History of the Vendée, Lower Poitou, in France XXIII Notes


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History of the Vendée
Lower Poitou in France


CHAPTER XXIII



CREATION OF A CONSTABULARY TO SANDS OF OLONNE. - DIVISION OF THE PROVINCE IN TOP AND BAS-POITOU

Concern of war absorbed not every moment of cardinal Mazarin, which in his capacity as abbot of Saint-Michel-in-the Herm, was perhaps interested in a way particular to all that touched the good administration of a country, where very burning local passions always brooded under ash.

In March 1644, one created a constabulary with Sand-in Olonne, in spite of the opposition of Trémouille, count d' Olonne. After long talks, the prince succeeds in nevertheless making break, by stop of the Parliament, the reception of the sior Martineau to the load of provost, which obliged the officers of the présidial of Poitiers to obtain, June 21, 1671, a stop of the Council, which joined together the pledges of this constabulary to those of the présidial.

On September 12 of the following year 1645, a royal decree decided that Poitou would be divided into Top and Low-Poitou, in order to establish to with it, by a double easier and more active monitoring the royal authority. In 1660, one thought of modifying the personnel of the military authority there.

High-Poitou extended since Poitiers and Châtellerault, until the courses of Divine and of Thouet, with beyond which Fontenay was the capital of the lower part of the province to the Loire. In 1670, another ordinance of the king classified in the lieutenancy of Fontenay, the suburbs of the towns of Thouars, Parthenay and Saint-Wolf. 


NEW DESSÉCHEMENTS OF MARSH IN THE BAS-POITOU. -. THE MARSH D U PETIT-POITOU (1641-1646)

The edicts of April 1599 and January 1607, on dryings of the marsh of Low-Poitou had found pursuant to great difficulties, in the prejudices of the routine and false calculations of the interest. The Bradeley Dutchman, charged by the edict, of 1607, of the work management, with, under his orders Hierosme and Marc de Comans and Hierosme Vanulfe, gentilhommes Brabançons and François of the Board, Flemish gentleman died, and it ran out almost a half century before the inhabitants of Low-Poitou thought of the means of desiccating the muddy ground of. basin of Sèvre. Those of Aunis, which had a great part of it, had shown neither more precaution nor more industry.

A declaration of Louis XIII returned on May 4, 1641, had substituted Pierre Siette for Humfroy Bradeley, for the direction of the drying of the marshes of Poitou, Aunis and Saintonge, but it was only in 1643, that a company, formed to carry out this large company, began the first desséchement regular and complete which we saw in the Western part of the basin of Sèvre, between the Vendée and the channel of Luçon. This desséchement was finished and divided in 1646. It contains approximately 5.500 hectares, and it is known under the name of marsh of Small-Poitou. It extends from north at midday, since the channel of the Dutchmen until Sèvre, of raising to setting, since the channel of the Five-Abbots to the marshes of Champagné and the Nasty trick.

It embraces all the territory of the commune of Holy-Radégonde-of-Walnut trees, part of the communes of Champagné-the-Marsh, Moreilles and Puyravault, and almost all that of Chaillé-the-Marsh.


MARSHES OF THE BOUILS AND THE NASTY TRICK, 1649

Desséchement of Bouils, in the commune of Langon, is the second in date. He was undertaken in 1649. He of extended very little and touches with the precedent. Half of the ground which composes it was usurped from the communie by a former lord.

Between the marsh of Small-Poitou and the channel of Luçon, water still covered a surface of 1.060 hectares in the commune of Charnpagné: it was, the marsh of the Nasty trick, which was desiccated of 1651 to 1658. Contiguous to the marsh of PetitPoitou, it extends until the canai from Luçon.

In the act of company of September 27, 1651 spent between Siette, Elie Regnon, lord of Chaligny, François Brisson, lord of the Palate, Gabriel of Villattes, lord of Champagné, Marie Duchêne, Julius de Loynes, secretary general of the navy, Octavio de Strada, baron d' Aubue, of the Cross and Guillaume Henri, this desséchement is called Marais of Champagné: "It is confronted between the firm grounds and island of Champagné and an end the sea, of another end the channel of Vienna, and other the channel of Luçon, made distraction of the grounds in value and joining the grounds of Champagné and those on which come from the mizottes (1) along the sea. "


MARSHES OF THE WILD COMMANDER AND MOUILLEPIED (1654-1658)

Between these two marshes, and in their septentrional part, is wedged small desséchement, whose water is evacuated in the channels of the marsh of Small-Poitou. It belonged formerly to the order of Malta, which had inherited that of Templiers it, and names the Marsh of the Commander: it is located in the commune of Puyravault; we are unaware of at which time it was made, but it is necessarily posterior with that of Small-Poitou.

The Wild Marsh belongs to the department of Charente-Lower, and that of Mouillepied also mainly; but placed at the south and the south-east of the channel of the Five-Abbots, they concern the system general of the desséchements of the Western portion of the basin of Sèvre, in the north of this river. There would be thus a gap in this chapter if they were not included/understood there. The Wild Marsh was desiccated in 1654 (1), and that of Mouillepied in 1658.


OTHERS

Lastly, at the same time, were carried out several different small desséchements, were known under the name of Marais Garreau, of the Bleaks, Dudevant, Autorres.

The Eastern part of the basin of Sèvre was flooded by the overflows of Sèvre, by those of Autise and the Vendée, which flow there on the side of right bank, and by those of the Nice one, which flow there on the side of left bank. The bed even of Sèvre was the only exit by which the immense volume of water which accumulated on this ground could run out with the sea; but the flow constrained and was slowed down by the many sinuosities of the river, and by the mudbanks formed in its lower part. Also the marshes remained perpetually flooded. The parts furthest away from Sèvre and closest to the Plain were the only ones which could provide some useful productions.

In 1654, a company of owners and capitalists undertook to desiccate all the part of these marshes located on right bank of Sèvre. To carry out this company, it was necessary to find a means of leading water to the sea, by channels whose direction could not be that is in the west; and, to contain the enormous volume of water, one needed a very broad and very deep channel, over a length of more than 30 kilometers. The direction of this channel was to be parallel during Sèvre, and consequently to cut to right angle the bed of the rivers of Autise and the Vendée, which are thrown in Sèvre; the first at the southernmost end of the Island of Maillezais; the second below lle-of It.

But, if water of the channel mixed with those with the rivers, desséchement became impossible, because these last, driven back by water of Sèvre, would have, ebbed in the channel, and from there, on the grounds which one wanted to desiccate. There was of another means to take only to make run water of the channel above or below the bed of the rivers, and it is with the latter means that one stuck. One thus dug a channel, known under the name of Canal of Vix, whose water running the bed of Sèvre parallel to, will be thrown in the lower part of this river, with the handle of Braud. On this channel one built two aqueduct bridges, above which water of Autise and the Vendée will be lost in Sèvre, without mixing with his. That of Autise names simply the Aqueduct; that of the Vendée names the Pit. This desséchement was finished in 1662 (1).


MARSH OF DOIX AND Of DOCKED (1662)

The marsh of Doix and of Docked, in the north of that of Vix to which it is contiguous, and the small marsh of the Stock Exchange of Chaix, between Autise and the island of Maillezais, was desiccated at the same time.

It was as in same time as 6.313 hectares of the Eastern part of the basin of Sèvre were desiccated, on left bank of this river, belonging today to the district of the La Rochelle. Most considerable of these desséchements is that of Boom, which contains 3.246 hectares. 


THE CONTREBOTH OF VIX (1664)

All these marshes are surrounded by strong dams, intended to guarantee them invasion of water of Sèvre and its affluents.

Hardly these dams were they built that one realized that they tightened too much the bed of Sèvre; so that water flowed into the lower part with a violence which threatened to absorb all that was on their passage. The town of Marans was particularly threatened of a whole destruction; its inhabitants, frightened, communicated to their alarms with all those their neighbors that this torrent could reach, and as of year 1662 they held an assembly, in whom one sought the remedy for the evil which one feared. The interested parties with dryings of two banks of Sèvre probed the evil of which they were themselves the authors. They realized with fear that the impetuous element of which they had hoped to contain violence could absorb their dams in one hour, and with them the immense sums which they had spent to draw their properties from the centre of water. They met and did not find an other means of preventing the danger which only threatened them to dig a new channel to derive and lead to the sea, without passing by Marans, part of water of Sèvre and its affluents.

This channel was dug in 1664, between Sèvre and the marsh of Vix. It names contrebot of Vix, because it was dug with the foot and club-footed or raised channel of Vix, that it follows in parallel in all its development, which is 24 kilometers. It starts with the aqueduct of Autise and finishes with the handle of Braud, towards the lower part of Sèvre (1).


ORIGIN OF THE COMMUNAL MARSHES

It is to be noticed that by making the desséchements southernmost Marsh, one had the care to leave with each vast parish communal, with range and in good condition, in exchange of the right of course and pasturage, granted almost everywhere, by the lords of this region, at the communities of inhabitants. This rule was imposed on the driers, and for proof we will quote the notable judgment (1) handed down by the Parliament of Paris, on April 30, 1654, between the abbess the Holy ones, lady of the island of Vix, the churls and inhabitants of this island, the company Amable Bitton, the company François Brisson, the bishop of Maillezais and the abbot of Trizay. Indeed, in this stop one reads: "Made defense with all people disturb and empescher says it Brisson and its associates in desséchement marshes in question, whose marsh will be marked and forsaken one tennernent some, for the use of the known as inhabitants, in such place, and such quality and quantity that he will be considered to be reasonable by experts and people this connoissant, of which say them parts will agree by front the adviser rapporteur of the present arrest; otherwise will be named of office, and this drawn up official report, for icelui veu and brought back, communicated to our known as prosecutor general, being ordered what of reason. "


MARSH OF SAINT-MICHEL-EN-L' HERM, CRANES AND SAINT-DENIS-DU-PAYRÉ

The example given by the chapter of Luçon, and about which we spoke previously, was not to be lost for the monks of Saint-Michel-in-the Herm who, according to Arcère, would not have been happy in the work tried in 1540, in a section of the parish.

Owners of most of the marsh of Saint-Michel-in-the Herm, Cranes and Saint-Denis-of-Payré, they tried in their turn to make drying of it. To reach that point without harming, the water run-off, it had been necessary to box, by dams, the two arms of Lay, in order to contain water in the bed that each one had been formed; but this expenditure undoubtedly frightened them, and without calculating the continuations of them, they found more convenient to remove the Eastern arm, that which was thrown in the gulf of the Pivot. It is necessary even to believe that they also removed the Western arm, because the slope of the ground showed, in 1715, with the engineer in chief of the general information of Poitiers, that the arm which remained then was a factitious channel, and which the bed of the Western arm of Lay had been previously intercepted. These monks thus made raise a dam which, being pressed on the Western coast of Saint-Denis-of-Payré, near the smallholding of Malvoisie, and rising in north, following a parabolic curve, approached the Saint-Benoît cheese ground and, moving to the west, then to the south, came to lead on the sand bank of Braud, which limited part of these marshes, side of the sea, in south-west. To guarantee floods of the sea, they prolonged on these shores, of the east to the west, the dam of Club-footed-of-Ribandon (1), starting from the southernmost end of the Club-footedone. Their desséchement was thus wedged, in the east by the Club-footedone, north and the west by the new dam to which one gave the name of Club-footed-Grolleau (2), in the south by the sand bank of Braud and the Club-footed one of Ribandon; but the establishment of Club-footed-Grolleau, about 1630, intercepted the course of Lay, and made some ebb water on the higher marshes, which were much more flooded than they were it before.

It remained with the truth between the dam and the ground closes a certain interval by which water of Lay could still run out by the channel of Moricq, or Saint-Benoît cheese river, but the inspection of the places shows that it could be only by one forced direction, and that most of the water stopped by the dam were to remain in stagnation on the marsh.

Nothing could be easier than to force the Benedictines of Saint-Michel-in-the Herm to restore with water of Lay the course than nature had traced to them; perhaps but the owners of these marshes did not suspect that the natural equity, strengthened by the civil law, gave them the right to make the request of it, and they were restricted to prolong, by an artificial channel, the course of the Saint-Benoît cheese river until beyond passage of Claye. This channel, known today under the name of Small Channel of Lay, runs length and very close to the high grounds of the commune of Curzon. That it was dug by the hand of the man, it is an undeniable truth.

This channel, whose dimensions were too low, and whose bed is higher than the center of the marsh, was insufficient to desiccate it. Sad and long experiment showed it. One needed other means to operate this desséchement. Nature indicated them; it was to restore the old arms or, at least one of the old arms of the river. This means was adopted and carried out in 1657, by the marquis of Boulaye and the other owners of these marshes. It appears that they took the party then to restore the Eastern arm which was thrown in the gulf of the Pivot, because a stop of the Council of August 26, 1704, known as formally that this channel emerged directly with the sea: what one could not have said of the Western arm, which was thrown in the river of Saint-Benoît cheese or channel of Moricq. To carry out this company and to give passage to the new channel, the Club-footedone would have had to be bored, very close to the end which is pressed on the ground closes of Saint-Denis-of-Payré.

The company was hardly finished, when the death and the disturbance of the fortune of the marquis of Boulaye carried the disorder and confusion in the company of which it was the heart (3).


STATE OF THOSE WHICH SINCE THE REIGN OF HENRI IV SE ARE PARTICULARLY OCCUPIED DRYINGS OF THE MARSHES OF THE VENDÉE

It is not without interest to know those which, since the reign of Henri IV, are particularly occupied desséchements marshes of the Vendée. We will give their names according to the Collection of the edicts, declarations, stops and regulations on the desséchements of the marshes and other documents. We will add that several of these driers, which were not French, became it in consequence of article 10 of the edict of January 1607, which carried that those which would be fixed in the marshes and would make the statement of it, would be naturalized by this fact, without need for another forwarding. Still let us say that several nonnoble driers, could become it, according to article 25 of the known as edict, thus conceived: "And to give more courage to the known as contractors to continue their intention, let us state estre our to want and intention of gratifier and to honour with the title of nobility twelve among eulz, choosing ceulz, which it are not by their birth, that we will judge to have the most merit and to contribute more to perfection of the dicts works, in condition all times, that those which will have been decorate with this tittre of nobility, will not make, after the dict annoblissement aulcun act derogating from dictates quality, holding to us in oultre, of accroistre hereafter the number of twelve, if we judge that to make must itself. "

  1. Humfroy Bradley, gentleman, born with Berg-COp-Zooin, Master of dams of Henri IV.
  2. Hierosme de Comans, Master of hotel of Henri IV.
  3. Marc de Comans.
  4. Gaspard de Comans or his/her children.
  5. François of the Board.
  6. Hierosme Vanulfe, all the Brabant (Edicts of April 1599, January 1607, July 1613, etc)
  7. Master Amable Bitton, receiver of finances in Poitiers.
  8. François Brisson, lord of the Palate, chair and seneshal Fontenay-the-Count.
  9. Octavio de Strada, baron d' Aubué and Tournon, lord of Sailièves in Auvergne.
  10. Pierre Robert, sior of Breuil, elected in the election of Fontenay-the-Count.
  11. Master Claude of Fos.
  12. Master Jacques Morienne, rider, lord of Atrie, receiver of the sizes with Fontenay-the-Count.
  13. Lord Claude Esnart.
  14. Jacques Guerin, sior of Villattes (Stop of April 16, 1654, marsh of Vix, Maillezais, etc)
  15. Ram Jeanne Regnier, widow of Master Julius de Loynes, adviser secretary of the king and secretary general of the marine.
  16. Lord Elie Regnon, knight lord of Chaligny.
  17. David of the Cross.
  18. Master Pierre Bitton, lawyer at the Parliament of Paris.
  19. François Macault, rider, sior of Fontenelles, receiver of the sizes in Fontenay.
  20. Philippe Agroué, rider, sior of Tourtelière, assessor in the election of Fontenay.
  21. Charles de Flacourt, provincial treasurer of extraordinary of the wars in Angoumois, Saintonge and Brouage.
  22. Charles Mesnard, rider, lord of Toucheprès (Statutes of June 7, 1654, for the desséchements of the marshes located since Coulon and Garette to the sea, and between the river of Sèvre and the firm grounds of Poitou; Brisson, chief of this desséchement).
  23. Pierre Siette, engineer geographer of the king with the La Rochelle.
  24. The Marshal of Grammont.
  25. Jean Bouteiller de Chavigny, minister Secretary of State.
  26. Jean de Mirande, rider, lord of Fraignées.
  27. François de Mirande, rider, sior of the Winch.
  28. Pierre Fillastre, rider, lord of Richemont.
  29. Jean H�ulf, secretary of the king, police chief of the States General of the Plain Provinces.
  30. Made François, rider, lord of Sableau, Master of National Forestry Commission of Civray and Fontenay, remaining with Sableau, parish of Chaillé.
  31. Master Pierre Turpault, old lieutenant of the election of Niort, resident with Boulié.
  32. Michel de Broc, knight, baron de Chemiré in Anjou.
  33. Barnabe Brisson, rider, lord of Boissière.
  34. Master Louis Robert, live Fontenay.
  35. Pierre Charrien, sior of Fieflambert.
  36. Louise de Bessay, widow of Solomon de Cailhaut, knight lord of Chevrolière and Montreuil.
  37. Anne Braud, widow of Picardy Raoul-Gal, knight, lord of Touches-Mouraud, Guinefolle and Barottière.
  38. Marie Rouland, widow of Etienne Robert, sior of Vignaud, secretary of his royal highness.
  39. Julien of Wood, sior of Bastie, elected in the election of Fontenay (Statutes of - company of Small-Poitou, of October 19, 1646, whose Strada was the first director).
  40. Jean-Armand de Vignerot, duke of Richelieu.
  41. Arthur de Gouffier, duke of Roannais, governor of Poitou.
  42. Armand of the Door, large - Master of artillery of France.
  43. François de Beuil, count de Marans, Royal Cupbearer of France.
  44. Pierre of the Perriers, knight, marquis de Crenan.
  45. Maximilien Eschalard, knight, marquis of Boulaye.
  46. The marquis d' Estissac.
  47. The Ambres marquis.
  48. The lord of Cangé.
  49. Fabrice de Gresseni, lord of Fontenay-the-Count.
  50. Charles de Lancey, sior of Luines.
  51. Bernard Martin, sior of Montjourdain, lawyer to the council.
  52. Bernard de Foix, duke of Valette, colonel general of France, governor of Burgundy.
  53. Anne Phelippeaux, widow of Jean Bouteiller, count de Chavigny, minister of State.
  54. Henri of Lorraine, Tweed duke (Stop of the Parliament of Paris, February 14, 1660; marsh of Maillezais, Vix, Simpleton and others).
  55. Marie Duchêne.
  56. Cross.
  57. Guillaume Henri, marsh of Champagné.
  58. Rene Lodre, negotiating with Sands of Olonne.
  59. Jacques of Thatch, employee of finances, in Talmont (Marsh of Angles and the Section).
  60. The Mourain family, (Marsh of Midsummer's Day de Monts and others of the Western marsh) (1).


THE BAS-POITOU IN 1666 AND 1698. OLD FAMILIES AND TERRITORIAL DIVISIONS

Some time after the completion of work of digging of the contrebooth of Vix, Colbert de Croissy, brother of the large minister, was with Barentin sent in Poitou to make an investigation into the nobility always stirring up, and also to revise the titles which several had unduly seized.

At that time (1666), the governor of Low-Poitou was the count de Pardaillan, the military governor of Poitou, the duke of Roannez, chief of the house of Gouffier (1).

The principal noble houses were those of Trémouille, - Rochefoucauld, - Estissac, - Gouffier, - of Argenson, Grated Turpin, - Chateaubriant of the Rocks-Baritaud, - Baudéan Parabère, - Pardaillan, - Chasteigner, - Moor Buor (2), - Appelvoisin, - Clérembauld, Palluau, - Eschallard of Boulaye.

The general information of Poitou was divided have a certain number of elections, whose principal ones were for Low-Poitou, those of Fontenay, 160 parishes, impositions 476.735 books, - Mauléon, today Châtillon, 75 parishes, of which several in the current department of Two-Sevres, impositions 166.700 books, - Sand-in Olonne, 6 parishes, impositions 186.151 books, - Thouars, 113 parishes, of which very little in Low-Poitou, impositions 329.400 books. Thirty years later, the situation is thus defined in a report of Maupou d' Ableige. Extract of the State of Poitou under Louis XIV, by Dugast Matifeux.


ELECTION OF FONTENAY IN 1698

The election. from Fontenay carries of size 362.551 books, and contains 162 parishes which make 16.500 fires and 66.000 people. It is, after that of Poitiers, largest of the province.

In the twelve parishes of the desiccated marsh, where the ground produces in abundance any kind of corn and fodder, are stud farms for the horses in quantity; and in four of these parishes, Champagné, Puyravault, Triaize and. Saint-Michel-in-the Herm, there are salt-water marshes from which the greatest part is abandoned because of the increase in the rights of the draft of Charente.

The town of Fontenay is principal election; there are three cures� two hospitals: one of Saint-Jacob, for the sick poor, of incomes 1.500 books, and the other of the crippled poor, a convent of Cordeliers, one of Capuchins and three communities of religious girls, Notre-Dame, Saint-François and the Union-Christian woman. There is an old ruined castle where there remain only two turns. Mr. marquis of Vieuville in is a governor, who holds a quartermaster-sergeant to with it to control the castle and to order under his orders�

The town of Luçon is rather a large borough, not being closed. It évêché one there from 15 to 16.000 books of incomes. Mr. de Barillon is titular; it is a baronnie of which he is the temporal lord. There are a church-cathedral and a large chapter with ordinary dignities (1), a parish church of Saint-Mathurin, of which. cure is little of income, a convent of Capuchins and a convent of Ursulines nuns. There is a channel, and it is held to with it of the fairs and markets� There is an office for the rights of Charente on salt.

The borough of Puybelliard is a warehouse for the trade, there are several salt saltworks which come from the salt-water marshes of Sand-to Olonne, Jard and other places. There are fairs and markets�

The borough of Mareuil, pertaining to Mrs. the marshal's wife of Duras, located on the river of Lay, where is an office of the drafts of Charente. II is held to with it of the markets and fairs, and one can there charge of the food products and transport them to the sea by this same river, which falls into that from Saint-Benoît cheese, where there are flow and backward flow�

The borough of the Chestnut grove has a manufacture of druggets, cloths and other fabrics of wool, which was considerable and which extremely decreased, so much by the war than by the abandonment of several huguenots which made the principal trade.

The principal grounds, strongholds and seigniories of the election of Fontenay are: the baronnie of Oulme, Courdeau and Saint-Sigismond; - the châtellenie of Vix; - the baronnie of Brilhac, Velluire and Poiré; - the baronnie of Maillezais; - the châtellenie of Hermenault; - the châtellenie of Nalliers; - id. Holy-Gem; - the baronnie of Luçon and Magnils; - the châtellenie of Moutiers-on-the-Lay; - châtellenies of Saint-Cyr military school and Jonchère; - châtellenies of Curzon, Saint-Benoît cheese and Moricq; - the baronnie of. Poiroux; - the principality of Talmont; - the châtellenie of Moutiers; - the baronnie of Saint-Michel-in-the Herm; - the châtellenie of Champagné and Bretonnière; - the baronnie of Mothe-Achard; - the châtellenie of Chaillé-the-Marsh; - the châtellenie and prévôté of Saint-George-of-Montaigu; - the baronnie of Laugh, etc


ELECTION OF SABLES-D' OLONNE

The election of Sand-in Olonne carries of size 170.551 books. It is made up of 95 parishes, in which there are 24.000 fires and 96.000 people� It can enter the port of Sands of the ships of 150 barrels to more� One counts in the ports of Sands, Saint-Benoît, the Section, Saint-Gilles, Jard, Noirmoutier and the island of Yeu, 1.300 sailors, 30 ships and 204 boats.

Sand-in Olonne are a large borough, not walled, located on the edge of the sea océane, composed sailors and sailors, the majority. There are a justice subordinate, an election, a jurisdiction of the open drafts and an admiralty.

There are in this election several abbeys, priories, vaults, cures and other benefit, eight abbeys, which are worth of income 48.000 books; - eighteen priories, 12.000 books; - ninety-six vaults or legates, 10.000 books, and ninety-six cures, 38.000 books; a convent of Capuchins to Sands, with one of Saint-Benoît cheese chocolate éclairs; one of Cordeliers with Olonne; in Orbestier and Talmont, Benedictines; in Jard, of Nerbertins; with Wood-Grollaud, of Bernardins; in Fontenelles, regular Canons of Saint-Augustin; in Beauvoir, Jacobins and of Mathurins, and in the Island-Chauvet of Camaldules.

The principal grounds and seigniories are the principalities of the Luc and of Rock-on-Yon, pertaining to Sir, single brother of the roy - the principality of Talmont, with Mr. the duke of Trémouille; the county of Olonne and the baronnie of Apremont and Commequiers, with Mr. the duke of Châtillon; - marquisats of Garnache and Beauvoir-on-Sea, with Mrs. the duchess of Lesdiguières; - the baronnie of Laugh, with Mrs. the royal duchess of Savoy, the dowager; - that of Mothe-Achard, with Mr. the marquis de Crenan; - the châtellenie of the island of Olonne, with Mr. marshal of Noailles; - that of Chaize-Giraud, with Mr. marquis of Vieuville, and that of Coëx with Mrs. the countess of Wart, the dowager.

In addition to the lords named above, one counts in the election cent-quinze gentlemen, of which three are captains coastguard, knowledge: Mr. of the Room-Lézardières, Mr. of Breuil-Bayers of Rochefoucauld, and Mr. of Suze de Rorthays.

There are approximately a hundred and ten huguenots left, and there remain about it still three hundreds - quatre-vingt-douze new convert. There can be ten or twelve bridges, as well good as bad.

The principal fairs of the election are held in Saint-Gervais, the Moor in Beauchêne and Soullans, where it is sold many horses, even with merchants of Paris and Beauce. One sells to with it also fatty oxen for Paris and of thin for, Normandy.


ELECTION OF THOUARS

The election of Thouars carries of size 232.667 books, contains 104 parishes which make 10.049 fires and 79.229 people. Pouzauges is a marquisat pertaining to Mrs. the Marchioness of Toucheprés; it is one, jurisdiction subordinate. The cure is worth 200 pounds. There is a chaplaincy which has 700 pounds of income. It is held four fairs to with it per annum, and gone every Friday. It -172 new convert still there: - the seigniory of Meilleraye, in M.de Puy-Morin, that of Cabin-Fougereuse, with Mr. of Etenduère, that of Pouzauges, with Mrs. de Toucheprés, that of Saint-Paul, heirs to Mrs. de Chateaubriant, that of Flocellière, with Mr. de Granges of Puy-Guyon, lieutenant general.


ELECTION OF MAULÉON

The election of Mauléon (1) carries of size 155.460 books, and is made up of 75 parishes, which make 10.000 fires and 40.000 people� It is held of the fairs and markets in Mauléon, the Herbaria, the Herbergement-Entirety, Essarts and other places of the election.

It in the extent of the election new convert some there, particularly in the parishes of Sigournais, Saint-Prouant, Rochetrejoux and the Herbaria, which can make in all the number from five to six hundreds.

Priory of Thirteen-Winds with Mr. de Vironde, 1.500 books; that of Mortagne, where are four monks about Benoît saint, and four priests engaged by the prior, can be worth from 8 to 9.000 books: Mr. the abbot of Theligny d' Oneuil is titular - a chapter of canons and a convent of chocolate éclairs with Montaigu.

The principal grounds are: the marquisat of Montaigu, with Mr. marquis of the Crux-Courboyer, 5.000 books; - the baronnie of Mortagne, with Mrs. the duchess of Lesdiguières, 10.000 books; - that of Palluau, with Mrs. de Clérembault, of 8.000 books; - that of Essarts, with Mrs. the Princess royal of Savoy, 9.000 books; the châtellenie of. Rocheservière, with Miss de Vieillevigne, of 3.000 books; - the châtellenie of Chambretaud, with Mr. Charbonneau de Saint-Symphorien (Bruffière); - Saint-Fulgent, with Mr. Gazeau de Ligneron; - Beaurepaire. with Mr. de Beaurepaire-Girard; - Bazoges-in-Paillers, with Mr. Irlaud; - Guyonnière, with Mr. Charbonneau of the Strong-Rider; - Boissière, with Mr. Gazeau of Brandannière; - Barotière, with Mr. Mesnard; - Chavagnes-in-Paillers, with Mr. Bruneau of Rabastelière; - Herbergement-Entirety, with Mr. Chevigné of Wood-Chollet; - Saint-Denis it. - Chevasse, with Mrs. the marchioness of Bordering; - Vendrennes, with M of Massed; - The Saint-Sulpice-the-Verdon, with Mr. of Preuille-Gâtinaye; - Dompierre with Mr. Châtelier-Montbault; - Aubigny� Chauché, with Miss de Puytesson-Durcot; - Rabatelière, with Mr. Bruneau of Rabatelière; Rochetrejoux, with Mr. of Pelissonnière; - Sigournais, with Mr. de Clérembault-Puygarreau.

All the province carries of size the sum of 1.700.000 books, contains 1.004 parishes which make 149.496 fires and 612.621 people (2).


STATE OF THE GENTLEMEN OF THE SENESCHALSY OF FONTENAY, CHOSEN AND NAMED TO BE USED FOR THE ROUND OF APPLAUSE OF THIS PROVINCE OF POITOU CONVENED THIS PRESENT YEAR 1697 FROM THE ROY

The sior of Archiais of the Men; Barraud of Lardière (Alexandre); Barraut of Skirted; Barrault of the River; Baudry of Allière; Baudry of Burcerie (Gabriel); Bessay of Coutancière; Bessay of the La Rochelle; from Boisse (François-Lucas); of Braillière; Buor of Villeneuve; Buor of Voye; Chateignier of Bergerion; thatches-Butigny; Forester of Tudelière; Gibouraud of Roussière; of Guérinière-Beauchêne; of Guérinière of Mancelière; of Guittière Plessis-Landry; cabin-Grimouard (François-Gabriel); of With a grid; of Maisonneuve-Bessay; from the Maisonneuve-Vendée; Malleray de Puysec; Sailor of Hubardière; Martin of Fromentinière; of Montsorbier; of Morinière-Deyneau; Nicou of Ileau (Gabriel); Plessis-in Arçay; of Plessis the Frank one, lord of Plessis in the St. Lawrence; bridge-Beaulieu, lord of Beaulieu in Saint-Michel-the-Nails; of Remberge of Retail (Charles); Reignier of Boulière; rock-Biraut; rock-Thévenin; of Rorthais of Rochette (Calixte); of Rochebrochard-Salidieu; of Thibaudière-Bonnetière; Turpaud of Bigotrie (Charles).

The marquis de Vérac, knight of the orders of the roy, lieutenant general, ordering for Her Majesty in Poitou.

It is ordered to the gentlemen of the seneschalsy of Fontenay, named in the state cy-top, to be used for the round of applause of this province of Poitou, is convened this year, to be held ready to ride a horse, with the suitable crew, for the Service of Its Majesty, in accordance with its intentions and with the orders that they will receive some from the king, or that we will give some to them.

Fact with Couhé, on April 30, 1697.

Signed: VÉRAC. And low: By Monseigneur, DESPALLUAUX (1)


Chapters
XII XXI XXII XXIII XXIV