按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
canons of chapters； 2；800； collegiate canons； 5；600； ecclésiastics
without livings； 3；000 （Sieyès）。 Moheau； a clear…headed and cautious
statistician； writes in 1778 （〃Recheches；〃 p。 100）： 〃Perhaps； to day；
there are 130；000 ecclesiastics in the kingdom。〃 The enumeration of
1866 （〃Statistique de la France；〃 population）； gives 51；100 members of
the secular clergy； 18；500 monks； 86；300 nuns； total； 155；900 in a
population of 38；000；000 inhabitants。
_________________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ In 1998； 550 000 square kilometers。 （SR。）
＇2＇ Archives nationales； G。 319 （〃Etat actuel de la Direction de
Bourges au point de vue des aides；〃 1774）。
＇3＇ Blet； at the present day； contains 1；629 inhabitants。 （This was
around 1884； in 1996 it remains a small commune and a village of 800
people on the route nationale N76 between Bourges and Sancoins。 SR。）
＇4＇ The farms of Blet and Brosses really produce nothing for the
proprietor； inasmuch as the tithes and the champart （field…rents）；
（articles 22 and 23）； are comprehended in the rate of the leases。
END NOTE 2：
ON FEUDAL RIGHTS AND ON THE STATE OF FEUDAL DOMINION IN 1733。
The following information； for which I am indebted to M。 de
Boislisle； is derived from an act of partition drawn up September 6；
1783。
It relates to the estates of Blet and Brosses。 The barony and
estate of Blet lies in Bourbonnais； two leagues from Dun…le…Roi。 Blet；
says a memorandum of an administrator of the Excise； is a 〃good
parish； the soil is excellent； mostly in wood and pasture； the surplus
being in tillable land for wheat； rye and oats。 。 。 。 The roads are
bad； especially in winter。 The trade consists principally of horned
cattle and embraces grain； the woods rot away on account of their
remoteness from the towns and the difficulty of turning them to
account。〃＇1＇
〃This estate；〃 says the act of valuation； 〃is in royal tenure on
account of the king's chateau and fortress of Ainay； under the
designation of the town of Blet。〃 The town was formerly fortified and
its castle still remains。 Its population was once large； 〃but the
civil wars of the sixteenth century； and especially the emigration of
the Protestants caused it to be deserted to such an extent that out of
its former population of 3；000 scarcely 300 remain；＇2＇ which is the fate
of nearly all the towns in this country。〃 The estate of Blet； for many
centuries in the possession of the Sully family； passed； on the
marriage of the heiress in 1363； to the house of Saint…Quentin； and
was then transmitted in direct line down to 1748； the date of the
death of Alexander II。 of Saint…Quentins； Count of Diet； governor of
Berg…op…Zoom； and father of three daughters from whom the actual heirs
descend。 These heirs are the Count de Simiane； the Chevalier de
Simiane； and the minors of Bercy； each party owning one…third；
represented by 97；667 livres in the Blet estate； and 20；408 livres in
the Brosses estate。 The eldest； Comte de Simiane； enjoys； besides； a
préciput （according to custom in the Bourbonnais）； worth 15；000
livres； comprising the castle with the adjoining farm and the
seigniorial rights； honorary as well as profitable。
The entire domain； comprising both estates； is valued at 369；227
livres。 The estate of Blet； comprises 1；437 arpents； worked by seven
farmers and furnished； by the proprietor； with cattle valued at 13；781
livres。 They pay together to the proprietor 12；060 livres rent
（besides claims for poultry and corvées）。 One； only； has a large farm；
paying 7；800 livres per annum； the others paying rents of 1；300； 740；
640； and 240 livres per annum。 The Brosses estate comprises 515
arpents； worked by two farmers to whom the proprietor furnishes cattle
estimated at 3；750 livres； and these together return to the proprietor
2；240 livres。＇3＇ These métairies are all poor； only one of them has two
rooms with fire…places； two or three； one room with a fire…place； the
others consist of a kitchen with an oven outside； and stables and
barns。 Repairs on the tenements are essential on all the farms except
three； 〃having been neglected for thirty years。〃 〃The mill…flume
requires to be cleaned out； and the stream； whose inundations injure
the large meadow； also repairs are necessary on the banks of the two
ponds； on the church； which is the seignior's duty； the roof being in
a sad state； the rain penetrating through the arch；〃 and the roads
require mending； these being in a deplorable condition during the
winter。 〃The restoration and repairs of these roads seem never to have
been thought of。〃 The soil of the Blet estate is excellent； but it
requires draining and ditching to carry off the water； otherwise the
low lands will continue to produce nothing but weeds。 Signs of neglect
and desertion are everywhere visible。 The chateau of Blet has remained
unoccupied since 1748； the furniture； accordingly； is almost all
decayed and useless； in 1748 this was worth 7；612 livres； and now it
is estimated at 1；000 livres。 〃The water…power costs nearly as much to
maintain as the income derived from it。 The use of plaster as manure
is unknown；〃 and yet 〃in the land of plaster it costs almost nothing。〃
The ground； moist and very good； would grow excellent live hedges； and
yet the fields are enclosed with bare fences against the cattle；
〃which expense； say the farmers； is equal to a third of the net
income。〃 This domain； as just described； is valued as follows：
1。 The estate of Blet； according to the custom of the country for
noble estates； is valued at rate twenty…five； namely； 373；000 livres；
from which must be deducted a capital of 65；056 livres； representing
the annual charges （the fixed salary of the curate； repairs； etc。）；
not including personal charges like the vingtièmes。 Its net revenue
per annum is 12；300 livres； and is worth； net； 308；003 livres。
2。 The estate of Brosses is estimated at rate twenty…two； ceasing
to be noble through the transfer of judicial and fief rights to that
of Blet。 Thus rated it is worth 73；583 livres； from which must be
deducted a capital of 12；359 livres for actual charges； the estate
bringing in 3；140 livres per annum and worth； net； 61；224 livres。
These revenues are derived from the following sources：
1。 Rights of the high； low and middle courts of justice over
the entire territory of Blet and other villages； Brosses and Jalay。
The upper courts； according to an act passed at the Chatelet； April
29； 1702； 〃take cognizance of all actions； real and personal； civil
and criminal； even actions between nobles and ecclesiastics； relating
to seals and inventories of movable effects； tutelages； curacies； the
administration of the property of minors； of domains； and of the
customary dues and revenues of the seigniory； etc。〃
2。 Rights of the forests； edict of 1707。 The seignior's warden
decides in all cases concerning waters； and woods； and customs； and
crimes relating to fishing and hunting。
3。 Right of voirie or the police of the highways； streets； and
buildings （excepting the great main roads）。 The seignior appoints a
bailly； warden and road overseer； one M。 Theurault （at Sagonne）； a
fiscal attorney； Baujard （at Blet）； he may remove them 〃in case they
make no returns。〃 〃The rights of the greffe were formerly secured to
the seignior； but as it is now very difficult to find intelligent
persons in the country able to fulfill its functions； the seignior
abandons his rights to those whom it may concern。〃 （The seignior pays
forty…eight livres per annum to the bailly to hold his court once a
month； and twenty…four livres per annum to the fiscal attorney to
attend them）。
He receives the fines and confiscation of cattle awarded by his
officers。 The profit therefrom； an average year； is eight livres。
He must maintain a jail and a jailer。 （It is not stated whether
there was one）。 No sign of a gibbet is found in the seigniory。
He may appoint twelve notaries； only one； in fact； is appointed at
Blet 〃and he has nothing to do；〃 a M。 Baujard； fiscal attorney。 This
commission is assigned him gratuitously； to keep up the privilege；
〃otherwise it would be impossible to find any one sufficiently
intelligent to perform its functions。〃
He appoints a sergeant； but； for a long time； this sergeant pays no
rent or anything for his lodging。
4。 Personal and real taille。 In Bourbonnais the taille was formerly
serf and the serfs mainmortable。 〃Seigniors still possessing rights of
bordelage； well established throughout their fiefs and courts； at the
present time； enjoy rights of succession to their vassals in all
cases； even to the prejudice of their children if non…resident and no
longer dwelling under their roofs。〃 But in 1255； Hodes de Sully；
having granted a charter； renounced this right of real and personal
taille for a right of bo