Bourges

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Bourges, upon the Rivers Auron and Eure, a City of France, Capital of the Province and Duchy of Berry, with a Baylwick, Presidial, Generality, University, and Archbishoprick, which hath the Title of Primacy and Patriarchate. It is the Avaricum Biturigum. or Avaricum Cuborum of the Ancients, which has also been diversly named, Biturix and Biturigum. It is certain that Bourges hath been, not only one of the most ancient Cities of the Gauls, but also one of the fairest and most considerable; and was so reckoned in the XLVII. Olympiad, or the CLXIV. of Rome about 590. before Christ. For Titus Livius assures us, That under the Reign of Tarquin the Ancient, King of the Romans, the Monarchy of the Celtae was in this Capital of Berry, whereof Ambigat was Soveraign. Julius Caesar took this City about the 702 of Rome, which was the first of the CLXXII. Olympiad, 52 years before Christ. He speaks of it in the VII. Book of his Commentaries, and saith, That Vercingetorix, Head of the Gauls, having Assembled a Councel, caused 20 Cities of Berry to be burned, and that they had it even under debate to do the same to Bourges it self; but that those of the Country opposed it, beseeching the rest not to constrain them to burn their Capital, the Ornament and Safeguard of Berry, and one of the first Cities of the Gauls. Caesar Writes afterwards the History of that Siege, and saith, That of 40000 Men who were in it, there scarcely escaped 800, all the rest having been put to the Sword, the Soldiers sparing neither Age nor Sex. It suffered in the 5th Age, by the incursions of the Wisigoths, and being subjected to the French under Clovis, who took Aquitaine from the said Wisigoths, Bourges fell to the Lot of Clodomir, and afterwards of Gontran King of Orleance. It was from the latter, that one Didier, General of the Troops of Chilperic I. took Bourges in 583, and burnt it almost entirely. It was afterwards repaired at divers times, chiefly under Charlemaign, and became again so considerable, that William the Breton took delight to give a magnificent description of it speaking in the VIII. Book of his Philippides, of its Riches, Strength, and the great number of Inhabitants. Bourges had particular Earls of its own in 1412. during the Factions of the Houses of Burgundy and Orleance, the Duke of Burgundy seized upon the Person of Charles VI. and led him before Bourges, where were inclosed the Dukes of Berry and Bourbon, with a great many Lords, and an Agreement was made on July 15. King Charles VII. during the first years of his Reign, made his residence commonly in this City, which he fortified; and thereupon his Enemies in mockery called him King of Bourges. In the latter Age, during the Wars about Religion, the Prince of Condé being at Orleance, sent Gabriel Earl of Montgomery, who surprised Bourges for the Protestants. May 27. 1562. The Duke of Guise besieged it for King Charles IX. and Yvoy who was Governor thereof, surrendred it on September 1. that same year, and Bourges afterwards followed the Party of the League; but in 1594. was subjected to Henry IV. John Duke of Berry erected here in May 1379. a Chamber of Accounts for the Lands of his Portion; and King Charles VII. Translated thither that for the Kingdom, while his Enemies were Masters of Paris: But now the Government of this City depends on the Mayor and Sheriffs. It is believed that King St. Lewis founded the University, Charles Duke of Berry, Brother to King Lewis XI. re-established it, and obtained several Privileges for it of Pope Paul II. in 1464. and it hath had many famous Professors of the Civil and Cannon Law. Bourges is naturally strong, by reason of its situation; the Rivers having rendered the adjacent Country full of Marshes, which makes it of difficult access on one side, and on the other side it rises pretty high; it is also environed with good Walls, defended by 80 Towers on the side which may be the most easily approached: It had a great Tower, which is partly ruinous since 1651. The River of Ewre which others call Yeure, begins there to be Navigable by the encrease of the Waters which it receives from the Auron, Aurette, Molon, Colin, and some other Brooks. Bourges is a great City, well-built, with fine places, a great number of Fountains, and very clean Streets. The Palace of the ancient Dukes of Berry, serves now for a seat to the Presidial, and is joined to the Holy-Chappel. Strangers do entertain themselves here with the sight of the King's House, the Town-House, that of the Germans, and that of the famous James Colur, besides the Amphitheaters and other Antiquities. The Church of St. Stephen is the Metropolis, and thought to have been built in 254. under the Empire of Decius. There is a fine Chapter in it: Besides this Church, Bourges hath seven Collegiat ones; That called the Holy Chappel, which immediately depends on the See of Rome, is the first. John of France Duke of Berry, Son to King John, and Brother to King Charles V. founded it, and was buried there in 1416. in the middle of the Quire, where his Tomb is to be seen. Besides these Collegial Churches, there are 17 Parishes at Bourges, 3 Abbies, and a great number of Monasteries, with a College of Jesuits. The Diocese, which is one of the largest in the Kingdom, contains near 900 Parishes, under 12 Arch-Deaconships, and 20 Arch-Priests, 34 Collegial Churches, 35 Abbies, and 10 Commanderies of Malta. The Church of Bourges has had illustrious Prelates, amongst which 18 are Canonized. The Archbishops of Bourges take the Title of Patriarchs and Primates of Aquitain. It having begun to injoy this Title in the 9th Age. Theodulfe of Orleance saith, That Aigulfe, who lived in 830. was the first Patriarch of Bourges. The English afterwards becoming Masters of Guienne, the Archbishops of Bourdeaux refused to acknowledge this Primacy of Bourges. King Philip Augustus complained thereof to Pope Innocent III. who did not determine the Affair, but some time after Gregory IX. declared in favour of the Church of Bourges: For Clement V. had Translated this Primacy to Bourdeaux, whereof he had been Archbishop. The Metropolis of Bourges has had 11 Suffragants, Clermont le Puy, St. Flour, Mende, Rodez, Vabres, Castres, Cahors, Tulles, Limoges and Albi: But as this last Church has been of late erected into an Archbishoprick, it has had part of its Suffragants, to wit Castres, Cahors, Mende, Rodez and Vabres. Cardinal Robert, Legate, called a Council here in 1215. But the Bishops of France having reason to complain of his Conduct, opposed it, and made their Appeal to the Council of Latteran, which Pope Innocent III. held towards the end of that year, the Legate Cardinal Reman, held one there in 1225. or 26. to judge of the Lands of Raimond Earl of Toulouse, in which his Son demanded to be re-established. There were seven Archbishops; but he of Lyons pretending to the Primacy over that of Sens, and that of Bourges over those of Bourdeaux, Ausch, and Narbonne; it is said that they took their Seats as in a Council of State, and not as in a Councel of the Church. Simon of Bria, Cardinal Legate, held one in 1276. for the Peace of the Church; the See of Rome being then vacant by the death of Innocent V. In 1286. Simon of Beaujeu, Archbishop of Bourges, held there a Provincial Synod. There were also several Councils held in this Age, for the Primacy of first Aquitain, whereof the Prelates of Bourges were in possession, since Charlemaign's time, who having made that City Capital of the Kingdom of Aquitain, composed of three Provinces, would, for the better uniting of them together, that they should all depend on it, as to Spirituals. The Prelates of Narbonne shook of this Yoak as soon as there were Earls of Tolouse. That of Bourdeaux attempted the like, when the third Aquitain was left to the Kings of England, under the Title of the Duchy of Guienne; but those who were in possession oppos'd it. Simon of Salli, whom some Authors make a Cardinal by the Title of St. Sixtus, Legate of the See of Rome, and Archbishop of Bourges, held a Council in 1228. and suspended the Archbishop of Bourdeaux, who would not assist at it. This quarel went so far, that Giles of Rome, got Bertrand of Got, Archbishop of Bourdeaux, afterwards Pope, under the name of Clement V. to be Excommunicated by Walter of Bruges, Bishop of Poitiers, about 1300. and this Pope did afterwards highly express his resentments of it. The Clergy of France Assembled in 1438. at Bourges, under Charles VII. acknowledged the Council of Basle, and drew up the famous Constitution, named the Pragmatick Sanction. The Council approved of it, and it lasted till 1516. that it was suppressed by the Concordat betwixt Pope Leo X. and King Francis I. The same King Charles VII. about two years after, Assembled the Clergy again in that City; and Eugenius IV. was acknowledged for Pope. In 1584. Renaud of Beaune. Archbishop of Bourges, celebrated a Provincial Council, for the Reformation of Manners, and the Discipline of the Church. Anthony Bojer, a Cardinal, held a Synod there in 1516. and Peter of Hardivillier celebrated another in 1643. Bourges is 7 Leagues from La Charite to the W. 22 from Orleans to the N. Its great Towers were razed by order of the present King of France, because it sided with the Prince of Condé in the last Civil Wars.