Le Maine Sous L'ancien Regime

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Le Maine Sous L'ancien Regime PRÉ LIMINAIRES. ILe Maine •teiiuiI .. IinasIon roniithie juisqiiauii (ap.(Iens. - La ligne qui marque aujourdhui le contour extérieur des deux départements de la Maenne et de la Sarthe. nous peut servir assez bien à figurer létendue (le lancienne province du Maine, du moins au Nord et à lOuest. Il suffit, pour en dessiner la carte exacte, de remonter la frontière méri- dionale de ces deux départements, au-dessus de Craon, de Chàleau-Gontier et de La Flèche qui appartenaient àlAnou, et de reprendre au département de Loir et Cher, Montoire et Mondou Heau. Lorigine de cette circonscription territoriale est fort an- cienne; pour en découvrir les premières traces, il faut se reporter à une époque antérieure même à la fondation de la monarchie franque. Lorsque César vint, à la tête de ses légions, installer la domination romaine dans les Gaules, il trouva ce pays habité par trois peuplades, qui sétaient réunies en confédération sous le nom dAulerques. Toutes trois étaient groupées autour dune cité: les Cénomans, près (le Subdinnum (Le Mans); les Arviens, près de Vagoritum (Sauhres) ; Is Diablintes, près rie Neoduniim (,Iutrlains) Docuniert I I I I I! I 11111 I II 0000005611133 j - 1-- Comme toutes les autres confédérations de la Gaule, les Aulerques vivaient isolément; aucun lien ne les rattachait à une volonté unique et centrale; aussi, quand ic jour du péril arriva, ils ne purent opposer de résistance efficace au flot de linvasion, et subirent le joug de létranger. César, qui voulait faire oublier aux Gaulois leur défaite, adoucit pour eux les amertumes de lhumiliation en respectant leur autonomie. Sous Auguste, qui, le premier, donna une organisation politique à la Gaule, les Aulerques furent compris dans la province appelée Lyonnaise, dont le gouverneur résidait à Lyon, et se transformèrent peu it peu au contact des colonies romaines qui venaient chaque jour simplanter an milieu deux. Chaque cité avait un sénat municipal (curia) délibérant sur ses intérêts, et des décurions chargés tantôt dadministrer ses revenus, tantôt de rendre justice aux citoyens dans les causes de simple police municipale. Tous ces magistrats étaient choisis parmi les indigènes possédant 25 arpents de terre. Un agent du fisc impérial percevait un impôt foncier dans la proportion dun vingtième (lu revenu, et une contri- bution personnelle sur les citoyens libres. Les historiens saccordent à reconnail re que ladministration :romaine, pendant les deux premiers siècles, loin dêtre défa- vorable à la prospérité (le la Gaule, développa au contraire chez elle, le goùt du commerce et de lindustrie (I) et accrut notablement le bien-être des habitants. Nous nen voulons dautre preuve que les débris dhabitations qui ont été mis au jour par des fouilles récentes à Jublains (); les moindres vestiges de cet âge portent lempreinte du luxe et du confor- table, tout y révèle la richesse et la splendeur. Au 1110 siècle, la Gaule commence à ressentir le contre-coup des maux qui minent sourdement la société romaine. Le sceptre du protecteur devint la verge du tyran. Aussi long- (1) Cadurci, Caleti, Bituriges, ultimique horninum existiinati Morini, imo vero universm Gallioe vela texunt. Plinius major. - Hist. nat. L. XtX, C. Il ( Voir la notice de M. Barbe, sur Jublains. Le Mans 1865. temps que les légions gardèrent intactes leurs conquêtes, les Empereurs prélevèrent sur leurs sujets de quoi satisfaire les prodigalités insensées de leurs débauches, et rassasier lavidité des préfets du prétoire et des gouerneurs, sans trot) pressurer les populations. Mais lorsque lEmpire fut amoindri par les invasions des barbares, les exigences du fisc devinrent écrasantes. Pour combler les vides du trésor, ils imaginèrent de créer de nouvelles provinces en subdivisant les anciennes, et leur imposèrent les tributs quils avaient perdus. Lexpédient était sûr mais désastreux. Des quatre provinces qui existaient en Gaule sous Auguste ils en firent jusqu à dix-sept. Les Aulerques furent compris successivement dans la 2 Lyonnaise, dont le centre était à Rouen, et dans la 3e Lyonnaise ayant pour cher- lieu lours. Alors une lutte sen- gagea entre les agents du fisc, les collecteurs et les contribua- bles, lutte qui aboutit à la ruine des vainqueurs et des vaincus. « Partagés sans cesse entre la crainte de voir leurs moissons ravagées par les incursions des barbares et celle dêtre « dépouillés du produit de leurs récoltes par les exactions du « lise, les habitants des campagnes préféraient vendre leur u liberté aux monastères qui jouissaient dexemptions. La « classe moyenne des curiales nétait pas plus heureuse, car « chacun de ses membres était tenu de remplir la charge de « collecteur, or comme ils étaient responsables sur leurs « biens de lacquittement total des tributs et que les contri- « [mables étaient insolvables ou très rares, il sensuivait que e le fardeau de limpôt (I) retombait tout entier sur eux.... « Ruinée par cette oppression la classe des curiales ne tarda « pas à disparaître, les uns se firent brigands, les autres tom- « bèrent dans les classes inférieures et grossirent tes rangs « des esclaves. » Cest en vain que les populations auraient essayé de secouer leur joug, un réseau de fer les enveloppait. Home avait remis dans les mains des rouverneurs des villes des pouvoirs considérables. Le même homme était interprète do droit et dépositaire de la force, accusateur public, juge et exécuteur dans les causes pénales, commentateur du droit 1) Pour se faire une juste idée de cette époque lamentable, il tant lire le très-remarquable tableau quen a tracé Iv. Albert de Broglie. -- LEglise et lEmpire romain au iv" siècle. -- - dans les causes civiles, juge et partie dans les causes politiques. Les derniers Empereurs pourtant sémurent des plaintes que soulevait partout cette omnipotence, et permirent aux villes un délire protecteur (defensor civitatis) pour défendre leurs intérêts contre loppression. Les réclamations de ce magistrat allaient directement au préfet du prétoire, sans passer par la filière (les autorités provinciales, privilége qui lui donna une grande prépondérance dans les affaires. Dans presque toutes les villes qui, comme Snbdinnum (Le Mans), avaient Llfl siège épiscopal, les fonctions (le defensor ewitatis étaient confiées à lévêque, autant par déférence pour son mérite, (lue par considération pour sou caractère. Comme il exerçait un grand prestige moral, il lemporta peu à peu en influence sur le gouverneur, et se trouva même bientôt en possession (le certaines prérogatives de la puissance publique. Au lieu de recourir à la juridiction du gouverneur, souvent suspect de servilité, les fidèles préférèrent soumettre leurs contestations à laudience épiscopale, où le juge tàcliait toujours de terminer les procès à lamiable. Cette magistrature sétait si bien im- plantée dans les moeurs, que vers la fin de lEmpire, Arcadius voulut la régulariser, et déclara que désormais les sentences rendues par les évêques auraient le même effet légal et obli- gatoire que les sentences (les tribunaux civils. Une fois sanctionnée, la juridiction épiscopale ne fit (lue sétendre, et elle arriva insensiblement à connaître des délits qui touchaient de près ou de loin aux personnes ecclésiastiques et de ceux dont les églises étaient le théàtre. Cest là sans aucun doute lorigine du pouvoir judiciaire que les évêques nont cessé dexercer dans les villes de leur résidence pendant tout le cours du moyen âge. Malgré les remaniements successifs qui avaient bouleversé la Gaule sous ladministration romaine, les Diablintes, les Arviens et les Cénomans sétaient maintenus ensemble sans se morceler, ni se fondre avec leurs voisins. Sans compter les liens de la tradition, lévêque des Cénomans, en traçant autour djeux les limites de sa juridiction spirituelle,spirituelle, navait pas peu contribué à conserver cette unité. Les Mérovingiens firent du diocèse une circonscription adminiative,str et y préposèrent nu comte qui ne tarda pas à - 7 -- lériger en petit royaume. Il y rendait la justice, levait des guerriers, battait monnaie, en un mot exercait tous les droits de la souveraineté. Quand il siégeait à son tribunal, il était environné de sept rachimbourgs élus par le peuple et avec son concours, lesquels lui tenaient lieu de conseil. Lappel de ses sentences ressortissait au plaid du palais. Dans lacité des Cénomans, son autorité se trouvait réduite à celte dun chef militaire, car le régime municipal y fonctionnait encore comme sous les Romains. Un acte de Cliildebert I, ainsi que les testaments de saint Bertram et (I) saint Hadouin ne laissent aucun doute à cet égard; la curie publique, le défenseur de ta cité, le curateur, le principal, les prudhommes (boni hommes), les registres publics y sont expressément nommés. De pins, lévêque, par droit dancienneté et par ses lumières, y conservait le premier rang. Le rôle darbitre quil était alors fréquemment appelé à remplir dans les querelles dintérêt qui divisaient les vainqueurs et les vaincus avait singulièrement accru limportance de sa dignité; il présidait au guvernemetnt temporel et spirituel, et battait monnaie (2) comme un souverain. Lorsquen 66i Clotaire 111 octnoa aux Cénomans la faculté délire leur comte, il conféra nième à lévêque te droit de veiller à ladministration générale du pas. Lacte de concession portait que ce chef ne pourrait entrer en fonctions avant davoir été soumis à lélection des abbés, des prêtres, des habitants, et â celle de lèvégue. (3) Sons les Carlovingiens, le Maine (nous pouvons maintenant nous servir de ce nom) perdit un instant son indépendance, et fut placé, comme toutes les autres provinces (le lEmpire, sous la surveillance des envoyés royaux (missi dominici) qui visitaient quatre fois par an lespagi, senquéraient des plaintes, réformaient tes abus, désignaient les scafjji (lui devaient rendre la justice et recevoir les réclamations relatives aux (1) Cauvii,. -- Histoire de la municipalité du Mans, page 69 et suiv. () Ilucher, monnaies du Maine. (3) Ada epise. cnuoni. S. Iterarius, - Haluii wiseellanca, t. lii. impôts. Les juges au lieu dêtre, comme autrefois, des jurés ou rachiinbourgs prononçant sur le sort de leurs pairs, devin- rent des magistrats royaux.
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