Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/879

* SERF. 7it9 which (lie French serf never obtained. More- over, in England llie last known act of enfran- chisement took place in the reign of Klizabelli. Jn Germany serfdom was generally not of a very harsh kind, though it varied considerably in different parts of llie country. In some por- tions of Prussia, however, peasants were, until 1773, in a state of absolute slavery. Serfdom was abolished in Prussia by the decree of October 9, 1807, which was issued through the influence .of Stein and his associates. This declared that from ilartiumas, 1810, all persons sbould be free in the States of Prussia. Sulisequent en- aetuients removed the social and property dis- tinctions, which had separated the classes, and gave to every citizen the power to possess in fee simple all kinds of property. This legislation was generally imitated in the other German States. The remains of the German system of serfdom lingered until 1836 in Saxonj', and until 1848 in Austria. In Russia, where the feudal system never pre- vailed, and the early condition of the peasant was not a servile one, the reduction of the peasantry to a state of serfdom and their attach- ment to the soil were gradually effected, and did not prevail to a very great extent till the close of the sixteenth century. Peter the Great strength- ened the attachment of the serf to the soil for fiscal reasons, and under Catharine. II. the system reached its highest development, the serf being reduced to so low a level that he differed little, if at all, from a slave. Serfs were regarded by law as a part of the proprietor's working capital, and as such were bought and sold, some- times with the land, and sometimes without it. The serf had no legal means of self-defense. Alexander I. introduced various inijirovemonts in the condition of the peasantry, particularly those belonging to the Crown, and in liis reign serfdom was abolished in Courland and Livonia in order to weaken the power of the German nobles of those districts. The entire abolition of villeinage ■was effected by Alexander II. (q.v.) by a very sweeping measure. The manifesto of March 3 (February 10), 1861. gave personal freedom to more than twenty millions of serfs. Bibliography. Waitz, Deutsche Terfassungs- geschiclile, vol. i. (3d ed., Berlin, 1880) ; Brunncr, Deutsche Rechtsfiescliichte (Leipzig, 1887-92); Fustel de Coulanges, Histoire dcs institutions politifjucs de I'ancieiinc France (Paris, 1890) ; id.. Questions historiques (ib., 1893) ; Kemble, SajTons in England (new ed.. London, 1876) ; Nasse, Uebcr die miitclalterlichc Fcldgcmein- schaft (Bonn.. 1869) ; Seebohm. The English Vil- lage Communit;/ (4th ed., London. 1890) : Meit- zen. Sicdelung und Agrariresen (Berlin. 1895) ; Maitland. Domesdng Bool; and Begoitd (Cam- bridge, 1897) ; Vinogradoff, ViUainaqe in Eng- land {Oxford. 189-2) ; llallam, Vicir of the ^tate of Europe During the Middle Ages (11th ed., Lon- don, 18,5.5) ; Knapp. Die Bauernbefrciung und der Vrsprung der Landarbcitcr in den iitteren Teilcn Preussens (Leipzig. 1887) : id.. Die Landarbeitcr in Knechtschaft und Freiheit (ib.. 1891) ; Engel- mann, Die Leibeigensehaft in Russland (ib., 1884) : Leroy-Beaulieu. J/empire des Tsars et les Fusses (Eng. trans.. New York. 1893) : Wal- lace. Russia (2d ed.. ib., 1881): Page, End of Villainage in England (ib., 1900) : Sfe. Les classes rurales et le rt'gime domanial en France en moyen age (ib., 1901). SERGEANTY. SERGEANT (OF. sergeant, Fr. scrgcnt. Prov. sincnl, sirtinl, servant, from Lat. srrricns, pres. part, of scrrire, to serve; connected with sirens, slave). An important non-commissioned rank in the army; the next rank above (hat of cor- poral. Modern conditions ileniaml more intelli- gence and military training than ever before, and liavc consequently greatly increased the duties of the grade. In extended movements, the >ergennt is frci|uenlly cm|ielle<l to act on hU own initia- tive. In both the United States and the Mritish armies, sergeants are distinguished by three chevrons; in the former they arc of the color ap- propriate to the arm of the service and are worn on both sleeves of the coat. Hritish ser- geants wear three gold stripes or clievrons on the left arm only, and wear a silk sash, similar to that worn by the commissioned oHieer, except that it is worn over the right shoulder. Sec Chevrons; Xox-Commissionku Okkuek. SERGEANT-AT-ARMS. In the English Court of Chancery, an olliccr who attends upon the Lord Chancellor with a mace, and executes various writs of process directed to him. appre- hending, for example, ])ersnns pninounceil in con- tempt of the court. . similar odicer is attached to each House of Parliament and arrests those whom the House orders to be arrested. Ser- geants-at-arnis are also attached to the linit^d States Senate and House of Kepresentatives. They receive a salary of .$4500 a year. They arc authorized to preserve order in both Houses, and also have oluirge of the payment of members. SERGEANT-AT-XAW. See Skr.ieant-at- Law. SERGEANT-FISH (so called from its lateral stripes, which resemble a sergeant's chevrons). A large strong voracious fish ( Rachgcentron cana-- dus), of the southeastern coast of the I'nited States, related to the mackerels, but superficially resembling a remora. Hs haMit of lingering about large fishes has led to its being named "shark's waiting-bo}';' and it is also called cobia and crab-eater. It reaches a length of 5 feet, and is olive brown, with obscurely striped sides. SERGEANTY, Grand (OF. sergentie. ser- jantie, from sergeant, sergeant, servant). A species of tenure by which many of the nobility of England held their lands of the King luider the feudal system. .Xfter the Conquest the land was parceled out among the followers of the Con- qiieror according to their rank. M that time two s])ecies of tenure were introdui'cd : ti'uure by knight service, consisting of an obligation to per- form military service in lime of war; ami tenure by sergeant g. grand and petit, which involved, in addition to military service, some further service to the King in time of peace. A tenant by grand sergeanty was boimd to render some personal ser- vice to the King, as to be his standard-bearer, cup- bearer, or chamberlain, and to attend Court dur- ing certain seasons. Such tenure was also .said to be /)(')■ barnniam ; the tenants became known as barons, and were higher in rank than the others. Although originally lands so held cotild not be divided or alienated, (his was quietly done from time to time, and the burdens of the tenure gradually became extinct, and were linally abol- ished with the military (enures. However, (he heredi(ary privileges and honors, as (o be s(an- dard-bearer, etc., are still claimed by the great