chascune messe
qui ne serait ditte De Requiem, le célébrant est tenu de faire
mémoire des Trespassez et pour ce Faire a fondé le dit Deffunct et
donné à cest hostel XII livres de Rentes que il ou ses hoirs
Doivent faire admortir, situées et assises sur une maison et
estuves assises à Paris Devant le Palais, à l'image Saint Michel,
et, pour avoir la sépulture en cette chapelle
Below the border:
a donné la somme de cent francs que aussi en son vivant il a payiez
en six Livres Parisis de Rente assises sur plusieurs maisons à
Paris declaires ès, _Lettres_ sur ce _faictes_, tout pour le salut
de son âme et des âmes de ses père et mère, parents et amis, lequel
trépassa l'an 1445 te IXe jour de novembre.
Dieu en ait l'âme. Amen.
The bas-relief was originally coloured, and at the corners of the border
were armorial bearings. The slab was formerly in the church of S. Blaise
and S. Louis, which was destroyed in 1765, and which belonged to S.
Julien, only having been separated from it by a narrow passage. It is
supposed to have been either a refectory or a private chapel. In 1476
the masons and carpenters of Paris made it the seat of their guild, and
built the portal in the Rue Galande; in 1684 it was reconstructed.
Another monument, or rather statue, by Bosio, of Antoine de Montyon, was
removed from the old Hôtel Dieu when it was pulled down, and placed over
the last burial-place of the philanthropist. Originally interred at
Vaugirard, M. de Montyon's body was afterwards placed under the
peristyle of the hospital, where it remained until the demolition. M. de
Montyon is principally known by his _prix de vertu_ given annually by
the Immortals of the Institut. But he left other legacies for prizes: to
whomsoever should discover the means of rendering certain industries
less unhealthy; to a poor French subject who should write a book the
most conducive to morals; for the advancement of medical science or
surgery; also for the poor who require aid on leaving the Paris
hospitals. All the prizes are distributed by the Academy, and the whole
sum left amounted to some seven millions of francs, a considerable
fortune seventy years ago (1820) when M. de Montyon died. The principal
prize, _pour l'action la plus vertueuse_, generally falls to the lot of
some obscure person, who has passed years of self-sacrificing devotion
to the old, the sick, or the poor; virtuous actions, in M. de Montyon's
opinion, being those unrecorded works of love and charity which are done
in simple homes, without excitement or glamour; works which become great
because of their very monotony and which prove the patience and
unselfishness of the true Christian.