preserved, and show that the deficiency was then £1^0 is. 4j</.,
and exactly the same every year as we go back to 1710. The
book in the Chest seems to show that nothing was taken from
the bread'bursar's stock between the years 1718 and 1738, but
that in the year 1732 it was increased by the payment of a
supposed debt of £1 1 1 6s. Sd. But how it has come to pass
that notwithstanding these payments, the deficiency increased
from jfijo IS. 2\d. to £zs^ 6s. g^d. does not plainly appear.
After a tedious search through the bread-bursar's book and
forming out of it the several rolls which seem to be lost, I found
at last in the year 1726. . . .(a blank in MS.), but we should be
the more cautious how we charge this deficiency to fraud or
mistake, because
V. Many parts of the accounts carry with them a very awk-
ward appearance, and yet on a close examination are found to
be correct.
I. The bread-bursar himself furnishes 'us with a remarkable
instance of this nature. He pays to the Steward every month
for the commons of the Fellows ; and at the end of the year he
charges this expense in one gross sum of three, four, or five
hundred pounds. But if we take the pains to compare this sum
with all the monthly payments which should make it up, we
shall find that it exceeds them by eleven pounds. For this sum
the bread-bursar always adds to his payment without giving any
hint of it, and keeps for his own use. But this strange method
of paying himself seems to have been introduced only to save
the trouble of writing two or three words, or perhaps to be a
trap to those who should pretend to examine and find faults in
the accounts. For the stipend of eleven pounds has been
allowed to the bread-bursar for an hundred years and more, and
was charged by him openly for more than half that time before
he began to cover it.
2. The junior bursar has also certain regular errors in his
accounts by which he gains a great part of his profits. He buys
charcoal for the College, but he charges for it at a greater price
\\iW be gives, and delivers less measure than he receives. It is
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158 Notes from the College Records.
certain that the difference of the measures, if not the difference
of the prices was originally a fraud. For the Bursar 20 or 30
years ago had no fixed rule for it, but made more or less
advantage according to his inclinations or management. But
for some years past ....
The following documents, transcribed for me by
Mr J. H. Hessels, all come from the box in the Trea-
sury which contained documents relating to the Lady
Margaret. The first is addressed to her.
I have not been able to discover anything relating to
Thomas Kyme, to whom the indulgences are granted.
The first indulgence is printed in black letter, date
and all, a blank being left for the name of the person
to whom it was to be granted. The name of Thomas
Kyme is filled in in manuscript and the document is
signed.
The second indulgence is engrossed in a good hand,
the name of Pope Innocent and a few other words
being in red ink. Here, too, there has been a blank
for the name of the person to whom the indulgence
should be granted and the name of Thomas Kyme
filled in in a cursive hand quite different from the
handwriting of the rest of the document.
No doubt they are specimens of indulgences prepared
in considerable numbers to await buyers.
Excellentissime Principisse domine Margarete Comitisse
Richemunde et Derbye Ac matri illustrissimi principis Henrici
Regis Anglie Septimi Deo et beato francisco deuote, Humilis
orator vester frater Donaldus gylberti. Reuerendi in Christo patris
fratris Franciscj sagarra super omnes fratres eiusdem ordinis
cismontanarum partium de obseruantia nuncupates generalis
vicarij. quoad fratres eiusdem familie in regno anglie commo-
rantes Commissarius Salutem in domino ac bonis perfrui sempi-
ternis. Sincerus vestre excellentie et deuotionis affectus quern
ad nostrum ordinem geritis exigentia digna requirit. vt quia in
temporalibus non possumus vicem vestre deuotissime caritati
rependere. In spiritualibus tamen quantum nobis auctore deo
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Notes from the College Records. 159
suppetit provt in nostris apud deum peroptamus desiderijs
vestris beneficijs gratitudinis debito compensemus. Quapropter
deuotissimam nobis excellentiam vestram, de beneplacito et
special! gratia praefati Reuerendi patris ad nostram confrater-
nitatem nedum fratrum in regno anglie existentium, sed et
totius familie cismontane recipio, in vita pariter et in morte
plenam vobis et specialem participationem omnium carismatum
et operum meritoriorum videlicet missarum, orationum, diui-
norum officiorum. suffragionim, praedicationum, confessionum,
ieiuniorum vigiliarium, ceteronimque bonorum spiritualium
tenore praesentium gratiose conferendo. que per fratres eidem
Reuerendo patri subditos sorores sancte clare, necnon fratres
et sorores de penitentia fieri dederit auctor omnium bonorum
dei filius, vt multiplici suffragiorum adiuta presidio, et hie
augmentum gratie, et in futuro mereamini eteme vite praemia
possidere. Volens vt dum prefate vestre excel lentie obitus,
quern deus in longum ad bonorum operum lucrosa exercitia
protrahere dignetur nostris denunciabitur fralribus, pro vobis
fiant orationesy quod admodum pro praecipuis benefactoribus in
nostro ordine est hactenus laudabiliter fieri consuetum. In
cuius concessionis testimonium sigillum quo inpraesentianim
vtor cum manu mea duxi praesentibus appendendum. Datum
in nostro Conuentu grenew}xhensi Regni Anglie Rofiensis
dyocesis Anno domini M«.CCCC*>.XCVIJ. Mensis Maij die
decima.
Underneath is written: Frater Donaldus Reuerendi patris
vicarij Generalis Commissarius Manu propria.
Endorsed: A letter of fraternyte of all the Religions of
Freres Mynors. VV.
And in a later hand: To Ladj Margaret d:c. Maij lo^
Ao.D. 1497.
The Seal has disappeared.
Robertus Castellensis Clericus Wulteranus Apostolice sedis
prothonotarius, ac sanctissimi domini nostri Pape Commis-
sarius. Tibi Thome Kyme Auctoritate apostolica nobis in hac
parte nuper concessa tenore praesentium: vt confessorem
idoneum secularem vel regularem eligere possis qui confes-
sione tua diligenter audita, ab omnibus et singulis tuis peccatis
criminibus excessibus et delictis. Etiam si talia forent propter
que sedes predicta sit quouis modo merito consulenda. Semel
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1 6o Nvtesfrom the College Records.
in vita et semel in mortis articulo auctoritate apostolica absoU
uere. Tibique plenariam omnium peccatorum tuorum de
quibus corde contritus et ore confessus fueris, te in sinceritate
fidei vnitate sancte Romane ecclesie, ac obedientia et deuotione
prefati sanctissimi domini nostri et successorum suorum canonice
intrantiam persistente. Semel in vita et in mortis articulo
quotiens de iilo dubitabitur: etiam si tunc non subsequatur.
Ita quod nihilominus absolutus remaneas. Dummodo ex regiis
rebellibus aut nouos tumultus in regno excitantibus non sis,
concedere et impartiri. teque in casibus sedi apostolice non
reseruatis totiens quotiens opus fuerit auctoritate apostolica
absoluere. Necnon vota quecunque per te pro tempore emissa
Jherosolimitana, Visitationis liminum, Apostolorum Petri et
Pauli, ac Religionis votis duntaxat exceptis. Etiam peregrina<^
tionis sancti Jacobi in compostcUa, ac continenlie ct castitatis
vota in alia pietatis opera commutare valeat, prout secundum
deum anime tue saluti viderit expedire, concedendi plenam et
liberam auctoritate prefata facultatem et potestatem damus et
elargimur. In quorum fidem et testimonium presentes literas fierip
acSigilli nostri quo ad hec vtimuriussimusappensione communiri.
Datum Londonii in domo nostre solite residentie. Secundo die
mensis Februarii, Anno domini M.CCCC.LXXXXIX.
Signed : Idem Ro. Castellensis«
VNiuersis et singulis presentes litteras inspecturis Nos
aldermannus et Camerarij Gilde sine confratemitatis in honorem
beate Marie virginis in ecclesia sancti Botholphi de Boston
Lincolnij diocesis institutae Salutem in omnium saluatore ad
uestre vniuersitatis noticiam deduci volumus per presentes quod
sanctissimus in Christo pater et dominus dominus Innocentius
diuina prouidencia papa illo nomine octauus ad hoc graciose
inductus per bullam apostolicam animarum vestrarum saluti
multipliciter vtilem et necessariam« Vniuersis et singulis con-
fratribus predictis confratemitatis vtriusque sexus presentibus
et futuris quam denote concessit suum indultum in effectu sub
hijs verbis. Vt aliquem idoneum presbiterum secularem vel
religiosum in vestrum possitis et quilibet vestrum possit eligcre
confessorem qui vita vobis comite in casibus sedi apostolice
reseruatis semel in vita et in mortis articulo In alijs vero
quociens fuerit oportunum confessionibus vestris diligenter
auditis pro commissis vobis debitam absolucionem impendat
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Notes from the College Records. i6i
et iniungat penetenciam salutarem. Quodque idem vel alter
confessor idoneus quern duxerltis eligendum omnium pecca-
torum de quibus corde contriti et ore confess! fueritis semel
in vita et semel in mortis articulo plenariam remissionem
vobis in sinceritate fidei vnitate sancte Romane ecclesie
ac obediencia et deuocione nostra vel successorum nostrorum
Romanorum pontificum canonice intrancium persistentibus
auctoritate apostolica concedere valeat. £t insuper vt liceat
vobis habere altare portatile cum debita reuerencia et honore
super quo in locis ad hoc congruentibus et honestis possitis et
quilibet vestrum possit per proprium vel alium sacerdotem
missam et alia diuina officia sine iuris alien! preiudicio in
vestra et cuiuslibet vestrum presencia facere celebrari deuocione
vestre tenore presentium indulgemus. £t hec facta sunt sub
date Rome apud sanctum petrum anno incarnacionis dominice
Millesimo CCCC<* octogesimo nono Kalendas octobris ponti-
ficatus sui anno tercio.
Nos aldermannus et camerarij predict! quibus hec faciendi
commissa est plena et consueta potestas iliius vigore dilectum
nobis in Christo Thomam Kyme generosum Inter nostrorum con-
fratrum numerum eligimus et admittimus et indulti supradicti
ac nostrarum aliarum indulgenciarum necnon septem sacer*
dotum imperpetuum amortizatorum duodecim clericorum et
xiijcim pauperum quotidie deo ibidem obsequencium oracionum
et deuocionum omniumque aliorum suffragiorum et bonorum
operum spiritualium nostrorum semper fore participes volumus
et innotescimus per presentes. In quorum testimonium sigillum
commune dicte gilde presentibus est appensum. Data apud
Boston secundo die Mensis aprilis Anno domini Millesimo
CCCCo Nonagesimo nono.
R. F. S.
{To he continued) »
VOL. XX.
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THE HABITANT.
JVERY now and then we turn a fresh page in
our book'life and find a new world and new
people — real live people we had not known
before, but are henceforward to live with —
Private Mulvaney, for example, or a dearer friend still.
Miss Mattie Jenkins. We forget the creator in his
creation, and in a twinkling the new friend he has
given us is a life-long acquaintance.
In his book recently published, Dr Drummond, of
Montreal, has introduced to us a new friend, the
Habitant. He has done his work admirably. M. Louis
Frechette, the poet of Lower Canada, in an appreciative
introduction, applies to the author the name he himself
received from Longfellow, " The path-finder of a new
land of song," and not unjustly. Dr Drummond has
drawn the French Canadian to the life. He has made
the daring attempt to let the Habitant speak for himself
as well as he can in English — a risky experiment.
Charming as much of Hans Breitmann is, there is a
rampageous flamboyant unreality in many of Leland's
conceptions. Hans is a comic character, a grotesque,
but 'Poleon and Damase are real people. The author,
says M. Frechette, " a rest6 vrai, sans tomber dans la
vulgarity, et piquant sans verser dans le grotesque."
Who is the Habitant ? Briefly, the French peasant
of Lower Canada. A few words of introduction may
be forgiven before we let him speak for himself.
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TheHahiianL 163
When England says farewell to her colonist son, she
does it usually with dry eyes. He can sink or swim as
he pleases. If he does reach another shore and does
succeed in making himself felt, she is proud of him, and
then will consent to help him along, but not till then.
The New Englanders were in the main left to them-
selves for nearly half a century, and by that time were
a community to be reckoned with, strong enough to
impress themselves and their spirit on their governors,
as the correspondence of Dongan with Denonville
shews. But other nations do things differently. Louis
XIV was intent on having a colony in Canada, and it
was fostered, coddled, bonus'd, and buttressed till the
only thing that made it a success was its absorption by
the English, who left the colonists to look after them-
selves, which they did with conspicuous success and
throve wonderfully. But Louis left no stone unturned.
He exported colonists by the score, with soldiers to
protect them, governors to direct them, and priests
galore to bring them up in the way they should go.
But they were not satisfied ; they wanted wives.
Whereupon the provident King senta cargo or two of
wives from the orphanages of Paris, who were readily
snapped up, but hardly " gave satisfaction," for Paris,
with all its greatness, was scarcely an agricultural
centre, and the girls knew nothing of farming. For the
future the good King did better, and sent maidens from
Normandy and Brittany, a hundred or two at a time
with a matron to look after each cargo. In New France,
meanwhile, the government provided for the damsel's
reception. Celibacy was penalized, and the bachelor
was bound over under pain of a fine to be a married
man within a fortnight of the arrival of the next con-
signment of brides. The clergy seconded the eflForts of
the civil powers and were all for large families. The
poor little children were numerous and neglected at
first, ill clad and ill housed. But with British rule, the
French peasant settled down to more solid comfort.
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1 64 TheHabitani.
He had no longer such strong inducements to take
to the woods and escape paternal government, though
up to the middle of this century the West swarmed
with French Canadians turned Indian and mated with
squaws.
Farming and lumbering are the main industries of
the French outside the towns, into which they throng to
become operatives. Many thousands go to the States
to fill the factories of New England, till there are
there some half million French Canadians, many still
strongly French, many denationalized with translated
names. The priests follow them up, but are not so
able amid American influences to retain their hold
on their flocks as among the Catholic traditions of
Canada,
In Dr Drummond's poems we have as lively a
picture of the French Canada of to-day as we have
of the Old Regime in the fascinating histories of
Parkman. We have the peasant as be is, simply
pood-he^rtecj, affectionate, and shrewd.
rusticuSy dbnormis sapiens^ crassaque Minerva.
We surprise hipi wooipg, we watch him working,
we listen to him aged and garrulous. The cure, the
notary, the doptor, tjie farmer, and the lumberman meet
ws at every turn, and we have a capital sketch of thQ
plever young man who " goes on Les Etats Unis."
The picture qf "Le Vieux Temps" and "Ole Tan;'-
^re idyllip. The pld man dreams gf 0I4 times ;
'* O dem was pleasure day for sure, dem day of long ago,
Wen I was play wit' all de boy, an' all de girl also,*'
(In passing qne may ren^ark the Habitant is like oux
friend "who loyed the exact tr\ith to vindicate," and
Jiis corrections pf his estimates of numbers and his con-
ppientious supplemental stateipents ^re most pleasing.
"De win' she blow lak hurricane,
pimeby she blow some more")
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The Habitant. 165
Yes, in the days of long ago he was happy in his
father s home in ** a nice, nice familee, Dat's ten gar9on
an' f orteen girl, was mak' it twenty free." The large
families are still a characteristic of Lower Canada ; in
fact the Government bonus them, and the father of
twelve children receives a grant of 160 acres of land
free. The result is that the French spread and the
English are being crowded out of Quebec Province,
while certain townships of Eastern Ontario are getting
uncomfortably French. For this bonus we are indebted
to the late M. Mercier, but it was not always so.
" De English peep dat only got wan familee small size
Mas' be feel glad dat tam dere is no bonder acre prize
For fader of twelve cbirren— ^dey know dat mus' be so,
De Canayens would boss Kebeck — mebbe Ontario,"
But this is another story, our peasant says, and goes
on to say they were "never lonesome on dat house,"
and tells of a merry-making when he was twenty-one,
with Bonhomme Latour to make music with his fiddle,
and " ole Cur6 Ladonceur " to give the sanction of the
church and prevent excessive flirtation. Then follow
stories of the 18th century days " w'en Iroquois sauvage
she's keel de Canayens an' steal deir hair," and they
set off for their homes with a warning from the Cur6
"prenez garde pour les sauvages." The natural con-
sequence follows, and Elmire —
" Ma girl — she's fader beeg farmer — leev 'noder side St Flore,
Got five-six bonder acre — mebbe a leetle more —
Nice sugar-bush — une belle maison — de bes' I never see — "
is betrothed ere she gets home. Perhaps there were
other reasons precipitating the match than the fear of
Iroquois, and at any rate all reluctance on the lady's
part vanishes on the suggestion that
*' Polique Gautier your frien' on St C6saire
Tax her marry me nex' wick — she tak' me — I don't care."
I fear more marriages are foreshadowed than are
pv«r registered ii^ French Canada as elsewhere. Paul
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i66 The Habitant
Joulin " de mos' riche man on Ste Angelique " proves
too great a catch for Mamzelle Julie, though we are
told " she's love only jus' wan man," and alas ! " w'en
J^r^mie come oif de wood nex' spring " it turns out he
had experienced a similar change in favour of " 'noder
girl on Ste Doroth^e."
We have some interesting pictures of lumbering
life, away in the woods, where for months thrqugh
the winter, timber is hewn and made ready to be rafted
down the rivers into the St Lawrence, and to Trois
Riviferes and Quebec, thence to find its way to the
Tyne and the Clyde.
** Yourse'f an* res' of de boy, Johnnie, by light of de coal oil
lamp,
An' you're singin' an' tolin' story, sittin' aroun' de camp,
We hear de win* on de chimley, an' we know it was bceg,
beeg storm.
But ole box stove she is roarin', an* camp's feelin' nice an'
warm.
•*An' Louis Charette asleep, Johnnie, wit' hees back up agen de
wall,
Makin' soche noise wit' hees nose, dat you t'ink it was moose
on de fall."*
Johnnie meanwhile is reading in his bunk a letter
received three months before with some cabalistic
signs * J J, the meaning of which the narrator con-
jectures, probably correctly. Yet for all this three
months
"It's fonny you can't do widout it ev'ry tam you was goin' to bed,
W'y readin' dat letter so often, you must have it all on de head."
But in deference to a request from the floor Johnnie
puts Philomene into his pocket and comes down to sing,
and the song is followed by the fiddle, and the fiddle by
" leetle small danser."
• Old Eoglish for "Autumn.*'
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TheHahitanL 167
But it is not only the Frenchman who goes lum-
bering. Mr Arthur Stringer has drawn us the
Englishman in the shanty. And if 'Poleon has to
explain to M'sieu' Smit', who comes hunting with his
"chien boule dog" and his "bat' tubbe," that it is
useless for him to "spik heem de crowd on de
Parisien " ; or, in other words that the Habitant's
accent is not of Paris ; I must apologise to the
academic reader for offending his cultivated ear with
an unfamiliar twang, yet my apology is that in a
strange land you hail a fellow-stranger as a man and
a brother even if he does drop an occasional H, or even
(and I have known a case) because he does it. Here
then is the English view of the lumbering life :
"Out 'ere it's chop the whole day long,
With the icicles round your mouth,
And your 'ands a-freezin onto your axe
And the red sun low in the South.
"Till the grey light says it's supper time,
And we chops our last log through.
And go marching 'ome with the Frenchies first
A-singin' their parlez-voo.
"And then as you look across the hills
At the shanties' curlin' smoke,
You think of grub, an' you somehow feels
As work is good for a bloke.
''And you drinks the air like a shandy-gaff
For it's booze that's better'n wine;
And makes you eat like a tramcar 'orse,
And sleep like a bloomin' swine.
"And you lay at nights, and 'ear the wind
A-driftin' up the snow.
While a 'Alf-breed grunts in the bunk above
And a Frenchie snores below."
So far, so good; and the conclusion of the whole
matter?
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1 68 The Habitant.
"Your world out *ere is free and big,
And you air may be champagne,
But I want the stink of a Lunnon fog
In this 'ere nose again.'*
Not so Telesphore, for when winter goes and with
it the snow (the subject of a beautiful poem from which
I interpolate a verse
•*No wan day you sing lak robin,* but you got no tam for
singin'
So busy it was keepin' you get breakfas' on de snow,
But de small note you was geev us, w'en it join de sleigh bell
ringin'
Mak' de true Canadian music, mon cher petit oiseau.") ;
then comes the rafting
** Dis is jus* de tam I wish me, I could spik de good English—
me —
For tole you of de pleasurement we get upon de spring,
W'en de win' she's all a-sleepin', an' de raf she go a sweepin'
Down de reever on some morning, w'ile de rossignol is
sing."
'*An' down on de reever de wil' duck is quackin'
Along by de shore leetle san' piper ronne
De bullfrog he's gr-rompin' an' dor6 is jompin'
Dey all got deir own way for mak* it de fonne."
And then with his winter's wages Telesphore goes
home to see the "nice leetle Canadienne" he left
behind him — if she is not " marriee." For
**Ma frien' dafs a fack, I know you will say,
W'en you come on dis contree again,
Dere's no girl can touch w'at we see ev'ry day
De nice leetle Canadienne."
And what of the Frenchman who goes "on Lea
Etats Unis " ? Sometimes he does not come back, and
* The Canadian robin is a red-breasted thrusb, a duller, if a more
imposing, bird than our own, and its song is not remarkable.
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The HahitanL 169
sometimes he does, either an American or still a poor
Habitant to wander no more. Witness " How Bateese
came home." He saw no use in "male' foolish on de
farm " with no chances and no fun and no money, so
he would go to the States and make a fortune, and
come back with a Yankee wife and go into parliament
and build a fine house " more finer dan de Presbytere."
The French village, I should say, is of whitewashed
frame cottages, with a grand Church of stone and z,
Presbytery only less gfrand beside the Church. Sir Grrey
Carleton bought French acquiescence in English rule
by conceding the old French civil code, under which
the priest can borrow money to build Church or Pres-
bytery without consulting his parishioners, but with
their farms as security. Naturally as one sails up the
river the big churches strike the eye at every point.
But Bateese' house is to eclipse the priest's. Fifteen
years later the train comes in at Rivi&re du Loup
" An* beeg swell feller jump off car, dat's boss by nigger man " ;
or in plainer terms off the Pullman. He is dressed
"on de premiire classe," has a fine gold chain, nice
portmanteau, overcoat and beaver hat, and a red tie.
No, it is not Jean Baptiste Trudeau— it was, but he is
John B. Waterhole and has forgotten his French. Even
at the " Hotel du Canadaw " he cannot drink " w'isky
blanc" or smoke "tabac Canayen," preferring cigars
costing as much as five cents. At last his father has to
come and take him home.
*'De ole man say Bateese spik French, w'en he is place on
bed—
An' say bad word — but w'en he wake— forget it on hees head."
John B. returns to the States and the bad times come.
One day from a freight train descends a poor man—
Bateese.
" He know me very well dis tam, an' say ' Bon jour, mon vieux