### ox roasting (signatura boum, consignatio boum) The most important of the privileges of the Székelys was the exemption from paying taxes, but in return they were obliged to fight personally. Instead of tax they gave "voluntary and eager" present to the ruler, and this was the tradition of ox roasting. One out of every four oxen was presented to the king at special occasions: coronation, wedding, the birth of a male child. At these times oxen were marked with the initial of the chair, where it originated from. At the turn of the 15-16th centuries 36-40,000 oxen were given to the ruler. The last ox roasting took place in 1555, although in 1599 voivode Mihai tried to collect some. OT