t sold a holding, that the seigneur secured any
considerable sum. To him then went one-twelfth of the price. The other
chief source of profit, as settlement increased, was from the
seigneur's mill. To it all the occupiers of his land must bring their
grain and pay a fixed charge for its grinding. In scattered settlements
the mill brought little profit and was a source of expense rather than
of income. But, as population increased, this "_droit de banalite_"
became valuable. The mill at Malbaie was, in time, very prosperous.

In Canada the seigneur was not the oppressor of his people but rather
their watchful guardian. He planned roads and other improvements,
checked abuses, and enforced justice. At his side stood, usually, the
priest. The moment a parish was established a cure was entitled to the
tithe; near every manor house, the village church was sure to spring up.
Even when, as at Malbaie, the priest and the seigneur were not of the
same faith they were often fast friends. Nairne's relations were good
with the neighbouring cure, when, at length, Malbaie had a resident
priest. Each village would thus usually have at least two men of some
culture working together for its spiritual and temporal interests. Both
remained in touch with the outside world; the priest with his bishop at
Quebec, the seigneur with the representative there of the sovereign.
Upon each change of governor Nairne was required to appear at Quebec to
render fealty and homage. With head uncovered and wearing neither sword
nor spur he must kneel before the governor, and take oath on the
Gospels to be faithful to the king, to be party to nothing against his
interests, to perform all the duties required by the terms of his
holding, and, especially, to appear in arms to defend the province if
attacked. We find Nairne excused by General Haldimand in 1781 from
discharging this ceremony, but only because he was away on active
service.

When Nairne settled at Murray Bay he was unmarried and so, no doubt,
were the soldiers he brought with him. Only after five or six years did
he himself find a wife but we may be sure that his men did not wait so
long. What more natural than that they should marry the French Canadian
servants of whom Nairne speaks? A visitor at Murray Bay is struck with
names like McNicol, Harvey, Blackburn, McLean, and one or two others
that have a decidedly North British ring. Some, if not all, are names of
one or other of the half dozen sol