NRA-L-000020 / 1777

Letter from Dupuy de Tavoie [identity unverified] to Monsieur de la Bardoüillere, 1777-03-17

French letter from the writer signing `Dupuy de tavoie` at Saumur to Monsieur de la Bardoüillere concerning excessive bailiff fees and summonses imposed on Chemon, the writer's brother-in-law.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000020

NRA-L-000020 image 1 showing the address panel for Dupuy's letter to Monsieur de la Bardouillère at La Graffiniere.
Image 1Address panel and exterior annotations.
NRA-L-000020 image 2 showing the first page of Dupuy's letter from Saumur, dated 17 March 1777, concerning cens and summons costs.
Image 2Letter text - Page 1.
NRA-L-000020 image 3 showing the second page, closing and signature of Dupuy's 1777 letter.
Image 3Letter text - Page 2, closing and signature.

Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address Panel

Original transcript

A Monsieur
Monsieur de la Bardoüillere
En Son Château de la Graffiniere
P.sse de Cuon
A la Graffiniere

Address Panel

English translation

To Monsieur
Monsieur de la Bardoüillere
at his Château de la Graffiniere
Parish of Cuon
La Graffiniere

Letter Text - Page 1

Original transcript

Monsieur
J'ai l'honneur de vous presenter mon Respect, Et mêmme de vous faire part
que j'ai Eté Chargé Il y a 15. Jours et 3. semaines de la part de Mr Chemon
mon beau frere demeurant prés Loudun de payer pour lui les Cens dont
vous lui avez fait demande par 3. assignations separées, demande qui n'en
Exigeoit qu'vne purement & Simplement pour vous payer 2.lt 5.s 11.d pour [l.s]
années Echües au terme de la st. michel derniere 1776. Ce que le fermier du
sr. Chemon a offert de payer lors qu'il S'est presenté en y payant des Rentes
En froment qu'il Etoit Chargé de payer de la part dud. sr. Chemon.
Voulez Vous bien me permettre de vous presenter Icy vne observation
Sur la Conduite qu'a Tenu L'huissier Chargé de former action a votre Req.te
Contre vos Censitaires
L'huissier sur la Cupidité S'est Emparé ainsy que de M.rs les feudistes
qui partagent les Emolumens des frais qu'ils font, ont à votre Requete fait
Lâcher sur les Censiers de votre fief D'joune vne quantité D'assignations a
divers particuliers le 9. Janv.er d.er Il est Etonnant que Monsieur fouches Votre
procureur ait Eté chercher vn h.er De mouliherne pour Venir a saumur assigner vos
Censitaires, pend.t qu'il y a des huissiers Sur les lieux mêmes, ou dumoin peu distanciés
puisque la journée de l'huissier que l'on a pris Est de 15.lt A qui a formé de
30. assignations que l'on fait payer 3.lt 11.s 3.d chaque dans vn seul jour
Pour Eviter de plus gros frais Jai satisfait mr fouches des Cens qui vous
Etoient Dûs, Et en outre de 10.lt 13.s 9.d qu'il m'a fait payer pour le Coût de
3. assignations

Letter Text - Page 1

English translation

Saumur, 17 March 1777
Sir,
I have the honour to present my respects to you, and even to inform you that I was tasked 15 days and 3 weeks ago on behalf of Mr Chemon, my brother-in-law living near Loudun, to pay for him the cens which you demanded of him by 3 separate summonses, a demand which required only one purely and simply to pay you 2 livres 5 sols 11 deniers for the years due at the term of Michaelmas last, 1776. Which the tenant farmer of Sieur Chemon offered to pay when he presented himself, while paying the rents in wheat that he was tasked to pay on behalf of the said Sieur Chemon.
Would you kindly allow me to present here an observation on the conduct held by the bailiff tasked with bringing action at your request against your censitaires.
The bailiff, seized by greed, as well as the Messrs feudists who share the emoluments of the costs they generate, have at your request unleashed upon the censiers of your fief of D'joune a quantity of summonses to various individuals on 9 January of this year.
It is astonishing that Monsieur Fouches, your attorney, went to find a bailiff from Mouliherne to come to Saumur to summon your censitaires, while there are bailiffs on the very spot, or at least at a short distance, since the day rate of the bailiff who was taken is 15 livres, who has drawn up 30 summonses that are charged at 3 livres 11 sols 3 deniers each in a single day.
To avoid greater costs, I have satisfied Mr Fouches for the cens that were owed to you, and in addition for 10 livres 13 sols 9 deniers that he made me pay for the cost of 3 summonses.

Letter Text - Page 2

Original transcript

Je suis à lieu de prouver que l'h.er a assigné le même jour 9. Janv.er d.er
plus de 24. a 25. particuliers Sous vos Redevances A qui a 3.lt 11.s 3.d forment
vn gros Capital et que l'on peut Regarder Comme Concussion
le sr Chemon qui Respecte beaucoup l'avantage qu'il à d'étre
Votre Censitaire ne peut se dispenser dans Ce moment de vous temoigner son
mécontentement, et avant d'En porter Sa plainte et demande En Restitution Contre
l'huissier dont j'et fort bien fondée, (Par avis M. le procureur du Roi de Saumur)
Croit devoir vous prévenir de la Conduite que l'on a tenu Contre lui Et Comme
vous etes judicieux et a lieu de faire Reprimer les abus qui se Commetent En
pareille Circonstance Sur la vexation, M. Chemon Espère que vous Voudrez
bien Lui faire Rendre justice et Satisfaction Sous peu En luy faisant Restituer
par mr. fouches 7.lt 2.s 6.d que l'on a perçu Injustement par ce qu'il est
Constant que l'on ne doit qu'vne assign.on de 3.lt 11.s 3.d et qui font des frais
Encore assez honnétes pour vn principal de 2.lt 5.s 11.d
J'ai vû de mes propres yeux sur l'état dressé par mr. fouches de toutes
les Redevances que vous avez fait demander que l'on fait payer aux debiteurs
3.lt 11.s 3.d pour Chaque assign.on Ce qui est Ignominieux et que l'on est dans le Cas de
faire taxer les frais de l'huissier.
J'ai l'honneur d'Étre tres Respectueusement
Monsieur
Votre tres humble & tres ob.t Serviteur
Dupuy de tavoie
A Saumur le 17. mars 1777.

Letter Text - Page 2

English translation

I am in a position to prove that the bailiff summoned on the same day, 9 January of this year, more than 24 to 25 individuals subject to your dues, which at 3 livres 11 sols 3 deniers forms a large capital and which can be regarded as official extortion.
Sieur Chemon, who highly respects the advantage he has of being your censitaire, cannot refrain at this moment from expressing his dissatisfaction to you, and before bringing his complaint and demand for restitution against the bailiff, which is very well founded (by the advice of the King's Prosecutor of Saumur), believes it his duty to warn you of the conduct that has been held against him.
And as you are judicious and in a position to have the abuses repressed that are committed in such circumstances regarding harassment, Mr Chemon hopes that you will kindly have justice and satisfaction rendered to him shortly by having Mr Fouches restitute to him 7 livres 2 sols 6 deniers that were unjustly collected, because it is established that only one summons of 3 livres 11 sols 3 deniers is owed, and which still makes for quite decent costs for a principal of 2 livres 5 sols 11 deniers.
I saw with my own eyes on the statement drawn up by Mr Fouches of all the dues you had demanded that the debtors are made to pay 3 livres 11 sols 3 deniers for each summons. Which is ignominious and puts one in the position of having the bailiff's costs officially assessed.
I have the honour to be very respectfully,
Sir,
Your very humble and very obedient servant
Dupuy de Tavoie

Discovery Terms

  • Historical correspondence
  • Private collection
  • Letter
  • French language
Historical context Cens arrears and disputed bailiff fees 3 sources

A small debt followed by much larger costs

The letter of 17 March 1777 concerns arrears of cens: a principal sum of 2 livres, 5 sols and 11 deniers said to have fallen due at Michaelmas 1776. The writer objects that three summonses were issued where one would have sufficed.[1]

The account gives 3 livres, 11 sols and 3 deniers for one summons. Three such charges total 10 livres, 13 sols and 9 deniers; the requested repayment of two charges is therefore 7 livres, 2 sols and 6 deniers. This arithmetic follows the document's own figures.[1, 3]

The accusation of concussion

The writer calls the conduct concussion. In the 1762 dictionary of the Académie française, the term denoted an unlawful exaction by a public officer beyond what was due. Its use makes the complaint serious, but it remains the writer's accusation rather than a judicial finding.[1, 2]

Currency and scale

Under the accounting system used in the letter, one livre comprised 20 sols and one sol 12 deniers. The writer also reports that a bailiff from Mouliherne received 15 livres a day and issued about thirty summonses; those additional claims are preserved as testimony and have not been independently verified.[1, 3]

Evidence and limits

The writer's identity remains uncertain, and no related court or estate account has been located. The alleged excess fees, daily rate and number of summonses are not treated as proven facts about the officials involved.[1]

Sources & evidence (3)
  1. Primary source · manuscript Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000020, digital images and reviewed transcript of the letter dated 17 March 1777. View the archive record Supports the debt, fees, arithmetic, reported daily rate and accusation.
  2. Historical dictionary Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 4th edition (1762), entry 'concussion'. Read the dictionary entry Supports the contemporary meaning of concussion as an unlawful exaction.
  3. Historical reference work Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, entry 'Sol'. Read the reference entry Supports the relationship between livres, sols and deniers.

Reviewed 2026-07-29 · Context version 1.0

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