Critical Edition of the Patent Letters for the Omnibus

Written by Louis Jean Nicolas in 1828

Annotated, edited, and translated by Tyson Koch

Introduction

This text is an early edition of Établissement de Carrosses en la ville de Paris, en faveur des sieurs duc de Roanès, marquis de Sourches et marquis de Crénan, originally published in 1662 in French and signed by Louis XIV, but was later published and annotated by Louis Jean Nicolas in 1828. This type of text is an early version of a patent letter that outlines the specific rights and monopoly over specific technical methods and products. In this patent letter we see a patent given to the Duke of Roanès and the Marquises of Sourches and Crénan for the creation of the first public transit system in Paris, the Omnibus, which was the idea of mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal as mentioned in his Pensées.

Together, Pascal and Roanès pulled together the people and resources to create the Omnibus. The two were originally friends who became business partners splitting the six shares of the company that is outlined in the patent letter. These shares were divided with Pascal holding one share, Roanès holding three shares, Sourches holding one share, and Crénan holding one share. In 17th century France, carriage transportation didn’t exist within cities and the carriages that did exist were expensive and impractical. By creating the Omnibus they started a trend that expanded around many European cities and resembles the public transit systems we have today.

        While transcribing and translating this text, I did not make many changes to the content. In the case of the French version, I left the old French words, spellings, and spelling errors intact. I made this decision to try to preserve the feel of the old text. This patent being from 1662 is early on in the development of the patent system in France and comes after the Fronde and Louis XIV’s reassertion of control over the French government. As for the English translation, I chose to keep the original content and translate as close to the original French version as possible. This illusive text is historically important as it shows the beginning of action and thought around public transit, which is why I felt it was important to update it and bring it to a wider audience.

Route Map for the Omnibus

Original French Version of the Text

Établissement de Carrosses en la ville de Paris, en faveur des sieurs duc de Roanès, marquis de Sourches et marquis de Crénan

Louis, par la grâce de Dieu, roy de France et de Navarre, à tous présents et à venir, salut. Nostre très cher et bien amé cousin, le duc de Roanès, pair de France, gouverneur et nostre lieutenant général de nostre province de Poitou, et nos chers et amez les marquis de Sourches, chevalier de nos ordres, grand prévost de nostre hostel, chevalier et marquis de Crénan, grand échanson de France, nous ayant très-humblement supplié de leur vouloir accorder la permission de faire un establissement dans la ville et faubourgs de Paris, pour la commodité d’un grand nombre de personnes peu accomodées, comme plaideurs, gens infirmes et autres qui, n’ayant pas le moyen d’aller en chaises ou en carrosse, à cause qu’il moins par jour, pourront estre menez en carrosses qui feroient tousjours les mesmes trajets de Paris d’un quartier à autre; sçavoir les plus grands pour cinq sols marquez, et les autres à moins, et pour les fauxbourgs à proportion, et partiroient toujours à heures réglées, quelque petit nombre de personnes qui s’y trouvassent auxdites heures, et mesme à vuide, quand il ne s’y présenteroit personne, sans que ceux qui se serviroient de ladite commodité fussent obligez de payer plus que leurs places; nous aurions sur le placet qu’ils nous en aurioient présenté, renvoyé l’affaire à nostre conseil, le vingt-cinquiesme novembre dernier, pour donner son avis sur le contenu en iceluy; sur quoy nostre dit conseil ayant par son résultat du dix-neufviesme janvier, mois présent, cy attaché sous nostre contre scel, déclaré que nous pouvons accorder à nostre dit cousin le duc Roanès, et auxdits marquis de Sourches et de Crenan, la permission et concession d’establir des carrosses publics dans la ville et fauxbourgs de paris, à l’instar des coches de la campagne, et qu’à cet effet toutes lettres nécessaires peuvent estre expéditées. A ces causes désirans reconnoistre les services de nostre di cousin le duc de Roanès et desdits marquis de Sourches et de Crenan, qui nous sont en très pariculière recommendation, et faciliter autant qu’il nous est possible la commodité de nos sujets, de nostre grace spécile, plaine puissance et autorité royale, nous avons donné et octroyé, donnons et octoyons à nostre dit cousin le duc de Roanès at aux dits marquis de Sourches et de Crenan, par ces présntes signées de notre main, la faculté et permission d’establir en nostre dite ville et fauxbourgs de Paris, et autre de notre obéissance, tel nombre de carrosses qu’ils jugeront à propos, et aux lieux qu’ils trouveront le plus commode, qui partiront à heures réglées pour aller continuellement d’un quartier à autre, où chacun de ceux qui se trouveront auxdites heures ne payera que sa place, pour un prix modique comme il est dit cy-dessus; pour jouir dudit privilège par nostre dit cousin le duc de Roanès et marquis de Sourches et de Crenan, leurs successeurs et ayant causes, pleinement et paisiblement et à tousjours; faisant très expresses inhabitions et défenses à toutes paersonnes de quelque qualité et condition qu’elles soient, de faire, ni souffrir estre fait, aucun establissement de carrosses, coches, ou autres voitures différentes, sous prétexte qu’elles fussent d’autre forme, figure, nombre de chevaux, et autres differences, ni de toutes autres sortes de voitures roulantes généralement quelconques, qu’on voudroit faire aller à l’instar des coches de la campagne, et à l’imitation du présent establissement, dans nostre bonne ville de Paris et autres, sans la permission de nostre dit cousin le duc de Roanès et des dits marquis de Sourches et de Crenana, ou de ceux qui se trouveront estre valablement autroisez d’eux on de leurs successeurs et ayant cause, à peine contre les contrevenans de trous mil livres d’amende et de confiscatuin de leur chevaux, carrosses et autres voitrues, Si donnons en mandement à nos amez et féaux conseillers, les gens tenant nostre cour de Parlement de Paris, et autres qu’il appartiendra, que ces présentes ils fassent enregistrer et du contenu en icelles jouir et user nostre dit cousin le duc de Roanès et marquis de Sourches et de Crenan, leurs successeurs et ayant cause, pleinement et paisiblement et à toujours, cessant et faisant cesser tous troubles et empêchement au contraire, car tel est notre plaisir; et afin que ce soit chose ferme et stable, nous avons fait mettre notre scel à ces présentes, sauf en autres choses nostre droit et l’autruy en toutes. Donné à Paris, au mois de janvier l’an de grace mil six cent soixante deux, et de nostre règne le dix-neufvieme. Signé Louis, et sur le reply, de par le Roy, de Lomenie, et scellé du grand sceau de cire verte.

Registrées, ouy et ce consentant le procureur général du Roy, pour jouir par les im-petrans de l'effet et contenu en icelles aux modifications portées par l'arrest de ce jour, à Paris, en Parlement, le sept février mil six cent soixante deux.

Translated English Version of the Text

Establishment of Carriages in the City of Paris, in Favor of the Duke of Roanès, Marquis of Sourches and Marquis of Crénan

Louis, by the grace of God, the King of France and of Navarre, to all present and to come, hello. Our very dear and well loved cousin, the Duke of Roanès^[1], peer of France, governor and our lieutenant general of our province of Poitou, and our dear friends the Marquis of Sourches^[2], knight of our orders, grand provost of our hostel, knight and Marquis de Crénan^[3], grand cupbearer of France, having very humbly begged us to grant them permission to establish a business in the city and suburbs of Paris, for the convenience of a large number of poorly accommodated people, like lawyers, the infirmed, and others who, not having the means of going by chair or carriage, because it is less per day, will be able to be take carriages which would always make the same journeys from Paris from one district to another^[4]; knowing the largest is marked for five people, and the others for less, and in proportion to the suburbs, and would always leave at regulated times, whatever small number of people are there. At the marked hours, and even empty, when no one shows up, without those who make use of the said convenience being obliged to pay more than their places; we would have on the document that they had presented to us, referred the matter to our council, the last twenty fifth of November, to give their opinion on the contents of this one; whereupon our said council having by their result of the nineteenth of January, present month, attached under our seal, declared that we can grant to our said cousin the Duke of Roanès, and to the said Marquises of Sourches and of Crenan, the permission and concession of establishing public carriages in the city and suburbs of Paris, like the coaches in the countryside^[5], and that for this purpose all the necessary letters can be sent. For these reasons, we recognize the services of our cousin the Duke of Roanès and of the Marquises of Sourches and of Crenan, who are in very particular recommendation to us, and to facilitate as much as possible the convenience of our subjects, of our special grace, plain royal power and authority, we have been given and granted, give and grant to our cousin the Duke of Roanès and the Marquises of Sourches and of Crenan, by these presents and signed by our hand, the faculty and permission to establish in our city and suburbs of Paris, and others in our obedience, such number of carriages that they judge appropriate, and to places that they find most convenient, which will leave at set times to go continuously from one district to another, where each of those who will be at said times will only pay for their place, for a modest price as stated above; to enjoy the said privilege by our cousin the Duke of Roanès and the Marquises of Sourches and of Crenan, their successors and causes, fully, peacefully, and forever; making very express inhabitations and prohibitions to all persons of whatever quality and condition they may be, from making, nor allowing to be made, any establishment of carriages, coaches, or other different vehicles, under the pretext that they were of another form, figure, number of horses and other differences, nor any other type of rolling carriage generally of any kind, that we would like to make go like the coaches of the countryside, and in imitation of the present establishment, in our good city of Paris and others, without the permission of our said cousin the Duke of Roanès and the said Marquises of Sourches and of Crenan, or those who find themselves validly authorized to act as trustees of them or of their successors and having cause, barely against the offenders of fines of a thousand livres^[6] and confiscation of their horses, carriages and other vehicles, so let us give a mandate to our friends and faithful advisors, the people holding our court of the Parliament of Paris, and others that it will be up to them, that these presents they have registered and the contents in them enjoy and use our said cousin the Duke of Roanès and Marquis of Sourches and of Crenan, their successors and having cause, fully and peacefully and forever, ceasing and making cease all troubles and impediments on the contrary, because such is our pleasure; and so that it is firm and stable, we have put our seal on these presents, except in other things our right and others in all. Given to Paris, in the month of January in the year of grace one thousand six hundred and sixty two. Signed Louis, and on the reply, of by the King, of Lomenie, and sealed with the large green wax seal.

Registered, yes and this consenting of the Attorney General of the King, to enjoy by the applicants of the effect and contained in these modifications brought by the arrest of this day, in Paris, in Parliament, on February seventh, one thousand six hundred and sixty two.

Works Cited

Dr. Ing. Fredrik Neumeyer (1956) Contribution to the history of modern patent legislation in the United States and in France, Scandinavian Economic History Review, 4:2, 126-150, DOI: 10.1080/03585522.1956.10411488

Mathis, Rémi. "Les carrosses à cinq sols." Gallica, National Library of France, gallica.bnf.fr/ essentiels/pascal/carrosses-cinq-sols. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.

Nicolas, Louis Jean. Les carrosses à cinq sols, ou Les omnibus du dix-septième siècle. Paris, 1828. Bibliothèque Nationale de France, gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6579497t. Accessed 26 Nov. 2023.

Pascal, Blaise. "Pascal's Pensées." Translated by John Hagerson et al. Project Gutenberg, 27 Apr. 2006, www.gutenberg.org/files/18269/18269-h/18269-h.htm. Accessed 26 Nov. 2023.

"Plan du réseau des carrosses à cinq sols en 1662" ["Map of the Network of the 'carrosses à cinq sols' in 1662"]. Assistance Scolaire Personnalisée, edited by Didier Ballot, www.assistancescolaire.com/enseignant/elementaire/ressources/base-documentaire-en-histoire/Plan-du-reseau-des-carrosses-a-cinq-sols-en-1662-ratp003. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.