It was during one of these fair summer days at Tilly that Sieur
Tranchelot, having acquired the farm of the Bocage, a strip of land
a furlong wide and a league in depth, with a pleasant frontage on
the broad St. Lawrence, the new censitaire came as in duty bound to
render foi et hommage for the same to the lady of the Manor of
Tilly, according to the law and custom of the Seigniory.
At the hour of noon, Lady de Tilly, with Le Gardeur, Amelie, and
Pierre Philibert, in full dress, stood on a dais in the great hall;
Master Cote sat at a table on the floor in front, with his great
clasped book of record open before him. A drawn sword lay upon the
table, and a cup of wine stood by the side of it.
When all was arranged, three loud knocks were heard on the great
door, and the Sieur Tranchelot, dressed in his holiday costume, but
bareheaded and without sword or spurs,--not being gentilhomme he was
not entitled to wear them,--entered the door, which was ceremoniously
opened for him by the majordomo. He was gravely led up to the dais,
where stood the lady of the Manor, by the steward bearing his wand
of office.
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