The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-05-30

newly married wife was
universal. 1t was recognized by spe-
cific names in law and Latin. The
famous essayist, Montaigne, said Of
it, eff he is laborer or one Of the
common people, it belongs to the
Seigneur." This right was at times
valid for only two hours again for
a night; and even for three nights
A feature Of this right which is not
so generally known is that it was
claimed by bishops, cancns, abbots,
monks and parish priests. In their
way also the popes were not slow in
throwing their universal power over
the marriage bed. History bears
witness that they forbade it's pleas
ures to the serfs OF accommodated
nohlemen. In some lands under ana
thema, the children born during j
were declared bastards. The clergy,
however, initiated the MOBILES and
demanded the feudal right The
monks Of the Abbey of st. Theodore
enjoyed the right over the inhabi-
tants of Mont-Auriol in old France.
The historian Of Quercy declared
that they were as dishonorable in
exacting it as their feudal vassals
were in yielding without resistance.
The canons Of the Cathedral Of
Lyons, who were gazetted feudal
counts, as we'll as those of St. Vic
tor, Marseilles, had the right of pass
ing the first night Of the honeymoon
with the wives Of their Serfs or
body-servants. This right lasted in
Lyons up to the fourteenth century.
At that date, the city and surround
ing country were united to the
French crown, when the custom died
out. The parish priests were not be-
hind in asserting the same claim
In parts Of Picardy, whose chief
towns were Amiens and Calais, they
enjoyed the privilege. But the peo-
pie at length refused to marry until
their pastors renounced the right.
The lay mobiles, affrighted lest their
lands should become depopulated,
got together and enjoined the parish
priests from exacting privilege
which belonged not to them. In an
swer these professors of cehbacy
claimed the right by prescription
and declared that they would use
every means in their power to force
their servants to marry. The men
held out The women proposed
compromise. A formal contract was
entered upon, but it's articles have
not come down to our days. 1t is
known, however, that the parish
priests retained the right of the first
three nights Of the honeymoon, but
the husbands might buy them Off
This treaty was in force as late as
March, 1890. At that time, the Par
lament of France stepped in and
forbade the bishop OF Amieas and
his clergy to demand exemption
money from new1y-maFried hus-
bands, and moreover auth orized
those good serfs to live with their
wives without clerical permission, or
even episcopal. A pastor in the do
cese o. Dourges, France, laid before
the rchbishop the claim to every
newly-larried woman in his parish
the first night Of her marriage. His
argument was that he and his pre-
decessors had always enjoyed the
privilege. 1t is on record that the
arch bishop denied the appeal and
fined the appellant.
To escape such detestabIe clerical
conduct, serfs came to regard be-
trothal as marriage, meanwhile leav-
Ing the rite and ceremonies in
church tc the mobiles. In these cases
the parish priests were cheated out
of the iirst night. Formal marriage
IZy9C a dnpnH Tho 1Ar5c