Chapter 6

The _freres de Saint-Yon_, having been invited, in 1705, to come and establish themselves in Rouen, by the archbishop Nicolas Colbert and the first president Nicolas Camus de Pont-Carre, they accordingly purchased the portion of ground, which bears their name, in 1708. They erected the church themselves without the assistance of an architect, even acting as masons and workmen. The first stone was laid on the 7th june 1728. This edifice is of remarkable execution. In the exterior, its elevation is about ninety six feet including a lantern of about thirty, which stands above the transept of the edifice. In the interior, the length is one hundred and twenty five feet and the breadth twenty five feet. On the 16th of july 1734, the _Freres de Saint-Yon_, carried with great pomp, to their Church, the remains of their founder, the venerable Lasalle, who died in 1719, and was buried in the church of Saint-Sever. Independently of poor children, who were instructed by the monks according to their condition, they likewise received incorrigible children, who were sent by their parents to be taken care of; they also received a limited number of insane persons, thirty were habitually kept here at the expence of their families.

From the time when the _Freres de Saint-Yon_, as also all other religious communities, were suppressed, untill 1820, the house of Saint-Yon, became successivly a revolutionary prison, a barrack, a _grenier d'abondance_, or corn store house, a house of detention for spanish prisoners, an hospital for wounded soldiers in 1814, and a poor house. This last establishment was one of the most considerable of this description; but, it was suppressed in 1820, by royal ordonance.

Already in the preceding year, the _Conseil general_ of the departement of the Seine-Inferieure had taken into consideration the deplorable state, to which the unfortunate insane were reduced, and they resolved to alleviate their wretched condition. It had been represented to them that these unfortunate people could not receive in the hospitals of Rouen, Havre or Dieppe, where there were great numbers of them shut up, the great attention, which their position required, or not even those which humanity demanded.

The _conseil general_ on a proposition from Mr Malouet, then prefect of the departement, voted the establishment of a special asylum for the insane belonging to the departement. The buildings and dependencies of the ancient monastery of Saint-Yon were designated as being fit for that purpose. The situation of the place at the extremity of the suburb, and in a healthy situation, and the numerous plantations which it would be easy to make in the large gardens which surround the establishment, appeared as many favourable circumstances, to fix the choice of the administration.

Therefore, in 1821, they entered into a contract for the building of five different courts for the treatement of insane persons.

On the 25th August 1822, on the feast of Saint-Louis, the prefect Mr de Vanssay laid the first stone of the establishement.

From that time the works were carried on with activity. Already in July 1825, fifty seven patients had been admitted. This asylum contains at this time, 390 boarders and 150 poors at the charge of the departement.

It occupies a superficies of nine or ten hectares. The inmates are taken care of by the sisters of Saint-Joseph of Cluny.

The admirable order which reigns in the establishment, the internal management to which the insane are subjected, have already attracted the attention of foreign medical men, who are charged with the treatement of the same malady in the hospitals of their own countries. It may be said that this asylum has, for several years served as a model to all the others.

PRISONS.

There are two principal prisons in Rouen: the _house of correction_, and the _maison de justice_, in the court of the Palais-de-Justice. The first, commonly called _Bicetre_, contains the debtors, prisoners accused but not tried, and those sentenced to imprisonment under twelve months; in the second those already convicted for crimes are confined. Those sentenced to more than twelve months are sent to the central depot at Gaillon, ten leagues distant from Rouen.

According to a statement made by Mr Vingtrinier, the principal physician of the prisons, the average of the population of the house of correction is about three hundred; that of the _maison de justice_ about ninety; the mortality about one in fifty nine, in the first, and one in sixty eight, in the second.

SOLDIERS BARRACKS.

There are three different barracks in Rouen: the first is situated near the _quai aux Meules_ at Saint-Sever, and contains about one thousand men. The second on the Champ-de-Mars, and contains about seven hundred and fifty men. The third is the _caserne Bonne-Nouvelle_, situated in the suburb of Saint-Sever. Most people pass the ancient priory of _Bonne-Nouvelle_ (so named by Queen Matilda, on receiving the news of the victory of Hastings), and see only a barrack. To the monks who formerly inhabited this ancient priory, cuirassiers, dragoons and foot soldiers have succeeded.

The barracks of _Bonne-Nouvelle_ will contain about three hundred cavalry or about six hundred infantry.

REMARKABLE EDIFICES.

HOTEL DU BOURGTHEROULDE,

_Place de la Pucelle._

After the cathedral and Saint-Ouen, this town possesses no other monument which excites more the curiosity of french or English antiquarians. The first person who described the famous bas-reliefs of the _Camp du Drap-d'Or_, which ornament the exterior of the ancient gallery of the edifice, is dom Montfaucon in the 4th volume of his _Monuments of the french Monarchy_. He only did it, on the indications given by the abbe Noel, who gave the first explanations of these sculptures. After Montfaucon came Dr Ducarel, who has only copied the learned benedictine. Dibdin, the British antiquarian, has also paid his tribute of admiration to the hotel du Bourgtheroulde, in his _Bibliographical, antiquarian and picturesque tour through France_. Cotman and Dawson Turner, his countrymen, have given a place to this edifice in their respective publications. M. de Jolimont, in his _most remarquable monuments in the town of Rouen_ devotes an article and two engravings to this edifice. MM. Nodier, Taylor and de Cailleux have enriched their _picturesque and romantic tour_, with a collection of lithographic engravings representing the celebrated interview between Francis Ist and Henry VIIIth, that took place in 1520 in a field situated between Guines and Ardres in Picardy. Mr A. Le Prevost has also written learned memoirs on the hotel du Bourgtheroulde. He has fixed the date of the building (about the end of the XVth century), and revealed the name of the founder (Guillaume-le-Roux), and facilitated the numerous descriptions which have been made of it. The most complete, is that given by M. Delaqueriere, in his work entitled: _Historical description of the houses of Rouen_.

In the short description that we give of this remarkable building, we must notice the bas-reliefs, six in number, which adorn the elegant hexagonal tower, in the inner court and represent pastoral scenes. We must also add that interpreters make a great mistake when they inform strangers that the celebrated maid of Orleans (burnt in 1431) was judged and imprisoned in this building.

ANCIENT ABBEY OF SAINT AMAND,

_Rue Saint-Amand._

NON EST HIC ALIVD NISI DOMVS DEI.

The pious monks who caused this simple and touching inscription to be engraven over the gate of their monastery, never supposed that one day it would offer the most strange of _solecisms_. Enter this house and you will have great difficulty in believing that you visit one of the most celebrated abbeys in Rouen.

This abbey, which was founded and endowed by the pious lady Aimeline, and enriched by the liberalities of Robert-the-Magnificent, this once famous monastery, which was honoured by the protection of kings, is now a confused sort of inclosure and inhabited by workmen of different kinds. Dirty courts and buildings in ruin have been for a long time the only remains of the interior of Saint-Amand. Some parts nevertheless have escaped destruction. Such is a very curious building, which had been erected about the end of the XVIth century during the life of the abbot Thomasse Daniel. This edifice is extremely remarkable from the sculptures which cover the whole front, and chiefly represent pointed windows. On the first floor, we find a room with two fire places, on one we may still distinguish in spite of mutilation, the armorial bearings of the Daniel family. The wainscot is even more curious than the sculptures which ornament the front of the house. At one of the corners of this building there is a small turret, of stone, its form is polygonal; its ornaments are rich and in very good taste: it is a fine specimen of the productions of the _renaissance_.

The building, with a front of the Ionic order, which is separated from the other by the turret of which we have just spoken, contains a room, which a few years ago, excited the curiosity of connoisseurs. The fire place was surmounted by an oaken wainscot, which represented, in niches separated by pilasters, four figures, those of the virgin, the angel Gabriel, Saint-Margaret and Saint-Magdalen.

BUREAU DES FINANCES,

_Opposite the front of the Cathedral._

This was the ancient _Palace of the Court des Aides_. The building is principally composed of hewn stone: it was built about the year 1509. Although this edifice has suffered numerous degradations, it still merits the attention of connoisseurs. The building has two separate fronts: the principal one opposite the cathedral, the other in the _rue du Petit-Salut_. The decorations are the same on both.

In 1705, the _Cour des Aides_ was united to the _Cour des Comptes_, under the name _Cour de Comptes, Aides et Finances de Rouen_. The present edifice has nevertheless always retained the name of _Bureau des Finances_.

REMARKABLE HOUSES AND CELEBRATED MEN.

Ancient town hall, rue de la Grosse-Horloge and rue Thouret.

Sculptured wooden houses, Grande-Rue, no 115 and 129.

House, rue aux Juifs, no 47 and 49.

House, rue Perciere, no 11.

House, rue Bouvreuil, no 4.

House, rue Etoupee, no 4.

Houses, rue des Carmes, no 69 to 77.

House, rue Caquerel, no 13.

House, rue Damiette, no 29.

Houses, rue Eau-de-Robec, no 186, 221, 223.

Houses, rue Malpalu, no 90 and 92.

Houses, rue du Change, no 2 to 8.

Houses, rue du Bac, no 28 and 30.

House, rue des Cordeliers, no 45.

Houses which are remarkable as having been those in which the following celebrated men were born.

House in the rue de la Pie, no 4, where in 1606 the great Corneille was born.

House in the rue des Bons-Enfants, no 132-134, where Fontenelle, was born on the 11th february 1657.

House in the rue aux Ours, no 61. An inscription placed on this house reminds us, that it was here, that A. Boieldieu, the celebrated composer, was born.

House rue aux Juifs, no 9. Here Jean Jouvenet, the celebrated painter, was born on the 21st August, 1647.

To these celebrated names we must add the following of men equally natives of Rouen: Thomas Corneille (the brother of Peter), Lemery, Basnage, Samuel Bochart, the fathers Berruyer, Brumoy, Daniel, Sanadon, the painters Restout, Letellier, Sacquepee, Colombel, Lemonnier, Gericault, mademoiselle Champmesle, madame Du Boccage, Armand Carrel, Edward Adam, Dulong. Rouen is the birth-place of many other distinguished men.

BRIDGES.

STONE BRIDGE AND STATUE OF CORNEILLE.

This bridge was opened to the public, in 1829. It is about one hundred and fifty yards higher up than the bridge of boats, which was formerly almost opposite the _rue du Bac_[19]. We may almost say that it is formed of two separate bridges, of which the two ends join each other on the western extremity of the _Ile Lacroix_. Each part of the bridge is composed of three arches. The span of the middle arch is of thirty one metres (93 feet french); the lateral arches, are of twenty six metres (78 feet); the whole length of the bridge is two hundred and sixty six metres (798 feet). In the centre of the platform on the bridge, is placed the bronze statue of Pierre Corneille, on a pedestal of white Carrara marble, which rests on a base of granite.

This statue is twelve feet high, and weighs 4540 kilogrammes (9274 pounds _de marc_). It was cast by Mr Honore Gonon, at Paris, after the model by Mr David. The pedestal is by Mr Gregoire, the civil architect of the Seine-Inferieure. The height of the monument is twenty six feet. The first stone was laid by the king, on the 10th september 1833. The statue was solemnly inaugurated, on the 19 october 1834. On one side of the pedestal, we distinguish the following inscription:

TO PIERRE CORNEILLE, BY SUBSCRIPTION, 1834.

This statue was erected by means of a subscription, opened by the Society of Emulation of Rouen. It is to this society that we owe the first idea of this national monument.

A medal was struck for the occasion, and represents on one side the head of _Pierre Cornellie_, with the following inscription:

_Pierre Corneille, born at Rouen the 6th june 1606, died at Paris on the 1st october 1684._

And on the reverse, the statue, with this inscription:

_Statue of bronze, erected by subscription to Pierre Corneille in his native town, through the exertions of the Society of Emulation of Rouen, in 1834._

[Footnote 19: Erected in 1626, it was demolished in september 1836.]

SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

The numerous commercial trading vessels, which come up the Seine, were formerly obliged to wait several days, before they could get along side the quay to discharge. It became essential to enlarge the port, for which reason the stone bridge, at the entrance to the town, was built; but this arrangement rendered another bridge indispensable; and in 1828, the town council consulted on the possibility of removing the bridge of boats farther down; but the bad state it was in, and the enormous sum it cost to keep it in repair, and the length of time it took to open it for the passage of vessels, at once caused them to give up all idea of this old machine, formerly looked upon us a wonder; but, which did not now answer the purpose.

On the 8th of june 1834, a royal ordinance was issued, approving the undertaking. At last MM. Seguin brothers, civil engineers, and Pierre Colin, undertaker of public works, were, on the 16th october 1834, declared the approved contractors for the erection of the bridge; at the same time granting to them the receipts of the tolls for a period of 99 years, the bridge to be terminated at the latest, by the 1st of january 1837. And it was entirely completed by the 1st september 1836 (the very day the bridge of boats was suppressed). At the expiration of the 99 years, the bridge will become the property of the government. Its breadth is seven metres thirty centimetres, its length 197 metres, and the whole expense has amounted to 750,000 fr. On the left of the bridge is situated a guard house, and on the right Brune's house, erected by the city as a reward for courage and devotedness on many occasions.

RIVER AND RIVULETS.

THE RIVER SEINE.

The source of the Seine is to be found near the hamlet of Envergeraux, and about two leagues and half from the village of Saint-Seine, in Burgundy. After a course of more than 200 leagues from east to west, it falls into the Ocean, between Havre and Honfleur[20].

The depth of the Seine at Rouen allows this town to be classed amongst the principal ports of France. They calculate at from 2000 to 2500 the number of vessels of all sizes, which annually come this port.

[Footnote 20: See: _Voyage from Havre to Rouen_; and _Excursion from Rouen to Paris, by the Seine_. Rouen, 1839, in-18vo, with maps and plates.]

ROBEC.

This rivulet has its source near the village of _Fontaine-sous-Preaux_; about two leagues from Rouen, runs through five _communes_, and enters Rouen by the suburb Saint-Hilaire; passing through the town, it falls into the Seine, near the stone bridge.

AUBETTE.

The Aubette has its source at Saint-Aubin, a small village near Rouen. This rivulet runs through _Saint-Leger-du-bourg-Denis_, _Darnetal_, enters Rouen by the suburb Martainville, and falls into the Seine, at the entrance to the _Cours-Dauphin_, near the porte _Guillaume-Lion_. These two rivers are specially useful for mills and dying establishments.

RENELLE.

If the etymology of the name _Renelle_ is doubtful, the utility of the stream at least is not so. It supplies numerous tanneries, of which there are still a great many in the street which bears its name. This sort of industry is very ancient in Rouen, and has never been established in any other part of the town. On the 22nd of march 1560, the parliament issued an act, ordering all the tanners to remove their establishments to the _Eau-de-Robec_; but, they said that they required clear water to carry on their trade, and therefore, were allowed, by order of the king, to remain on the Renelle. This rivulet comes from the Gaalor spring, and flows from the fountain of the _Bailliage_, almost in a straight line to the Seine, into which it falls.

FOUNTAINS.

The more churches there were in a town, there should be as many public fountains. Under the ancient law, a tub was placed at the entrance of the temples, in which the priests washed their hands and feet; under the new, and in imitation, fountains were placed near the churches, where the christians, before entering, washed their face and hands. This remark was applicable especially, in Rouen, before the revolution, where the number of churches and fountains was quite equal. There are not now thirty seven parochial churches; but we can still count thirty six public fountains, not including those in many private houses.

Of all these fountains, only seven merit particular attention, from their architectural and historical character. They are the fountains of the _Croix-de-Pierre_, the _Crosse_, the _Grosse-Horloge_, the _Vieux-Marche_, the _Pucelle_, _Saint-Maclou_, and _Lisieux_.

FOUNTAIN OF THE CROIX-DE-PIERRE,

_Carrefour Saint-Vivien._

There formerly existed, not far from the fountain known at present under the name of the _Croix-de-Pierre_ (stone cross), a cross, which had been raised through the piety of the inhabitants; but, we now can find no authentic document of the period of its being erected; all we know is that it had been rebuilt in the year 1628.

This fountain is composed of three partitions in the form of a pyramid, and is ornamented with some statues; its appearance is exceedingly fine. One may still form an idea of the beauty of its architecture, in spite of its ruinous condition, and even the repairs it has undergone.

FOUNTAIN OF THE CROSSE,

_At the corner of the streets des Carmes, and de l'Hopital._

This is a small monument in the gothic style of the end of the XVth century. The sculptures which decorate it, are remarkable for their fineness and delicacy. It is surmounted by a royal crown. Its name comes from its being situated at the corner of the house, which had for sign the crozier belonging to the monks of Notre-Dame de l'Ile-Dieu.

Some etymologists see in the word _Crosse_, an alteration of the english word _cross_. In the year 1815, this fountain was completely renewed.

FOUNTAIN OF THE GROSSE-HORLOGE,

_At the corner of the streets des Vergetiers, and the Grande-Rue._

FOUNTAIN OF THE VIEUX-MARCHE,

_On the old market place._

A modern square building, of the doric order. It was erected by Mr Bouet, an architect of Rouen.

FOUNTAINS OF SAINT-MACLOU, AND OF THE PUCELLE.

Strangers will be repaid for their trouble in going to see these fountains. The first, is situated at the corner of the church of Saint-Maclou; there remain still two figures of children, an elegant creation of Jean Goujon. We mention the second, the _fountain of the Pucelle_, on the place of the same name, on account of the historical recollections, which are attached to it. It is a heavy composition of Paul Slodtz. Its want of style causes us to regret the beautiful triangular fountain, which was erected after the execution, in this square; of the _heroine of Vaucouleurs_, a monument which instead of destroying, they should have tried to preserve.

FOUNTAIN OF LISIEUX,

_Rue de la Savonnerie._

This fountain is by far the most remarkable of the whole. It is thus named on account of its being erected against a house, which belonged to the bishop of Lisieux, who lodged in it when he came to Rouen. At the top of the pyramid, we may remark Apollo, dressed in a most extraordinary manner, and represented playing on the harp. Under the god of the poets, we distinguish the horse Pegasus. Immediately beneath, a figure with three heads is represented, of which the manuscripts make a _philosophy_[21]. The nine muses are distributed in the rest of the masonry, under the figure with three heads, which might almost be that of a Hecate. Rocks, trees, turf and sheep, form the accompaniements of this _Mount-Parnassus_.

The water ran formerly from two brass figures of Salamanders, which indicated the date of the time of Francis the first. Mutilated as it is, this monument is still very curious, and merits to be visited. Its erection dates from the year 1518.

[Footnote 21: According to these manuscripts, the three heads represent _Logic_, _Philosophy_ and _Metaphysics_. They were surmounted by a crown.]

MINERAL WATERS.

Rouen has also its mineral waters, which, even in the neighbouring towns, have a sort of reputation, I will point out three of the principal sources, after _Lepecq de la Cloture_: The first, to the east, is known under the name of _la Marequerie_, to which we arrive by the rue Martainville; the second, to the south east, named _de Saint-Paul_; the third is situated at _Deville_, in the neighbourhood of Rouen. The learned doctor, on whose authority I speak, assures us that sick people to whom he ordered the water of the last named spring, were cured by the use of it. He also adds, that this spring might become very valuable to the inhabitants of the western quarter of the town. Nevertheless, it has never been much known, and even at the present day very few people are acquainted with its existence.

SQUARES AND MARKET PLACES.

OLD MARKET AND PLACE DE LA PUCELLE.

The name of the first of these two places points out to us that it is the most ancient in Rouen; it is also the most considerable. It existed in the XIth century, and was at that period, situated in the suburb. Formerly, it covered a much larger space of ground than at present; since, in the XVIth century, it occupied the whole of the ground contained between the _rue du Vieux-Palais_, the church of Saint-Eloi and Saint-Michael; the last mentioned church has disappeared within the last few-years, and is replaced by a handsome building, which is named the _Hotel Saint-Michel_. About the commencement of the XVIth century, the houses in the neighbourhood of the church of Saint-Eloi and the _rue du Vieux-Palais_, were erected; one of them still remains, it is the Hotel da Bourgtheroulde, which I have already described. The old market was thus divided, into two unequal parts. The spot where the innocent _Joan of Arc_ was burnt in 1431, retains the name of _place de la Pucelle_. It is also called _place du Marche-aux-Veaux_, on account of its former destination. It is then on the old market place, that the French heroine was sacrificed to the superstition of that age.

NEW MARKET.