Estates-General of 1357
The Estates-General of 1357 convenes in the Grande Salle du Palais de la Cité, where representatives from the nobility, clergy, and Third Estate debate reforms and the future governance of France. The
Setting
Grande Salle du Palais de la Cité, Paris, France. The vast hall is filled with nobles, clergy, and representatives of the Third Estate. High vaulted ceilings with intricate Gothic ribbing loom overhead, while stained glass windows filter pale winter sunlight.
Characters
Burgher Representative
primary
A middle-aged man of sturdy build, with a square jaw and close-cropped brown hair beginning to gray at the temples. His hands are calloused yet well-kept, evidence of both his mercantile dealings and his rising station. His piercing blue eyes burn with indignation beneath heavy brows.
Noble Delegate
primary
A tall, imposing nobleman in his late forties with a gaunt face, sharp cheekbones, and piercing blue eyes. His posture exudes authority, though his frame is slightly stooped from years of horseback riding. His neatly trimmed beard is flecked with grey, and his hands are adorned with a signet ring bearing his family’s coat of arms.
Bishop
secondary
A middle-aged man of average height with a slightly portly build, his clean-shaven face marked by deep-set eyes and a prominent nose. His hands are soft, indicating a life of clerical work rather than manual labor.
Scribe
secondary
A thin, wiry man in his late 30s with ink-stained fingers and a prematurely receding hairline. His sharp nose and close-set eyes give him a perpetually attentive expression, though dark circles suggest long hours of work. His posture is slightly hunched from years bending over manuscripts.
Guard Captain
background
A battle-hardened soldier in his late 30s, with a broad, muscular build and a weathered face marked by a faded scar running from his left temple to his jawline. His piercing blue eyes constantly scan the room for threats, and his calloused hands grip the hilt of his sword with practiced ease.
Dialog
Burgher Representative
Noble lords, while you feast on our labor, the realm's coffers bleed dry! Shall we patch this sinking ship with yet more commoner's gold while your gilded exemptions remain untouched?
Noble Delegate
How dare you compare the sacred obligations of nobility to your vulgar ledgers! Our privileges were ordained by God and king—what right has a wool merchant to question divine order?
Bishop
In nomine Patris... Let us recall that charity binds all estates together. Might we consider a tithe proportionate to each man's station, as Solomon rendered judgment between the harlots?
Burgher Representative
Charity, Your Grace? When nobles take three-quarters of the harvest yet pay not a denier in aid? That's not piety—that's theft wrapped in Latin!
Noble Delegate
Enough! This rabble forgets itself—without our swords, there'd be no harvests to tax! The Third Estate exists by our sufferance alone!
Bishop
Peace, my lords! Remember we convene under the eyes of God and the absent king. Must France's wounds be salted while our sovereign languishes in English chains?
Burgher Representative
Aye, and while nobles bicker over privileges, it's our silver that must ransom him! Mark me—this ship won't float much longer with all weight in the stern!