[Footnote 99: See the Annales Politiques de l'Abbe de St.
Pierre, tom. i. p. 25 who dates in the year 1735. The most
ancient families claim the immemorial possession of arms and
fiefs. Since the Crusades, some, the most truly respectable,
have been created by the king, for merit and services. The
recent and vulgar crowd is derived from the multitude of
venal offices without trust or dignity, which continually
ennoble the wealthy plebeians.]