466 



(3) R E Prothero, The pleasant land of France. London 1908. 



Chapters (essays) n and in, French farming and Tenant-right and agrarian 

 outrage in France, contain much of interest. 



pp 9 1-2 Social advantages of the system of peasant proprietors. A training 1 

 to the rural population. Element of stability. The answer to agitators 'Cela 

 est bien, mais il faut cultiver notre jardin.' Difficulties which beset its artificial 

 creation. Mttayage (under present conditions) has proved the best shelter for 

 tenant-farmers against the agricultural storm. Need of implicit confidence 

 between landlord and working partner. 



pp 98-9 Tenant-right in Santerre (Picardy). Tenant considers himself a 

 co-proprietor of the land. Former payment of rent in kind taken to be a sign 

 of joint ownership. Now in money, but calculated upon market price of corn. 

 Landlord's loss of control. High money value of droit de march'e. 



p 104 Traces of Roman occupation. Roman soldier followed by farmer. 

 4 Under the empire the colonus was not a slave, but the owner of slaves : he 

 held his land in perpetuity; he could not leave it. He paid a fixed rent in 

 kind, which could not be raised. Tenant-right therefore is explained as the 

 recognition by the Frankish conquerors of this hereditary claim to the perpetual 

 occupation of the soil.' [One of the various explanations offered.] 



p 119 Severe legislation failed to get rid of tenant-right, but since 1791 it 

 has been recognized, and so its importance decreased. Under the ancien 

 regime leases were short 9 years and precarious. They were governed by 

 the Roman law maxim emptori fundi necesse non est stare colonum. That is, if 

 property changed hands during the continuance of the lease, the new owner 

 might evict the tenant. The Code Civil confirms law of 1791 dispossession 

 only if provision has been made (in lease) for it. 



In general, land-tenures vary very greatly in the various provinces. 



(4) G G Coulton, Social life in Britain from the Conquest to the 

 Reformation. Cambridge 1918. 



In Section vi Manor and Cottage are a number of extracts throwing light 

 on the rustic conditions of their times. 



1. A model Manor pp 301-6, describing the organization of an estate, 

 with the duties of the several officials and departmental servants. Watchful 

 diligence and economy, strict accountability and honesty are insisted on, that 

 the rights of the Lord may not be impaired. 



2. The Manorial court, pp 306-8. 



3. The peasant s fare, p 308. 



4. Incidents of 'the countryside, p 309. 



7. Decay of yeomanry, pp 310-12. (Latimer.) 



8. Decay of husbandry, pp 312-14. (SirT More.) 



All these passages are of great interest as shewing how a number of pheno- 



1 Sir W. Herringham, A Physician in France, pp 167-8 on Peasantry as a strength to 

 the State. 



