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122＇； 152。 Procès…verbal of January 12； 1789。
＇22＇。 Necker； 〃De l'Administration des Finances；〃 V。 II。 pp。 271；
272。 〃The house Orleans； he says； is in possession of the excises。〃 He
estimates this tax at 51；000；000 for the entire kingdom。
＇23＇。 Beugnot； 〃Mémoires；〃 V。 I。 p。 77。 Observe the ceremonial
system with the Duc de Penthièvre； chapters I。； III。 The Duc d'Orléans
organizes a chapter and bands of canonesses。 The post of chancellor to
the Duc d'Orléans is worth 100；000 livres per annum； （〃Gustave III。 et
la cour de France；〃 by Geffroy； I。 410。）
＇24＇。 De Tocqueville； ibid。 p。40。 … Renauldon； advocate in the
bailiwick of Issoudun； 〃Traité historique et pratique des droits
seigneuriaux； 1765；〃 pp。 8； 10； 81 and passim。 … Statement of
grievance of a magistrate of the Chatelet on seigniorial judgments；
1789。 … Duvergier； 〃Collection des Lois；〃 Decrees of the 15…28 March；
1790； on the abolition of the feudal régime； Merlin of Douai；
reporter； I。 114 Decrees of 19…23 July； 1790； I。 293。 Decrees of the
13…20 April； 1791； （I。 295。）
＇25＇。 National archives； G； 300； （1787）。 〃M。 de Boullongne；
seignior of Montereau； here possesses a toll…right consisting of 2
deniers （farthings） per ox； cow； calf or pig； 1 per sheep； 2 for a
laden animal； 1 sou and 8 deniers for each four…wheeled vehicle； 5
deniers for a two… wheeled vehicle； and 10 deniers for a vehicle drawn
by three； four； or five horses； besides a tax of 10 deniers for each
barge； boat or skiff ascending the river； the same tax for each team
of horses dragging the boats up； 1 denier for each empty cask going
up。〃 Analogous taxes are enforced at Varennes for the benefit of the
Duc de Chatelet； seignior of Varennes。
＇26＇。 National archives； K； 1453； No。1448： A letter by M。 de
Meulan； dated June 12； 1789。 This tax on grain belonged at that time
to the Comte d'Artois。 … Chateaubriand； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。73。
＇27＇。 Renauldon； ibid。。 249； 258。 〃There are few seignioral towns
which have a communal slaughter…house。 The butcher must obtain special
permission from the seignior。〃 … The tax on grinding was an average of
a sixteenth。 In many provinces； Anjou； Berry； Maine； Brittany； there
was a lord's mill for cloths and barks。
＇28＇。 Renauldon； ibid。。 pp。 181； 200； 203； observe that he wrote
this in 1765。 Louis XVI。 suppressed serfdom on the royal domains in
1778； and many of the seigniors； especially in Franche…Comté； followed
his example。 Beugnot； 〃Mémoires；〃 V。 I。 p。142。 … Voltaire； 〃Mémoire
au roi sur les serfs du Jura。〃 … 〃Mémoires de Bailly；〃 II。 214；
according to an official report of the Nat。 Ass。； August 7； 1789。 I
rely on this report and on the book of M。 Clerget； curate of Onans in
Franche…Comté who is mentioned in it。 M。 Clerget says that there are
still at this time （1789） 1；500；000 subjects of the king in a state of
servitude but he brings forward no proofs to support these figures。
Nevertheless it is certain that the number of serfs and mortmains is
still very great。 National archives； H； 723； registers on mortmains in
Franche…Comté in 1788； H。 200； registers by Amelot on Burgundy in
1785。 〃In the sub…delegation of Charolles the inhabitants seem a
century behind the age； being subject to feudal tenures； such as mort…
main； neither mind nor body have any play。 The redemption of mortmain；
of which the king himself has set the example； has been put at such an
exorbitant price by laymen； that the unfortunate sufferers cannot； and
will not be able to secure it。
＇29＇。 Boiteau； ibid。。 p。 25； （April； 1790）； … Beugnot； 〃Mémoires；〃
I。 142。
＇30＇。 See END…NOTE 2 at the end of the volume
CHAPTER III。 LOCAL SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES。
I。 Examples in Germany and England。 … These services are not
rendered by the privileged classes in France。
LET us consider the first one； local government。 There are
countries at the gates of France in which feudal subjection； more
burdensome than in France； seems lighter because； in the other scale；
the benefits counterbalance disadvantages。 At Munster； in 1809；
Beugnot finds a sovereign bishop； a town of convents and a large
seigniorial mansion； a few merchants for indispensable trade； a small
bourgeoisie； and； all around； a peasantry composed of either colons or
serfs。 The seignior deducts a portion of all their crops in provisions
or in cattle； and； at their deaths； a portion of their inheritances。
If they go away their property revert to him。 His servants are
chastised like Russian moujiks； and in each outhouse is a trestle for
this purpose 〃without prejudice to graver penalties；〃 probably the
bastinado and the like。 But 〃never did the culprit entertain the
slightest idea of complaint or appeal。〃 For if the seignior whips them
as the father of family he protects them 〃as the father of a family；
ever coming to their assistance when misfortune befalls them； and
taking care of them in their illness。〃 He provides an asylum for them
in old age； he looks after their widows； and rejoices when they have
plenty of children。 He is bound to them by common sympathies they are
neither miserable nor uneasy； they know that； in every extreme or
unforeseen necessity； he will be their refuge。＇1＇ In the Prussian states
and according to the code of Frederick the Great； a still more
rigorous servitude is atoned for by similar obligations。 The
peasantry； without their seignior's permission； cannot alienate a
field； mortgage it； cultivate it differently； change their occupation
or marry。 If they leave the seigniory he can pursue them in every
direction and bring them back by force。 He has the right of
surveillance over their private life； and he chastises them if drunk
or lazy。 When young they serve for years as servants in his mansion；
as cultivators they owe him corvees and； in certain places； three
times a week。 But； according to both law and custom； he is obliged 〃to
see that they are educated； to succor them in indigence； and； as far
as possible； to provide them with the means of support。〃 Accordingly
he is charged with the duties of the government of which he enjoys the
advantages； and； under the heavy hand which curbs them； but which
sustains them； we do not find his subjects recalcitrant。 In England；
the upper class attains to the same result by other ways。 There also
the soil still pays the ecclesiastic tithe； strictly the tenth； which
is much more than in France。＇2＇ The squire； the nobleman； possesses a
still larger portion of the soil than his French neighbor and； in
truth； exercises greater authority in his canton。 But his tenants； the
lessees and the farmers； are no longer his serfs； not even his
vassals； they are free。 If he governs it is through influence and not
by virtue of a command。 Proprietor and patron； he is held in respect。
Lord…lieutenant； officer in the militia； administrator； justice； he is