Acadiensis/Volume 1/Number 3/Lease of the Seignieury of Freneuse
Lease of the Seigniory of Freneuse on the St. John in 1696.
.png)
HE ORIGINAL manuscript of the following document is in my possession. It was bought some years ago from a collection of autographs sold at Paris (Dufossé, Catalogue No. 69060). Its history, from the day it was signed by the Sieur de Freneuse at Quebec on the 5th of August, 1696, until it appeared in Dufossé's collection, is an entire blank. It is in a good state of preservation, though the old-fashioned hand in which it is written makes it at times difficult to read. In its transcription and translation I have had the great advantage of the kind assistance of Mr. F. P. Rivet, formerly professor of French in the University of New Brunswick, and now a lawyer at Lowell, Mass. The document is not only of much interest as a curiosity (for it is probably the oldest original document relating to the history of New Brunswick now in possession of any New Brunswicker), but it is of considerable historical importance for the light it throws on one of the least known periods of our history. We know that the Seigniory of Freneuse occupied the parishes of Maugerville, Sheffield and Canning, on the St. John, and that the Seigniorial Manor of Freneuse was in Sheffield, nearly opposite the mouth of the Oromocto. Full accounts of the location of this and other seigniories of the time on the St. John may be found, with a map, in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Vol. V, 1899, Section ii, 302–320. The Sieur de Freneuse was one of four brothers prominent on the St. John towards the close of the seventeenth century, of whom a popular account is given by Hannay in the New Brunswick Magazine, I, 25. The genealogical connections of these brothers may be traced in Tanguay's "Dictionnaire Genealogique." This lease was signed in August, 1696, and the Sieur de Freneuse died in the same year as a result of injuries received at the siege of Fort Nashwaak in October. Michel Chartier, habitant of Scoodic, was granted a seigniory in 1695 on the Scoodic, including the site of St. Stephen, and he was apparently living there at the time of Church's raid in 1704. Whether or not he ever occupied the seigniory of Freneuse, we do not know, but as he appears not to be mentioned in the census of 1698, probably the death of the Sieur de Freneuse led to a change of plans. Judging from Tanguay, Michel Chartier was probably no relation of Dame Marie Françoise Chartier, widow of the Sieur de Marson, and grantee of a seigniory on the St. John in 1691. The subsequent history of the Seigniory of Freneuse is entirely unknown. The lease, however, shows that the Sieur de Freneuse had here a considerable establishment, as had his brother, Sieur de Chauffeurs, at Jemseg, as shown by Gyles' Narrative; so that at least two of the sixteen seigniories on the St. John were actually, to some extent, settled.
The document is worthy of reproduction, both in the original form and in translation. The translation is not exact, for in places the original is obscure, and I have not been able to determine the exact meaning of certain signs and abbreviations; but in all essentials I believe it conveys the meaning of the original:
(Original.)
5 aoust 96
PARDEVANT GUILLAUME Roger Notaire Royal en la Prevoste de Quebec y residanb Et tesmoins cy aprez nommez Et signez, fub pnt. Monsieur Maistre Mathieu damours Escuyer Seigneur de freneuse, Conll. du Roy au Conseil souverain de ce pais, Lequel de son bon gré, et Volonté, a reconnu et Confessé avoir bailié et delaissé par ces presentes, a Tiltre de ferine, Loyer et prix dargent, Pour Cinq années finies et accomplies Commencantes Le premier May de l'année prochaine gbjll Quartre vingt dix sept Et finir a pareil Jour au bout deadites cinq années, Et promet pendant ledit temps garentir et faire Jouir plainement et paisiblement, A Michel Chartier Habitant de Scoudé a l'acadie, a ce present et acceptant preneur et retenant pour luy au dit tiltre le dit temps durant, C'est a scavoir, Le manoir Seigneurial de la dite Seigneuriede freneuse, concistant en trente arpens ou Environ de terres Labourables a la charrüe, prez, bois de haute futaye et taillie, avec les maisons, granges Et Estables qui sont dessus, La traitte avec leu Sausages dans toute l'estendüe de la seigneurie, a la reserve des terres que Ledit sieur bailleur par [?] avoir concedées a des particuliers, Comme aussy livrera le dit sieur bailleur au preneur en Entrant dans Ladite ferme, tous Les beufs, vaches et taurailles†°[1] avec les chevres qui en seront Sortis au dit temps, douze Cochons masles Et femelles, Vollailles, meubles, et Ustancilles de mesnage qui resteront de la Vente quil a dessein d'en faire avec Les Charette Et charnir, [charrue?] garnie et preste a travailler, Pour desdt. terres maisons et bastiments Circonstances et depencances† Jouir, par ledit preneur audit itiltre Lesdt. Cinq Années durant En Vertu des presentes, Ce bail ainsy fait, a la charge Par ledit preneur, d'en faire bailler et payer au dit sieur bailleur par chacun an Le premier Juillet de chacune année La somme de six cent livres argent prix de france, moytie en argent Et L'autre en menues pelleteries Comme castor, Louttres Et martres Lequel payement Ledt. sieur bailleur Envoyera querir au dit lieu en l'acadie La premiere année qui sera 1698 ; La Seconde Le preneur luy apportera en cette Ville, La troisieme le dit sieur de freneuse lenvoyera querir, La quatriee. Le preneur luy apportera Et la Cinqe. et derniere année ledt. sieur bailleur y envoyera outre ce sera ledt. preneur tenu a la fin de son bail de remettre es mains dudit sieur bailleur Pareil nombre† ainsy que de ce qui est cy dessus specific,†° qu'il a de present de bestes a Cornes, mesme Especes Et Valleur, ainsy que des cochons, Et des Ustancilles de mesnage, Charette et Charrue garnie, Et Vollailles,†† suivant Et Au desir de l'Estat du tout, qui sera fait Entreux, Et dont chacune d'Elles aura Copie; Comme aussy par ledt. Preneur d'Entretenir les bastiments des manoir reparationes pendant son bail, que si'il on besoin d'en faire de grosses Il sera tenu d'en advertir le dit sieur bailleur afin d'y faire remedier Lesquelles Il sera tenu de souffrir Sans pour ce pouvoir pretendre aucune diminution de labourer, cultiver et Ensemencer les terres parsoller Et saisons convenables sans desoller ny desaissoner Et du tout en user comme Un bon pere de famille don faire, Et le tout rendre en bon et deub estat en fin dudt bail, Et outre de fournir Autant des presentee en bonne et deube forme Au dit sieur bailleur ou luy rendre Ce quil en aura deboursé, moyennant quoy Le dit sieur bailleur s'oblige de rendre Les dites maisons et autres bastiments en bon Et deub Estat, Car ainsy sont convennues lesdites parties Permettant et obligeant chacune en dieu Foy Et renonceant fait et passé Audit Quebec Estude dudt. Notaire Apres Midy Le Cinquieme Jour d' aoust Mil six centquatre vingt Seize en presence des sieurs Georges Michellet Me descole Et Jean Chevallier peruquier demeurant au dit Quebec-tesmoins qui ont avec Ledt sieur bailleur et Notaire Signé Et a ledt. preneur declare ne scavoir escrire ny signer de ce Enquis, Il ee gl. luy en sera livre.
J. Chevalier.G. Michellet.
Roger
(Translation.)
5th August '96.
BEFORE WILLIAM Roger, Notary Royal of the jurisdiction of Quebec there residing, and witnesses hereafter named and subscribed, was present Monsieur Master Mathieu Damours, Sieur de Freneuse, Counsellor of the King in the sovereign Council of this land, who of his own accord and will has acknowledged and confessed to have leased and relinquished by these presents the title in his farm [for] rent and payment in money for five full and entire years commencing the first of May next year sixteen hundred and ninety seven and to end on the same day at the end of the said five years, and promises during the said time to guarantee and allow, fully and peacefully, possession to Michel Chartier habitant of Scoodic in Acadie (he being present and accepting as lessee and holding for himself under the said title during the said time,) [the following] that is to say, the seigniorial manor of the said Seigniory of Freneuse, consisting of thirty arpents or thereabouts of arable land under the plow, meadows, forest and undergrowth, with the houses barns and stables which are thereon, trade with the Indians through the whole extent of the Seigniory with exception of the lands which the said lessee may have granted to private individuals, as also the said lessor will deliver to the lessee in taking possession of the said farm, all the oxen cows and bullocks with the goats which shall be on it at the said time, twelve pigs male and female, poultry, furniture and household utensils which shall remain from the sale he intends to make, with the cart and plow rigged and ready for work. In order that the said lessee may enjoy the said lands, houses, and buildings, privileges and appurtenances under the said title during the said five years, by virtue of these presents, this lease [is] thus made, on the condition that the said lessee gives and pays to the said lessor for each year on the first of July in each year the sum of six hundred livres in money of the French standard, half in money and the other half in small furs such as beaver otter and martins; which payment the lessor will send for at the said place in Acadie the first year which will be 1698; the second the lessee shall bring to him in this city; the third the said Sieur de Freneuse will send for; the fourth the lessee will bring to him, and the fifth and last year the said lessor will send, besides which the said lessee shall be bound at the end of his lease to return into the possession of the said lessor a like number as herein specified that it has at present of cattle, of the same kinds and value, as well as pigs and household utensils, waggon and plow equipped, and poultry, according to the list of all which shall be made between them and of which each one shall have a copy. Also the said lessee shall have to keep the buildings of the manoir in repair during his lease, and if larger [changes] are needed he will be bound to advise the said lessee in order that he may repair them. All these things he will have to do without being able to claim any diminution of plowing cultivating and sowing the lands, to work it in suitable seasons and not to injure it nor work it out of season, and to use everything as a good father of a family ought to do, and to return everything in good and proper order at the end of his lease, and besides to furnish as much of these presents in good and proper order to the said lessor or to return to him what he shall have expended, in consideration of which the said lessor binds himself to hand over the said houses, and other buildings in good and proper condition. For thus the said parties are convened promising and binding themselves by God and the faith and in renunciation. Made and passed at the said Quebec in the office of the said Notary in the afternoon of the fifth day of August one thousand six hundred and ninety six in the presence of Messieurs Georges Michellet schoolmaster, and Jean Chevallier Barber living at the said Quebec, witnesses who have with the said lessor and Notary signed. And the said lessee declares he knows how neither to write nor to sign . . . shall be delivered to him.
- ↑ †°, †. These signs occur in the original.