Marie Claude Pajot and the French Class System Cont.

If this French class system, sounds a little odd, it is also important to note that even in early New England, some clothing was restricted to the social elite.  For instance, there was something called a Freeman List, maintained for the settlers, and in order to make this list, a person had to have a certain amount of land, or “income equivalent to the income received from that amount of land”.   If you met this criteria, you earned the title of  'Mister' and could now wear 'costly garments with ornaments of silver, gold, or lace threads'.   As for the Pajots, they belonged to the Bourgeoise, and the family rose the ranks in much the same manner as the others in their class.  Marie Claude's father obtained a seigneury with his marriage, and then Marie Claude herself, added the barony of Saint-Just, through her own marriage to Jean de Poitrincourt.   Her family were mostly merchants and tradesmen.  Her Uncle Guillaume Pajot was, like her father, a Candle Maker.  Aunt Jeanne Pajot married Mathieu Bedeau, another man in the trade.  Uncle Jean Pajot was a lumber merchant, and Aunt Jacqueline Pajot married Nicolas Hebert, Spice Merchant to the Queen.

Of her cousins (children of Uncle Hugh Pajot and Barbe Milletdot) Guillaume was a Notary in Paris, Henri a Hat Merchant, Marguerite married another Candle Maker, Francois Pillart;  and Thomasse married Candle Maker Etienne Cayn.  But perhaps most importantly; Louise married Jean Aubert, the Haberdasher to the Royal Family; and what did a haberdasher need most?  Beaver!  And how did they get those beaver?  The Fur Trade!  Do you get the connection?

Marie Claude's decision to go to Port Royal, was not entirely her own.  Her husband had already sunk a lot of money into this enterprise and the family fortune was dwindling.  He had recently inherited the Barony of Saint-Just from his mother, so borrowed on that to finance another expedition.  This was do or die. Realizing that one of his mistakes had been in not making a serious attempt to relocate families, he wanted to bring his own along to give the appearance of family living; but also to prove to them just how beautiful this part of the world really was.  By including other Noblemen and Bourgeoise, who had also invested, they would be able to witness the potential firsthand. But whatever the motive, this aristocratic group of adventurers set off on February 26, 1610; loaded to the hilt with provisions, furniture, goods, and munitions and headed in the direction of the infamous Port Royal.   Her husband was quite anxious for most of the journey, fearing a severe reprimand from the King for not taking along the Jesuits, as he had requested.  Instead he sent off a hurried note to the King's Jesuit advisor Father Coton, explaining that he would be going ahead to make preparations for their arrival, and another more formal letter to the Pope, asking his blessing for their colony.  It turned out to be a long and treacherous one, lasting almost three months.  At one point the crew even threatened mutiny, but fortunately Poutrincourt was able to satisfy their demands, and all made it safely to their destination.

Upon their arrival, her husband was pleased to see that everything was as he'd left it, and that the wonderful Membertou was still alive and well.  Looking around, Marie Claude could not have been impressed with what was to become her new home; or at least her 'Canadian Home'  The rough wooden buildings would be difficult to make comfortable and even with the addition of the furnishings she'd brought from her chateau,  they were still just rough wooden buildings.  Like making a purse out of a sow's ear; it might be good enough to hold money, but it was still a sow's ear!

However, the 'high born' friends and family members, that were with them, decided to treat it as an adventure, though their treatment of the local people was not the same as Champlain's or Lescarbot's.  They looked down on the Mi'kmaqs  as 'Savages', or in the very least, Peasants, and often made fun of the 'simple folks' who were to become their neighbours. Poutrincourt had brought along a secular priest, Father La Fleche, with a plan to baptize as many as possible; record it; and then show the evidence to the King; hoping to prove to him once and for all that the services of the Jesuits were not required. The big day was planned for St. John the Baptist Day; June 24; but the ceremony played out more like an Opera or Play; than a blessed event.  All of the inhabitants of Port Royal were in the audience; the 'gentleman' in their finest attire; soldiers, labourers and tradesmen; all waiting for the show to begin. Membertou  went first.  After confessing his sins, and renouncing the Devil, whom he claimed to have served faithfully for a hundred and ten years; he was baptized Henry, in the name of the King of France. Following him was his wife, children and grandchildren; all naked and in a state of spiritual enlightenment, no doubt intensified with the abundance of French wine. In all, twenty-one naked proselytes were gathered on the shore at Port Royal, where the priest in the vestments of his office; and performing to a full crowd, had them kneel before the makeshift altar until the sacred rite was finished; Te Deum was sung, and the roar of cannon proclaimed this triumph over the powers of darkness.  You couldn't see a better show, no matter how much you paid for the ticket, as each one in turn was given the name of  princes, nobles, and ladies of rank.  To show just how irreverent, the snobbish aristocrats viewed the ocassion, they jokingly called Membertoucoichis,  the eldest son of Membertou; Judas.  Mind you most were not Catholic, and only went along with the scheme to appease the Pope and King, and witness the nude performance.  Outside of that, it meant little.  However, a formal register of baptisms was drawn up and Marie Claude's eighteen year old son, Charles de Bienville, Sieur de Saint-Just, more commonly more commonly known as  Biencourt; left on the important mission of taking the book to the King himself.  On the way he learned of the death of  Henry IV, and though he tried to seek the support of Marie De Medici,  he was out of luck.  Through the efforts of Antionette De Pons, and other ladies of the Court, the Jesuit priests made the return trip to Port Royal.   Marie Claude, her husband, and most of their entourage went back to France to plan their next move, leaving Biencourt and his cousin, Charles de La Tour, in charge;  but it was too late.   It would be four years before Jean had the money together, and by then Membertou was dead, the Fort burned to the ground and his employees starving. He went back into the service and was killed on December 5, 1615; in the Battle of Mary-sur-Siene. Marie Claude had already died earlier that year.  Biencourt would remain in Acadia with his cousin, living like Coureur Des Bois. When he died his interests and titles fell to his brother Jacques De Salazar, while Charles De La Tour would become famous in the history of French-Acadia.   More fortunes won and lost in the saga that is Canadian History.

Ancestors of Marie Claude Pajot

Simon Pajot, Candlemaker b: 1510 in St. Gervais, Paris, France m: 1535 in St. Martin's Parish, Paris d: November 09,1563 in St. Gervais, Paris

Isaac Pajot, Seigneur de Guibermesnil b: 1536 in St. Gervais, Paris m: 1566 in St. Gervais, Paris d: August 14,1590 in St.Gervais, Paris

Jeanne Guerineau b: 1514 in St. Martin's Parish; Paris d: October 03, 1572 in St. Gervais,                      Paris

Marie Claude Pajot b: 1570 in St. Gervais, Paris m: August 14, 1590 Troyes,                                         Champagne d: 1615 in Cayeux, Picardy, France

Catherine Gaude, Madame de Guibermesnil b:1550 in St, Gervais, Paris d: Unknown in St. Gervais, Paris

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