Europe and Napoleon 521 every citizen or peasant is allowed to pass from the citizen into the peasant class or from the peasant into the citizen C13.SS. • • • • ••• • ••••••• 10. From the date of this ordinance no new relation of serfdom, whether by birth or marriage, or by assuming the position of a serf, or by contract, can be created. 11. With the publication of the present ordinance the ex- isting relations of serfdom of those serfs, with their wives and children, who possess their peasant holdings by inheritance, or in their own right, or by perpetual leases, or of copyhold, shall cease entirely, together with all mutual rights and duties. 12. From Martinmas, one thousand eight hundred and ten (18 10), all serfdom shall cease throughout our whole realm. From Martinmas, 18 10, there shall be only free per- sons, as is already the case upon the royal domains in all our provinces, — free persons, however, still subject, as a matter of course, to all obligations which bind them, as free persons, by reason of the possession of an estate or by vir- tue of a special contract.' 2 To this declaration of our supreme will every one whom it may concern, and in particular our provincial authorities and other officials, are exactlv and dutifullv to conform, and the present ordinance is to be universally made known. Given authentically, under our own royal signature, at Memel, October 9, 1807. _ 7 Frederick ii.i.iam, Schrotter, Stein, Schrotter II. 1 The articles here omitted relate to leases, mortgages, etc., and are technical and obscure. 2 These general provisions abolishing serfdom were so vague as to be misunderstood. The king therefore issued an official explanation later (April 8, 1809; Gesetz-Sammlung, 1806-1810, pp. 557 sqq.), which serves to enlighten us upon the exact nature of the personal dependence of the serf. This consisted, for example, in the right of the lord to demand three years' service from children of his serfs, and to control them in later life in the matter of occupation and marriage. The for- mer serf is permitted by the new law to engage in any industry he may choose and to leave the manor if he wishes without demanding the consent of the lord.
