There is still preserved a _procès-verbal_, drawn up by M. Jean Fraguier,
auditor in the _Chambre des Comptes_, at Paris, by virtue of a decree of
the said chamber of April 7, 1507, for valuing the county of Eu, fallen
into the king's keeping by the minority of the children of the count of
Nevers, and his wife Charlotte de Bourbon. In the chapter of the revenue
of the barony of St. Martin-le-Gaillard, dependent on the county of Eu,
it is said: "Item, the said lord, at the said place of St. Martin, has
the right of 'cuissage' in case of marriage."
The lords of Souloire had the like privilege, and having omitted it in
the acknowledgment made by them to their sovereign, the lord of
Montlevrier, the acknowledgment was disapproved; but by deed of Dec.
15, 1607, the sieur de Montlevrier formally renounced it; and these
shameful privileges have everywhere been converted into small payments,
called "marchetta."
Now, when our prelates had fiefs, they thought--as the judicious Fleury
remarks--that they had as bishops what they possessed only as lords; and
the curates, as their under-vassals, bethought themselves of blessing
their nuptial bed, which brought them a small fee under the name of
wedding-dishes--i.e., their dinner, in money or in kind. On one of these
occasions the following quatrain was put by a country curate under the
pillow of a very aged president, who married a young woman named La
Montagne. He alludes to Moses' horns, which are spoken of in Exodus.
_Le Président à barbe grise_
_Sur La Montagne va monter;_
_Mais certes il peut bien compter_
_D'en descendre comme Moïse._
A word or two on the fees exacted by the clergy for the burial of the
laity. Formerly, at the decease of each individual, the bishops had the
contents of his will made known to them; and forbade those to receive
the rights of sepulchre who had died "unconfessed," i.e., left no legacy
to the Church, unless the relatives went to the official, who
commissioned a priest, or some other ecclesiastic, to repair the fault
of the deceased, and make a legacy in his name. The curates also opposed
the profession of such as wished to turn monks, until they had paid
their burial-fees; saying that since they died to the world, it was but
right that they should discharge what would have been due from them had
they been interred.
But the frequent disputes occasioned by these vexations obliged the
magistrates to fix the rate of these singular fees. The following is
extracted from a regulation on this subject, brought in by Francis de
Harlai de Chamvallon, archbishop of Paris, on May 30, 1693, and passed
in the court of parliament on the tenth of June following:
_Marriages._
Liv. Sous.
For the publication of the bans.......... 1 10
For the betrothing....................... 2 0
For celebrating the marriage............. 6 0
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account