Sceau du Fief St. Michel du Valle.

Contre Sceau Initiales du dit Seneschal.

[35] Editor’s Note.—The titles of the eleven vavasseurs are:—(1) Gervaise—(2) Capelle—(3) Soulaire—(4) Maresq—(5) Grent Maison—(6) Garis—(7) Béhon—(8) Agenor—(9) Piquemie—(10) Le Moye—(11) Houët. The titles of the sergeants:—(1) Gaillot—(2) Bordier Paisson—(3) de la Lande—(4) Roques des Roques—(5) Bourg—(6) l’Ange. The titles of the bordiers:—(1) Béquerel—(2) Rebour—(3) Renost—(4) Ricard—(5) Nant—(6) Salmon—(7) Infart—(8) Scarabie.

“Briser La Hanse.”

This was a curious civic ceremony which was abolished in the early part of this century. In each of our parishes there are a certain number of functionaries called douzeniers, because the corps in question consists of twelve (douze) members, except in St. Peter Port, where there are twenty, and at St. Michel du Valle, where there are sixteen. When one of these officers was elected, he had to give a feast, to which the electors carried an enormous bouquet of flowers “à deux hanses”—with two handles. The dinner finished and the cloth removed, each man filled his glass, and the abdicating douzenier (le douzenier déhansé) broke one of these handles, previously dipping the bouquet into his glass, and drinking the health of the douzenier hansé. Then the bouquet went round from hand to hand, each man, while moistening it with the spirit that bubbled in his glass, adding his toast to the newly elected or hansé douzenier.

Local Customs—Aquatic.

“Heureux peuple des champs, vos travaux sont des fêtes.”