The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1894-02-02
OLD FEUDAL CUSTOMS.
Some That Still Survive In Por-
tions of Canada.
seigniories Near Quebec StIH Run on the
Principles Laid Down In Paris Four
Centuries Ago aud Repeated as Long
Ago as the French Revolution.

EFlncipiea Latu Down IN Harts EOur
Centuries Ago aud Repeated as Long
Ago as the French Revolution.
Parkman and others have told us all
about the mild feudal system which
prevailed in French Canada down to
1854 The seignicr received a grant of
wild land from the king on condition
that he should put settlers upon it. de
had topreserve the oak timber for ship
building, and the red pine for the man
ufacture of tar, and to notify the
kings agents if he found minerals on
the seigniory. He had to go through
the form of paying homage and fealty
to the kings representative at Quebec
when he entered on possession, some-
times oftener, and to pay a fifth of the
purchase money if he sold the estate
to the royal Golfers, though he was al
lowed rebate of two-thirds for cash
down. The censitaire or habitant, who
held the land under the seignior, had
to pay the annual Gems ct rentes, often
a sol (cent), or half sol, with half a
pint of wheat or few live capons or
eggs for each arpent. The land of the
censataire passed to his heirs, but, in
case he sold during his lifetime, the
lods ct ventes came into play, and one
twelfth of the purchase money went
to the seignior. BY the droit Gle re-
trait the seignior could compel pur-
chaser within forty days of the sale to
transfer the property to him at the
price paid if he thought it had not
fetched enough.
The censitaire had to get his wheat
ground at the seignior's mill, and on
some seigniories to have his bread
baked at the seigniors oven, paying a
toll in each case; to give tithe of the
| fish he caught to the seignior, to do
corvee or road work, and to get out
stone and timber for public purposes.
| Seigniors who could afford to support
local magistrate were empowered to
administer superior, mean and inferior
| justice on their estates, but as a class
they were very poor and this right fell
into desuetude.
In 1854, says the New York Post. the
parliament of Canada bought out the
seigniors. There were 100 of them, in
possession of 220 hefs, embracing 6,000.
900 acres of cultivated land. The
censitaire was given his choice of two
things-the Gems ct rentes were capi-
talized, and he could either pay the
capital sum to the seignior, in which
case, of course, he got clear title to
his holding, or continue on as tenant
at rental equal to 6 per cent. of the
capitalization. The tenant / came
across, or his father before him, had,
like many more, chosen the latter
course. The other seigniorial rights
were settled by the government at a
cost of about S5,000,000 The system
would have been abolished before 1854
only the Roman Catholic church was
afraid that in the debacle, as timid
-~Nls called it, the tithes and fabrique
~ ses which she collected by authority
of law might be abolished too.
Tie landlord of whom have spoken
was good enough to let me look at a
batch of old papers and books in which
the doings of his predecessors in the
seigniory and of their censitaires are
recorded for $50 years. These papers
enabled one to form a tolerably good
idea Of the sort of life the people led.
First as to prices: In 1867, as other
documents show, wheat sold in the
markets of Quebec at so cents per bush
ell A creditor was bound to accept it
at that price. Beef sold for cents and
pork for 6 cents per pound, the four
pound loaf for 10 cents. Prices had
dropped little by 1888. Wheat was
then worth 60 cents. In 1742 it fell to
40 cents. There had been good crop
in the region east of Quebec on the
south shore of the St. Lawrence, which
was regarded as the granary of New
France. Capons sold for 10 cents each
in 1746, but when paid as Gems ct rentes
their conventional price was 20 cents
Most of the deeds called for "good fat
capons of the brood of the month o1
May"
In 1740 carpenters and blacksmiths
got from so to so cents day, unskilled
except homespun was dear. The for.
eign trade of the colony was confined
to France and French possessions. bui
there was good deal of smuggling
by land and water from New England
and New York. Twenty yards of ''fine
woolen cloth" cost 6215 cents yard il
, 1746. The censitaires and the common
! people generally clothed themselves in
} homespun, letoffe du pays, made boots
out of green beef hides, got their sugar
from the maple, and had, as a rule
plenty of game and fish. Most of then
had a vegetable patch. They ex
changed timber or furs for store goods
as they required. The well-to-do seig
niors imported wine, brandy, velvet
lace, jewelry, etc. An all-velvet sun
with dress-sword, rufies, buckles anc
gilt snuff box thrown in, cost $50 il
Frl-o - o,.ox. 1,.xoJ L