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j^6, /3^38 (Z-)

RERUM BRITANNICARUM MEDII MVl

SCRIPTORES,

CHRONICLES AND MEMORIALS OF GREAT BRITAIN

AND IRELAND

DURING

THE MIDDLE AGES.

31575'. a

TEE CHBOmCUS ISO XEHOBIAIS

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

DURING THE MIDDLE AGES.

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTilORJTV 01? HKK MAJESTY'S THE AS UUY, UNDER
TUE DIRECTION OF TUE MASTER OF THE ROLLS.

On the 26th of January 1857, the Master of the Bolls
submitted to the Treasury a proposal for the publication
of materials for the History of this Country from the
Invasion of the Romans to the reign of Henry VIII,

The Master of the Ex>lls suggested that these materials
should be selected for publication under competent
editors without reference to periodical or chronological
arrangement, without mutilation or abridgment, prefer-
ence being given, in the first instance, to such materials
as were most scarce and valuable.

He proposed that each chronicle or historical docu-
ment to be edited should be treated in the same way as
if the editor were engaged on an Editio Princeps ; and
for this purpose the most correct text should be formed
from an accurate coUation of the best MSS.

To render the work more generally useful, the Master
of the Rolls suggested that the editor should give an
account of the MSS. employed by him, of their age and
their peculiarities; that he should add to the work a
brief account of the life and times of the author, and
any remarks necessary to explain the chronology ; but
no other note or comment was to be allowed, except
what might be necessary to establish the correctness of
the text.

a 2

The works to be published in octavo, separately, as
they were finished ; the whole responsibility of the task
resting upon the editors, who were to be chosen by the
Master of the B/oUs with the sanction of the Treasury.

The Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury, after a careful
consideration of the subject, expressed their opinion in a
Treasury Minute, dated February 9, 1857, that the plan
recommended by the Master of the Rolls "was well
calculated for the accomplishment of this important
national object, in an effectual and satisfactory manner,
within a reasonable time, and provided proper attention be
paid to economy, in making the detailed arrangements,
without unnecessary expense."

They expressed their approbation of the proposal that
each Chronicle and historical document should be edited
in such a manner as to represent with all possible correct-
ness the text of each writer, derived from a collation of the
best MSS., and that no notes should be added, except
such as were illustrative of the various readings. They
suggested, however, that the preface to each work should
contain, in addition to the particulars proposed by the
Master of the B;olls, a biographical account of the author,
so far as authentic materials existed for that purpose,
and an estimate of his historical credibUitv and value.

Rolls House,

December 1857.

MONUMENTA JUEIDICA.

THE BLACK BOOK OF THE

ADMIRALTY.

APPENDIX.-PART II.

EDITED

SIR TRAVERS TWISS, Q.C., D.C.L.

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOBITT OF THE LOBDS 0OHHI88IONEBS OF HEB MAJESTY'S
TBEASUBY, UKDEB THE DIBECTION OF THE MASTEB OF THE BOLLS.

VOL. II.

^O N D O N :

LONGMAN & Co., Paternoster Row ; TRtJBNER & Co., Ludgatk Hill

ALSO BY PARKER & Co., OXFORD ;

MACMILLAN & Co., CAMBRIDGE ;

A. & C. BLACK, EDINBURGH ; and A. THOM, DUBLIN.

1873.

/Sp^?;^^

\y^

K^ I^SSg' (

-J

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY

y,^c . zi^'. /<f^^

Printed by „ . . . t>.„.^^
Pyre and Spottiswoodk. Her Maaesty*8 Printers.
EYRE a«a »j, J Majesty's Stationery Office.

CONTENTS.

P«ge

Intkoduction - - . - vii

List of Manuscripts collated ob beferred to Ixxxiii

Table des Mati^bes ----- 2

Le Domesday de Gippewtz - - - - 16

Les Costumes d'Olebon et deu Jutoamen de la

Mar - - - - - - - 210

Table des Mati^bes ----- 244

Les bons Usaoes et les bonnes Costumes et les

BONS JUGEMENZ DE LA COMMUNE d'OlERON - 254

Table des Matures ----- 402

Li Establimens de la Comune de Roan - - 406

La Mani^re comment les Maistres des Navires
et Marchans, et autres Mariniers compaignons
8e doivent regir et qouverner par le juge-

MENT DE LA MeR ET RoOLLE d'OlATRON - - 436

INTRODUCTION.

It is a remarkable fact that almost all the '' Costu-
maries ^ of the English boroughs have disappeared, and
that even the memory of them has in many cases passed
away. A tradition indeed lingers here and there of a
small book " wrot in Law French " having once been
reserved amongst the archives in the custody of the
Town Clerk, but how or when it disappeared has not
been noted, for before its disappearance it had ceased
to be cared for, as the writing had ceased to be readable,
and the language of it was no longer intelligible to
those whom it concerned to be acquainted with its
contents. Tet those Costumaries were documents of
great juridical interest, for they not merely threw light
upon the early history of the English municipal insti-
tutions, and shewed how the boroughs, as they were
constituted during the Anglo-Norman period, were the
nurseries of that spirit of liberty and equal justice,
which undermined and ultimately subverted the feudal
system, but they exhibited the boroughs as in many
instances playing an important part in maintaining the
traditions of a' general law in matters of international
commerce and maritime navigation. Thus we find it
recorded in the Custumary of Ipswich that a court sat
daily in that borough to administer the Law Merchant
between strangers and between burgesses and strangers,
and that a court sat from tide to tide to administer
the Law Marine to passing mariners, and this practice
had been enjoined in the " comyn boke " of the same
town called '* Domysday '* as early as in the second

VUl

INTRODUCTION.

year of the reign of King John (A.D. 1200). We find
it also recorded in the Costumaries of other English
boroughs, of which translations or extracts have been
preserved to our time, that courts sat in those boroughs
from day to day, or from sea to sea, as the case might
be, to administer justice between men of various nations,
whom the spirit of commerce or the necessities of navi
gation happened to bring within their local jurisdiction.

The Domesday of Ipswich is probably the earliest
extant record of any court sitting regularly from tide
to tide to administer the Law Marine in England.
When and how this practice originated does not appear.
It was a legacy of imperial Rome that maritime causes
should be heard without any delay before the competent
judges in each province, and there is good reason for
believing that mediaeval Europe accepted this legacy,
and never allowed it to lapse, and that tribunals for
the special decision of maritime causes were maintained
in some form or other in the more important maritime
cities of Europe during that period, which from the
absence of written records to explain and illustrate the
working of its institutions, we are accustomed to call
*' the Dark Ages." In the particular case of Ipswich
we know that it was an important borough in the
reign of Edward the Confessor, that it had town courts
before the time of William the Norman, and that King
Henry I. in the first year of his reign reorganised those
courts, and that the same king convened the captains
of the northern and of the western fleets to meet him
at Ipswich, where ordinances,^ &c., touching the criminal
jurisdiction to be exercised by them within the seas
belonging to the Bangs of England were decreed by that
king, with the concurrence of his temporal lords.* It is
not too much to suppose that at this time a Customary
Law' of the Sea in civil matters was administered to

* Cod. Just. lib. xi. tit. v. De
^aufragiis Const. 2, 8, and 5<

3 Cf. Black Book of the Admi-
ralty, p. 62.

INTRODUCTION. ix

passing mariners in the moi*e important maritime
boroughs of England, after the example of the mercantile
cities on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and that
the merchants and mariners of Spain and of France
who frequented British ports brought with them many
traditions of maritime Law, which had been preserved
in the Coui-ts of the Sea, of the existence of which in the
great marts of eastern trade on the shores of the
Mediterranean at the commencement of the twelfth
century we have certain evidence in the Assises de
Jerusalem. In western Europe, outside the Pillars of
Hercules, although there may not be extant any such
trustworthy recognition of special tribunals for maritime
causes of so early a date, yet we have traces at a still
earlier period of a maritime Law which was not identical
with the Law of imperial Rome, but had undergone
modification in accordance with the increased necessities
of mariners by reason of the more distant and more
dangerous voyages, which they had become accustomed
to undertake. The law of Maritime Jetison, for instance,
as set forth in the thirty-eighth chapter of the compilation
of Laws published in the fourth year of William the
Conqueror (A.D. 1070) as the Laws of King Edward the
Confessor, is the affirmation of a rule by which questions
of maritime jetison were then governed, which is not
identical with the ancient Law of Rome (Digest, 1. xiv.
t. 11), but accords with a more modem usage, such &s
we find subsequently reduced into writing in the Rolls
ofOleron.

The early English law-writers throw very little Ught
upon the stages of growth and development which the
English boroughs underwent during the Anglo-Saxon
period. The author of the Myrrour des Justices^ the
best authority for that period of our law, is silent as to
bomughs, and speaks only of assemblies of the hundred
and of the county, in which the freemen (liberi homines)
were convened by the bailliflfs and by the sheriffs of

X INTRODUCTION.

the Crown respectively, and in which they judged their
neighbours according to such rules of equity as they
were prepared to submit to in their own persons in
similar cases. We find, however, in the laws of the
early Anglo-Saxon kings traces of the English Borough-
system as distinct from the system of the Hundred and
of the Shire, and the Buhr-gemote or Court Leet of the
borough is recognised in the laws of King Edgar by the
side of the Gemote of the Hundred and the Shire-gemot.
Whether the Buhr-gemote acquired its distinct organi-
sation in the reign of that king must be matter of
conjecture, but it would appear beyond doubt, that there
were from this period boroughs in England in which
the civil and criminal jurisdictions were complete, and
where the administration of justice was entrusted to an
officer of the Crown within each borough distinct from
the sheriff of the county. There may, indeed, have been
other boroughs in which the jurisdiction of the sheriflF
was continued after this period, and where the borough
remained part of the shire, and this anomaly may have
caused some confusion^ and may have contributed to the
perplexity in which the early history of the EngEsh
boroughs during the Anglo-Saxon period is involved.^

With regard to Ipswich there is no direct record, as
far as the editor is aware, of an officer of the Crown
under any particular name having been established in
the government of the borough during the Anglo-Saxon
period ; but there is a record of a town court, as already
observed, having been held there before the time of
William the Norman, and over this court some officer of
the Crown must have presided. The title of the officer

^ involved] The Crown granted
occasionally a borough to an earl,
and the earl appointed a reeve to col-
lect the customs. In other boroughs,
where no portreeve or boroughreeve

had been appointed by the Crown, the
burgesses paid their fee-farm to the
sheriff, frequent instaiicec of which
practice are said to be recorded in
the Pipe Bolls of King Stephen.

INTEODUCTION.

is of secondary importance, as the King's-Reeve is some-
times designated by the old English title of Ealderman,
bat is more often described by the Latin title of Frsepc-
situs. That an officer of the Crown under the latter
name existed at Ipswich before the institution of elective
bailliffs by King John is a legitimate inference from the
language of the charter granted by that king in the
second year of his reign, in which the King's borough is
confirmed to the burgesses of Tpswich on condition of
their paying by the year the fee-fiskrm as accustomed
into the Exchequer of the King by the hands of the
Provost of Ipswich. We know also that when King
Edward I. seized the liberties of the town of Ipswich
into his hands, in the thirteenth year of his reign, and
suspended its charter, the borough fell back under the
government of a Provost appointed by the Crown.

Certain boroughs seem to have been places of strength
and of commei*cial importance as early as in the reign of
King Edgar,^ and we find the Saxon Chronicle speaJdng
of boroughs of which the inhabitants were sufficiently
numerous to sally forth and destroy the fleets of the
Danish invaders. The survey of the Conqueror, known
as the Great Domesday Book^ states that in (he time
of Edward the Confessor there were five hundred and
thirty-eight burgesses in the town of Ipswich paying
custom to the King, and that they held forty acres of
land. Ipswich must therefore have been a borough of
no mean importance in the reign of the Confessor ; ^

1 The Btthr in the time of King
£dgar seexnB to have been generally
a larger body than the Hundred, as
it is provided in his Laws, " Let
witness be appointed to every
bahr and (o every hundred. To
every bnhr let there be chosen
zxxiii. at witness. To small
«' bohis and hundreds ziL, unless
" ye desire more."

' Ipswich appears to have had a
royal mint as early as the reign of
Edgar, the snccessor of Edwy (t^Sd-
975), and there are extant speci-
mens of coins minted at Ipswich in
the reigns of Canute and Edward
the Confessor. It ceased to have
a royal mint in the reign of
Henry III.

Xll INTRODUCTION.

and from the number of burgesses who contributed to
the King's taxes and customs, it is a reasonable inference
that the borough was at that time under the immediate
government of a portreeve appointed by the King, such
an officer, in fact, as was at the head of the government
of the city of London when William the Norman
gi-anted his first chai^ter to that city,^ and whose duty
it was to collect the King's customs and to preside over
the portmotes of the burgesses. That such an officer
existed at Ipswich during the Anglo-Saxon period is
also probable from the fact, that there is no record of
any charter having been granted to Ipswich by William
the Norman or by his successor, whilst the changes intro-
duced by Henry I. in the organisation of the town
courts of Ipswich imply a pre-existing order of borough-
government in that town distinct from that of the earl
or of the sheriflf.

The reign of Henry I. had been the commencement
of an epoch of gentle transition in the way of enlarging
the libei*ties of the English boroughs. A c^iarter wa^
for the first time granted by that king to the citizens
of London, in which the principle of electing their go-
verning officers was pai*tially recognised. The charter
in question granted the county of Middlesex to the
citizens of London, with liberty to place whom they
would of themselves to be sheriff, and also to place
one of themselves to be justiciary for keeping the
pleas of the Crown. The reign of King Stephen sup-
plies no fact bearing on the liberties of the boroughs
which deserves notice, but with the reign of Henry II.
changes in the constitution of the governing body of
the boroughs became more frequent in consequence of

» diy'] A Saxon version of this thus : " William Kyng ygret Wil-
charter, said to be the original, is ** liam Bissop and Goffirey Forte •

preserved in the Guildhall of the city
of London. It is printed in the Liber
Custumarum, p. 504. It commences

*' greve and alle burgware in Luu-

<' done, Ftancisse and Englisse, \^

*• frendliche."

INTRODUCfTION.

Xlll

the portreeves, who had been hitherto nominated by
the crown, having come to exercise in many cases
great oppression in oollecting the king's custom& The
result was that several favoured boroughs obtained from
the king charters to authorise them to elect from time
to time one of themselves to fill the office of portreeve.
The substitution of two elective baillifTs to govern the
boroughs in the place of a portreeve commences with
the reign of Richard I., but it is not until we arrive at
the reign of King John, from which period the Great
Boll of the charters commences, that the practice ap-
pears to have become generally established for the inha-
bitants of the boroughs in common council assembled to
elect two of the more loyal and discreet men of their
own body to be their bailliffs, or one of such body, as
the case might be, to be their mayor. The borough of
Ipswich was one of the first to partake of these en-
larged privileges, and as the charters granted by King
John to the English boroughs have been enrolled, there
is no difficulty in ascertaining accurately from the first
year of that king s reign the nature of the liberties and
privileges enjoyed by the English boroughs under his
grants, of which there were issued not fewer than
seventy-seven during the seventeen years of his eventful
reign.'

It would be an error, in the Editor's opinion, to sup-
pose that the rule of the Anglo-Norman princes was
injurious to the liberties of the English boroughs. Con-
currently with the borough system in England there had
been growing up in the northern and western parts of
France a communal system, the constitution of which

'The tend "mayor*' ocoars in
tb« recital of a obarter granted by
King John to the citizens of London
in the first year of his reign, and
the term had also been nsed in a
writ of the reign of Henry 11. ; bnt
the change in the title of the govern-

VOL. IL

ing officer of the city of London was
not legally effected until a charter
of King John, issued in the sixteenth
year of his reign, authorised the
barons of the city of London to
choose for themielyes every year a
mayor.

XIV INTRODUCTION.

was in many canes more free than that of the Anglo-
Saxon boroughs. Picardy was probably the province
in which "the sworn commune" (communia jurata) ac-
quired the greatest degree of independence ; but we find
in Normandy the type of a commune, established under
the rule of the Anglo-Norman princes, which served as
a model for the communes subsequently established in
the western provinces of France, which had become
subject to the kings of England upon the marriage of
Henry II. with Eleanor, the daughter and heiress of
William, Duke of Aquitaine, and from which many ele-
ments were borrowed to be engrafted on the English
borough system by King Henry II. and his successors.
The formation of the Anglo-Saxon boroughs had been
throughout an instinctive movement of civilisation ; on
the other hand, the institution of " the sworn commune"
in France had originated in a movement of indepen-
dence; but the wise poli<^y of the kings of France in the
thirteenth century converted " the sworn commune" also
into an instrument of civilisation within their domi-
nions, whilst the Anglo-Norman kings with similar
wisdom borrowed from it the elective element of the
borough magistracy, and at the same time transformed
the Guild, which had been originally a personal union,
into a local association, of which the members had
obligations and privileges peculiar to themselves, but in
haimony with those of the burgesses at large.

It is a theory of several very learned men that the
Anglo-Saxon borough was originally nothing more than
the Hundred surrounded with a wall and a moat. The
Norman commune, of which the city of Rouen furnishes
the type, gives some support to a similar hypothesis, as
it consisted originally of a hundred commoners, who
were peers (pares), and who elected annually from
amongst themselves a mayor and a select body of eche-
vins and counsellors, and this rule was observed in most
of the communes established in the provinces of France,

INTRODUCTION. XV

which were subject to the kings of England as dukes
of Aquitaine. The Constitution for instance of the Com-
mune of Royan/ which has been presei*ved in the same
MS. with the Custumary of the Commune of Oleron,
and is printed in the present volume, serves to illustrate
the common features of those boroughs. M. Augustin
Thierry, whose authority stands very high on all sub-
jects connected with the communal revolution of the
twelfth century in France, is of opinion that the term
peers (pares) is a relic of a municipal organisation of a
period antecedent to "the commune." It is a curious
coincidence that the title of peer was also a distinctive
appellation of those burgesses of the town of Ipswich
who were entitled to vote in the Portmannesmotes and
in the Common Council of the borough, but the quali-
fication of the peerage is not explained. It would ap«
pear, however, that those burgesses only were entitled
" peers and commonei-s " who were resident within the
borough and were "at scot and lot," in other words,
were equally contributing to the common expenses, and
equally serving the common offices of the borough.

The origin of those expressions " scot and lot " may be
traced to an institution of an earlier date than the
English borough. They are terms which were appro-
priate to the Scandinavian Guild, with which the Anglo-
Saxon settlers on the eastern coasts of Britain were
perfectl}'^ familiar. Scote, or scotale, which occui*s in
many ancient charters, was used at a very early time to
signify a contribution for drink, and in this sense we
find the words scotale or scotalla,^ employed in the Latin

* Tbe town of Royan or Roan is , their lord or his representative, and
situated on the right bank of the , scotallum is mentioned in a docu-

Gironde, near its embonchure, and
is not lar distant from the island of
Oleron.

* Scotalla regalia were contribu-
tions of beer fVom the tenants or
convassals of the king to receive

ment connected with the manor of
South Mailing, which belonged to
the Arch'bishop of Canterbury, as a
contribution from the tenants for
beer to be drunk with the bedell of
the Archbishop during his visitation.

b 2

XVI

INTRODUCTION.

statutes of various ecclesiastical Councils in the thirteenth
c^tury, which had in view to restrain the immoderate
drinking which was at that time habitual at all public
meetings of the free men. The Scandinavian Guild,
an institution originally of the worshippers of Odin,
was not merely an association for common hero-worship,
and for mutual succour and defence, but also for
convivial enjoyment, and its meetings were always
celebrated with banquets to which each member brought
a contribution in kind, and which were frequently the
occasions of drinking orgies, such as have been com-
memorated in the pages -of Tacitus as a peculiar indul-
gence of the Germanic tribes. The word " guild " is said
by competent scholars to mean a banquet at the common
expense of the banquetters. It is stated in the Saga of
King Olaf,^ that it was the practice in olden time for the
Scandinavian worshippers, when they assembled in
order to offer up a common sacrifice to their hero, to
bring with them each his own contribution of food and
drink, which was to be consumed in common during the
solemnity. That contribution was in fact the " scot " of
each member. But as another very important principle
of the ancient Guild, which had spread gradually over the
whole of Northern Germany and France, was that the
members should mutually succour and defend one another,
each member had to bear " lot " when called upon so to
do, in other words, each member was bound to aid every
brother member, and in certain cases to perform definite
duties, if he was designated by the Ancient or Ealderman
of the Guild to undertake them. There is no doubt that
the Guild, as a brotherhood, was introduced into Britain
at a very early period by the Anglo-Saxon invaders, and

^ King Olaf] Erat veteruin mok'e
receptnm, at cum sacrificia erant
celebranda, ad templom frequenter
couYeuirent cives omnes, ferentes
secttm singuli rictttm .et commea-

tum, quo per sacrificiorum solem-
Dia uterentur, singuli etiam cereri-
siam, quo isti in conyirio uterentur.
Hist Regis Qlafi Sancti, c. xiii.

INTBODUCTION.

xvii

it was equally ffuniliar to the Danes, who followed in
their footsteps, and traces are to be found of guilds
established in Britain during the Anglo-Saxon period in
cities ^ of Roman origin, which were undoubtedly distinct
bodies from the citizens at large. Some writers have
gone so far as to contend that a guild was the original
nucleus ^ of every borough, but there are many historical
facts which cannot be reconciled with that theory. On
the other hand, there is no doubt that the burgesses of
many boroughs were at scot and lot together, and so far
were associated on a principle analogous to the funda-
mental principle of the Scandinavian Guild.

The better opinion would appear to be that guilds
during the Anglo-Saxon period existed in many boroughs
as personal associations, and that a guild might have its
ramifications beyond the limits of a single borough, and
that the Anglo-Norman kings, when they introduced the
elective magistracy of the Anglo-Norman communes into
the English boroughs, converted the guilds into local
associations by authorising the formation of one or
more guilds within each borough. Such appears to have
been the practice of King John^ and Ipswich was an
early instance of this practice, as in the charter by which
King John, in the second year of his reign, confirmed
to the burgesses of Ipswich the borough with all its free
customs, he granted to them that they might have a
Merchant's Guild and their own Hanse under the go-
vernment of an Ealderman. The object of this was to
enable those merchants who were of the liberty of the

* citiei} The city of Exeter i up-
plies an instance of such a gaild,
the statates of which are given in
Hickesii Thesaoms linguamm
Septentrionaliam, vol. i. Dissertatio
Epiitolaria ad Barth. Showere,
p. 22.

^ nucleus'] A paseage in Glanville
rather fiAvoun the opinion of those

who consider the guild to have been
the nucleus of the borough. Item si
quis nativns qniete per unum aR*
num et nnom diem in aliqnA villi
priviiegiati manserit, ita quod in
conmiuniam, scilicet gyldam, tan-*
quam civis receptus fnerit, eo ipso
villenagio liberabitur. Glanville^
ch. v. B. vi.

XVlll INTRODUCTION.

town to form themselves into a local guild, with a legal
govemmeDt, and it is not too much to say that the result
of this change in the character of the guilds was to
convert associations, which might have become hostile to
the peace of the boroughs, into faithful friends and
allies.

Ipswich is probably of Saxon origin, as no traces of
Roman remains have been found within the circuit of
the town,^ although the district was known to the
Romans, and Roman remains have been traced at several
spots in the neighbourhood, on both banks of the River
Orwell. The earliest historical notice of Ipswich occurs
in the Saxon Chi*onicle under A.D. 919, when Gippeswic
is stated to have been plundered by the Danes ; there
are also pennies extant which were minted at Ipswich,
and which bear the effigy of King Edgar on the obverse
side, and on the reverse the letters " Gip," the abbrevia-
tion of Gippeswic. There are likewise to be found in the
records of the town traces of its Saxon iustitutions, in
other words, that it had under the Anglo-Saxon kings
its own liberties and free customs, which the Anglo-
Norman sovereigns merely re-organised and confirmed.
It has been already observed that the Domesday of the
Conqueror states that there were in King Edward's
time five hundred and thirty-eight burgesses in Ipswich
paying custom to the King, but that in the Conqueror^s
time there were only one hundred and ten burgesses
who paid custom, and one hundred poor burgesses who
were not able to pay to the tax of the King, except one
penny in capite. It would be reasonable to suppose
that the latter class of burgesses who were unable to
contribute their scot towards the king's custom would
not be regarded as the equals of those who paid the
custom, and that the term "peers," which may have

> Memoriiilg of the Ancient Toivn of Ipswich, by John Wodder spoon.
Ipswich and London, 1850, p. 37.

INTRODUCTION.

zi^

been originally the common designation of all the mem-
bers of a free borough constituted on the principle of
every member contributing equally to its support, came
by degrees to be a term of distinction between those
who were able and those who were unable to keep up
that contribution. Thus we find after the custom of the
king had been commuted for an annual fee faim, that it
was ordained by a resolution of the bailliffs and the
coroners and all the capital portmen of Ipswich, that
no burgess of the said town should be quit of custom
within the same town for his merchandises, if he be a
merchant, unless he be at lot and scot in. the common
aids and businesses of the town, and the Domesday,
which was drawn up shortly after this ordinance, de-
scribes the peers and commoners as those burgesses who
were at lot and scot within the borough.

Under the charter of King John, granted in the second
year of his reign,^ the governing body of the borough of
Ipswich consisted, as far as the Crown was concerned,
of two elective baillifi's, whose o£Sce it was to collect the
custom of the borough and to pay the fee-farm into the
king's exchequer, and of four elective coroners, whose
duty it was to keep the pleas of the Crown, and to see
that the governors of the borough behaved justly and
lawfully towards the poor as well as the rich. But it
appears from a Roll, called the BailliflTs Roll, compiled
soon after the charter was granted, that after the Com-
mon Council of tlie town of Ipswich in pursuance of the

* The r^^Qal yean of King John,
as observed in a note to vol. i.
p. zliz., were computed from Ascen-
sion day A.D. 1199. The charter
was granted to Ipswich on the 25th
of *May, which was in the second
year of his reign, as the first year of
his reign ended on the 17th May,
being the eve of Ascension day
A.D. 1200. The charter was dated
from Boche Orival in Normandy,

and is printed in Sir T. D. Hardj's
Collection of Charter Rolls, 1833.
Wodderspoon in his Memorials of
Ipswich gives an English translation
of the charter, with an erroneous
datel « Given at Gold Cliff, 25th
May, in the first year of our
reign," there being no such day
of the month in the first year of
King John's reign.

IKTRODUCtlOK.

king's charter had elected their bailliffs and their coro-
ners, they proceeded to ordain that there should here-
after be in the said borough twelve capital portmen,
sworn in the manner as they were in other free boroughs
of England, who should have full power for themselves
and the whole town to govern and maintain the borough
and all its liberties, and to render the judgments of the
town, and to ordain and do all things in the same
borough which ought to be done for the state and honour
of the town. The burgesses thereupon proceeded to
elect twelve *' capital portmen," and granted to them for
the labour which they should bestow on the com-
monalty the Olderholm meadow for the support of their
horses,^ but no clew is furnished by this Roll as to the
precise character of the magistracy, which, prior to the
institution of the twelve capital portmen, rendered the
judgments of the town. As soon, however, as the twelve
capital portmen were elected, they caused the whole of
the townsfolk to stretch their hands towards the Book,
and with one voice solemnly to swear "that from
henceforth they would be obedient, intending, con-
sulting, and aiding to their bailiffs, coroners, and all
and every aforesaid capital portmen, with their persons
and chattels, to preserve and maintain the aforesaid
town of Ipswich, and the new charter thereof, and the
** honour and all the liberties and free customs of the
same town in all places against whomsoever, saving
nevertheless to the Lord the King, and his royal
prerogative, all things according to their power in
manner as justly and reasonably they ought to do."
This is one of the instances of the remarkable system of
adjustment between antagonistic principles, which is the
characteristic of English, political institutions. We have

^ horses^ ** This land was in later
time known by the name of ** Port-
** men*8 Walks,*' and was enjoyed by
the portmen, until the portmen and

their privileges were aboUahed by
5 & 6 William IV. c. 76, by which
statute most of the ancient charters
of the boroughs were repealed.

iNTBODUrtTO^. XXI

here the substance of the " sworn commune '' of France,
with its own elective magistrates administering justice
en all questiona of civil right between the burgesses
themselves and between the burgesses and strangers
within the borough, according to the free customs of the
borough ; on the other hand, in criminal matters, the
king's law was affirmed, and special officers were elected
by the burgesses themselves from amongsst their own
body to administer that law.

The recognition in King John's Charter of the free
customs of the borough of Ipswich, as the law accord-
ing to which right was to be done to the burgesses in
respect of their tenures and lands and other property
within the borough, is an interesting fact in the history
of English law, as shewing that Custom was regarded
in England in the twelfth century as the principal and
primary source of Right, and that the autonomy of the
inhabitants of the free boroughs was respected by the
Anglo-Norman kinga The loss of the Domesdays of
the English boroughs, if indeed they are actually lost
beyond recovery, is on this account much to be regretted,
inasmuch m they were not merely historical records of
the civil life of the burgher class at a particular period,
but the fragments of them, which have been occasionally
made public in local histories, warrant the belief that
they would clearly shew that the boroughs were the
nurseries of the civil liberties of Englishmen, and that
the spirit and principle of the Common Law of England
pervaded their early customs.

France has not been more fortunate than England
as regards the records of her ancient local customs, for
the French Coutumiers, which were drawn up in the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries by order of King
Charles VII. and his successors, are works of a very
different kind from the Domesdays of the English
boroughs, and they belong to the post-feudal period.
There were indeed in France Coutumiers of a much
more ancient date than those which have been colleoted

jtxii

INTRODtJCtlON.

in "Le Nouveau Coutumier G^n^ral," but the majority
of those, which have been preserved, are for the most
part scientific compilations, drawn up by magistrates
or jurists practically skilled in the customs of certain
districts, and their works had no proper authority,
except what they derived from the fact that the rules
which they laid down in given cases were in conformity
with that, which the inhabitants of each district knew
by experience to be the custom. To this dass belong
such works as Le Conseil de Pierre de Fontaines, and
Les Coutumes de Beauvoisis by Philippe de Beaumanoir,
to which may be added Le Grand Coutumier de Nor-
mandie, the author of which work is unknown. But
there was also another dass of Coutumiers in France,
which Jean Bouteiller, the author of La Somme Rurale,^
a work of the fifteenth century, has designated as '' Le
livre coustumier du Qreffe du lieu." These were col-
lections of customs which had been approved by the
judgments of a court, and had been recorded by the
scribe or registrar of the court in the form of memo-
randa. These registers, however, were not books of
authority like the Domesdays of the English boroughs,
and our knowledge of their existence is due to the
compilers of Le Nouveau Coutumier Q^n^ral, who have
noticed them firom time to time in their proc^verbaux.
The Editor, who cannot pretend to more than a cursory
acquaintance with the general and local Coutumes of
France, and who is indebted to the works of modern
French jurists for information as to the contents of
several Coutumiers to which he has not had access,
ventures to remark that none of the ancient Fi-ench
Coutumiers, as far as he is aware, is of precisely the
same character as the Coutumier of the Commune of
Oleron, and that the latter work has so great an afiinity
to the Domesdays of the English boroughs, that ite

1 Lq Somme Rurale, ou Lc Grand
CouUmier G^n^ral de Pratique,

edite par Charondaa. Paris, 1621
Lib. 1. tit. ii. " Qu'est Cour Laye."

INTRODUCTION. xxiii

authors maybe presumed to have, been familiar with
their existence, and with the circumstances under which
the English Domesdays were compiled. This will appear
to be by no means an improbable supposition on a
comparison of the works themselves, and it has been
observed by M. Camus * and other French jurists, that
many of the ancient usages of Normandy wei^e intro-
duced into that country from England during the period
when both countries were under the dominion of the
same princes, and Le Grand Coutumier de Normandie
has been cited by some writers as ftimishing proof of
the same fact. The Editor, however, makes the above
observation subject to coiTection by French jurists, for
there may still be forthcoming from French aix)hives
other local Coutumiers, which have been overlooked or
neglected, of a character similar to the Coutumier of
the Commune of Oleron.

Amongst the published Coutumiers of France, there
is one which deserves notice, as being of an exceptional
character, and as being in point of time nearly contempo-
raneous with the Coutumier of the Commune of Oleron.
This work is entitled '' Li Droict et Li Coustumes de
" Champagne et Bri^, que le Roys Thiebaulx establi." ^
The scheme of this compilation is totally different from
that of the works of the same period to which reference
has been already made, as having been compiled by
magistrates or jurists practically skilled in the customs
of certain localities. It is in fact a compilation of judg-
ments, customs, and usages. It commences with a
judgment rendered by Thibaulx,^ Count Palatine of

1 Camus. Lettres Bar la Profes- i and in 1234 became King of Navarre.

Bion d'Avocat, edited by M. Dupin.
Paris, 1818. Tom. i. p. 78.

* Le Kouvean Coutumier Q^n^ral,
torn. iii. p. 209.

' Thibaulx, Count of Champagne
and Bri^, married in 1229 Blanche^
daughter of Sanchez YI. of Navarre,

His great grand-daughter Jeanne
intermarried with Philip le Bel of
France, and by her marriage united
the kingdom of Navarre and the
counties of Champagne and Bri^ to
the kingdom of France.

XXIV

mTRODUCTlOK.

Champagne and Bri^, with the consent and advice of his
barons and chatelains, assembled in council on Christ-
mas-day A.D. 1224. The judgment itself was rendered
on a question which had arisen between the male
children of certain of the count's feudatories as to their
respective rights of inheritance to their fathers' lands.
This judgment is contained in the first article of the
Coutumier, and it is followed by sixty-five articles, thirty-
four of which recite customs, and commence with the
words, '^11 est coutume en Champagne," and in each
article evidence of the custom is supplied by reference
to a judgment in affirmance of it. Twenty-three other
articles recite usages, and commence with the words,
" Encore use len in Champagne," whilst the remaining
articles contain judgments. The Coutumier of Cham-
pagne and Bri^ is in this respect a valuable document,
as it illustrates the method by which certain portions
of the fabric of modern law were built up amongst the
landholders in France in the early stages of the feudal
system,* whilst the Coutumier of the Commune of Oleron
is no less valuable as shewing how the inhabitants of
the towns in France at a later stage of the same system
contributed their share to the same fabric of law by
placing formally on record the customs to which their
new social relations had given rise, and which were
essential to be observed, in order that those relations
should be maintained. The burgheins, equally as the
barons, asserted in their turn, their right to receive no
laws except from themselves and their peers, and it is
a curious circumstance that the legal records of a period,
which as regards the autonomy of the towns ought to
be most precious to the friends of liberty and social
order in France, should have been allowed to perish,

^ feudal tttfglem] The custom of
every fief was as sacred in the early
stages of the feudal system as the
custom of every conmiune at a later
period, and the lord was bound to

govern his vassals according to their
customs, upon which no innovation
could be legally made without their
consent.

INTRODUCTION.

or are permitted to remain umioticed in the obscurity
of local archived. It does not appear from \f^hat quarter
Mr. Douce obtained the MS. in which the Coustoma of
the Commune of Oleron are recorded, or how it came
to be preserved ; but the fact of its existence justifies a
search after similar documents, and it would appear
from M. Henri Klimath's '' M^moire sur les Monuments
" in^dits de I'Histoire du Droit Fran^ais au moyen
" age," that there are many libraries and archives both
in Paris and in the Departments, which are rich in legal
MSS., and have not yet been explored with becoming
care.

The Editor has been unable, after a careful examina-
tion of such documents as are at present publici juris,
to satisfy himself as to the precise period at which a
commune was established at Oleron, but it appears to
him probable that it was established in the reign of
Henry II. of England. The earliest charter recorded
in any collection of public documents, in which the
existence of a commune is recognised at Oleron, was
granted by Queen Eleanor, the widow of Henry II.,
immediately on the accession of her son John to the
throne of England upon the death of his elder brother,
Richard I. The charter of the Queen Mother was
almost immediately followed by another charter granted
by King John himself to the burghers of Oleron. Both
these charters are published in Rymer s Collection (A.D.
1199), and the charter of King John is the earliest
charter having reference to Oleron that is to be found
on the Charter Rolls. King John announces by this
Charter that he has granted, and by his present Charter
confirms, to his dear and faithful burgesses of Oleron,
that they may have a commune in Oleron with all the
liberties and free customs appertaining to a commune.
The Charter concludes by confirming all the liberties and
free customs throughout the king's dominions which
the burgesses of Oleron enjoy or may have been accus-

XXVI INTRODUCTION.

tomed to enjoy, and as the Charter of Queen Eleanor,
our mother, testifies. This Charter is so worded that if
it stood alone, it might be taken to imply that King
John, as Duke of Aquitaine, was granting to the burghers
of Oleron permission for the first time for them to have
a commune; but such a construction would be incon-
sistent with the language of the previous charter of the
Queen Mother, in which she announced that she had
confirmed to her dear and faithful jurats at large
(universis juratis) of the Commune of Oleron, and to
their heirs^ the perpetual solidity and inviolable security
of their commune at Oleron (communiae suae apud Ole-
ronem), that they may the better defend her and their
just rights. The object which Queen Eleanor had in
view in granting this charter was to secure the alle-
giance of the men of Oleron to King John in the war,
in which he found himself engaged immediately on his
accession to the throne, against Philip Augustus of
France, who had espoused the cause of Arthur of Bri-
tanny against his uncle. Prince Arthur had a prim& facie
case of preferential right to the throne of England and
to tiie duchies of Normandy and of Aquitaine against
his uncle John, as being the son of his elder brother
Godfrey ; and on the death of his uncle, Richard I., he
at once betook himself to the court of Philip Augustus,
the paramount lord of the duchies, and obtained his
assistance to make good his claim. The Queen Mother,
on the other hand, who was one of the most extraor-
dinary women of her epoch, and who had at that time
nearly reached her eightieth year, and who detested the
mother of Prince Arthur, supported with her utmost
energy the cause of her younger son John against his
nephew ; and she at once passed over into Aquitaine,
and by her personal authority, as heiress of Duke
William, and by her consummate address secured without
difficulty the allegiance of the chief vassals and of the
principal towns of Poitou and Saintonge, and in recog-

INTRODUCriON.

XXVU

nition of their loyalty granted to them charters confirming
to the burgesses of those towns the enjoyment of their
communes. The direct evidence as regards the existence
of a commune at Oleron, which is accessible to the
Editor, goes no further back than the charter of Queen
Eleanor (A.D. 1199) ; but it is to be inferred from the
language of her charter that a commune was in existence
at Oleron before she issued her charter. It is also to
be inferred from another charter granted by the same
Queen to the men of Oleron, which is in Kymer's Col-
lection,^ that King Henry II. had during his lifetime
granted or confirmed to the men of Oleron certain liber-
ties and customs, but what those liberties and customs
were does not appear on the face of the Queen's charter.
Some light, however, may be thrown upon this question
by the contents of a series of charters gi*anted by Eling
Henry II. and his successors to the neighbouring town
of Rochelle (Rupellae). It is fortunate for the history
of the boroughs of England that it was the practice for
the kings of England to issue charters of " Inspeximus''
from time to time^ in which the earlier charters granted
by their predecessors were fully recited, whereby, al-
though the earlier charters have in substance perished,
a legal record of their contents has in many cases been
preserved. The same good fortune has attended several
of the communes of France, aud amongst others the town
of Rochelle, an immediate neighbour of Oleron, to which
a charter of '* Inspeximus " was issued by Louis VIIJ. of
France, in A.D. 1224. This charter* recites, in the first
place, a charter of Richard I. of England, granting to
the men of Rochelle liberty to dispose of their property
by will, and to give away freely their sons and daughters
in marriage ; and in the second place, a charter of King

* Rymer*8 Foedera, torn. i. a°.
1199.

3 Oidonnances des Rois de France,
torn. xi. p. 318.

• ••

XXViu INTRODUCTION.

John of England, granting to the burgesses of Rochelle
that they may have a commune. This charter bears
date the eighth day of July, in the first year of the reign
of King John, which is six days prior to the date
of the earliest charter recorded in the Charter Bolls,
as published by the Record Commissioners. Two
other charters of King John are next recited, which
were granted to the prud'hommes of Rochelle in the
sixth year of his reign ; and in the fifth place comes a
charter, also issued by King John in the seventh year
of his reign, in which he confirms to the faithful men of
Rochelle all the liberties and free customs granted to
them by his father King Henry, his brother King
Richard, and his mother Queen Eleanor. After these
recitals, the charter of Louis YIII. proceeds to confirm
to the burgesses of Rochelle all the grants, liberties, and
customs which they have heretofore enjoyed in the times
of King Henry, of King Richard, of King John, and
of Queen Eleanor. Upon the face of the charter of
Louis YIII. it might readily be supposed that King John
was the first of the dukes of Aquitaine who had granted
a commune to the burgesses of Rochelle, and that the
charter granted to them by King Richard I. was a pre-
liminary charter of a similar kind to that which was
granted to the men of Oleron by Otho of Saxony, and
which is recorded by Leibnitz. But in the " Discours au
Roi sur la Yille de Rochelle*'' the charters of King
'Realty II. and Queen Eleanor are set out at length, and
it appears from the charter of King Henry II., which
was granted by him after his marriage with Eleanor,
the heiress of William, Duke of Aquitaine, that in the
first place he confirmed to the burgesses of Rochelle all
the liberties and free customs which Duke William, as
Count of Poitou, had granted to them ; and in the second

1 Cited in a note to the charter, as published at Paris in A.D. 1669.

INTRODUCnOK. XXIX

place he granted in express termer to them that they
might have a commune (ut habent oommuniam ad defen-
sionem et secuiitatem villce suse et rerum suarum, salva
fide mea et Domini Pictavii hieredis mei, quamdiu eam
rationabiliter tractaverint). On the other hand, the
charter of Queen Eleanor granted to the faithful men of
Rochelle and their heirs a sworn commune (communiam
juratam ut tarn nostra quam sua propria jura melius
defendere possint). This charter is drawn up in the same
terms with that which Queen Eleanor granted to the
jurats of Oleron, and which is published by Bymer.
Neither of these charters, however, are conclusive as to
the earliest time when the men of Bochelle were placed
in the enjoyment of communal rights, but they carry
those rights back to the reign of Henry II., and there are
reasonable grounds for believing, that although the
sworn commune was introduced into many towns in the
northern parts of France in the latter part of the eleventh
century, the constitution of the Anglo-Norman commime
did not supersede the ancient municipal institutions in
the maritime towns of Guienne and of Gascony until
after the duchy of Aquitaine had been united with the
duchy of Normandy in the person of King Heory II.
of England. The analogy of the charters of Oleron with
those of Rochelle is so close, that coupled with the
maritime importance of Oleron, it well warrants the
supposition that the men of Oleron did not lag behind
the men of Bochelle in their struggle to obtain communal
rights.

Nothing is said in the charters of Queen Eleanor and
of King John respecting the constitution of the Com-
mune of Oleron, nor was it usual in royal charters,
which purported to grant or to confirm communal
rights, to specify the precise nature of those rights,
fiirther than to state in'' some cases that the new com-
mune was to be constituted after the model of some other
existing commune. Thus we meet with a charter

VOL. II. c

xzx

INTRODUCTION.

granted at a somewhat later period to the men of the
island of R^, that they should have a commune after
the model of the Roll of Oleron (secundum formam
rotuli Oleronis).^ It may, however, be gathered from the
Coutumier of the Commune of Oleron, that the magis-
tracy of the commune consisted of a mayor, a pro-mayor,
echevins, and prud'hommes, as all those officers are men*
tioned specially in it. Jurats (jur£z) are also mentioned
io Chapter XL., but the title of jurats is of ambiguous
import. It was a title in use in many of the ancient
municipalities of the south of France before " the sworn
commune " came into existence, and it was a title re-
tained in the constitution of many communes, more
particularly in the communes organised after the Anglo-
Norman model ; but in these latter communes the title
was used sometimes to denote the twenty-four eche-
vins and counsellors, who with the mayor formed the
executive magistracy within the commune, whilst at
other times it was applied to the whole body of the
hundred peers (pares), who were the real constituency of
the Anglo-Norman commune, and formed its Common
CoimciL

The Anglo-Norman commune, of which the Commune
of Rouen was the t3rpe, was adopted as a model by the
majority of the towns in Poitou and Saintonge, owing
partly to the fact of those towns being under the imme-
diate sovereignty of the Anglo-Norman princes, and
partly to the intercourse which was kept up by sea
between the maritime towns of Aquitaine and of Nor-
mandy; and although in some of the towns in the
western parts of Gascony, the change which was effected
in their government during the thirteenth century con-
sisted simply in the introduction of the office of mayor

1 M. Pordensiis, torn. iv. p. 229,
quotes this charter, as granted hy
King Henry ITT. of England in
A.D. 1242, iVoin an unpuhlinhed

MS. in the Biblioth^oe Royale
(now Nationale) in Paris amongst
the collections of Brequigny.

INTRODUCTION. XXXl

and in the association of the mayor with the consuls, or
with the jurats, as the case might be, of the ancient
municipalitiea, in others, amongst which Bayonne may
be particularly mentioned, the Anglo-Norman commune
superseded altogether the ancient municipality. Thus
we find established at Bayonne in A.D. 1215,' a com-
mune, which consisted of a mayor, a pro-mayor, twelve
echevins, and twelve consellors, and sixty-five peers, pre-
cisely as in the town of Royan on the north bank of the
Oironde, of which the constitution is set forth in the
present volume. That the constitution of the various
communes was independent of their charters and self-
organized admits of no dispute, and although the char-
ters granted by Queen Eleanor and King John to the
towns of Poitou and of Saintonge were identical in their
language, this identity was consistent with substantial
difierences in the constitution of particulai* communes ;
as for instance, in the city of Saintes, the chief town of
Saintonge, and the see of a bishop, to which a charter
was granted by Queen Eleanor in identical terms with
the charter granted to the burghers of Oleron, the
government was in the hands of two bailiffs instead of
a mayor, whilst the remaining officers of the commune
were only twenty-four in number, part of whom were
styled " echevins," and the other part *' pairs."

The term peers does not occur in the Coutumier of
the Commune of Oleron. This may be an accidental
circumstance. A provost is n^entioned by name as
well as a seneschal. The former appears to have been
an officer of the duchy of Aquitaine, and it was his
duty to enforce the criminal law within the commune

* Aceordiog to the terms of a
charter of A.D. 1215, cited hj M.
Augastin Thierry in his HiBtoire du
Tiers Etat. This charter is not
found amongst the charters of King
John recorded in the Charter Boils.

There is, however, a charter of 24th
May A.D. 1200, in that collection,
from which it appears that Bayonne
at that time was a municipality go-
verned by consuls.

c 2

XXXU INTRODUCTION.

(ch. xli.) upon sentence by the mayor. It would also
appear to have been one of the functions of the pro-
vost to collect on behalf of the duchy the dues payable
on salt and other products of the island. Such at least
appears to have been the practice under the lordship of
Richard I. of England, when Don Pedro Dorz was pro-
vost of Oleron (ch. xxii.) The seneschal had a wider
sphere of action, and his authority was coextensive with
the province of Saintonge. Mention is also made in the
Coutumier of a college of four lords (Seigneurs), who
appear to have exercised manorial jurisdiction over all
the lands within the island of Oleron before the com-
mune was established, but their jurisdiction within the
commune after its institution had been superseded by
that of the mayor. They appear, however, to have
retained some portion of their manorial rights, and
continued to exercise jurisdiction in matters of chief-
rents payable on account of rural fiefs beyond the
limits of the commune, and in all disputes between the
holders of such fiefs. There were also certain duties
which the four lords were still entitled to discharge
within the commune on occasions when the wager of
batel was allowed, and for these duties they received
certain perquisites.

At what precise period the Coutumier was drawn
up does not appear directly from any part of its con-
tents. The MS. itself would appear to have been com-
pleted on Feb. 10, A.Ii 1344, as there is a paragi*aph
to that effect at the end of the volume, but the Cou-
tumier itself may have been drawn up at an earlier
period. That it was not drawn up before the reign of
Edward I. may be regarded as almost certain, as men-
tion is made of an alteration having been made in the
law of succession to dowry land within the commune
by Helias de Fors, Bishop of Saintes, with the con-
sent of the prud'hommes of the commune (ch. xiv.).
There is some uncertainty as to the precise period of

INTRODUCTION.

xrsdii

ihe episcopate of Helias de Fors, but it ranges be-
tween A.D. 1265 and A.D. 1275, and Edward L suc-
ceeded to the throne of England in A.D. 1272. There
is, however, other evidence in the Coutumier connected
with the Law of the Sea as administered in the Mayor's
Court in cases of jetison of cargo, which renders it pro-
bable that the Coutumier was compiled some time after
a remarkable judgment had been rendered on that sub-
ject by King Edward I. in the twelfth yeai* of his reign
(A.D. 1285).^ A complaint appears to have been made
in that year to the king by tiie barons of the Cinque
Ports of England, that the merchants of Gascony, as
well as those of England, Wales, and Ireland, were in
the habit of compelling the barons of the Cinque Ports
and other owners of English merchant vessels in cases
of jetison of cargo to contribute pro rat& according to
the value of their vessels, and of the apparel and stores
of their vessels, as well as of the wines or merchan-
dise which the master and crew might have on board.
The king on this occasion, having heard the reply of
the merchants, ordained that - in future* such contribu*
tion should not be required &om the owners of the
vessels on account of the vessels themselves, or of their
apparel and stores, or of any goods taken on board for
the use of the crew, but only on account of such goods
as the master and crew might have on board as mer-
chandise, and on account of any other merchandise on
board. It may be presumed from this complaint that
up to AD. 1285, the Roman law of contribution ^ had
been enforced in the ports of the duchy of Aquitaine
against the owners of British merchant ships in cases
of jetison of cargo; but it appears on reference to the
Coutumier (ch. Izzxvii.), that a judgment is recorded
there as having been given in the Mayor s Court at

^ The Liber Albas of the City of
London, p. 490. Rymer's Fcedera,
A.D. 1285.

2 Itaqne dominum etiam navifi pro
portionc obligatum esse. Fr. 2«
Faulua ad edictom, 1. xxxiv.

XXXIV

INTRODUCTION.

Oleron in a case of jetison of cargo, which is in con-
formity with the ordinance of King Edward I. It is
not an unreasonable conclusion from this fact, coupled
with the further cii*cumstance that, when the Rolls of
Oleron were compiled, a diflTerent rule of judgment was
upheld,* that the judgment in the Mayor's Court, which
is recorded in the Coutumier, was subsequent in point
of time to the ordinance of King Edward I., and was
governed by it.

There is another provision in the Coutumier which
deserves notice, as it points to the early years of the
reign of King Edward II. as the probable period of its
compilation. * This provision has reference to the con-
ditions upon which persons of the Jewish race were
allowed to pass to or from the island of Oleron, namely,
on payment of a toll of four deniers by each Jew and
by each Jewess, which in the case of a Jewess who
was pregnant was raised to eight deniers. A most ex-
traordinary punishment was inflicted upon this unfortu-
nate race, if they attempted to quit the island without
paying the toll. Each Jew and each Jewess was to be
secured by a rope bound round their waists under their
arms, and to be plunged into the sea until they were aU
but drowned, and if the Jewess was pregnant, she was
to undergo' the punishment a second time. This peculiar
form of punishment was adopted in the case of Jews
for this reason, amongst others, that although they were
tolerated in France, they were still in the condition of
serfs in most of the provinces, and it would have been
considered to be a violation of the comity due to their
lords for the magistrates of the Commune of Oleron to
mutilate them, or to spoil them of their goods for non-
compliance with the law.^ It remained therefore to

' Article viii., Black Book of Ad-
miralty, torn. i. p. 96.

'Bnissel, Usage G^ticral des

Fiefs en France, torn. i. i. ii. eh,
xxxix.

INTBODUCnOH.

inflict upon them the utmost personal suffering which
would be consistent with the safety of life and limb,
and although the punishment has a barbarous sound in
the 19th century, it was merciful in comparison with
the sufferings which the Jewish race had to undergo
elsewhere at about the same period. They- were in-
deed a people downtrodden by the Christian races,
both in France and in England, in the 13th and 14th
centuries. They were alternately petted and plundered
by covetous sovereigns, they were banished and recalled
again and again at the cry of the bigoted populace of the
great towns,^ they were massacred in the country by
fanatical peasants, and were tortured in the solitude of
lordly dungeons by prelates of the church. Rome ' ev^
had to intercede at times to mitigate the fury of their
enemies^ and the reign of Edward II. formed no excep-
tion to the general rule, although occasionally there was
a lull in the storm. They had been allowed to return
to the dominions of the kings of France at the conmience-
ment of the 14th century, but a general sentence of
banishment' had been again issued against them by
Philip III. in A.D. 1306. In Gascony on the other
hand, and in the other provinces of France subject ta the
kings of England as di:^es of Aquitaine, they were tole-
rated in the early part of the 14th century, but in A.D.
1314 a letter was addressed to the seneschal of Gascony
by King Edward II., commanding him to drive all the
Jews into banishment. The Editor is disposed to refer
the compilation of the Coutumier to a period shortly
prior to A.D. 1314. There is evidence that about this
time a passing toll of the same amount, namely four
deniers on each Jew and on each Jewess, which was
raised to eight deniers in the case of a pregnant Jewess,

* Ordonnances des Kois de France,
torn. XY. Lettre de Louis X*, A.D.
Idl6, p. 371.

' Raynold, ad annum 1848, cited
by DeppiDgi

XXXVl

IKTRODUCTION.

was levied in Dauphiny,^ whioh at that time had not
been incorporated into the dominions of the erown of
France. This period farther recommends itself to. our
acceptance as tibe epoch of the compilation of th^ Cou-
tumier from this circumstance, that in A.D. 1S20 swarms
of religious fanatics^ termed Les Pastoureaux, were sweep-
ing everything before them in the south of France, and
were destroying the Jewish communities in the towns of
Oascony and of Ouienne. It was on occasion of the
massacres committed by these fanatical peasants that
Edward II. of England addressed another letter to the
Seneschal of Oascony in A.D. 1321, claiming for himself
in right of his duchy of Aquitaine the goods of the
slaughtered Jews, and directing him to confiscate them.
From this period down to A.D. 1844, before which latter
year the M8. was undoubtedly written, there is hardly
any epoch to which the provisions of the Coutumier
(ch. Ixxv.) as to the admission of Jews into Oleron
would be applicable, and it would have been idle to
insert into the Coutumier such a chapter as the expres-
sion of the law, if at the time when the Coutumier was
compiled no Jew or Jewess was by law permitted to
enter or to remain in Oleron.

It is not, however, from the point of view of civil liberty
solely that the Editor considers that the Domesday of
Ipswich and the Coutumier of Oleron are of sufficient
interest to warrant' their publication, as throwing light
upon the growth of Modern Law ; he has thought that
there were materials in both compilations, which elucidate
certain important questions, with reference to the admi-
nistration of the Law Maritime in Europe at a period
respecting which we have nothing, but fragmentary

' 1 M. Depping in his Essai Bur
Les Juifs dans le Moyen Age,
p. 256, cites a table of he tolls

levied upon the Jews in Daophiny,
firam Yalbonais, Histoire de Dftn-
phin^, torn. i. Prenves C.C.

INTKODUCTION. XXXVU

notices, the true meaning of which is not always clear,
and the authenticity of which has been in some cases
matter of dispute. The name of Oleron is famous in the
history of the Law Maritime, but it has been sometimes
asserted that the maritime judgments which bear that
name, have no rightful title to it, excepting so far as the
rules laid down therein may have been observed by the
mariners of Oleron in common with other seafaring men.
It has also, been matter of dispute whether ihe tradition
which couples with the name of King Richard I. the
introduction of the Judgments of Oleron into England,
as rules for the decision of maritime causes, rests on any
solid foundation. The Domesdays. of the English mari-
time boroughs are so far valuable as they disclose to us
the existence of borough courts in England at a very
early period administering a customary Law of the Sea
to passing mariners, and the Domesday of Ipswich helps
to carry back our knowledge of this practice to a period
almost contemporaneous with the reign of Richard I.
So far there is unimpeachable evidence that before the
Admiral's jurisdiction was established in England, and
the decision of questions of contract and tort on the
high seas was assigned to the Admiral's Court, there were
courts in England whose province it was to administer
a common Law Marine to foreign equally as to British
merchants and mariners. The Coutumier of the Com-
mune of Oleron enlarges our knowledge of the subject,
for it reveals to vis the fact, not merely that there was a
court at Oleron which administered the Law Maritime,
and that its judgments were considered by the prud'-
hommes of the commune to be of such importance that
they were placed by them on record amongst the good
judgments and the good customs and the good usages
of their ancestors, but that mai-iners of other countries
were in the habit of resorting to the court at Oleron for
the sake of obtaining its judgment upon their disputes.
It may be that the tribunal which decided such disputes

XXXVUl INTRODUCTION.

at the time when the Coutumier was drawn up, was not
identical in name or in form with the tribunal of which
the judgments are recorded in the Rolls of Oleron, but
whether the Rolls contain the judgments of a tribunal
of prudliommes of the sea, or the judgments of the
court of the mayor of the commune, is a question of
secondary importance. There is indeed some faint light
thrown upon this question by the tit^s of a MS. of the
Rolls of Oleron, which forms part of Sir Robert Cotton's
bequest to the British Museum. The MS. Cotton, Nero,
A. YI., which is on vellum, and of the 14th centuiy,
contains 39 treatises, the thirtieth of which is entitled,
*^ La Copie des Roules de Oleron et des jugemens du
'* Mair," and there can be no doubt that the writer of
the MS., and the compiler of the Cotton Catalogue, in
which the word " mair " is written " mayor," considered
that he was transcribing the judgments of the Mayor s
Court at Oleron. The Coutumier of the Commune of
Oleron (ch. Ixxxvii.) has further recorded the fact that
Breton merchants and mariners had frequent recourse
to the Mayor's Court at Oleron for the settlement of
their disputes on maritime questions, and this fact has
a peculiar significance, as it is in a collection of Breton
customs and Breton laws, published in Paris in 1480, of
which a copy is preserved in the public libraiy of Nantes,
that the original Rolls of Oleron are found to have been
first printed in France, and that Le Grant Routier de la
Mer, in which the enlarged version of the Rolls was for
the first time printed, has the Customs of the Duchy of
Britanny prefixed to those Rolls.

INTRODUCTION. XXXIX

Okowth of Modern Mabituie Law.

The Law of the Sea haa been from the earliest times
exceptional to the Law of the Land. No nation has ever
claimed to exercise jurisdiction over the open sea on
the ground of exclusive possession. The sea has thus
been exempt from legislation in the sense of the word,
in which it is said to impose upon a subject the will,
of a superior power. On the other hand, the sea has
been used from time immemorial by the vessels of all
nations, in the absence of a common superior, on terms
of equality, without let or hindrance from one another,
or where such let or hindrance has been attempted, it
has been successfully resisted and put down. The exer-
cise of this use of the sea, eiyoyed without dispute or
successfully maintained against dispute, came to be re-
garded after a sufficient lapse of time as a common
right of all mankind. Concurrently with this right a
certain manner of acting towards one another on the
part of seafaring men, when they met on the High
Seas, grew up into a custom, the origin of which is
hidden in the darkness of a remote antiquity, as it was
insensibly formed by a repetition of certain acts, which
met a common want and reconciled in a simple and
equitable manner interests, which threatened at first to
conflict with one another. But custom alone could not
provide for new wants as they arose, nor meet the
exigencies of new conditions of things. Hence it became
necessary, where maritime disputes arose, for the parties
to appeal to the judgment of men experienced in mari-
time matters, who had a personal knowledge of the
custom of the sea» and from their experience were able,
when the custom did not precisely meet the case, to do
justice between the parties according to the spirit of
the custom. This necessity led to the institution of
maritime tribunals distinct from the tribunals which

INTRODUCTION.

decided questions of right according to the custom of
the land ; and it is an interesting problem whether in the
northern states of Europe, where the traditions of the
Roman law were in the ninth and tenth centuries very
faint and in some cases obliterated, such tribunals were
originally of a voluntary character, or were oi^anised
by the same authority, which made provision for the
administration of the custom of the land amongst the
free people of the country. In the southern states of
Europe, where the traditions of the Roman law had
always been preserved, although the law underwent
considerable modifications upon the downfall of the
Roman empire, and the tribunals had to be adapted
to the more free condition of life which the Germanic
tribes introduced into Italy and Spain, there is every
reason to believe that the elevation of the prudliommes
(probi homines) to a seat by the side of the judge ^ was
not confined to civil disputes in which the Law of the
Land was in question, but was practised in the case of
maritime contracts and torts, which had to be decided
by the Law of the Sea, and that the traditions of the
Law of the Sea were thus preserved by the oral record
of nautical men, who were elected to take part with
the municipal judge in the determination of maritime
questions. Writing was at that time by no means of
the essence of the Law of the Sea, which was proved
by the oral testimony of men skilled in the custom of
the sea, just as we find that the custom of the land
was in the eleventh and twelfth centuries proved by the
living voice of the peers of the parties (judicium parium),
chosen from those who were best versed in the custom.

^ The Codex Utinensis, printed
^y Csnciftni under the title of Lex
Bomana, -which according to Sa-
yigny was a recasting of the Bre-
viarium Aniani for the use of the
Lombards, supplies ample eridence

of the changes which the tribunals
had undergone, after the Useodosian
Code had been adopted by the Visi-
goths in Spain. Cf. Waltheri Cor-
pus Juris Germanici Antiqui. Bero-
lini, 1824. Tom. iii. p. 691-755.

INTRODUCTION.

Xli

or had been present at the settlement of disputes in
previous cases of a like nature.

Various causes combined to account for the decisions
of the maritime tribunals not being reduced into writing
before the twelfth century. In the first place, the subject
matter of maritime disputes was foreign to the learning
of ecclesiastics, and there is reason to believe that the
proceedings in maritime questions were carried on at an
earlier period in a tongue (lingua franca) which was not
familiar to the clergy, nor identical with the languages
of the documents which they were accustomed to draw
up. But by degrees, as disputes in maritime matters
multiplied with the increase of maritime commerce, the
want of a written record of such decisions was felt, and
after the Crusades had contributed to familiarise the
clergy with the habits of seafaring men, and inciden-
tally with the customs of the sea, clerks were readily
found able to reduce into writing the decisions of the
maritime tribunals and to record them in Rolls, so that
if on occasions persons qualified by experience to attest
the custom of the sea were not at hand, the record of a
previous judgment in point might be available to guide
the conscience of the prud'hommes in advising the judge,
and to assist the judge in maintaining an uniformity of
decision. One instance may be cited in illustration of
the arduous duties in matters of naval administration,
which ecclesiastics of high station were induced to
undertake under the influence of the religious enthu-
siasm kindled by the fourth Crusade. The Archbishop
of Auch " (the Primate of Aquitaine) and the Bishop of
Bayonne, one of his suffragans, did not shrink fi*om
undertaking the command of King Richard's fleet and
discharging the duties of chief justiciaries in naval
matters, with the assistance of three nautical colleagues,
of whom one was a native of Oleron, William de Forz,

^ Chronica Kicardi de Uovedeu.
London, 1870. Tom. iii. p. 30. The
majority of EngliBh writers have

erroneously described this arch-
bishop, as the Archbishop of Aix.

xHi INTRODUCTION.

afterwards created Earl of Albemarle. Other eccle-
siastics ia high office might be mentioned who were
distinguished in the reigns of the three Edwards ' as
persons of authority on questions of maritime law, and
who took part in its administration, and amongst them
the three justiciaries of the Icing may be cited, to
whom Edward III. in the twelfth year of his reign
referred the decision of the question, as to what laws
and ordinances were proper to be observed by his courts
in maritime matters, and whose names are recorded in
the famous Roll of 12 Edward III., in which there is the
earliest mention of Le Ley Olyroun in connexion with
the return of Richard I. from tie Holy Land. It would
probably sound strange to the ears of laymen in modem
times if the Roll were read aloud, as it announces that
the three judges, who were to certify the king in Chan-
cery on the subject of the maritime laws proper to be
enforced in his courts, were Adam Murymuth, the Official
of the Court of Canterbury, Richard de Chadderley, the
Dean of the Arches Church of St. Mary, and Henry de
Eddesworth, Canon of Saint Paul's Cathedral. It was
a noble tradition of law which these distinguished eccle-
siastics handed down to their successors, and it was
faithfully maintained by the College of Doctors of Civil
Law under the shade of St. PauFs Cathedral, until the
Parliament of Great Britain was pleased to divest them
of their trust and to transfer it to other hands.

Sir Henry Maine, in his work on Ancient Law, has
called attention to the fact that the historical develop-
ment of Law is at variance with the modem philosophical
theory, and that in the Homeric periods judgments
(if/f/«i<rr€<r) rendered on a state of facts appear to have
been the only sources of law, whilst custom (>«fM»«), in
the sense of law, is not once mentioned in the Homeric

' William Wrotbam, Archdeacon ! during the reign of King John ; and
of Taunton, had the management of . Friar Thomas of the Temple was the

the king's navy, under the title of
the Keeper of the King's Ships,

Keeper of the King's Great Ship in
Hepry III.'s reign.

INTBODUCTION.

xliii

poems.^ Whatever may be the true explanation of the
latter circumstance, there can be no doubt that the
history of Jdodem Law forms no exception to the maxim
that history repeats itself, and by Modem Law the Editor
means the various systems of law in Europe, of which
the foundations are to be discovered in the free institu-
tions of the Teutonic races. The dawn of Modem Law
in western Europe was ushered in by judgments in like
manner as the dawn of Ancient Law broke upon the
Hellenic race, and from those judgments, as from a fresh
point of departure, a new and continuous stream of Law
may be traced flowing onwards and adapting itself
under the sanction of custom to the new wants, the new
feelings, and the new relations of mankind. It is much
to be regretted that the most interesting stages of the
onward march of Modern Law can only be imperfectly
illustrated, owing to the fragmentaiy character of the
evidence which has been preserved to our time; but
there is adequate proof that Modern Maritime Law was
developed under the same general conditions, and that
the earliest sources of that law were drawn up in the
form of decisions and judgments, and that the compilation
of customs marks the second stage of its growth.

Thus the most ancient extant source of Modem Mari«
time Law are the Decisions of the Consuls of tiie Sea of
the city of Trani on the shores of the Adriatic Gulf.
They purport to be of the date of A.D. 1063, and in the
printed volume of the Statutes of Fermo,^ in which they

* Dr. Thirlwall had already noticed
the figict, that " the word aiuweriiig
'* to iaw does not occor in the Ho-
** meric poems, nor do they contain
** any allnsion -which might lead us
*' to suppose that any assemblies
*' eyer met for the purpose of l^s-
*< lation. Bights, human and divine,
were fixed only by immemorial
usage, confirmed and expounded
by judicial 'decisions ; in most

<«

•<

cases periiaps the judges had no
'* guides but princq>les of natural
** equity." History of Greece,
ch. Ti. p. 169.

' There are two editions of the
Statutes of Fermo to be found in
the Biblioth^ue Nationale of Paris,
one of 1507, and the other of 1589.
The Decisions of Trani ne printed
in both of them.

Xliv INTRODUCrriON.

have been handed down to us, they are entitled
" Ordinamenta et Consuetudo Maris, edita per Consules
Civitatis Trani." These so-styled ordinances and custom
are, however, a series of decisions made after deliberation
by the Consols of the Corporation of Navigators at
Trani as being the best instructed persons in maritime
matters, who could be found in the Adriatic Qulf The
next most ancient extant source are the Judgments of
Oleron. The Customs of the Sea, which were com-
piled at Barcelona, and which became generally known
in the course of the fifteenth century by the title of the
Consulate of the Sea, belong to the second stage of the
history of Modem Maritime Law.

The reader may probably not be familiar with the
Decisions of Trani. The town of Trani is situated on
the shores of the Adriatic, and formerly belonged to the
kingdom of the Two Sicilies, whei'eas Fermo, which is
also a port on the Adriatic, lying to the north of Trani,
is within the limits of the March of Ancona, which
belonged formerly to the See of Rome. The archives of
Trani were unfortunately burnt in 1799, when a French
army occupied the town, and M. Pardessus, with the
assistance of the French Government, caused the most
careful researches to be instituted in 1827 in the hope of
discovering a MS. copy of these decisions in some public
library in the Neapolitan dominions, but his researches
were ineffectual, and the preservation of these decisions
is due to the accidental circumstance that they are
printed at the end of the Statutes of Fermo, which were
revised in 1506 and printed in 1507. Fortunately the
Decisions carry with them the means of verifying their
date in the opening clause, which announces that they
were drawn up in the year 1063 in the first indiction ;
and on examination it has been found that the first
indiction corresponds with the j^ear of our Lord 1063.
Further, a copy exists in Fermo of the statutes of that
city as printed in 1 507 on parchment, in which the
Decisions of Trani are printed with the date 6ri068.

INTBODUCnON. xlv

The DecisionB of Trani conaist of thirty-two proposi-
tions, the first of which commences with the words,
" The Consuls propose, determine, and decide with regard
'' to the question of the art of the sea herein-after
'* written, that when a ship is cast away on land by
** misfortune and the stem separates from the bow, the
" merchandise on board the ship shall not contribute
'' to the loss ; but if the stem does not separate from
" the bow, the merchandise on board shall contribute to
" the repair of the ship,'' &c.

This decision is partly in accordance with the Law of
the Digest (1. xiv. t. 11), and is partly a deviation from
it. The Roman law, in both the cases mentioned in the
above decision, left the owner of the ship to bear his
own loss without any claim of contribution against the
owners of the cargo ; whereas the modem ]aw, in the
second case, where the ship was not cast away but
only damaged, gave the owner of the ship a right to
call upon the owners of the cargo to contribute to the
repairs. The reason of this distinction is perfectly in-
telligible. Where the ship had been cast away she
could no longer be of service to the owners of the cargo,
but where she was only damaged she might be repaired,
and in that case might complete her contract with the
owners of the cargo by carrying it forward to its
destination. Several other rules will be found to be
laid down in these decisions, which are deviations from
the Roman law, and mark a new epoch m Maritime
Law ; but the cardinal point of distinction between the
ancient and modem systems of Maritime Law is that
the mariner under the modem system is a free man.
The slave no longer figures as a chattel, which may be
thrown overboard to lighten the ship. The crew are
free men. The Decisions of Trani lay it down that the
mariners are bound to remain by a stranded ship eight
days in order to save its equipments, after which time .
they may quit it ; that for certain faults only a mariner

VOL. II. d

xlvi INTRODUCTION.

may be discharged from the ship, that a mariner can only
quit the service of the ship during her voyage under
certain circumstances, and on forfeiting half his wages.
Other provisions will be found in these decisions, which
appertain to a new system of law, and were subsequently
more fully developed in the Judgments of the Sea and
in the Consulate of the Sea, such for instance as the
provision that the master of a ship may not strike a
mariner, and that the mariner may defend himself if
the master pursues' him and persists in striking him -^
also that the master of a ship * may hypothecate the
ship to repair her after a tempest, or to ransom her
from corsairs. There is no provision amongst these
Decisions which lays them open to the suspicion of
forgery, and all who feel an interest in the literature
of Modern Law are under great obligation to Mr.
Pardessus for having jcalled the attention of Men of
Letters to their existence. There is no difficulty in
assuming that the commerce of Trani was in the
eleventh century of sufficient importance to warrant
the publication of a body of maritime decisions by its
consuls, as in the next following century there is
evidence that Trani was amongst the cities of Italy
which carried on an extensive commerce in the ports of
the Levant. Besides it may be with as much reason asked,
where are the navies which used to frequent the port
of Damme, and the fleets that were wont to. anchor in
the roadstead of Stavem ; yet no one, because the sites of
those great marts of maritime commerce can hardly now
be recognised, for that reason impugns the genuine-
ness of the Judgments of Damme, or the authenticity
of the Usages of Stavem.

^ The Decisions of Trani (18th
chap.) contemplate a state of mari-
time navigation in which a hench of
oars was still a part of the equip-

ment of a ship, as the mariner was I himself.

required to retire from the prow of

the ship behind the bench of oars,

beyond which if the master pursued

'him he was at liberty to defend

INTRODUCTION. xlvii

The Editor in aBsigning to the Judgments of the Sea
the second place amongst the sources of Modem Mari-
time Law, has not overlooked the fact that there afe
fragments of Maritime Law interspersed amongst the
provisions of the Assises de Jerusalem (A.D. 1100-1187),
and of the Constitutum Usfts of Pisa (A.D. 1160), which
some persons may consider to be entitled to precedence
over the Judgments of the Sea in point of prior origin ;
but in the first place they are only fragments and do
not purport to be of general application, and in the
second place they have never been adhered to as Laws
of the Sea by other nations. The Judgments of the
Sea, on the other hand, have been accepted as a Com-
mon Maritime Law in every country which borders on
the Atlantic Ocean or on the North Sea^ whilst the
kings of Castile gave them the authority of law in
their ports in the Mediterranean, and the trading cities
of the Baltic incorporated their provisions into their
own maritime law. It is much to be regretted that
the earliest historical notice of the Judgments of the
Sea preserved to our time, which is, however, of a date
less ancient than many MSS. of the Judgments of the
Sea which exist in English archives, have had an inter-
pretation put upon it under the exigencies of contro-
versy which has imperilled the credit of the Record.
Thus in the great controversy on the dominion of the
sea between Selden and Grotius, Selden and his sup-
porters have contended for a particular interpretation of
a passage in the Roll, 12 Edward III., known as the
" Fasciculus de Superioritate Maris," and have main-
tained that the Judgments of the Sea had been col-
lected and published as Laws of the Sea in the island
of Oleron by Richard I. of England on his way home
from the Holy Land. The assertion of the fact that
the Judgments of the Sea had been so published in the
island of Oleron by a king of England, was considered
by Selden to be of importance for the support of his

d 2

Xlviii INTRODUCTION.

principal argument, that the kings of England had from
very early times promulgated laws for the government
<f( seafaring men within a certain portion of the sea,
which had been respected by all nations. On the
other hand, the asserted visit of King Richard I. to
the island of Oleron on his way home from the Holy
Land could not be reconciled with certain historical
facts, the reality of which was indisputable, so that the
-alleged occasion of the publication of the Judgments
in the island of Oleron having no solid foundation, the
authenticity of the Record itself would have been im-
peachable, if it bad not been open to another interpre-
tation ^ which does not raise any conflict with established
facts.

Three theories have been advanced by authors of re-
pute respecting the origin of the Judgments of the Sea.
A French theory deserves precedence, which has been
advanced by Cleirac in the introduction to his work on
the Usages and Customs of the Sea, namely, that they
were drawn up by order of Eleanor, Duchess of Aqui-
taine, after her return from the Holy Land. The
second may be regarded as a German theory, in sup-
port of which the authority of Leibnitz has been in-
voked, namely, that they were compiled by order of
Otho, Duke of Saxony, whilst he was Governor of the
duchy of Aquitaine during the reign of his brother-in-
law, Richard I. of England. The third is an English
theory, which has been advocated by Selden, Prynne,
and others, that the Judgments of the Sea were com-
piled by order of King Richard I. of England. All these
theories rest upon a common groundwork, viz., that the
Judgments of the Sea were compiled in the island of
Oleron in the latter part of the twelfth century.

The German theory may be dismissed at once, not-

* This interpretation may be referred to in the Introduction to the

Iftek BoAk. Tnl. i. n. Iviii.

Black Book, vol. i. p. Iviil

INTRODTTCTIOK.

xlix

withBtanding that it has been advocated by Boucher and
others; for although the great name of Leibnitz has
been vouched in support of it, the passage in Leibnitz'
works, to which reference is sometimes made^does not
bear out the interpretation which has been put upon
it. Leibnitz sajB nothing more than this, viz., " that
" as the laws of Wisby in the Baltic Sea, so the laws
" of Oleron in the European Ocean had an authority
almost equal to that of the Bhodian Laws ; and that
as Henry the Lion gave to the inhabitants of Wisby,
so Otho his son, not yet Emperor but Duke of Aqui-
taine and Count of Poitou, gave to the inhabitants of
the island of Oleron a privilege which/' Leibnitz goes
on to say, "we will subjoin to the privilege which
" Henry the Lion granted to the inhabitants of Goth-
" land''^ Leibnitz thereupon sets forth the privilege
granted by the Emperor Henry the Lion to the inha-
bitants of the island of Gothland (A.D. 11 63), and subjoins
to it the privilege granted by Otho his son to the men
of Oleron (A.D. 119S), which latter document is the
identical document which has been published by Bymer
in his Foedera (vol. 1, p. 1 2) under the date of 29th Dec.
1198, and by which the men of Oleron were permitted
to give their daughters in marriage to whomsoever they
pleased without the previous consent of their lord, and
to dispose of their property upon their death freely by
testament.

The French theory, on the other hand^ which has been
advanced by Cleirac,^ attributes the compilation of the

^ Porro Qt in Balthieo mari Wis-
byensefl, ita in Oceano Eoropseo
Oleronenses leges in aactoritate
faere pene instar veterum Bhodia-
rom ; et at Henricos Leo Wisbyen-
sibua, ita Otto ejus filius, nondum
Imperator, sed adhuo Dux Aqtii-
tanisD et Comes Pictaviensis, Olero-
nis insolte, ex adverso Pictavonim

sits, habitatoribus privilcgium dedit,
quod hie patris ejus Henrici Xjeonis
privilegio, Gtttensibiis concesso
subjiciemos. Leibmtii Introduotio
in torn. iii. Scriptoram Bnmsiricen-
sia illnstrantiiuD, § zzziz.

^ Us et Coustumes de la Meri
Boardeanx, 1661, p. 2.

1 INTRODTTCTION.

Rolls of Oleron to Eleanor, Duchess of Aqiiitaine, but
Cleirac has cited no proofs in suppoi*t of it His state-
ment is that Eleanor, on her return from the Holy Land,
which she had visited in company with her first hus-
band, Louis VII. of France, conceived the project of
compiling a body of maiitime judgments for the use of
navigators in the western seas, after the example of the
Customs of the Sea collected in the Book of the Con-
sulate, which were at that time in vogue and credit
throughout the whole of the Levant ; and these judgments
were entitled the Rolls of Oleron, from the name of
Queen Eleanor's favourite island. Cleirac goes on to
say, that at a later period Richard I. of England, the
son of Queen Eleauor by her second husband, Heniy II.
of England, on his return from a similar expedition to
the Holy Land, augmented the collection of judgments
under the same title, and that the judgments themselves
have nothing English about them, the text consisting of
old French tinged with Gascon, and not of Norman or
of such French as was used at that time in England.
Cleirac does not state by what persons or from what
sources the Duchess Eleanor caused the judgments to be
compiled, nor is there any evidence forthcoming from any
trustworthy quarter to support Cleirac's assei-tion that
the Customs of the Sea collected in the Book of the
Consulate were observed as Laws of the Sea in the
Levant at the time when Queen Eleanor visited the
Holy Land (A.D. 1147). Nevertheless, Cleirac may be
right in his conclusions, although wrong in his reasons,
for Queen Eleanor was a woman of great enterprise and
daring character, and quite capable of originating the
design of compiling a body of laws for the government
of seafaring men in the western seas; but she is more
likely to have conceived the project and to have carried
it into execution at a later period of her life, when she
was the widowed queen of Henry II., and when she
was invested with regal authority in England and in

INTRODUCTION. li

Ireland, and with ducal authoiiiy in Normandy and in
Aquitaine, during the absence of her son King Richard I.
in the Holy Land. It would be consistent with this
last hypothesis that Richard I., after his return from the
fourth crusade, should have approved the work of the
Queen Regent. Still it is hardly to be supposed, if
Queen Eleanor took such a pruicipal part in originating
the compilation of the Rolls of Oleron, that it should
have been left to Cleirac to disclose the fact for the
first time in the year of Grace 1647, and that no allusion
to any such fact should be found in the pages of any
annalist of the Angevin period

The English Roll of 12 Edward III., endorsed '' Fascicu-
lus de Superioritate Maris," which was formerly preserved
in the archives of the Tower of London, but has been
transferred in recent times to the Rolls Office in Chan*
oeiy Lane, is the document on which Selden, Prynne,
and other English writers have relied in attributing the
compilation of the Rolls of Oleron to King Richard I.
of England It is true that a passage in the Roll of
12 Edward III. has been construed by Selden and Prynne
in such a manner as to be in conflict with historical
facts, which cannot be disputed; but the Editor has
already observed in the Introduction to the first volume
of this work (p. Iviii.), that the passage admits of another
construction which gives rise to no such conflict.
There can be no doubt that Richard I. was intimately
acquainted with the island of Oleron ; that he had been
invested at an early period of his life during his father's
lifetime with the duchy of Aquitaine and the county of
Poitou ; that subsequently by the treaty of Montmirail
the duchy of Aquitaine was ceded by Henry II. to bis
son, and that Prince Richard did homage for the duchy
to the King of France ; that Richard resided for many
yeare during his fother's lifetime in the duchy of Aqui-
taine, and had frequent occasions for conciliating the
inhabitants of the towns of the duchy by the grant of
new privileges. His fondness for maritime pursuits i9

lii INTRODUCTION.

well known, and the interest which he took in maritime
legislation was evinced by the Regulations which he
drew up at Chinon, with the advice of the prud'hommes,
for the government of his fleet before it set out from
Oleron for the Holy Land, and by the Ordinances which
he enacted with a similar object, when the fleet was
assembled at Messina^ with the advice of his spiritual
and temporal lords who were present, and who took an
oath to observe them. A combination of such circum-
stances gives considerable colour to the English theory
that the Rolls were compiled in Oleron by order of King
Richard I., and that they were reviewed and sanctioned
by royal authority after his return to England &om
the fourth Crusade.

M. Pardessus, on the other hand, is disposed to think
that there are no adequate gi*ounds for regarding the
Judgments of the Sea as in any way belonging to the
island of Oleron. The Editor, who shares fully in the
respect due to any opinion seriously put forth by M.
Pardessus on a question of Maritime Law, on account of
his extensive and elaborate study of the subject, is
imable to concur in his conclusions on this head " My
" conjectures," he says (Lois Maritimes, tom. 1, p. 306),
" remove' all difficulties. They do not in any way belong
" to Oleron ; but they were there known and followed,
'* as throughout the duchy of Aquitaine, of which Oleron
" was a dependency ; aa throughout Brittany, Normandy,
" and the west coast of France, of which tiiey were the
" common maritime law; as in England, where the
*' kings on becoming dukes of Aquitaine introduced the
" Rolls ; as in Spain, where Alphonso X« gave them the
" authority of law." But the conjectures of M. Pardessus
furnish no answer to the question as to how and in
what place the Judgments of the Sea were drawn up, if
they were not drawn up in the place with which they
are connected by name in every ancient MS. version of
them, and in every ancient public document which
alludes to them<

iKTRODUCnOK.

liii

M. Pardessus' great work on Maritime Law consists
of six quarto volumes, the first of which was printed in
1828 and the last in 1845. The Judgments of the Sea
are printed in the first volume, and the Editor considers
that M. Pardessus at the time when he prepared his
introduction to the Judgments of the Sea had not before
him the best and fullest information on certain matters
connected with the island of Oleron. For instance
M. Pardessus appears not to have been acquainted with
the earliest edition of *' Le Grand Boutier de la Mer/'
composed by Pierre Qarde, alias Ferrande, inasmuch as
he says that Gtarcie, from whom Cleirac borrowed his
text, has confined himself to publishing the Rolls of
Oleron without saying a single word as to the author-
ship (Lois Maritimes, tom. i. p. 307), and he elsewhere
says (ib. p. 285) that the earliest edition of Le Grand
Routier was published in 1541.^ Now it is true that
Le Grand Routier was edited in 1541, a copy of which
edition is preserved in the British Museum, but it is
also true that there was an earlier edition of Le Grant
Routier published in black letter at Poitiers without
any date in the title page, a copy of which is preserved
in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and of which the
probable date is much earlier than 1541, inasmuch as
the introductory epistle of Garcie to his son, which is
prefixed to the work, bears date A.D. 1483. This work
is so rare that the Editor has thought it well to publish
the more important part of it in the present volume.
It will be found on referring to this original edition of
Qarcie's work, that at the conclusion of the RoUs of
Oleron Garcie has inserted the following paragraph,
which is omitted in the subsequent edition of' 1541, to
which alone M. Pardessus had access. ''These things

* Ce n'est qae dans reditlon dc
Garcie, imprim^ poor la premiere
fou en 1541, et dans celle de Clei-
rac beaucoup plus recente, qae les

Roles d' Oleron sent port^s h 46 on
47 articles. Lois liaritimes, tom. i.
p. 285.

liv

INTRODUCTION.

'' are extracted from the very useful and profitable Boll
" of Oleron by the said Pierre Garcie, alias Ferrande."
Qeirac, on the other hand, has not avowed in any part
of his work, as far as the Editor is aware, that he was
indebted to Garcie for the text of the Rolls which he
has inserted in '' The Usages and Customs of the Sea,''
nor has he mentioned " Le Grant Boutier " in the list
of authorities which he has prefixed to his work ; but
if Cleirac was indebted in any way to Garcie for the
text of the Rolls, which fact, however, may be disputed
as there are notable variations in the text of the articles
themselves, a^ well as in the order of their arrangement,
as adopted by the two wi'iters, Cleirac professes to have
derived his text from a copy of the judgments printed
at Rouen, to which was appended ''the Seal of the
*' Contracts established in the island of Oleron" in
verification of its being a copy collated with the original
Roll of Oleron. So far then it is clear that although
Garcie may be silent, as M. Pardessus observes,^ as to
the authorship of the Rolls, he declares that he extracted
the Judgments of the Sea from the very useful and
profitable Roll of Oleron.

Another £a.ct to which the attention of il. Pardessus
does not appeal' to have .been sufficiently directed is to
be gathered from the Coutumier of the Commune of
Oleron. It is evident from various chapters of this
Coutumier that the Law Maritime was. habitually ad-
ministered in the Mayor's Court at Oleron to passing
mariners, not merely in suits between foreigners and
burgesses of Oleron, but in causes where both the paiiies
to the suit were foreigners. In particular illustration
of this fact a judgment may be referred to in chapter
Ixxxvii. of the Coutumier, as having been rendered in
the Mayor's Court at Oleron, on the subject of the right

^ M. Pardessufl refers to this MS.
in Doace's Collection, and he had
Bome extracts fix>m it in his posses-

sion, but he does not appear to have
had a copy of the MS. itself.

INTRODUCTION. Iv

of a part owner of a ship to sell to a stranger his share
of the vessel without first offering to the other part
owner of the vessel the option of purchasing the share,
and the parties in this cause were Guillaume Daniau on
the one hand and David le Come on the other, both of
whom were Bretons, which Bretons, the Coutumier goes
on to say, had many suits in Oleron respecting partnership
and other matters.

The circumstance that Breton mariners and merchants
had frequent recourse to the Mayor's Court at Oleron
for the settlement of their disputes in maritime matters
in the fourteenth century, raises a presumption that
the court at that time was in considerable repute as a
Court of Maritime Law, and there are documents belong-
ing to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries which refer
to Oieron under x^ircumstances, which warrant us in
supposing that it was at that period a port much fre-
quented by foreign shipping.

There is also evidence that ih.e Judgments of the Sea
had been introduced in the fourteenth century into
Normandy through a Castilian channel, under the title
of the Laws of Layron, under which form there is no
difficulty in recognising the Laws of Oleron. An ordi-
nance has been preserved by Secousse^ which was issued
by Charles V. of France in 1364, by which the privi-
lege of trading in the ports of Leure and Uarfleur in
Normandy was secured to the subjects of the King of
Castile, with the right of having their disputes adjudi-
cated by the provost of Harfieur, " selon les Coustumes
" de la Mer et les droiz de Layron dehors." That the
Laws of Layron specified in this ordinance are but
another name for the Laws of Oleron cannot well be
disputed, as there is a MS. preserved in the Castilian
archives, of the date of 13th August 1436, which contains
the Laws of Layron (el fuero de Layron), and those
laws prove to be the same body of maritime judgments
of which several MSS. are preserved in English archives,

Ivi INTRODUCTJOI^.

which are of a date as early as the reign of Edward II.
of England, and which are invariably described by a
title which connects them with the island of Oleron.
That Layron or Leron was the name by which the
island of Oleron was known in the ports of the Medi-
terranean does not rest solely upon the evidence of the
Castilian MS., inasmuch as a MS. of the Judgments of
the Sea, written in the Gascon dialect, is preserved in
the archives of the city of Leghorn, the writing of which
is of the 15 th century, and the heading of which runs
thus: '' Asso es la copia deus Bolles de Leron de
" Jugemens de Mar."

There is another class of documents, distinct from the
Norman and Castilian, which connect the Judgments
of the Sea with the island of Oleron. The earliest
known MS. of the Judgments of the Sea which was
in use in Brittany has been preserved in the Bib-
lioth^ue Nationale in Paris, and is of the date of
A.D. 1454. It is printed amongst the proofis appended
to Dom Morice's History of Brittany.^ The duchy of
Brittany, it may be observed, had its own peculiar system
of maritime judicature independent of the Admiral of
France, down to the middle of the l7th century, and the
Judgments of the Sea were amongst the maritime laws
administered in the Breton courts under the title of the
Constitutions of Oleron. The MS. in question is thus
headed : '^ Ci commencent les Coutumes de la Mer,
*' c'est Tetablissement des Bolles d'Oleron fiiits du Juge-
" ment de la Mer." This MS. differs slightly from the
English MSS., as it contains 28 articles, and it has
annexed to it the following certificate : " Donne tes-
" moign le seel de lisle d'Oleron establi aux contrats
" de la dite isle le jour de Mardy ampr&s la feste de

' Memoires pour servir de preuvcs
k rHistoire Ecddsiastiqae et Civile
de BretagHe, par Dom Hyacinthe

Morice. Paris, md.cc.xlii. Tom. i.
p. 786.

INTRODUCTION.

Ivii

" Saint Andr6 Tan de grace MCfCLXXXVi/' Dom Morioe
observes that this MS. is more correct than all the
printed copies of the Bolls in France, and this remark
is true, as regards the copies of the Rolls of Oleron
printed in the earliest collections of Breton customs.
Thus we find that the Judgments of the Sea under that
title are included in a collection of the customs and con-
stitutions of the duchy of Brittany, printed at Paris
in 1480, which is probably the earliest printed collection
of Breton customs. They may be most conveniently
referred to in a later edition of the Customs of Brittany
published at Rennes in 1514.' There can be no doubt
from the variations in the text that the version of the
Judgments of the Sea printed in this edition was copied
from an earlier MS. than the MS. printed by Dom
Morice, inasmuch as the judgments are divided into 26
articles, and the style of the text is more ancient, whilst
the certificate of authentication bears date A.D. 1266 :
" Tesmoign le seel de lisle Dauleron establi au contracts
'' de la dicte isle le jour de Mardi apres la feste Saint
** Andre Ian mil deux cens soixante VI. ans." There is
also one very curious coincidence as regards these Breton
versions of the Judgments of the Sea, as distinguished
from the version of Dom Morice's MS. They all follow
suit in a gross miswriting of the thirteenth article, in
which Dom Morice's MS. maintains the correct reading
and is in harmony with the English MSS.

Allusion has been made to the concession made by
King Charles Y. of France, in 1364, to the merchants
and mariners of Castile trading in the ports of Nor-
mandy, that they should have their disputes adjudicated
by the provost of Harfleur, according to the Customs of
the Sea and the Laws of Layron. Fontanon has handed

^ Les louables Coustumes du pays
et Dach4 de Bretagne visits et
corrigees par plusieurs discretz et
v^nerables juristes, avec les cous-

tninefl de la Mer, par Jehan Mace,
librair^, demenrant k R^nnei pres
la porte Sainct Michel. 16 Nov.
.1514.

Iviii INTRODUCTION.

down to us certain very early instructions issued to the
Admiral of France, under which he was directed to ad-
minister justice to all merchants on the sea according
to the rights, judgments, customs, and usages of Oleron.
These instructions came through an official channel into
the hands of Fontanon, who first published them, but
the date of them is unknown, They were, however, of
authority, as they are inserted in a MS. which is pre-
served in the British Museum,^ immediately after the
Ordinance of Charles V. of France, of A.D. 1373, and
before the Judgments of the Sea, and as this MS.
exhibits the arms of Louis Malet, Sire de Graville, who
was Admiral of France from 1486 to 1508, and again
from 1511 to 1516, emblazoned at the head of the
Judgments of the Sea, the presumption is that the
MS. was drawn up for the use of the Sire de GraviJle
as Admiral of France, more particularly as the
shield, of his arms is backed by an anchor, the emblem
of the admiral's jurisdiction. The Judgments of the
Sea in this MS. have prefixed to them the same title
which is prefixed to them in the Breton customs : ** Cy
** commencent les Jiigemens de la Mer, des nefz, des
" maistres, mariniers, des marchans, et de tout leur
** estre," and they conclude with the certificate under
the seal of the island of Oleron, drawn up precisely in
the same terms which are used in the certificate appended
to the printed Breton versions of the Judgments.

It is difficult, where there is such a concun^ence of
documentary evidence connecting the Judgments of the
Sea with the island of Oleron, and no evidence is forth-
coming of those Judgments having been ever coupled
with the name of any other place, for an impartial mind
to reject the general belief on the subject, and to adopt

1 This MS. is No. 2,423 in the
Sloane Collection, and an account
of it will be foond in the Introdac-
tion to the Black Book, p. Uzzy.

The arms of the Sire de Graville
were three buokles or on a field
gules.

INTRODUCTION. lix

M. Pardessus' conjecture that the Judgments of the Sea
do not in any way belong to Oleron. Other great writers
have been misled by imperfect information to commit
themselves to statements on the subject of Modem Mari-
time Law from which they would recoil if they were now
alive, and amongst them may be mentioned one of our
greatest English historians, who has described the Laws
of Oleron as " a set of regulations chiefly borrowed from
" the Consulate, which were compiled in France under
" the reign of Louis IX. and prevailed in tbeir own
'* country. These have been denominated the Laws of
" Oleron from an idle story that they were enacted by
" Richard I. while his expedition to the Holy Land lay
'* at anchor in that island.''

It has been already mentioned that Cleirac in attri-
buting the compilation of the Rolls of Oleron to Eleanor,
Duchess of Aquitaine, has asserted that on the occasion
of her visit to the Holy Land in company with her
first husband, Louis VII. of France, Queen Eleanor had
become acquainted with tlie Customs of the Sea which
are contained in the Book of the Consulate, and which
were at that time in vogue and credit in the Levant.
There are also other writers of eminence who have re-
ferred the Customs of the Sea contained in the Book of
the Consulate to a period much earlier than that to
which the Rolls of Oleron are historically traceable ;
and Professor Boucher, who published in 1808 a French
translation of the Book of the Consulate under the title
of "Consulat de la Mer," and whose book has been
received in England as a work of high authority, has
asserted that the Consulate was compiled at Barcelona
about A.D. 900, but he has not cited any proofe in
support of his assertion. The majority of such writers
have been content to refer the origin of the Consulate
to the latter part of the eleventh century, relying on a
document known as '' the Acceptations," which has
recently undergone a careful analysis, and has beei)

Ix INTRODUCTIOK.

satisfactorilj bIiowq to be worthleas for any historical
purpose.

liie Book of the Consulate, of which Cleirac speaks,
must be distinguished from the Consulate itself, altiiough
some writers have used these terms as synonymous,
having been misled in all probability by the fact that
translations of the Book of the Consulate have been
published in French and Italian under the name of the
Consulate of the Sea. The Book of the Consulate was
in fact a book drawn up for the use of the Consuls of
the Sea at Barcelona by the notary or scribe of the
Consular Court, just as the Black Book of the Admiralty
was drawn up for the use of the Judge of the High
Court of Admiralty in England by the registrar of the
Admiralty Court. ' Evidence of this fact is forthcoming
in a MS. which is preserved in the National Library
at Paris, to which further reference will be made on a
future occasion. The Consulate, on the other hand, was
a collection of Customs of the Sea which had the force
of law in the Consiflar Court at Barcelona. They were
originally designated '' Chapters of the Sea,'' and they
received from time to time modifications and additions,
and they appear to have acquired the name of the Con-
sulate in the early part of the fifteenth century, when we
find reference made to the Consulate by name in an
ordinance on the subject of maritime police issued by the
magistrates of Barcelona in A.D. 14S5. This reference
to the Consulate by name is the earliest reference on
record, and it precludes the admission of any document
into the Consulate, in the proper sense of that term,
which is of a date more recent than A.D. 1435.

On the other hand, the Book of the Consulate, in the
common European acceptation of the name, is the volume
which was printed at Barcelona in the Catalan or
Bomanoe language, in A.D. 1494, of which Francois
Celelles was the editor. It is this volume which Pro-
fessor Boucher translated into French, and published in

INTBODUCTION. Ixi

1808, under the title of " Consulat de la Mer.** But
there appears to have been an earlier French translation
of this volume from the pen of M. Mayssoni, an advo-
cate of Marseilles, which was printed at Marseilles in
1577, and of which a second edition was printed at
Aix in 1636 ; ^ so that the Book of the Consulate must
have been well known to French jurists at the time
when Cleirac published his work on the Usages and
Customs of the Sea. Cleirac, however, appears to have
made his quotations directly from a Catalan version of
the Book of the Consulate, and he cites such a book
amongst his authorities as " Livre du Consulat traitant
" des faits Maritimes, compost en langage Cathalan."

It is immaterial for the present purpose of the Editor
to inquire whether the edition of the Book of the Con-
sulate of 14j94 or the next subsequent edition of 1502
was the book which was known to Cleiraa The edition
of 1502 was until very recently believed to be the
Editio Princeps, but the version of the Customs of the
Sea is identical in both editions ; and .the question to
which the Editor proposes to confine his inquiry on the
present occasion is, whether the Customs of the Sea
contained in the Book of the Consulate could have
been known to Queen Eleanor when she visited the
Holy Land.

The Book of the Consulate ^ is divisible into two
principal parta The first consists of what appears to
be at first glance a continuous work, divided into three
hundred and thirty-four chapters, and to this part the
name of the Consulate has been sometimes given. The
second part consists of eleven distinct documents, the
dates of which vary from A.D. 1340 to A.D. 1488.
These are dearly distinguishable from the Consulate.

* This edition is in the British
Mnseam.
' It is' a remarkable fiict that no

translation of the Consolat de Mar
has ever been attempted inthej^g-
lish language.

VOL. II. e

Ixii INTRODUCTION.

The first part, on the other hand, although it has been
divided by Celelles into consecutive chapters, consists of
three distinct treatises. The first treatise is concerned
with the procedure to be observed by the Consuls of
the Sea at Valencia. The second treatise is on the good
Constitutions and Customs of the Sea. The third treatise
is on Cruisers of War, and the proper relations to be
maintained between the owners and the crews of such
vessels.

There are good reasons for holding that the first
treatise cannot be of a date earlier than A.D. 1336,
when Peter IV. ascended the throne of Aragon, nor of
a date later than A.D. 1 343. The latter date is fixed
by this circumstance, that Peter IV. granted in 1343 to
the inhabitants of the city of Majorca a privilege that
the consids of the sea established in that city should
observe the rules of procedure which he had laid down
for the consuls at Valencia. The former date of A-D.
1336 is fixed by the fact that a reference is made to a
royal charter in the 36th chapter of the treatise, and
the terms of this reference identify the charter with a
charter issued by Peter IV. of Aragon on 12 Kal.
Nov. 1336. This treatise may therefore with reason be
regarded as more modem than the charter to which it
refers, whilst it must have been in existence prior to
1343, in order that it should form a precedent for the
guidance of the consuls of the sea at Majorca after that
year.

The third treatise on Cruisers of War, which concludes
the first part of the Book of the Consulate of 1494,
does not admit of its origin being ascertained with the
same precision as the origin of the Regulations for the
procedure before the consuls of the sea at Valencia ; but
there is internal evidence in the treatise itself that it
could not well have been drawn up before the middle of
the 14th century. The term " Admiral " is used through-
out the chapters of this treatise as a term of well-under-

INTRODCTCTION. Ixiii

stood import, and no use whatever js made of the ancient
title of Captain of the Fleet (Capitaneus Armatae).
But it would appear from an ordinance of Alphonso IV.
of Aragon of A.D. 1330 that the title of Admiral had
not at that time superseded that of Capitaneus Ar-
matae ; and it is not until A.D. 1354 that we find any
record of the title of Admiral having superseded that
of Captain of the Fleet within the dominions of the
kings of Aragon. It is not improbable that the use of
the title of Admiral had been introduced into the neigh-
bouring kingdom of Castile at a somewhat earlier
period, as mention is made of the Admiral in the second
part of the Siete Pallidas of Alphonso X. of Castile ;
but at that time it was thought necessary to explain
the meaning of the .title, which had been borrowed
from the Arabic, and the Admiral is thus defined for
the instruction of the marinei*s of Castile : " The chief
" of all those who compose the crews of the vessels
" fitted out for war is called the Admiral, and he has
" over the fleet, which is the main body of the Armada,
" or over a squadron, which may be detached, the same
" power as the king himself if he were present." There
is no reason to believe that the term Admiral had
become familiar to the Christian nations of £urope before
the fourth Crusade (A.D. 1147), when the monkish
chroniclers Latinised the Arabic title of Emir ^ or Amir ;
and if this assertion be correct, the third treatise in the
first part of the Book of the Consulate of 1494 cannot
claim precedence over the Judgments of the Sea on the
grounds of prior origin.

It remains to be considered whether the second trea-
tise, which forms the bulk of the first part of the Book

1 The title of Emir or Amir in
Arabic was equivalent to that of
Commander. Thus Amir-el-Monm-
en£n, which signifies Ck>mmander
of the Fatthfol, was the title asswned

by the Arabian sovecieigns of Aftica,
and it is easy to understand how
such an epithet became converted
by the Crusaders into Amiral Mou-
menin.

e 2

Ixiv INTRODUCTION.

of the Consulate, and which is entitled " Constitutions
*' and Customs of the Sea," has any just claim to be
regarded as having been in vogue and credit in the
Levant at the time when Queen Eleanor accompanied
her husband to the Holy Land (A.D. 1147). There can
be«no doubt that the Customs of the Sea are referred
to under the name of the Consulate in the ordinance of
the magistrates of Barcelona of A.D. 1485, and that it
is possible to approximate to the time when the Cus-
toms of the Sea must have acquired the foim under
which they are referred to in that ordinance. The
Italian translation of the Consulate, published at Venice
in 1539, assists us materially in determining this ques-
tion, as the text of the Customs of the Sea, which has
been followed in that translation, differs in many par*
ticulars from the text which has been adopted in the
Book of the Consulate 0^1494. Several chapters which
are introduced into the latter version have no place in
the Italian version. But the chief point of difference,
and one which may be of great importance chronologically,
consists in this, that five chapters^ which are numbered
154, 155, 156, 157, 168, in the Book of the Consulate
of. 1.494, are omitted in the Venetian edition of 1539,
and their place is occupied by two chapters which are
literally reproductions of two chapters of an ordinance
of Teter IV, of Aragon of 1340. On the other hand,
the five chapters above mentioned of the Book of the
Consulate of 1494 are amplifications of the provisions
contained in the same ordinance of 1340, and the am-
plifications are of such a nature that there is no diffi-
culty in identifying three of these latter chapters as the
chapters of the Consulate, to which reference is made
in the fifth article of the ordinance of the magistrates
of Barcelona of 1435. It seems, therefore, reasonable
to conclude that the text of the Customs of the Sea,
which was followed in the Venetian edition of 1639,
was a more ancient text than the text adopted in the

introduction; Ixv

Book of the Consulate of 1494; but notwithstandioj;
this may be a correct condusion, the compilation of the
more ancient text is not thereby carried back to a
period earlier than 1340 A J).

If it be assumed, and the Editor does not propose
on the present occasion to say more than that he
considers the assumption to be well founded, that t^e
Customs of the Sea in the form in which they have come
down to us in the Book of the Consulate of 1494 were
not compiled until some time after 1340 A.D., and
under which form only there is any authority for
assigning to the Customs of the S^ the name of the
Condulate^ a further question may be raised, whether
some portion of the Customs of the Sea may not have
been reduced into writing at an earlier period.

Space will not allow the Editor on the present occa-
sion to discuss the chapters of " the Customs of the Sea "
at any length, with the view of showing that they have
the appearance of having been reduced into writing at
different times, and that the later chapters are ampli*
ficationSy and in some cases amendments, of the earlier
chapters. It is not too bold a conjecture to suppose,
from the circumstance that explanations • are for the
most part given at the end of each chapter of the rea-
sons for which " the chapter was made,'' or of the object
principally kept in view when the chapter was drawn
up, that the " Customs of the Sea," in the form in which
they have come down to us in the Book of the Consu-
late of 1494, are a digest of the constitutions made from
time to time on maritime matters by the Prudliommes of
the Sea at Barcelona. Their true character is avowed
in the opening words of the first chapter : *^ These are
" the goqd constitutions and good customs in matters
" of the sea which the wise men who have navigated
'' the world have handed down to our ancestors, and
•' which make up the books of the Science of Good
^ Customs." That there were " written customs of the

Ixvi INTRODtTCnON.

sea/' which the Consuls of the Sea were authorised to
observe at a period long antecedent to the Barcelonese
ordinance of 1435, may be inferred from certain pas-
sages in the Yalencian regulations, which, as already
observed, were drawn up between A.D. 1336 and A.D.
1343. A provision is found in chapter xli. of those
regulations to this eflTect : '* The sentences of the con-
" suls and the decisions of the judges shall be rendered
" in conformity with the written customs of the sea,
'' according as it is declared in the different chapters
" of them, and in case where the customs of the sea
^' shall declare nothing, according to the counsel of the
" prud'hommes of the sea ; " and it had been already
provided by a previous diploma of Peter III. of Aragon,
by which the consular jurisdiction was first established
in Valencia in 1283, that the Consuls of the Sea should
determine all contracts and disputes between ''men of
" the sea " and mariners according to the custom of the
sea, as had been customary at Barcelona.- This is the
furthest point to which any extant record carries back
**the custom of the sea" in any sense, in which it
can be supposed to have been handed down to us
amongst the chapters of the Consulate.

K it be further assumed, and the Editor on the pre-
sent occasion ventures to assume the fact, that the
Consulate of the Sea is of Catalan origin, and belongs
neither to Marseilles nor to Pisa, as some authors have
contended, but was so named because it contained " the
" Chapters of the Sea," which were followed, as rules
for the settlement of maritime disputes, by the Consuls
of the Sea at Barcelona, the observance of those rules
by the consuls in that city cannot be carried further
back than to 1279, in which year consuls of the sea
were first appointed at Barcelona. But the* existence
of a corporation or guild of prud'hommes of the sea at
Barcelona may be traced a little further back. An
ordinance on maritime police was published by King

INTRODUCfTION.

Ixvii

James I. of Aragon in A.D. 1258, in which the Corpora-
tion of the Prud'hoinmes of the Strand of Barcelona ' is
spoken of as a council of administration in maritime
matters, of co-ordinate authority with the king himselC
This ordinance appears to the Editor to be the true
starting point of Modem Maritime Law in the kingdom
of Aragon ; for although there are some provisions of
maritime law to be found in a collection of laws pub-
lished by King James I. in 1250 AD., under the name
of the Customs of Valencia, these are, with one or two
trivial exceptions, stale relics of the maritime law of
imperial Rome, and belong to the period when the an-
cient law of the sea was giving place to a new system
of law, under which the ci-ew were recognised as the
companions, and were no longer the slaves, of the owner
of the vessel.

It remains to be considered whether the document
known as " the Acceptations *' should be allowed to
overrule the internal evidence contained in the Customs
of the Sea as published in the Book of the Consulate
of 1494, which shows that they were not completed in
their present form until some time after 1346 A.D. ;
and if that be inadmissible, whether " the Acceptations "
are conclusive evidence that the Customs of the Sea in
some earlier form were in vogue and credit in the
Levant at the time when Queen Eleanor visited the
Holy Land. The document known as "the Accepta-
tions " is printed in the Book of the Consulate of 1494
immediately at the conclusion of the chapters on
Cruisers of War, with a heading to this effect, " These
" ordinances and chapters have been approved, sub-
'* scribed, and promulgated by the under-mentioned

* The Guild is styled UniTersitas
Frooemm Bipariee Barchinonie in
this ordinance, which has been
printed by Capmauy in hia Memo-

riae, t. ii. p. 28, and by M. Par-
dessos in his Lois Maritimes, t. v.
p. 839.

Ixviii INTRODUCTIOK.

" lordships." No editor of the Book of the Consulate
appears to have tested the historical truthfulness of the
recitals in this document, or to have doubted of their
immediate connexion with the first part of the Book
of the Consulate before the time of Capmany, who in
his Memorials on the Marine and Commerce of Barcelona,
printed in 1779, has denounced the document as im-
pertinent and as utterly worthless for any historical
purpose. Capmany has been followed by Michel de
Jorio in the project which he drew up for a maritim
code in 1781 by order of King Ferdinand IV. of Naples ;
but it has been reserved for M. Pardessus to institute
a very complete analysis of the document, and to esta-
blish beyond all dispute that many of the Acceptations,
which the document professes to record, are inconsistent
with well-established facts of histoiy, and that it is
reasonable to reject many others, which are too vague
to admit of their truth being tested by any historical
research.

The document in question, as printed in the Book of
the Consulate of 1794, professes to announce that the
preceding chapters and ordinances were approved and
subscribed by divers princes and states at various times
during a period which extends from 1075 A.D. to 1270
A.D., and if this document were trustworthy and it
had any certain application to the Consulate, it would
carry back the Customs of the Sea to an epoch ante-
cedent to the visit of Queen Eleanor to the Holy Land.
It is possible that Cleirac was misled by the second
paragraph of this very document to state that Eleanor,
Duchess of Aquitaine, became acquainted with the
Customs of the Sea when she visited the Holy Land,
for the second paragraph of this document, as printed
in the Book of the Consulate of 1794, runs thus : "In
" the year 1102, in the kalends of September, they
" were subscribed at Acre, on the passage to Jerusalem
" by King Louis and the Count of Toulouse, to be ob-

nmioDTTcnoN. Ixix

" served for all time." The cautious pen of Mr. Hallam
has been misled by this paragraph to write that '' the
*' King of France and the Count of Toulouse solemnly
'' acceded to this maritime code (the Consulate), which
" hence acquired a binding force within the Mediter-
'* ranean." Unfortunately, however, for the authenticity
of this paragraph it is beyond all dispute that Louis YI.
was King of France in 1102, and that Louis YI. never
made a visit to Acre nor to Jerusalem. His successor
Louis YII. did indeed visit Acre on his passage to
Jerusalem with his Queen the Duchess Eleanor, but this
event took place in 1147 A.D., when Bertrand, Count of
Toulouse, who in fact did visit the. Holy Land in 1102,
was dead. The next paragraph in the said document is
to this effect: ''In 1102 they were subscribed by the
" Pisans at Majorca to be observed for all time." But
the Moors were still in possession of Majorca in 1 102,
and it was not until A.D. 1115 that the Pisans expelled
the Moors and occupied Majorca. The last paragraph
in this document is of an extraordinary character and
ought at once to have arrested the attention of the
editor of the Book of the Consulate of 1494, and to
have made him pause before he launched the document
into circulation. It asserts that "In the year 1270
" they were subscribed and authorised in the city of
" Majorca by the very high Prince and Lord King
" James, by the grace of God King of Aragon, of
" Yalencia, of Majorca, Count of Barcelona and XJrgel,
" and Lord of Montpelier, and by the said Lord con-
** suls were authorised in the city of Yalencia in the
'* form above said." Capmany has investigated this
asserted visit of King James to the city of Majorca in
1270, and has adduced satisfiBMStory evidence that King
James did not visit Majorca in that year; but the
assertion that King James authorised consuls at Yalen-
cia in the same year is completely disproved by the
Privilege of Peter IIL the successor of James I., by

btX INTRODUCTION.

which Consols were instituted for the first time at Valen-
cia in 1283 A.D. The Editor refrains from discussing
at greater length other gross errors in this document,
as the reader will probably consider that sufiicient has
been said to show that the so-called " Acceptations "
of the Consulate are worthless for the purpose of
establishing, that the Customs of the Sea contained in
the. Consulate were in vogue and credit amongst the
merchants and mariners of the Mediterranean, before
the Judgments of the Sea were compiled.

Some further remarks upon the contents of the present
volume may be appropriate.

•

The Domesday of Ipswich.

The Domesday of Ipswich throws considerable light
on the constitution of the Jury in the Anglo-Norman
period, and may help incidentally to throw light on its
origin. The account of the circumstances, under which
it was drawn up, warrants the belief that it was a re-
collection as near as might be of the old customs and
usages of the town, which had been previously collected
in *' the Elde Domesday " in the second year of King
John. Upon this estimate of the antiquity of those
customs and usages the Domesday supplies most valuable
evidence on several matters respecting the Jury, which are
at present involved in great obscurity. Amongst those
customs and usages the proceedings in a plea of fresh force
(chap, vi.), and the proceedings in a plea of fresh abate-
ment (chap, vii.), deserve attention; Both of these pleas
might be brought before the bailliffs of the town in the
Com-t of Portmennysmote, and if brought within forty
days might be commenced by wed and borugh without a
writ from the king. It was competent for the defendant
in either of these pleas at a certain stage of the proceed-
ings to produce twelve compurgators to support his
denial of the plaintiOTs claim, and by so doing to have the
plaintiff amerced. But if the defendant failed to do so.

INTRODUCTION. Ixxi

•

then an assise or jury of twelve men was airayned to try
, the question of right. There is no evidence forthcoming
from contemporary writings to show that this practice was
not in force in the English 1x)roughs in the second year
of King John. In both of the above-mentioned pleas the
decision was made by, the recognition of twelve men,
and the Domesday teims the twelve men an aasise
(assise) in a question of fresh force, which involved a
title to land, and a jury (jur^) in a question of fresh
nuisance, where no question of property was raised
In the latter case the juiy was to hold an inquest on the
nuisance precisely as we find it laid down in Olanville
(1. ix. ch. ii.), that if nuisance were suffered by the Crown,
an inquest of the nuisance should be held before the
justices of the king by a jury of the country or of the
neighbourhood.

Some learned men have been led into the error of
supposing that Bracton is the first English writer who
speaks of the " jurata,*' but Olanville in treating of pur-
prestures distinctly lays it down that the inquest is to
be made by a " jm-ata." Mr. Foi-syth, in his History of
Trial by Jury, p. 141, has obderved that the problem is
to discover what was the origin of the "jurata" of which
Olanville speaks. The Editor ventures to suggest that
it is to the Domesday s of the English boroughs that we
are to look for the information which neither Bracton,
nor Olanville, nor yet the Mynx)ur of. Justices supplies^
and that if the Domesdays could be recovered and pub- _
lished, they woidd throw considerable light on the origin q

of the " jurata.'* Thus, in the case of a writ of right ^ > ^ ^^
concerning any tenement within the town of Ipswich,
addressed to the bailliffs of the town, the wager of battle
was absolutely forbidden by the usage of the town, and
the defendant in possession had in all cases to put himself
upon God and a jury (jurde) of twelve good and lawful
men in the form of the great assise (en fourme de graunt
assise), after the usage of the town. The mode, however,

ScA

]

Ixarii iNTBODTTCflON.

of chooBing the jury differed from that observed in the
great assise. The bailliffs, for instance^ were to choose
four good and true men in the town^ whose duty it
should be to choose twelve good and true men of the
same town who best knew and would say the truth.
For this purpose the choosers were to deliver into the
next court a panel of twenty-four names^ in case that
any of them should be challenged by either of the
parties. The names of the four choosers were to stand
first on the panel, and they were themselves to be of the
jury of twelve, if the parties assented. This is a pecu-
liarity which at once distinguishes the course of proceed-
ing in the borough court from that of the king's court,
inasmuch as in the Great Assise the four knights of the
county, who were directed by the king's writ to choose
twelve lawfiil knights of. the neighbourhood to try the
issue between the parties^ do not appear ever to have
placed their own names on the panel, nor in fact to
have been legally competent to take part in the sub-
sequent recognition by jurors of the title of the rightful
party. Space will not allow the Editor to discuss on
the present occasion so complicated a question as the
origin of the recognition by jurors, but that the recog-
nition by twelve jurors was an institution which did not
^p originate with the Great Assise, but on the contrary was
practised in the boroughs where the king's judges did
V'^ not come, and in pleas which were commenced without

\^ any writ from the king, seems to be a fair inference from

the usage of the town of Ipswich in pleas of fresh force
and of fresh nuisance. Glanville describes the Great
Assise ^ as a royal boon conferred on the nation by the
clemency of the prince, with the advice of his nobles ;
and it is consistent with Glanville's account of it that
the recognition by jurors should have been a mode of

^ great OMtje] Eat autem magna I dementia principisde consilioproce-
asaisa regale qaoddam benefioinm | nun popolis indoltom, 1. ii. ch. 7.

w,-^

INTRODUCmON. Ixziii

trial in familiar use for other matters at the time when
it was constituted by Henry IL the normal mode of
settling disputes to land within the counties, where
either party declined the wager of battle. The author
of the Myrrour seems to confirm this view when he says,
1. ii. s. 25^ " An assise in one case is nothing more than
'' a session of the justices. In another case, it is an
'' ordinance of certainty where nothing can be more nor
" less than right For on account of the great mischief
'< which would be procured in witnessing, and the great
'^ delays which were made in examinations, exceptions,
^ and attestations, Bandulph de Olanville ordained this
" certain assise, that recognitions and juries should be
" made by 12 jurors, the nearest neighbours, and so
" this establishment was called an assise/' The Myrrour
then goes on to distinguish a great assise, which involved
a right of property, from a petty assise, which involved
only a nght of possession, and which was so named in
a statute of Edward I.

The Domesday of Ipswich also adds to our knowledge
on the subject of Compurgators, as it has preserved to us
in Chap. LX^IX. a remarkable form of compurgation
in pleas of debt, which is probably of very ancient date,
as it was only allowed between those burgesses who
were peers and commoners of the town. The circum-
stance that its use did not extend to foreign burgesses,
warrants us in regarding it as an institution of a period
when there were no foreign burgesses. This form of
compurgation was allowed in eases of debt where the
amount demanded exceeded a certain sum. If the de-
fendant denied his debt and waged his law, he waa
allowed to produce ten persons in court, who were to be
divided into two parties, betwixt which parties a pointed
knife was to be tossed up into the air, and the five
persons, towards whom the haift of the knife lay on its
falling down, were to be at once set aside. The other five
were to remain in court, and after one of them had been

Ixxiv ' INTRODUCTION.

set aside (by what process is not said), the remaining
four were to make oath in company with the defendant
on his behalf. In all other pleas of debt, where the
defendant waged his law, two compurgators were
sufficient.

No trace of the Ordeal is to be found in the Domes-
day. Mr. Wodderspoon in his Memorials of Ipswich,
p. 225, states that in the twenty-ninth year of the reign
of Edward I. (which would be about ten years after the
compilation of the Domesday), the Ordeal pit was given
by the town of Ipswich to one Habate or Wabate, and he
infers from the existence of such a pit that the town of
Ipswich had courts of judicature in the Anglo-Saxon
times. One practice, however, is still recorded in the
Domesday, namely, the use of the Ducking Stool for
scolds, which was probably a modification of a more
severe punishment, as the institution was in contem-
poraneous use in the duchies of Aquitaine and Normandy,
and was in fact expressly sanctioned in the constitutions
of the Anglo-Norman communes.

The Domesday of Ipswich is also interesting as illus-
trating the personal status of the English burgess and
his family ; the liability of the husband for the debts of
his wife contracted before and after marriage, but not
for her obligations as surety for another person^s debt ;
the power of the father to devise his property freely ;
the claim of the widow to her free bench within the
town, or to half the tenements and rents of her late
husband ; the right of the children, male and female, to
share in equal portions their father's property, if he
died intestate ; the age of discretion for children to deal
with their inheritance ; the guardianship of minors, from
which the next heir was excluded ; and many like
matters, in some of which the custom of Ipswich de-
parted further from the feudal system, than the common
law.

One remarkable fact is apparent from the Domesday,

INTRODUCTION. IxXV

that public spirit as regards the administration of justice
was much stronger in those days than at the present
tirne^ and that justice was then administered more
promptly than at present, although perhaps in somewhat
coarser scales. Thus as regards civil suits the Qreat
Court of the borough sat once a fortnight on Thursdays,
when pleas brought by writ of the king, and other great
pleas, were heard before the bailiffs with the assistance
of a jury ; a court for petty pleas sat twice a week ; a
court for pleas where strangers were concerned sat from
day to day ; a court during fairs and markets sat from
hour to hour ; and a court for maritime causes sat from
tide to tide. The administration of the criminal law
was equally well cared for. Cutpurses and petty thieves,
who robbed strangers, were dealt with summarily in the
strangers court, but greater criminals were tried in the
Great Court of the borough at its fortnightly sesaionn,
and at such trials a coroner as well as the bailliffs pre-
sided, for under the charter of King John the Common
Council of the town was bound to elect four coroners,
whose duty it was to hold the pleas of the Crown, and
to do all other things which might be necessary to secure
that justice should be done to the poor as well as to the
rich within the borough. It would appear from the
Domesday of Ipswich, as compared with the Custumarj^
of Oleron, that the condition of the English bui^eas was
in the time of Edward I., in respect of personal inde-
pendence and legal capacity, in advance of the condition
of a burgher in the duchy of Aquitaine, which there is
no reason to presume was in any way behind the duchy
of Normandy ; and if the Domesday be considered witl^
a view to ascertain the progress of English law, it affords
no countenance to the theory which traces Trial by Jury
to a foreign source, whether that source be as remote as
the burgess court of the kingdom of Jerusalem, or the
neighbouring customs of the Norman subjects of the
kings of England.

Ixxvi INTBODUCTION.

The Custumart of Oleron.

The Custumary of the Commune of Qleron, although
it purports to have been compiled almost under identical
circumstances and with the same object aa the Domesday
of Ipswich, does not represent so advanced a stage of
Law, and whilst the Domesday for the most part assumes
the law to be settled, and is chiefly concerned with ex-
pounding the procedure, the Custumary for the most
part expounds the law itself, and cites customs and
judgments in evidence of it. For instance, in the case of
nuisance where a house has fallen down upon a neigh-
bour's house, the Domesday assumes the law and (ch. x.)
explains the proceeding for compensation, and la3rs it
down that it shall be on a plea of trespass by wed and
borugh, and that in all cases an inquest shall tax the
damages reasonably, whilst the Custumary limits itself
to discussing the circumstances under which a house may
fall down, whether suddenly or by degrees, and in the
former case declares that no compensation is due on the
ground that the fall is an accident ; in the latter case
declares that compensation shall not be made unless the
owner of the house which has fallen down has been
formally warned by the neighbour to repair it (ch. xxvi.),
but it is silent as to the procedure to be followed in the
latter case. There is no trace in the Custumary of trial
by the recognition of sworn men in the Mayor's Court,
although]the wager of battle was forbidden in that court ;
but the wager of battle still existed as a mode of decid-
ing both civil and criminal suits in the Lord's Court,
lind the trial by compurgators was still in use. A very
singular practice in regard to the wager of battle in
civil suits is mentioned (ch. Ixvii.). Upon the challenge
being accepted, the plaintiff was entitled to receive half
the goods of the defendant after the payment of his
debts, and to procure at his own cost two champions,
and of these the defendant was entitled to choose the one

INTRODUCTION. Ixxvii

whom he preferred to fight for bis cause. How the
battle was to be waged is not explained, but when battle
was undertaken on a charge of crime no champions were
allowed. It would appear that the power of the Lord's
Court was still unlimited, and that on a charge of crime,
if the plaintiff was not willing to have recourse to the
wager of battle, the accused party was entitled to be
acquitted, if he denied the charge upon oath.

The family status of the French burgher had also
notable features of distinction from that of the English
burgess. The patrimonial idea of landed property still
prevailed, and the owner's power of alienation by sale,
gift, or bequest was limited. Marriage brought with it
a commimity of personal property between the husband
and the wife, and if there was no marriage settlement,
it was in the discretion of the prudliommes to assign
dower to the widow ; but in the case of gentlemen by
lineage the widow's dowry was the third of her
husband's estate. The age of legal discretion of an infiant
was fifteen, not fourteen as in Ipswich, and the infieint
minor, if entitled to property independent of his father,
was under the guardianship of the commune. A married
woman, except she was an open trader, could not contract
nor be a surety without the consent of her husband.

The most interesting chapters, however, of the Cus-
tumary are those which are concerned with maritime
matters, which, when put in controversy, were adjudged
in the Mayor's Court, to which foreigners had free access.
There are as many as sixteen or seventeen chapters on
matters connected with shipping, some of which indeed
had reference to questions which might arise in harbour,
or within territorial waters, but others were of a more
general character, such as questions respecting partner-
ships in vessels, the duty of masters, the rule of contri-
bution in cases of jetison, and of compensation in certain
cases of collision, which might have well found a place
amongst " the Judgments of the Sea," if they had not
been of more modern origin.

VOL. II. f

Ixxviii INTRODUCTION.

The Judgments of the Sea and the Roll of

Oleron.

" The Judgments of the Sea " are a very different
work from the Collection of Maritime Decisions and
Customs which were circulated in the middle of the
seventeenth century under the title of the " Roll of the
Judgments of Oleron," and which have heen received
in the Courts of Admiralty under that name upon the
authority of Cleirac's version of them, as published in
his work on the Usages and Customs of the Sea. The
Editor has elsewhere observed that '* the Judgments of
the Sea " belong to a much earlier period than Cleirac's
" Roll of the Judgments of Oleron/' and that the text
of the early English MSS. of the Judgments of the Sea
agrees with that of the Gascon MSS. as distinguished
from the Norman and Breton MSS. This question is of
some importance as regards the priority of origin, which
the Judgments of the Sea may claim over the Consulate
of the Sea. Cleirac was a distinguished advocate of the
Parliament of Bordeaux, and he has cited amongst the
works which he consulted, " Tlie Ancient Customs of
Bordeaux in the Gascon Language." He does not in-
deed specify the work from which he copied " the Roll
of the Judgments of Oleron,'* but he states that the
text of the Roll was in old French tinged with Gascon.
No MS. answering to this description has been as yet
discovered, and it has been aptly observed by Mr. Luder,
that the text which Cleirac has published is in French
of the time of Francis I. M. Fardessus caused careful
search to be made in France for a MS. corresponding
to Cleirac's description of the Rolls, and he had aban-
doned the task as hopeless at the time when he pub-
lished the text of the Rolls of Oleron. Subsequent

1 Black Book, vol. i., Introduction, Ixiii.

IN t RODUCTIOX. IxxiX

research has disclosed the existence of two MSS. of the
Jqdgments of the Sea written in Gascon tinged with
French, and of one MS. of the same Judgments written
entirely in the Gascon dialect. M. Pardessiis has pub-
lished, in the additions to his work (tom, vi. p. 487),
the text of the latter MS., which is preserved in the
Guildhall of the city of Leghorn. It consists of nineteen
articles only, the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth, and
the fifteenth of the articles, which constitute the Judg-
ments of the Sea, being omitted ; in other respects
the text agrees with that of the early English MSS.
With regard to the other two MSS. one is stated by
M. Pardessus (torn. vi. p. 486) to be in the Public Library
at Bordeaux, and to have been formerly the property of
the Abb^ Baurin. The other is preserved in the Bri-
tish Museum, and is to be found in a volume numbered
10,146 amongst the Additional MSS. This volume con-
tains amongst other documents the ancient Customs of
Bordeaux in the Gascon dialect, and so far it agrees
with the description given by Cleirac of one of the
works which he had consulted. It does not, however,
contain the text of '' the Roll of the Judgments of
Oleron," but a text of "the Judgments of the Sea"
which corresponds with the text of the early English
MSS. As this text is unique, and was evidently the
text received at Bordeaux in the fifteenth century, the
Editor has published it in the present volume, and has
collated it with the text in the Liber Memorandorum,
which is preserved in the Guildhall of the city of
London, and with the text of the Leghorn MS.

M. Pardessus is of opinion that Cleirac borrowed his
text from Garde's "Grand Routier de la Mer," which
he slightly modernised. As Garcie's work is very scarce
indeed, the Editor has. extracted from it and included
in the present volume the articles which Garcie pro-
fesses to have extracted himself " from the very profitable
and useful Boll of Oleron/' Garcie does not state how

IXXX INTRODUCTION.

or where he became acquaiuted with the Roll of Oleron.
It seems probable, however, from the general contents
of " Le Grand Routier " that Garde derived his text
from a Breton source, as the customs of the duchy of
Brittany and of the viscounty of Leon are inserted in
Le Grand Boutier immediately before the Boll of Oleron,
in like manner as. they precede the Judgments of the
Sea in the '* Coustumes de Bretaigne/' which were printed
prior to the publication of Le Grand Routier.

On examining the forty-seven articles which Gkrcie
has printed^ the reader will perceive that the first twenty-
two only are found in the ancient English MSS. of
the Judgments of the Sea. The thirteenth article of
the latter MSS.> which refers to the navigation of the
British Channel and the North Sea, is omitted by Garde,
although it is inserted in the Coustumes de Bretaigne.
On the other hand. Garde has made an addition to the
fourth artide as it stands in the English MSS., and he
has introduced an article on the duties of pilots (No. 28),
which differs materially from that whidi is found
(No. XXIY.) in the English MSS. Cleirac has followed
the example of Garcie in respect of all these artides,
and the remaining twenty-four articles of Cleirac's work
are but repetitions of the articles of Le Grand Routier
with some slight modifications in their arrangement
The Editor forbears to speculate how Cleirac came to
annex the certificate of A.D. 1266 to his work, but on
a friture occasion, if he shall be able to cany out his
intention of presenting to the reader for the first time
an English verdon of the Consulate of the Sea, he may
return to the subject.

Opportunity has been taken in the notes appended to
the Roll of Oleron of pointing out from time to time the
variations which exist between Garde's and Cleirac's
respective works. It is unavoidable to condude that
both these writers derived their text from a common
source, if Cldrac did not derive his text directly from

IKTBODUCTION. Ixxzi

Le Grand Routier. One curious fact may be noticed,
that both these writers speak of books as forming part
of the cargo of a vessel, and of their being well closed
and packed up for fear that they should be damaged by
water ; and it is provided in Article XXXII. of Qaroie's
edition, that where books so packed up should be thrown
overboard, the presumption should be against the inten-
tion of the owners to abandon their property. This
provision is suggestive of a new commerce, which must
have grown up since the invention of printing books
(A.D. 1465). Cleirac makes no remark upon this sin-
gular provision, but M. Pardessus calls attention to it,
and observes that in A.D. 1474, which is ten years
before the earliest period at which Le Grand Routier
can have been composed, the works of almost all the
first-class authors and of many of the second-class authors
had been published in France in a printed form. It
would be idle to suppose that iu the days of JSleanor of
Gnienne the commerce in manuscripts could have been
so considerable that it would frequently be an object for
an overloaded vessel in stress of weather to cast over-
board the manuscripts in order to lighten her caigo,
and that it should have been thought of importance at
that time to place on record the juc^ment of a maritime
tribunal in such a case ; but it would be perfectly intel-
ligible that the labours of the printer should have had
special protection accorded to them at sea in the reign
of Louis XII., when Royalty in France was devising how
to afford every encouragement to the art of printing,
and how best to promote the circulation of the products
of that newly-discovered art This article, like several
others which precede it, and which declare all persons
to be excommunicated by Holy Church who take part
in procuring vessels to be wrecked, and in plundering
them when they are wrecked, savours of the hand of a
wise clerk, who by a pious fraud was preparing the way
for the authoritative assertion of the principles subse-

Ixxxii INTRODUCTfON.

quently embodied in the Ordinance of Francis I. of
A.D. 1543, and for the resumption of the right of wreck
into the hands of the king, as lord paramount, in order
to secure its equitable and benignant exercise. Eccle-
siastical Councils ^ had long before, in the twelfth and
thirteenth centuries^ condemned the asserted right of the
lord, of the soil to wi*eck. Henry III. of England in
A.D. 1226 had modified that right throughout all his
dominions, including Oleron by name, and likewise
Poitou and Gascony. The dukes of Brittany had agreed
in A.D. 1231 by a treaty with Louis IX. of France to
renounce the lord's right to wreck on condition of every
ship trading in the ports of Brittany carrying with her
briefs or letters of safety (brie£3 de sauvet^, for which a
fee was payable to the duke ; but the ancient practice
was revived at intervals, and it was not until Francis I.
came to the throne^ <that royalty in France felt itself
strong enough to enforce a more humane s}r8tem. This
was inaugurated by the Ordinance of 1543, which the
Parliament of Paris, however, refused to affirm without
modifications, and it was not until A.D. 1629 that the
principles of that ordinance were fully carried out by an
Ordinance of Louis XIII, This ordinance was subse-
quently embodied in the Ordonnance de ]a Marine of
A»D. 1681 (1. iv. t, ix. Art. 1), a work worthy of the
administmtive genius of Colbert, and perhaps the grandest
monument of the reign of Louis XIV.

* The Council of NaDtes in A.D. 1 Lateran in A.D. 1 179 may be men-
1127 and the General Council of I tioned.

INTRODUCTION. Ixxxiii

LIST OF MANUSCRIPTS COLLATED OR
REFERRED TO IN THIS VOLUME.

The Domesday of Ipswicb.

Additional MS. 25,012 in the British Museum, quarto,
on vellum, consisting of fifty-two leaves. It is written
in various hands of the early part of the 14th cen-
tury, in many places having been erased and rewritten.

The contents are —

The Domesday of Ipswich, with a table of chapters
preceding, fol. 2.

Additions to the same, " De Beremen, &c.," foL 41.

Custumes apurtenantz a la ferme le Rey, fol. 42b.

Feoda militum de honoribus Lancastr. et Leycestr. in
com. suffi, fol. 47b.

Tenentes de feodo honoris de Richemund in Hundredo
de Saunford, fol. 49.

Names of the Electors of the Town Jury, Tuesday
after the Exaltation of the Crass, 3 Edward 11. (1309),
fol. 50.

The boundaries of the four " Letes '' of Ipswich, fol. 51.

At the end (fol. 52) is this note in a hand of the
15th century: "Iste liber constat Johanni Cobet de
Gippewico."

Additional MS. 25,011, in the British Museum, quarto,
OQ vellum, consisting of 35 leaves. It was written in
the time of Henry VI.

The contents are —

Translation of the Domesday of Ipswich as in Add.
MS. 25,012, fol. 1.

Inquisition of lands held by the clergy of Ipswich in
the second year of King John, fol. 23.

Ixxxiv INTOODUCTION.

Additions to the Domesday as in Add. MS. 25,012,
foL 24b.

The Customys longyng to the ferme of the Kyng as in
Add. MS., 25,012, fol. 25b.

Assise of bred, foL 28.

Ordinances passed at various times, in Latin, fol. 29.

Nomina Burgensium Juratorum, foL 32.

Nomina forinsecorum Burgensium, 2 John, fol. 33.

At the end is an entry relating to the election of
" Servientes ad Clavam *' to wait on the Bailliffs, dated
Thurs. Vigil of St. Andrew, 15 Henry VI. [AD. 1436].

Additional MS. 25,341 in the British Museum, being,
a translation of the Domesday of Ipswich, by W. Tiling-
worth, F.S.A, Deputy Keeper of His Majesty's Records
in the Tower of London, A,D. 1812.

The Judgments of the Sba.

Additional MS. 10,146 in the British Museum, folio,
on vellum, consisting of 105 leaves. It is written in
a hand of the 16th century.

Its contents are —

A calendar in Latin, f. 1.

The extent of Quienne and of Oascony, with their
dioceses enumerated. In the dialect of Bordeaux, f. 7.

The Costumier of Bourdeaux in the dialect of Bour-
deaux, f. 8b.

This is divided at f. 76 where th^ roll of the town
of Bourdeaux ends, and the words occur, " Hie finitur
Botulus ville Burd." The title Deus establimens de la
villa de Bordeu is prefixed to the continuation of the
Customary, which is followed by several charters of the
kings of England and of France

La Cosluma de Boyan, containing a table of custom
duties in the dialect of Bordeaux, f. 93.

nniRODtTCTION. Ixxxv

A Charter of Lotiis XI. of France in Latin, addressed
to the Mayor, Jurats, and Commune of Bordeaux,
f. 100b.

Les Costumes Doleron et deu jutgamen de la mer en
tot cas^ in the dialect of Bordeaux, f. 102b.

The book stamp of the Royal Academy of Sciences
of Bordeaux is stamped in several places in the volume.
This MS. is thus described in the printed Catalogue of
Additions to the MSS. of the British Museum, 1886-
1840.

*' The Costumier of Bordeaux, containing the laws
'* and priveleges of the city, and the charters granted
" by various kings of France and England, to the time
" of Louis XI., with the Costumes of Oleron ; written

partly in the dialect of Bordeaux, partly in Latin.

On vellum, of the XVth century. Folio [10,146]."

Liber Memorandoruro, in the Archives of the Guildhall
of the dty of London. 4to. vellum, early in the 14th
century.

Sloane MS. 2,423, in the British Museum, 12mo.
vellum. Early in 16th century. This MS. has been
erroneously described in the Introduction to the Black
Book as late in the 16th century*

Leghorn MS. in the Archives of the Guildhall of the
city of Leghorn, of the middle of the 15th century.

The Customs of the Commune of Oleron.

Douce MS. 227, in the Bodleian Library, Oxford,
small quarto, on vellum, consisting of 80 leaves. It is
written in a hand of the 14th century.

Its contents are a collection of usages and customs
and judgments compiled by Guillaume Guischos, clerk
of the Commune of Oleron, und^r the direction of the
mayor of the commune.

VOL. II. g

Ixxxvi INTRODUCTION.

At the end are written the opening words -of St.
John's Gospel in Latin, followed by the following colo-
phon : " Iste liber est magistri Johannis Bamberti, cui
detur paradisus, et fuit completus anno domini
MCCCXL. quarto, scilicet decima die roensis Feb-

" roarii."

After which, in a later and much smaller hand, " Ce
sont les chouses, qui devent costumer qui passent par
le corea DoUeron," which is followed by a table of
custom-house duties payable on goods passing by Oleron.
This MS. is described in the Catalogue of the MSS.
of the Bodleian Library as a ** Collection of cases and
regulations apparently compiled by the community of
Oleron, A.D. 1344," which is the description given of
it by Mr. Luders, who saw it when it was in the pos-
session of Mr. Douce, and who observes that it may
have been composed earlier than the year in which it
was copied.

In conclusion the Editor has to express his thanks
to the Curators of the Bodleian Library, Oxford, for
their kindness in allowing the Douce manuscript to
be sent up to the British Museum for inspection and
collation, and to the Rev. H. Octavius Coxe, Bodley's
librarian at Oxford. He has also to express his thanks
to Sir Albert William Woods, Garter, for the &cilities
afforded to him of examining certain manuscripts in
the Heralds' College, and also to Sir Thomas Duffus
Hardy, Knt, the Deputy Keeper of the JPublic Records,
and Edward A. Bond, Esq., the Keeper of the Manu-
scripts in the British Museum, for their courtesy on all
occasions of the Editor requiring access to manuscripts.
He has also to thank Daniel Burges^ Esq., the town
clerk of the city of Bristol, for his information respect-
ing the Little Red Book in the archives of that city.

INTRODUCTION. Ixxxvii

and to Thomas Hester, Esq., the town derk of the
city of Oxford, for his information respecting the re-
cords of the ancient customs of that city. He has also
to express his great obligation to Edward Maunde
Thompson, Esq., the Deputy Keeper of the Manuscripts
in the British Museum, for his valuable aid in decipher-
ing and collating various manuscripts in that Museum.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

S1S76.

[TABLE DES MATIERES.]

Add. MS.

25,012.

f. 2.

N rvy'>_^\.' W>-

§ Des jours des grauntz pletz qe
sunt apellez portmanemotes. E
des pletz de la coroune e des
menuz pletz qe sunt pledez par
gage e plegge. E des pleyntes
solom ley marchaunde e ley
marine. E des pletz en temps
de feyre. E de assoygnes en
meyme les pletz
§ De assoygne pur tenantz comim
ou en parcenerie

De assoygnes pur exeqetours

De assoygne du service le Roy

De brefe de dreyt .

De fresche abatement

De &esche nusaunce

De wast

De reconissaunce de fraunke tene-
ment

De mesoun qe se abece sour autri
mesoun . . . .

De reconissaunce de fraunke tene-
ment en cas de reversioun, &c.

De reconissaunce de rente

De fresche abatement pur tene-
ment endos

De tenementz qe gisent frisches .

De fresch abatement ver tenaunt
qe countreplede soun seygneur
de ses services .

capo, prmio.

cap*^. secundo.
cap . iijo.

o ••••o

cap . mj .
cap*>. v°
cap", yj".
cap . vij .

o •••o

cap . vuj .

o ■ o

cap . IX .

cap^. x*".

cap*^. xj°.
cap°. xij*'.

o •••o

cap . xiij .
cap^. xiuj .

cap®. x\o.

TABLE OP CONTENTS.

The dayes of grete pleea that ben
deped Fortmannysmootes. And
of plees of the coroun. And of
lease plees that ben pleted be
wed and borugL And of plees
after the lawe of marehaundyse
and lawe of the see. And of
plees in tyme of feyre. And of
assoynes in the same plees caP.j^^,

Of assoyne for tenauntes in comoon
or in parceneyre

Of assoynes for execatourys

Of assoyne in semise of the kyng

Of wryt of right

Of freeeix abatement

Of fressh nusance .

Of wast ....

Of recongnysannce of fre tenement

Of an hous that lenneth on an

other hous
Becongnisaunoe of fre tenement

in cas of reversyon
Of recongnisaunce of rente
Of fressh abatement for tenement

in dos . . . .

Of tenementes that lyene fresshe . ca^. xiuj™^.
Of fresshe abatement ayens a te-

naunt that contrapledeth his

lord • . . . . cao. xv^o.

A 2

cao.

ijdo.

cao.
cao.
cao.

• • • 'X^

mjto

C4i^.

vjto.

cao.
ca^.

VUJO.

cao.

ixtto

ca<>.

xmo.

cao.

3gmo.

cap.

xij™o

ca<>.

Xlljnio,

Add. MS.

25.011.

f. 1.

Add. MS.
25,012.

[table DES MATltlRES.]

De tenement devisables e prone de

testamentz . . cap®, xyj®.

De tenement devise a enfaunt de-

denz age . . . cap^ xvijo.

De tenement devise qe ne est pas

devisable . . . cap**. xviij<>.

De tenement devise a acun taunt

com il est hors de payis . cap*', xix**.

De rente devise . . . cap^. xx9.

De nurture auer . . cap°. xxj^.

De prosces fere en brefs vescun-
tak e en pleyntes par gage e
plegge .... capo, xxijo
f. 2 b. De baterye saung tret, &c. . cap'^. xxiij°.

De trespas fait as che& baillifs ou

as corouners . . . cap^. xxiiij"*.

De trespqs fait as subbaiUife . cap°. xxv**.

De forstallerye de peyscun e des

pulleters .... cap*', xxvjo.

De regraters qe vendunt as autres

regraters . . . cap®. 2a:vijo.

De temps de achat ordene. pur re-
graters en meyme le marche de
peyscoun . . capo, xxviijo.

De peyscoun trencher en eel marche cap*', xxixo.

De peyscoun garde e freys outre

temps couenable . . . cap®. xxx°.

De pokyeres qe medlent ble purry cap*', xxxjo.

De pulleters . . .' capo, xxxijo.

De contract de marchaundise . cap**, xxxiijo.

De dette ou damages derrenez . cap^. xxxiiij"

De damages enhancer . . cap*', xxxvo.

De ceux qe achatent les biens des
marchauntz estraunges e male-

ment payent . . . capO. xxxvj*'.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Of tenementes departable and preeff

of testament . . , ca®, xvj™o.

Of tenementes . . . ca^. xvij™o.

Add. MS.
S5,011.

Of tenement departed that ys not

departable
Of tenement departed to eny per-

sone while he is out of the

countre ....
.Of rente departed .
Of norture to have
Of prosses to make in wryt shir-

revys and in pleyntes be wed

and borugh
Of debatt blood drawen .
Of trespas doon to the cheeflF

ballives or to the coroner[es] .
Of trespas doon to the subbally ves
Of forstallyng of fysshe and of pul-

teiys ....
Of regrateres that sellyne to othere

regraterys
Of tyme of beyng ordayned for

regraterys in the same fysshe-

markett
Of fysshe cutt in the same market
Of fysshe kept fresshe owt of coven-

abel^ tyme
Of pokyeres that medelyne rotyn

corne ....
Of pulterys

Of contraetys of marchaundyse
Of dette or damages recured
For to enhauncen damages
Of hem that beyen good of straunge

marchanntes and evel payene .

ca^. xviij^.

ca®. xixo.
cao. xx™<'.

ca®. xxijd*'.
ca^. xxtijo.

ca^. xxiiij^o.
cao. xxv*o.

ca^. xxvj*o.

cap. xxvijmo.

cao. xxviij<'.
ca*'. xxixo.

cao. xxx™o.

ca<>. xxxj™o,
cao xxxijdo.
ca^. xxxiijo.
cao. xxxiiijto

(5aO. -r-r-r-vio

f. lb.

ca<>. xxxrj***.

6 [table DBS MATlfeBES.]

Add. MS. De woluard enouster . . cap®. xxxvij<>

^^'^^^- De renable partye . capo. .^^j<

De chartre quiteclame ou autre

escryt trier sil sey t dedyt cap<>. xxxix®.

De taillie saunz seal prouer cap^ xl^.

De espe rendre capo. xlj^.
De destresce fere burgeys sour

autre .... cap<>. xlij*^.
§ Coment burgeys peot destreyndre

foreyn .... capo, xliijo.
§ Coment burgeys deyt partyr
ouesqes burgeys et ou ousqes

foreyn en marchaundise capo, xliiijo.

f. 3. § De veue de fraunke plegge capo. xlyo.

§ De defens de wast pendaunt play capo, xl'vjo,

§ Ke nul ne preygne en gage leyne
ne fyl de poures pygneresses,
&c. . . oapo. xlvijo.

§ De chose adyree . . capo, xlviijo.

§ De attome receyvre . capo, xlixo.

§ De reconyssaunce receyvre horde de
court ou contractes de marchan-
dise .... capo, lo,

§ Coment vedue deyt tenir soun

fraimke baunke . . capo, ijo,

§ De dowarye . . capo. Ujo,

§ Coment vedue deyt reioyir la

fraunchise de la vyle . . capo, lyjo.

TABLE OP CONTENTa

cao, xxxvujvo

For to puttene of wolvard

Of renable party .

Of chartre and quyt or oyer script

for to trien yif it be withseyd . ca^. xxxix®.
For to proven tayle withoute seel ca®. xl™o.
For to yelden swerd
For on burgeys to make distresse

on an other
How a burgeys may distreyne a

forreyne ....
How a burgeys owethe party wyth

bnrgeys and with foreyne mar-

chaundes
Of the lete ...

Of the fens of wast hangyng the

plee ....
That none ne take in wed woll ne

such other pore pouerayle

cao. xxxvijMo. Add. MS.

ca<>. xlj

cao. xlijd*',
ca° xlii/.

ca^. xliiijtQ.
cao, xlv*<>.

ca<>. xlyj*<*.

35,011.

ca®. xlvij™<>.

For a thyng a diree

For to reseyvene attoume

For to reseyvene a reconisaunce

out of the court in contractes

of marchaundes .
[How^ awydue owethe to have her

&e banche . •

[Of dowarye
How a wydue owethe to reioysen

the fraunchise of the toune

cao, xlviij<^.
cao. xlixQ.

cao l"»o.

ca^. Ijo.
ca<>. lijo.

cao. Ij

Piiio.]

> The English table of contents, as
regards the nambering of the chap-
ters which follow the fiftieth chapter,
is incorrect in consequence of the
omission to notice the two chapters
on the Pre Banche of Wydnes and
on Dowarye, which are nmnbered
li. and Hi. in the Trench Table.
There is a farther confusion in the

numbering of the chapters them-
selyes, owing to the chapter, which
follows immediately after chapter
liL, being also numbered Hi. in the
English translation. The numbers
which have been added by the
editor in brackets agree with the
numbers of the corresponding chap-
ters in the French text

8 [table DES MATlilRES.]

Add. MS. § Ke homage ne fealte seyt fete des

tenements en Gippewyz . cap®, liiijo.

§ Ooment femme coverte de baroun
deyt respoundre en play de
• trespas saunz soun baroun . cap^. lyo.

§ Coraent le baroun deyt respoundre

de la decte de sa femme cap®. Ivj®.

§ De macecreuz qe aportent carcoys

saunz quyrs, &c. . . capo, lyijo,

§ De macecreuz qe vendunt chars

sursemez, &c. . . . cap®. Iviijo.

§ De keus qe gard^it vyaundes ou-
tre temps, &c. . . . . capo. lixo.

§ De hostete de marchauntz estraun-

ges, &c. - ^ . . . capo. ixo.

, § De burgeys de la yyle qe emple-
dunt autres burgeys de la vyle
countre la fraunchise, &c. . capo. ixjo.

f. 8 b. § De ceux qe countrepledunt la al-

louaunce de la fraunchise, &c. . capo, ixijo.

§ Qe nul foreyn marchaunt seyt receu

burgeys, &c . . . capo, ixiijo.

§ De gages vendre apres jour de
payement passe, &c

. capo. Ixiiijo.

TABLE OF CONTENTS. 9

That homage and feute be done of Add. MS.

tenementes in Qeppyswiche ca^ Ij™^. 85,oii.

[Uvo.]

How a woman covered vnder hus-
bond owethe to answeren in plee
of trespas with owte her hus-
bond . . , . . cao. lij^o.

Pvo.]

How the husbond oweth to an-

swere for his wyffes dette . ca*'. liij®.

[Ivio.]

Of bocherys that beryne carcoyses

witii oute skynnes • . . coP. liiijK

[Iviio.]

Of bocherys that sellyne roten

flesshe . . . ' csP. lv*o.

[Iviiio.]

Of hein that kepyne vytaylles out

of tyme .... cao. Ivjto.

[lixo.]

Of hostes of straunge marchaundes caP. Ivijmo.

[1X0.]

Of burges of the toune that em-
pleten other burgesys ayens the
fraunchise of the same toune . caP, Iviijo.

[bdo.]

Of h^m that countrepletyn the

allouaunce of the fraunchise . caP. ]ixP,

Pxiio.]

That non foreyne marchaund be

resceyved Burges . . cafi, IsP^^.

Pxiiio]

For to taken wed of the day of*

payment passed . caP. Ixy^^.

[Ixiv.]

10 [table DES MATliStES.]

Add. Ma § De ceux qe descourent le prive

25 012 ' "1111

' * cunseyl de la vyle e qe cuntre-

pledent par malice le honur e
la frauncliise, &a . . capo. Ixv^.

§ De < bnrgeys qe fanoement avouent

antri chatel, &c. . . . capo. Ixvj®.

§ De marehaundise remener vers

ewe, &c. . . . capo. Ixvij®.

§ De temps de vente de marchatm.-

dises au cay, &c. . . capo, ixviijo.

§ De venie de peyscoun de escale,

&C. . ... . capo. Ixixo.

§ De age de la vyle, &c. . . capo. Ixxo.

§ De manace fere, &c. . . capo. Ixxjo.

§ De arme saker en presence de

bayllifes, &c. . . . capo. Ixxijo.

§ De presses eH play de esclaundre . capo. Ixxiijo.

§ De comunes tenceresses . . capo. Ixziiijo.

§ De xij. jureez de la vyle, &c. . capo, ixxvo.

§ De subbaUi& qe se feygnent en

lour office . . . capo, ixxvjo.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Add. MS

Of hem that discnren the privy

26,011.
t2.

consel of the toune and ye oon-

trepletyn be malice ye wor-

shippe and ye fraunchiBe

ca<>. Ixijdo.

[Ixvo.]

Of burgesys that faldy avowyne

other catell

ca<>. Ixiijo.

[Ixvio.]

For to ledyu merchanndyses toward

the watyr

cao lxiiij*o.

[Ixviio.]

Of tyme of sellyng of merchann-

difle at the key

ca^ lxv*o.

[Ixviiio.]

Of sellyng of fysshe with the shelles

ca®. lxvj*o.

Pxixo.]

Of age of ^ the tonne

cao. Ixvijo.

[hacoj

Of manas m^ad

ca®. Ixviij.o

pxxio.]

Of knyves drawying or armys

shakyng in the presence of the

ballyves

cao, Ixixo.]

[Ixxii.]

Of proces in plee of enslaundre

cao. lxx™o.

[Ixxiiio.]

Of oomonne chyderys

cao. lxxj™o.

[Ixxiyo.]

Of xLj. men swome of the toune .

ca® Ixxijo.]

[Ixxvo.]

Of subballyves that feynen hem in

her ofiSce

cao. Ixxiijo.

Pxxvio.]

^ Here is inserted in a zvi^^ cent. I ** geye there lend or leate the same
hand *' of InfSuitea ir<^^ male sell or I <* within."

[table des matiMes.]

Add. MS. § De subballifs qe portent males
25,012. paroles entre gentz . . cap<>. Ixxvijo

§ De comun clerke de la vyle . capo. Ixxviijo.

§ De ley fere en play de dette entre

burgeys, &c. . . . cap®. Ixxix^

§ De pestours qe trespassent countre

la^ise .... capo ixxxQ.

§ De braceresses, &c.

. capo. Ixxxjo.

§ De vyn conimpu dampner

. capo. Ixxxijo.

§ De mesnres de la vyle assayer . capo. Ixxxiijo.

1 At the foot of this page (f. 3 b)
is the following entry in a later
hand of the 14th cent.^—

M*^ qaod libertas villee Gippe-
wici allocata fuit per Jnsticiarios de
Banco tempore regis Edwardi filii
regis Edwardi anno regni soi zvg*'.
termino Michaelis inter Johan^em
fiUom Semanni le Langc petentem et

Bobertom filinm Bogeri le GloTere
capellanmn et Petnim Fermynhod

deforcientes rotulo Ixxxxyiij^.

Quia hiijusmodi libertas per breve
domini ^ ejusdem ' regis alias sci-
licet [de termino] Hillarii anno

regni sui v^^ allocata fait rotulo

Ixxxxv®. (?)

TABLE OF CONTENTS. 13

Of subbaJlyves that well woord be Add. MS.

twixe the pepele . . cao. budiij<>. '

[Ixxvii**.]
Of the oomone clerk of the toune . ca®. lxxv™o.

[Ixxviiio.]
K Of lawe to done in plee of dette

a mong burgeyses . ca®, lxxyj<>.

[Ixxix®.]
Of baxterys that trespasyne a yens

the syse . ca^. Ixxvijo.

PxxxO.]
Of braerys .... ca^. Ixxviijo.

[Ixxxi.o]

For to dampnene wyne corupt ca®. Ixxix®.

[Ixxxii®.]
For to assayene mesure of the

toune .... caP. lxxx™o.

[Ixxxiii®.]

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICHE.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS.

25,012.

f. 5.

Ceo est le Domesday des Leys e des Usages de la
[ville de Qippewyz.] ^

Pur ceo qe le yeuz Domesday des leys e des aonciens
usages de la ville de Gippewyz, e autres roules e
remembraunces de meyme la ville par un fauz comun
Gierke de la dite vUle esieyent emportez e faucement
eUoygniez,apres quel Domesday issi emporte e eUoygnie,
les leys e les aunciens usages de meyme la ville meynte
feze esteyent e unt estez voluntri vemet * hors de lour
dreyte fourme chaungez. Ceo est asaver utt jour une
ley ou un usage pur un, e un autre jour un autre pur
un autre, solom ceo qe les choses furent meyntenues
a la feze par favour des juges, a la feze par empamours
des bosoygnes ' e procurementz des amys, dunt souent
par teux maneres des meyntenaunces^ emprises, e
procurementz plusoures gentz countre resoim e bone
fey e countre les leys e les certeyns usages de la dite
ville unt estez grevez; e ceo a graunt esclaundre de la

' The words in brackets are faded
oat

^ vobtntrivemet^ yolentriment, yo-
lontairementy Boqaefbrt, Glossaire.

' empamours des bosoygnts ]
undertakers of bnsiness. Eelham
translates empamours undertakers
of suits.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICHE.

[This is the Domus day of the Lawes and of the
Vsages of Gippeswiche.]

For as much as the elde Domus day ' and the elde Add. MS.
vsage of the toune of Qippywyche* and other roUys and 2^'^>'-
remembraunces of the same toun by a fals common clerk
of the forseyde toune weryn borne awey and falselich
aloyned, after which Domus day so boren a wey and
aloyned the lawes and the olde customes and vsages [of
the same toune] of ten tymes weme [designedly] put
owte and chaunged from her righte foorme, that is to
wetene, oon day for a nother, and oon custom for an
other, and on vsage for an other after that thyng were
meynteyned, sumtyme be favour of juge, sumtjnne
be empamours of nedys, and procuremente of frendes.
Wherfore often tymes be swiche maner of meyn-
tenaunce or takynge and procuremente fele folk a zeyn
resoune' and good feyth, and a zeyne the lawes and
the certayne vsages of the toune bene bene greved, and

' the elde domue day"] The original
Roll, tenned " the Domesday," waa
drawn np in the second year of the
reign of King John nnder the au-
thority of a charter granted in the
same year of that king, and was of
right in the eostody of the bailiflfs
of the town. Wodderspoon states
that it was home away hy one John
Blake, the town clerk, who, haying
committed felony and escaping from
the hands of justice, carried off iSbe
Boll, in which the laws and enstoms
of the town were recorded. Memo-
rials of Ipswich, p. 206.

VOL. II.

' Gippywyche'] The name of the
town is spelt Gippeswiche and Gep-
pyswiche in other parts of the MS.

^fele folk a zeyn reeotm] many
persons against reason. The editor
has thought it more adyisable to
print tlie text of the English MS.
precisely as it is written, than to at-
tempt to correct the variations of
spelliog, and the capricious or cai'e-
less manner of uniting and dividing
words. The words within brackets
are not in the MS., and the punc-
tuation has been added in many
places.

18 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPKWYZ.

Add. MS. ville e emblemissement^ des leys e des usages de meyme
' ' la viUe. La comunalte' de la dite ville veaunt qe
honurable chose est e covenable pur la dite ville teles
defautes cum avaunt sunt dites redrescer e amender e
mettre en certeyn, to Ian du regne le Rey Edward
fitz le Rey Henrie xix"^® en temps Johan Clement e
Vivien Silvestre adunke bayliffs de la dite ville de
Qippewyz, meyme la comunalte de une volunte e un
assent ad ordene qe les leys e les usages de meyme la
ville a plus pres qe horn les peot par bon avisement
estimer solom ceo qe eynz ces houres unt este usez, auxi
bien pur comun proffyt des estraunges cum des privez
de la ville, seyent apartement mys en Domesday' e
ensealez du comun seal de la ville, issi qe les baillifs e les
burgeys de mejrme la ville e lour heyrs e lour successours
a tutz jours de meyme les leys e meyme les usages
pussent certeyne conissaunoe aver. E a cestes choses
profere en la fourme avauntdite, la dite comunalte de un
cunseyl e un assent unt eUuz xxiiij. qe a ceo sunt
jurez, des plus sages e meuz avisez de meyme la ville, qe
meuz se conussent en les leys e en les usages avaunt-
ditz. Ceo est asaver § Fhelip Hameys, Johan Clement,
Vivien Silvestre, Thomas Aylred, Johan de Caustone,
Johan Hameys, Laurenz Haraud, Hughe Haraud,
Johan Leu, Richard Leu, Thomas Stace, Johan de
Whatefeld, Thomas le Rente, Thomas le Mayster,
f. 5. b. Laurenz Cobbe, Amaud le Pelleter, Thomas de la Pere,
Nichole le Clerk, Wilham le Mayden, Elyz le Keu,
Richard Clement, Gilbert Roberd, Alisaundre Mai^grete,
e Johan de Bresete.

^ emblemisiement ] This word 1 of this Domesday, if not a duplicate

should properly be written as two
words, en blemissement, as in chap.
Ixi. below.

^ Dcmeaday] The MS. in the
British Mnsenm is a yery early copy

of it. It is written in varioos hands
of the early part of the XlVth cen-
tury, in many places having been
erased and re-copied.

THE DOBfUS DAT OF QIPPESWICHE. 19

that to grefce esclaundre of the toune and enbleschement Add. MS.
of the Jawes and the ysages of the same toune. The ' ^^'
oomounalte of the forseyd toune seyng that honuraUe
thyng ys couenable for the same toune suche defautes
as bene aforeseyd redressyn and amendyn, and puttyn
in certayn, in the yere of the regne of Kyng Edwarde
the sone of Kyng Herry xix.,^ in tyme of John Clement
and Vivien Silvester, thaune ballivee of the forseyd
toune of Oippiswich, the comounalte of oon wille and oon
assent ordayned that the lawes and the vsages of the
same tonne as soon as men myghten be good avisement
estymyn, af£er that a foren that tyme hit hadden ben as
wel for common profyt of straungeres as for pryvys of
the toune, that hit shulden ben apertly put in Domys day
and enseled with the comoun seel of the toun, so that the
ballives and the burgesys of the same toun and here
heyres and here successoures at alle dales of the same

and knowyng, and to parforthyn in this thyng in foorme
aforeseyde, the same comounalte of oon conseyll and oon
assent chesyne xxiiij. men that weryn swoome of the
most wise and best avised of the same toun, that best
knewyne in the lawes and in the vsages aforeseyde, that
is to weten, Philipp Hameys, John Clement, Vivien
Silvestre, Thomas Aylred, John of Causton, [John]
Hameys, Laurence Horold, [Hugh Horold,] John Lew,
Richard Lew, Thomas Stace, John de Whatefeld,
Thomas le Bente, Thomas Maister, Laurence Cobbe,
Arnold Polter, Thomas of the Stone, Nicholas le Clerk,
Willam le Maiden, Elys the Cook, Richard Clement,
Gilbert Rolert, Alisaundre Margaret, and John Breset,
&c.

^ nineteen} This year was a me-
morable year for the town of Ips-
wich, as King Edward I. restored to
the hnrgesses of the town their
liberties, which he had seized and

kept in his own hand during the six
preceding years. During that period
a FroTost appointed by the king had
governed the town.

B 2

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. Au comencement use est en la dite ville de Gippewyz
^*^*?* qe les graunt pletz de meyme la vyle qe sunt
Desjoura appellez portmennesmotes seyent pledez a tutz jours
^\l^T^ devaunt les baillifs de la dite vyle de quinzeyne en
santapellez quinzeyne, e ceo par jour de Jeody, as queux jours les
J^J^®" brefs de dreyt e tutz autres pletz qe sunt pledez par
des pletz brefe le Rey, e ensement les pletz qe tuchent fraunke
ronne^e" tenement qe seyent pledables en meyme la vyle saunz
desmenuz feref seyent pledez, liorpris les pleyntes de fresche
sunt^phdez abatement e de nussaunce, qe sunt pledables par gage
par gage e plegge ^ solom usage de la vyle, qe par plus bref
Edes ajoumement e plus hastyf, remedye covendrunt estre
pleyntes piedez e termynez, cest asauer chescun pie en sa nature

solom ley jt •/ ' r

solom les leys e les usages de la dite vyle en les
maneres- qe apres ensuent. Les pletz de la coronne
seyent pledez a meyme les jours de portmennesmotes
devaunt les baillifs e les oorouners de la vyle, horpris
des cinsours des bourses ou larouns pris ou petite

mar-
chaunde
et ley
marine.
Edes
pletz en
temps de

Msoygnes^ meyneoure ou ovesqes graunt meyneoure a la sute de

en meyme
les pletz.

' par gage et pledge] Britton, in his
chapter on Distress (1. 1. ch. xxviii.
§ 6, De Prises d* Avers), explains
the mode of proceeding par gage et
plegge. Lors Tint le pleyntif et de-
maunda ses avers qoites, et aver ne
les pont, puis ly tendi gage en noon
de pes, et ofEH pleges de venir en
sa court ou ayloors de ester a dreit,
si ren ly savereit demaonder, il ja-
lemeyns encountre gage et plege a
tort les detynt, et detener fist, jekes
a taunt qe mesmes les bestes furent
d^liverez par le viscounte. The
proceeding seems to have been very
simple. The plaintiff tendered se-
curity and offered pledges to appear
in court to stand to justice, if the
defendant had any demand against

him. Britton in his xxixth chapter,
<« De Dette," states, in what cases
proceedings par gage et plegge
without a writ of the crown were
still allowed. En countez ausi par
devaunt nos viscountes et les su-
tiers, et en hundrez et en courtz
des frauncs honunes poent estre
pledez sauntz nos brefis par gage et
pleges simplement pletz de trespas
et de dettes, issi qe les biens em-
portez en les trespas, ne les dettes
demaundez ne passent mie xl.ff.
The permission of the crown for the
subject to proceed in such cases
without a writ of the crown was
equivalent to excusing the subject
from the payment of a fee for per-
mission to sue his debtor.

■^^

THE DOMUS DAY OF QIPPESVVICHE.

At the gynnyng it is vsyd in the foreseyde toun of
Gippeswiche, that the grete plees of the same toun that
ben [called] Portmannysmotes ' shuld bene pleted at alle
dayes a fore the ballivos of the toun, from xv. dayes to
XV. dayesy and that ben Thrusdayes, att whicli dayes the
writtes of ryght and all othere writtes and plees that
bene pleted by writtes of the kyng, and also the plees that
touchen fre tenement, that ben pletable in the same
toune with outen wryt, shuld ben pleted, oute takyne the
pleyntes of fr&sshe abatement and of nusance, that ben
pleted be wed and borugh after vsage of that toun,
wheche ben the most short aioumyng and most hasty
remedye owen to ben pleted and determined, that is to
weten^ eche plee in his kynde after the lawes and the
vsages of the forseide toun that afterward folowyn.
The plees of the coroune shulden ben pleted the same
dayes of portmennysmootes, a fom the ballives and the
corounere of the toun, owt takene cutpurses or theves
taken with litell menure or with gret menure in sute of

^ Portmanmfsmoiea'] Under the
charter of King John twelve capital
portmen were elected from amongst
the most fit, discreet, and wealthy
of the burgesses of the town of
Ipswich, who exercised within the
horongh a jurisdiction analogous to
that of the twelve thanes of the
hundred court in the open country.
The author of the liber Albus of
the city of London, in commenting
on the name " Portgrave," by which
term the chief magistrate of the city
of London is designated in the
charter of William the Conqueror,
says, p. 13, ** Port," enim, Saxo-
nice et Teutonice, Latinc ** civitas *'
appellatur. Cowell in his Law Dic-
tionary cites instances of the term
Portmannimote being applied to
the courts of inland towns having no

conmiunication with the sea. The
Bailiff's Boll at Ipswich, made in the
second year of the reign of King
John, has the following entry: '* Also
on the same day it is ordained by
the common council of the same
town that hereafter there shall be
in the said borough twelve capital
portmen sworn, in manner as they
** are in other free boroughs of Eng-
land, and that they shall have
full power for themselves and
the whole town to govern and
maintain the aforesaid borough,
*' and all the liberties of the same
borough, and to render the judg-
ments of the town, and also to
ordain and do all things in the
same borough, which ought to be
done for the state and lionoiir of
the town aforesaid." It api)earR

Add. MS.
25,011.

■

J-
The dayes

of grete

plees that

ben cleped

Portman-

nysmootes,

and of plees

of the

coroun, and

of lesse

plees that

ben pleted

be wed and

borugh,

and of

plees after

f. 3.

the lawe of
marchaun-
dyse and
lawe of
the see,
and of
plees in
tyme of
fevre, and
or assoynes
in the
same plees.

((

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. estraunge homme passaunt^ com en temps de foyre ou
^ ' * de comun jour de marchee. Les pletz qe sunt pledez
par gage e plegge, qe sunt appellez meunz pletz, entre
gentz residentz e demoramitz eiL meyme la vyle^ seyent
pledez par deux jours en la semeyne, si les baillifs de
la yyle ne seyent par certeyn enchesoun^ desturbez,
e adunkes facent eux crier e ajoumer meyme les
pletz secres a un autre jour en meyme lestat, qe
adunkes sunt. Les pletz entre gentz estraunges, qe lem
appele pepoudrous,* seyent pledez de jour en jour, si le
pleyntyf ou le deffendauut prie tel ajournement.
Les pletz en temps de foyre entre gentz estraunges
passauntz seyent pledez de houre en houre, auxibien
apres manger^ cum avaunt. £ cest asaver des pleyntes
attachez en meyme le temps de foyre. E les pletes
attachez a la ley marine, cest asaver pur mariners
estraunges passauntz, e pur ceux qe ne attendent
forkes lour mareye, seyent pledez de mareye en mareye.
£ fait asaver qe en ces treys maneres des pletz, com
entre pepoudrous e en temps de foyre e en ley loaryne,
com avaunt est dyt, seyent iij. essoygnes de mal de
venue ' allowez al une partye e al autre, si les veoyllent

£.6.

^ encheaoun] Cause or occasion.
Kelham.

^ pepoudrous'] The court of dusty
feet. The provision that this court,
in which pleas were holden between
strangers, was to be held from day
to day, seems to point to a court of
a more pennanent character, and
different from that known subse-
quently by the term Fipowders (17
Edw. IV. ch. 2), which administered
justice to buyers and sellers in time
of fairs, and sat from hour to hour.
Bracton (L. y. Tr. I. ch. vi. § 6), in
enumerating the caiies in which a
short summons was allowable, says,

*' Item propter personas, qui eele-
« rem habere debent justiciam, sicut
« sunt mereatores, quibus exhibetur
" justitia Pepoudrous, et sic ex
** causa moderatur tempus sum-
" monitionis et continet minus tern-
« pus quandocunque quam spaciunf
** quindecim dierum." Coke in his
4th Institute says, " there may be a
" court of pipowders by custom
** without either fair or markBl^'

3 es8€ygne8 de mal de venue"] This
was the generic term for all essoynes
on account of disturbance. L'es-
soigne de disturbance est devisable,
ou de maladie ou de autre distur-

THE DOHUS DAT OF OIPPESWICHE.

a stratmge man passaunt, as in tyme of feyre or of Add. MS.
comone markett. The plees that ben pleted by wed ^*^^^'
and bomghe, that arne cleped litel plees, be twixen folk
Bittyng and duellyng in the same toun, shulden be
pleted by ij. dayes in the weke, zif the ballyves of the
toune be not be eertayne cause letted, and thanne
they shulden doon cryen and aioume tho same plees
till an other day, in the same staat that they weren
thanne. The plees be twixe straunge folk that men
clepeth pypoudrus, shuldene ben pleted from day to day,
zif the pleyntyff or the defendaunt preye of suche
aiournyng. The plees in tyme of feyre be twixe
straunge and passant shuldene bene pleted from hour
to hour, as weel in the fore noon ^ as after noon, and
that is to wete of pleyntes yovene and bygunnyn in the
same tyme of feyre, and the plees yoven to the lawe
maryne, that is to wite, for stratmge marynerys passaunt
and for hem that abydene not but her tyde, shuldene
ben pleted from tyde to tyde ; and it is to wetyne that
in this iij. manors of plees, as betwixen pypoudrus and in
tyme of feyre and in lawe-maryn, as it is afore seyd,
shulde bene iij. essoynes of lyeng seek* allowed to that
oon partye and vn to the other, zif they wuUe assent

from the same Boll that the two
bailifEs and four coroners were of
the number of the twelve capital
portmen. Fortmeadow at Oxford
wkB the portmen's meadow. Lord
Coke, on the other hand, in his 4th
Inst., defines a portmote as "a
** coart kept in haven-towns or
** ports, and therefore taketh his
*' name curia portusJ*

^ fore noon] Noon was the time of
the principal meal (manger) of the
day. It appears from Fortescae
(De Laadlbus Legum Anglise, ch.
51) "that the justices of Englande

I "sat not in the king's courts above
** iii. honres in a day, that is to say,
*' from viii. of the clock in the fore-
'* noone til zi complete. For in
" the aftemoones those courts are
'* not holden or kept But the
" suters then resort to the perusing
** of their writings, and elsewhere
« consulting with the seijeants-at-
** law, and other their counsaylors."
3 fyeing seek'] Glanville, L. i.
ch. 11., distinguishes between the
essoin de infirmitate veniendi and
the essoin de infirmitate re8eantis«;>

.24

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. quere. E ensemoDt en tutz autres pletz attacbez
25,012. ^jevaunt lea baillifs de la dyte vyle de Gippewyz par
brefe ou saunz brefe seyent allowez iij. esfioygnes
auxibien pur le demaundaunt cum pur le diflfendaunt,
e auxibien apres chescune apparaunce cum devaunt,
horpris en play de fresche abatement e en play de
nusaunce plede par gage e plegga

Cap. yo. E horpris en cas ou plusours tenent en comun ou
a^ygne ®^ parcenerye e seyent enpledes ou vouchez agaraunt
purtenantz en comun, qe si un de eux querge ses primers delays
en par- P^r essoygnes, e les autres appergent en court, qe tut
cenerie. qq facent il assoyguer al autre jour apres cele appa-
raunce par voye de fourcher.^ Ne seyt pas tele assoygne
allowe nyent plus qe ne serreyt pur un soul tenauut.

Cap. iij.
De

E ensement en cas ou plusours exeqetours seyent

assoygnes ^^^pl^^^z de la dette le mort, qi exeqetours il sunt.

purexeqe- Ne seyent il pas receuz de fourcher par essoygnes,

°"' mes qe taunt soukment une feze avaunt apparaunce,

e une autre feze apres, issi qe chescun de eux eyt

une feze soun turn saunz plus. E si en autre manere

fourchent par essoygnes, ne seyt pas lassoygne allowe.

bance, come est de ceux que sont
prise de enemies cheminant le court,
et issint distorbes, on per pants,
bridges, ou enemies discries, ou per
tempest ou d'autre reasonable dis-
turbance que lis noant poiar de fip-
parer en jngement al joor. L'es-
soigne de disturbance et maladie est
devisable, ou de languors que est
appele de mal de lect, et celuj prent
respite per un an, on de malady pas-
sant, et celuy ne prent respite fors-
que al focr de Tessoigne common.

Et cestes essoignes de disturbance
sont essoignes de mal de yener.
Le Myrrour des Justices, ch. 11.
8. zzx. 2.

^fowcher} Joint defendants were
said to fourcbe (furcare) by essoin,
vben they appeared sererally and
in turns (yicissim), and each one
cast an essoin. The abuse of this
liberty in the case of co-parceners
and tenants in conunon, which had
become excessive, was restramed by
the statute 3 Edw. 1. ch. 48.

THE DOM US DAY OF GIPPESWICHE.

or a«xene it And also in alle other plees yovene be fore Add. MS.
the ballives of the foreseyd toune of Qippeswyche, be '
wiytt or with owte wrytt, shulden ben allowed iij*
essoynes, as weel for the pleyntyff as for the defendaunt>
and as weel after eche of hem apperyng as a fore, owt
take in plee of fressh abatement and in plee of nusance
pleted be wed and borughe, &c.

And owt takyne in plees where that many pletyn in Q.
comoun or in parceneyr, and ben pleted with vouche for^^*
agarant in comoun, which zif oon of hem be seek >>«"><«■ ">
and axene ^ the ferste delayes be essoynes, and that other in pi^.
aperyn in court, they shulden doon alle iessoynene ^^^^^y*-
til an other day after that apparaunce be weye of
fourch,^ ne be that essoyne alowed no more thanne
it shuld ben for oone tenaunt a lone.

Also in caas where many executorys ben enpleted iij.
for the dette of the dethe, whos executorys they ben, ^"^J!*
shul not be resseyved of fourche be a essoyne, buttourys.
that alle oonly in tyme before the apparaunce and
an other tyme after, so that everyche of hem have
oon tyme his turne with owte more. And zif other
maner they fourchyne be essoyne, thanne ben not the
essoynes allowed, &c.

of which the first was afterwards
termed de malo yeniendi, and the
latter de malo lecti. ^Lyeingseek"
would thus be an inaccurate trans-
lation of the French phrase, mal de
Tenne.

* be seek and oxene] The English
text is redundant as regards the
words " i}e seek and.'*

^fourch] This proyision ac-
cords with the statute 3 Edw. I.
eh. 43, called the statute of West-
minster I., by which it was enacted
that tenants in parcener should no
moH fourche by essoin, but have
only one essoin as a sole tenaunte
has.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

25,012.

Cap. iiij.
De

asBojgne
da service
leBoy.

Add. MS. Item use est en la dite vyle, qe en chescun play
pendaunt devaunt lea bailli& de meyme la vyle par
brefe ou saunz brefe ou iij. essoygnes seyent allowez,
seyt assoygne du service le Bey allowe, horpris en
treys maneres des pletz, cest asaver la ou horn plede
de jour en jour, com pe poudrous, ou en temps de
foyre de houre en houre, ou al a ley marine com de
mareye en mareye, en nul de ces treys plez ne seyt
nul tel assoygne allowe au pleyntyfe ne al diffendaunt.
E tel assoygne du service le Bey ne seyt pas allowe
pur femme, si ne seyt en cas ou omme [sic] ley ^ seoffre
lassoygne. E si tele assoygne seyt jetee pas jour
de portmennemoot entre les grauntz pletz, seyt ele
ajourne a la proscheyne court de portmane moot
suaunt apres. E si par jour des menuz pletz, seyt
ajourne a la proscheyne court de menuz pletz apres
le quinzime jour dil ajoumement. E si celuy pur qi
tele essoygne est jetee ne eyt soun garaunt de cele
assoygne au jour dil ajoumement> seyt cele assoygne
tume en une diffaute. E ja le meyns seyt il amer-
cie a ij. s. E bien se avyse chescun qe pleyndre
se veot, qil attache sagement sa pleynte solom la
nature de sa accioun, ou a la commune ley, ou a la
ley marchaunde, ou a la ley marine. Kar solomla
nature de sa pleynte deyvent les assoygnes estre
ajuggez e allowez e le pie termine, oest asaver par
aveyrement, ou par ley, ou par preove, ou en autre
manere solom ley ou usage de la vyle, e solom ceo
qe le cas le donne.

f. 6. b.

^ omme ley"] * Comune ley ' should
be here read. Glanville and Brac-
ton and the Mjrrroor are all equally

silent on the sabject of the common
law right of women to cast an essoin
in servitio Regis.

THE DOiniS DAY OF GIPPBSWICHK

Also yt ia vsed in the forseyde toon that in every Add. MS.
plee hanggyng a fore the ballyyes of the same toun> ^ff V'
be wryt or with owte wryt, or iij. essojmes " shuld ben iiij.
alowed, be essoyne of service of the Kyng allowed p^"«;ya«
owt takene in iij. maner of plees, that is to wetyne ofthekyng.
from day to day as pypoudrus, or in tyme of feyre
jGrom hour to hour, or to the lawe maryne from tyde
to tyde. In none of thise iij. plees be none suche
essoynes allowed to the pleyntyff ne to the defendaunt. •
And suche an essoyne of servise of the Kyng it shulde
not bene allowed for a womman, zif she ne be in ease
of comoun lawe suffer^ the essoyne. And zif an es-
soyne be cast be day of Portmennysmoote be twixene
the grete plees, be he aioumed at the next court of
Portmennysmoote suyng after. And zif it be day of
litel plees, be it aioumed to the next court of litel
plees after the xv. day of the aioumyng. And zif he,
for whom that the essoyn [be cast, have not his war-
rant of the essoyne on the day of the adjournment, be
the essoyne] turned in to the defaute. And never-
theles be he amercyd ij. s. And zif evere ther be eny
suche that wole pleten, that he begynne his pleynt
wysely after the kynde of his accyoune, or to the
oomoune lawe,^ or to the lawe marchaund, or to
the lawe maryn, for after the kjmde of his pleynt
owyn the essoynes be iuged and allowed and the plee
determined, that is to wetyne be averrement, or be
lawe, or be pt[o]cess, or in other maner after the lawe
or vsage of the toune, and after that the cas yeveth.

^ or thre esitifnest] " vher thre
'< esfloynefl ahiild ben aloired " would
be more correct

3 of comoun lawe suffer'] ** wher

« comonn lawe suffer" should be
here read.

^ or to the comoun lawe"] " either
" to the comoun lawe" would be
more correct.

L£ DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Cap. ▼•.
f. 7.
De brefe
de dreyt.

Item, en brefe de dreyt seyt vse tel prosces^ qe com
acun porte brefe de dreyt ver autre en la court de
meyme la vyie de Qipewyz, cest asauer des tenementz
pledables en meyme la vyle, seyt agarde en pleyne court
qe le tenaunt seyt somuDs au tenement demaundee par
deux £raunks hommes ^ de la vyle devenir a la proscheyne
court de portmanemot a respoundre al demaundaunt de
play de terre. A quel jour sil ne veygne par cele somunse,
seyt agarde qil seyt autre feze somuns en meymela
manere. E sil ne veygne par cele seconde somunse,
seyt agarde qil seyt la tierce feze somuns en meyme
la manere. E sil ne veygne par celes treys somunses,
seyt agarde qil seyt destreynt a meyme le tenement
den^aunde a respoundre en la manere avauntdyte.
E sil ne veygne par cele destresce, seyt agarde qil
seyt autre feze destreynt en meyme la manere. £
sil ne veygne par cele seconde destresce, seyt agarde
qil seyt la tierce feze destreynt com avaunt est dyt.
Apres queles destresces eyt le tenaunt iij. assoygnes,
sil les veoillie quere. E si le tenaunt apres les des-
tresces ou apres les iij. assoygnes avaunt dites face
defaute, adunkes seyt le tenement demaundee pris en
la meyn le Bey^ par veue des leans hommes dil
proscheyn vysne, e le tenaunt somuns par bons

^pcar deux fravnkg hommes] Horne
in the Myrrour des Justices, eh. 11,
s. zxix., thas describes a summons :
— ** Resonable somons est quand il
" est testimoniable par denx loials
*' franke testimoignes Toisins fiut a
<* la person, on a la meson, on al
** tenement, contenns en la demaund,
ovesqne garnishment del joor,
lien, partie, judge et de Paccion,
et reasonable respite al meins de
zv. jours, de purroier rcspons, et

€t

" de apparer en jugement." Cf.
Bracton, 1. v. ch. 6, s. 5.

^ en la meyn le B^"] This delay
of three summonses before the lands
of the party summoned were taken
into the king's hands, was in accor-
dance with the early practice in the
Curia Regis, as explained by Glan-
Yille, 1. i. c. 7, 8. In the time of
Bracton, the Magnum Cape issued
after the first summons. Bracton,
383b, 334.

THE DOMUS DAY OP GTPPESWICHE. 29

Also in wryt of right ' ben used such prooesse, that Add. MS.
whanne eny man bryngeth a wryt of ryght a 25,011.
zenst an other in to the court of the same toune of wryt of
of Gippiswiche, that is to seye, of tenementes plete- "«'**•
able in the same toune, be it kept in pleyn court
that the tenaunt be soroouned at the tenement axed
be ij. free mene of the toune for to come to the
next court of portmennysmoote to answeren to the
axere of the plee of the lond. Att which day ziff he
come not by the somounys, be it kept that he be an
other tyme somoned in the same maner. And zif he
come not be the secunde somonys, be it kept that he
be iij. tymes somoned in the same maner. And ziff
he come not be these iij. somones, be it kept that he
be distreyned at the same tenement axed to answeren
in the maner a foreseyd. And ziff he come not be
this distresse, be it kept that he eft soonys be dis-
trejmed in the same maner. And ziff he come nott by
that secunde distresse, be it kept that he be the iij.
tyme distreyned as it is a foreseyd. After wheche
distresses have [the tenaunt] the iij. essoynes zif he
wole axen it. And zif the tenaunt after the distresses or
after the essoynes aforeseyd make de&ute, thanne be
the tenement axed taken in to the.kynges hand be
sighte of lawefulle men * of the nexte neyghboures, and
the tenaunte summoned be good sommones to ben at

* wryt of righf] The king^s writ
in sach a case voold be sent to the
bailiffs of the town of Ipswich,
probably after the form which is
recited in Bracton, L y. ch. 2. § 7.
" Rex balliyis sms de tali bargo
** salatem. Fraecipimiis Tobis quod
« plenum rectum teneatis A. de
" tali villa de uno messoagio cum
*' pertinentiis in tali xilla, quod cla-
" mat tenere de nobis per liberum
*' servitiom tanti per annum pro
" omni servitio, vel in liberum bur-

gagium, vel in liberum marita- |

" gium pro omni servitio, quod tafis
" ei deforceat, et nisi, etc. Teste,
etc."

' be sighte oflaweJuQe men] Vo
number is here specified. In a
similar manner the writ to the
sheriff in Glanville's time directed
him to send iiberos et legalea homines
of the vicinage of the vill to view
the land in question, without specify-
ing any number, but four of them at
least were required to certify their
view to the court

LE D0M1SSDAY DE QIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. somenouTS de estre a la proscheyne court devatint les
25,012. ^y^^ baillifc a respoundre de ceo, e a mustrer pur
quey il ne regarda mye soun jour qil avoyt par
les primeres somtuiBes e destredces ou, qe done ly
fu par 868 primeres essoneours solom la fourme dil
prosces avauntdyt. E bien se avyse le tenaunt qil
dematmde sa terre prise en la meyn le Boy a plevyne
a houre e temps, cest asaver de denz les quinze jours de
la prise, ou aplus tart le quinzyme jour avaunt qil plede
a soun adversarye; e sil ne face il poorad legerement
perdre sa terre. E quant il vendra en court prest a pleder
e soun dreyt defendre, a ceo seyt il receu. E si le de-
maundaunt se teygne a la definite avaunt dyte, adunkes
ad le tenaunt mester a defendre somunses e destresces
par sa ley ; apres quele ley agage il aura iij. assoygnes
countres le demaundaunt sil les veoillie quere. E apres
ceo la si il veoillie la ley fere, il la deyt fere sey dozime
meyn ^ qil ne esteyt pas somuns ne destrejmt au tene-
f. 7. b. ment. demaunde solom ley e usage de la vyle, ne qe les
primers assoygnes ne esteyent pas jetez par ly ne
par soun assent eta E si le tenaunt &ce le ley en la
manere avaunt dyte, ne preygne le demaundaunt rien
par soun brefe, mes demeorge en la merci, e le tenaunt
ayllie saunz jour. E si le tenaunt face defaute apres
la ley agagee^ ou tut veygne il e defiiiUie en sa ley,
receoure le demaundaunt seysine du tenement de-
maunde, e le tenaunt en la mercL Mes si nul veygne
avaunt juggement rendu e pusse renaUement mustrer

' dozime meyn] If the defendant
denied the sommomi he was alloved
to wage his hiw, that is to maintwn
his denial bj his own oath, and by

the oaths of deven comporgaton in
support of his credibility. Ohm-
▼ille, 1. i. ch. 10. Coke Idttieton,
295 a.

THE DOMUS DAY OF OIPPESWICHK

the next court afore the foreseide baUyves for to aiuswere Add. MS.
of that, and to she we for why that he kepte not his 25,011.
day that he hadde be the ferst sommones and distresse,
whiche that hym yoven was proces [sic] ferst essojmes
after the processe aforeseyd. And weel a vise hym the
tenannt that axeth his lond takyn in to the kynges
hand att tide and hour and tyme, that is to wetyn
with ynne the xv. day/ or att the ferthest the xv.
day, that he plete to his adversarye^ and but he do he
shal mono lightlych lese his lond. And whanne he
cometh in to court prest to pletyn and his ryght to
defenden, and to that zif he be resceyved. And zif
the plejmtyff holde hym to the defaute aforseyd^ thanoe
hath the tenaunt myster to defenden commounjrs ' and
/ distresse be his lawe, afte which lawe of bourgh ' he
shal have iij. essoynes a zenst the plentyff zif he wole
reqxdre hem, and after zif that he wooll done his lawe,
on weye to done hit with the xij. hand that he ne was
summounedne distreyned at the tenement asked after
the lawe and vsage of the toune^ ne that the ferste
essoynes werene not cast be hym ne be his assent, &c.
And zif the tenaunt do his lawe in the manor afore
seyd, thanne taketh the pleyntyff no thyng be his writt^
but dwelleth in the mercye. And the tenaunt shal goon
withouten day, and zif the tenaunt make defaute after
the lawe of wed,^ or though he come and fayle in his
lawe, the pleyntyff may recure and sesyn the tenement
axed, and the tenaunt in the mercye. But zif noone
ne oome^ be fore iugement zoldene, and may renably

^ the XV, day"] The iodalgence of
fifteen days -wm termed diet ra<ia-
nabiUs,

^ commotciiy«] ^Bommoiuiys' should
be here read*

^ afte which lawe of bourgh'] This
trandation is open to otjection.
The French text should properly be
rendered <' after irhich irageing of

** law." It appears from Bracton
that, npon the tenant wageing his
law, another day was given 'him to
make his law and to find pledges.

* after the lawe of wedf] This
wonld be more correctly translated
** after wageing his lawe."

^ zif noone ne come] ** if any
« one come."

LB DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. par joy nt feffement ou par autre title de dreyt, qe cde
' ' defaute ne ly deyt turner en preiudice, e prie estre
receu a defendre soun dreyt, a ceo seyt il receu. E ceo
la autre si bien pur femmes covertes de baroun com
pur autres. E si le demaundaunt weyve la defaute e
se teygne au chefe pie, voyt avaunt le pie entre eux
solom la commune ley, sauve en le joyndre de la myse^
qe le tenaunt se mettra en Deu e en vne juree de xij. bons
e leaus hommes en fourme de graunt assise solom vsage
de la vyle, le quel il ad maour dreyt a tenir le tenement
demaunde sicom il le tyent, ou le demaundaunt aver
sicom il le demaunde. £ qe nule bataillie se deyt
joyndre solom vsage de la vyle. £ quant la juree
deyt estre ellue, seyt ele ellue en ceste fouime, primes
facent les baillifs par assent des partyes ou de lour
office demeyne, si les partyes ne veolent assentir, ellire
en pleyne court quatre bons e leans hommes ^ de meyme
la vyle de Qipp[ewyz], pur ellire la juree entre meyme
les partyes. E si ceux quatre seyent present en court,
seyent eux meyntenaunt jurez, qil leaument elyrunt
xij. bons e leaus hommes de meyme la vyle qe meuz
sachent e veolent verite dire qi ad maour dreyt etc.
E seyent ceux quatre ellisours aioumez jesqes a la
proschejme graunt court suaunt apres a livrer sus as
baillifs panel des noums des jurours, a quel jour si
panel seyt livre, seyt comaunde par meyme les baillifs
a fere somundre par bons somenours meyme les jurours,
qil seyent a la proscheyne graunt court suaunt apres

f. 8.

^ en le joyndre de la myee'] on
joining issue. Coirell in his Iaw
Bictionaiy says, Mise is also voca-
bulum artis, appropriated to a writ
of right, 80 called because both
parties put themselves upon the meer
right to be tried by the Grand As-
size or by Battel. So as that which
in all other actions is called an issue,
in a writ of right is called a mine,

unless a collateral point be tried,
and there it is called an issue.

' guatre iwns et leaus hommes,']
In trials by the Great Assize the
demandant prayed a writ whereby
four lawful knights of the vicinage
were directed to choose twelve law>
ful knights of the vicinage, who
were to say, upon their oaths, which
party had most right to the land in
dispute. — GlanviUe, 1. ii. ch. 10, 11.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICHE.

sbewvne be ioynt enfeffement or be other titele of Add. MS.

S5 01 1

ryght that the defaute oweth not hym to tumen in '
premdioe, and preyeth to be resceyved to defendene his
ryght^ to that be he resceyved, and that as weell for
wommen kevered baroun as for other. And zif the
pleyntyff weyve that defisbute and holdeth hym to the
cheeff plee, thanne go forth the plee be twixen hem
after the common lawe, saff in the ioynture of that myse,
that the tenaunt shal putten hym on Qod and on the

I oth ^ of xij. men goode lawful and trewe in foorme of

/ grete assises after the vsage of the tonne, which of hem

hath more right to holden the tenement axed, whether

he that holdeth it or he that axeth it oweth to have it

. as it is axed, and that no bataylle ^ oweth to ioyndre
after the vsage of that toune. And whanne the day ^
oweth to be chosyn, be it chosyn in this foorme : Ferst
the bally ves shul do be the assent of the partyes, or of
here owen o£Ss if the partyes wul not assente, che-
sene in playne court iiij. men goode and trewe in the
same toune of Qippewiche for to chesyne the iurrours f- 4. !>•
be twixen the same partyes. And zif tho iiij. men
ben present in the court, be they a non sworn that
lawefttlly they shal chesyn xij. men good and trewe of
the same toun, that best cunnen and wyllen seyn the
trowthe whiche hath most ryght, &c. ^d be tiio iiij.
cheserys aioumed til the next grete court folwyng
after to delyveryn up the panel of the names of the
iurrours. At whiche day zif the panel be delivered, be
it comaunded be the same ballyves to doon sommon by
good Bommonours the same same (sic) iurrours^ that they
bene att the next gret court folewyng after shewyng

J Icl

ic»^

> on the oth] The closer tranBlation
iroiild be '* on a jury " of xii, good
and lawjid men,

^ no batayUe'] Hie great assise was
institated by King Henry II. in
order to put an end to ** the Trager
" of battel ". in questions of right to

VOL. II.

land, so that the party who chose to
put himself on the assise, might sae
ont a writ de pace hahenda. Cf.
Glanville, I. ii. ch. 6.

• The word ** day " is evidently a
mistranslation of the word <' Jnr^,"
properly " jury."

34 LB DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

•

Add« MS. a reconustre par lour serementz qi ad maour dreyt, &e.
*' ' E si lea quatre ellisours ne seyent pas en court au
primer jour quant 11 serrunt eUuz de ellire la juree,
adunkes seyent il somuns de venir a la proscheyne
court suaunt pur ellire la juree, &c. A quel jour sil ne
veygnent, seyent il amerdez e comaunde qe chescun de
eux seyt mys par bone meynprise^ countre la proscheyne
graunt court apres, e sil ne veygnent a cele courts seyt
la meynprise amercie, e derechefe comaunde qe chescun
de eux seyt mys par vj. mejmpamours de venir. E si
de court en court seyt lour mejmprise grevousement
amercye dla qil veygnent pur ellire, &c. E quant les
avauntdiz quatre ellisours serrunt venuz en court, seyent
il jurez de ellire la juree en la manere avaunt dyte.
E adunkes lour seyt dyt par les bailli& avauntdytz qil
mettent en panel au meyns xxiiij. en aventure si nul de
eux seyt chalengee de nul des partyes. E seyent lour
quatre noums primes enpanelez a demorer en meyme la
juree si les partyes veolent assentir. E si le tenaunt
veygne en court apres les treys primeres assoygnes e

^par bone meynprise] This pro-
viBion for secaring the presence of
the foar choosers of the joiy was
pecoliar. In the case of the Great
Assise, if all the four knights did
not appear, the Court, with the
assent of the parties, might direct

one of the knights to choose two or
three others of the county then in
court, thoogh not summoned, and
with them to proceed to elect the
twelve jurors. Glanyille, 1. ii. c.
12.

THE D0HU8 DAY OP OIPPESWICH.

be her othes ^ who hath most right, &c. And zif tho iiij. Add. MS.
cheserys ben not in court the ferst day whanne they ' ^^'
ben chosyn to chesyn the iurrours, thanne be they som-
moned to come to the next gret court folwyng for to
chesyn the iurrours^ &c. Att which day zif they come not^
be they amercyed and comaunded vche of hem be put
to good mejmpryse a geyns the next grete court after.
And zif they come not to that coart^ be the meynprise
amercyed and azeyne comaunded that vch of hem be
put to vj. meynprinours to comen^ and so fro court to
court be here meynprises gfevously amercyed til they
comen to chesyne^ &a And whanne the forseyd iiij.
cheserys ben eomyn in to court, be they swome to
chesfyn the iurrours in the maner a fom seyd. And
thanne be hit hem seyd be the forseyd ballyves that
they putten in to corut (sic) a panel of xxiiij. names *
at the leste, in aventure zif eny of hem ben chalanged
of ony of the partyes. And be her iiij. names ferst in
the panel, to dwellyn in the same oihe ' zif the partyes
wullen assenten. And zif the tenaunt come in to court
after the iij. ferst essoynes and axe sight of the tene*

' shewyng be her othesl The trial
was called a recognition, as the jniprs
of this period found their yerdict
upon their own knowledge, and were
said to recognise (reconnstre) the
thle of him, in whose favour they
gaye their verdict The process for
the retom of jnrors at this period was
to this effect : " Snmmone per bo*
« nos snmmonitores qnatuor legales
'* milites de visineto ad eHgendmn
" super sacramentum suum duo-
« decim legales milites de eodem
<' visineto, qui melius veritatem sci-
" ant, ad recognoscendum super
<* sacramentum suum utrum M. aut
** R. mijus Jus haheat," &c. Glan-
vUle, 1. ii. c. 11.

^a pand of iwetUy-four naanes]
Item a passage in Fleta, 1. 11, c. 5,
it would seem that in the reign of

Edward I. it had become an esta-
blished practice in the great assise
for the sheriff to convene a number
not exceeding twenty-four of the free
and lawfiil men of the vicinage, out
of whom he nominated twelve indif-
ferent persons, who then, either aU,
or at least seven of them, proceeded
to view the property in dispute. Hie
term panely according to Spelman,
signified a schedule or page, and to
impanel the jury was to write the
names of the jurors in a schedule or
roll. On the other hand, it is not
an improbable corgecture that the
panel of the jury was literally a fiat
board on which the names of the
jurors were set out in order, as on
the panel of a door.
• orte] That is, jury.

C 2

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. demaunde la veue du tenement demaundee, ly seyt la
25,012. YQ^Q graunte, si le demaundaunt ne pusse renablement
e apartement dire e certifier la court, qe la veue
avaunt eel houre eyt este graunte e fete de meyme
le tenement entre meyme les persones par brefe de
meyme la nature. E ail pusse eel mustrer, ne seyt
pas la veue grauntee. E adunkes voyt avaunt le pie
entre les partyes en la manere avaunt dyte. E apres
la myse joynte eyent les partyes lour delays par as-
soygne, sU les veolent quere solom le vsage e la manere
avaunt dyte. E si nul terre tenaunt en la dite vyle
en tel play ou en autre play de terre pendaimt par
brefe en la court de meyme la vyle seyt vouche a
gaitiunt,^ seyt il vouchee par eyde de meyme la court^
E par agard de meyme la court seyt il soumuns par ij.
f. 8. b. fraunks hommes une feze, autre feze, e la tierce fezes
mester seyt; e pus iij. feze destreynt, sil ne veygne par
les somunses auxi com le tenaunt esteyt. E pus seyt
il iij. feze assoygne sil veoilUe. Apres queux delays si
le vouchee fSetce defaute ou defante apres apparaunce^
seyent de ses terres e ses tenementz pris en la meyn
le rey la value, &c. E seyt sour teles defautes agarde
meyme le prosces cum la commime ley demaunde. E si
cely vouchee veygne en court e garauntisse, seyt il [en]
lu dil tenaunt a pleder e soun dreyt defendre a meuz
qil saura e porra solom la commune ley, sauve en le
joyndre de la myse, e qe nule bataillie se deyt joyndre
com avaunt est dyt. E si le tenaunt pur delayer le
demand de soun dreyt, e pur anentir le poer de la

^ vouche a garaunt'] The proceed-
ings in tliis case, where the tenant
called a person to varrant the land,
appear to have been yery similar to

those of the Great Assise. Glanville,
1. iii. ch. 1-8.

' par eyde de meyme la courf] By
a writ of snmmonB ad warrantizan-
dum.

THE DOJTDTS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

ment axed, be hym the sight graunted, zif the pleyntyff Add. MS
may nott renably and apertly seyn and certifyen the *^'^^^-
court, that the sight a fore that tyme hath be graunted
and don of the same tenement be twixe the same
personys be writ of the same kynde. And zif the
pleyntyff may shewe this, be not the sight graunted,
and thanne go forth the plee be twixen the partyes
afore seyd. And after that myse iointe,^ have the
partyes her delayes be essoyne, zif they wyllyn axen
after the vsage and the manor aforn seyde. And zif
eny lend tenaimt in that toune in such plee, or in other
plee of lend hangyng be wryt in the court of the same
toun be it vouche garraunt, be he vouchyd be helpe
of the same courts and be helpe and award of the same
court be he summotmed be ij. fre mene oonys, twyes, or
thryes zif myster be, and after the thrydde tyme
distreyned, zif if he come not be the somounys as a
tenauht that doon, and after be he iij. tymes essoyned,
zif he wyl ; after which dayes zif he vouche make de-
faute or fayle after aperyng, bene of his lend and of
hese tenementes takyne in to the kynges hand to the
value> &c. And be it vpon such defaute awarded the
same proscesse as the comone lawe axethe.^ And zif f. 5.
that vouche come in to court and warantise, be he in
stede of the tenaunt to pletyn and defendyn his righte
in the best wyse that he can and may after the
comoun lawe saff in the ioyndre of that myse, and that
no batayle hym oweth ioindre, as it is afore seyd.
And zif the tenaunt for to delaye the pleyntyff of his
ryght, and peraventure the power of the court a fore .

> after that myse jointe ] after
issae joined.

' as the comon law axetheji Glan-
viUe, 1. iii. c. 4, considers that the
law and custom of the realm re-
quired the land to be taken into the
king's hand, if the warrantor made

de&olt, inasmuch as the warran-
tor in snch a case was bound to
giYO the tenant an equivalent (ex-
cambium) by way of compensation.
In charters of feoffment a clause of
warranty to that effect was always
inserted.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. curt avaunt dyte vouche acun a garaiint par eyde de la
^'»^^** court le rey par resoun de ses foreyns tenementz.^ Com
meyme cely vouche eyt assez de denz la dyte ville de
Gipp[ewyz] dunt garantir le tenement demaundee e se
teygne sour oel foreyn voucher saunz autre respouns
doner. E le demaundaunt tende de averer par bone
enqueste qe meyme cely vouche ad assez en la dite vyle
de Oipp[ewyz] dunt garauntir a la value, &dc, e sour ceo
demaunde juggement de eel foreyn voucher. Si meyme
cely tenaunt refuse eel aveyrement ou "tut " le preygne*
il e troue seyt par enqueste^ qe meyme le vouche ad
assez eu meyme la vyle de Oippew[yz] dunt garantir
a la value com avaunt est dyt, seyt agarde qe le
demaundaunt receoure seysine du tenement demaundee,
e le dyt tenaunt en la merci. E si troue seyt par
meyme lenquesteqe le dyt vouche nad en la dite vile
dunt garauntir a la value, &c., adunkes seyt le dyt
foreyn voucher agarde pur bon. E si le tenaunt Vouche
vn foreyn par eyde de la court le rey e le demaun-
daunt seoflSre* le voucher pur ceo qe cely foreyn nad
rien en meyme la vyle de Qipp[ewyz], dunt il pusse
garauntir a la value, &c., a dunkes seyent les partyes
aiournez a la proscheyne grant court suaunt. Apres
quel aioumement eyent les. partyes iij. assoygnes de
court en court, sil les veoillent quera E si cely tenaunt
face defaute apres ceo qil aura ensi vouche, ou sil ne
porte mye soun brefe de la chauncellerie as baillifii de
f. 9. meyme la vyle a td iour ' com done sera a ly ou a soun

^ par resoun de ses foreyns tene-
mentz'] The object of vouching to
warranty a person whose tenements
were foreign, that is, beyond liie
jurisdietion of the bailliffs of the
town, was to found an application to
the king's chancellor for a writ to
have the soit tried in the curia regis.
Cf. Statute of Gloucester, 6 Edw.I.,
ch. ziL, as to the practice to be

followed in London, where a man,
who was impl d for a tenement
in that city, vouched a foreigner to
warranty.

^ seoffre"] ne seoffi^ seems re-
quired by the context, and would
harmonize with the English text.

^ a td jour'] The practice would
appear to have been for the bailliffii
to appoint a day, before which the

THE DOHTJS DAT OF OIPPESWICH.

seyd, vouche eny garrant be helpe of the kynges court, ^^ MS.
be reaoune of his foreyn tenementes. As that same '*'""•
vouche hath aziough with inne the forseyd toune of
Gippewich for to warante the tenement axed, and that
hold upon this foreyne vouche with oute other answeres
yovene. And if the pleyntyflf tende to have it by good
enquest that the same vouche hath inough in the for-
seyd toune of Qippewych to warantene the value, &c.,
and vp on this axe jugement of the foreyn vouche, zif
the same tenaunt refuse this averrement, and zif be
an enquest it be founden that the same vouche hath
ynough in the same toune of Gippewych wherof to
warante to value, as it is a fore seyd, be it awarded to
the pleyntyff recure and sesyne^ of the tenement axed,
and the forseyd tenaunt in the mercy. And zif it be
founden be the same enquest, that the forseyd vouche
hath not in the toune wherof to warantyn to the value *
&c., thanne be that forseyd vouche awarded for good.
And zif the tenaunt vouche a foreyne by helpe of the
kynges court, and the pleyntyff suffre not the vouche
for that this foreyne hath non thyng in the same toune
of Qippewych wher of he may warant to the value,
&c.y thanne be the partyes aioumed to the ne£t gret
court folwyng, after which aioumyng the same partyes
shal have iij. essoynes from court to court, zif they wul
axen. And zif the tenaunt make defaute after that
that he have in his vouche, or zif he bryng not his
wrytt from the chaunceiy to the ballyves of the same
toune at which day it shal be graunted to hym or to

^ recure and seayn] The French
text shoold be rendered *<be it
*' awarded that the plaintiff recover
'* seisin of the tenement claimed
" by him."

3 wherof to warantyn to the value]
A warranty was held to bind tacitly

not only the person of the feoffor
himself, bat also any tenement which
he then had, by virtue of which
obligation the tenement would be
liable to go in excambium of the land
warranted. Bracton, 1. v. c. 7, f. 382.

LE DOMESDlT D£ GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. assoneour a sour ser en la parole avaunt dyte, e le
25,012. demaundaunt sour ceo le profre e demaunde de. ceo
juggement, seyt agarde qil recbure seysine da tene-
ment demandee^ e le tenauDt en la mercL E meyme
le prosces seyt tenu a fere venir les jurours sil facent
defaute^ com avaunt est dyt des quatre ellisours.

Capo. Tj«. Item en play de abatement, qe lem apele [fresche]
^^®^^*^® force, seyt vsee ceu prosces, qe s[i un] disseyse autre
de Boun fraunke tenement en la vauntdite vyle de
Oipp[ewyz], cest asaver de tenement pledable en la
court de meyme la vile, si le disseysi de deynz les
primers xl. jours apres la disseysine attache sa pleynte
de sure ver le disseysour devaunt les baillifs de meyme
la vile par gage e plegge,^ meyntenaunt facent meyme
les baillifs prendre en la meyn le rey le tenement

tenant was required to exhibit a
writ from the office of the king's
chancellor, otherwise proceedings
would be continued in their court to
judgment.

^ par gage et plegge] Per vadium
et plegios. The earliest extant
English charter or Uiw in which the
Latin word vadium is used as the
equivalent of the Saxon word ''wed"
is the charter of King Henry I.,
A J). HOI. : ** Si quis baronum vel
** hominnmmeorumforisfecetit,non
** dabit vadium in misericordia to-

*' cius pecunin sua sicut &ciebat
" tempore patris mei et fratris mei."
Ancient Laws and Instftutes of
England, vol. i. p. 509. The same
body of laws contains an ordinance
De Flegiis Dominorum suorum:
*' Si quis a domino suo missus sit
in plegium, et ostendere possit
quod ei ex sponsione vel fid^us-
sione ilia dampnum venit, non
cogitur ex lege de quavis pecuniali
implacitaoione respondere ei, do-
nee totum restituat quod amiserit
pro eo." Id. p. 544.

((

THE D0MU8 DAY OF OIPPESWICH.

his essoyne to enformen in tiie speche aforeseyd^ and Add. MS.
if the pleyntyff vpone this profre hym self and axe of *^'®^^-
that jugement, be it awarded that he recure sesyne of
the ^tenement axed, and the tenaunt in the mercye
And the same partyes ^ bene beholden to do comyn the
iurrours zif they make defaute, as it is seyde afome of
the iiij. cheserys, &c.

Also in plee of abatement/ that men clepyn fr^sshe /I-
force, be vsed such proces, that zif eny man dissese other abatement
of his free tenement in the forseyd toune of Qippewiche,
that is to wetene of tenement pletable in court of the
same toune. And zif the man be dissesed with ynne
the ferste xl. dayes after the dissesyn begynne his pleynt
a geyns the diasesour a fore the ballyves of the forseyd
toun by wed and borgh,' a none the ballyves shul do f. 5. b.
takene to the kynges hand the tenementz wherof the

1 the tame partyea] The French
text should be rendered ''and the
« same process should be observed
<* to make the jurors come» if they
'* make default, as is practised in
" the case of the four choosers of
" the jury, i.e., by requiring meyn-
** pemours.*'

* ahaUsmtni] This word signifies
the intrusion of a person, who has
no right, immediately aftier the death
of any one to the exclusion of the
heir. Fresh force was such an in-
trusion made within forty days, or
within a longer period, if the heir
was at a distance. Cf. Britton,
L iii. ch. 1, De Intrusions. An
assize of novel diss^in, called
'^ Fressheforce," in the city of Lon-
don, was held before the two sherifb
and the coroner of the said city
every Saturday at the Guildhall, cf.
Liber Albus, p. 195.

3 by wed and horgK] Amongst the
laws, decreed by King Ethelred and

his Witan at Wantage, is the follow-
ing ordinance as to the '' wed " to be
given in each suit : ** And in a
** king's suit let every man deposit
<< a wed of six half marks ; and in
« an eorPs and a bishop's a wed of
'* twelve ores ; and in every thane's
" a wed of six ores." Ord. iii. § 12 ;
Ancient Laws and Institutes, vol. i.
p. 297. The "borh" was a very
ancient institution amongst the An-
glo-Saxons. Amongst the dooms
of Hlothhffire and Eadric, kings of
the Kentish men, is the following
provision : " If one man make plaint
against another in a suit, and he
cite the man to a ' methel ' or toa
* thing,' let the man always give
'< * borh ' to the other, and do him
'' such right as the Kentish men
'* prescribe to them. But if he
refuse to give ' borh,' let him pay
twelve shillings to tiie king, and
'* let the suit be as open as it before
"was." /rf.p. 81.

LE DOHESDAT BE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. dunt la pleynte est faite^ e livrer le a deux proscheyns
25,012. veysins en garde cila qe meyme le play devaunt eux
seyt tennyne par juggement, e seyt le disseysour ou
soun baillif sil ne seyt troue meyntenaunt mys par
gagge e plegge a respoundre al dyt plejnitif de eel
fresche abatement a tel jour com les ditz baillifs
voudrunt doner. E si le disseysour se alloygne e ne
peot estre troue, ne soun baillif, a fere ceo qe ley veot,
ou tut seyt il troue e ne voillie plegge trouer, seyt il
gamy a meyme le lu ou la disseysine fu faite par
deux fraunks hommes a respoundre com avauxit est
dyt, countre quel jour seyt arrainye vne assise de xij.
bons e leans hommes diJ proscheyn vygne a faire la
reconissaunce, &c. e qil eyent la veue du tenement, &c.
A quel jour si les partyes venent en court e le pleyntif
f. 9. b. aura sa pleynte mustre, seyt lassise prise de eel abate-
ment auxi com affert solom co qe les partyes auront
pledez. E si le disseyssour &uce defaute e sa deffaute seyt
agardo, seyt lassise prise en sa abcense (sic) par sa defaute.
E quant a damages taxer e partyes amercier e a seysine
livrer seyt vse meyme le presses, com serreyt en assise
de novele disseysine.^ E si le disseyssour se teygne a
force en le tenement, a dunkes facent les bailli& remuer
cele force e prendre le tenement en la meyn le rey e
livrer a deux veysins en garde com avaunt est dyt, e
pus mettre le disseyssour par gage e plegge ou &ire
le garnir en la manere avaunt dite. E si la force seyt
tele qe ele ne peot estre remue saunz peril de mort
ou de meschaunce, les bailli& par la veue e la temoyg-
naunce de vn ou deux coronners e des autres bones

^ assise de noveU disseysine'] Dis-
seisin is defined in the Myrroor des
Justices, L ii. ch. 25, as "un per-
'< sonell trespas de tortious ouster
« de possession." The assise of
novel diss^in was at this time
held by the justices of eyre in le-

sp^t of disseisia suffered since the
last eyre, but when the assise was
instituted by Henry IL the term
« novel" had reference to dissei-
sin made since the last voyage of
Henry II. to Normandy, which was
m A.D. 1184.

THE DOMUS DAT OF OIPPESWICH.

pleynt ys maad and deliveryn on to ij. the next neygh- Add. Ma
bourys in kepyng til that the same plee a fom hem be ^^>^^^'
determined be iugement, and be dissesour or his
ballyff zif he be nott foundene anon put to wed and
borghe to ana were to the pleyntyff of that fresshe
abatement, and such day as the ballyyes wul yeve. And
ziff the dissesour aloyne hym and may not be founden,
ne his ballyff, to doone that lawe woUe, or though he be
foimdene and wil fynde no borowes, be it kept ^ at the
same place where dissesyn was doon be ij. free men to
answere as it is afomseyd, a yens which day by hem
sette assise of xij. men good and trewe of the next
neghboures to make a cognisaunce, &c., and that they
have a syght of the tenement. At which day zif the parties
comen in to the court and the pleyntyff shewe his pleynt,
be assise takene of that abatement as it oweth to ben
after that the parties have pletyd. And zif the dissesour
make defaute and his defaute be awarded, be the assise
takyn in his absence be his defaute. And how moche
to taxen and to amercyen the partyes, and to delyveren
sesyn, be the processe vsed as it shuld ben in assise of
newe dissesyn.' And zif the dissesour holde hym with
force in the tenement, thanne the bally ves shal do remove
that force, and take the tenement in to the kynges hand,
and delivere it to ij. neyghbourys in kepyng aa it is a
fomseyd. And they may putte the dissesour be wed and
borghe ® to doon hym kepyn it in the maner a fore soyd.
And zif the strengthe be swyche that it may not be
removed withoute perel of deth or of myscheeff, the
ballyves be sight of on or ij. coronerys and of othere

1 be it kept] This should rather
be translated *' be he warned."

^ auUe ofnetee dissesyn] In this
assise no essoin was allowed, and the
recognition of the jurors proceeded

on the first day, whether the dissei-
sor appeared or not.

^ be wed and borghe] that is, may
attach him by pledges or have him
warned in manner aforesaid.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. M6. gentz de la vile preygnent le tenement en la meyn le

25,012. j,gy^ ^ pronuncient cele seysine issi continue a force e

armes pur nule, tut seyt ele continue xl. jours, apres les

quels xL jours seyt la pleyte dil abatement excecut ver

le disseyssour en meyme la manere qele ust este faite

de deynz les primers xl. jours apres la pleynte attachee,

cest asavoyr si le pleyntif sue sa pleynte ver le

disseyssour sauntz aver regard a la seysine contynue

xl. jours a force e armes com ayaunt est dyt, quele

seysine solom vsage de la dite vile seyt tenue e garde

pur nule. E bien se avise le disseysi en tel &esclie

abatement qil attache sa pleynte de sure de deynz

les primers xl. jours apres co qil serra issi disseysi, e

si il ne le face il perd soun avauntage de estre resseysi

par tel play.' Mes si nul se abate par disseysine en

autri fraunke tenement en la dite vile dementers qe

le disseysi seyt en prisoun, ou hors de memore, ou hors

des quatre mers Dengletere, en chescun de ces treys cas

eyt le disseysi soun recourir ver le disseyssour par

pleynte de abatement; mes qe la pleynt seyt attache

freschement de deynz les primers xl. jours apres qe le

dit disseysi serra delivres hors de prisoun, ou serra de bone

memore, ou serra venuz de deynz les quatre mers Dengle-

terre. En meyme la manere cum avaunt est dyt se teygne

le prosces la, ou la pleynte seyt abatue en la court avaunt

dite par excepcioun oU par meyns suffisaunte pleynte,

seyt le pleyntif resceu a sa pleynte renoveler, mes qil

la renovele avaunt qe les baiUifs senpartent hors de

court. E en tele manere de play ne seyt nule essoygnc

allowe al pleyntif ne al diffendaunt pur hastive

dreyture faire a les partyes. E fait a saver qe en

> par tel play] That b by the plea
of Fresshe Force. The mode of
holding the assise of novel disseisiny
called Fressheforce, as to lands, te-

nements, and rents in the city of
London, is set forth in the Liber
Albus, 1. iil p. i. fol. 186 a.

THE DOHUS DAT OF OIPPESWICH.

goode folkes of the toun shul take that tenement in to Add. MS«
the kynges hand, and pronouncyn that sesyn so holdyn *5,oii.
with force and armys for non^ though it so be contynued
x1. dayes, after which xl. dayes be tiie plee of abatement
executed a geyn the dissesour in the same maner that it
shulden have be doon with inne the ferst xl. dayes afbei^
that the pleynt be gyven, that is to weten, zif the pleyn-
tyff sue his pleynt a yens the dissesour with oute having
rewai*d to the sesyn continuyng xL dayes with force and
armys as it is a fore seyd^ which sesyn after the vsage of
that forseyd toun ben holden and awarded for noon.
And wed avise hym he that is dissesed in swich fresshe
abatement that he begynne his pleynt [of suyt] with
inne the ferst xl. dayes after that he be so dissesyd, and
but zif he do he lesyth his avauntage to ben resesyd be
that plee. But zif eny man abate hym be dissesyn ^ in fre
tenement in the forseyd toune the mene tyme that he
that is diBsesyd be in prisone, or out of mynde, or with
oute the iiij. sees of Ingeland, in eche of these iij. cas have
the dissesyd his recure a zeyne the dissesour be pleynt
of abatement ; but that the pleynt be begunnen fresdily
with inne the ferst xl. dayes after that the dissesyd be
delivered out of prisoune, or be in good mynde, or be
come with inne the iiij. sees of Ingeland. In the same
maner as it is afore seyd helde hym the processes ther
the pleint be abated * in the court by excepcione or by
vnsufficient pleynt, be the pleyntyff resceyved to his
pleynt to be gynnen a zeyne, but att the gynnyng a zeyne
be fore the ballyves or they departe out of the court.
In swich maner of plee be none essoynes alowed to the
pleyntyff ne to the defendaunt for hastyf right to done ""
the partyes. And it is to wittene that in swiche manere

^ abate hym be dtMesyn] that is,
abate himself or intrade himself into
the free tenement of another.

' be abated] be defeated. Britton,

1. iL c. zyii., uses the word " abate *'
in the sense of defeating the writ by
exceptions.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. tele manere play ceux qe sunt nomes auxicom disseys-
26,012. g^^yg gg porTUiit proflWr par baillif auxi com en
assise de novele disseysine.

Capo. v5«. Item play de nusaunce de fraunke tenement seyt
nusaunce.^ plede devaunt les baillifs de la dite vile de Gipp[ewyz]
par gage e plegge,^ oest a saver si le pleyntif attache sa
pleynte desure freschement de deinz les primers xl,
jours apres la nusaunce faite, e sil ne face e il seyt
demoraunt de deinz les quatre mers Dengleterre^ hors
de prisoun, ou de seyne memorie en temps qe la
nusaunce est fete, e seoffre meyme la nusaunce estre
pesiblement contynue meyme les xl. jours^ a dunke ne
seyt il pas respondu de cele nusaunce saunz bref le
rey. Mes si celuy a qi tele nusaunce est fete seyt hors
des quatre mers Dengleterre> ou en prisoun, ou hors de
seyne memorie en temps de la nusaunce fete, e il
freschement de deinz les primers xl. jours apres co
qil serra venuz en Engletere^ ou qil serra hors de
prisoun ou de seyne memorie, attache sa pleynte de
sure par gage e plegge ver celuy qe la dite nusaunce
aura fete, a ceo seyt il receu de pleder solom ley e
usage de la dite vile tut saunz bref com avaunt est
dyi E en prosces vsee de tele nusaunce par bref ou
saunz bref seyt le defendaunt attache par plegge a
respoundre,^ E sil ne voillie plegge trouer, ou qil se
aloygne issi qil ne peot estre troue, seyt il somuns a
meyme le lu, ou la nusaunce est fete, de estre a vn
certeyn jour devaunt les baillife de la dite vile a
respoundre al avaunt dyt pleyntif de play de nusaunce,
f. 10. b. oountre quel jour seyt arrainye vne juree de xij. bons
e leans hommes dil procheyn vygne par les queux la
dite nusaunce porrad meuz estre trie; ^ et dementers
eient eels de la juree la vewe de Ja nusaunce et del

> pat gage et pUgge\ that is with-
out a writy if the party did not lie by
for forty days.

^par plegge a t:e9poundre] He

was to be attached by a writ of this
tenor : Pone per vadimn et salvos
plegios, etc., qnod sit coram balliviB
• • • responsnms, etc.

THE DOHUS DAT OF OIFPESWICH.

nnflanoe.

of plee that they that bene nemned as dissesours them ^^ -^^
self may proferene by ballyff as in assise of newe 25,011.
dissesyn.

Also plee of nusance of free tenement be pletyd a .
fore the ballyvys of the forseyd tonne of Gippewich be Of frenh
wed and borghe, that is to weten, zif the pleyntyff
begynne his pleynt [of suyt] fresshly with inne the
ferst xL dayes after the nnsannce doone/ and zif he
node do^ and he be dwellyng with inne the iiij. sees
of Ingelond, out of prisone, and in good mynde in
tyme that nnsance be doone, and suffre the same
nnsanoe to be pesibly holden the same xl« dayes, thanne
be it not answeryd to hym of that nnsannce with oute
writ of the kyng.^ But 2df he to whom that nusance ys
doone be out of the iiij. sees of Ingelond, or in prison,
or out of good mynde in tyme of the nusance done,
and he fresshly with inne the ferst xl. dayes after that
he be comyne in to Ingelond, or out of prisone, or a
zeyne in his mynde, begynneth to sue his pleynte by
wed and borghe a zens hym that hath doon that
nusance, be he receyved to pletene after the lawe and
the vsage of the forseyd toun al with outen writ, as it is
afomseyd. And in the processe vsyd of swich nnsannce
by writ or with outen writ be defendaunt attached be
borrowes for to answere. And zif he ne wole fynde
borowes, or if that he a loyne hym self so that he may
not be founden, be he sommoned at the same place wher
the nnsance is doon, to be at a certayne day a fom the
ballyves of the forseid tonne to answere the forseid
pleyntyff of plee of nusance, a yeyn which day be arayned
an othe ^ of zij. men goode and trewe of the next negh-
bouresi be which the forseyd' nnsance may the better ben
tried; and in the mene tyme have they of the othe

1 with ouU writ of the kyngl^ The
proceedingB upon this writ when ad-
dressed to the sheriff were the same
as in an aasise of no^el disseisin of

a freehold. Bracton, L iv. 0. xirl,
f. 258.

* an othe] " a jury " would be the
proper translation.

mmmm

^mmeemfBrnm

LE DOMSSDAT DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. franc tenement' A quel jour quant les partyes vendrunt
25,012. Q^ court par pleder, seyent leur resouns oy dune part e
dautre solom co qu le eas demaunde^ e sil descendent en
enqueste de cele nusaunce, seyt cele enqueste prise au
meyns par. xij. bons e leans '" hommes ' dil procheyn vygne
com avaunt est dyt. E si trove seyt par serement
de meyme les xij. jureez qil i eyt nusaunce^ seyt agarde
par la court qe meyme la nusaunce seyt hastivement
abatue e redrescee par veue de meyme les jururs, e
qe le pleyntif par lour taxacioun recoure ses damages,
e le defendaunt en la merci E si celuy de qi la pleynte
de nusaunce est fete apres co qil aura plegge troue
a respoundre, ou apres co qil serra somuns en la manere
avaunt dite, face defaute, seyt lenqueste agarde e prise
par sa defaute, e si troue seyt qil i eyt nusaunce, seyt le
iuggement execut com avaunt est dyt. E si les
partyes veolent assentir qe les nusaunces seyent tryez
e redresceez par les baillifs e par les veysins hoi^ de
court saunz play, bien seyt; e si co noun seyent eles
redresceez en la manere avauntdite, si le pleyntif
voudra sure. E fet asaver qe en tel play de nusaunce
plede par gage e plegge* ne seyt nule essoygne
allowe au pleyntif ne al diffendauni Mes si le play
seyt pendaunt par bref, adunkes seyent iij. essoygnes
allowez, &c.

Cap^.vigo. Item vse est en la vauntdite vile qe ceux qe tenent

Dewast. tenements en meyme la vile a terme de vye ou des

anns, ou femmes qe tenent en doware ou en noun de

fraunke baunke solom vsage de la vile, qe teux manere

^ par gage et plegge^ The fonn of
proceeding by wed and borgh had
the advantage of being more sum-

mary than a trial under aimt from
the crown, by excluding all essoins
or excuses for non-appearance.

I •■ ■

THE DOMUS DAY OP OIPPESWICH. 49

Sight of that nusance and of the fire tenement Att which Add. MS.
day whanne the partyes comyn in to court for to pletyn '
be her answeres herd of oon partye and of that other
after the caas axeth, [and zif they descend into an
enquest of that nusance, be the] enquest taken of handes^
by xij. men goode and trewe of the next neghboures aa
it is afomseyd. And 2df it be founden be the ooth of the
same xij. men swome that he hath doone nusance, be ^- ^* ^«
that awarded be the court that the same nusance be
hastyly abated and redressed be sight of the same iurours,
and that the pleyntyff be her taxadone recure his
damages, and the defendaunt in the mercy. And if he
of whom the pleynt of nusance is maad, after that he
hath founden boroghe to answere,' or after that he is
sommoned in the maner afomseyd, make defiEmte, be an
enquest awarded and taken for his defaut; and zif it
be founden that he hath don nusance, be the iugement
executyd as it is afornseyd. And zif the partyes wolyn
assentyne that tho nusances bene tried and redressed be
the ballyves and by her neyghbourys oute of court with
oute plee,* weel be it ; and yiff they wil not assentyn be
they redressyd in the maner a fomeseyd zif the pleyntyff
will sujme yt. And it is to wetyne, that in swych a
plee of nusaunce pletyd be wed and borghe, thanne be
noone essoyne alowed to the pleyntyff ne to the defen-
daunt ; but if the plee be hangyng by wrytt, thanne be
there iij. essoynes alowed.

Also it is in the forseyd toun used that they the viij.
wheche have tenementz in the same toun to terme of ^***'
his liff or of yerys, or wommen thatt holden in dower
of in name of fre braunch * after the usage of the

> of handes] *' at least *' would
Beem to be the meaning of the
French text.

*/ounden boroghe to answere ]
found sureties to answer.

' with oute pke"] that v^, without

VOL. II.

formal pleadings and counting on
them.

*fre bratinch] fre-banQch or fre-
banche would be the proper transla-
tion : cf. cap. ii.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

f. 11.

Add. MS. des tenaonts ne fistcent en teas: tenementB wast ne
'^^^' destrucciouB^ ne qil ne les seoffi:ent poynt outraiousement
descheyr^ mes qil les susteygnent renablement en anxi
bon estat com il les reoeurent, al eos de ceux as queuz
meyme les tenements apres la mort des teux tenaimts
deyvent revertir ou remeyndre. E si mil des teux
manere tenaimts fistcent wast on destruccioim en les
tenements qil ensi tenent a terme de vye ou en autre
manere com avaunt est dyt^ ou qil les seoffiient out-
raiousement descheyir, e pas renablement ne les sus-
teygnent auxi com par ley faire deyvent, qe celuy, a
qi la reversioun ou le remeyndre de ceo appert, eyt
accioun a demaunder meyme le tenement waste en
demeyne devaunt les bailiffs de la dite vile de Gippe-
wyz par gage e plegge^ solom ley e vsage de meyme
la vile auxbien com par bre£ E qe le prosces de la
pleynte seyt vsee en teu manere, cest asaver, qe, quant
le pleyntyf aura attache sa pleynte desure, seyt agarde
qe celuy ou cele qe le wast aura fait seyt somuns a
meyme le lu waste par deux firaunkes e leans hommes
de meyme la vile de estre a vn certayn jour devaunt
les ditz baillifs en pleyne court a respoundre al
avauntdit pleyntif de play de wast, a quel jour sil ne
veygne, seyt autrefeze somuns en meyme la manere.
E sil ne veygne par cele secunde somunse, seyt la
tierce somunse en meyme la manere agarde sour luy.
E si celuy tenaunt apres co qil serra trey feze somuns
face defaute e ne voillie venir, adunkes preygnent les
baillife oveske eux au meyns un ou deux des corouners
de la vile, e ayllunt a meyme le lu wastee, e par sere-

* par gage et plegge] The com-
plainant might require the tenant
to give a pledge and find sureties
according to the law and enstom of

the town, or might sue out a writ of
" quod non permittant" to the
hailifib of the town.

THE DOHUS DAT OF OIPPESWICH, 61

toun, that swiche maner of tenauntes shulden not Add. MS.

25 01 1

doone in the tenementes waat i^e destraccione, no that '
they suffere outrageously to fallen, but that they bus^
teynyn resonabely in as good poynt and state as they
receyvedene hem, to the vse of hem to whom the same
tenementes after the deth of thoo tenauntes owen to
tumen and duellyn. And zif ony swych maner of
tenauntes doon wast or destruccyon in the tenement
the which they holden so to terme of lyff or in other
maner as it is aforneseyd, or that they suffeiyn out*
rageously to fallen and not resonabely siisteynyne as
by lawe they oughten to doon, that he to whom the
reversyone or the remaynder of thai longeth to have an
aecione to axe the same tenement wasted in demene by
fore the ballyyes of the forseyd toun of Gippewych by
wed and borghe after the lawe and vsage of the same
toune, as weel as by wrytt.^ And that the processse of
that pleynt be vsed in swich maner, that is to weten,
that whanne the pleyntyf begynneth his pleynt to suyn,
be it awarded that he or hee that hathe doon the wast
be sommoned at the place wasted be ij. trewe men
lawefull and trewe of the same toun to bene atte a
oertayn day before the ballyves in pleyne court to
answeryn to the forseyd pleyntyff of plee of wast, at
whiche day zif he come not, be he an other tyme
sommonyd in the same maner; and zif he come not
be the secunde sommounys, be the iij. sommounys
awarded vpone hym. And yif the tenaunt after that f. 7.
he is iij. tymes sommoned make defeiute and wyl nott
come, thanne the ballyyes shul take with hem at the
leeste on or ij. of the coronnerys,^ and shul go to the

* hy teryW] By 6Edw. I. ch;v., a
writ of iraste might igsiie from the
ehancery against a tenant for life,
or a tenant for a term of years, or a
woman in dower.

' OR or ^100 of the coronnerys]
There were four coroners chosen by
the common council under the char-
ter of King John to keep the pleas
of the crown and other things ap-
pertaining to the crown, and to see

D 2

LE DOMESDAY DE QIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. inent de xij. bons e leaus hommes jurez faoent il taxer
25,012. Iq ^ast * e le damage £*it en meyme le tenement. E
apres eele enqueste prise e le wast taxe seyt celuy, qe
le wast aura fait, gamy par deux fraunks hommes de
la vile de esbre a certeyn jour devaunt les ditz baillifs,
ne mye a respoundre dil wast, mes a trouers urte si II
veoile al avauntdit pleyntyf de redrescer e reparallier
le lu wastee e a faire de eel wast taxe ceo qe la court
agardera, a quel jour ne seyt nule essoygne allowe al
avauntdit tenaunt Mes sil ne veygne poy[n]t e
le gamissement seyt temoygne, seyt agarde qe le
demandaunt recoure seysine de meyme le lu waste
f. 11. b. e ses damages solom ceo qe le wast serra taxe, e
celuy qe le wast aura &it seyt grevousement amerde
pur le trespas e pur plusoures defautes. E si le
avaunt dit tenaunt veygne en court apres les treys
primeres somunses e conusse le wast, ou qil veygne
quant il serra gamy apres la dite enqueste prise,
e veollie trouer bone e suffisaunte seurte de re-
drescer e reparallier le lu wastee au meyns en auxi bon
estat com il le recent, par veue e temoygnaunce des
bones gentz a certeyn jour qe luy serra assis par les
ballifs e les bones gentz de la court, a ceo seyt il
receu. E sil ne veollie ou ne pusse de co seurte trouer,
perde il le lu wastee' e les damages. Mes avaunt
qe la seurte serra receue en la manere avaunt dite,
facent les ballifs taxer le wast par xij. 'hommes jurez
si avaunt ne estoyt taxe, e de ceo seyt meyme la
seurte charge a respoundre al dit pleyntyf, si le dit lu
wastee ne seyt redresce e reparallie au jour assis cum

1 taxer le wast] If the tenant did
not appear after the third sommons,
the bailiflfs with one or two co-
roners empanelled a jury to view
and tax the waste committed, and
thereupon the tenant was summoned
to appear and find sureties to make
good the waste.

* perde tile lu tDostee'] This pe-
nalty of deprivation was in accord-
ance with 6 Edw. L ch. v. The
damages were fixed by that statute
at thrice so much as the waste
should be taxed at

THE DOMUS DAY OP GIPPJSWICH.

Bame place wasted, and other xij. men good and trewe Add. MS.
sworne they shul doo taxene the wast and the damages ^^>^^^-
doon in the same tenementz. After this enquest takyn
and the wast taxed, be he that hath doon the wrong
warned be ij. fi*e men of this toun to be att a certayn
day a fore the ballyves, not to answeiyn of wast, but
for to fynde suerte zif he wyl redressyn to the forseyd
pleyntyflP and amende a yen the place wasted, and to
doon of that wast taxe that the court shal awardyn,
at which day be non essoyne alowed to the forseyd
tenaunt. And but zif he come at^ the wamyng be
wittenessed, be it awarded that the pleyntyff recure
sesyn of the place wasted and his^ damages after that
the wajst shal be taxed, and he that hath doon the
wast be he grevously amercyed for the trespas and for
manye defautea And zif the forseyd tenaunt come in to
the court after the iij. ferst sommonys and knoweleche
the wast, or that he be comyn whanne he be warned
after the forseid enquest takyne, and wil fyndyne suffi-
ciaunt suerte to redressyn and to amendyn azeyn the
place wasted in as good state as it was afome be
sight and wittenesse of goode folke [att a certayn
day which to hym shal be assygned be the ballyves
and the goode folke] of that court, to that he be
receyved. And zif he wil not or may not fjmden suerte,
lese he the place and the damages. But a forne that
suerte shal be receyved in the maner a foreseyd, the
ballyves shul doon taxen the wast be xij. men sworyne
zif it was not taxed a forne, and of that be the same
suerte charged to on sworn ^ to the forseyd pleyntyff,
zif the place wasted be not ui due maner [redressed and

that thegoremon of the borough of
Ipswich behaved jostly and lawfully
towards the poor as weU as the
rich.

1 The English text << zif he eome

'* at" is eyidently erroneous. The
proper reading would be ** zif he
" come not and."

^ Oft stDorn'] ** answer " should be
read for " on sworn,"

LE DOMESDAY D£ OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. avaunt estdyt. E si meyme le luwastee ne seyt en
25,012. j^^ manere reparaUie au jour assis cum avaunt est dit,
adunkes a la sute dit pleyntif seyt oeluy, qe le wast
aura fait, gamy per ij. firaunks hommes de la vile de
estre a eertyn jour devaunt les avaunt ditz baiUifs a
mustrer si 11 sache ren dire pur quey la seysine dil
avauntdit lu waste ne deyt estre Uvree al avauntdit
pleyntif; a quel jour si il ne veygne poynt, seyt agarde
qe le pleyntif recoure sa seysine dil lu wastee e ses
damages, e le tenaunt en la merci. £ tut veygne le
tenaunt en curt, seyt agarde en meyme la manere, sil
ne pusse mustrer qil ad plus haut estat qe avaunt ne
avoyt en meyme le lu wastee, e ceo par plus tardif
title qe la dite pleynte ne seyt. E si le tenaunt veygne
en court e countre plede le wast, e dye qil nat fait
nul tort ne nul wast^ e de ceo se met en enqueste, e
pus seyt atteynt qil ad fet wast^ adunkes recoure le
pleyntif sa seysine^ e ses damages cum avaunt est dyt,
e le tenant en la merci. E si nul tel tenaunt^ apres
CO qil aura vne feze par tele seurte cum avaunt est
f. 12. dit le lu wastee redrescee e reparailiee, autre feze fietce
wast e de ceo seyt atteynt^ perde il le lu wastee pur
tutz jours, e respoygne il des damages pmr le wast en
la fourme avauntdit^. £ en co play de wast seyent
allowez iij. essoygnes auxibien pur le defendaunt, com
pur le demandaunt, e co nomement apres les iij.
primeres somunse& Mes quant le defendaunt en tel play
est gamy devenir en court apres l^iqueste prise par
sa defaute com avaunt est dyt, ou quant il serra gamy
deuenir en curt a mustrer sil sache ren dire solom co

^ U pleyntif sa teytine] Under the
law as administered in the cnria
regis the penalty was not the same
in all kinds of waste. For instance,
in the case of a guardian he lost the
custody of the land, had to make
compenBation in damages^ and was

in misericordia regis ; whereas a
tenant in dower, who committed
waste in woods, was only subject to
restraint in future by the view of
the foresters of the heir. Bracton,
f. 816.

THE DOMUS DAY OF 0IPPE8WICH.

amended att the day set as it is afomeseyd. And zif the Add. HS»

place wasted be not in due maner] amended at the day ^^'^^^•

set, as it is afore seyd, thanne att the sute of the forseyd

pleyntyff be he that hath doon the wast warned be ij.

fre men of that toune to be at a certayne day a fore

the ballyves to shewyne, zif he cunne eny thyng seyn,

wherfore dissesyn ^ of the same place wasted oweth not

to be delivered to the forseyd pleyntyff ; at which day

zif he come nott, be it awarded that the pleyntyff

recure sesyn of the place wasted and hese damages, and

the tenaunt in the mercye. And al though he come in

to court, be it awarded in the same maner, zif he may

not shewyne that he hath more hye ryght thanne he

hadde be fome in the forseyd place wasted, and that

it be more lattere titule thanne the forseyd pleynt be.

And zif the tenaunt come in to court and countreplete

the wast, and seyth that he hath doon non wrong ne

wast, and of that he putteth hym on a enquest, an<^ after

be atteynt that he hath doon wast, thanne recure the

pleyntyff his seysn and hese damages as it is afomeseyd,

and the tenaunt in the mercy. And zif eny swych

tenaunt after that he hath oon tyme by swich suerte

as is aforne seyd the place wasted redresse and amende, f* 7. b.

and an other tyme make wast, and of this be atte3mt,

lese he the place wasted for alle dayes, and answere

of the damages for the wast in the form afomseyd. And

in that plee of wast ben alowed iij. essoynes as weel

for the defendaunt as for the pleyntyff, and that namely

after the iij. ferst essoynes.^ But whanne the defendaunt

in swich plee is warned to come in to court after the

^iquest taken for his defaute as it is afore seyd, or

whanne he is warned to come to court to shewyn yif

he can ony thing seyn after that he is conteyned in

' dissesyn] ** Sesyn " would be the
proper translation of the French
text.

^ essoynes'] *' sommonys ** would
be the correct translation.

^^^tm^m'^^^^'^^T^m

■^■wi

i*^

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Jldd. MS. qil est coutenu en la prosces avaunt - dyt, a nul de
25,012. ^g jj JQ^jpa ng QQyi jjuIq essoygne allowe.

Capo. ix». Item si nul homme alyene tenements en la vauntdite
2^^|^Je vile en fe, qe sunt le dreyt sa femme, par la volunte e
de fiaanke par lassent de sa femme^ e meyme la femme apres la
tenement, g^ygj^^ livre al purchacour veygne en court ^ oveske
soun baroun devaunt les bailiffs e les bones gentz de la
dite vile, e conusse meyme le tenement alyene estre le
dreyt al avauntdit purchacour solom la fourme contenue
en la chartre dil doun,* seyt meyme cele femme des
ditz baillifs severalement par luy examyne de quele
volunte ele est endreyt de cele alienacioun. E si troue
seyt par sa soule confessioun qe cele alienacioun est
faite de soun assent e de soun bon gre saunz cohercioun
e saunz manaces de soun baroun, seyt cele conisaunce
^ tenue par oerteyne e estable a tutz jours. £ a dunkes
seyt la reconissaunce dil avauntdit baroun e de sa femme
ensemblement on' la force de la chartre du doun en
roulee en comun roule ^ de la vile^ la quele reconissaunce
facent les baillifs apertement solemnyser en pleyne court
devaunt les corouners e les bones gentz de la vile. E
chescuns baillifs de lour temps a chef dil aan rendunt
meyme eel roule a la commune huche de la vile, e
illeoke seyent bien e leaument gardez com en trezorye.
E apres cele reconissaunce seyt meyme cele femme e ses
f. 12. K heyrs apres la mort soun avauntdit baroun de eel jour
en avaunt barre a demaimder ^ ren en les avauntditz
tenements issi alyenez. E cestes conissaunces teygnent lu

^ veygne en cowf] A similar ap-
pearance and consent of the wife
was required to be made in the
curia regis on the alienation by the
husband of a freehold in a county,
which he held in right of his wife.
Bracton^ f. 821 b.

^ en la chartre del doun"} The
couTeyance or deed of gift.

' on] Corrected in a later hand
into ove.

^ en comttn roule de la viW] In
the curia regis a chirographum or
charter of gift was usually rnade^
which, together with the record, was
the voucher of the woman's con-
sent.

' demaunder ] The wife might
otherwise have a writ of entry after
the death of her husband to recoyer
the tenement back.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

the processe afornseyd, att none of these ij. dayes ne Add. MS.
be none e^oynes alowed as it is afom seyd. ^ '^ '

Also if eny man aliene tenementz in the fomseyd ix.
toune of Qippewich of the housband^ in fee, that been nf^^Jf'
his wyflys ryght, by the wyll and assent of his wiff, and of fre tene-
the same womman after the dissesyn bonden to purchace • ™*°*'
come in to court with here husbond afom the ballyves
and the goode folk of the forseyd toun, and knowleche
the same tenement aliened to ben the right to the ^
forseyd purchasour after the forme contyned in the
chartre of zifte, be the same womman of the forseyd
baylyves severally exsxayxied by here self, of which wille
he was in right of that alienacione. And zif it be founden
by here owene [confession, that the] alienacione hit' is
doon of here assent and of good wylle with owten con-
streynyng and withoute manas of here housbond, be that
cognisaunce holdyn for ferme and stabele att alle dayes.
And thanne be that recognisaunce of the forseyd hous-
bond and of his wiff to gedyr with the strenkthe of the
chartre enrollyd of zifb^ in the common roUe of the
toun, the whiche reconisaunce the ballives shul doon
apertly solempnysen in pleyn court afore the coronerys
sA^ (sic) the goode folk of the toun. And eche baylyff
of here tyme at the gynnyng ^ shulde of the yere zelde
the same rolle to the common chist of the toun, and there
to be weel and trewely kept as in tresour. After that
reconisaunce be that same womman and here heyrys
after the deth of here forseyd housbond from that day
forward barryd to axene eny thyng in the forseyd
tenementz so alyened. And swiche reconisaunce heldene

' of the houshand] These words
are not in the French text

^ bcnden to purchace^ "after the
** aesyn delivered to the purchaser"
would be the proper translation of
the French text.

' hit^ This word is redondant

^ enroOyd of zift"] " of sift en-

** rollyd " would be more correct.
' ad] " and " should evidently be

here read for " ad.*'

* at the gynnyngi «* at the gyn-
nyng of the ^ere shulde " would

be the more correct order of the

words.

((

LS DOHESDAY D£ GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. anzi bien des tenements qe femmes purchacent joynte-
2fi,oi2. jj^^jjj. oveske lour baxouns, com des tenements qe sunt de
lour heritages ou de lotir several purchaz. Mes endreyt
des tenements qe sunt donez en fraunke mariage ou en
autre manere par condicioun, ou le fe est tailie par fourme
de doun a acoun homme e a sa femme e as heyrs de eux
deux issauntS; e en cas ou reversioun deyt estre ou peot
au donour ou a ses heyrs par fourme de doun, e en cas
ou les tenements deyvent remeyndre a acoun par fourme
de doun apres la mort des iteux feffez, en nul des teux
cas en disheritaunce de ceux as queus les tenements
issi donez apres la mort des issi feffez deyvent decendre,
revertir, ou remeyndre par la fourme du doun, si la court
avauntdite de ceo seyt aparceue, seyt nule conissaimce
receue.^ £ si teux manere de reconissaunces se facent
en meyme la court saunz estre apparceues, co ne seyt
mye barre ne preiudiciel a ceux, as queux meyme les
tenements issi donez apres la mort des iteux feffez
deyvent decendre, revertir, ou remeyndre, qil ne pussent
meyme les tenements en la vauntdite court de Gipp[ewyz]
demaunder e recourir par bref le roy * solom vsage de
meyme la vHe saunz aver regard a la reconissaunce
avauntdite ; en meyme la manere seyt la femm^ e
ses heyrs apres la mort soun baroun barre a tutz
jours par tele reconissaunce faite par prosces de play
f^ 13, ou sour quiteclamaunce. E bien se aviso chescun pur-
chacour, qe avantage veot aver ou dreyt clamer par my
tele reconissaunce cum avaunt est dyte dil dreyt la
femme, qe sa seysine e soun estat sour tele reconissaunce

> seyt nule conissatmcereceue] The
b&ilifb in each cases were to refose
to take cognisance of any consent
on the part of the wife.

' par bref le rey"] By a writ of
entry, called a cut in vitd^ as it con-

tained the words ''coi ipse in vitA soA
'' contradicere non potoit,'' or words
to that effect, signifying that the
claimant had not an opportunity to
object to the alienation daring the
lifetime of the tenant.

THE J>0MU8 DAY OF QIPPESWICH.

stede as weel of tenemenies that wommen purchasen Add. MS.
ioyntly with here housbond, as of tenementz that bene of ' '
here heritage or of here several pnrchas. But in right of
tenementz that ben yoven in fre manage or in other
maner by condidone^ where that the fee is tailed be
foorme of zift to the housbond ^ and his wyfT, and to the f. 8.
heyres of hem oomyng, and in caas where of the rever-
syoun owght to ben yoven [to the donor] or to the
heyres by foorme of zifb, and in caas where the tenementz
owen to remeyndre to eny be foorme of zift after the
day ^ of men so feffed, in noon swich caas in disherita-
cione of hem to whom the tenementz so yoven after the
day * of men so feffed owyn to descenden, revertyn, and
remeyndren be foorme of the zift, zif the court aforenseyd
therof be aperceyed, be non roponisaunce receyved ; and
zif [swich] maner of reconisaunce ben doon in the court
with outen aperceyvyd, that it be not barryd ne preiu-
dice to hem, to whiche the same tenementz so yoven after
the dethe of mene so feffed owyn to descendyn, revertyn,
and remayndre, that the man * the same tenementz in
the forseyd court of Oippiswich axene and recurjm after
vsage of the same toun by writ of the kyng with outen
havyng [regard] to the reconisaunce aforeseyd ; and the
same maner be the womman and here heyres after the
deth of here housbond barrid att alle dayes by the
reconisaunce maad by processe of plee or upone
quyt cleym. And weel avyse hym eche purchasour, that
wyl have avauntage or deym right by swich reconi-
saunce as it is afomseyd of ryght of his ^ wyff, that his
sesyn and his state on swich reconisaunce be good and

^ toihe housbond] " to any man
would be the closer translation.

* after the day] "deth" should
be read instead of ^ day."

^ that the man] The word man
may be a miscopying of the middle

English word mown (may), ihe third
person plunl of the present tense
of the indicative mood of the verb
mowen, to be able.

^hU wjuff] "awyff" should be
h^re read instead of <* his wy£f."

60 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. seyt bon e suffisaunt pur ly ; kax si le tenement, dunt la
s5,oia. reconissaunce ensi serra fete, veygne apres en demaunde
par auncyenne ley e auncien vsage de la dyte vyle,
le demandaunt serra bien receu a voyder la reconis-
saunce, en taunt sil pusse mettre aveyr par bone enqueste
de meyme la vyle de Gipp[ewyz],-qe le primer claimaunt
par la dite reconissaunce vnkes par cele reconisaunce
estat ne avoyt, ne seysine ne prist en le tenement
demaunde avaunt la reconissaunce ne en la reconis-
saunce.

f. IS. b. Item si la mesoun de vn vejrBin deschece ou se abece
C«p*». x«. damage fesaunt a la mesoun de vn autre veysin en la

De mesoun ^ , . , , j»

qe se abece dite Vile, eyt cely, veysin a qi le damage est feet soun
meK>an!" recouverir ver cely par qi mesoun le damage est feet,
par pleynte attache par gage e plegge^ en forme de
trespas devaunt les baillifs auauntditz, cest asaver, de
tutz les damages e de tut lempirement qil aura eu
par lenchesoun avauntdite, solom co qe lenpirement e
les mages ponomt renablement est [re] retaxez par en
queste.

^ H. Item com acun teygne tenements en la dite vile de
^reco?"*' Gipp[6wyz] a terme de vye ou des aunz, e cely, a qi
nissaanoe meyme les tenementz aprez la mort des iteux tenauntz
tonemOTt^ dey vent revertir ou remeyndre, veygne en la dite court
encasde de Gipp[ewyz] e graunte e conuce par soun fet en
reYenioYm, jj^gy^^ jg^ court le dreyt de la reversioun, ou le re-
meyndre des ditz tenementz apres la mort des y

^ attache par gage et plegge"] The
fonn of proceeding in snch cases
was by summons, and on the de-

fendant appearing he was attached
by pledges or sureties de stando ad
rectom.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

sufficient for hym; for zif the tenauDt^ of the tenement Add. MS.
where of the reconisaunce is so maad <jome- hUSer and '
axe the olde la we and the olde vsage of the forseyd toun,
the pleynt)rff shal ben weel resceyved to vowen * that
reconisaunce, in so moche zif he may puttyne hym to
have be good enquest of the same toun of Gippeswiche,
that they ferst damer' by the forseyd reconisaunce
never by that reconisaunce hadde state ne sesyn takyn
in the tenement axed afore the reconisaunce ne in the
reconisaunce*

Also yif an hous of oon neyghbour shete or abate ^
or do damage and harm to the makyng of^ an other that len*
neyghbourys hous in the forseyd toun, have he, that "S^r? *°
the damage is doon to, his recure by hym that the ' .^c. ^

hous is harmed and damaged by pleynt begunnyn be (J,* v '
wed and borghe in foorme of trespas be fom the for--
seyd ballyves, that is to weten, of alle the damages
and of alle the harmys and of alle the emperyment
that the damages may resonabely be taxed be a enquest.^

Also whanne eny helde tenementes in the forseyd ^«
toun of Gippeswiche to terrae of his lyff or of yerys, nuannoe
to hym,* to whom the same tenementz after the deth of fire tene- ,
of the tenauntes owen to tume a zeyn or remaynare,ca8 of re-
come in to the forseyd court of Gippeswich and shewe v«"yo»-
and telle [by] his dede the ryght of reversyoun, or of
tl^e remayndre of the forseyd tenementes after the deth

^ the ienaunt'} That u, the heir or
party entitled to the reversion of
the tenement, if he come after and
claim it.

^ vowen'] to avoid or make void.

* they first chmer"]' that is, the
party to whom the tenement had
been conveyed by the aforesaid
recognisance.

4 the fMikyng of] These words are
redondant.

*he a eiiquett] " Of alle the em-
" per3rment that he shal have had
" by the aforeseid cause after that
" the harm and the damages may
** reasonably be taxed by an en-
'* quest," would be the more correct
translation of the French text. A
line seems to have been omitted by
the scribe.

^ to ^ym] *' and he to whom " is
reqvdred by the French text.

LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. teux ienaunts a terme de vye ou des aunz estre a acuxi,
25,012. ggy^ ^gj graunt e sa reconissaunce enroulee ovesqes les
autres reconissaunces de fraunke tenement, e adunkes
seyt agarde en pleyne court a fere venir par bone
meynprise^ cely tenaunt a terme de Tye on des annz
a vn certe3m jour de graunt court saunz essoygnes a
conustre, quel dreyt 11 deyme en meyme les tenements ;
a quel jour sil ne veygne, seyt sa meynprise grevouse-
ment amercye, e pus seyt agarde qil seyt grevousement
destreynt par tutz ses biens e ses chateux quel part
qil seyent trouez de deynz la fraunchise de la dite vile
de Gipp[ewyz], de deynz mesoun e de bors, cila qil
veygne. E quant il vendra en court e aura conu qil
ne cleyme ren en meyme les tenementz si noun a
terme de vye ou des aunz^ a dunkes seyt agarde en
pleyne court, qe cely tenaunt a terme de vye ou des
aunz se aCtoume * a teygne de eel jour en avaunt meyme
les tenementz de cely a qi le dreyt de la reversioun ou
dU remeyndre est graunte e conuz, auxi com il les tynt
avaunt dil reconyssour. E si cely tenaunt a terme de
vye ou des aunz par malice ou par inobedience ne
voillie meynprise trover de venir en court a conustre
quel dreyt il cleyme com avaunt est dyt^ a dunkes
seyt agarde qil seyt destreynt par ses diateux en la
fourme auauntdite. E sour ceo seyt il gamy par deux
burgeys de la vile de estre devaunt meyme les baillifs
a vn jour certeyn de graunt court' sour forfeture de
meyme la destresce sour ly fete, a conustre quel dreyt

^ bone meynprise] Mainpernors
were, sureties, who in pergonal ac-
tions undertook to produce a defen-
dant in court on a certain day.

^ se atUmnui] shall transfer his

service or homage, as tenant, to the
reversioner.

' de graunt court"] This would
be the court of Portmannysmote.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

of tho tenauntes to ierme of lyff or of yerys to ben Add. Ma
to ony, be that graunte and his reconisaunoe enrolled '
with other reconissaunces of free tenementes, and
thanne be it awarded in pleyne court to doon oome
by good meynprise that tenannt to terme of lyff or of
yerys att a certayn day of the gret court ^nHx outen
easoyne to be a knowe what right he cleymeth in the
same tenementes ; at which day zif he come not, be
his meynprise grevonaly ameroyed, and after be it
awarded that he be grevonsly distreyned by alle his
goodes and his chautenx where that evere they be
founden with inne the fraimchise of the forseyd toun
of Oippeswich> with iniie hous or with oute, til that
he comei And whanne that he cometh in to court
and knowelecheth that he deym no thyng of the same
tenementes but to terme of liff or of zerys, thanne be
it awarded in pleyn court that that tenaunt to terme
of lyff or of yerys helde ^ fro that day forward the
same tenementes of hym, to whom the ryght of the
reversioun Or of the remayndre is graunted and knowen,
as they helden ^s a fbme the reconisonr. And zif
thatt. tenaunt to terme of lyff or of yerys by malice
or by unbuxumnesse ^ wil not fynde meynprise to come
in to court to be aknowe what right he cleymeth as
it is a fomeseyd, thanne be it awarded [that he be
distreyned] by his chatteux by foorme afore seyd. And
vpone this be he warned be ij. burgeises of the toun
to ben afore the ballives att a certayn day of the gret
court vpone forfeture of the same distresse vpone hym
maad, for to be aknowe what right he cleymeth in

^ '* attonrne and holde '' would be
the fhller translation.

' imlmxumneue'] Bnxom is an
old English word from bnghsnm,
obedient, pliant, derived from the
verb bngen, to bend, whence
boges, bonghs. It occnrs in the
Leet Oath fonnerly administered

to the inhabitants of Ipswich in
Whitsnn week at the annnal view
of frunk-pledge : '' Ye shall be
** buxom and obedient to all jns-
** tices, &o., in all things that they
» shall lawfully command yon."
See below, chap, xIy.

^■i

ms9t

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. il cleyme en les tenementz avauntditz ; a quel jour sil
25,012. ^Q veygne e temoygne seyt qil fust gamy com avaunt
£. 14. b. est dyt, seyt la destresce agarde forfete. £ seyt meyme
la forfeture agardee de chescune destresce sour ly fete
apres la primere meynprise amercye, mes qil seyt re-,
najblement garny en la fourme avauntdite a chescune
feze qil serra destreynt devenir en court sour meyme
la forfeture. £ si ceux qe simt dyt tenauntz, quant il
vendrunt en court, pussent par renables euydences
mustrer qil ne deyuent attoumer/ seyent lour evydences
allowez solom ceo qe eles deyvent par resotm e par
bone ley estre allowez. Mes pur nule tele reconissaunce
avauntdite ne seyt ja tel prosces comence ver tel te-
naunt a terme de vye ou dez aunz taunt com il seyt
en prisoun, ou hors de seyne memorie, ou de hors les
quatre mers Dengleterre, si la court de ceo seyt appai*-
ceue. £ si tel prosces en tel temps seyt comence, a
la sute de la partye ou de ses proscheynz amys seyt
meyme le prosces aneenty e repelle par agard de court
si tost com la court de ceo serra apparceue. E ordene
est par comun assent' de la dite vile de Gipp[ewyz],
qe teux man ere des forfetures^ com avaunt sunt ^dites,
seyent leevez a comun profiyt de la ville e livreez a
certeynes gentz e creables, qe de ceo pussent respoundre
a la comunalte, e ne mye taunt soulement al proffit
des baiUifs de la ville.

Cap", xg". Item si ceo seyt rente issaunt de fraimke tenement
niflsaunoe 6n meyme la ville qe seyt graunte a acun par reconis-

de rente.

^ ne dejfotnt attoumer] that they
ought not to transfer their homage
or service to the reversioner.

' comun ossenQ That is by the

consent of the commonalty of the
town, assembled before the baili£b
and coroners and the rest of the
capital portmen.

THE DOMUS DAT OF QIPPESWICH. 65

the tenementes a forue seyd ; att which day, zif he Add. MS.
come not, be it wittenessed^ that he was warned and ^*'^^^*
that the distresse h[a8] is a [fome seyd] was awarded
and forfetyd. And be the same forfeture awarded att
eche distresse vpone hym maad after the ferste mein-
prise amercyed, but that he be resonabely warned in
foorme afome seyd at eche tyme that he be distreyned
to come in to court vpone the same forfeture. Aiid if
they, that ben tenauntes, whanne they comyn in to the
court and they may by ' resonable evidence that they
owyn be resone and good lawe to be allowed. But for
non swich reconisaunce afomseyd lete non processe
begynnen a zeyne swiche a tenaunt to terme of lyff
or of yerys as longe as he is in prisone or out of
mynde or be zonden the iiij. sees of Ingeland, zif the
court theroff be apercey ved. And zif swiche processe
in swych tyme begunnen att the sute of the partye or
of the next neghboures, be that same processe anulled
and repelled by award of the court as soone as the
court ther off be aperceyved. And it is ordeyned by
comoun assent of the forseyd' [toun of Gippeswiche,
that swiche maner of forfetures as aforn seyd be leveed
for the comoun proffyt of the toun and delivered to
certeyn personys and credibele, that therof may an-
sweryn to the commaltie, and not oonly to the proffyt
of the baillives of the toun.] ^

[Also zif there be rente goyng out of fre tenement ^^•
in the seyd toun, that be graunted to eny by recong- niaaunce of

^ ■ — — rente.

' he it witUnessed] ** and it be
" wittenessed that be was warned
** Bs aforeseyd, be the distresse
** awarded forfettyd," would be the
better translation.

^ and they majf 6y] " can by re-
** sonable evidoiee shewyn tbat
" tbej owen not to attonme, be her
" evidences alowed according as
" they owyn by reson and goode

*' lawe to be alowed," would be
more correct

> Here a leaf has been lost from
the MS.

^ The editor has restored, within
brackets, in contemporaneous Bng*
lish, as far as his study of other
parts of the English version would
enable him so to do, the missing
chapters, of which the leaf or leaves
are lost.

VOL. II. E

66 LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS* saiince fete en meyme la court devaunt meyme les
25,012. ijg^iii^^ adunkes seyt vsee meyme le prosces com

avaunt est dy t en la derreyne constitucioon avaunt ceste
a faire venir le tenaunt, qe cele rente deyt payer, a la
proscheyne graunt "court" apres eel graunte e cele
reconissaunce fete a conustre devaunt meyme les baillifs^
par quel service il deyme tenir le tenement^ dunt la
rente avaunt dite est grauntee e reconue. E quant il
vendra en court e aura conuz qil tyent meyme le tene-
ment dil avauntdit reconissour e par meyme la rente
avauntdite, adunkes seyt agarde qil se attoume de cele
rente a cely a qi meyme la reconissaunce est fete. E
f. 15. si il dye qil ne deyme mye tenir le tenement, dunt
la rente est issaunt, dil avauntdyt reconissour, a eel
desdamer ne seyt il pas receu taunt com cely, a qi la
dite reconissaunce estoyt fete^ veoUlie averer par bone
enqueste qe cely tenaunt, qe cele rente doyt payer, tynt
dil avauntdit reconissour meyme le tenement, e par
meyme la rente, le jour de la dite reconissaunce fete.
E si cely tenaunt ne veoillie eel aveyrement receyvre,
seyt agarde qil se attourne com avaunt est dyi E
sil ne veoillie attoumer de soun gre apres eel agard,
done adunkes eyt cely, a qi la dite reconissaunce estoyt
fete, accioun a destreyndre par meyme la rente, auxi
com le avauntdit reconissotir avoyt, e avower la des-
tresce bone solom vsage de. la ville par vertu de la
dite reconissaunce e dil agard avauntdit. Mes si il
pusse renablement mustrer pur quey il ne se deyt
attoumer, a ceo seyt il receu solom ceo qe ley e resoun
demaunde.

Capo.xiif. Item si nul en la dite ville enclost ses tenementz,
S»atement^ par quey qe les chefs seygnurs ou autres ver les queux
purtene- les tenementz seyent cbargez ne pount avenir a fere
eodos. destresces pur lour rente arrere, eyent meyme les seyg-

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 67

nisaunce doone in the same court aforn the seyd bail- Add. MS.
lives, thanne be used the same prosses as afomeseyd ^^'^^ *
in the constitucion afome this to doone the tenaunt
that oweth to pay this rente comyn to the next great
court after the graunt and the recongnisaunoe doone, to
be a knowe aforn the seyd baillives be what service
he cleymeth to holde the tenement, wherof the afome-
seyd rente is graunted and knoweleched. And whanne
he shal come into court and shal knoweleche that he
holde the seyd tenement of the afome seyd recong-
nisour and by the same rente afomseyd, be it thanne
awarded that he attoume of that rente to hym, to
whom the recongnisaunce is doone. And zif he sey
that he doo not cleym to holde the tenement wherof
the rente is goyng from the afomseyd recongnisour,
to that discleymer be he not resceyved as longe as he
to whom the seyd recongnisaunce was doone is wyl-
lyng to averryn be good enqueste, that swiche tenaunt
that oweth to pay that rente holde the seyd tenement
of the afomseyd recongnisour, and be the seyd rente,
from the daye of the dooyn of the seyd recongnisaunca
And zif swich tenaunt be nott wyllyn to resceyve this
averment, be it awarded that he attoume as aforn
seyd ; and zif he be nott wyllyn to attoume of his own
accord after the award yovene, thanne have he to
whom the seyd recongnisaunce was doone an acdone
of distresse for the seyd rente as weel as the afom-
seyd recongnisour had, and avowe the distresse goode
after the usage of the toune be vertue of the seyd
recongnisaunce and the awarde afomseyd. But zif he
can renably shewyn, wherfor he oweth not to attoume
to hym, be he resceyved after that lawe and reson
demaunde.]

[Also zif eny in the seyd toun enclose hese tene- xiil
mentz, wherby the chefe lordes and othyr for whom tKe ^atraient
seyd tenementz are charged cannot comen for to make for tene-
distresse for here rente in arere, have the seyd lordes ^ob.

E 2

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. nurs ou autres ver queux meyme les tenementz seyent
25,012. jgg* chargez lour recourir ver lour tenauntz devaunt
les baillifs de la dite vile par pleynte de abatement,
auxi com il aureyent par brefe de novele disseysine
devaunt justices le roy, ceo est asaver, sil attachent
lour pleyntes ver lour tenauntz de deynz les primers
xl jours apres co qe lour rente lour serra vyee. E si
lour rente apres co qil aurunt issi vne feze destreyntz
lour seyt autre feze vyee, ne il ne pount pur ceo des-
treyndre auxi c<Mn il soleyent, par quey qe pleynte seyt
autrefeze attache ver teux tenauntz, seyent les damages
taxez au double de co qil furent taxez a la primere
pleynte. E a taunt de feze com teles pleyntes seyent
1 15. b. attacbez pur lenchesoun avauntdite, a taunt de feze
seyent les damages dublez.

Item si nul tenaunt en lavauntdite vile lest ses
tenementz gisir issi frisches, qe le chefe seygnur du fe
ne peot avenir a fere nule renable destresce en meyme
le tenement pur la rente arrere, e le tenaunt cesse
par quatre termes a fere gre al dit chefe seygnur pur
led arrerages de la dite rente, e le chefe seygneur par
eel cesser porte soun brefe de costumes e de services
ver soun tenaunt en la court de meyme la vile, e derene^
sa rente ver soun avauntdit tenaunt e ses damages pur
le cesser, a dunkes si celuy tenaunt ne voillie gre fere
a soun avauntdit chefe seygnur de meyme les arrerages
e des damages agardez, seyt le tenement livree au dit
chefe seygnur a garder vn aan e vn jour, de deynz
quel temps si le avauntdit tenaunt voillie gre fere a
soun chefe seygnur de meyme les arrerages e des da-
mages, reheyt il soun tenement saunz nule manere

Cap®, xny®.
De tene-
mentz qe
giaent
fnaches.

> derene] The word dereifti is in
the common hiw used diyersely.
Glanville in Beveral places nses the
Latin eqniyalent " dirationare " in

the simple sense of proving hy dis-
cossion, and Bracton uses it in the
same way.

THE DOMUS DAY OP GIPPESWICH.

and othir for whom the seyd tenementz are so charired Add. M&

1 35 Oil

recare azens here tenauntes afom the baillives of the '
seyd toun be plee of abatement, as weel as they shulde
have be wiit of newe dissesyn afore the justise of the
l^yiig* that is to wetyn, zif they brynge here pleyntz
azens here tenaunts with ynne the ferst fortie dayes
after that here rente shal be denied. And zif here
rente after they have oons distreyned be a seconde
tyme denied, and they cannot distreyne for it as they
were wont because a pleynt has been afom maad azens
Bwiche tenaunts, be the damages taxen at doubele of
that at which they were taxen at the ferst pleynt ;
and as often as swiche pleynts shal be maad for the
cause afomseyd^ so often shal the damages be doubeled.]

[Also zif eny tenaunt in the afomseyd toun alowe xiiij.
his tenementz to lye so fresshe, that the chefe lorde of^*^°«-
the fee cannot come for to makynge eny resonable dis- that lyene
tresse on the same tenement for the rente in arrere, *^'^*'
and ther tenaunt cese for four termes (o maken gree
to his chefe lorde for the areres of the seyd rente, and
the chefe lorde for such ceseing brjmg his wryt*of
custum and servise a zens his tenaunt in the court of
the seyd toune, and preve his rente a zens his aforn-
seyd tenaunt, and hese damages for the ceseing, thanne
zif the seyd tenaunt be nott wylling to maken gree
to his afomseyd chefe lorde for the seyd areres and
damages awarded, be the tenementz delivered to the
chefe lorde to hold for a zer and a day, with ynne
which zif the afomseyd tenaunt wyl maken gree to
his chefe lorde for the areres and damages, have he a
zeyn^ his tenement with oute eny maner of destur-

1 have he a zeyn] The word
*< reheyt '' has been assumed by the
editor to be the French equivalent
of « rehabeat,*' which is the title of

a writ directed to the sheriff to re-
store seisin, where he has delivered
seisin of more land than be ought to
have done.

70 LE DOMESDAY DE aiPPEWYZ.

•Add. MS. destourbance. E sil ne veoillie gre fere, remeygne le
25,012. tenement al avauntdit chefe seygnur e a ses heyrs a
tutz jours.

Cap«. xv«. ^ Item si nul chefe seygnur en la vaunt dite vile
Defresch <Jestreygne en soun fe pur services qe arrere ly simt,e
yertenaantsoun tenaunt face delivrer la destresce par gage e plegge

^f^'^^- devaunt les baiUifs de la ville e

seygnenr devant meyme les baillifs

?^«^- les tenementz ou la destresce fu fete, a dunkes eyt celi

services. ^ •'

chefe seygnur apres eel desclamer jour recovrir ver son
tenaunt par pleynte de abatement devaunt meyme les
baillifs auxi com il auroyt par brefe de novele disseisine
devant justices^ cest a saver sil attache sa pleynte de
sure du deynz les primers xl. jours apres eel desclamer.

Cap®, xvjo. Item vsee est en la vauntdite vile de Gippe[wyz] qe

meof devi- *^*^ ^ cexix qe unt tenementz e rentes en meyme la vile

sables et de lour several purchaz en fee^ qil pussent ceux tenementz

tostaments. ® ^^^ rentes devyser en lour lytz moryauntz franche-

f. 17. ment en quele manere qil voudrunt e a ky, e qe la der-

reyne volunte le testatour en dreyt du tenement devise

par testament escrit ou nuncupatyf seyt provee devaunt

les baillifs de la ville de deinz les primers xl. jours apres

la mort le avauntdit testatour, e seyt la prove receue

par ij. hommes jurez au meyns e severabnent examinez

> A strip of vellum has been
pasted over this chapter, which has
been thus rewritten : —
f. 16. Item si nol chefe seygnur en hi
dyte vyle destreygne en soun fe pnr
rente qe aiere ly est, e soun tenaunt
fiEMe delivrer la destresce par gage e
plegge devaunt les baillift de la dyte
vyle, on qil le destnrbe a destreyndre
en soun fe par rescus e par frestalle
qil ne puBse destreyndre auxi com

fere deyt, eyt cely chefe seygnur
soun recourir devaunt les avaunt-
dytz baillifs par pleynte de abate-
ment, auxi com il aureyt par brefe
de novele disseysine devaunt justices,
cest asaver, sO attache sa pleynte de
sure freschement de denz les primers
xl. jours apres la dite delivrance
fete, ou apres qil serra desturbe a
destreyndre com avaunt est dyt.

THE DOMUS DAY OF OIPPESWIGH.

baunce, and zif he wyl nott make gree to hjm, thanne Add. M S.
duelle the tenement to the chefe lorde and hese heyres ^^^^i^*
att alle dayes.]

[Alfio^ zif eny chefe lord in the afom seyd toun dis- f..^^\
treyne on his fee for servises which are in arrere to abatement
hym, and hise tenaunt do deliver the »eyd distresse *y®°" *

, , tenftimt

be wed and borugh afom the baillives of the seyd thrft con-
toun, or hym lett in distreyning on his fee by rescue |^*P^®^*^
and by forestall' so that he cannot distreyne as he
oweth to do^ have that chefe lord his recure aforn the
seyd baillives be plee of abatement^ as weel as he
shulde have be writ of newe dissesyn afore the justise,
that is to wetyn, zif he brynge his pleynt in suyn
fresschly with ynne the ferst fortie dayes after the
seyd deliverance doone, or after he shal be lett in des-
treynyn as afomseyd.]

[Also it is nsyd in the forseid toun of Qippeswyche, xvi
that alle those who have tenementz and rentes in the Of tene-
seyd toun of here several purchaces in fee, that they departable
may devis tho tenementz and rentes in here beds dey^ *J^ P^^®^
ing frely in swiche maner as they wyllen, and to meat,
whom so evere the last will of the testator in right
of the tenement divised by testament wrytten or
nuncupatyf. be preven afom the baillives of the seyd
toun with ynne the ferst fortie dayes after the deth of
the seyd testator, and be the preeff resceyved by two
men sworen at least ^ and severally examined upon]

1 alao] The editor has translated
the text written on the strip of yel-
Innii and has not thought it necessary
to translate the incorrect yersion of
chapter xy. for which the version
on the strip of Tellnm was intended
to be a snbstitate.

^forestaC] Forestal signifies an
intercepting on the high way. It is
defined in the Laws of Henry I.

ch. Ixxx. § 4. Forestal est, si qnis
ex transTerso incnrrat yel in via
expectet et assaliat inimicom sniun.
' two men sworen at lecut"] The
common law required two witnesses
at least Debet autem testamentnm
fieri coram duobus vei pluribus viris
legitimis, dericis vel laicis, et talibus
qui testes inde fieri possnnt idonei.
Glanville, 1. vii. ch. 6.

L£ DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. sour la derreyne volunte le mort ; e si la preove sey t
^ '^ ^* trove acordaunte e bone, seyt ele enroulee en roule de la
ville^ e seyt ladministracioun grante a les exeqetoura le
mort solom la founne de la dite prove, e la seysine du
tenement devise livre a celuy, a qi il estoyt devisee, par
meyme les exeqetours e par veue e temoygnaunce ies
baillifs de la dite ville sauve chescuny dreyt. E si la
prove ne sacorde mye issi qe lem treove variaunce ou
suspecioun de fraude en le testament avauntdit, seyt
• eel testament agarde pur nul quaunt au firaunke tene-
ment devise, e demeorge meyme eel fraunke tenement
a celuy qi maour dreyt enad. E si les exeqetours le
mort par malice ou par collusioun ne veolent le testa-
ment prover de deynz les primers xl. joiurs apres la mort
le testatour, ne la seysine du tenement devise lyvrer a
celuy a qi il estoyt devise, e le clamaunt par devys
veygne en la dite court de Gipp[ewyz] de deynz les
primers xL jours e mette soun deym en meyme le tene-
ment a luy devise, e prio qe les exeqetours du dy t testatour
seyent gamys de venir prover le testament le mort, ou
a mustrer pur quey celuy clamaunt par devis ne deyt
la seysine aver du tenement qil ensi deyme par devys,
adunkes seyent meyme les exeqetours gamyz a meyme
le lu ou il sunt residentz e demorauntz en la ville, e, si il
seyent foreyns/ a meyme le tenement devise qe est en
lour garde, de venir a vn jour certeyn devaunt les avaunt-
ditz baillifs de ]a ville a prover le testament le mort
avauntdit e a monstier pur quey le clamaunt par devis

^/orejfju'] strangers not residing
in the town of Ipswich, in which
case constractiYe service on them

was to he made at the tenement
itself.

THE DOUUS DAY OF OIPPESWICH.

the last will of ihe dede, and zii* the preeff be founden Add. MS
acordyng and good, be it enrolled in the roUe of the ^Y^^^'
touD, and be administracion grauntyd and execntours
of the deth ^ after the foorme of the foi'seyd preeff, and
the Be&yn of the tenement divised delivered to hym to
whom it was divised by the same execntours and be
syghte of* wittenesse of the bally ves of the forseyd
toun with oute eny withsittyng; and zif the preff
acorde not, so that men fynd variaunee of suspecionn
or fraude' in the testement aforeseyd^ be the testa-
ment awarded for non as to the fre tenement divised,
and duelle the same fre tenement to hym that hath
most right ; and zif the executoures of the dede be
malice or by collusyon willen not proven the testament
with inne the ferst xl, dayes after the deth of the
testatour, ne dissesyn ^ of the tenement divised lyveryd
to hym to whom it was divisyd, and the deymand
azeyns hem ^ come in to the forseyd court of Gippes-
wych with inne the ferst xl. dayes and set his cleym
vpon the same tenement to hym divised, and preyeth
the execntours of the forseid testatour ben warned to
come to preven the testament of the dede, or to shewyn
wherfore that deymand a zens hym oughte no sesyn *
to have of that tenement that he so cleymeth a zenst
hem, thanne ben the same executoures wamyd at the
same place where they ben sittyng and duellyng in the
toun, and, zif they be foreyns, at the same tenement
divisyd that is in here kepyng, at a certayn day a fore
the foreseid ballyves of the toun, to preven the testa*
ment of the foreseid dede, and to shewyn wherfore the
cleymand a zeyns hym owith not to have sesyn of the

1 tmd execntours of the deUi] ''to
'' the executOQTS of the dede'*
wonld be the correct translation.

• of wittenesse'] " and " should be
read instead of the word ** oV*

3 or fraude'} " or suspicion of
*' fraude " should be read.

* dissesyn] ** the sesyn " should be
here read.

* azeyns hem] "by devis" would
be more correct than " azeyns hem,"
both here and in the subsequent
parts of this chapter.

-74 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

AdcL MS. ne deyt la seysine aver de meyme le tenement qil deyme
' par devis ; a quel jour si lea exeqetours venent e veolent
le testament prover, seyt la prove receue e la seysine du
tenement devise lyvre al avauntdit clamaunt par devys
en la fourme avauntdite. E si les exeqetours ne venent
mye au jour qil sunt gamyz de venir, e le clamaunt
par devys pusse averer par bone enqueste ou en autre
manere renablement prover solom vsage de la ville, qe
le avaunt dit testatour en sa derreyne volunte luy devisa
meyme le tenement, qil deyme par devis, auxi com il dy t,
luy seyt la seysine livre par les avaunt ditz baillifs
sauve chescuny dreyt. E sil aveygne qe les exeqetours
meorgent avaunt qil aurunt le testament provee, seyent
lour exeqetours receuz a meyme la prove fiedre de deynz
les primers xL jours apres la mort de meyme ceux exeqe-
tours, auxi com les primers exeqetours serreyent sil
£us8e;t en vie. E si Ix exeqetoL de exeqetours Be
veolent le avauntdit primer testament prover en la
forme avauntdite, eyt le demaundaunt par devys sa sute
e soun recovrir vers eux, auxi com il vst en ver les
primers exeqetours.

C^». rvij», E si tenement seyt devise a acoun enfaunt de deynz
rnent"*' age, e les exeqetours par malice ou par collusioun ne
devise a veolent le testament prover ne la seysine du tenement
^g^^* devise livrer a meyme lenfaunt de deynz age, seyent
les procheynz amys lenfaunt receuz a faire la sute
oveskes lenfaunt devaunt les avauntditz baillifs, si len-
faunt ne sache meymes sure, a faire venir les exeqetours
de prover le testament le mort en la fourme avaimt-
dite. E si lenfaunt de deinz age par les exeqetours ou
par le heyr le testatour seyt alloy gne^ pur luy barrer

1 aUoygne] This word in the I is used in Britton, 1. i. c. xii. § 3.|
sense of removing or carrying away | c. xviil § 1.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

same tenementy that he cleymeth by the vis -^ to which Add. MS.
[day] zif the executours corny n and willen preven the 25,011.
testament, be the preff resceyved and the sesyn of the
tenement divisyd delivered to the same deymere by
the foorme afomseid. And zif the executours comen
not at the day that they weryn warned to come, and
the cleymere may averryn by good enquest or in other
maner resonabely proven after the vsage of the toun,
that the forseyd testatour in his last wille divisyd
hym the same tenement that he cleymeth be the vis^
as he seith, be the sesyn delivered to hym a fom the
forseyd ballives to save everech right. And zif it be
falle that the executours deyen a fore that they have
proved the testament, be here executours resceyved to
make the same preeff with inne the ferst xl. dayes
after the deth of the same forseid executours, as the
ferst executours shulden have ben zif they hadden ben
alyve ; and zif the executours willen not preven the f. 9. b.
ferst testament in the foorme aforseid, thanne have the
cleymand by devis his sute and his recure a zeyns
hem^ as he shulde have had a zenst the ferst executours.

Also zif ony tenementz ben divisyd to ony child p^-*^-
with inne age> and the executours be malice or by col- mentes.
lusion . willen not preven the testament, ne deliveren
sesyn of the tenement divised to the same child with
inne age, thanne be the next freend of the child res-
ceyved to make the sute [with the child] afom the
ballyves, zif the child can not suyn, to doon the same
executours comyn to preven th^ testament of the dede
in the foorme aforseyd. And zif that child with inne
age by tho executours or by the heire of the testatour
be allowed,* for to barryn hym from his right of that

^ by the vis] " by devis " Bbonld
be raid here.

^ be the vis'] ** by devis."

' be allowed] This is a mistrans-

lation : « be Temoved to a distance,"
or " be kept out of the way," would
be the proper transition.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ*

Add. MS. (Je CO qe a luy est devise, issi qil ne pusse meymes

' " sure ovesqes ses amys a recovrir le tenement qe a luy

est devise, a dunkes seyent ses procheynz amys receuz

a sure pur lay auxi avaunt com meyme lenfaunt ser-

f. 18. reyt sil fust en present.

Cap". E si tenements en la vauntdite ville de Gip[pewyz]

x|nij«. seyent devisez qe ^ ne ' seyent pas devisable, pur co ne

ment d^ sey t pas celuy a qi meyme teux tenements issi deviseez

Tiseqene (Jeyvent apres la mort des teux testatours descendre,

est pas de- -^ * '

visabie. revertir, ou remeyndre, barre qil ne pusse meyme ceux
tenements recovrir par pleynte de abatement, cest asaver,
sil se boute eynz^ freschement apres la mort du dit
testatour, ou de deinz les primers xl. jours apres le
testament prove e la seysine livree au clamaunt par
devys e seyt debote.* E si celuy, qe tel dreyt en voudra
clamer, seyt demoraunt en payis hors de prisoune e de
bone memorie, seoffre le tenaunt par devys sa seysine
contynuer en meyme le tenement a ly devise, tut ^ ne '
seyt pas ' le tenement devisable, xL jours apres la seysine
a luy livre par devys pesiblement saunz mettre cleym
e destourbaunce faire en la fourme avaunt dite, ne eyt
il pas recovrir par pleynte de abatement apres meyme
les xl. jours passez. Mes si il se boute eynz^ apres
meyme le terme e seyt debote,' eyt il soun recovrir
sil peot par brefe de novele disseysine ou par autre
brefe solom ley e vsage de la ville. E si nul^ qe dreyt
voudra clamer en meyme les tenementz devisez com

^ ml Be boute eynz] if he thnxst
himself in, that is, if he claim or
begin his plaint.

' e 9eyt dehoie] and bo throst oat.

*<S'il Boit debot^" in this sense
is used by Britton, 1. ii. c. xii § 7.

' tut ne seyt /mu] notwithstanding
the tenement be not devisable.

THE DOMUS DAY OF OIPPESWICH.

thyng that is divisyd to him [so that he cannot even Add. MS.
suyn with his freends to recure the tenement which is ^*»®^'-
divisyd to hym], thanne be his next freend resceyved
to suyn for hym, as was a fom whanne the same child
was with hem in presence.

Also zif tenementz in the same toun of Gippeswich zriij.
ben divised that ben not divisable, for that be not he, ^llit'Jte-
to whom the same tenementea so divised [owyn] after paited that
the deth of swich testatours descenden, revertyn or JJ^^j^
remayndryn, barryd that he may not recuren be pleynt
of abatement, that is to wetyn, zif it be abated ^ fresshly
after the deth of the forseyd testatour, or with inne
the. ferst xL dayes after the testament preved and the
sesyn delivered to the cleymer be devis [and he be
thrust out]. And zif he, that wil deyme swich right,
be duellyng in the countre oute of prisone and in good
mynde, sufire the tenaunt to contynuen his sesyn in
the same tenement to hym divised, though the same
tenement be not divisable, xL dayes after, be not the
sesyn* delivered to hym be devis pesibly with oute
settyng deym of lettyng* in the foorme afom seyd,
have he not his recure be pleynt of abatement after
the same xl. dayes passed. But zif he begynne his
pleynt with inne the same terme,^ have he his recure,
and he may be writ * of newe dissesyn or by an other
writ after the la we and usage of the toun. And if eny
man, that wil cleyme right in the same tenementes

^ z{fil he abaUd] ^ zif he thnuts
** himself in " would be the correct
translation. In this sense *' se bote
*< eynx" is used by Biitton, L ii.
ch. ix. s. 11.

^ after be not ike sttyn] This
would be more correctly translated
'* after the sesyn had been de-
** livered."

» ofUUyng'] « and leittyng/* that
is, ** and objecting to» or disturbing

** the possession of the devisee"
would be the proper translation of
the French text

* but zif he begin his pleynt voith
inne the same terme'] The French
text should be rendered " but nf he
** thrust himself in after the same
** terme, and be thrust oat."

* and he may be tDrif] '< if he may
<* by writ" is the sense of the
French text.

LE DOMESBAT DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. avaunt est dyt, eynz ceo qe la seysine de meyme le
25,012. tgngnjgn^ esteyt livre au tenaunt par devys, seyt hora
de payis ne mye sacfaaunt dil devys; ou en prisoun ou
hors de seyne memorie quant il voudra en pays, ou
hors de prisoun ou serra de bone memorie e treove
le tenaunt par devys par seysi en le tenement a luy
devisee, e luy deboute freschement/ ou qil se boute
eynz en clamaunt soun dreyt e seyt debote,* eyt il soun
recovrir par pleynte de abat^ement en la fourme avaunt-
dite. En meyme la manere enfaunt de deinz age, ceo
est asaver, qe ne eyt mye acumpli le plenerage de la
ville, qe tiel cleym i voudra mettre en teux tenementz
1 18. b. devisez, mette soun cleym ou tele destourbaunce par
luy ou par ses procheynz amys de deinz les primers xl.
jours apres la mort du dit testatour, ou apres la seysine
livre au clamaunt par devys. E sil ne face, perde il le
avauntage a recovrir ren en ceux tenementz par
pleynte de abatement. Mes quant il vendra a soun age,
se purchace par brefe le Bey solom usage de la ville si
cum avaunt est dit.

Cap». zix^ E si tenement seyt devise a acun taunt com il est
menTdT- ^^^ ^® V^J^^y ® 1© testament le testatour seyt provee
TiBe a acTin en la fourme avauotdite, seyt la seysine de meyme le
iiwthore tenement devise livre a acun des procheynz amys oeluy
de payiB. a qi le devys est fiit^ a garder e la seysine contynuer
en noun celuy a qi meyme le tenement estoyt devisee,
saunz wast ou destruccioun faire, cila qil meymes veygne

^ et /t^ d^HmteJre9diement'] and
tbroBt him ont freshly.

^ ouqU 86 boute eynz en clamaunt
ioun dreyt et seyt deftote] ** or that

** he thrnst himself in claiming his
" right and be thrnst ont.'* No
translation of these words is ibond
in the English version.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GTPPESWICH.

divi&fyd as it is afomseid, afore that the sesyn of the Add. M&

same tenementes ben delivered to the tenaunt be devis, ^^»®^^'

be out of the cotmtre, not wetyng of that devip, or in

prisoun, or out of good mynde, whanne he cometh in

to cuntre or out of prisoun or be a zeyn in good mynde,

and fynde i^e tenaunt de devis sesyd in the tenement

to hym divised, and plete a yenst the tenaunt with

inne the ferst xL dayes ^ after his comyng home or out

of prisoun or a zeyn of good mynde, have he his recure

be pleynt of abatement be foorme afore s^d. In the

same maner a child with inne age^ that is to wetyn

zif he hath not fiilfelled the ful age ^ of the toun^ that

swich deyme wU settyn of swyche tenementz divisyd,

[sett he] his cleyme or swyche disturbaunce by hym

or by his next freend with inne the ferst xl. dayes f- lo-

after the deth of the forseyd testatour, or after the

sesoun ^ delivered to the cleym and by devis. And if

he do nott he leseth avauntoge to recuren eny thyng

in tho tenementz be pleint of abatement. But whanne

he cometh to his age he may purchase the writ of the

kyng ^ after the usage of the toun as is a fomseyd.

Also zif tenement be divisyd to eny man whil he is
out of cuntre, and the testament of the testatour beiQ^i^t'^-
preved as it is afomseyd, be the sesyn of the samepartedto
tenement delivered to summe of the next frendes ofgone^^ie
hym to whom the same devis is maad, to kepyn and^flf <*^*
to helden sesyn in his name, with oute wast and dis-^^^.
truccion, til that he come to countre ; and be the fdorme

1 vfUh inne the first xL dayes]
These and the following words,
down to " of good mynde," are not
foond in the French text. They
are, however, the legal equivalents
of « fresshly."

^ the ful age] that is, ^'fourteen

« years." See below, chap. Ixz.,
" Of the age of the toun."

' sesoun] sesyn.

* the writ of the kyng] a writ of
novel disseisin, or a writ de morte
antecessoris in the case of an heir
to land, which had been wrongfully
devised to a stranger.

-J___-

80 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. en payis. E seyt la fourme de cele livree entre en
25,012. j^yig ^Q ]a ville. E quant cely a qi le avauntdit tene-
ment estoyt devise serra venu en payis, eyt il les en-
treez e sa seysine saunz nule destourbaunce ou coun-
tredit de celuy a qi la seysine esteyt bailie^ en soun
noun ou de ses heyrs. E si destourbaunce luy seyt
fete par le avauntdit gardeyn ou par ses ^ heyrs, qil '
ne pusse les entrer e la seysine aver en le avauntdit
tenement a luy devise, luy facent les bailli& de la ville
solom la fourme dil enroulement e de la prove du tes«
tament avauntdit la seysine livrer, si celuy a qi la garde
esteyt bailie^ ou ses heyrs ne pusse mustrer par plus
tardyfe title de celuy meymes qe cleyme par devys, pur
quey la seysine ne luy deyt estre livre. E si celuy, a
qi le dit tenement devise est bailie^ en garde en la
fourme avauntdite, eyt fait wast en meyme le tenement,
eyt meyme celuy clamaunt par devys soun recovrir ver
luy de ses damages pur le wast devaunt les baillifs de
meyme la vill<e par gage e plegge solom ley e vsage
f. 19. de la ville, cest a saver, si il voillie en teu manere pur
meyme les damages sure. E si cely gardeyn meorge, e
soun heyr teygne le tenement devise, eyt le dit cla-
maunt par devis, quel houre qil veygne, le tenement a luy
devise hors des meyns del heyr saunz destourbaunce e
meyme le courir * ver luy, si mester seyt, com il vst eu
ver soun auncestre a ^ qi ' la garde primes esteyt bailie
sil fiist en vye, e ne seyt ^ pas ' la seysine dil heyr en
teu caas tenue pur nule nyent plus qe de soun aun-
cestre, mes tutz jours com en garde en noun celuy a
qi le dit tenement estoyt devise. E si le dit tenement
devise seyt alyene en estraunge meyn par celuy a qi
la garde estoyt bailie com avaunt est dit, ou par soun

1 baUie] baill^, in the sense of I ^ courir'] recoyrir or recourir
" delivered " is the nsnal form. I should be here read.

THE DOMUS DAY OF OIPPESWICH. 81

of that deliveraunce entred in the rolle of the toun. Add. MS.
And whanne he to whom the forseid tenement was *^»^^^-
divised be comyn in to countre, have he entresse and
his sesyn with oute eny lettyng or withseyeng of hym
to whom the sesyn was takyn in his name, or of his
heires ; [and zif lettyng be doon to hym by the forseyd
keper or by his heiresj so that he may not have his
entresse and his sesyn in the forseyd tenement to hym
divisyd, thanne the bally ves of the toun shul doon after
the fourme of enroilyng of the rolle, and after a preeff
of the testament delyveren the forseyd sesyn, zif he to
whom the kepyng was takyn, or his heyres, mown not ^
shewyn by lattere titele of the same that he deymeth
by devis, wherfore the sesyn owith not to be delivered
to hym. And zif he, to whom the forseyd tenement
divisyd was takyn in kepyng in the foorme aforseid,
make wast in the same tenement, have the same cleymer
by devis his recure a zenst hym of his damages for
the wast afom the ballyves of the same toun by wed
and borgh after lawe and usage of the toun, that is
to weten, zif he wyl in swich maner for the same
damages suyn. And zif that keper deye, and his heir
holdeth the tenementz divisyd, have the forseyd cleymer
be devis, what tyme that he cometh, the tenemeutes
to hym divisyd out of the heyres handys with oute
ony lettyng, and the same recure a zens hym, zif mister
be,^ as he shulde have had a zenst his auncetre to
whom the forseyd kepyng was ferst takyn to, zif he
hadde ben on lyve. And be the sesyn of the heyr in
swich cas holden for none, no more thanne of this aun-
cetre, but alle dayes as in kepyng in his name to whom
the forseid tenement was divisyd. And zif the forseyd
tenement divisyd be aliened in to straimge hand by
hym to whom the kepyng was takyn as it is afoi^seyd.

' mown not] may not, or can not,
being the third person of the present
tense of the indicatiye mood of the

early English verb "mogen" or
" mowen.**
* zif mister be"] if need be.

VOL. II. F

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. heyr avaunt qe le clamaunt par devis veygae en payis,
'^ ' quel houre qe meyme celuy clamaunt par devis veygne
e se boute en meyme le tenement a luy devise e seyt
debote/ eyt U soun recoverir devaunt les baillifs de la
dite ville par pleynte de abatement auxicom il aureyt
devaunt justices par brefe de novele disseysine, cest a
saver, sil attache sa pleynte de deinz les primers xL
jours apres qil serra debote,^ pur ceo qe fraunke tene-
ment luy est acru ^ par vertu dil devis e de la preove
du dyt testament e de ceo qe la seysine ad este con-
tynue en soun noun en le dit tenement devise. E si
les exeqetours le mort ne veolent le testament prover
par malice ou par collusioun, com avaunt est dit, ne la
seysine livrer du tenement devise au procheyn amy
celuy, a qi il estoyt devise en la fourme avauntdite, ne
a luy meymes quant il serra venu en payis, pur ceo
ne seyt pas celuy a qi tel fraunke tenement est devise
par la malice e la collusioun des teux fauz exeqetours
barre de accioun a demaunder e recoverir meyme le
fraunke tenement a luy devise par presses a faire venir
les exeqetours de deinz les primers xL jours apres co
qil serra venu en payis, a prover le testament le mort
en la manere avauntdyte, ou en autre manere solom
ceo qil entendera meuz faire soun proffit, par brefe le
rey, hors des meyns des ditz exeqetours, ou hors de
autri meyn, en qi seysine meyme le tenement devise
f. 19. b. deveygne apres la mort le avauntdyt testatour, ne mye
nusaunt a luy excepcioun de la noun prove du dyt
testament, dementers qe le demaundaunt par devys
pusse le devys avauntdit par bone enqueste averer. £
si tel tenement s^yt recovre par juggement hors des
meyns des teux exeqetours, receovre le demaundaunt

1 debate] and " be thruBt out " as
aboye. llie terms are perhaps not
to be constmed literally, and may
mean that a claim was made by the
deyisee and was rejected by the
guardian or his heir.

^ acru] Acruist, accrewed, Eel-
ham. Accres in the sense of accre-
tion occurs in Britton, 1. ii. ch. ii.,

§9.

THE DOtfUS BAT OF GIPPESWICH. 83

or be his heir, afom that the cleymer by the vis ^ cam Add. MS.
in to countre, and he deyme* the same tenement to ^*»®i^-
hym divisyd [and be thrust out], have he his recurer
afom the ballives of the toun by pleint of abatement,' f. lo. b.
as he shulde have a fore the justise be writ of newe
dissesyu, that is to witten, zif he begynne his pleynt
with inne the ferst xl. dayes after that he be debated
for that the fre tenement is to hym longand ^ be vertu
of devis and preeff of the forseyd tenement, and for the
sesyn hath ben holden in his name in the forseyd tene-
ment divised. And zif tho executours of the dede
willen not prevyn the testament by malice or collusion
as it is aforseyd, ne deliveren sesyn of the tenement
divisyd to the next freend of hym to whom it was in
fourme aforseyd, ne to hym self whanne he is come in
to countre, for that ne be he, to whom that fre tene-
ment is divisyd, be malice or coUusione of swich false
executours barryd from his accione to axen and recuren
the same fre tenement to him divisyd by proces to do
come the executours with inue the ferst xL dayes after
that he be comyn in to countre, to prevyn the testa-
ment of the dede in the maner aforseyd, or in other
maner after that he may best doon his profight, by
kynges writ, out of the handes of the forseyd execu-
tours, or out of other handes in which the sesyn of the
same tenement divisyd cometh after the detli of the
forseyd testatour, non nusance be to hym * of excepcion
of the name pref of the forseid testament the mene
tyme that the axand by devis may averryn the devis
a fomseyd by good enquest. And zif swich tenement
be recured [by judgment], the axand a zenst hem shal

^ by the oi»] ^'bydeyis'' should
be here read.

* and he deyme"] and he thruBt
himself in.

' by pleint of abaiemenf] as ex-
plained in eh, xiii.

^ hngand] "accrued" wonld bo
nearer the French text

* ngn muance be to hpn"] nor shall
he be prcgndiced by tiie exception
of the non-proof of the said tene-
ment in the mean time.

F 2

84 . LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ;

Add. MS. vers eux ses damages en duble de ceo qil semint taxez
^'^ ^' par enqueste. E estre ceo sey t la value dil tenement
de tut le meen temps, e dil wast, si nul y seyt fait,
taxe ovesqes les autres damages.

Capo. xx». E si CO seyt rente issaunt de fraimke tenement qe
devisT*^ seyt devise, meyntenaimt apres le testament provee seyt
celuy a qi la rente est devyse mys en seysine de cele
rente par les exeqetours, si le tenaunt veoillie a luy
atoumer. E sil ne voillie de soun bon gre a luy attor-
ner, a dunkes a la sute le demaundaunt par devys seyt
agarde en pleyne court par vertu de la dite prove a
faire venir cely, qe la dite rente devise deyt payer, de-
vaunt les baillifs de la dite ville en pleyne court, a
conustre par quel service il cleym tenir le tenement
dunt la vaunt dite rente est issaunt, e de qi. E quant
il vendra en court, seyt demaunde de meyme la court
de qi il tynt le jour qe le dit testatour se lessa morir
le tenement dunt la dite rente devisee est issaunt, e de
qi il le cleyme tenir, e par quel service. E sil conuce
qil le tynt dil dit testatour quant il morust fesaunt a
luy meyme la rente devisee, e qil le cleym tenir de
soun heyr par meyme la rente, a dunkes seyt agarde,
qil se attourne a celuy demaundaunt par devys, e qil
teygne de luy ' de eel jour en avaunt ' meyme le tene-
ment auxi com il le tynt dil avauntdit testatour. £
fait a saver, qe ^ en ' ceo cas ne deyt nul essoygne estre
allowe pur le avauntdit tenement avaunt qil seyt venuz
en court a conustre com avaunt est dit. E si celuy
tenaunt ne veoillie meinprise trover devenir en court
a conustre com avaunt est dit, ou tut eyt il meynprise
f, 20. trove e la seoffre estre amercie, a dunkes seyt usee
meyme prosces a fere luy venir auxi com est contenu
en la constitucioun ^ de reconissaunce des tenements, qe

^ en la cotutituciovn,'] This con- I De reoonnisannce de fraonke tene-
BtitttUon will be found in Chapter zi. | ment en cas de leyersioan, &c.

THE DOMITS DAY OF aiPPESWICH. 85

[recure] doubele his damagen of that they shal be taxed Add. MS.
be an enquest. And with outyn this be the value of 2*»®^^"
the tenement of alle this mene tyme, and of the wast,
zif there eny be doon, taxed with other damages &c.

Also zif ther be ony rente goyng of fre tenement xx.
that be divisyd a non after the testament proved, be dep^ffted.
he to whom the rente is divisyd to putte in seson^
of that rente be the executours zif the tenaunt wil '
attome to hym. And zif he wil not be his good wil
attoume on to hym, thanne att the sute of the axand
be devis be it awarded in pleyn court be vertue of the
forseid preeff to doon comyn hynl that oweth to paye
that forseid rente a fom the ballives of the forseid toun
in to pleyn court, to shewyn be what service he cleymeth
to holden the tenement wherof that rente ys goyng, and
of whom. And whanne he cometh in to court, [be he
axed of the court] of whom he helde it the day of the
forseyd testatour deyed. And if he deyme and shewe
that he heelde of the forseid testatour the day whanne
he deyed, payeng to hym the same rente divisyd, and
that he eleymeth to holden the forseid tenement of heir
be the same rente, thanne be it awarded that he f. ii.
attoume hym to the axand be devis, and that he helde
of hym fro that day forward the same tenement as he
was dued of the forseid testatour ; and it is to wetyn,
that in that cas non essoyne oweth to ben allowed for
the forseid tenaunt a fom that he be comyn in to
court to shewyn as it is aforn seid. And if that tenaunt
wil fynde non meinprise to comyn in to court to
shewen as it is aforn seid, [or although he find mein-
prise and Butfre it to be amercied], thanne be it used
the same processe for to doon hym comen as it is con-
teyned in the constitucion of the reconisaunce of tene-

' in sesan"] in sesyn.

86 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. deyvent revertir ou remeyndre, a fere venir le tenaunt
25,012. g^ terme de vye ou des aims. E si celuy tenaunt dye,
quant il vendra en court, qil ne tynt poynt le tenement
dunt cele rente devise est demaunde dil avauntdit tes-
tatour, ne qe cele rente a luy ne fist en sa vye, e
celuy a qi cele rente est devisee veoillie averer par bone
enqueste, qe celuy tenaunt tynt dil avauntdyt testatour
meyme le tenement e par meyme la rente qe a luy est
devisee, e qe le testatour de cele rente morust seysi en
seon demeyne com de fe, seyt U receu a eel aveyre-
ment si le tenaunt le veoillie attendre, e si le tenaunt
ne veoillie eel aveyrement receyvre, seyt agarde par
meyme la cour qil satoume de meyme cele rente a
celuy demandaunt par devya E si celuy tenaunt
apres eel agard done ne veoillie a ly attourner ne cele
rente a ly payer, a dunkes eyt cely demandaunt par
devys peer a destreyndre en meyme le tenement pur
la vauntdite rente arrere, e fere bone avowerie en son
fe solom usage de la ville par vertu dil devys e dil
agard avauntdyt. E si cely tenaunt ou soun heyr
apres tel agard de attoumement donee par force de
play veygne en meyme la court, e descleyme a tenir
de cely demaundaunt par devys meyme le tenement,
ou la destresce fu fete pur la vauntdite "^ rente ' devisee,
ne seyt pas soun desclamer receu encountre le agard
avauntdit, si ne seyt par plus tardyfe title de celuy
meymes qe demaunde par devys. E par la ou tenement
ou rente est devysee a acoun, e ceux qe esteyent al
devys se retreunt par malice e ne veolent en court
' venir a prover le testament le mort ne sa volunte
temoygner, pur ceo ne seyt mye cely a qi le tenement
ou la rente estoyt devyse barre de co qe a ly est
devysee, taunt com il peot averer le devys e la volunte
f. 2o.b. le mort par bone enqueste dil procheyn ""vygnye,' ou
le testatour se lessa morir. Mes fet a savoyr qe solom
vsage de la dite ville qe femme coverte de baroun ne

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 87

mentz that owen to reverten or remeyndren, to doo Add. MS.
come the tenaunt to terme of liff or of zerys. And zif *^»®^ ^'
that tenaunt seyth, whanne he cometh in to court, that
he heelde not the tenement wherof that rente divised
is axed of the forseyd testatour, ne that he paide hym
never that rente in all his lyve, and zif he to whom
that rente ys devised wil averryn be good enquest, that
that tenaunt held of the forseid testatour the same tene-
ment and by the same rente that to hym is divised,
and that the testatour of that rente deyed sesyd in his
owen demene as of fee, be he resceyved to maJcyn that
averrement zif the tenaunt wil abyden' it, and zif the
tenaunt wil not resceyven that averrement, be it
awarded [by the same court that he attoume him for
the same rente to the axand] be devis. And zif the
tenaunt after this award zoven ne wil not attomyn to
hym ne payen hym the same rente, thanne have the
axand be devis power for to destreynen in the same
tenement for to areryn the forseid rente and makyn a
good avoury his fee, after vsage of the toun by vertue
of devis and of the forseid award. And zif that tenaunt
or his heir after that award of attornment zoven be
strengthe of pie come to the same court, and discleyme
to holden of that axand be devis the same tenement
where the distresse was doon for the forseid rente
divised, be not his discleyme resceyved azeyn the award
afomseid, zif it be not be latter titele of hym that
axeth be divise. And zif the tenement [or the rente] be
divisyd to ony man, and they that weryn at the devis
withdrawyn hem by malice, and wil not comyn in to
the court to preven the testament of the dede ne wit-
tenessen his wille, for that be he, not to whom the
tenement or rent was divisyd, barryd from that that to
hym ys divised, wlul he may avenyn devis and the
yrille of the dede by good enquest of the next neygh-
boures [where the testatour deyed]. But it is to weten,
that after the usage of the forseid toun that woman

De nur-
ture ayer.

88 LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. peot ne ne deyt en soun lyt moryaunt nul firaunke tene-
25,012. ment en meyme la ville deviser en desheritaunoe de
ses heyrs, tut seyt qe soun baroun y voillie ascentir.

Capo. zxjo. Item de chescoun heyr madle ^ ou femele apres la
mort soun auncestre eyt le proscheyn pare[n]t de par
le pere ou de par la mere, a qi eel heritage ne peot
descendre, la nurture cila qe le heyr seyt de plener age
solom usage de la vile, ceo est a saver de xiiij. aunz,
saunz wast fere ou destruccioun en meyme le heritage.
E quant le heyr aura acumpli lage avauntdit, e voudra
seon heritage demaunder, eyt il seon heritage saunz
destourbaunce ou countredyt de cely qe la nurture de
ly avoyt ou de ses heyrs. E estre ceo respoygne il a
meyme le heyr de tutz les issues de soun heritage dil
meen temps qil avoyt la nurture, e de tutz les chateux,
si nuls furent baillez ovesqes le cors meyme cely heyr
ensemblement, ou tut le proffit sourdaunt de meyme
les chateux en meyme eel meen temps sauve ceo, qil
porrat renablement prover ou averer qil aura mys en
la sustenaunce du cors meyme cely heyr e en amende-
ment des mesouns e des autres choses appendauntz a
meyme le hdHtage, ou renable aUouaunce ly deyt estre
fete. E si cely, qe la nurture de tel heyr aura, face
wast ou destruccioun en meyme le heritage en le meen
temps, perde il la nurture enterement, sil ne pusse bone
e suflSsaunte surte trover a redrescer e amender ceo qil
aura wastee e destruyt en meyme le heritage, e a
meyme le heritage sustenir en auxi bon estaat com il

1 heyr madle] Heir madle occurs in Brittoo, 1. iii. ch. iii. § 1.

THE DOMTTS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

kevered vnder housbond may not ne owyth not in heer Add. MS.
bed deying divisyn eny fre tenement in the same tonn ^^^ ^
in disheritacioun of her heireB^ though her housbond
assente.

Also of every heire femel or male after the deth of "J-
hys antecessoures have the next freend on the &dertohaTe.
syde or on the moder syde, to whom that heritage may
not descendyn, the norture til that the heir be of ful
age after vsage of the toun,^ that is to wetyn of ziiij.
zer, with outen doyng of wast or distruecioun in the
heritage. And whanne the heir hath fulfelled the for-
seid age, and wil axen the heritage^ have he this heri-
tage with oute lettyng or with-seyeng of hym that
hadde the norysshyng of hym, or of his heyres. And
be it answered^to the same heir of alle the issues of
his heritage of all the tyme^ that he hadde the
norysshyng and of all the chateux, zif eny weren takyn '
with the body of the same heir, to gedyr with all the
profyt rysyng out of the same chateux, in tyme of his
liflF,* saflF that he may resonabely proven or averryn that
he hath sett it on the sustenaunce of the body of the
same heir and in amendement of housys and of other
thing longjmg to the same heritage, where resonabele
allouaunce oweth to be maad to hym. And zif he that
hath had the norysshyng hath doon wast destruccioun
in the same tyme, lese thanne he the cost of the nor-
ture all to gedyr, zif he may not fynde good and suf-
ficiaunt suerte to redressyn and amendyn that he hath
wasted and distroyed in the same heritage, to maken
and to susteynen ^ in as good state as he rescey ved hem,

1 after vtage of the toun] See
eb. bcz. ** Of the age of the toon."

^of aU the tyme'} of the mean
time.

* to^] ** deliyered " would be
the more correct translation of
••baffles."

^ m tyme of hie Uff} m the same
meantime.

* to maken and to euet^fnen^ The
French text shonld be rendered
** and to susteynen the same heri-
« tage."

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. le receut, ci la qe le heyr veygne a soun age avaunt-
25,012. jy^ jj ^j^ ^Q ^jg^ g^y^ ^j^ jgg pj^jg proscheyiiz amys

de tel heyr de dens age receu a prendre' meyme la
seurte e a fere la sute pur le wast devaunt les bail-
lifs de la dite vyle en noun dil heyr, solom ley e usage
de la vyle, ver cely qe le dyt wast aura fisdt, cest
asaver si le heyr seyt de si tendre age ou en tel estat,
'qil ne seet^ ou ne peot meymes sure. E si par cas
aveygne, qe cely qe la dyte nurture eyt eu, la nurture
de eel heyr perde par lenchesoun avauntdite, a dunkes
seyt meyme la nurture bailie a un autre, ou les plus
proscheynz * amjrs meyme cely heyr de denz age voud-
runt assentir, a garder meyme le heyr e soun heritage
e ceo qe a luy appert bien e leaument, e de ceo a
respoundre quant temps serra en la fourme avauntdite.
E ne eyt nul en la vauntdite vyle par resoun de tele
avauntdite nurture poer de marier tel enfaunt de denz
age en sa nurture esteaunt nule part, forkes la ou
lenfaunt e ses proscheynz amys voudrunt ascentir.

Cap<».xxij«. Item en brefe de dette, brefe de chartres a tort
DeprosceB detenues, brefe de acumte, e autres brefs semblables, qe

iCTe en •••!« t

brefs yes- sunt appelez justices,^ qe sunt brera vescuntals e qe sunt

en^pUyntes pkdables par returns des vescuntes devaunt les baillifs

par gage de la dite vyle, seyt vsee tel prosces, cest asaver,

etpegge. p^jj^^^ quant le pleyntyfe aura attache soun brefe de

sure^ seyt meyntenaunt comaundee par les baillifs qe

celuy, ver qi le brefe est porte, seyt un feze somuns

taunt soulement de estre a la proscheyne court de port-

mannemot suaunt apres a respoundre al pleyntyfe de

' ne sect] knows not, Eelham.

^ ou les plus proscheynx'] where
the next friends of the heir within
age will assent

^justices'] the writ of jnsticies was
a royal writ empowering the sheriff
to do justice, and try the case in the
coanty court.

THE DOMUS BAY OF GIPPESWICH.

til that the heir come to his laweful age.* And in that Add. MS.

Oft oil

cas be oon of the next freendys of that heir with inne '
age rescey ved to take the same suerte, and for to makyn
sute for the wast afom the ballyves of the same toun
in name of the heyr, afber lawe and usage of the toun^
a zenst hym that hath doon the wast, that is to weiyn,
zif the heir be of tender age or in swich state that he
ne may ne can not snen it hym self And zif it &lle
be cas that he, that hath norture of that heir, lese the
cost of his norture for the cause afomseid, thanne be
the same norture takyn to an other, to on of the
next frendys^ of that heir with inne age, zif he wil
assenten to kepe the same heir and his heritage, and that
that longeth to hym weel and trewly, and of that to
answeryn whanne tyme be in fourme afomseyd. And
they have non in the forseid toun by reson of swich
norture power to maryen swich a child in his norture
beyng in non part, but the child and his next frend
willen assenten.

Also in writ of dette, wretes of chartres holden with f. la.
wrong,* writtes of acountes, and other writtes lik that ^*^^^*
ben clepyd shirrevis writtes, that ben pleteable be to ^e in
retoumys of shirrevys a fom the ballyves of the forseid "^^ *^"':
toun, be used swich proces, that is to weten, Whanne in pieyntes
the pleyntyff hath begunnyn to sue his writ, be he a^^®^"^^
non comaunded be the bidlives, a yens whanne^ the
writ is brought that he be on tyme sommoned al only
to be att the next court of portmennysmotes suyng after
to answeryn to the pleyntyff of the plee, &c. And if

^ his lawefid age] his age afore-
seid.

^ to on of the next frendys] The
English text differs considerably
in its meaning firom the French
text

3 holdeti with torong'] vrongly de«
tained. '

* a you whanne'] These words
should follow <<that he," viz.,
" that he a yens whanne the writ is
(* brought be on tyme sommoned."

92 LE DOMESDAY DB GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. play, &c. E sil ne veygne par oele somuns e la somunse
* ^' seyt duement temoygne sour luy en court, seyt agarde,
qil seyt mys par gage e saufe plegge a respoundre, &a
E sil face defaute e seoffre ses primers plegges estre
amercyez, seyt agarde qil seyt mys par quatre plegges
a respoundre, &c. E sil face autrefeze defaute e seoffre
ses iiij. plegges amercyer, seyt agarde qil seyt mys par
viij. plegges a respoundre, &c. E si le defendaunt seyt
rebbel qil ne se veoillie justicer en la fourme avaunt-
dite a respoundre, &c., a dunkes seyt agarde de court
en court, si mester seyt, qil seyt destreynt par tutz ses
biens e ses chateux de denz mosoun e dehors, quel part
f. 21. b, qil seyent trovez de denz le poer des ditz baillifs, cila
qil se veoillie justicer, &c. E si le defendaunt par ma-
lice, e pur delayer le pleyntyfe e targer ^ execucioun de
court, ses biens e ses chateux enclost de denz mesoun
de souz serrure, par quey qe les baillifs de la dite vyle
ne avendreyent a fere nule suffisaunte destresce sour
luy, a dunkes seyt agarde solom usage de la vyle qe
cele mesoun, quele qe ele seyt chaunbre ou autre me-
soun, seyt sequestree ovesqes tutz les chateux qe leynz
sunt, e demeorge sequestree issi qe luy nul de par luy
y mette la meyn cila qil s^ veoillie en due manere
justicer, &c. E quant il se aura justisee en fourme de
ley a respoundre, &c., e le pleyntyfe e luy serrunt
venuz en court, adunkes pledunt a menz qil saurunt e
porrunt solom ceo qe le cas donne. E seyt ceo prosces
e meyme la execucioun fete e usee, quant en attache-
mentz, destresces e sequestre fere en chescun play pen-
daunt devaunt les ditz baillifs par gage e plegge auxi
com en les pletz qe pendunt par brefs, horpris qe nule
somunse seyt primes agardee en teu manere des pleyntes

1 targer'] to pat off, Britton, 1. ii. oh. xx. § 1.

THB DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

he come not by that sommounys, be it duabely ^ wit- Add. Ma
tenessed upon hym in the court, and be it awarded that '
he iynde a borgh to answeryn, &c. And zif he make
defaute and sufire his ferst borghis to be amercied, be it
awarded that he be putt [by iiii. borghwys to answeryn.
And zif he make defaute again and suffre his iiii.
borghwys to be amercied, be it awarded that he be
putt] by viij. borghwys to answeryn, &c. And zif the
defendaunt be so rebell, that he wil not justefien hym
to answeryn in the fourme afomseid, &c., thanne be it
awarded from court to court, zif mister be, that he be
distreyned by alle his goodys and chauteux with ynne
hous and with oute, what part it may be founden with
ynne the power of the forseid ballives, til that he wil
come and iustifie, &c. And zif the defendaunt by
malice, or for to delayen the pleyntyff and for to taryen
the court, enclose hese goodys and his chauteux with
ynne hous under the erthe,* wherfore the ballives may
not comyn to maken ony su£Sciaunt distresse upone
hym, thanne be it awarded after the usage of the toun
that that hous, whether it be chamber or other hous,
be sequestryd with all the chauteux that ben ther ynne,
and so duelle sequestryd, that he ne none in his name
set ther on cleym, til that he come in due maner to
iustifien. And whanne he hath iustified in foorme of
lawe to answeryn, &c, and the pleyntif and - he ben
comyn in to court, thanne plete they in the best maner
that they can or may after that the caas yevetb. And
by the same proces and the same execucioun doon and
used to make the distresse and the sequestre in ech
plee hangyng aforn the ballives by wed and borugh as
the plees that hangyn by writ, out takyn that non
sommonys be ferst awarded in swich maner of pleyntys

^ be it duabely'] and it be duably
wittenesied.

^ under the earth"] " under lock ''
would be the correct translation of

''desooz Berrure." The translator
may have misread seirure as termre,
terra, earth.

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

&c.

Add. MS. pendauntz saunz brefe, cest a saver des pleyntes qe ne
25,012. t^ellent mye firaunke tenement.

Capo. Item en chescune pleynte de baterye, saunge treet,
D^^terye '^^''^^sokne, ou de autre trespas feet en la dy te vyle de
saungtrety Gippewyz countre la pees^ seyt usee tel prosoes, cest
asaver, si celuy de qi la pleynte est fete seyt encountre ^
de trover plegge a respoundre, e il ne eyt chateux en
meyme la vyle par les queux il peot estre justisee, e
ceo seyt en court duement temoygnee, adimkes seyt
agarde solom ley e usage de meyme la vyle, qil seyt
attache par soun cors taunkes il eyt plegge trove a
respoundre du trespas, ou seyt soun cors tauntost mene
devaunt les baillifs de la vyle a respoundre au pleyn-
tyfe du trespas. E quant il serra venuz en court e
serra atteynt en due manere par enqueste ou en autre
manere par agard de court de tel trespas aver fait
f. 22, countre la pees, seyt agarde, qe le pleyntyfe receoure
ses damages ver le trespassour solom ceo qil serrunt
taxez par enqueste, ou en autre manere par agard de
court, e le trespassour seyt agarde a la prisoun en ceste
fourme, cest asaver, pur saunke treet maliciousement de
espe ou de cotel, de bastoun ou dautre arme, ly seyt la
prisoun agarde xv. jours. Pur baterie fete ovesqes
hamsokne, xv. jours, tut ne seyt mye. saunke treet. Pur
baterie fete e saunke treet ovesqes hamsokne, xx. jours.
Pur saunke treet maliciousement de pe ou de poygn, e
pur autre baterie, seyt la penaunce agarde solom ceo
qe la baterie est peiillouse, e solom ceo qe le trespas
est graunt ou petyt. E seyt ceste penaunce denprisonne-

* seyt eiicountre] be against find-
ing, that is, refuse to find sureties.

The same idiom occurs in Britton,
L V. ch. X. § 7.

THE DOHUS DAT OF GIFFESWICH.

hangyug with outen writ, that is to weten of pleyntes ^^ ^8

that touche not fre tenement.

25,011.

Also in every pleynt of fightyng, debatyng, blood- ^.*"y*
draught, hamsoken,^ or other trespas doon in the for-biood '
seid toun of Qippeswich a zens the pees, be usyd swich drawen.
proces, that is to weten, zif he of whom the pleynt is
maad be a zens to fynde borgh to answeren, and zif
he have no catell ^ in the same toun be which he may
ben iustified, and this be in court duabely wittnessed,
thanne be it awarded after lawe aud usage of the same f- 1^. b.
toun, that he be tached be his body [until he finde
borugh to answere of the trespas, or be his body taken]
a non a fom the ballyves of the seid toun to answere
to the pleyntyff of trespas. And whanne they «be
, comyn ' in to the court and be atteynt in due maner by
jan enquest or in other maner be a ward of the court
; of swiche trespas he hath doon a zenst the pees, be it
awarded that the pleyntyff recure his damages a zens
I the trespasour after tiiat they ben taxed be the quest,
or in other maner [by award of the court], and the
trespasour be awarded in to prisoun in that fourme,
that is to witten, for blooddraught maliciously doon
with swerd or knyff or staff, or of other harmys, to
hym be the prisoun awarded xv. dayes. For debate
doon^ with hamsoken, xv. dayes, though ther be non
blood drawyn. For debate doon^ with blooddraught
and hamsoken, xx. dayes. For blood drawyn of foot
or of fist or of other debaat, be the penaunce awarded
after that the betyng^ be perlous, and after that the
trespas be gret or litell. And be that penaunce of pri^

* hanuoken'] Hamsoona is de-
fined in the Laws of Henry I., ch.
Ixxx. § 11. " Hamsocna est, Tel
^ Hamfare, si quia premeditate ad
** domam eat, ubi suiun hostem esse
" scit, et ibi evm inyadat, si die vel
<< nocte hoc faciat"

^ catelt] chatels.

3 they be comyn] ^ he be comyn "
would be the correct translation of
the French text

^ debate dooti] batterie doon.

^ the betyng} the batterie or beat-
ing.

L£ DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. ment fermement ienue e gardee pur ceux qe sunt co-
25,012. ,J^^J^ meefesours e qe sovent sunt acustumez de mau-
fere. Mes sil aveygne par cas qe acun trespasse en la
fourme avauntdite par hastinesse^ qe ne seyt pas a vs
de meffere, ne seyt il pas puny par la peyne denpri-
sounement avauntdite, mes ly seyt mytigacioun fete de
oele peyne par grace e avisement de court, issi neqe-
dent ^ qil face gre pur les damages ver ly derenez.* E
si nul qe seyt entree en prisoun par agard de la dite
court pur tel trespas com avaunt est dyt, ou pur autre
renable enchesoun, sen aillye hors de prisoun saunz
cunge de soun gardeyn, ly seyt sa penaunce duble. E
si le gardeyn de la prisoun ly eyt done cunge de aler
hors de prisoun saunz assent de ses sovereynz,^ e ceo
seyt en cas ou damages sunt derenez,* respoygne cely
gardeyn des damages. E ja le meyns seyt il puny par
agard de ses sovereyns ^ pur le cunge qil ad done
saunz garaunt.

Cap®.

zxiuj®

Item ordene est par comun cunseyl delavaunt dite
^ comunalte, qi, si nul en la dite vile maliciousement de

De tvespas * ^ '

fiutaschefr soun assaut^ demeyne mette meyn en nul des chefs
bailiifB ou baiiiife (Je la vile, ou assaut luy face de espee ou de cotel,
rouners. de bastoun ou dautre arme, ou coup ly donne ou playe
ou saunge de ly tree, ou soun office maliciousement countre
la pees destourbe en presence de nul des corouners e
dautres bones gentz de meyme la vile, issi qe le trespas
pusse estre prove ou temoygne par corouner jure ou par
serement de deux ou treys prodes hommes^ creables

' neqedent ] however. Britton,
1. ii. ch. sxxiii. § 4.

^ derenez] proved. The word
occurs above in chapters 14 and
24.

' sovereynM"] superiors, Kelham.
The word is used in this sense in
Britton, 1. iv. ch. is. § 2.

^ assaut] Assaltus occurs in the

twelfth Law of Edward the Confes-
sor. Assultus is used in the Laws of
Henry I., ch. x. § 1.

^ prodes hommes'] This word oc-
curs twice in Britton, L ii. ch. xxvii.
§ 5; 1. V. ch. xiii. § 2. Britton
elsewhere, 1. i. ch. xxxi. § 7., uses
the expression " des plus leans pru-
** deshommes.*'

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH. 97

sonment stedfastly heldyn and kept for hem that ben Add. MS.

SS 01 1

comon baratours and for hem that ben custummable '
to doon evyl. But if it be falle be cas that eny tres-
pas be doon in the fourme a fomseid be hastynesse of
oon that be not used to baratyn, be he not punysshed
be peyne of prisonement aforseyd, but bidde hym to
doon mytigacion^ of that peyne by grace and avise-
ment of the court, nevertheles that he make gre for
the damages [proved against hym]. And zif ther be
eny that be put to prison by award of the forseid
court for swich trespas [as aforesaid], or for ony*
resonable cause, and goo out of prison with oute leve
of his keper, be his penaunce dubled. And zif the
keper of the prison yeve hym leve to goon out of
prison with outen assent of hese soveraynes, and that
be in caas where damages ben derenyd,' answere that
keper of the damages. And nevertheles be he punysshed
by award of his soveraynes for the leve that he zaff
with oute warant.

Also it is ordeyned by comoun councel of the for- xx j.
seid communalte, that zif ony man of the same toun^^^^
maliciously of his owen assent^ lay hand on ony of thecheef
the chieff baUives of the toun, or make assaut to^^^^Jt^e
hym with swerd or knyff or staff or with ony other coroneres.
wepene, or yeve hym buffat or wounde, or drawe
blood on hym, or maliciously contrarye his offis, or
disturbe the pees in presence of ony of the corouneres,
or of other good men of the same toun, so that the
trespas may be preved or wittenessed by coroner
sworn, or by other ij. or iij, credibele men * that seyn

' bidde hym to doon mytigacicn]
" be mytigacion doon to hym "
would be nearer the rrench text.

* ony] other.

^derenyd] "proTed" is one of
the senses in which the French

word " deren6 ** is used bj GlanvUlc
and Bracton.

* of his owen asaenf] " of his owen
** assaut " should be here read.

^ men"] substantial men or free-
holders would be more correct.

VOL. II. G

98 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS* qe le trespas virent, ou en autre manere par enqueste^
' ' seyt meyme le trespassour par agard des corouners e
des bones gentz de la yUe agarde a la prisoun, a
f. 22. b. demorer leynz en sauve garde nyent replevisable d la
qil ejt pleynement feet les amendes a la partye du
trespas avauntdyt, solom ceo qe les damages serrunt
taxez par agard des corouners e des bones gentz de la
vile. E estre ceo seyt 11 grevousement puny ver la
commune par le despyt feet a lour baillife ; e ja le
meynz treoffe meyme le trespassour, avaunt qil isse hors
de prisoun, bone e suffisaunte meynprise a fere gre au
rey pur le desp3rt quel houre qil serra de ceo chalenge
du rey ou de ses ministres. E si nul de la vauntdite
vile despitousement mesdye a nul des chefs baillifs en
court ou hor de court fesaunt soun office, e de ceo seyt
atteynt en la manere avauntdite, seyt 11 agarde a la
prisoun e illeekes treffe bone e suffisaunte surte de fere
les amendes par agard des corouners e des bones gentz
de la dite comunaute.

Meyme la penaunce avauntdite seyt agarde par les
bailli& e les bones gentz de la vile a ceux, qe tres-
passent en la manere avauntdite a nul des corouners
de la dite vile fesaunt seon office de la coroune.

Capo. xxyo. Item si nul en la vauntdite vile assaut face countre

fidt^Sb*- ^ P®^' ^^ ^^P ^^ P^y® donne a nul des subbaillifs
baillift. de la dite vile en fesaunt soun office, ou noun duement
ly countrearrestece e destourbe a fere soun office, e de
ceo en due manere seyt atteynt, seyt soun cors agarde
a la prisoun, e seyent les amendes fetes a la partye, e
estre ceo seyt il puny ver la court solom ceo qe le
trespas est grant ou petyt par taxacioun de enqueste
ou par agard de court.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPEgWICH. 99

/ the trespas, or in other maner be enqaeat, be the same Add. MS.
trespasour by award of the corouneres and of good ^^»^"'
men of the toan awarded hym the priaoun, to dwellyn
there in saff ward not repleveschable til that he have ^ 13-
maad a ful amend js on to the partye of the trepaa
afomaeydy after that the damages ben taxed by award
of the corouneres and of goode men of the toim. And
with outyn this be he grevously punysshed azeyns
the'eomouns for the deapit doon to her baillives; and
nevertheles fynde the same trespasour, or he goo out
of prisoun, good and sujKciaunt meinpiise to make gre
to the kyng for the dispit [at swich hour as he shal
be chalenged by the kyng or by hys ministers]. And
zif ony of the forseid toun misseye ony of the cheeff
ballyves dispitously in court or out of court doyng
his offys, and of that be atteynt in the maner afom-
seid, be he awarded to prisoun, and there to be til
that he fynde good and sufficiaunt suerte to make
amendys by award of the corounneres and of the goode
men of the forseid communalte of the same toun.

The same penaunce aforeseid be awarded by the
baillives and the goode men of the forseid toun of
Gepiswych to hem, that trespassyn in the same maner
a fomseid to eny of the coroimeres of the forseid
toim doynge his offys of the coroun.

Also in the forseid toun zif ony man make a assaut ^^"^•
ayenst the pees, or yeve buffat or wounde to ony of doon to
the subballives of the foreseid toun, or contrarie his J^e eub-
arest and letteth hym to doon his ofiys, and of that in
due maner be he atteynt by his body and awarded to
prisoim, and be amendys maad to the partye, and with
outen this be he punysshed a zens the court alter
that the trespas is gret or litell be taxacioun of the
inquest or by award of the court.

G 2

100

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

lerye
peyscun
et des
pulleten.

f. 28.

Add. MS. Da marcbe de peyscoun ordene est, qe en raeyme le
25,012. jj^a^j.^ijg seyent ^certeinz' gardeyns assignez a garder
xxTjo'. qe les ordenaunces qe sunt ordenez en meyme le

?* e*"e*^' marche pur comuD proffit de la dite vile de Qipp[ewyz]
de tut le pays envyroun seyent bien e leaument
gardez e tenues en la manere desouth dite, oest asauer,
Au comencement est ordene qe nul regrater^ prive
ne estraunge ne ayllie de hors les bundes du dit
marcbe de deynz vile ne de bors pur bargaygner^ ne
pur acbater ne pur forstaller le peyscoun venaunt ver
le dit marcbe a vendre. E si nul le face e de ceo
seyt atteynt^ a la primere feze seyt la marcbaundise
issi acbatee par forstallerie forfete ver la commune,
e ja le meyns face il gre au vendour pur meyme la
marcbaundise ; e estre ceo seyt il puny pur meyme
le trespas par peyne denprisounement. E sil ne eyt
dunt U pusse gre fere au vendour pur meyme la mar-
cbaundise forestalle, adunkes seyt cele marcbaundise
livre au vendour, e le cors du dit trespassour de-
meorge en prisoun taunke it eyt feet gre a la commune
de la value de la dite cbose forstalle. E si meyme
cely trespassour de meyme teu trespas autrefeze seyt
atteynt, seyt il agarde au pillori^ saunz grace aver^
e ja le meyns seyt le peyscoun forstalle foi^it, e seyt
il constreynt de fere gre au vendour pur le dit peys-
coun solom le ordejmement avauntdit. E si meyme
cely trespassour seyt la tirce feze de tele forstaUerie
atteynte, foriurge il le mester vn aan e vn jour, e estre
ceo seyt la cbose forstalle foriete com avaunt est dit.
Meyme lordenaunce seyt tenu des pulleters.

^ nul regrater'] Similar regula-
tions for the fishmarket of the city
of London were made in the reign
of Edw. I. in the mayoralty of
Henry le Waleis. Liber Custmna-
rum, f. 28 a.

^ piUort] The ponishment of the
pillory, "judicium pillorie," was
awarded to forestallers under 51
Henry HI. st. vi.

THE DOMUS DAT OP GIPPESWICH. 101

As for the fissh market it is ordeyned, that in the Add. MS.
same market be certayn keperes assigned that the ^^'^^*
ordynaunces that ben ordeyned in the same market of for-'
for the comoun profit of the foreseid toun of Gippes- 2,^[^^^
wych, and of alle the contre aboute, ben weel andofpulterys.
treweleche kept and holden in the maner undersold^
that is to wetyn, att the begynnyng it is ordeyned
that non regrater^ prevy ne straunge go out of the
bondys of the forseid market with ynne toun ne with
outen for to bargaynen, ne for to bey en ne forstallyn
fysshe comyng toward the forseid toun to sellyn. And
zif ony do and of that be atteynt at the ferst tyme^
thanne be the marchaundise so bought forfeted toward
the comoun^ and nevertheles make he gre to tha sellere
for the same marchaundise ; and with outen this be he
punysshed for the same trespas be peyne of prisone-
ment. And zif he have not to make gre wherof
to the sellere for the same merchaundise forstallyd,
thanne be that merchaundise delivered to the sellere,
and the body of the forseid trespasour duelle in
prisoun, til he hath maad gre to the comoun of the t I3.b.
value of the forseid thyng forstalled. And [zif]
the same trespasour for the same trespas an other
tyme be atteynt, be he awarded to the pillorye with
oute havyng of grace, and nevertheles be the fyssh
forstalled forfeted, and be he constreyned to maken
gre to the seller for the forseid fyssh after the ordi-
nauQce a fore seyd. And zif the same trespasour at
the iij. time forstallyng be atteynted, forswere he the
craft a zer and a day, and with outyn this be that
thyng, that is forstalled, forfetyd as it is aforeseid.
The same ordinaunce be kept of pulteres.

* regrater] A regrater was a per-
son who bought with the intention
to sell again in the same market,

baying generally by wholesale and
selling by retail at a higher price.

102

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS.
25,012.

Depol-
leters.

Capo.

xxvijo.
Deregra-
tera qe
▼endant
asautres
regraters.

Capo,
xxviijo.
De temps
f. 28. 6.

de achat
ordene pur
regraters
en meyme
le marche
de peys-
coim.

Item ordene est qe nul regrater en le dit marche ne
achate peyscoun de autre regrater pur vendre avaunt
en meyme le marche, pur encherir le marche, sour
forfeture dil peyssoun issi achate, e ensement sour
peyne denprisounement e de pillori, e de foriurer le
mester vn aan e vn jour, com avaunt est dit. E qe
nul regrater en le dyt marche ne preygne hors de
paners playz, sooles, floundres, anguillies, ne nul autre
maners de peyscoun qe vyent en paners en le dit marche
a vendre, pur vendre avaunt en meyme le marche, countre
la volume de ceux qe le peysoun deyvent, sour la
forfeture avaimtdite; e pur ceo qe teux manere de
prises horde paners sunt apertement toutes fetes countre
la pees, ordene est qe teux trespassours seyent bien
chastiez par peyne denprisounement.

Item ordene est qe nul regrater dil dit marche ne
achate en meyme le marche nul peysoun pur vendre
avaunt le certeyn temps ordene par les ditz gardeyns,
cest asauer a my veye prime * sour peyne de perdre le
peyscoun issi achate; e qe les foreyns marchaunts qe
sunt appelez pedders^ ne achatent mye avaunt houre
de haute prime ;' e si les foreyns deyvent lour peyscoun
charger, qil le chargent ne pleyn marche horde mesoun,
e nule part aylliours, sour forfeture de la marchaimdise.

Capo.

Item de porpeys, samoxm, cunger, e turbut est ordene

^ qe nul ne seyt trenche en mesoun ne nul part furkes

countien- en comun lu du marche, e qe nul de teu manere de

^r en eel peysoun ne seyt concelee outre une nuyt saunz fere

^' de ceo la veue as gardeyns du dit marche, sour forfeture

de meyme le peysoun.

1 mp veye privMi] Matins com-
menced at 3 ajn. ; prime at 6 a.m.

^ pedders] peddelers.

' haute prime'] Prime extended
firom 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. In the en-
actment of the Hallmote of the

I Fishmongers of London, temp.
Edw. I., it was provided '' Qnod
** dicti piscatores debent vendere
'' piseem recentem post missamet
" piseem salsatum post primam."
liber Albns, i. p. 873.

THE BOUUS DAY OP GIPPESWICH.

108

AIbo it is ordeyned that non regratour in the forseid Add. MB.
fyssh market beye of an other regratour for to selle ^^> '
forth in the same market, for to derthyn the market, Of regn-
upon forfetnre of the fyssh so bought ; and also in peyne J^^ ^
of prisonament and of pillory and forsweryng the craft othere re-
a zer and a day, as it is afomseid; and that non^^**^**
regratour in the forseid market take out of paner plays,
solys, floundrys, elys,^ ne non other manor of fyssh that
cometh in panyerys^ in to the forseid market, to sellyn
in the same market, azeyn the wil of hem that owyn
the fissh, upon the forfetur afomseid ; and for as moche
as swich maner takyng out of panyeres ben opynly a
zens the pees, it is ordeyned that swychs trespasoures
ben weel chastised by peyne of enprisonament.

Also it is ordeyned that non regratour of the forseid zxTiij.
market beye in the same market no fysshe for tobeyngor^
sellyn afore certayn tyme ordeyned be the forseid dayned for

reffrftterys

keperes, that is to wety n, til half weye to prime, upon in the same
peyne to lesyn the fyssh so bought; and that the foreyn 5^^®™*'"
merchauntys that ben clepedpedderes,that they begynnen
not to sellyn afom the hie hour of prime ; ^ and zif the
foreynes wil laden her fyssh, they shulden laden in
pleyn market, out of house, and nowher ellys, upon for-
feture of that merchaundise.

Also of purpays, samoun, cungger, and turbut, it is ^.^'"^/
ordeyned that non be cut in house ne nowher ellys, but cutui^

in comoun place of the market, and that no maner of *^®^°*®
suche fissh be kept in prive passyng oon nyght with
outyn shewyng therof to the keper of the forseyd
market, upon forfeture of the same fyssh.

"Splays . . . elys] plaice, soles,
flonnders, or eels.

^panyerys] paniers or baskets.

' the hie how of prime] A like
proclamation TTas made in the city

of London in the 28th year of the
reign of Edv. I., that no regrator
should buy before the hour of prime
had been sounded at St Paul's.

■ — J-

104

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. Item ordene est e defendu par la dite comunalte qe
26,012. I^^l regrater en le dit marche de peyseoun ne vende ne

Cap*'. xxx°. ,

De peya- niustre a vendre a prive ne a estraunge nul manere de

comi garde peyseoun de escale ne horde escale qe seyt corrumpu

outretemps ne descovenable pur cors de homme, ne qe seyt garde

covenable, freys outre temps du e covenable^ e si nul seyt ovesqes

teu peyseoun trove, seyt meyme le peyseoun a la primere

feze forfet e done as povres; e si cely meymes seyt

autrefeze trove en meyme tele defaute, seyt le peysoun

forfet com avaunt est dit, e soun cors agarde au pillori

saunz grace aver ; e a la tierce feze seyt le peyseoun

forfet e foriurge il le mester vn aan e vn jour. '

Cap<>.

De pok-
yeres qe
medlent

Item sour meyme la peyne est ordene e defendu qe
nul corlenocher, pokyere,* ne autre ne medle ble puni
ovesqes bon ble pur vendre en la dite vile en deceyte

blepuzry. ^^^ gentz de la vile ne des autres estraunges.

Capo.

xxxijo.
Depnlle-
ters.

124.

Cap*,
xxziij^
De con-
tract de
marchaun-
dise.

Item sour meyme la peyne est ordene e defendu qe
nul pulleter de la vile ne vende, ne mustre a vendre
en meyme la vile a privez ne as estraunges nule
manere de volatyl gros ne menu, qe seyt purri e
descovenable pur cors de homme.

Item en chescun contract ou covenant de marchaun-
dise feet entre marchauntz seyt usee tel prosces, qe si
la une partye ou lautre veoyllie dedire le contract e
le covenaunt fet entre eux, par quey qe play seyt mu
entre meyme les partyes par devaunt les baiUifs de la
dite vyle, e la vne partye veoyllie dedire le contract

' corlenocher, pokgere'] Hie in-
terpretation of these words u not
facilitated bj the English text.
Corlenocher maybe another form
of com locker, a storer of com.
Pokyere may mean a miller. In
the Glossary of the Dialect and
FroTincialisms of East Anglia, by

Mr. John Greaves NaU, London,
1866, the word " poker" is said to
mean, in the East Anglian dialect.
" a millefs cart," and •' poke-day '»
the day on which laboorers received
their allowance of com. The text
wonld then be ''no comstorer,
" miller, or other," &c.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

105

And it is ordeyned and defended be the forseyd com- Add. MS.
minalte^ that no regratour in the forseid fisshmarket ^ /
not selle ne shewe to selle to prive ne to straunge Of fysshe
ony maner of fyssh with ne with oute shille that be Q^\f ^ *
corrupt and not abele for mannys body, and that it be venabde
not kept out of his tyme due and abele; and zif ther ^'^^^
be ony founden with swich fyssh, thanne be the same
fissh the ferst tyme forfetyd a[n]d zoven to the pover
men ; and zif that same man be founden an other tyme
in the same defaut, thanne be the fyssh forfetyd, and
his body awarded to the pillory ^ with oute havyng of
grace ; and zif he be founden the iij. tyme in the same
defaute, be the fyssh forfetyd, and he forsworn the craft
for a zer and a day.

Also, upon the same peyne, it is ordeyned and d®-^*^**'
fended that no curlewacher, pokere, ne non other man yeres that
ne woman medele * rotyn com with good corn for to medeiyn
sellyn in the forseid toun of Gippeswich in the disseyt
of folk of the toun, ne of non other straungeres.

Also, upon the same peyne, it is ordeyned and defended rocg*.
that no pulteres of the toun selle, ne shewe to sellyn in terysT"
the same toun, to prevy or to straunge, ony maner of
volatil, gret or litel, that be corrupt and discouable for
mannys body.

Also in every contract or covenaunt of merchandise xxxig«.
be used swich proces, zif that oon partie wil with seyn tmctysof
to that other partie the contractys and the covenauntes marchaun-
maade be twixe hem, wherfore the pie be twixe hem
be a fom the ballives of th& forseid toim, and zif
that the oon partye wil with seyn the contractys or

^ the piUory'l This was the punish-
ment in the city of London for men
who sold fish that was unfit for the
food of man. Riley's Memorials of
London, p. 464, 471,516. Women

for the same offence were put into
the thewe or tambril, id, p. 867.

3 medde] mix. This word is used
in this sense in Britton, 1. iii. eh. yi.
§9.

106 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. ou le covenaunt par sa ley, a ceo ne sejrfc il mye receu
' * en pledaunt, taunt com soun adversarye veoillie prover
le contract ou le covenaunt par certeynes gentz jurez
e severalment examinez^ qe esteyent en In ou le con-
tract e le covenaunt se fist entre meyme les persones,
ou qil veoillie eel contract ou eel covenaunt averer par
bone enqueste. En meyme la manere si vn marchaunt
vende sa marchaundise a vn autre marchaunt a payer
a brefe ' jour ' au freschement sur le vngle, en quel cas
marchauntz ne usent mye comunement pur le hastyfe
payement a fere escryt ne taiUie, qe si play sourde
en apres entre meyme les persones en la dite court de
Gipp[ewyz] par la noun soute de mejnne cele mar-
chaundise^ ne seyt pas celuy marchaunt^ a qi cele
marchaundise estoyt ensi vendue, receu en pledaunt en
meyme la court a diffendre par sa ley, qil ne detient
au dit marchaunt pleyntyfe nul dener de la dite mar-
chaundise a luy vendue com avaunt est dyt, taunt com
la vente ou le bayl de la dite marchaundise peot estre
prove ou avere par bone enqueste solom ley marchaunde
en la fomme desus dite. E auxi com le marchaunt
demaundaunt serreyt receu ' de averer ou ' a prover la
vente ou la bayl de sa marchaundise vendue e livree
en la manere avauntdite. En meyme la manere seyt
la marchaunt diffendaunt receu a prover la soute, sil la
allegge \)M [attende] de averer par bone enqueste, qe
rien ne luy doy t si le marchaunt ' demaundaunt ' voudra
la soute dedire. E si la preove deyt estre receue en
lun cas ou en lautre, seyt ele receue au meyns par ij.
hommes jurez e severalment examynez. E ensement
par ]a ou hom bout^ soun chatel en garde a acun a
respoundre ent, quant hom le voudra demaunder^ ne
seyt pas cely a qi meyme le chatel estoyt bailie en

1 boui] puts out his chattels in trust to any one.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

107

the covenauBtys by his lawe, to that be he not receyved Add. MS«
in pletyng, whil that his adversaryo wil prevyn the ^^'^"•
eontractys be certayn men sworn and severally exa*
myned^ that weren in the place where tho contractes

/ weren maade be twixe the same personys, or that he
wil the contractes averryn by good enquest. In the
same maner zif on merchaunt selle his merchaundise to
an other merchaunt for to payen at short day or
fresshly to suyn the ongle,' in which caa merchauntes
vsyn not comounlych for hastyflF payment for to makyn
writ ne tayle, that zif the plee rise be twixe the same
personys in the forseid court of Gippeswich for no sute
of that same merchaundise^ thanne be not that mer-
chaunt; to whom the merchaundise was so seld, receyved
in pletyng in the same court to defendyn by his lawe,
til he owe to the merchaunt pleyntyff no peny of the
forseid merchaundise to hym seld [as afomseid], as long

/ as the sellyng [or the deliverie] may ben proved and
averred by good enquest after lawe merchaunt in the
foorme tndirseid. And also as the merchaunt axand
be receyved to averryn or to preven his merchaundise
seld and delivered in the maner aforeseid, in the same
maner be the merchaunt defendaunt receyved to preven
the sute, zif he allegge or attende to averryn by good

_^nquest that he owith hym no thyng, zif the merchaunt
axand wil with seyn the sute. And zif preefT owith to f. u, b.
ben receyved to oon caas or in other, be it receyved
at the leste by ij. men sworen a[n]d severally exa-
mined. And also ther that a man take his catell to
kepe to ony man to answeryn, in what maner that a
man wil axen it, ne be he to whom the catel was

> to suyn the ongle] ** on the nail"
irould be the proper translation of
the French text. The phrase
" payer mbis anr Tongle '* is etiU in
nse to signify a payment made to
the last farthing. The metaphor

came first into nse amongst hard
drinkers, with whom it was a fiishion
to tnm down their glasses on the
nails of their thumbs to show that
only a mby drop of their wine re-
mained not drank.

108

LE DOMESDAT DE GIPPEWTZ.

derrenes.

^dd. MS. garde receu en pledaunt a diffendre par sa ley qil ne
' ' detyent mye meyme le chatel, taunt com le demandaunt
porrad prover sour luy qil recent la garde par veue o
temoygnaunce des bons e leans hommes creables, a
ceo jurez e severalment examynez solom le prosces
avauntdit.

Cap°. Item com dette on damages seyent derenez^ en la
De dirtte"* court de la dite vyle, e cely ver qi la dette on les
oadamagea damages seyent derenez ne voillie de ceo gre fere, a
dunkes a la snte dil demaundaunt seyt il destreyt
par agard de court de denz mesonn e de hors par ses
biens e ses chateux, quel part qil seyent trovez dedenz
la baillye de la dite vyle de jour en jour, cila qe horn
eyt largement a la value de taunt com est ver luy
derene. E si cely qe est issi destreynt ne veoillie gre
fere al demaundaunt de ceo, qe est ver ly derene, de
denz les primers xl. jours apres qil serra ensi destreynt,
a dunkes facent les baillifs de meyme la vyle a la sute
dil demaundaunt meyntenaunt apres les avauntditz xl.
jours passez venir meyme les destresces devaunt eux
en pleyne court a jour certeyn ; a quel jour seyt agarde
solom usage de la vyle, qe cely qe est ensi destreynt
seyt gamy par ij. hommes de venir devaunt les ditz
baillifs a la proscheyne court suaunt apres de aquiter
ses destresces, e a fere gre de ceo qe est ver ly derene ;
a quel jour sil veygne e ne veoillie de ceo gre fere, ou
tut ne veygne il mye solom ceo qil serra ensi gamy,
seyent celes destresces priseez en court par gentz jurez,

' derenez] proved, or recovered.
See chapters xiv. and xxiv. The
author of the English version pro-

bably read this vrord wherever it
occurs as "dercre," or "derire,
behindhand.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

109

taken ^ in kepyng resseyved in pletyng to defendyn hym Add. MS.
by hia l(iwe, whU that he with holdyth that cateU, aa ^*'^^^-
long as the axand may preven upon hym that he
receyved it be sight and wittenesse of goode men, trewe
and credybele^ to that sworn and severally examined
after the processe aforeseyd.

Also zif ^ dette or damage be behynden, and the xxxiiij.
detour wil not ther of make gre, thanne at the sute ^^f^^^
of the axand be he distreyned by award of the court recured.
with ynne hous or with oute be his goodys and his
chateux, what part they ben founden with ynne the
firaunchyse of the forseyd toun from day to day, til
that the man have largely to the value of as moche as
is be hynden.* And zif he that is so distreyned wil
not maken gre to the axand of that that is behynde ^
with ynne the ferst xl. dayes after that he be so dis-
treyned, thanne the ballives of the same toun at the sute
of the forseid axand anon after the xl. dayes passyd
shull do come the distresse a fom hem in pleyn court
at a certayn day; at which day be it awarded after
usage of the toun that he that is so distreyned be
warned be ij. men to come a fore the forseyd bal-
lives att the next court suyng after, for to acquyten
out hese distresses, and for to make gre of that which
is behynden ; ^ att which day zif he come not, ne wil
not maken gre^ though he come^ after he is warned,
thanne be tho distressys preysed in court by men

' iaken] delivered.

^ Also 2t/] ** Also when dette or
" damage be recoTered in the court
" of the seid toon, and he agarnst
" whom the dette or damage be re-
" covered wUl not," would be the
proper translation of the French
text.

^ as is be hynden"} ''as is re-

" covered" would be the correct
translation.

* that is behyndel that is re-
coveredi

* behynden'] recovered or proved.
^ " At which day zif he come and

** wil not maken gre, or zif he come
« not after he shal be so warned,"
would be the proper translation of
the French text

110 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. e apres ceo la luy seyt done jour par les ballifis sil
^' ' seyt present en court, ou derrechefe par autre gamisse-
ment sil ne seyt mye en court, de estre a la proscheyne
court suaunt apres cele destresce issi prisee a fere gre
com avaunt est dyt; a quel jour le quel qil veygne
ou ne mye, si gre ne seyt feet a la partye pur la chose
derene, seyt meyme la destresce livre par le pris al
demaundaunt a fere ent sa volunte. E si la destresce
amounte plus qe ceo qe est derrene, seyt le plus rendu
a cely qe est issi destreynt. E si la dite destresce ne
f. 25. amounte mye taunt com la chose derrene, seyt le reme-
naunt leve saunz delay des chateux le dettour en la
fourme avaunt dite ; e seyt le subbaiUife, a qi le pri-
mer precept estoyt feet pur la primere destresce fere,
puny par agard de ses sovereyns^ pur ceo, qil ne fist
mye au comencement suffisaunte destresce pur la dite
chose derreyne, si cely subbaillif ne se pusse renable-
ment escuser qil ne poeyt renable destresce ne suffix
saunte aver trove. E bien se avisent les prisours*
des teles destresces, qil par collusioun ne ne prisent
teles destresces plus haut qe eles renablement ne va-
lent ; e sil facent, lour seyt la chose prisee livree, e
respoygnent eux dil pris. E seyt ceste execucioun en
la fourme avauntdite fete par gentz residentz e de-
morauntz en meyme la vyle, e en le proscheyn payis
avoygnaunt a la vyle. Mes si dette ou damages seyent
derrenez devaunt les bailli& de la dite vyle par jugge-
ment ou par conissaunce fete devaunt eux a la sute
des gentz estraunges, com par marchauntz de estraunges
terres, ou par autres de loynteyn payis passauntz, ou

^ iie8.soverepn8'\ his saperiors, that | ^ les prUours^ the takers,
is the chief bailliyes of the town. I

THE DOMUS DAY OF QIPPESWICH.

Ill

sworn, and after be yoven hym a day by the bal- Add. MS.
lives zif he be present in court, or ellys a zeyn be an ' *
other wamyng [zif he be not in court, to be att the
next court suyng] after the distresse so preysed, that
he come and ^ make gre as it is afom seyd ; at which day
zif he come not, or ^ zif gre be not maad to the partye
for the thyng behynden,* thanne be the same distresse
delivered by the prys to the axand to doon therof his
good will. [And zif that distresse amounte to more than
that is recovered, be the more returned to hym who
has been so distreyned.] And zif that distresse a
mounte not as modie as the thyng behynden,' thanne
be the remenaimt arered aiid ^ maad levee therof with
outen ony delaye of the chatteux of the dettour in
fourme aforeseyd; and be the subbaillif to whom the
ferst biddyng was maad for to maken the ferst dis-
tresse vn chid by the award of hese soveraynes, for as
moche as he maade not at the gynnyng sufficiaunt dis-
tresse for the forseid thyng behynden,* zif the forseyd
Bubballyf may not resonabely excusyn hym that he f. i5.
myght not fynde resonabele distresse. And weel avise
hem the preysoures of that distresse, that they preysc
not non swiche distressys be coUusyon heyere thanne
they ben resonabely worth ; for zif they doon, be- the
thyng preysed delivered on to hem, and answere they
of the price. And be such execucion in the fourme
afomseid doon for men sittyng and duellyng in the
same toun and in aJle the cuntre ioynyng to the toun.
But if dette or damage be behynden ' before the bal-
lives of the forseid toun by iugement or be conisaunce
maad afom hem at the sute of men of other lond,^ or
by other of fer cimtrees passand, or by maryneres aryr-

' come and] These words are not
in the French text.

^ zif he come not] ''whether he
** come or not, zif gre be not made,"
would be more correct.

' behynden] recovered or proved.

^The words "arered and" are
not in the French text.

^ at the sute of men of other lond]
''at the sate of strangers, as by
" merchants of strange londes,"
wonld be more correct.

]

112

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. par maryners ariyvauntz al avauntdite vyle ove lour
26,012. ]|jigna e ove lour marchaundises illeokes avendre, ou par
gentz estraunges passauntz en temps de foyre ou de
marche, seyt.plus faastyfe reddour^ fait a fere louer
' lour dettes ou lour damages derrenez qe ne serreyt

pur ceux qe sunt residentz e demorauntz en la vyle
ou en le proscheyn payis com avaunt est dyt, ne
mye eyaunt regard au temps de xL jours agarder les
destresces solom ceo qe avaunt est dyt. E si nul en
la dite vyle pur delayer dreyturele execucioun en le
cas avaunt d3rt mette ses biens en acune mesoun e
les enclost desouth serrure,' par quey qe les baillifs
de meyme la vyle ne avendreyent a nule sufBsaunte
destresce pur ceo qe est ver luy derene, adunkes par
agard de court e solom usage de la vyle seyt cele
mesoun, quele qe ele seyt chaunbre ou autre mesoun,
sequestre ovesqes tutz les chateux qe leynz sunt, e
demeorge sequestre cila qe gre seyt fait, &a E si
nul tel sequestre brise, e les biens ou partye des biens
sequestrez sauntz cunge des chefs baillifs de la vyle
ou de un de eux emporte, e de ceo seyt atteynt, seyt
soun cors par le despyt e pur le trespsus agarde a
la prisoun, e leynz demeorge cila qe les chateux issi
f. 25. b. emportez seyent pleynement retumez, ou la value, ou
qe gre seyt fet a la partye la dette conue ou pur
la chose derenee ; e ja tardeys seyt il grevousement
puny pur le trespas avaunt dyt. E quant meyme
les chateux serrunt issi retumez, facent les bailli& lever
la dette conue ou la chose derene des chateux avaunt-
ditz, auxi com affiert solom ley e usage de la vile
avaunt dite.

^ redlt&wr] This word, in the
sense of '* rigour," is used by Brit-
ton, L i. ch. xxiz. § 22.

2 desouth serrure] This expres-
sion occurs above in chap, xxii,

where the author of the Kqglish
text has missed its meaning. Here
it is properly rendered " undyr lok,"
t.e., under lock.

THE DOMTJS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 113

3rQg up to the forseid toun with her goodys and her Add. M&
merchaundyses there to sellyn, or by straunge men pas- ' '
saunt in tyme of feyre or of market, be the meet has-
tyff reddour ^ doon for to doon reysyn upon her dettes
or her damages beyng behynden,' more thanne it shulde
ben for hem that ben sithyng or duelling in the toun
or in pleyn cuntre,* as it is afomseid, not havyng
reward to the tyme of xl. dayes for to awardyn the
distresse after that it is afomseid. And zif ony in
the forseid toun for to delayen rightful execucioun in
the forseid cas putte hese goodys in eny hous and
enclose hem vndyr loke, wherby the baillyves of the
same toun may not comen for to maken sufficiaunt
distresse of thynges that is behynden,' thanne be award
of the court be that hous, whether it be chamber or
ony other hous, sequestrid [with all the chateux that
ther ynne are], til that the gre be maad, &c. And
zif ony swich sequestre be brokyn, and the goodys
[or part of hem] bom awey with oute leve of the
cheeff baillii^es of the toun, or of on of hem at the
leste, and of that he be atteynt, by* his body for
the dispy t and trespas and ^ awarded to prisoun, and
there for to dwelle til that the chateux so boryn
awey ben plenerly retornyd to the value, or that gre
be maad to the partye for the dette [knowleched],
or for the thyng behyndyn,^ and nevertheles be he
grevously punysshed for the trespas aforesed. And
whanne the same chateux ben brought a yen, the
ballyves shul areysyn* the dette knowleched or the
thyng behynden^ of the forseid chateux as it oweth
to ben after lawe and usage of the forseid toun, &c.

^ reddour"] rigour.

' hehynden'] proved or recorered

' in jdeyn cvntre] ** in the neigh-
'' booring cantre " would be more
correct.

^ bjf hit body] ** be his body **
should be read here.

YOU II.

' and] the conjunction is redun-
dant.

^ shul areysyn] ie., shall raise or
levy.

" behynden] recovered.

114 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. Item en chescun play horpris en play de terre ou

Cap°. 1^3 damages sunt taxez par enqueste, si ceux dil enqueste

xxxv«. par favour ou par igDoraunce taxunt les damages trop

mages poyz, seyent les damages par descrecioun des baillifs e

enhauoer. ^qq bones gentz de la court enhaucez.

Cap». Item pur ceo qe akunes gentz meyns suffisauntz e
xxx7j». (je male fey qe se funt marchauntz en la dite vyle de
achatent Gippewyz, par envyouse coveytise ou par defaute de
ksbiens \^j^ aviseme[n]t, meyntefeze eynz ces houres vnt en-
chauntz bracez, bargaynez e aehatez les biens e les marchaun-
efmiSS?^ dises venauntz a la dyte vyle a vendre en meyns des
ment • marchauntz ou des autres gentz estraunges passauntz,
payent ^ malement countre ley e bone fey, e en esclaundre de
la dyte vyle e des bones gentz leynz demorauntz^ unt
delayez les marchauntz de lour payementz, par quey
marchauntz estraunges- sovent se sunt retretz de venir
a la dyte vyle ovesqes lour marchaundises, e ceo a
grevous damage de la vyle e de tut le payis envyroun.
Les bones gentz de meyme la vyle sentauntz le mal e
la folye de teux fous akatours sicom avaunt est dyt, e
veauntz qe honurable chose est e proffitable par la dite
vyle teles defautes cum avaunt sunt dites redrescer, e
. par bon avisement amender, de un cunseyl e vn assent
vnt ordenez qe nul de la dite vyle ne de deuz meyme
la vyle demoraunt, prive ne estraunge, desormes ne em-
preygne de achater les biens ne les marchaundises des
marchauntz alyenz, ne des autres gentz estraunges
venauntz a la dite vyle par terre ou par ewe, sil ne
face gre au marchaunt de soun payement a tel jour
f. 26. com serra assys dentre eux. E si nul en delayaunt
les marchauntz de lour payementz e en esclaundre de
la vyle le face, les baillifs de meyme la vyle, a plus
tost qil aurunt vereye^ conissaunce qe les marchauntz

» veTeye\ " verray " and " verrei *' I sense of " troe " or " very." I/, i.
are the forms used by Britton in the | ch, y. § 9; 1. iii. ch. xvi. § 2.

THE BOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWIGH. 115

Also in every maner plee owt takyu plee of lond, Add. MS.
wher the damages ben taxed by an enquest, zif they xxxv.
of the enquest be favour or be ignoraunce taxen the ^^r to en-
damages to litel, thanne be tho damages by distruccion ^ damages,
of the bally ves and of the court enhaunced, &c.

Also for as much as summe men vnsufficiaunt and xzztj.
of evyl feith, that maken hem merchaundes in the for- that^yen
seid toun of Gippeswich, be envyous covetyse or by f. 15. b.
defaute of good avysement, often tyme aforn this tyme good of
haven enbrased bargaynes and bought goodys and mer- JJJIJI!"^*
chaundysys comyng in to the forseid toun, to selljoi in chauntea
the hand of merchaundes or of other straunge meupayene.
passauut, and wykkydly a zens lawe and good feith, in
esclaundre of the forseid toun and of good men ther
ynne duellyng, han delayed merchaundes of her payment,
wheifore straunge merchauntes oftyn tyme withdrawen
to come to the forseid toun with her merchaundise,
and that to grevous damagys of the toun and of all the
cuntre aboutyn. The goode men of the same toun
felyng the wykydnesse and the folye of swich foul
beyeres ' [as afomseid], and seyeng that it is honurable
and profitable for the forseid toun suche defautys as
arn aforseid to redressyn, and by good avisement
amendyn, of oon counsel and oon assent han ordeyned
. that no man of the forseid toun [nor] duellyng with
ynne the same toun,. prevy ne straimge, ne take an
hand to beyen the goodys ne the merchaundise of ony
maner alienys, ne of other straunge men comyng to the
forseid toun by lond or by water, but zif he make
gree to the merchaunt of his payment at such day as it
is set betwixe hem. And [if any in delaying the
merchaunts of her paymentz, and in esclaundre of the
seid toun it do,] the ballives of the same toun anon as
they have verry knowyng that the merchauntz ben so

^ distmccion'] This is evidently a l
miswriting of the scribe for discre- I ^/oul beyeres] foolish buyers,
cioan. '

H 2

116

LE DOMESDAY BE GIPPEWYZ.

Ada. MS. serrunt.ensi malement e faucement de lour payementz

25 012 r ^ •

' ' delayez, saunz delay e a grantz reddour facent lever e
fere des biens e des chateux meyme cely qe teux fauz
delays aura quys,^ de deynz mesoun e de hors, e fere
gre al' marehaunt en tutz poyntz solom ceo qe ley e
resoun demaunde^ sauntz attendre le temps de xL jours
a yendre les destresces solom ceo qil est contenuz
ayaunt en la eonstitucioun de dette ou des damages
derrenez. E si cely fol akatour seyt burgeys de la
vyle, e ne ey t rien en la yyle de quey le badllifs pount
fere lever ceo qil deyt au marehaunt e feucement dety-
ent cum avaunt est dyt, adunkes seyt cely fol akatour
pur sa &ucete pur les bailli& e les bones gentz de la
vyle foriugge de sa fraunehise en la vyle vn an e vn
jour, e de chescun manere de proffyt e avauntage de
marchaundise qil deyt aver ou prendre en meyme la
vyle de deinz meyme le temps par resoun de sa bur-
geysye. E mes^ ne seyt recunseyllie a la fraunchise
de la vyle cila qil eyt trove bone e sufl^unte surte,
qe si nul de la dyte vyle seyt nule part destreynt,
damagee, ou grevee par la fauce e torcenouse detenue
qil aura fet au marehaunt com avaunt est dyt, qe ly
e sa surte seyent tenuz de ceo a respoundre e a
restorer. E facent les baillifs de la dyte vyle enrouler
cele surte en comun roule de la vyle issi qe chescun
de meyme la vyle, qe serra ensi destreynt ou grevee,
pusse aver soun recovrir ver cely fol akatour ou ver
sa surte. E si vn foreyn seyt demoraunt en la vyle,
qe delaye les marchauntz de lour payementz en la
manere avaunt dite, e ne veoillie ou qil ne eyt pas
suiBsauntment en la vyle de quey fere gre au mar-
ehaunt, &c., seyt cely foreyn par les bidllifs e les bones
gentz avauntditz foriugge de chescune manere mar-

1 quys] The participle past from
" qiiere " to seek.
' mea] This word is used in the

sense of ''in future" by Britton
1. iii. eh. xxiL § ; L ir. c. ly. § 18,

mes ne pom

THE DOMUS DAT OF QIPPESWICH.

117

'wykkydly and £EkL36ly delayed of her payment, wiih Add. MS.
outyn dcJayjWitb gret reddour,* sbal do areyse of the ^^>^^^'
goodys and chateux of that same man that hath maad
such fals delaye ysought with ynnen^ and with outyni
to makyn gre to the merchaunt in alle payntes after
that lawe and resonn axeth, with outyn abidyng tyme
of xL dayes to doon come distresse, after that it is
conteyned afore in the constitudoun of dette and of
damages behyndyn,' And zif that fool merchaunt be
burgeyses^ of the toun^ and he have no thyng in the
toun wherof the bally ves may doon reysyn^ that he
owith to the merchaunt and falsely withholdeth, as it is
afomseydy thanne be the £aJs beyere for his falsed, be the
ballyves and the goode men of the toun, put out of his
fredam in the toun a yer and a day, of every maner of
profyt as of avauntage of merchaundise that he owith
to have or to takyn in the same toun with ynne the
same tyme by resoun of his burgeyshode ; and be he
not reconcyled to the fraunchise of the toun, til that he
have founden good and sufficiaunt suerte, that if ony
. man of the forseid toun be ony wise distroyed, da*
maged, or greved by his £aJs^ [and torceous] with- f. 26.
holdyng that he hath doon to the merchaunt, as it is
afomseid, that he and his surete of that am ^ beholdyn
to answeryn and to restoryn. And the ballyves of the
forseid toun shal doon enroUyn that suerte in the comoun
rolle of the toun, so that every man of the same that by
him is damaged or greved may have his recurer a zenst
hym and his suerte. And zif a foreyn be duellyng in
the toun that delayeth merchauntes of her payment in
the maner afomseyd, and he wil iiot or have not suffi-
dauntly in the forseid toun whereoff to maken gre to
the merchaunt, &c., thanne be that foreyn be the
ballyves and the goode men of the toun forbarred of

> reddour'i rigour.

3 freAyndfyn] See chapter xxxiv.

3 burgeyaes'] a burgeyse.

* doon r^sifn] levy.

• fals] hide.

• ani] «* aw.*' The French text
requirei the subjonctiye mood

I " be."

118

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. chauDdise fere par ly ou par autre a soun profiyfc en
' ' meyme la vyle cila qil eyt pleynement fet gre au
f. 26. b. marchaunt de quanqil ly deyt pur la marchaundise de
ly achate.

Capo,
xxxvij".
De Wol-
nard
enooster.

Item en dreyt de peyscoun, haranges, oygnons, autz, e
autres diverses marchaundises qe vcnent par ewe a la
dite vyle a vendre, meyntefeze quant ceux qe aveyent teu
manere de marchaundise achatez, au payement fere pur
meyme la merchaundise sovent sourdyt debat entre
les akatours e les vendours, e ceo par enchesoun qe
les akatours unt alleggez qe les marchaundises ne
esteyent pas si bones ne si marchaundes com eles se
mustrerent par amount par la primere bise,' ne cum
else esteyent plevyes^ a la vente, par quey les akatours
trop sovent detyndi^ent e abatirent ver lour marchauntz
de lour primers covenauntz, plus qe resoun e bone fey ne
voleyt a ceo qe hom ad comunement dyt. E pur teux
manere debatz desormes enouster,^ ordene est par la dite
comuualte que quant teux manere des marchaundises
venent a la dite vyle a ^wendre, qe quant les marchauntz qe
meyme les marchaundises dey vent aurunt lour marchaun-
dises en la dyte vyle vendues, avaunt qe ren de oeo seyt
remue, qe le contract e le covenaunt de cele mar-
chaundise seyt reherce e recorde devaunt les baillifs de
la dyte vyle, ou vn de eux, cest asaver si les marchauntz
vendours le veolent e ceo prient. E seyt le covenaunt
e le jour de payement e la surte dil payement, si nule
seyt trove, entre en roule des baillifs, e adunkes seyt
la marchaundise veue des ditz baillifs, ou de vn de
eux, e de quatre bona e leans hommes de la vyle a
ceo jurez, qemeuz se conussent en cele marchaundise,

1 ifUe] This is probably a mifi-
wiiting for " vise," view.
^phvyetl warranted.
' enottj/er] to put away or re-

move. ** Ouster," in the sense of
removing, is used bj Britton, 1. ii.
eh. XV. § 22. See below, chapter
Ixxviii.

THE DOMUS DAY OF OIPPESWICH. 119

every maner merchaundise to be doon by hym or by Add. MS.
ony other to his profit in the same toun, til that he have ^^»^^^*
sufficiently maad gre ^ to the merchaunt of all that he
oweth hym for the merchaundise of hym bought, &c.

Also in right of fissh, heryng, oynouns, garleek, and xzxvij.
other divers merchaodyse that comyn be water to the ^^r to
forseid toun to sellyn, ofte tyme they that beyen ^oWard.
such maner of merchaundyse, at the payeng of the
same merchaundise, riseth debate be twixe the beyeres
and the selleres, and that because that the beyeres ofle
tyme chyden and alleggyn that the merchaundisez am
not so goode [nor so saleable] as it weren at the ferste
shewyng, [nor as they were plainly at the sale, where-
for the beyers too often withdraw from] and wil not
holden here ferste covenauntes, as resoun and good feith
wolde, [as is commonly seid, and by such maner debates
therein arise]. "Wherfore, for to puttyn awey such
debates, it is ordeyned be the forseid communalte, that
whanne such merchaundyses comyn to the forseid
toun to sellyn, that whanne the merchauntz, that the
same merchaundise owen,^ have sold her merchaundise
in the forseid toun, a forn that ony thyng ther of be
renued, that the contractes and the covenauntes of that
merchaundise ben rehersed and recorded aforn the
ballyves [or oon of them], zif the selleres willen and
preyen. And thanne that the covenaunt and the day of
payment, [and the surety of the payment,] zif there ony
be founden, entered in the rolle of the ballives, and
thanne be the merchaunt vowed on ^ the forseid baillives^
or on oon of hem, and of iiij. goode men and trewe of the
toun, to that sworn, that best ben knowyng in that

1 gre} satisfaction.

' oweti] I.e., own.

' vowed on] '* and thanne be the

" merchanndise yiewed of the for-
" seid balliTes or of oon of hem "
would be nearer the French text.

120

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWT2.

Add. MS. issi qe ei meyme la marchaundise ne seyt pas tele com
' * le primer mustre se fist, ne com ele esteyt plevye/
adunkes par le aviaement des baillifs e des ditz quatre
aourveours jurez seyt abatu al payement dil primer
covenaunt, e la marchaundise amende taunt cum resoun
e bone feydemaunde. Mes bien se avisent les baillifs,
en lour fey e en lour serement, qil ne facent par ool-
lusioun ne par male covyne nul sourveour en tel cas
qe seyt parcener de meyme la marchaundise. E ense-
f*27. ment bien se avisent tutz marchauntz estraunges
venauntz a la dite vyle ovesqes lour marchaundises a
vendre a qi il vendent lour marchaundises^ e qil se preyg-
nent bons e leans hostes,^ kar si lour hostes seyent ven-
dours de loUr marchaundises, les hostes respoundrunt a
lour marchauntz dil pleyn ; e sil ne facent, seyt meyme la
execucioun fete ver eux com sereyt ver autres mavoys
payours. E si les marchauntz vendunt lour marchaun-
dises par my lour meyns demeyne* a febles payours,
sauntz cunseyl de lour hostes e sauntz reconissaunoe
estre fete devaunt les baillifs, ou sauntz estre sourveues
cum avaunt est dyt, adunkes estoysent les marchauntz
a lour folye demeyne de aver lour recovrir a meuz
qil porrunt.

Cap";.^ Item tutz les tenementz en la vauntdite vyle seyent
De renabie partables auxibien entre les heyres madles com entre
partye. j^g heyrs femeles, si eux ne seyent forclos* par doun
ou par devys de lour auncestre, e qe eel heritage seyt
party dentre les parceners apres la mort lour comun
auncestre quel houre qe nul des parceners voudra sa
purpartye demaunder* E si le herytage seyt party
dentre eux par lour comun assent, adunkes eyt leyne

* pUvye] " varranted at the sale **
is here meant

2 hostes] See chapter Ix. below
concerning the hostes of itraonge
marchaundes.

^ par wy lour meyns demeyne'] by
their own hands,

*/orclo8] excluded. The verb
** forclore " is used in this sense in
Britton, 1. vi. ch. ii. § 9 and 11.

THE DOMtrS DAY OF QIPPE8WICH.

121

merchaundise, so zif that same merchaundise be not Add. MS.
such as the feret shewyng was, [nor as it plainly was at *^'^^^-
the sale,] thanne be the sight of the ballyves, and of iiij.
men ^ sworen, be it abated att the payment [of the first
covenant], and the merchaundise amended as resoun and
good feith axeth. But weel avise hym the ballyves in
her feith and in her oth that they maken not by non
coUucfyoun ^ ne by comettyng ^ ony survyour in such cas
that ben parcener of that merchaundise. And also avise
weel all straunge merchauntes comyng to the forseid
toun with her merchaundise [to sell, to whom they sell
her merchandise, and] that they takyn goode hostes and
trewe ; for zif her hostys ben sellerys of her merchaundise,
the hostys shal answeren to her merchauntes of the
fulle ; and zif they ne doon, thanne be the same exeou-
cioun a zenst hem as shulde be a zenst other wikked
payeres. And zif the merchauntz sellyn her owne mer-
chaundise to a febele payere with oute counsell of her
hostys^ and with oute reconisaunce maad to the ballyves,
or with outen survyours as it is afomseid, thanne
stande the merchauntz to her owen folye for to have her
recurer in the best maner that they may a yenst the
febele payeres aforseyd.

f. 16. b.

' Also that alle tenementz in the forseid toun ben xxxviij.
partable as weel be twixen heires male as be twixen p^^*^
he3nres female, and zif they be not forclosed^ by zifte
or be devis of her antecessourys, and zif that heritage
be departyd be twixen the parsoners after the deth of
her comoun antecessour, what tyme that ony of the
parceners will axen his part. And zif the heritage be
parted be twixen hem by her comoun assent, thanne

^ men] ** surveyors" would be
more correct.

'non coUusifotm] The particle
" non " is redundant.

3 comettyng'] ^ par male covyne '*
should be rendered ** by committing
firaude."

* foreclosed] excluded.

122 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. parcener le avauntage a choysir quele purpartye qil
25,012. yQ^^jpj^^ Q ^i\ ggji gi plusours parceners y seyent preygne

chescnn des autres parceners sa purpartye solom ceo
qil eschera par sort. E si nul des parceners par ma-
lice countredye e ne veoillie suffrir la purpartye de
eel heritage estre fete, adunkes solom usage de la vyle
eyt le parcener desturbe qe sa purpartye demaunde
soun recovrir ver le desturbaunt par gage e plegge
devaunt les baillifs de la dyte vyle, cest asaver sil
attache sa pleynte desure freschement de denz les pri-
mers xl. jours apres qe soun parcener ly aura sa pur-
partye vye, e sil ne face, il pert soun avauntage de
aver reoourir devaunt les dytz baillifs par tele pleynte
cum avaunt est dyte. E quaunt le demundaunt aura
attache sa pleynte desure en le cas avauntdyt, meynte-
f. 27. b. naunt facent les baillifs somundre le parcener destur-
baunt, de qi la pleynte jest fete, par ij fraunks hommes
de meyne la vyle de estre a la proscheyne court de
portmannemote a respoundre al dyt pleyntyfe de play
de renable partye; e sil ne veygne par cele somunse,
seyt agarde qil seyt autrefeze somuns en meyme la
manere ; e sil ne veygne par cele seconde somunse, seyt
il la tieroefeze somuns en meyme la manere ; apres que
les somunses eyt il iij assoygnes, sil les veoillie quere.
E sil veygne en court apres les somunses ou apres les
assoygnes, e ne sache rien dire par quey qe soun par-
cener ne deyve sa purpartye aver, ou tut ne veygne il
mye e face defaute, seyt agarde qe le parcener pleyn-
tyfe receovre sa purpartye de soun heritage avauntdyt
e ses damages, e le desturbaunt en la mere! ; e seyt
la taxacion des damages mys en respyt cila qe le he-
ritage seyt party, en aventure si le desturbaunt eyt
fait wast en meyme le heritage, kar sil le eyt fait,
eel lu waste ly serra assigne a sa purpartye ; e sil eyt

^ dil ed] afterwards, the phrase seems akin to ^ dilleoqaes.''

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 123

have the eldere parcener avauntage to chesyn which Add. MS.
part that he wil ; and [afterwards] zif there be mo par- '
ceners^ eche of hem take his part as the lottz yeveth.
And zif eny of the parceners by malice withsey and wil
not sufferyn the partyng of that heritage to be doon,
thanne after the usage of the toun have the parcener
lettyd [who axeth his partyng] his recurer a zenst the
letter by wed and bonigh a fom the baUyves of the
forseid toun,that is to wetyn, zif he gynne his pleynt [to
suyn] with ynne the ferst xl. dayes after that his par-
cener denyed hym his part, and zif he do not, he leseth
his avauntage to have recurer a fore the forseyd bal-
lyves be such pleynt as is afomseid. And whanne the
pleyntyff hath begunnyn his pleynt to suyn in the for-
seid caaSy thanne anon the ballyves shal doon somonyn
the pajrcener lettyng, of whom the pleynt is maad^ be
ij. free men of the same toun, to be at the next court
of portmennysmoote to answere to the forseid plejmtyff
of resonable partie ; and zif he come not by that so-
monys be it awarded that he be an other tyme somoned
in the same maner ; and zif he come not by the secunde
Bomonys, thanne be he the iij. tyme sommonyd in the
same maner ; after which sommounys have he iij. es-
soynes, zif he wil axen hem. And zif he come in to court
after the somounys, and after hese esso3mes, and can no
thyng seyn wherfore that his parcener owith not to
have his part, or though he come^ in to court and make
defieiute, be it awarded that the pleyntiff parcener re-
cure his part of the heritage afomseyd and his damages,
and the letter at the mercye; and be the taxacion of
the damages putt in respit til the heritage be parted, in
aventure zif the letter has doon wast in the seyd heri-
tage, for zif he have doon wast, that place waste shal be
assigned to his part ; and zif he have doon wast in the

1 come] " come not " is required by the conte3ct, and harmonises irith
the French text.

124 L£ DOICESDAY BE OIPPfiWTZ.

Add. MS. ^^ ^^^^ ^^ Ift purpartye qe escherra a soun parcener
25,012. demaundaunt, eel wast serra taxe ovesqes les damages
par zij. bons e leaus hommes jurez ; e pur ceo facent
les baillift meyntenaunt, apres qe le dyt pleyntyfe aura
derrene sa purpartye par le juggement avauntdyt^ par-
tyr le dyt heritage, e livrer au dyt pleyntyfe sa pur-
partye auxicom eschera par sort ; e seyt la partye fete
par xii. hommes jurez ; e apres ceo la seyt le parcener
desturbaunt gamy par ij. fraunkes hommes devenir a
la proscheyne court de portmanemote de oyir soun
record e soun juggement de la taxacioun avauntdyte;
a quel jour le quel qil yeygne ou ne mye e le dyt gar-
nisement seyt temoygne sour ly seyt le juggement
execute ver ly auxicom affiert £ si leyne parcener eyt
countreplede e desturbe soun parcener de sa purpartye
com avaunt est dyt, perde il le avauntage de choysir,
mes preygne sa purpartye par sort auxi com autre
parcener.

f. 28. Item si play seyt mu en la court de meyme la

Cap». vile de Gipp[ewyz] des tenements pledables en la

D^cStftre court de la vyle, e chartre de feffement, quite da-

quiteciame maunce au autre escryt seyt bote avaunt ^ en pledaunt

esciyt trier countre le demaundaunt pur luy barrer de actioun, e

!^*«y* celuy demandaunt seyt si prive* qil pusse estr^ receu

a dedire le escryt, e le dedye en pledaunt, e sour ceo

le defendaunt tende de auer par bone enqueste ensem-

blement oyesqes les temoygnes nomez en le escryt, qe

meyme eel escryt est le feet cely de qi noun il fet

mencioun, si les temoygnes seyent reaidentz e demo-

rauntz en la vyle, issi qe les baillifs de la vyle pussent

meyme les temoygnes par poer de lour court fere

venir devaunt eux a trier le dyt escrit ensemblement

ovesqes autres auxicom affiert, adunkes seyt la chartre,

quitedamaunce, ou autre escrit par meyme les temoygnes

^ , I ' Drive} a borffess or citizen, as

I bou ovaunQ put forward. | ^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^^^^ ^j^^^^

THE BOHTJS DAY OF GTPPESWICH. 125

part which shal fallyn to his plejmtiff parcener, that Add. MS.
wast shal be taxen with the damages be xii. goode and ^^'^^^*
trewe men sworen ; and therto doo the ballives anon,
after the seyd pleyntiff shall have recured his part be
the jugement aforeseyd, departyn the seyd heritage, and
delyveryn to the seyd pleyntiff his part as it shal falle
be lottz; and be the departyng doon be xii. men sworen ;
and therafter be the seyd parcener lettyn warned be ii.
fre men to comen to the next court of portmannejB-
moote to heryn his recorde and his jagement of the
taxadon afomseyd; at which daye zif he come, or zif he
come nott and the seyd warning be wyttenessed azenst
hym, be the jugement executed upon hym as is flttyng.
And zif the eldere parcener has countrepleted and
letted his parcener of his part as afomseyd, lese he
the advantage of chesyn, but take he his part be lottz
as the other parcener.

Also zif pleynt be moved in the court of the same toun xrxix,
of Qippeswiche, of tenementz pledable in the court of O^chanre
the toun, and chartre of feffement, quyt cleyme, or or oyer
other script be put forward in pledyng azens the^^v}^oT
pleyntiff to bar hym from his accione, and the pleyntiff jifu be
be so privy that he may be receyved to denye the script, ^*^»®y^'
and he denye it in pleting, and ther upon the defen-
daunt deymeth to averryn be good enquest togedyr with
with the wyttenesses named in the script that this veray
script was maad by hym of whom it make mendoDC,
idf the wyttenesses be residentz and duellyng in the
toun, so that the baillives of the toun may doon the
wyttenesses by the power of here court comyn afom
hem to trie the seyd script, togedyr with othyr as may
be fytting, thanne be the chartre of quyt deyme or
other script tried and averred by the same wyttenesses.

126 LE DOMESDAY DB GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. e par autres bona e leaux hommes jurez, si mester
25,012. ggy^^ ^^^ ^ auere. E si les temoygnes seyent foreynz,

issi qe les ayauntditz baillifs ne les pount mye con-
steyndre a fere les venir devaunt eux, pur ceo ne
targe mye le ple^ ne la preove dil escritment, plus qe si
temoygnes fussent mortz.

Capo. zi<>. Item si dette seyt demaunde entre marchaunt e
De tamie niarchaunt devaunt les baillifs de la dite vyle a la ley

Baunz seal ^ •^

prover. marcbaunde par tallie ^ saunz seal, nomement de certeyn
contracte de marcbaundise fait entre meyme les
persones, e le marcbaunt defendaunt veoylie dedire la
tallie par sa ley, a ceo ne seyt il pas receu, cest
asaver si le marcbaunt demaundaunt veolye prover
solom ley marcbaunde la tallie estre le feet soun
adversarye defendaunt. £ quant la prove de la tallie
deyt estre receue en court, seyt ele reoeue au meyns
par deux bommes de bone fame jurez e severalement
examynez, qe furent presentz en meyme le lu ou la
tallie estoyt fete entre meyme les persones, ou qil
f. 28. b. oyerunt ou la dette contenue en meyme la tallie estoyt
conue dil dettour avaunt dyt. E si la prove seyt trove
bone e acordaunte, seyt agarde qe le marcbaunt de-
maundant recovre sa dette par meyme la tallie e ses
damages, e le defendaunt en la m^ci. E si variaunce
e disacordaunce seyt trove en meyme la prove, seyt
le juggement execut auxicom affiert, e la tallie dampne
pur tutz jours. Mes si dette seyt demaundee par
tallie saunz seal borde ley marcbaunde, seyt le defen-
daunt receu a dedire la tallie par enqueste ou par sa
ley, le quel qil voudra; e ceo seyt entre meyme les
persones qe sunt partyes a la tallie.

1 taOie^ Tallies were pieces of
wood cut with indentures or notches
in two corresponding parts, of which
one was kept by the creditor and

the other bj the debtor. The pre-
sent officer of the Exchequer, called
the Teller, was the ancient taillier
(Talliator).

THE DOKUS DAY OF OIPPESWICH.

127

and by otber good and trewe men. And zif the Add. Ma
wyttenesses be foreyn, so that the afornseyd baillives ^^*^^^'
cannot constreyn hem to doon hem comen afom hem»
therfor be nott the pie nor preff of the script put off,^
no more than zif the wyttenesses were dede.

Also zif dette be axed betwixte merchaunt and mer« xi.
chaunt afom the baillives of the seyd toun, after the p^v^
lawe merchaunt be tayle with oute seel, namely, of a tayie with-
certeyn contract of merchaundise maad betwixte the ®" * •** •
same personys, and the merchaunt defendaunt wyl
denye the tayle be his lawe, therto be he nott receyved,
that is to wy tten, zif the merchaunt pleyntiff wylle

I prevyn after the lawe merchaunt,^ the tayle to be maad
be his adversarie defendaunt, and ivhanne the preff of
the tayle shulde be receyved in court, be yt receyved by
two men at leste of good fame, sworen and severally
examyned, who were present att the place wher the
tayle was maad betwixte the seyd personys, or who
heryd whanne the dette conteyned in the seyd taylle
was knowleched by the afornseyd detour. And zif the
preff be found good and acordyn, be it awarded that the
merchaunt pleyntiff recure his dette be the seyd tayle
and hese damages, and the defendaunt at the mercie.
And zif variaunce and disaccrdaimce be found in the
seid preff, be the jugement executed as is fytting, and
the tayle condemned for alle dayes. But zif the dette
be deymed be tayllewith oute seel, with oute the lawe
merchaunt, be the defendaunt receyved to denye the

I tayle be enquest, or be his lawe, which evere he wyl,
and be this betwixte the personys who are parties to
the tayle.

* pvt offi Targe, in the senge of
patting off, or deferring, occurs in
Briton, 1. ii. ch. xx. § I.

^ after the lawe merchaunt'] The
debt by tally was a contract accord-
ing to the law merchant, and the

proof was regulated by that law.
In a similar manner 'in the city of
London, the protrf of the tally had
to be made by citizens or merchants
or other good and lawful men.
Liber Albus, p. 294.

128

US DOMESDAY DE GIPPBWTZ,

Add. MS. Item chescun fiz de burgeys qe seyt heyr soun

25,012. p^j^^ apres la mort soun pere veygne en pleyne court

B^^^' de denz les primers xl. jours apres la mort soun pere,

rendre. gjj g^y^ qj^ payis, e rende as baillife de la vyle le

espeye soun ''pere/ e jurye a meyntenir la fraunchise

de la vyle auxi com affiert e a celer les privetez de

la vyle ; e sil ne fiu5e, seyt il remue de chescun cunseyl

de la vyle taunke il le eyt fait ; e fait asaver, qe sil

y eyent plusours freres, leyne rendre le espeye cum

avaunt est dyt, e les autres freres frunt ^ meyme le

serement cum lour eyne frere fist. E ne seyt pas

suffert, qe nul fitz de burgeys seie* ne demeorge a

comun cunseyl de la vyle, sil ne seyt jure a celer le

cunsel e les privetez de la vyle.

Cap*. xlij». Item nul burgeys de la vyle ne destreygne autre
Swcefere l^^^g^J^ ^® meyme la vyle de lautorite demevne pur
burgeys trespas, qil ly eyt £ait, ne pur dette qil ly deyt, mes se
sour autre, pi^yg^^ q^ i^g baillifs de la vyle en fourme de ley.

Cap*, xliij*

Coment

burgeys

poet des-

treyndre

foreyn.

f.29.

Cap*.

xliiij*.

Coment

burgeys

Item si un. foreyn deyve dette a vn burgeys de la
vyle, e le jour de payement seyt passe, e cely foreyn
veygne passaunt par my la dite vyle e ne veoillie gre
fere al demaundaunt de sa dette, eyt cely burgeys a qi
la dette est due peor de arrester les chateux soun
dettour passaunt par my la vyle, cila qil eyt baillifes '
de la vyle aqi il porrat sa pleynte attacher de sure.

Item si un burgeys de la vyle achate marchaundise
de denz la iraunchise de meyme la vyle, tut seyt vn
foreyn pres de ly chalengaunt sa part de mejTne la

^/mnf] The coDditional " frey-
" ent,*' from " fere," to do, is used
by Britton, I. iii. c. xi. § 3.

^ «eie] seier, .in the sense of
" to sit," occurs in the Liber

Custumarum of the City of London,
p. 474.

' cila qii eyt baillifes'} until be
find the ballives of the town.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH. 129

Also eyeredi son of a burireys who is herre to his ^^ ^S.

25 oil

father, after the deth of his father, come into ful court ^jj
with ynne the ferst fortie dayes after the deth of his For to
father, zif he be in the centre, and render to the baillives J^erd.
of the toun the swerd with which his father was sworen
to meyntenyn the fredom of the toun as is fjrtting, and
to concele the secrets of the toun ; and zif he doo not, be
he removed from everech councele of the toun til he have
doon it ; and be it to wjrtten, that ^if there be several
brothers, the eldere shal render the swerd as afomseid,
and the othyr brothers shal makyn the same oth that
the eldere has maad. And be it not alowed that eny son
of a burgeys sitte nor duelle at the comoun councele of
the toun, zif he be not sworen to concele the councele and
the secrets of the toun.

Also no burgeys of the toun shal distreyne an othyr xiu.
burgeys of the same toun of his owne authoritee for^^I^yg
trespas which he has maad azeyns hym, nor for dettetomake
which he oweth, but shal make pleynt to the bally ves aJf ^^her.**"^
in foorme of lawe. * f. 17.

Also zif a foreyn denye ^ dette to a burgeys of the xlig.
forseid toun, and the day of payment be passyd, and that ^y^may'^
foreyn come passand by the toun, and wil not makjm distreyne
gre to the axand of his dette, thanne have the same * ^"■^y^^'
burgej's to whom the dAte ys owyng power to arestyn
the chateux of his detour passaunt by the same toun,
til that he have a bayle of the toun," to whom he may
attachyn to suyn his pleynt.

Also zif a burgeys of the toun beye merchaundise xliiij.
with ynne the fraunchise of the same toun, though ^geys
there be a foreyn by hym chalangyng his part of the owethe

party wyth

1 "burgeys

' ** oweth " would be a more cor- I ^ til that he have a bayle of the
rect translation of the French (ext. toun] ontii he find a bayliff of the

town, to whom he can apply to pro-

The author of the English transla-
tion has misread ** deyre " as if it
were " denye."

VOL. II.

secute his pleynt

130

LE DOMESBAT DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. marchaundise, cely foreyn ne partlra mye ovesqes le
de t partvr ^^^^J^- Mes SI foreyii achate marchaundise e un bur-
ovesqes geys seyt pres de ly e chalange sa part, le burgeys
^^q« <leyt sa part aver.

foreyn en

marchauu- Jieia la veue de fraunke plegge^ seyt tenue en la
Cap^xlv*. vauntdite vyle a tutz jours en la semeyne de Pente-
De veue de custe, e les purprestures presentez en meyme la veue
piegge. Eeyent redrescez e amendez par veue des baillifs e des
chefs plegges ^ presentours de denz les primers xl. jours
apres meyme la semeyne de Fentecuste.

Capo.xlyj'. Item cum play seyt mu devaunt les baillifs de la
de^wasT" vaundite vyle par brefe le rey des tenementz en
pendaunt meyme la vyle, meyntenaunt facent les baillife, apres
^ ^' ceo qe le brefe serra attaine devaunt eux, defendre au

tenaunt sour qi le brefe vyent, qil ne face wast, de-
struccioun, ne estrep* en le tenement demaunde pen-
daunt le play. E si le tenaunt le face countre le
defens les baiUifa, e le demandaunt receovre le tene-
ment apres ly, seyent ses damages agardez en duble
ver cely qe le wast en meyme le tenement countre le
defens des ^ baillifs ' aura fait^ solom ceo qe les damages

' la veue de fraumke pledge"] It
would seem that the bailifb of the
town held a view of frankpledge, like
the sheriffii in the county courts, in
every recurring week of Pentecost.
The primary object was to enroll all
all those who were above the age of
twelve in some dizaine or decenni-
nm, the members of which should
be responsible for their good con-
duct, and to administer to them the
leet oath.

^ des chefs plegges"] The same
phrase is used by Britton, L L ch.
XXX. § 4, ** si tou2 les chefs pleges
" soint venuz a la vewe."

* estrep] " Estreper," in the sense
of ** to strip or spoil," is used by
Britton, 1. i. ch. vi. § 3. The word
" estrepemcnt " in the same sense
occurs in statute vi. Edw. I. c. xiii.
** le tenaunt ne eit pas poer de fer
" wast ne estreppement du tene-
" ment."

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 131

^me merchaundise, that foreyn shal not partyn ^ with Add. MS.
the burgeys. But zif a foreyn beye merchaundise, and ^^ \'
a burgeys be there with hym and chalange his part, the foreyn mar-
burgeys oweth theroff to have his part. chaundcB.

Also the leete be holdyn in the forseid toun of xiv.
Geppiswich * at alle dayes in the weke of Pentecost, * * ' ^
and the purprestures presentyd in the same toun ^ shul.
ben redressed and amendyd be sighte of the ballyves
and of the hed boroughes presentoures with ynne the
ferst xl. dayes after the same weke of Pentecost.

Also whanne plee be meved aforn the ballives of the xivj- .
forseid toun by kynges writ of tenement in the same of wast
toun, and on* the ballives, after that the writ be at-^,"»gy^

tlie DiCC

tained aforn hem, they shal defendyn the tennaunt, up
on wliom the writ cometh, that he make non destruc-
cioun, ne strip in the tenement hangyng in plee. And
zif the tenaunt doo a zeyns the defence of the ballyves
and the axand, that thanue the axand ^ recure the
tenement, and afterward on to hym, ben the damages
awarded in doubele a yeyns hym, that hath doon wast
in the same tenement a zeyns the defence of the bal-
lyves, and after that ben the damages taxed be xij. men

^ partyii] share, i.e., claiming to | synonymous with a view of frank-
trchase a part of the merchandise, pledge, which might indeed be held

purchase a part of the merchandise.

> Geppigwicfi] This word is not
in the French text.

' towi] ** leete '* is required here
by the French, text. See statute 18
Edw. U. oh. 3, for the matters to be
presented at the view of frankpledge.
The '' leete " meant the assembly or
meeting, and was a general term
applicable either to the court of the
hundred, or the court baron, or any
peculiar local jurisdiction. The
author of the English version has
used the term ** leete " as if it were

pledge, which might indeed be held
in the " leete," but could also be
held in the county court, and was
in fiict held once in every year at
the Easter term or circuit of that
court. Myrrour of Justices, 1. i.
ch. xvL and xvii. Cf. Britton, 1. i.
c. XXX. § 4. De Toumetf de Vis-
counts.

* andon] ** anon " would be more
correct than *f and on."

' that tharme the axand] These
words are not in the French text.

[ 2

132 LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWYZ.

AiM. MS. serrunt taxez paa* xij. hommes jurez^ e seyt le tenaunt
25,012. q^ ^j wast, destniccioun, ou estrep aura feet grevouse-
ment amereye pur meyme le trespas.

Meyme tel prosces seyt tenu e garde en chescun
play de terre plede devaiint meyme les baillifs sauntz
brefe. E fait asaver qe tel defens de wast, com
avaunt est dyt, deyt estre fait a la sute e a la priere
del demaundaunt.

Cap«. Item ordene est par la dite comunalte e defenda qe
xi^o. j^^j ^Q i^ ^jyj.^ ^jIq j^q preygne en gage des poures

preygne en tistours, ne des povres pingneresses, ne des fiUieresses, ne

^^1 d?^ 'des povres tayllioura, ne des tayllieresses, ne des povres

poures lavanderes, ne des autres povres keytyfs draps tayllez,

reffleT&c. ^^'^'^g^s, ne lynges, ne parceles de teux draps, ne leyne

f. 29. b. pygJiio ^ blaunche, ne tejnate, ne lyn, ne kamme, ne fyl

launge, ne lynge, ne autres manere des choses suspe-

ciouuses, pur argent^ ne pur peyn,* ne pur vyn, ne pur

eerveyse,* ne pur autre manere vitayllie par la ou lorn

peot aver vereye suspecioun, qe teu manere des choses

issi engagez, ne seyent pas les propres biens de ceux

meymes povres qe lengagent. E qi autri chose preygne

en gage de nul tel povre, cum avaunt est dyt, countre

lordenaunce e le defens avauntdyt, eyt cely ou cele,

qe la chose deyt, la delivraunce de meyme la chose

engagee par les baillifs de la dyte vyle quitement

sauntz rien payer, en qi meyns qe la chose seyt veue

e trovee, si le engagour meymes ne seyt de tel poer

qil pusse de ceo respoundre e gre fere. E facent les

^ py^nie"] carded.
^ pcyn] bread, in modem Frencb
* pain.*

3 cerueyae'] eereyisia, beer.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

133

sworn. And tbanne be Uiat tenaunt [that has doo such Add. MS.

• 25 Oil

wast, destruocion, or spoil] grevously amercied for the '
same trespas.

The same processe be holdyn and awarded in every
plee of lond afom the balliyes pleted with outyn writ.
And it is to witte that swich defence of wast, as is
afomseid, oweth to be doon att the sute and at the
prayer of the axand.

Also it is ordeyned be the forseid comunyalte and xivy.
defendyd, that non of the same toun take in kepyng ^*^j|JJ*?^
of poore webberes/ ne off spynneres,^ ne of threed wed woU
makeres,' ne of poure tailours, ne of tayleresses, ne oS^^^^^^^
poure lavenderes,* ne of other poure cay tyvys * clothes poverayie.
maade, ne parcel of clothes, ne wolle [carded], whitte ^•^^•°-
or lettyd/ ne flax, ne hemp, ne wollen threed, ne lynen
threed, ne non other maner of tbyng suspesious, for
silver, ne for breed, ne for wyn, ne for ale, ne for other
victuayle, wher of a man may have veray suspesioun
that swich maner of thyng so put to wedde be not the
owen propre good of such poure men that leyn hem
to wed.^ And who so evere take swich thyng to wedde
of such poure [as afornseid] py tayle ® a geyns the or-
dinaunce and defiance aforseid, thanne have he or shee,
to whom that thyng is longyng,® deliveraunce of the
same thyng [engaged] be the ballyves of the forseid
toun quytlych with outo any thing payeng in whos
hand that thyng be seyn and founden, zif he or shee
that leyd it to wedde be not of swich power to an-
sweryn therefore and makyn gre. And the ballyves

* webberes'] weavers.

3 spynneres] Cowell translates
the wofd " pigneresses " carders of
wool.

3 threed makers'] thai is, spiimers.

* lavenderes"} laundresses.

' cayttfvye'] caytif is the asnal
fonn, a wretched person.

^ lettyd] dyed, coloured.

^ to wed] that is, in pledge.

^ pytoufle] This word is not in
the French text.

" is longyng] literally, that owneth
that thyng.

134

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. baillifs de la vyle cryer cest ordenaunce par my la
2 f0i2. ^yi^ ^^ j^ ^^ ^^ ovesqes les autres cries, issi qe nul

de la dyte vyle se pusse escuser, sil face countre la
crie e lordenauQce avauntdyte.

Cap«.
xlviij**.
De choso
adjree.

En meyme la manere eyt chescun en la dytye vyle
devaunt les baillifs de meyme la vyle, par pleynte attache
par gage e plegge, soun recovrir de ses biens e ses
chateux adyreez,^. en qi meyns qe la chose adyree
seyt veue e trovee, par akat ou en autre manure. E
il ^ soun recovrir ver soun garaunt a meuz qil saura
on porra.

Capo.xiix^ Item use est en la vauntdyte vyle de Gipp[ewyz]
recevvr™ ^® ^^® chefs baillifs de meyme la vyle joyntement e
severalment pussent prendre attorne ^ dil demaundaunt
e dil defcDdaunt, en chescun play pendaunt e attaine
f. 80. devaunt eux par brefc ou saunz brefe, e ceo auxibien
en absence de partye com en presence, e auxi bien
horde court com en courts e qe chescun de eux seyt cru
a recorder le attorne qil aura issi receu. E si nul qe
plede ou qe seyt .emplede en la court avauntdite par
brefe ou saunz brefe seyt si malade ou en tel estat de
cors, qil ne pusse, saunz peril de cors venir en cour a
sure soun pie ou a defendre, qe les ditz baillifs pus-
sent maunder un de lour subbailifs ou acun autre co-
venable persone a prendre de celuy malade attorne en
meyme le pie.

Cftpo. l». Item use est qe les chefs baillifs de meyme la vile, e
De reco- chescun de eux par luy, quel part qil seyt de denz sa
^te^yn^ baillie, pusse prendre reconissaunces de dettes, mes qil

* adyreez"] Thifl word occurs in
Britton, 1. i. ch. xvi. § 2 ; ch. xviil.
§ 8, in the senee of '* lost/' Adi-
ratam, Bracton, 1. iii. c. xxxii. § 3.

' e il] e eyt il is required by tiie
context.

' atUfme] Attorney occurs in the
Myrrour des Justices, ch. ii. s. xxxi. ;
attomee, ch. y. s. 102 ; attorne, ib,
B. 1004. Attoum^ is usual in Brit-
ton, L ii. c. XV. § 8 and 4.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

135

of the forseid toun shuldyn doon crie this ordinaunce Add. MS.
from yer to yer with the other cries, so that non 25,011.
of the forseyd may resonabely excusyn hym, zif he doo
azeyns the crie and the ordinaunce afomseid.

Also in the same maner have echo on in the for- ^\yui-
seid toun aforn the ballives of the same toun, hy^diree.^"^
pleynt begunnyn by wed and borgh, his recurer of his
goodyz and of his chateux a direoz ^ in whos handys
that the thyDg adiree be seyn and founden, by beyeng
or in other maner ; and have he his recurer a zeyn his
borogh the best maner that he can.

Also it is vsyd in the forseid toun of Gippeswich that ^^^*
the chieff ballives of the same toun iunctly and seve- reseyvene
rally mown makyn attume of the axand and of the**^^*"^'
defendaunt in ech plee hangyng and attainyd be fom
the ballives by writ or with outyn writ, and that as
weel in absence of the partie* as in presence, and as weel
with oute the court as in court And eche of hem be
trowed to recorden the attume that he hath so re*
sceyved. And zif ony that pleteth, or that he be in
plee in the court aforseid by writ or with outyn writ, be
so seek or in such state of body that he may not with
owtyn pereil of body comyn in to the coui't to suyn bis
plee or to defendyn, thanne the forseyd ballives mown
sendyn on of her subballyves or sum other covenable
persone to taken of that seek man attume in the same
plee.

Also it is vsed that the diieff ballives of the same 1.
toiin, and everech of hem hj'^ hem selff, what part that ^^i^^^e
he be with ynne his baile, may take reconisaunce of dette, a reconi-

* a direoz"] lost.

' in absence of the partie] that
is, of the adverse party. The
person appointiDg the attorney

onght to be present, hence the rule
that a sub-bailiff shall attend on ft
sick man if the latter wishes to
appoint an attorney.

136

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

25,012.

horde de
court ou
contractes
de mar-
chandise.

Add. MS. eyt devaunt luy le demaundaunt e le detiour ; e seyent
celes reconissaunces entrez en roule de la vile, e sour
ceo execucioun fete auxi com affeert; e apres eel la ne
seyt pas le reconissour receu ne oy ^ en court a dedire
cele reconissaimce countre le record des ditz baiUifs ou
de un de eux; mes en teles reconissaunces fetes en
court ou horde court saunz prosces de play ne seyent
poynt de damages taxez ne aiuggez al demaundaunt.
Item si contract e covenaunt de marchaundise entre
marchauns de la volunte e dil assent de meyme les mar-
.chauns seyt conue e rehercee^ devaunt les chefes bail-
lifs de la dite vile ou un. de eux en presence de bones
gentz de la vile, quele part qe ceo seyt de deinz lour
baillie, seyt fey e creaunce done a meyme les baillifs
e a chescun de eux a recorder meyme le contract e le
covenaunt ; e ne seyt nul des ditz marchauns receu ne
oy en court ne horde court a dedire lour record ; mes
cely marchaunt qe seyt encountre de tenir contract e
le covenaunt avaunt dit par agard de court solom le
dit record seyt condempne solom le cas e solom ley
marchaunde ; mes tele reconissaunce ne seyt pas receue
par buche^ de baillifes apres ceo qil serra remue de
soun office, si la reconissaunce ne seyt trove en roule.

f. 30. b. Item usee est en lavauntdite '^ vyle ' qe si nul bur-
Co^nt^ ' geys de la vile, qe seyt peer e comuner,* en meyme
vedue deyt la vile preygne femme la quele qe ele seyt, damoy-

tenir soun ■, •! ■ < r

fraunke sele OU veve, mes qil ne eyt mye espose autre femme

bauoke.

^ ne oy] that is, oy^, heard.
' rehercee] This word occurs iu
BrittOD, I. ii. ch. xxi. § 5. ; 1. iv. c. v.

§1.
3 buche] boQche, mouth.

^ peer e comuner'] The proper in-
terpretation of these words, which
also occur below in chapter Iz., is not
assisted by the context Dncange
interprets the phrase ''pares conunu-
« nise " as the peers or assessors of

the mayor or prefect of a commune.
In the case of Ipswich the twelve
capital portmen of the borough were
the assessors of the bailiffs and
coroners, but the term "peer et
'* comuner *' is used in chapter Ixxix.
below in a wider sense to signify any
burgess resident within the town of
Ipswich at lot and scot as distin-
gcdshed from a burgess foreyn*

THE DOMUS DAY OF OIPPESWICHE.

187

but that he have afom hym the axand and the detour ; Add. MS.
and be tho reconisaunce entryd in to the toun rolle, and 25,ou.
upon [this be] doon execucion as iti)weth to ben ; and gaunceout
after that ne be the reconisour resceyved [nor herde] in of the
court to with seyn that reconiBaunce a zenst the recorde contractes
of the forseid baillyffs, or of on of hem ; but in such o^ mar.
reconisaunce maad in court or out of court with out
proces of pie ne be tho damages taxed, ne iuged to the
axand. Also zif contractes of covenauntes^ be twixe
merchauntz of wil and assent of the same merchauntes
ben knowyn and fehersed aforn the cheif baUives of the
same toun or on of hem in presence of good men of
the toun, what part that it be with ynne her bayly, be
feith and credence yovcn to the same ballives and to
everych of hem to recordyn the same contractes and the
covenaunt; and be non of the forseid merchauntz re-
sceyved ne herde in court ne out of court to with seyn
here recorde ; but that merchaunt that will not holdyn
the contractes and covenauntz afomseid by award of the
court after the forseid recorde be condempned after the
i cas and the lawe merchaunt ; but such reconisaunce be
not resceyved of the ballives mouth after that he be
remuyd of his office, zif that reconisaunce be not founden
in rolle.

Also it is ordeyned* in the forseid toun that zif i^-
ony burgeys of the toun, that be peere and commouner wydue
in the toun, take a wiflf that be [dame or] ^ damoisele ?J®*^*^
or wedewe, so that he have not wedded a other woman fre banche.

* covenantes'] "zH contract and
" covenant of merchandize betwixe
'* merchants " would be the more
correct translation.

* ordej/nedj " used " would be the
proper translation of the French
text;

3 dame or] These words are not
in the French text.

' ^ have not wedded] In other
words, provided he be not a wi-
dower.

138 L£ DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. avaunt, o la femme sourvy ve soun baroun^ eyt la femme
25,012. apres la mort meyme cely soun baroun tut le chefe
mes Boun baroun eaterement, dunt il morust seysi en
meyme la vile en feou demeyne com de fe, atenir en
noun de fraunke [baunke], dementers qe ele se teygne
veve saunz wast fere ou alienacioun en disheritaunce
dil heyr soun avaunt dit baroun ; e estre ceo seyt ele
dowe de la moyte du remenaunt en meyme la vile, cest
asaver la ou ele deyt de dreyt estre dowe. E si seon
baroun ne avoyt en la vyle forkes seulement un mes,
ja le meyns teygne ele eel mes en noun de fraunke
baunke, mes qe les enfaunz soun dit baroun seyent
herbergez leynz^ ovesqe luy.

Cap«. iij«. Item en dreyt de femmes qe ne deyvent en la vile
me^^' ^pro9 la mort lour barouns fraunke baunke aver, dome*
orgent eles en le chefe mes xl. jours apres la mort lour
barouns saunz wast fere, de denz les queux lour seyt
assigne lour renable doware par le heyr lour avaunt
ditz barouns solom usage de la vile, cest asaver la
meyte de tutz les tenementz e rentes en la vile dunt
lour barouns morurent seysyz en lour demeyne com de
fe. Ceo est asaver si le heyr lour voillie de soun bon
gre de denz meyme les xl. jours doware assigner.

C^». liijo. Item si vn burgeys denzeyn * de la dite vile espouse
v^rdeyt ^^® foreyn femme, e la femme sourvive soun baroun,
rejoyir la reioysse la femme la fraimchise de la vile dementers qe

^k^le. ^^® s® *'y^^*^ vedue.

> /cyiu] therein, Britton,l.iiCh.ii. I ^denzofn] that is, resident with-
§ 12* I ini

THE DOMUS DAT OF OIPPESWICH. 139

aforue, and the ^iff overlyve the husbond^ thanne have Add. MS.
the womman after the husbondes deth all the cheif mees ' 25,011.
of her husbond, wher of he deyed sesyd in the same
toun in his owen demene as of fee, to holden in the
name of [fre] banche the same tyme that she kepeth
her wydwe with oute wast or alienacioun of disherita-
cioun of the heir of hyr [afomseid] husbond ; and with
outen that ^ be shee do wed [of the halfe] in the reme-
naunt [in the same toun], that is to wetyn ther that
shee oweth to ben dowyd. And zif her husbond have
not in the toun but only oon mees, nevertheles holde
shee that mees in name of frebanch, but that the
child of hir husbond be herberwyd ' [therin] with her.

Also m nsht of wommen that after the deth of hir lij-

® Ofd(

arye.

husbond owyn not for to have fre banch, duelle they ^^'
in the cheif mees [fortye dayes] after her husbonds
deth with outyn doyng of wast, withynne the which
dayes be hem assigned resonabele dowarye be the heyre
of her forseid housbond after the usage of the toun,
that is to wittyn the halvyndel * of all the tenementz
enheryng to the forseid toun * wher of her husbond
deyed sesyd in. her owen demene as of fee, that is to
wittyn, zif the heir wil of his good wil with ynne the
ferst xl. dayes assignen dowarya

Also zif a burgeys [with ynne] of the forseid toun ^* ^f; ^'
of Qippeswiche^ wedde a foreyn womman, and that niji
womman overlyve her husbond, thanne reioysse that^^^^*
womman the fraunchise of the toun the mene tyme ^e^ to
that shee kepyth her wydewe. reioyeen

the firaan-

, , chise of

the toane.

1 mees] messoage.

' with outen that"] besides that.

' herberwyd] harboured.

* haloyndeC] The common law
allowed only a third part. Glanville,
L tit c. 1.

* enheryng to the forseid toun]
*' and rentes in the town " would be
a more correct translation.

• of Gippeswich] These words
are not in the French text.

140

LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. Item use est en la dite vyle de Qipp[ewyz] de an-
f '^j ' tiquite, qe nul terre tenaunt en mejrme la yjle faoe
Cap<>. liiijo. homage ne fealte a soun chefe seygnur pur nul tene-
Ke horn- ment oil tient en la vyle, nomement de ceo qe est tenu
fealte seyt purement en fraunke burgage, ne qe le chefe seygnur
tenements P*^^ resoun de tel tenement qe de ly seyt tenuz en
en Gippe- meyme la vyle, qe seyt dil burgage cum avaunt est
^^* dyt, pusse de soun tenaunt apres nuly mort demaunder,

chalenger, ne aver relefe, garde, ne manage, ne autre,
attournement de service, forkes taunt soulement paye-
ment de rente, ne autre proffyt sauve eschete quant ley
le donne. Mes de taunt ne seyent mye les burgeys de
la vyle escusez apres la mort de chescun rey Dengle-
terre, qil ne facent a lour seygnur lige serement de
ligaunce si hom le demaunde de par le rey. Ense-
ment use est en la dite vile, qe nul foreyn destreygne
soun tenaunt en meyme la vyle pur rente arrere sauntz
baillife de la vyle, e ceo par resoun qe le baillife ne
doy t pas suff rir qe la destresce seyt nule part mys
forkes en lu de denz la vyle, ou les baillifs de la vyle
pussent en due manere fere la delivraunce par ga^ e
plegge, si mester seyt solom ley e resoun. Mes ceux
qe sunt burgeys de la vyle denzeynz lottauntz e
escottauntz,^ bien lour list a destreyndre lour tenauntz
en la dyte vyle par lour rente arrere quel houre qe
bel lour seyt, tut sauntz baillife, par ceo qe, sil meys-
sent les destresoes ayllours qe fere ne dussent, il sunt
plus distreygnables e plus justisables a les baillifs de
la vyle qe ne sunt les foreyns.

CapMv<'. Item use est qe femme coverte de baroun seyt jus-
fe^°* ticee par les baiQifes de la dyte vyle a respoundre
coTertede devaunt eux en play de trespas ou peyne denprisone-

bazouQ

' httauntz et escotiauntz^ In the
roll, called the Bailiff's Boll, made
in the second year of king John, it
was provided ** that no burgess of
** the said town shall be quit of

" custom in the same town for his
** merchandizes, that is, if he be a
** merchant, unless he be at lot and
** scot in the common aids and
« businesses of the town."

THE DOMUS DAY OF GTPPESWICH.

141

Also it is used in the forseid toun [of Qippeswich] Add. MS.
of elde ^ antiquyte, that no lond tenaunt in the same {^[^
toun do homage ne feute to his cheif lord for ony [i»v]
tenement that he holdeth in the toun, and nameleche m^j^e and
of that that is holdyn purly in fre burgage [nor that p*^°K'*?
the cheiff lord by reson of such tenement that beoftene-
holden of hym in the same toun, that is of burgage,] ^entes^n
as is afornseid, may not of his tenaunt after ony ded wich.
axyn, chalangyn, ne have releeff, warde, ne mariage, ne
other attomement of service, but only the payment of
the rente, ne of non other profyt Save escheet whanne
the lawe yeveth. But of this be not the burgeysys
of the toun excusyd after the deth of ony kyng of
Yngelond, that they ne doon to her ligelord othe of
ligeaunce, whanne they ben axed by the l^yng. Also
it is used in the forseid toun that non foreyn distreyne
for rente be hyndyn his tenaunt in the forseid toun
with oute bayle of the toun, and that be resoun that
the bayliff oweth not to sufFeryn that distresse to be
put in ony place save in the toun, where the ballyves
mown in due maner makyn deliveraunce by wed and
borgh, zif myster be after lawe and resoim. But they
that ben burgeysys of the toun with ynne, lottyng and
skottyng, moun distreynen her tenauntz in the foi-seid
toun for rente be hyndyn what tyme that they seen
good be, with outyn bailie,^ for zif they puttyn dis-
tressis owherellys thanne they owyn, thanne ben they
more distreynabele and more iusticiJlble to the ballives
than ben the foreynes.

Also it is used that a womman curyd ' under hous- liiO-

flv 1

bond be iustisied by the ballyves to answeren afom jiow a
hem in plee of trespas, or of pejme where prison ement,* ^oman

under hns-

* elde"] This word is redundant.
' haille] baillifs are here meant.'
3 curyd'i covert.

* or of peyne wher prisonmeni]
'riie French text requires " or where
" thepeyn of imprisonment."

142

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS.
25,012.

£Sl.b.
deyt re-
spoundre
en play de
trespas
saunz soon
baroun.

Cap": Ivj".
Coment
]e baroun
deyt re-
spoundre
de la decte
de sa
femme.

ment, ou de juyse,^ peot estre agarde solom ley e usage
de meyrae la vyle, auxi com ele sereyt justisee si ele
fust sole saunz barouu, cest asaver de soun personel
trespas, mes qe le trespas ne tuche mye fraunke tene-
ment.

E ensement vse est qe le baroun respoygne en
la court de la dyte vyle a chescuny pleynte de dette
qe sa femme devoyt avaunt lour esposayllies, e de dette
qe ele aura emprompte ^ pus lour esposallies, auxi avaunt
cum de sa dette demeyne. Mes si la femme deveygne
nuluy plegge de dette, de ceo ne seyt pas le baroun
tenuz a respoundre.

CapMvij". Item pur ceo qe plasours manoystes* soventefeze

creuz qe' ®^^^ fetes en payis des bestes em^lez,^ e les carcoys

aportent a la feze par meyns de niacecreuz sunt vendues en la

saunz vauntdite vyle, si cum meyntefeze le esclaundre est en

quyrs, &c. payis a graunt dishonur de la vyle, ordene est qe nul

macecreu desoremes ne ameyne ne aporte en la dite

vyle a vendre carcoys de beofe, de veel, ne de motun,

sil ne ameyne les quyrs e les pels ovesqes les carcoys,

en aventure si nul homme sue sa beste emblee^ qil

pusse par les quyrs ou par les pels aver conissaunce

de sa beste. E si nul macecreu autrement le face, seyt

le carcoys qe ensi serra trove saunz ^quyr' ou saunz

peel forfet ver les baillife de la vyle en eyde a la ferme

le. rey * de meymo la vyle, pur ceo qil semble bien qe

^juyse] This word occurs more
than once in Britton in the sense of
an instrument of punishment In
1. i. cb. xzxi. § 7, these instnr-
ments, in the case of the lord of a
market, are specified as gallows,
pillory, and tumbril.

' en^ompte] borrowed, Kelham.

3 manoystes] This word is pro-
bably the same as '^manueste,"
which occurs in the Liber Albus of
the city of London, p. 282, in the

sense of an offence or transgression.
Eelham translates the verb manu-
ester, to filch or to thieve.

' emblez] stolen.

* la ferme le rey] King Edward I.
had restored the rights of the borough
in 1291 upon payment of a fee-farm
of sixty pounds annually at the ex-
chequer during the king's pleasure,
one moiety to be paid at Easter and
the other at Michaelmas.

THE DOHUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

143

ther the jaes^ may ben awarded after lawe and usage Add. MS.
of the same toun. as shee shulde ben iustisied zif shee ^^fi^^-
were sengle with outyn housbond, that is to wetyn, ofowetheto
her personel trespas, but not in trespas that toucheth f^^^weren

M . . in plee of

fre tenement. trespas

with owte

Also it is used in the forseyd toun the husbond shal ?*'' ?'""
answeiyn in the court of the same toun in eche pleynt
of ^dette that his wiflF owed afom her weddyng, and j^:
of dette that shee hath be hotyn after her weddyng^ Uow the
as wel of her owne dette as of other. But zif that l»a«^nd
womman be comyn ony borugh ^ of dette, of that oweth answere
not the housbond answeren. ^^L^*

wynes
dette.

Also for as moche as manye harmys ben ofbyn tyme ivj.
doon in the cuntre of bestes [stolen] aweye, and the of boch-
carcasys often tyme be bocherys ben seld in the forseid erys that
toun, wher off oftyn tyme grot slaundre is in the cuntre coyses*^^
to gret dishonour to the toun, it is ordeyned that non ^'^^ o^*®
bocher *from hens forth' lede ne brynge in to the ^ jg*
forseid toun to sellyn carcaisys of beeff, of veel, ne of
moton, but zif he brynge the [hides and the] skynnes
with the careayses, in aventure zif ony man sue the
bestys [stolen] that they mown be the [hides and the]
skynnys have verray knowyng of his bestes. And zif
ony bocher do otherwise, be the carcaysys so founden
with outyn skynne forfetyd to the ballives in heipe of
the kynges ferme of the same toun, for it semeth wel

> tfier the jues] This should be
-written •* or of the jiies." The jues
in the case of women was the tum-

bril, corresponding with the pilloiy
in the case of men,

^ be comyn ony borugh"] become a
surety.

144 LE DOMESDAY DE QIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. ceo est suspecioim de mai quant teux maeecreuz ne
25,012. y^Qj^j^^ j^ quyrs ne les pels porter ovesqes lea caicoys.
Mes pur ceo ne lessent mye les maeecreuz, qil ne yen-
dent lour quyrs e lour pels quel houre qil meuz pount,
mes qil ne seyent poynt remuez hors de commune
veue du marche avaunt houre de prime, e ceo par le
veue des gardeynz de meyme le marche. Mes ne mye
pur ceo si nul macecreu forejm, qe seyt homme de bone
fame, seyt trove en tele defaute, cum avaunt est dyt,
se pusse escuser, qil ne savoyt mye le usage de la
vyle ne de la crye fete al hoiire quant il fust trove
en defaute solom le cas avauntdyt^ adunkes ly seyent
f. 32. les baillifis de la dyte vyle gracious e favourables a
c^le primere feze. Mes si autre feze seyt trove en
defaute en meyme la caas, seyt il puny par la peyne
avauntdite. E fitcent les baillifis de la vile apertement
crier de an en an a la Seynt Michel en pleyn marche
de la boucherye, qe ceste ordenaunce avauntdite seyt
tenue e fermement garde.

CapMviijo. . Item bien se gardent tutz macecreus,^ auxi bien

De mace- i n ij ■ij'i.i

creuz qe deuzcyns com foreynz, qe nul de eux en la difce vyle
▼endunt ne mustre a vendre chars de moriDC, ne soursemez, ne
semez, &c. corrumpues. E si nul le face, seyt la char tele com
ele est a la primere feze forfete ; e a la seconde feze
seyt la char forfete, e meyme le vendour seyt agarde
au pillory. E a la tierce feze, si se seyt meyme la
persone, seyt la char forfete, e estre ceo foriurge il
le mester un aan e un jour en meyme la vyle de
Qipp[ewyz]. Mes si nul veoillie tele mauvoyse char
vendre ^ en la dite vyle, estoyse desouth le pillorie de
la vile ovesqes une table devaunt luy, e illeoqes vende
bandement ^ cele char pur tele com ele est a tutz ceux

^ tnacecreus ] In tbe Laws of ■ cient Laws and losUtutes of Eng-
Edward the Confessor, ch. xxxix., ' laud, vol. i. p. 461 .
macecrarii are mentioned, quos | - bandemenQ boldly. Kelham
Angli vocant fleismangeres. An- translates bandoar, boldness.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPBSWICH.

145

that it is yerray suspecyoun of evyl whanne suche Add. MS.
bocherys wil not biyngyn the Bkynnys' with the car- ' '
caisys. But for that leve not the bocheres but that
they sellyn her skynnys' what tyme that they best
mown, but they be not remuyd out of comoun sighte
of the market aforn the hour of prime, and that be
the sighte of the keperes of the same market. But
nevertheles zif ony bochier foreyn, that is man of
good fame, be founden in such defaute as is aforn§eid,
mown excusyn hym that he ne knewe not the usage
of the toun ne the crye therof, thanne to hym be
the ballyves gracious and fayorabele att the ferst tyme.
And zif he be founden in the same defaute after-
ward, be ho punysshed be the pejrne afomseyd. And
the ballives of the toun shullyn doon cryen apertly
from zer to zer at the feste of Seynt Michel in the
ftdl flessh market, that this ordinaunce aforseid be wel
& trewly kept.

Also wele kepe hem alle the bochieres, as weel with w^.
ynne the toun as foreyns, that non of hem 8bewe-J2|™|3
to sellyn flessh of morreyn,' stynkkyng,' ne corrupt, for erys that
zif ony doo, thanne be such flessh att the ferst tyme JjJ^*
forfetyd ; and ' att the secunde tyme be such flessh flesihe.
forfetyd, and the sellere awarded to the pyllorye. And
att the iij. tyme, [zif yt be the same persone,] be the
flessh forfetyd, and the sellere forswere the craft a
zer and a day in the same toun. But zif ony wil
sellyn such wikked flessh ^ in the forseid toun, thanne
stonde vndyr the pyllorye of the toun with a tabele
aforn hym, and there boldely selle suche maner of
flessh for such as it is to all hem that wollyn beyen

> the skjfnnjfa] properly the hides
and the pelts.
* morreyn] murraiD.

' atifnkhfng ] Beynonazd renders
< sursem^,' tach^ de poorriture.
^ wikkedJleasK] bad meat.

VOL. II.

146

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. qe de oeo achater voudrunt saunz estre chalangee des
^*'^*^* baillife de la dite vile e saunz punicement aver.

Cap°.iix«. Itembien se avysent les kens dil avaimtdite vyle, qe

gudent ^^ de eux ne reteygne ne garde les vyaundes qil ati-

vyaundea rent- puT vendre au people outre temps covenable. Ne

teropd, &c. qe nul de eux ne vende aa priveez, ne as estraunges,

vyaundecorrumpue ne descovenable pur cors de homme ;

e si nul le face e de ceo seyt atteynt, seyt il a la pri-

mere feze grevousement puny par soun chatel, e a la

secunde feze seyt il agarde au pillori ; e a la terce feze

foriurge il le mester un an e un jour, issi qe luy ne

nul de par ly le dit mester en la dite vile fra^ ne

usera sour peyne de perdre tut le chatel, qe peot estre

trove de seon propre, marchaundaunt e hauntaunt ^ tel

f. 8S. b. mester en sa meyn demeyne ou en autri meyn a seon

profiyt. E si nul, qe ' tel ' mester use en la dite vyle,

ne ad dunt il peot estre puny for qe par le cors, seyt

U chastie par le pillori quant il serra de tel trespas

atteynt; e quant il avera deux feze este chastie par

le pillori, foriurge il apres le mester un aan e vn jour

saunz grace aver. E si autre feze seyt atteynt, foriurge

U le mester attoutz jours en meyme la vyle.

Oap». ir«». Item ordene est par comun counseyl de la dite vyle

dem^ de Qippewiz qe nul en meyme la vyle, sil ne seyt bur-

chaantz geys de la vile denzeyn e per e comuner,^ seyt hoste de

Mtoaimges, marchaunts estraunges qe venent a la dite vile par

ewe ovesqes lour marchaundises iUeoqes pur vendre, e

qe teux hostes seyent cunseilliauntz a lour marchaunts

coment e a qi il deyvent lour marchaundises veudre.

De qude marchaundises chescun hoste deyt aver sa

quarte partye, saunz plus, solom le feor qe la marchaun-

^fra] will not do or make.

^hauntarU'} frequenting or prac-
tising. The word occnrB in the
Idber CoBtumamm of the city of
London, pp. 228, 281.

'per e comuner'] a bozgess reai-
dent within the town paying scot
and loU, See chiq>ter li.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 147

ther of, with onte chalange of the ballives, and with Add. MS.
oute pimyashement havyng. 25,011.

Also wel aviso hem the cokys of the forseid toun iviQ.
that non of hem kepe vitayles that they dighten ^ rJ^^
sellyn to the pepele out of covenabele tyme, ne that that kepyn
non of hem seUe to privy ne to straunge vitayles cor- ^/f^
rapt and disoovenable to mannys body; for zif he dootyme.
and ther ofT may be atteynt, thanne be he the ferst
tyme grevoualy punysshed by his catell,^ and att the
seconnde tyme awarded to the pillorye. At the iij.
tyme forswore he the crafl a zer and a day^ so that
he ne non of his use that craft in the toim, upon
the peyne to lesyn all the catell that may be founden 1 19. b.
of his owen, sellyng and havyng' that craft in his
owne hous or in ony other hand to his profit And
zif ony [that use swich craft in the seid toun] hath
not wheroff he may be punysshed but by the body,
be he chastised be the pillorye whanne he be atteynt
of that trespas. And whanne he hath so too tymes
ben chastised by the pillorye, forswore he after the
craft a zer and a day with outjm grace. And zif
he be an other tyme atteynt, forswore he the craft
for evermore.

Also it is ordeyned by comoun oounoeil of the for- ^
seid toun of Qippeswich that non of the forseid toxm, of Los^s
but zif he be a burgeys of the same toun with innen ^^™*^
pere and oommouner, be hostes of straunge merchauntz anndes.
that comyn to the forseid toun be watir with her
merchaundise there for to sellyn ; and all the hostes
be counselyng to her merchauntz whanne and to whom
they owen to sellyn her merchaundise, of which mer-
chaundise echo host may han his fortie' part^ with

1 Ida ccUeff] his chattels. | ' hi8farHe'\ his ferthe, i.e., fourth,

* havjfng] haontiog, practioDg. | should be here read.

K 2

148

LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. dise est yendue^ e les treys partyes seyent vendues as
' ' autres bones gentz de la vile. E si les hostes meymes
vendunt par my lour meyns demeyne les biens de
lour marchaunts, adunkes seyent eux tenuz a respoundre
a lour marchauntz de tant com la marchaundise
estoyt vendue. £t tut seyt qe les ditz marchauntz
vendent lour biens privement, saunz cunseyl de lour
hostes, ja le meyns eyent lour hostes la quarte partye
de meyme la marchaundise auxi avaunt, com eux
meymes ussent esteez cunseylliours e vendours. Mes
des marchauntz vyneters qe vendunt lour vyns horde
celer/ de quele terre qil seyent, ne des marchauntz
wederSy' qe suilt demorauntz en vile e qe vendunt lour
wede a taverne horde gemer,' rienz ne pussent lour
hostes chalenger ne clamer en la quarte partye de lour
marchaundise, com avaunt est dyt, par resoun de lour
hostete.

f. S3.

Debnil^ Item cum la dyte vyle d? 3ipe.wyz par chartres des

delayyle reys seyt enfraunchye, qe uul burgeys de meyme la

dnirtautrw "^^^ plede ne seyt enplede nule part hors de la dyte

bugeyade vyle de nul manere des pletz, assises, quereles, ne des

coimtre la t^^Tes ne des tenures qe de deynz le burghe de Gipe-

fraunchise, -^yz ou en le suburbe de meyme la vyle seyent, ne

des trespas ne des contractz fetz en meyme la vyle

ne de deynz la fraunchise de la vyla E pur ceo qe

chescun burgeys de la dyte vyle est tenuz e lye par

soun serement a meyntenir les dites chartres e les

fraunchises de meyme la vyle en tutz luz e en tutz

poyntz a tut soun poer, ordene est par comun

cunseyl e un assent de la dite vyle e graunte

qe nul burgeys de la dite vyle, prive ne estraunge,*

1 horde celer"] oat of the cellar.

' wedera] dealers in wede (woad),
a plant used for dyeing black.
Uenoe a -widow'a mourning robes
are styled weeda.

' horde gemer] ont of the store;

^ prive ne esiraunge'] Strangers,
as distiDgnished from persons dwell-
ing in the town, appear at an early
time to have been allowed to pur-
chase the freedom of the town for
trading porpoaes.

THE DOMUS DAT Ot* OIPPB8WIGH.

149

outyn more, after the market that the merchaundise -A.da. MS.

9S Oil

is selled, and the tothyr iij. partys to other goode '
men of the toun. And zif the same hostes sellyn be
her owen hand the good of her merchauntz, thanne
be they holdyn to answeiyn to the same merchauntz
of as much as her merchaundise is seld to. And zif ^
the forseid merchauntz sellyn her owne goodys privy-
lich with oute counseil of her hostes, nevertheles have
the same hostes the ferst ' partie of the same merchaun-
dise, as wel as though the same hostes hadden ben
counceloures and sellers. But of merchauntz Vynteres
that sellyn her yynes out of celeres, of what lond that
they ben, ne of merchauntz woderes that sellyn her
woode out of taveme or out of gemer, her hostes
moun no thyng takyn, chalangyn, ne cleymyn in- the
ferthe partie of her merchaundise, as it is afomseid, by
resoun of her host.

Also the forseid toun of Gippeswich be the kynges llz.
chartre » is enfraunchised, that no burgeys of the same ^^^„
toun plete ne be enpleted no part out of the toun of of the
non maner of plees, assises, quereles, ne of londes ne ot^^^J^
tenoures that ben with ynne the subbarbys of the burgh other bur-
of the same toun, ne of trespas, ne of contractes doon f j^^the
in the same toun, ne with ynne the fraunchise of the frannchiM
toun. And for that eche burgeys of the forseid toun tonne,
is holdyn and boundyn by his oth to mayntenyn the
chartrys and the fraunchises of the .same toun in alle
places, in all poyntes, with all his power, it is or-
deyned by comoun counceU and oon assent of the for-

* zif] <* although'' ivould be closer
to the French.

^/er$i] « ferthe" should be here
read, namdj, ** fourth."

s chartre ] The French teit
should be rendered ** by royal char-
<< tert." Two luch charters anteoe*

dent to this time are on record,
granted by king John and Henry
m. respectiyely. In the year im-
mediately following the re-compil-
ing of thi» Domesday, Edward I.
granted to the burgesses a new
charter (80 Edw. I.).

160 LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWYZ.

•Add. MS. desoremes ne emplede autre nule part dehors le dit
25,012. ^j^jyg^^ ^Q j^jjI BQianere play, par brefe ne eaunz brefe,

coimtre lea pojrntz e la fourme des dites cliartres, ne
en preiudice des fraunchiseB de la ^le avauntdyte.
eest asayer, de chose qe peot par suffiraunce de ley
estre plede e termyne en meyme. la vyle. E si nul
le face, seyt il amoneste par les baiUifs e deux burgeys
de la ky^vyle qil. bout forfeture de sa fraunchisef ne
sue mes avaunt ^ tel pie en blemissement ne en preiu-
dice de la firaunchise avauntdite, e qil sue en la dyte
yyle pur soun dreyt, sil voudra solom les leys e les
usages de meyme la vyle. £ si il apres cele amonicioun
sue avaunt soun pie countre le estat e la fraunchise de
la dite vyle, adunkes seyt il somuns par baillife juree '
e deux burgeys de la vyle de estre a un jour certeyn
de portmennemotes de oyer soun juggement de cele
sute, qil aura ensi fete countre la fraunchise e lamoni-
f. 33. b. cioun avantdite, e countre le defens des ditz baillifs e
soun serement demeyne. A quel jour le quel qil veygne
ou ne mye, e la dite somunse serra sour luy veritable-
ment temoygne, seyt il par les baillifs e les bones
gentz« de k dite yle en pleyne court foriugge de sa
fraunchise en la dite vyle, e agarde pur foreyn. E mes
ne seyt a la fraunchise recunsellye, si ne seyt par no-
vele fyn fere a -la commune pur la fraunchise reaver, e
pur les custages e les despenses qe la commune aura
mys pur la fraunchise de la vyle chalanger en le play
avauntdyt.

1 m«« avaunt] in fdtore. | * les bones geiUz'] Theportmen,

' balUfe juree'] a swome baillif. | who composed the portmennesmote.

THE DOMITS DAY eF OIPPESWICH.

151

seid toim, and graunted, that non burgeys of the toun, Add. MS.
prevy ne straunge, from this tjrme forward enplete '
other in ony part out of the forseid burgh in ony
maner of plee, by writ or with outyn writ; a zeyns the
poyntes and the foorme of the forseid chartres, ne in
preiudice of the fraunchise, that is to wetyn, of thyng
that may be pleted and termined in the same toun
by sufferaunce [of lawe]. And zif ony doo the con-
trarie, be he amonysshed be the ballives and by ij.
burgeisys of the same toun, that upon forfeture of
his fraunehise that he sue not forth the pie in* en- f- 20.
blensshement ne in preiudice of the forseid fraunehise,
and that he sue for his right in the same toun, zif
he wil, after lawes and usages of the toun. And
zif he after that amonysshyng sue forth his pleynt
azeyns the estatt of the toun fraunehise, thanne be
he sommouned be the ballives ^ and be the ^ burgeises
of the toun to ben att a certayn day of portmennys-
mootes, to heryn his iugement of that sute that he
hath so doon a zeyns defence of the forseyd baUives,
and the fraunehise, and the amonysshyng afomseyd,'
and a zeyns his owen oth. At which day zif he come
[or] not, and that forseid sommounys be wittenessed
[trewly] a zeyns hym, thanne be he by the balKves
and the goodemen of the toun for iuged of his fraun-
ehise in pleynt court in the same toun, and awarded
for a foreyn. And be not to hym his fraunehise re-
consyled, but zif it be, by a newe fyne to the comoun
for to have a zeyn his fraunehise, and for the costages
and despensys that the comoun hath put for the fraun-
ehise of the toun to chalangyn in the plee afomseid.

^ the haUives'l The English text
is more in harmony with the con-
text

' the] This is probably a mis-
writing for "y.," which is the
number specified in a preceding
sentence.

' afornaeyd] The correct trans-
lation of the French text would be
** azeyns the fraunehise and the
<* amonysshyng afomseyd, and
<< azeyns the defense of the forseyd
« ballives."

152

LE DOMESDAY DB GIPPEWYZ.

"^^oia^' En meyme la manere seyt cbescun burgeys de la

Cap*, ixij". ^y*® ^^^ foriugge de sa fraunchise, sil countreplede ou

Decenxqeface countrepleder la louaunce^ de la dyte fraundiise

^^i]^^ "nule part oountre les poyntz de lour dites chartres e

allouaunce eountre soun serement : e mes ne seyt recunseyllie a

ohise, &c. 8& fraunchise, si noun en la fourme avaunt dyte. Mes

si nul burgeys de la dyte vyle, prive ou estraunge,

pusse^ apertement e renablement prover qe la court

de la dite vyle de Gip[pewyz] luy ad failU de dreyt

avaunt eel houre en tele sute cum avaunt est dyte,

ou qe soun adversarie ne poeyt en la dyte vyle estre

justisee a sa pleynte, ne pur soun recovrir duement

aver, en tel Cas, tut le emplede il aylliours qe en la

dyte vyle, ne seyt il pas en forfeture de fraunchise

par enchesoun de tel empleder.

f. 34. Item, ordene est par tote la commualte avauntdyte
^p».ixiij°. qe nul foreyn marchaunt seyt resceu burgeys en la
ibreyn avauntdyte vyle sil ne seyt enherite de tenement en
ii^hannt m^yme la vyle, ou il peot estre justisable e destreygn-
bmgeys, able a la commue^ quant mester serra. A si nul,
**• apres co qil serra resceu burgeys, ses tenemens en

la vyle alyene, e ses chateux hors de la vyle aloygne,
e ne voylle estre lotaunt, escotaunt,^ ne aydaunt
a la vyle aussi cum burgeys deyt estre, seyt sa fraun-
chise par les baylifs e par les corouners e les bones
gentz* de la vyle repelee. E si il ou nul de par ly
seyt trove marchauntdaunt en la vyle apres co qil se
avera issi retreet a fere ayde a la vyle, cum avaunt est
dit, seyt sa custume prise aussi cum de un foreyn.
Mes ne seyt mye entendu par ceste constitucioun qe
hom ne pusse receyvre burgeys, chivalers^ e gentyls

> la httanee ] i.e., rallouance
Kelham rendetB'alluer, to allow.

' cammue'] coxnmime.

^ lotatmi, eteototml] thii should be

written " lotaunt e scotaimt," paying
lot and scot in accordance with the
charter of king John.

^ Ua b(mn€& gentz'] See abore,
chapter Ixi.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPBSWICH.

153

Also in the same maner be every burcfeys of the Add. MS.
forseid toun for iuged of his fraunchise^ zif he counfcre- ^
pleete or doo countrepletyn the aUouaimce of the for- [ixii.]
seid fraunchise in ony part a zeyns the poyntes of her that wwm-
chartre and a zeyn her ooth ; and be he not reoonsyled trepletyn
to that fraunchise, but in the same fourme afomseid. i^^c^of'
But if ony burgeys of the forseid toun, privy or straunge, *^ fl»un-
mown apertly and resonabely proven att ^ the court of
the forseid toun of Qippeswich hath fayled hym in
right aforn that tyme in such [suyt] us is afomseid,
or that hia adversarie may not in the same toun ben
iustified to his pleynt for to have duly his recurer, in
such cas zowgh ^ he pleete owher ellys tbanne in the
forseid toun, be he not forfetyd of his fraunchise by
cause of such enpletyng.

Also it is ordeyned by all the commounaltee aforn- ixi.
seid that no foreyn merchaunt be resoeyved burgeys ,j,jP^^
in the forseyd toun, but zif he be ' enberited [of a tone- foreyne
ment] in the same toun.wher he may be iusticiable |^^

[and destreynable] to the comoun, whanne mister ba ceyved
And zif ony, that be resceyved burgeys, his tenementz "'^"'
in the * toun aliene, and his chateux out of the toun
alloyne, and wil nott been lottyng and scottyng, ne
helpyng to th^ toun as a burgeys oweth to been,
thanne be his fraunchise by the ballyves and be the
corounneres and be the goode men of the toun repelyd.
And zif ony* by hym be founden merchauntynge in
the toun after that he be so withdrawyn to doon helpe
to the toun, as it is afornseid, be his custum takyn
as of a foreyn ; but ne be it undyrstondyn by this
constitucioun that man may not resceyvyn burgeysys,
knyghtes, and gentiles of the cuntre that moun heldyn f. 20. b.

* att] " that ** is required by the
French text
^ zowgh'] that is, ** though."

> but zif he be] unless he be.
* zif ony] The French text re-
qaires " zif he or lif ony by hym."

154

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. hommes ^ du payis^ qe pount valer e lu tenir a la vyle ;
^^' ^ ' mes a teux gentz ne seyt pas la firaunchise de la vyle
graunte for ke soulement a terme de lour vyes.

Cap». Item si nul de la avauntdite yyle enprompte deners

DeT^ffes ^^ darrees de autre de la vyle sour gage qe seyt chatel

yendre meoble de aquyter a certeyn jour, e le dectour seoffre

de^ye^*^ le jour passer e ne aquyte mye ses gages a meyme le

mentpasse, jour assis ; e si cely, a qi tels gages seyent en gagez

fiEU^e venir meyme les gages devaunt les avauntditz

baylifs en pleyne court, e lour face a saver coment

meyme les gages ly furunt en gagez de aver este

aquytez a certeyn jour qe passe est, e sour co prie

aveyement de la court co qil en deyt fere de mejrme

f. 34. b. les gages, adunkes facent meyme les baylifs gamir oely

dectour qe ceux gages en gaga devenir a un autre

jour certeyn de aquiter ses gages, a quel jour, sil

veygne e voylle ses gages aquiter, eyt il la delyvraunce

saunz taxacioun des damages, e sil ne veygne apres

CO qil serra issi gamy, ou -tut veygne il e ne pusse

dedire qe le jour ne seyt passe qil dust ses gages

aver a quyte, e ne les voylle a quyter, demeorgent

les gages a cely a qi il esteyent issi engagez a fere

ent sa volunte. £ seyt cest ordre tenu e usee aussi

bien de oor, vessel ou juel deargent, ormuree, arreem,

engage apres le jour passe, cum avaunt est dit, cum

de nul autre manere de chateL

C^MxY«. Item usee est e graunte par tute la comunaute
deMoarent avauntdite qe si nul burgeys de la vile desceovre le
le prire cunseyl de la vile, ou de gre maliciousement countre-

canseyl ae •

* chivaler$ e gentyh hcmmes'] It
was ihe practice at a very early
period for the common conncil of
Ipswich to place the names of noble
persons and knights upon the foil
of burgesses, on their coTenanting

to giye annually a certain sum of
money either to the town or to the
ferm of the king, and ihey were to
be in do wise at lot and scot in the
common tallages of the town.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

155

her^ to the toun grauntyd: but to such men be not Add. MS.

25 oil

the fraunchise of the toun graunted but only to terme '
of her lyves.

Also zif ony of the forseyd toun borowe goold or p^y.-.
silver * of other in the same toun upon wed that be catel pir to^
menabele* to aquytyn it at a certayn day, and the det- J^f*7**
tour Buffere the day passyd and aquyte not his dettzdayofpay-
att the same day sett : and zif he to whom the weddys "^^* ,

, passed.

weren sett to wedde do comyn inne the same weddys
in pleynt court afom the [afomseid] ballives, and do
hem to wittjm whanne the same weddys. weryn set
hym to wedde to have ben qwyt out att a oertayn day
that is passyd, and up on this prey ayerrement of the
court what he oweth to doon of the same weddys,
thanne shal the baUives warantyn that dettour that tho
weddys leyd to wedde to comyn at a nother certayn
day to aquytyn his weddys, at which day, zif he wil
come and wil acquytyn his weddys, thanne have he
deliveraunce with cute tazadoun of damages. And zif
he come not after that he be warned, or though he
come and may not with seyn that the day is passyd
that he shulde have quyt his weddys, ne wil not ac-
quytyn hem, thanne duelle tho same weddys to hym
to whom it weryn leyd to wedde to doon theroff his
good wil. And be that ordre holdyn and usyd as wel
of goold, vessel or juel of silver, armure, bras, in wed
after the day so passyd as it is afom seyd, as of ony
other maner of catell.

Also it is usyd and graunted by all the forseid com- ixiij.
munaltee that zif ony burgeys of the toun discure the of hem
councel or the gre of the toxm, or maliciously enplete ^^i*^ ^'

> Ae%n A«r] The English text
is somewhat obscure. The French
text may be rendered *' who may
« be of yalae to and hold place
« in the town."

■n^ver] The French text has
darrees, goods.

^ catel menaht\e\ chattels move-
able.

156

LE DOMESDAY DE 0IPPEWT2.

Add. MS.
S5»012.

la Tyle et
qe cuntre-
pledent par
malice le
honar et la
fraimchiBe,

plede les fraunchiaes e le estat de la vile, par quey
la vile seyt endamagee ou Jes fraunchiaes de la vile
de renz blemyes,^ seyt cely burgeys somuns devenir
a un jour certeyn devaunt les baillifB e les corouners
e la comunalte de la dite vile a respoundre du trespas
avauntdit. £ quant il vendra en court e serra de
tel trespas atteynt en due manere, seyt il foriugge de
sa fraunchise solom la fourme contenue en lautre prosses
avaunt.

Capo. 1x^0. Item ordene est ensement,^ qe si nul burgeys de

T>e^geyfi meyme la vyle eyt nul chatel de homme foreyn entre

ment s^s propris chateux, e cely burgeys des chateux meyme

•^?J^* cely foreyn marchaunde a perte e a gaygn du foreyn

tel, &c. en avowaunt ceux chateux estre les seens propris, par

quey la custume le rey par tele fauce avowerie ' seyt

perdue, seyt cely burgeys quant il serra de tele &uce

avowerie atteynt devaunt les baillifs de la dite vyle

f. S5. foriugge de sa fraunchise, e de eel houre en avaunt

seyt il tenu pur foreyn ; e si il marchaunde en la vile,

seyt la custume prise de ly auxi com de un foreyn,

taunke il pusse aver grace de la commune de estre

recuncillie, e ceo par novele fyn, si il voillie prier.

Capo. Item usee est en la vauntdite vile qe les biens e
j^^"' les merchaundises qe venent a meyme la vyle par ewe
channdise a vendre, qe dil houre qil seyent deschargez e mys a
w e?^ sekke terre pur vendre, ou qe les marchauntz eyent
&c. de ceo renz venduz, auxi com lem dyt en Engleys

broken bolke,^ qe meyme les biens ne seyent pas re-

* blendes'] impaired. The sab-
Btantiye blemifisement, in the same
sense, occurs aboTe, in chap. Ixi.

' eiuement'] likewise, Britton, 1. iv.
ch. X. § 4.

' avcweie] ayowal.

* bn^keti hoike] The correspond-
ing phrase in French is debris^ le
** bulke." Black Book of the Ad-
minilty, p. 7S. The derivation of
the word <<bnlke" is somewhat
obscure.

THE DOHUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

157

the fraunchise ^ and the state of the toun, wherby the Add. MS.
toun be endamaged and the fraunchise enblemysshed, 95,oii.
be that burgeys somoned to oomyn att a certayn day £^^^e'
by fom the ballives and the coroneres and the com- tonne and
munalte of the forseid toun to answeryn, as it is afom- trepletyn
seid ; and whanne he comyih in to com*t^ and be of that ^ "^Kce
trespas atteynt in due maner, thanne be he for iugedandthe
of his fraunchise after the foorme conteyned in that ft*wichiic.
other prooesse.

Also it is ordeyned that zif ony burgeys of the same iziiij.
toun have ony catel of ony foreyn among his owen qJ-^*-'
chateuz^ and that burgeys of tho same chateuz of that gwn that
foreyn merchaunt to the part * and to the profit of that ^^J-^^
forejni avowe that tho chateux be his owen, wherby other cateil.
the kynges custum by such fals avourie be lost, be that
burgeys whanne he be atteynt of that falsnesse a fom
the ballives foriuged of his fraunchise, and from that
tyme forward he be heldyn ba a forejrn. And zif he f. si.
merchaunte in the toun, thanne be custum takyn of
hym as of a forejni til that he may have grace of the
oomoun to ben reconsyled, and that by a newe fyn zif
he wil preve it.

Also it is used in the foreseid toun of Gippeswich ixr.
that the good[ys] and the merchaundise that comyn £*or to
to the same toun by watyr for to sellyn, that from '^y" °^-
the tyme that they ben unladyn and leyd on the drey ^iwd^
lond [for sellyn], or thanne the merchauntz have ony ▼»*yT«
thyng sellyd of hem, as men seith and Englysshith
brekyn bow,' that tho same goodys be not remuyed

> the fravnehite] The transla-
tion of the Freneh text would pro-
perl j be ** discnre the coonoel of
" the toan or of gre maliciously
" emplete the frannchifles."

3 There are probably some words
left out in the French text after k

perte, such as the words de la yyle, to
the loss of the town, or, de la ferme
del rey, to the loss of the king's ferm.
' breJ^ bow'] The modem phrase
*^ broken bulk," which is un-
doubtedly of Ebglish origin, would
be nearer the French text

158

LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. menez ver mer saunz cunge des bailli& e des bones
25,012. gentz de la dite vile. E ne seyent pas les marchauntz
par les baiUifs ne par autres de meyme la vile con-
streyntz a vendre lour'biens en la vile conntre lonr
gre ; mes sil veolent lour biens mener e carier aylliours
.en payis a vendre e a fere ent lour proffyt, ceo ne
lour seyt pas vyez^ payaunt de ceo la dreyte custume
de la vyle auxi com affiert. E si les marchauntz ne
veolent lour biens ver mount en payis maunder ^ com
avaunt est dit, e il eyent demorrez en la dite vile
de Gipp[ewyz] par viij. jours, e ne pussent lour mar-
chaundises en meyme la vyle de denz meyme le temps
vendre covenablement, en tel cas si les marchauntz
priunt cunge des baillifs e des bones gentz de la vile
de carier e mener lour ditz biens par ewe par la^ ou
il entendunt meuz fere lour proffit, ne lour seyt pas
le cunge vyee, mes qil pay ent derichefe a la vile la
dreyte custume pur le issir, auxi com il firent pur
lentrer.'

£ 85. b. Item nul marchaundise qe vyent par ewe a la dite

j^P?; vyle a vendre n-e seyt vendue ne achatee entre soleyl

DetempB rescuns' e soleyl levaunt, horpris haranges freys en tens

^^^^ d^ harangesoun, cest asaver entre la feste Seynt Michel

dises au e la feste Seynt Gement, e ceo seyt taunt soulement

^^' par meyns des burgeys de la dite vyle, e ne mye par

meyn de estraunge. E si nul le face e de ceo seyt

atteynt, seyt il foriugge de tute la marchaundise^ e ja

le meyns seyt il a la primere feze amercye a xL deniers,

e a la secunde feze a demi marc; e a taunt defeze

com il serra de teu chose atteynt, a taunt defeze seyt

^ maunder] to Bend, Eelham. .

^pur retUrer] This regulation is
at yariance with a law made by king
John with the admirals of the north
and west, that no merchant ahoiild

pay custom duty on goods landed
for sale, miless they were sold.
Black Book of the Admiralty, p. 72.
> soleyl rescunsl sunset, Eelham :
recoursant. .

THE D0MU8 DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

169

[towards the sea] with onte leve of the ballives and of Add. MS.
goode men^ of the toun. And ne be the merchauntz 2^»^^^-
by the ballives ne by other of the same toun con-
streyned to seUe her goodys [in the toun azenst her
wille ; but zif they wil ledyn or caryen her goodys]
owher ellys in to the cuntre to sellyn and to doon her
profit, for that ne be the custum payeng denyed to
the same toun [as is]. And zif the merdiauntz [wil not
send her goodys upwards ^ into tho cuntre as afomseid,
and be] duellyn in the toun viij. dayes, and moun not
sellyn her merchaundyse in the same toun with ynne that
same tyme, in such cas, zif they wil preye for to have
leve of the bally ves and of goode men of the toun to
caryen and to ledyn her forseid goodes by watyr thedyr
that they hopyn best to doon her profyt, be not leve
hem denyed, but that they payen azeyn to the toun
the right custum for the out goyng as they dedyn for
the enteryng.

Also no merchaundise that comyth by watyr to the ^^:
forseid toun to sellyn, be it not bought ne sellyd from of i^me of
the sunne goyng doun til the sunne risyng, out taken ^^^^ °^
fressh heiyng in heryng tyme, that is to wittyn, at the dise at
feste ' of Seynt Michel and the feste of Seynt Qement, ^^ "^^y-
and that be only be burgeyses handes [of the seid
toun, and not by the handys of straungers], and zif
ony doo, and theroff be atteynt, be he foriuged of that
merchaundise, and nevertheles at the ferst tyme amercyed
xL penyes, the secunde tyme d/i^ mark; and as oftyn
tyme aa he be of that thyng atteynt, so oftyn be his

1 goode men] Bones-gentz in the
French text is here translated
« goode men," the synonym of
^ probi homines."

' upwards] yer monnt, hillwards,
is the opposite phrase to ver mer,
seawards. The English translator
has omitted the passage.

^ at the feete] ^'between the
« feste " is the proper reading.

^ di] This 'is evidently an ab-
breviation of ''demi," Le., half a
mark, six and ^htpence, the
doable of " forty penyes."

160

LE DOMESDAT DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. Ba peyne evoytee. E quant tel trespassour deyt entre
25,012. foriugge de sa marcbaundise par la cause avauntdite,
seyt cele marcbaundise bayllie a deux prodes bommes
de la vyle a vendre a comun proffyt de la vyle.

GapMzixo. Item des oystres e moles, qe venent en batz au cay

peyiicoan * ^® ^^ ^^^ ^7^^ ^^ Gipp[ewyz] a vendre, ordene est,
de eBcale, auxi bien pur comun proffit des povres com des rycbes,
qe tele manere de peyscoun de escale seyt vendu par
my le meyns de ceux meymes qe le meynent a vendre,
saunz ceo qe nul de la dite vile de Gipp[ewyz] se
medle en tour cele marcbaundise oountre lordenaunoe
avauntdite, sour peyne de perdre meyme la marcbaun-
dise e de estre amercye a xL(2.

f. 36. Item use est en la vauntdite vile qe tutz oeux qe

Deai^te' ^7®^* ^""^ ^^ tenement en meyme la vile, le quel qil
layyley&c. seyt madle ou femele, e sacbe auner e cunter,^ e eyt
acumpli lage de quatorze aunz, qil pusse sa terre ou
soun fraimke tenement doner, vendre, e lesser, e soun
dreyt quitedamer pur tutz jours auxi avaunt com il
ust acumpli lage de xxj. an. E si nul de mendre ^ age
sa terre ou soun fraunke tenement en la dite vile de
Gipp[ewyz] donne, ou en autre manere alyene, ou soun
dreyt quitecleyme, ceo ne ly seyt pas barre ne preiu-
dice qil ne pusse soun dreyt demaunder e recoverir solom
usage de la dite vile quel houre qil voudra, apres ceo
qil aura acumpli le age avauntdit de la vile, cest asaver
xiiij. ans com avaunt est dit, saunz aver regard a nule
especiaute qil aura feet de denz lage de la vile avaunt-
dite.

* aimer el cunter] measure and
coont. This custom of Ipswich was
admitted in a suit, of which the
inrolment is printed in the Tear

Book, 82 & 83 Edw. I., Appendix,
p. 511, Bolls Edition.
3 mendre'] i.e., moindre.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 161

peyne doubeled.^ And whanne such a trespasour owith Add. MS.
to ben foriuged of his merchaundise for the same cause, '
thanne be that merchaundise takyn to ij. goode men
of the toun, to sellyn for the comoun profit of the
toun.

Also of oystrys and rauskelys that comyn [in boats] r^\
to the key of the forseyd toun of Gippeswich to seUyn, Of seiiYiig
it is ordeyned, as wel for the comoun profit of poure ^^^/
men as of ryche, that such manor of fyssh with shelle sl^elies.
be seld by the handys of tho same men that bryngyn
hem to sellyn, so that non of the toun afomseid medele
hym with such merchaundise a zeyns the ordynaunce
afornseyd, upon peyne to lese the same merchaundise
jind to ben amercyed att xl. penyes.

Also it is usyd in the forseyd toun that alle they bcviij.
that hath lond or tenement in the same toun, whethir Qf,^^
that it be male or female, and cunne sellyn and tellyn,^ the toone.
and have the fulle age of xiiij. zer, that he or shee
may his lond or his free tenement zevyn, sellyn, and
letyn, or his right quyt clemyn for alle dayes, as though
he hadde the full age of xxj. yer. And zif ony of
lesse age his lond or his free tenement in the forseid
toun zeve, or in other maner aliene, or his right quyt-
cleymyn, be he not barryd [nor prejudiced] for to axyn
[and recover] a zeyn his right [according to the usage
of the said town at such tyme as he would], whanne
that he comyth ' to f ul xiiij. zer of age, with oute
havyng ony reward* to ony specialtee that he hath
maad with ynne age of the forseyd toun.

1 doubeled] properly increased, or
extended, Britton, 1. i. Prolog.

^ cunne stUyn and tdbfn] know
how to sell and tell, i.e. count.

3 comjflh] The French text re-
quires a fuller translation, '* whanne

VOL. IT.

'^ that he shal have accomplished
*' the aforeseid age of the town,
'' that is to say fourteen zers, as
" aforeseid."
* reward] regard.

162

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ,

AdiMS. Item si nul en la dite vyle manace autre. de vie e
25,012. ^g membre on de mal fere de soun eors ou de arcoun^
De manace de Bes mesons, e celuy a qi tele manace est fete pusse
fere, &G. devaunt les bayllifs e les corouners de meyme la vyle
les manaces prover par deux hommes jureez, seyt le
manacour attache par bone meynprise de estre a un
certeyn jour devaunt meyme les bayllifs e corouners
de gager la pees al avaunt dit manace, e de co bone e
suffisaunce seurte trover au meyns quatre bons plegges,*
qe mal ne damage ne luy avendra countre la pees par
luy ne par soun procurement. E sil ne pusse ou ne
voylie meynprise tix)ver de venir en court com avaunt
est dit, ou quant il vendra en court apres les manaces
proveez e ne pusse ou ne voyllie plegges de la pees
trover, seyt soun cors comaunde a la prisoun ci la qii
eyt bone seurte trove de la pees en la manere avaunt
dite.

Cap^ Item si nul en la vauntdite vyle par malice sake

De^arme ^P®* cotel, OU autre arme, ou donne coup ou playe, ou

saker en assaut face a autre countre la pees en presence de nul

^^^^ des chefs bayILi& de la vyle, meyntenaunt sour le fet

&c. pxir meyme le despit e pur le trespas seyt le cors de

' ' celuy trespassour comaunde a la prisoun ^ xL jours,'

cila qil eyt bone meynprise trove de amender meyme

le despit e le trespas, par agard des ditz baylli& e

corouners e des bones gentz de la vyla

Gbjyo. Item use est en la vauntdite vyle qe si nul en

De prSses ^^V^^ ^ "^® feuoement ou maliciousement esclaundre

en play dc autre en comun lu de marche ou apartement ' devaunt

esciauDdre. j^ people de larcyn, robberie, traysoun, faucyne, ou de

autre maveyste,* par quey qil seyt enpire ou damage

1 arcouii] arson.

^ quatre botu plegges"] four good
sureties.

^ apartement ] sc. aperteraent,
openly or publicly.

* maveyste ] mauveiste, in the
sense of wickedness or crime, occurs
in Britton, 1. iv. ch. iz. § 1.

THE DOHTJS DAT OF aiPPESWICH. 163

Also zif ony in the forseyd toun manasse other of Add. MS.
lyff, or off membre, or of betyng of his body, or of ^'^.1^*
brennyng of his housys, zif he to whom that manas rixxi.]
was maad afom the ballyves and the coronerys of the ^^ "Jw^m

•^ •' maad.

same toun may tho manaces by ij. men swome prevyn,
thanne be the same manasour attacfayd by good mein-
prise to be att a certayn day afom the ballyves and
the coronerys to wagyn the pees of the forseid manaoe,
and of that good and sufficiaunt suerte fyndyn at the
leste by iij.^ borwys, that harme ne damage shal comyn
to that man azeyns the pees by hym ne by his pro-
curement. And zif he may not, ne wil not fynde
meinprise to come in to court as it is afomseid, or though
he come in to court [after the manas proven] and may
fyndyn non borwes ^ of the pees, thanne be his body
comaunded to prisoun til that he hath foundyn good
suerte of the pees in the manerafomseid.

Also zif ony in the forseid toun by malice drawyn ixix.
swerd or knyff or ony other wepene, or zeve wounde of Syves
or buffet or make assaute to an other a zeyns the pees drawyng
in presence of ony of the chieff ballyves of the toun, 2,2pjm
anon for the same dispitt ' and for the trespas be the the pre-
trespasour comaunded to prisoun xL dayes, til he may bj^Tvea. *
fyndyn good meinprise to amendyn that [despitt and]
trespas by award of the forseid ballives and coronerys
and of goode men of the toun.

Also it is vsed in the forseyd toun that zif ony in ixz.
the toun falsely and maliciously ensclaundre other in of p^«
comoun market 8te<ste afom the pepele of thefle, ofinp^eeof
robberye, tresoun, falsKed, or of ony other wykydnesse, ®°* '^^ ®*
wherby that he be enpeyned or resceyve damage or

' three] iiij. should be here read
foriij.

^ nay fyndyn non bonces'] The
French text requiree <<aiid can not

'< or wil not fynd borwys," that is,
snreties.
^ despiU] i.e., contempt of law.

L 2

164

L£ DOMESDAY D£ GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. recey ve, ou de seon honur abecee ou rebote,^ eyt celuy
' * qe issi est esclaundre soun recovrir par gage e plegge
devaunt les baillifs de meyme la vyle ver le esclaun-.
drour. E de tel apert esdaundre ne seyt pas le
esclaundreour receu a sey defendre par sa ley, mes
seyt enquis par bone enqueste lequel il lay ad en tele
manere esclaundree ou noun. E si le esclaundrour de
tele chose seyt atteynt par enqueste ou en autre ma-
nere, par agard de la curt seyent les damages taxez
par enqueste ou par meyme la court solom ceo qe le
cas le demaunde ; e a la taxacioun des damages eyt
horn regard a la persone celuy qe est esclaundre. E
si ceus qe de teux trespas seyent atteyntz neyent dunt
il pussent gre fere des damages, ou qil ne pussent de se
plegges trover, seyt il pu[n]yz par en piisounement
solom CO qe le trespas le demaunde, par agard des
baillifs e des bones gentz^ de la dite vile.

O^po, Item femmes qe sunt communs tenceresses entre lour

ixxiiyo. veysins, e qe ne velent lour mavoyses launges chastier

munes ten- ^^ mesdire a les gentz, seyent eles chastiez par la juj^e

ceressee. q^ ^ est ' apele le then,' ou qe eles facent grevouses

redemcioun si eles eyent dunt.

1 abecee ou reboW] is lessened or
lowered in his honour.

' des bones geniz] The prodes
hommes, probi homines, of the
town.

' le Iheu] The word juyse occurs
above in chap. It. in the sense of
an instrument of punishment. Hie
thewe, as used in the city of London
for the punishment of women, was a
species of pillory. Riley's Memo-
rials of London, 319 and S67. In
other places it appears to have been
a cucking stool, in which scolds
were dudced in dirty water. The
cucking stool is mentioned in
8 Henry VIII. c. 6. See Way's

Promptuarium Parvulorum, note on
the word kukstole (for flyterys or
schyderys), also note on the word
cukstolle. An original cucking-
stool is preserved at Ipswich, and
another at Warwick, The practice of
lowering the stool into water seems
to have been a mitigation of the
punishment, less offensive than the
original application of dirty water.
In Normandy and in Grascony, when
those countries were under British
rule, scolds were ducked without the
ceremony of the stool, a rope being
simply tied round their waists as is
described in the constitutions of the
city of Royan, ch. ix. below. The

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

166

dishonour, have he that so is ensdaunderyd his recurer Add. MS.
by wed and borogh afom the bally ves of the same ^*'®^^-
toun a zeyns the ensclaunderour. And of swich opyn
esclaundre be not the esclaunderour resoeyved to de-
fendyn hym by his lawe,^ but be it inquyred by a
good enquest zif he hath [in swich manner] sclaun-
dered hym or not. And zif the esdaundrour of that
thyng be atteynted by enquest or in other maner by
award of the court, be tho damages taxed by enquest
or by the same court after that the cas axeth ; and f- 22.
that the taxyng ^ of the damagys have they rewarded
to the persone of hym that is ensclaunderyd. And zif
they that of that trespas ben atteynted have not wher
of that they may maken gree of the damages ne fyn-
dyn borwys, thanne be they punysshed by enprisone-
ment after that the trespas axeth, by award of the
bally ves and of goode men of the toun.

Also wommen that ben comoun chideres and stry- ixxj.
verys in the forseid toun of Gippeswich, and wil not ofcoimiune
chastysyn her wykked tunges, but maliciously withseyn chyderys.
her neghbourys, be they chastysed by the myse, that is
clepyd the thewe,® or ellys make they grevous raum-
soun zif they have wher of

^ by kU lawe] the libeller was not
^f- allowed to justify his libel in his
defence.

3 and that the teLxyug] '* and at
*< the taxyng of the damages haye
'* they repird to the persone of hym

^ K^\r\\

*' that is ensclaunderyd *' would be
closer to the French text.

' myse, that is clepyd the thewe"]
myse has been misread for Jnyse by
the scribe of the English yersion.

166

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. Item ordene est par eomun assent de la dite ville

25,012. ^^ Gipp[ewyz], qe en meyme la vyle seyent a tutz

Capo'. . jours xij. jurez des plus sages e des pins leans de

ixxy<>. mejone la vyle a gnyer e a meyntenir les leys e les

jureez^deladreytnrenx nsages de la vyle, e a rendre pur la eomu-

'vyie, &c. nalie de meyme la vyle bien e leaument les juggementz

de la vyle, e a fere e ordener ceo qe seyfc a comun

profyt de meyme la vile, e a comune dreytnre fere

auxi bien a les povres com a les riches. E pur ceo qe

les ditz xij. jureez semnt plus ocupez par le estaat e

par le honur de la vyle e plus sovent travailliez e

chargez qe autres de la vyle, si ad la dite comunaute

graunte, pur eux e pur lour heyrs e pur lour succes-

sours, qe les ditz xij. jureez^ eyent enterement lour

comun pre qe est appele Odenholm en eyde a sustenir

lour chivals. E sil aveygne qe un des ditz xij. jureez

meorge on seyt inobedyent on trop necligent countre

soun serement, adunkes eyent les xj. jureez pleyn poer,

en la fey qil deyvent a la dite vyle, de ellire a eux un

bon homme * e covenable en In de cely qe mort est, oil

a remuer e asBoudre dil office cely qe serra trove in-

bedient ou trop necligent com avaunt est dyt, e choysir

probable opinion would appear to
be, firom the ducking stool being in
some places called the goging stool
or gagging stool, that the scold in
more recent times uras tied down
on a dtool of ignominy in a con-
spicuous place, with a gag inserted in
her month to preTent her venting her
evil tongue against her neighbours.

^jurees] "sworn as they are in
" other free boroughs of England "
are the words of the bailifEs' roll,
2 John.

3 bon homme^ probus homo, i.e.,
of the most fit, discreet, and wealthy
of the said town.

THE DOM0S DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

167

Also it is ordeyned be comoun assent of the forseid Add. MS,
toua of Gippeswich, that in the same toun ben alwey ^^'^V*
xij. men sworn of the most wise of the toun and of [i^.]
the most trewe, for to gyen ^ and for to meytenyn the ^ ^- ™?*
righte vsages of the toun, and for to zeldyn ^ for the the touDc.
communaltee of the same toun wel and trewly the
jugementz of the toun, to doon and to ordeynyn that
it be to the comoun profyt of the same toun and to
the right of the commounys as wel to the poure as to
the riche. And for tho xij. men' swome ben more
ocupied for the state and for the worship of the toun,
and ofbyn more travayled and charged thanne other of
the toun, the forseid communalte of the toun han
graunted for hem and for her heyres and for her suc-
cessoures, that the forseid xij. men sworne shuln have
in comoun a mong hem twelve a medewe that is depyd
Hodynholm,* in helpe to kepyn with her horsys. And
zif it falle that ony of the forseyd xij. men deye or be
vnbuxom or mochel neclygent a zeyns his oth, thanne
have the xij. men sworn pleyn power, in the feith that
they owen to the toun, to chesyn to hem oon that
be good and abele in his stede that is ded, or to
remujni hym of his offys that is founden vnbuxom or
necligent, and to chesyn an other in his stede that be

^ gyen] Guyer, to govern, Kel-
ham.

* zeldyn] so. render.

' twelve men ] These twelve
Bworne men are termed " capital
'* portmen" in the tranBcript of
the roll made at Ipswich in the
second year of king John, when
proceedings were first taken to
carry oat the charter granted hy
that king on 25th May 1199. The
common council of the town on this
occasion ordained that hereafter
there should he in the said horough
twelve capital portmen sworn, in
manner as they are in other free

horoughs of England. It was on
the same day granted hy all the
commonalty, at the request of the
aforesaid twelve capital portmen,
that for the labour which they
should bestow in behalf of the said
commonalty, they should have the
Odenhohn meadow for the support
of their horses.

^ (This meadow was afterwards
called Fortmens* Walks, and was
enjoyed by the portmen until they
were abolished by the Municipal
Reform Act, 5 & 6 William IV.
cap. 76.

168

LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. un autre en soun lu, qe leal homme seyt e oovenable

25,012.

en eel office pur la dite eomunaute.

Cap«». Item ordene est, qe si les execuciouns des courtz de

De"b-* ^^ ^^ ^^® preygnent delay par defaute des subballifs
baiiifgqese portaunts verges ^ en meyme la vyle, respoygne cely sub-

loufofficeT '^yly*^ ®^ V 1*^ defaute serra trove a cely qe le delay
aura eu par sa defaute de ses damages, sil se voudra
pleyndre ; e ja tardeys ^ perde cely subballife sa verge
xl. jours a la primere feze qil sen-a trove en tele de-
faute. E a la secunde feze perde il la verge un quarter
dil aan, e respoygne il au pleyntyfe de ses damages,
solom ceo qil serrunt taxez par enqueste ou par des-
crecioun de court. E si la tierce feze seyt atteynt,
perde il ia verge e seyt suspendu de soun office tut a
net*

f. 87. b.
Capp.

Des 8ub-
ballift qe
portent
males pa-
roles entre
gentz.

Ensement est ordene des ditz subballifs, qe si nul de
eux seyt portour des paroles ou des mensounges entre
bones gentz de la vyle, par quey qe descord e male
voilliaunce sourde en la commune, e de ceo seyt par
bone prove atte^oit, seyt il suspendu de soun office e
oustee tut a nete. En meyme la manere seyt il en
oustee, sil descovre les privetez de la coroune ou les
autres privetez de ses sovereynz.

Cap**. Ensement est ordene, qe si le comun clerke de la
ixxviijo. j^ ^^^^ ^^j ^^^ enroulement en deceyte de la

De comun ■' *'

clerke de court OU de la partye, qe soun cors seyt comaunde a

^ ^^' la prisoun, e qil seyt a la primere feze suspendu de

soun office demy aan. E si autre feze seyt- atteynt.

' verges'] The English version
has the word masys, Le., maces, but
rods or staves would rather seem to
be the equivalent of veiges.

*;a tordfy«] nevertheless. Ja
tardais occurs in this sense in the

Liber CuBtumarum of the Citj of
London, p. 225, touching La Feste
du Pui.

^ hit a net] entirely. Tout de
nette, entirely ; tout net, altogether,
Eelham.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

169

good and convenable in that offys for the forseid Add. MS.
communyaltee. 25,0 1 1 .

Also it is ordeyned, that zif the execuciouns of the hmij.
toun takjrn delay by the defaute of the subbailles of buV
beryng masys in the same toun, o^iswere that subbayle baiiyves
in whom the defaute is foundyn to hym to whom he i^^ i^'^her
hath maad^elaye by his defaute of his damages, zif he office,
wil pleynyn hym ; and never the latter lese he his mase
xl. dayes the ferst tyme that he be founden in such
defaute. At the secunde tyme lese he his mase a
quarter of a zer, and answere he to the pleyntyff of
his damages after that it be taxed by enquest or by f. 22. b.
discrecioun of the court. And at the iij. tyme zif ho
be attejmt, lese he his zarde or his mase, and be sus-
pended of his offys for evermore.

Also it is ordeyned of the forseyd subbaUyves, that ixxiiij.
zif ony of hem be a berere of woord or of lesyng be o?s^*^'"'
twixen [goode] folk ^ of the toun, wher thourgh discord ballyves
and wikked wille ryseth in the comoun, and he be of ^,J^
this atteynted by good preeff, be he suspendyd and put twixe th©
doun of his offys aU zeiys. In the same maner be he ^^^'''
put down, zif he discure the privetees of the coroun
or the privetees of his soveraynes.*

Also it is ordeyned, that zif the comoun clerk of the ixxv.
toun make ony fals enrollyng in disceyt of the court (fj^v^*''-'
or of the partye, thanne that his body be comaunded comomiQ
to prisoun, and that he be the ferste tyme suspended ^^^^^
of his offys for half a zere. And zif he be the secunde

^/olk] bones gentz is here pro-
bably used as a general term for
honest men.

^ soverajfne$] his superior offi-
cers.

170

LE DOMESDAY DK QIPPEWYZ.

dette entre
buigeys,

Add. MS. geyfc U enoustee ^ del office tut anete. E sil desceovre

25 012

' ' les privetez de la coroune ou les privetez de ses sove-
reynz^ seyt il enouste de soun office com ayaunt est
dit.

Capo. Item use est en la vauntdite vyle^ qe si play de
Deiey^fere ^®*^ ^® amouute outre xvj. deniers obole seyt mu
en play de devaunt les baiUifs de meyme la vyle entre burgeys
de la vyle, e le un burgeys defendaunt dedye la
dette e se defende par sa ley countre lautre burgeys,
cely qe la ley deyt fere deyt mener ovesqe luy en
court, le jour qil deyt sa ley fere, x. hommes,* les queux
semmt sevrez en deux partyes, cest a saver v. dune
part e v. dautre, entre les queux un cotel a poynt deyt
estre jetee, e ceux v. ver les queux la maunche du
cotel chiet serrunt enoustez saunz serement fere ; e les
autres v., ver les queux la poynte chet, demoi'unt ovesqe
cely qe la ley deyt fere, mes de ceux v. serra ly un
remue, e les quatre de eux frunt le serement ovesqe
cely qe la dite ley deyt fere. E si la dette ne
amounte qe xvj. d, oh, ou meyns, il ne deyt la ley fere
forkes sey tierz.^ E fet asaver qe cest usage ne se
tyent poynt forkes taunt soulement entre burgeys de
la vyle denzeynz, qe lem apele piers e comuners,^ e non
pas entre burgeys foreynz. E tut seyt issi qe un bur-
geys denzeyn seyt emplede de un burgeys foreyn, ou
qe le burgeys foreyn enplede un burgeys denzeyn en
play de dette, de qele summe qe la dette seyt, e le un
ou lautre seyt a sa ley, e le play seyt de tele nature

f. 38.

^ enoustee] This word occnra in
chapter xxxyii. in the sense of
removing or putting away.

^ dix hommes] This singular
method of choosing four compurga-
tors hy lot out of a body of ten per-
sons produced on the part of the
defendant who waged his law, was
probably the relic of a yeiy early
practice. Nothing analogous in
other borough-towns is on record,
as far as the Editor is aware, twelve

being the common number of com-
purgators.

^forkes sey tierz] with only two
compurgators, himself being also
sworn.

* piers e comvners'] It would seem
from this passage that the terms
"peer and comuner" wero applied
to all burgesses resident within the
town of Ipswich. See chapter IL
above.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

171

tyme atteynted, be he put out of his offys all zeres. Add. MS.
And zif he discure the privetees of the corounne or ^*
the privetees of his soveraynes, thanne be he put out
of his offys in the maner afomseyd.

Also it is vsyd in the forseid toun, that zif plee of 1"T^-
dette that amounteth over xvj. d. oh} be moved a fom of lawe^to
the bally ves of the same toun be twixen burgeysys of ^^^J^j^P^®®
the toun, and that on burgeysys defend ' with sey the among
dette and defendeth hym by his lawe a zeyns that ^"^^^y*®*-
other burgeys, he that oweth to doon the lawe oweth
to ledyn with hym in to court, that day that he shal
doon his lawe, x. men, whiche shuUyn ben departed in
ij. partys, that is to wetyn, v. on that on part and
V. on that other part, be twixe which partyes a poynted
knyff owyth to ben cast, and tho v. toward whom the
hafte of the knyff lyth shuldyn ben putt of with oute
ony ooth doyng ; and that other v. toward whoto the
poynt lyth shull duellyn with hym that oweth to doon
that lawe, but of the v. that oon shal be remuyd,
in * the iiij. of hem shull makyn the ooth with hym
that oweth to doon the fomseyd lawe. But zif tho
dette amounte not xvj. d, oh, or lesse, he owghte not
to doon his lawe but hym self the thrydde. And it is
to wetyn that such usages holdyn not but by twixe
burgeys of the toun with inne, that men clepyth peeres
and oommouneres, and not betwixe burgeys foreyns.
And though it be so that a burgeys with ynne the toun
be enpleted by a burgeys foreyn in plee of dette, of
what summe that the dette be, thanne be that on or
that other at his lawe. And zif the plee be of such f. 23.

* 06.] i.e. obolom, a half-penny.
^defend] «dcfendaunt" should
be here read.

' in] *' and '' should be read for

" in."

172

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. qe la ley se peot joyndre, seyt celuy qe la ley aura
2.5,012. go^gQ receu en court a fere sa ley sey tierz.^ En meyme
la manere ver chescun autre estraunge. E fet asaver
qe cest ordre quant amener x. hommes en ley gagee
solom la fourme avauntdite ne deyt pas estre usee en
nul play, forkes en play qe est proprement de dette
detenue.

Cap°.
Ixxx*

passent
countre
lassise.

Item ordene ^est' qe nul pestour en la dyte vyle
ixxx«. j^g f^^Q gastel, symenel, ne primer coket si noun par
qetres- bulletel de Reyns; ne secund cokete sinoun par bul-
letel de beuquer; ne peyn enter de furment, si noun
de bon furme[n]t e de nete.* E qe nul pestour medle
bren ovesqes peyn de tutz manere de ble. E si nul
pestour veollie fere peyn fyngete,'* le face dil assise e
le vende pur tel com il est. E qi autre bulletel use pur
gastel, symenel, primer cokete, ou pur scecund cokete
qe ne est avaunt nome, a la primere feze seyt le
bultel ars * pres dil pillorie ; a la scecunde feze seyt le
bultel ars e le pestour amercye; a la tierce feze seyt
le bultel ars e le pestour aiuggee au pillory ; e a la
quarte feze seyt le bultel ars e le pestour foriurge le
mester en la dyte vyle de Gipp[ewyz] un an e tin
jour. £ si nul pestour seyt atteynt qil medle bren
ovesqes peyn de tutz manere de ble, seyt il puny par

f. 38. b.

1 sey tierz] that is with two
othen.
^nete] clean.

^fyngeW] fynget. Add. MS. 25,341.
^ ars] burnt Arcoun is med
above in chap. Izxi. for arson.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

173

kynde that the lawe may ioyndre, thanne be he that Add, MS.
his lawe hath wagyd resceyved in court to doon his '
lawe hym self the thrydde, and in the same inaner a
zenst every- other straunger. And it is to wittyn thrft
this ordre to bryngen x. men in lawe waged in the
fourme afomseid owyth not to ben usyd in ony plee,
but oonly in the plee that is propyrly of dette with
holdyn.

Also it is ord^yned that no baxter. of the forseid ixxvij.
toun make non wastell, symnell, ne the ferst coket,^ of Sx-
but zif * it be a bultell of Reynes, ne the secounde cokett, terys that
but it be * a bultell of beuker, ne breed hool of whete, » ^e^Se
but of good whete and heyl ; * and that no baxter ^J^-
medle bren with brede of all maner corD. And zif ony
baxter wil makyn white breed, thanne make he after*
the assise, after that the sellyng of corn is ; and that
he use non other bultell for wastell, symnell, ne for
cokett than is seid aforn, for zif he do at the ferst
tyme, be the bultell brend by the pyllorye ; att the
secunde tyme the bultell brend and the baxter amer-
cyed ; att the iij. tyme the bultell bi*end and the
baxter awarded to the pyllorye ; att the iiij. tyme* be
the • bultel brent and the baxter forswere the craft
[in the seid toun of Gippeswych] a zer and a day.
And zif ony baxter be atteynted that he medele bren *
with other '' maner com, be he punysshed be the same

^ wcutell, symnell, ne the ferst coket"]
The order of the words does not
correspoDd to the quality of the
hread. Symnel is supposed to haye
been bread of the best quality;
wastel was inferior to symnel, but
superior to cocket bread.

2 but zif] unless by bultel of
Rheiins or of Reunes. The name
Reynes may signify either of these
cities, but Rennes is probably here
intended, as the bultel was a bulting
cloth or a bolting- sieve for flour,
and Rennes was famous for its
manufactures of fine linen.

' but it fre] unless bultel of beu-
ker. The Editor is unable to ex-
plain the word beuker, unless it be
meant for a proper name, e.g. Beau-
caire, in Provence, -famous for its
annual fairs.

* Acy/] whole.

^ make he after'] '' make he yt
*^ after the assise, and selle he yt for
" that yt is " would be the correct
translation.

• bren"] bran.

7 with other"] this should be " with
« brede of all maner com," as above
in line 12.

174

LE DOMBSDAT DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. meyme la peyne e par meyme la penaunce, qil serreyt
'^' ' pur lassise de peyn enfreynte. E quant al assise de
peyn, si le pestour seyt trovee en deffaute, seyt il a la
primere feze, e a la secunde feze; e a la tierce feze
amercye solom la quantite de soun trespas, e a la
f. 38. b. quarte feze seyt il aiugge au piUorie, e a la quinte
feze foriurge il le mester un an e un jour. E qe ches-
cun pestour en la dyte vyle use soun mester en certeyn,
cast asaver les uns facent gafitel, primer ooket, e trayt^
taunt soulement ; e les uns symenel e trayt ; les uns
peyn enter de furment ^ e ' secund coket ; e les uns
peyn enter de furment e peyn de tutz manere de ble.
E si nul pestour en la dite vyle en autre manere le
mester use^' seyt il a la primere feze amercye a xij.
deniers, a la secunde a ij. sols, e a la tieroe feze a iiij.
sols, si il eyt dunt payer, ou foriurge le un mester e
lautre demi an, e ja le meyns seyt il puny pur lassise
de peyn enfreynte sil seyt trove en defeiute.

Capo. Ensement est ordene des braceresses,' qe apres le
Delirace- ^^7^ ^® Seynt. Michel, quant hom peot aver bon brays
resses, &c. de novel greyn, qe les baillifs de la dyte vyle faoent
cryer lassise de cerveyse par my la vyle solom ceo qe
la vente de ble serra. E si nul ou nule seyt trove qU
brace ou vende countre lassise e la crye, seyt il pimy
par les ditz baillifs e par la court pur le trespas solom
la fourme contenue en le statut de la marchancye nostre
seygnur le rey, e solom ley e usage du reaume.

1 trayi ] a eoane brown bread
made of onbolten meal, also called
tourte.

^ tn. autre manere le mester tue^
The English yersion "use other
*' myster '* seems warranted by the
subseqaent passsge ** foijurge le on
** mester et Tautre,'* forswear the
one and the other myster.

' braceretaes2 The bnsiness of

brewing was in the hands of females
down to the dose of the xrth cen-
tury, at which period Fleet Street,
in London, was tenanted almost
wholly by breweresses or alewives
and by makers of felt caps. See
Introduction to the Liber Albus of
the City of London, by H. T. Riley,
M.A., 1859, p. Iz. Hops were not
during this period used for beer.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

175

peyne that he shulde ben for the syse of the breed Add. MS.
brokyn ; for zif the baxter be foanden in the defaute ' '
of brekyng of the assise, thanne be he the ferst tyme,
the secunde, and the thrydde tyme amercied after the
quantyte of the trespas, and att the ferthe tyme awarded
to the pillorye, and att the fifte tyme forswere he the craft
for a zer and a day. And that every baxter in toun afor-
seid use his craft in 'certayn, that ia to wittyn, summe
makyn wastel^ ferst coket, and trayt all oonly; and
summe symnel and trayt ; and summe breed of hool
whete and breed of all maner of com. And zif ony
baxter in the forseid toun vse other myster, be he
amercyed at the ferst tyme xij. d., at' the secunde tyme
ij. 8., at the thrydde tyme iiij. 8,, zif he have wherof to
payen it, or ellys for swere he bothe mysteres half a
zere, and nevertheles be he punysshed for the assise
of breed brokyn zif he be founden in the defaute.

•

Also it is ordeyned of brewsteres, that after Michel- ixxviy.
messe moneth, whan men may have barlych ^ of newe qG?"^'-'
greyn, that the ballyves of the forseid toun doo cryen
assize of ale by all the toun, after that the sellyng of
corn be. And zif ther be founden ony that selle or
brewe a zeyns the assise and the crye, be he punysshed f. 28. b.
be the forseyd ballyves and by the court for the tres-
pas, after the fourme conteyned in the statute of mer-
chaundise ^ of oure lord the kyng, and after lawe and
usage of the same toun.

1 barlych ] The French word
"brays" seems to imply barley
prepared for brewing, in other
words "malt."

^ statute of merchauruUse'] Statute
of merchants, 13 Edw. I. st. 3.

176

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYiS.

Add. MS.
25,012.

Capo.
lxxxij<».
De vyn
coriimpa
dampner.

f. 39.

Item use est en la dyte vyle qe les baiUifs de raeyme
la vyle de au en an, en la sesoun entre veuz vyn e novel,
preygnent ovesqes eux des meuz vavez ^ de la vyle, e qil
aillient cercher totes les tavemes e tutz les celers en la
dite vyle, auxibien des privez com des estraunges, e par
serement des bons e leans gentz, taverners e autres, e par
lour avisement demeyne sourveyent e tastent tutz les
vynz qil troverunt en la dyte vyle en taveme ou en
eeler. E sil treovent nul qe seyt corumpu e perillous a
beyvre pur cors de horn me, ou par medler ovesqes novel
vyn, meyntenaunt saunz aver regard a nuly persone
facent les ditz baillifs saker hors^ meyme eel vyn jesqes
en le haut estree,^ e illeokes en comune veue des gentz
dampner, e le tonel ou la pipe, ou quel vessel qe ceo
seyt enfouncer ; e la vessele demeorge a les bailli& pur
lour fe.

Cap^ Item ordene est qe nul en la vauntdite vyle ne yende

Demesores^® achate par mesure de ble, vyn, cerveyse, ne de autre

de la vyle. lycour, ne par aune, ne par peys, sil ne seyent affeorez*

^ ' par lez estandardz de la vyle e sealeez du seal de la vyle,

cest asaver les mesures qe pount e dey vent merche^ de

seal porter. E si nul en la dyte vyle autre mesure ou

autre peys use, seyt il grevousement amercye, si de ceo

seyt atteynt. E qe les baillifs del avauntdite vyle, quel

houre qil veolent, preygnent par my la vyle totes les

mesures, aunes^ e peyes, e les facent affeorer e assayer

qe eles seyent bones e leles,* issi qe nule faucyne seyt

fete ne usee en teux manere des mesures en esclaundre

de la vyle, ne au damage du people.

' meux ifavez2 most substantial,
Kelham.

^ saker hors] draw off.

^ estree"] street. Haut- estrete is
found in Kelham.

* affeorez] AiToerer occurs in the
Liber Albus of the City of London

in the sense of valuing or assessing.
Afforare is the Latin equivalent.
The measures were to be verified
by the standards of the town.

' merche] mark of the seal.

^ lelta] loyal.

fwm

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 177

Also it is used in the forseyd toun that the ballives Add. MB.
of the same toun, from zer to zere, in the same toun, 25,011.
in the sesoun byfcwixen elde wynes and newe, shul [ixxxij.]
takyn with hem of the best vynteres ^ of the toun, J^^ ^^
and they shal goon and serchyn of all the tavemys and wyn co-
the oelerys of the toun, as weel of privy as of straunge, "*P*-
and by other* of good and trewe tavemeres and of
other men, and by avysement of hem self, they shal
tasten all the olde wynys that they fyndyn in the toun
in taveme or in celer. And zif they fyndyn ony wyn
that be corrupt and perlous to diynkyn for mannys
body, or for to raedelyn with newe wyn, a non with
out havyng reward to ony persone, the ballives of the
toun shal doo shakyn out that wyn in the hie strete,
and there in comoun sight of men dampnyn ' the tunne
or the pipe, and the vessell shal [duelle] to the baillifs
for her fee.

Also it is ordejnaed that non in the forseid toun of Izxx.
Gippeswich beie be mesure com or wyn, ale, or other fot^*^^'^
lycour, ne by elle ne by peys, but it be ferst aferyd by Mwyen
the standardys, and seled with the seel of the same toun ; the toune.
that is to wittyn of mesoures that mown and owyn
here marke and seel.^ And zif ony in the forseyd toun
use other medour or other peys, be he [grevously]
amercied zif he be ther of atteynted. And that the
ballyves of the forseid toun, what tyme that they
wyllyn, moun takyn raesures, elles, and weyghtes, and
doon hem [valued and] assayen which ben,'' so that non
fiEklshed be doon in the forseyd toun of Gippeswich
among such manor of mesurys in escla^ndre of the toun,
ne of damage to the pepele.

^ vynUrei\ This is a deviation
from the French text.

* " by oth " should be here read.

' dampnjfn\ condemn.

^ marke and aeet] mark of the
seal.

* which ben] The French text
requires the words ** that they ben
« good and loyal, so that, &o."

VOL. II. M

178

LE BOMESDAT DE OIPPEWTZ.

f. 41.

Debere-
men*

Add. MS. Item do ceux qe sunt appelez wyndragheres au cay
S5,oi2. ^j^ ig^ ^Hq Yyi^ gg^j ordene, qe le mestre e le sovereyn

chevinteyn ^ do eel office eyt desonth luy xij, a oel
office fere^ pur les queux il voudra respoundre a gynder
les vyns qe venent a la dyte vyle, e pur herberger*
les, e a fere ceo qe a eel office appert, issi qe nul autre
ne se medle entre ceux de ^el office saunz lour cunge,
si ne seyt en defaute de eux meymes. E fet asaver,
qil deyvent prendre de chescun tonel de vyn pur le
gynder e pur berberger le sour meyme le cay ou il
est gynde, e pur coudier le tonel, ij. d. E si le tonel
seyt herberge en celer ou en taverne joygnaunt a meyme
le cay qe passe le real chemyn, ij. d. 6b, E pur tutz
autres luz plus forejna, iij. d E pur cbescun tonel de
vyn qe seyt ^a burgeys de la dite vyle charge sour
carette e descharge en meyme la vyle, ij. d, ob. E si
le tonel seyt descharge en celer par fund, iij. d» E de
chescun tonel de vyn qe seyt a burgeys denzeyn lottaunt
e escotaunt a meyme la vyle, qe seyt charge e mene hors
de la vyle, ij. d, De chescun foreyn burgeys qe ne
seyt pas lottaunt ne escottaunt com peer e comuner,' e
de chescun autre foreyn, iij. d, E bien se avyse le
chevinteyn dil office avauntdyt qe les xij. qe serunt de
south luy a fere meyme le office, qil seyent teux qe
sachent e pount bien e sagement le dit office fere ; kar
si nul tonel de vyn perice ou autre damage aveygne
entre lour meyns par lour defaute, le dit chevinteyn

' cheuinteyn'} principal, chieftain.
Cheyesten and cheveteyne are forms
of the same word. Cf.. Black Book
of the Admiralty, pp. 294, 471.

^ herberger] to store them.
'^ peer e conanuner] See abore,
chapter li.

TH£ DOMUS DAT OF OIPPESWICH.

179

Also of hem that ben clepyd wyn diaweres at the Add. M&
cay of the forseyd toun, it is ordeyned that the raaister f j?^?*
and the soverayn cheyventan ' of that offys shal have of bere-
undyr hym xij. to that offys to done, of which he shal ™®^*
wyllyn answere, to gyen * the wynes that comyn to the
forseyd toun, and for, to herberwyn hero, and to doo
that longyth to her office, so that non other medele a
monge hem of that offis with oute he leve, so that it be
not put in the defaute of hem selff. Also they owyn
to take of every tig:me wyn for to gyen it and to
herberwyn it of that same cay [where it is hoisted, and
to lay it down],ij. c?. And zif the tunne be herberwyd
in celer or in taveme neygh joynyng the same cay, so
that it passe the kynges weye, ij. d. oh. And for alle
other led ferther ' thanne, iij. d. And for every tunne
that ys a bur[g]eysys of the same toun chargyd on
carte or * discharged in the same toun, ij. d. oh. And
zif it be discherged in a depe celer, iij. d. And of a
tunne that is [to] a bur[g]eysys [withinne] lottyng
and scottyng [to the same toun, that be charged and]
led out of the toun, ij. d. Of every foreyn burgeys that
ys not lottyng ne skottyng as per and comoun.* And
of every other foreyn, iij. d And wel avyse hym the
cheftayne of the forseyd offys that the xij. men, the
which shul ben undyr hym to doon the same office,
that they ben suche that cunnyn and moun weel and
wysely to doone the same office ; for zif ony tunne of
wyn perysshe or ony other damage come to a mong
her handys by her defaute, the forseyd cheventayn shal

^ cheyventan] Cheyenteyii is the
fonn naed in the Chronicle of
Bobert of Gloucester, and also in a
song of the Flemish insurrection in
the reign of Edw. I., published by
Mr. Wright in his Collection of
Political Songs, p. 188.

2 gyen] The French word " gyn-
** der " is the same with " guynder,"

which is used in the Bolls of Ole-
ron, ch. x., in the sense of hoisting
up barrels at the unlading of ships.
3 led/ertlier] for all other more
distant places.

* or] " and " should be here read.

* peere and commouner] These
terms are peculiar, as explained in
ch. li. of the Domesday.

M 2

180 LE DOMESDAY DE> GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. respoundra pur le damage. E eyt il soun recourir ver ceux
25,012. qe le dit office unt enpris desouth luy pur lour de&ute
sure si il voillie ver eux, solom ley e usage de la vyle.
E si nul de eux sey t rebel e contrariaunt a soun sovereyn,
issi qil ne voillie soun office fere auxi com afieert, eyt
son sovereyn poer de enouster cely, e mettre un autre
6Q soun lu pur qi il voudra respoundre.

Des meoles,^ trusseux de draps, toDeux de weyde,
barils de cendres, e tutes autres choses forpris vyns,
ordene est qe les autres povres portours pussent entour
f. 41. b. teux choses travaiUier e lour vyvre gaygner ovesqes
les avauntditz xij. beremen. E qil preygnent de chescune
meole ' pur le gynder, e pur asser la meole de denz
mesoun ou de hors, j. d. E pur charger une meole
blaunche iiij. d.^ pur meole grys iij. d. E si la meole
seyt a un burgeys de la vyle denzeyn qe seyt per e
comuner, e seyt cbargee e dischargee en meyme la vyle,
seyt prys en meyme la manere. E si ele seyt chargee
en la vyle, e nyent deschargee, adunkes ne seyt prys
du dyt burgeys de un meole blaunche forkes iij. d,, e de
une meole gris ij. d.

Item de chescun tonel de weyde, pur le gynder j. d.,
e pur le charger j. d. oh. De chescun baryl de cendres,
pur le gynder o6., e pur le charger une carrettee j. d o6.
E pur chescune charettee des trusseux de draps, pur le
gynder, e pur le charger, e pur le Iyer sour la carette,
iiij. d. Pur chescun saake de leyne pur le gynder, 6b.
De chescune manere de merz ' en bale ou en frael ou
en menuz trusseux, qe ^ne' sunt pas gyndez, pur le
charger e pur le Iyer sour carette, iij. d. Item de chescun

1 mede9\ bales. MS. Add. 25,341. | > merz] merebandise.
' meoW] bale. I

THE DOMUSDAT OF GIPPESWICH.

181

answeryn for the harme ; and he shal have his recure Add. MS.
a zens hem that han undyrtakyn the forseyd offys vndyr ^*»®^^"
hym for her defiftute, zif he wil pursuyn to hem after
the lawe and usage of the forseyd toun. And zif ony
of hem ben rebelle and contraryoos to his soverayn^ so
that he wil not doon his office as he oweth to doon,
thanne his soverayn may put hym off, and put an other
in his stede for which he wil answere.

Of smal^ trussys of dothys, tunnes of woide,^ barell
of syndres, and all other thynges oute takyn [piys]
wynes, it is ordeyned that other power,' porturys or
bererys, moun travaylyn among these thynges, and
getyn her lyvyng with the forseyd bererys, and they
takyn of every males ^ for to bryngyn it with ynne
hous or wyth outen, a peay ; and for to chargyn on
meole quyt* iiij., for grey iij. A And zif he be a flw-
burgeys of the toun that is pere and comoun,® and be
ladyn and onladyn in the same toun, be it takyn in the
same maner. And zif it be ladyn in the toun, and not •

onladyn, thanne be it takyn of the burgeys for oon
meole quyte but ij. d.? and of on grey ij. d

Off every tunne of wood ' for to ledyn j. A, and for
to chargyn j. d 06. Of every barel of syndrys lor to
bryngyn ob., and for to chargyn a cart j. d 06. For eche
carte of trussys of doythis, for to bryngyn and for to
ladyn it, and for to byndyn it on the carte, iiij. d.
And for eche sak of wuUe for to brynge it, oh. Of
eche maner merchaundyse in bale, or in &rdele, or
in lasse trussys that ben not brought, for to ladyn
and byndyn on the carte, iij. c2. Also of every sak

^ MiaZ] meoles is tranalated bales
in MS. Add. No. 25,341.

3 wQidt\ woad, a 4>lant used for
dyeing of a black colour.

* p<noer'] poor.

< males^ that is, bags or bales.

* 9«fy0 " ▼bite," that is, of white
wool,

' comoun'] commoaner.

' hut iJ. dJ] ig. d. should be here
read.

^ wood] woad.

182

LE DOMESDAY DB GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. saake de leyne porte dil Estgate, ou dil Nortbgate, ou
25,012. ^Q autare lu en la vyle taunt loyns jesqes au kay, j. d. 6b.
Dil Westgate ou dautre lu taunt loynz, ij. d. Item pur
cbescun saake de leyne charge e descharge en la vyle, 6b,
Item de chescun fees ^ de "ble, haranges, peyscoun, feer,
e de autre chose portee du kay jesqes au marche de
peyscoun ou aylliours en la vyle taunt loynz qua., e si
plus loynz plus seyt paye solom^estimacioun d^ lu. Item
pur yj. fees portez jesqes a la comere jadys Hughe Leu,
ou a la mesoun Alisaundre Margarete,^ iuste le molyn
qe est appele le Newe Melne, ou ailliours en la vile
taunt loynz, j. d. Item pur viij. fees jesqes a la
mesoun Baldri Horaud ou Hughe Davy, ou aylliours
taunt loynz, j. d. Item pur x. fees jesqes a la mesoui)
Roger le Mestre,' ou ailliours taunt loynz, j. d E si
par cas aveygne qe vyns veygnent a divers kays de
la dite vyle, e qe les avauntditz xij. beremen ne pount
suffire a gynder e a herberger meyme les vyns auxi
com fere deyvent, a dunkes preygne lour cheuenteyn
f 42. a luy partye des portours en eyde de meyme les xij.
beremen, issi qe marchauntz, privez e estraunges, pus-
sent bien a covenablement estre servyz, payaunt a
meyme les portours pur lour travayl auxi com il affiert
solom ceo qe il y ad de eux numbre des persones. E
bien se avysent les avauntditz xij. beremen e tutz les
autres portours, qil seyent prestz a servyr a totes gentz,
e a fere ceo qe a lour office appert. £ si defaute par
rebelte* seyt trove en eux ou en nul de eux, ou qe
nul de eux se alloygne par malice ou par feynte cause,"
par quey le people ne sejrt pas servy auxi com affiert
a lour office, seyt celuy meymes en qi la defaute serra

^fetM] a bundle, faBcia. Sack u
used in Add. MS. 25,341.

' AUsandre Margarete] One of
the twentj-fonr burgesses sworn to
re-compile the Domesday, p. 19. The
name of Alexander Margery occurs

in the list of town bailliflEs in the
reign of Edw. II.

' Roger U Mestre} The name of
this bufgess appears in the list of
haiilifis of the town two years before.

* rebelte ] rebellite, rebellion.
Kelham.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

183

of wuUe born from the est gate, or the north gate. Add. MS.
or from ony other ferre place of the toun to the *^'^^^'
cay^j- d. ob,, from the west gate, or from ony other
place BO ferre, ij. d. Also for every sak of wulle
ladyn and unladyn [in the toun] ob. Also of every
feez of come, heryng, fyssh, iryn, and of other thyng
bom from the cay to the fyssh markett, or owher eUys
in to the toun so ferre,^ for the ferthere that it be
bom the more be payd 'after estimacioun of the place.
Also for vj. fysshes * borne to Howe Lewys, corouner, or
to the hous of Alisaundre Margaret near the mylle
that is called the Newe Mylle, or eny place so ferre, j. d.
Also for viij. fysshes bom to the hous of Baldry Horold
or Howe Davy, or eny place so ferre, j. d. Also for x
fyssh ' bom to the hous of Roger Maister or owher ellys
so ferre, j. d. Also if it faile by cas that wynys comjm
to divers cayes of the toun, and the forseid xij. bererys
mown not suffysen to drawyn and to herberwyn the
wynys as they weryn wont to doon, thanne shal her
maister takyn to hym porturys in helpe of xij. beremen,
so that merchauntz, privy and straunge moun weel and
convenabely be seruyd, payeng the same portuiys for
her trauayle after the nombre of personys. And aviso
hem the xij. beremen of ^ alle tother porturys, that they
ben redy for to servyn all other folk, and to doon that
longeth to her office. And zif the defaute for rebelte
be founden in hem or in ony of hem, or that ony of
hem aloyne hym self by malice or by cause feyned^
Av^herthorugh the pepele is not servyd as it longeth to
her office, he that in whom the defaute ys foimden, at

^ ferre] "a farthing" should be
inserted here, if the contraction in
the French text is intended to de-
note ** qnadrans," as is probable.

^fyetkee ]," fees " should be here

read instead of fysshes, as well as in
the next following sentence.

*Jys8h] "fees" shoold be here
read.

<o/] "and" should be read
here.

.184 L£ DOMESDAT DE QIPP£WYZ.

Add. MS. trove a la primere feze a^rde a la prisoun treys jours
25,012. gg^jjj^' grace aver, e ala seconde feze viij. jours saunz
grace aver; e a la tierce feze seyt il suspendu dil
office denii aan, e a la quarte feze tut laan entere-
ment. £ ensement se ayise bien le cheventeyn des
avauntditz beremen qil eyt poleyns e autres choses
qe appendunt a soun office, dunt le people peot estre
servy ; kar si gentz seyent deservyz par defaute de ceo
qe a luy appert trover, il seiTa tenuz a respoundre dil
damage si la partye se veoyllie de luy pleyndre. E
ensemcDt se aviso chescun portour, qil eyt saake ' e ceo
qe appent a soua office, si il veoillie en la vyle de eel
office vyvre. E si il ne se voillie de teu cbose
purveyr, seyt il suspendu dil office.

Ceo sunt les custumes apurtenauntz a la ferme le
rey de la vyle de Gipp[ewyz] a prendre en meyme la
vyle des dlverses marchaundises, qe venent de denz
la fraunchise de la vyle a vendre des diverses choses,
nomement de ceux qe. deyvent custume payer en la
manere desoutb dite cest asaver.

I. De chescun tonel ou pipe de vin, vinegre, cicer, esyl,

dilkay. ® ^^ ^^^^ autre manere de Hcour qe vyent de denz
la fraunchise de la dite vyle a vendre, seyt piys ii. rf.
a la custume le rey ; de chescun tonel ou pipe de meel
oyllie oynt e de teu manere de marchaundise, ij.rf.
E sil seyt vendu par galouns, a dunkes seyt pris de
chescuns c. galouns, iiij. d, E de meyns meyns solom
la quantite. De chescun baryl de pyz ou de jemme,*
j: d, De chescun tonel de cerveyse carye ou mene hors
^ de la dite vyle dever la meer ou deveer les partyes
de la meer a vendre, iiij. d., cest asauer si le tonel
seyt achate par eame.' E si le tonel seyt achate par

1 aaake] saak, a bag. Kelliam. | ' eame] computation. Add. M8b
>jemme] resin or tar. | 25,341.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

185

the ferst tyme he shal be put in prisoun [thre dayes] Add. MS.
with oute grace ; the secunde tyme viij. dayes ; the iij. ^5,oii.
tyme he shal be suspended of his office half a zer ;
the iiij. tyme for alle zerys. Also avyse hym weel the
maister of the beremen that [he have] the levours* I'as. b.
and other thynges [that] longyn to his office, that the
pepele may ben serued : for zif folk ben unserved of
thynges that hym longeth to fyndyn he shal answere
of harme and damage zif the partye will pleynyn. Also
avise hym eche portour that he have a sak, and that
that longeth to his offys zif he wil be that offys lyvyn
in the toun. And zif he wil not purveyen hym of such,
be he suspended of his office.

These ben the custumys longyng to the ferme of the
kyng of the toun of Gippeswych to takyn in the same
toun of divers merchaundysys that comyn with ynne
the fraunchise of the toun for to sellyn^and of divei^
thynges, and namely of thynges that owyn to payen
custum in the maner vndyrseyd, that ys to wittyn.

Off every tunne or pipe of wyn, vynegre, syther, i-
eysel,* and of all other maner of licoures that comyn th?k^.*^
with ynne the fraunchise of the forseid toun to be selde,
be takyn to the custum of the kyng, ij. d. Of ^very
tunne or pipe of hony or of oyle [or ointment],* or of
such maner merchaundyse, ij. d. And if it be seld be
galounnys, than be it takyn of every c. galouns, iiij. d.
And of lasse lasse after the quantite. Off every barell
of pych or of terre, j. d. Off every tunne of ale caryed
or led out of the toun to the see or toward the partyes'
of the see for to be sold, iiij. c?., that ys to wittyn zif
the tunne be seld by ame. But zif it be bought by

^ levoura] i.e. poles to act as
levers.

^ eysei ] Esylle is rendered by
Mr. Waj, in the Fromptorinm Far-

Tulorum, as aeetom, which is again
rendered, ayselle, or bytter wine.

' ointiMnt ] tallow. Add. MS.
25,341.

186

L£ DOMESDAY D£ OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. mesure, a dunkes seyt pris de chescun c. galouns, iiij, d.
25,012. jy^ chescun tonel de weyde, ij. d, De chescun baryl
de cendres de weyde,^ ij. d, De chescun tonel ou pipe de
arguel,' coperose ;' e de autre teu manere de marchaun-
dise, iij d ; e si ceo seyt arguel, coperose, ou autre teu
manere de marchaundise qe seyt vendue par centeynes^
a dunkes seyt pris de chescune oenteyne, iiij. d. De
chescune tonel ou pipe de cardoun/ ij. d. De chescun
rundelete ou bastoun de meyme la marchaundise, oh.
Item de chescun trussel ou barde de drap qe vyent au
dit kay lye des cordes seyt pris iiij. d, De chescun
fardel deslye, \y d. E si le trussel ou la barde ou le
fardel seyt deslye, e partye de ceo seyt vendu en la
vyle, adunkes seyt la custume prise par les pieces solom
la fourme contenue en le marche de drap. Item de
chescun trussel ou barde de canevaz lye des cordes, iiij. d.
' E de chescun fardel deslye, ij d. De chescun a de canevaz
vendu par c, iiij. d. Item des draps de Coggeshale, Mal-
doun, Colecestre, Sudbery, e des autres diups qe sunt
achatez en le payis, e qe venent en la dite vyle en
meyns de marchauntz pur passer au kay ver les partyes
de la meet, lequel qe meyme les draps seyent en trussel
ou en barde ou en fardel, lye ou deslye, ou en tonel ou
hors de tonel, seyfc la custume le rey de teux draps
issi achatez en le foreyn paye par les pieces pur le
mener hors.du reaume ; cest asaver de chescune piece
de duble laour, qe lem appele tomenneshete,'' j. d E de
chescune piece de mendre laour, qe lem appele oman-
neshete,^ oh, Mes si teux manere des draps, com
avaunt sunt nomez, seyent achatez en meyme la vyle

£48.

^ de w€yd€\ These words seem
to be redandant.

^arguel] Argoil occnrs in the
Liber Albas of the Citj of London,
in coi^nnction with copper, tin, &c.
Some writers interpret it to mean
cream of tartar, others eixplain it as
being potter's clay.

* cop<roff«] lliis word if trans-

lated " vitriola" in the Promptoiinm
Parvnlomm.

^ cardoun ] probably chardon,
teazel for carding wool.

' Umenneahete ] tomennessette
below, p, 196.

* omaniiMAete] omannessete be-
low, p. 196.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICHE.

187

mesore, thanne be takyn of eyery c. galounnys, iiij. d. Add. MS.
OflF every tunne of wod, ij. d. Off every barel of syn- ^*'^"-
drys, ij. d. Of every tunne or pype of coprose ai^d of
other such maner merchaundyse, ij. d. And zif it be seld
by the hundred, custiim of every c., iiij. d. Off every
tunne or pipe of wod,^ ij. d. Of every rundelet* [or
basioun] of the same merchaundise, ob. Also of every
trusse or pakke ^ of cloth that comyn to the cay
boundyn ^¥ith cordys, iiij. d. Off every fardel un-
boundyn, ij. d. And zif the trusse, pakke, or fardel be
unboundyn, and part therof be seld in to the toun,
thanne be the custum takyn by the peces after the
fourme in the cloth market. Also of every trusse or
pakke or cannevas boundyn with cordys, iiij. d. And
of eche fardel unboundyn, ij. d. Of eche c. canvas seld
by the c, iiij. d. Also of doth of Cogeshale, Maldon,
Colchestre, Sudbury, and of other clothes that ben
bought in the cuntre and comyn in to the toun iu to
morchauntz handys for to pass from the cay to the
partyes of the see, the which clothes be in trusse or in
pakke or in fardel, boundyn or unboundyn, in tiinne
or with oute tunne, be custoum of the kyng of swych
clothes so bought in the market payd by the peces
for to ledyn it out of the reme, that is to wittyn, of
eche pece of doubele werke, that men clepeth to manny-
shete, j. d. And of eche lasse ^ that men clepeth oon f. 26.
mannys hete, ob. But zif such maner of clothes as
ame afome nemyd be bought in the same toun [of

^ wod ] cardoan is translated
teazel in Add. MS. 25,841.
' rttndeUt'] a small cask.
> pakke] barde. Add. MS. 25,341.

* eche /a«fe] " each piece of lasse
'* werk^'' would be the correct
translation of the French text

188

LE DOHESBAT BE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. de Gipp[ewyz], seyt de ceo la dreyte custume paye em
26,012. Yq raarche, ou le drap est achate. E ja le meyns meyme
les draps seyent mys en tonel pur passer au kay outre
meer, seyt illeoqes paye par le tonel ij. c2. a la dite
custume le rey. E ensement pur trussel • e pur barde
lye des cordes^ iiij. d. ' E pur fardel deslye, ij. d. Item
de chescun lest des leynes^ qe seyent a un soul mar-
chaunt, viij. d, ; de demi lest iiij. d. E si meyns y eyt,
adunkes seyt pris de chescun saake iiij. d.; e de chescun
pokete iiij. d. Item de chescun lest des meoles, viij. d. ;
de demi lest iiij. d. E si meyns y est qe demi lest,
adunkes seyt pris de chescune meole j. d, De chescun
lest des meyn meoles, iiij. d.; de demi lest ij. d. E si
mejms y est qe demi lest, adunkes seyt prise chescune
couple ob. t>e chescune piere qe est appele Slipston,
ob. E de teux pieres nenz ne seyt pris par le lest. De
chescun c. de fraunche piere e de neyre piere qe est
appele ragston, iiij. d. De chescune piece de piere taillie
de marbre, com de sarcutz,' covercles, croyz, pieres,
a fountz,' e autres teux manere de pieres, ob, ; oest
asaver dU vendour sil seyt custumer ; e autaunt dil
akatour sil Bteyi marchaunt. De chescun c des morters,
iiij. d. E si mejois y est, adunkes seyt pris de ches-
cune dozeyne j. <I. De chescun mouncel ^ de piastre,
pb. De chescune manere de marchaundise • ke vyent
en bale, tfeyt pris par la bale iiij. d, £ si ceo seyt
marchaundise qe seyt vendue e peysee par centeyne,
com brasyl, alum, alemajindes, rys, e autre teu manere
f. 43. b, de marchaundise, adunkes seyt pris par le c, iiij. d. Item
de chescun frael des fyges, reysins, e de totes autres
choses mys enfrael, seyt pris pur le frael ob, De ches-
cun c. de greyne,^ demi marc. De chescune dozeyne de
cordewane horde bale, iiii. d. De chescun millier de

^ IcMt des ieyneB] A lait of wool
was twelye taekB.

3 tarcutz] coffins. Sarens, a se-
pulchre. . kelham.

> pierei afountz] fonts.
^ mounc^ heap. Add. MS.
25,341.

* grejfne] grain.

THE DOMUS DAT OF OIPPESWICH.

189

Gippewyz] the right custum of tho be payd in the Add. MS.
mercatt ther the clothes ben bought And zif the same ^*'^^^'
clothes ben put in tunne for to passen from the cay
be zonde the see, be ther payd for the tunne ij. d to
the custum of the kyng. And also for the trasse and
for the pakke boundyn with cordes, iiij. d. And for
the fardel unboundyn, ii. d. Also of every last of wulle
that comyth to oon merchaunt alone, viij. d. ; and of
half a last iiij. d. And zif that it be lasse, be takyn
of every sak iiij. d. ; and of every poket, iiij. d Also
of every last of meolys,^ viij. d, [of half a last, iiij. d]
And zif ther be lasse than half a last, thanne be takyn
of every meole j. d. Off eche last of lesse meolys, iiij. d. ;
of half a last, ij. d. And zif ther be lasse thanne half
a last, thanne be takyn of eche coupele, 6b. Of eche
ston that ys depyd slikeston ' [o&.], and of suche stonys
nothyng be takyn by the last . Off every c. of freston
and of blak ston that is depyd raggeston, iiij.d Off
every pece of ston entayle or marble,' as of thurwys,
coverclys, crossys, stonys, or fnntys, and other sudi
maner of stonys, oh. ; 8.* of the seller zif- he be custum-
mer, and so mochel of the beyer zif he be merchaunt.
Of eche c. of morter, iuj. d. And zif ther be lasse, be it
takyn of eche doseyn yd. Of eChe mousel aplastre, oh.
Of eche maner merchaundise that comyn in bale, be it
takyn for the bale iiij. d. And zif it be such maner
merchaundyse that be seld and weyen by the c, as
brasyl'e,'^ alom, almondys, rys, or other such maner
merchaundyse, for every c, iiij.d Also for every firael
fygges, reyseyns, and of aU other thynges put in frael,
for the frael, oh. Of eche c. greyn, half a marc. Of every
doseyn of cordewayn out of bale, iiij.d. Of eche ml. of

1 meobff] bales, Add. MB. 25,841.

' sUkeaton] SiUcstone is probablj
the modern name of this stone.

\or marhle\ *'of every piece of
** stone wTonght of marble " would
be nearer' the French text

* «.] that ys to wittyn.

^ hrtuyT] Probably a wood nsed
for dyeing of a bright red colour,
said to be so called from braise or
red-hot coals. •

190

LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. feer de Espaygne vendu par millier, iiij. d.;ede ches-
' ^' cun quintal vendu par sey, j. d, De chescun c. de bac
iren/ iiij. d. De chescun c. de feer de Nonnandyei
iiij. d. De chescune summe de feer velu, ij,d. De
chescun karre * de plom, viij. d, ; de chescun fotmel,* j. c?.
De chescun c. de teym, arrem,* e de quyure; iiij. d, De
chescun baryl de ascer,' ij. d. De chescune garbe • de
ascer vendue par sey, quadrans dil akatour. De ches-
cun fees de ascer vendu par sey, obole. De osemund ^
seyt la custume prise en mayme la manere com de
ascer. De chescune pece oure ^ de arrem, latoun, ou de
quyure, seyt pris quadrans.

Item de chescun millier de blaunkes de veyr,' ij. 8. ;
de demi millier, xij. d. E si meyns y eyt qe demi
millier, adunkes seyt pris de chescun tymber iiij. d,
De chescun millier de popel strendlinges e de rotes,
xij.cl. ; de demi millier, vj. c?. E si meyns y eyt qe
demi millier, adunkes seyt pris de chescun tymber ij. d
De chescun c. des peals .lannes ou pelees passaunt horde
terre, en sarpeUers ou hors de sarpellers, iiij. d, De
chescun c. des peals ayguelyns, bogee, conyns, gopyls,
chatz, e des autres teux manere des peals passauntz hors
de terre, en bale ou horde bale, iiij. d. E si teu ma-
nere de peals seyent venduz au kay ou aylliours en la
vyle par centeynes, adunkes seyt pris de chescune cen-
teyne iiij. d. Item de chescun lest de quyrs de vaches
ou des chyvals, viij. d, ; de demi lest, iiij. d, E si meyns

> bac iren"] wrought iron.
' harre'] A charre of lead con-
tained thirty pigs.

* fotmel] A fotmel or pig of
lead contained seventy pounds, but
the measure varied in weight in
different localities.

* arrem"] airain, brass.'
^ aacer'] acier, steel.

* garbe"] a sheaf.

7 Osmund] a kind of ore or iron
stone. Cowell.

* pece oure] piece of ore.

' blaunkes de veyr] a spotted for
of the ermine or squirrel kind. Yair,
as a fur, is represented in heraldry,
the colours of the field being argent
and the bells or spots being axore,
or vice versa.

THE DOMUS DAT OF GIPPESWICH.

191

yryn of Spayne, iiij. d., zif it be seld by the ml. Of -A^dd. MS.

eche quintale seld by the self, j. d. [Of eche c. of bac '

yryn, iiij. d] Of eche ml of yryn of Ncfrmandye, iiij. d.

Of eche sum me of eld yryn ij. d Of eche carre of lede,

viij. d. ; of eche fotmel, j. d. • [Of eche c. of tin, brass,

and of copper, iiij. d] Of ech barell of bras,^ ij. d.

Of eche garbe of bras • seld bye hym self, gtwx.* [from

the beyer]. Of eche fez of brasse seld by the self, ob.

Of Osmond be the costum takyn as of brasse, of eche

pece of ore brass, laten, or copper be takyn quadrans.

Also of eche ml. of qwii of grene, ij. s, ; of half
a ml., xij. d. And zif ther be lasse thanne half a ml.,
thanne be takyn of eche tymbnr iiij.d Of eche mL
pople stranglyng ' and of wheels, xij. d, ; of half a ml.,
"vj. d. And of lasse, of eche tymbur ij. d. Of eche c.
wnlle skynnys or pealed passing outland, in sarpeller * or
out of sarpeler, iiij. d Of eche a of lambrys skynnys,
bogee,* conyns,® foxis, cattyn, and of alle other maner t 26. Ik
skynnes passyng out of the lend, in bale or out of
bfJe, iiij. d And zif such maner of skynnys ben seld
at the cay or owher ellys in the toun by the c, of
eche c, iiij. d Also of eche last of skynnes of net
and hors, viij. d ; of halff a last, iiij. d [And zif ther

* bras'] " steel " onght evidently to
be read here and in the next tliree
paragraphs in place of ** bras " and
« brasse."

' quadransl that is " a fiurthing.''

^ pople stranglyng] a species of
far from the back of a squirrel.

^ sarpeler] a sarplor or pocket of
wool was half a sack, Cowell.

* bogee] badger.

* conyns] rabbits.

192 LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. y est qe demi lest, adunkes seyt pris de chescun daker *
' iiij.d E si mejms y est de un daker, a dunkes seyt
pris de chescun quyr obole.

Item de chescun lest de haranges soor vendu par lest
enter, iiij. d, dil vendour. E si meyns y est de un lest,
adunkes seyt pris de chescun millier, obole. De ches-
cun lest de haranges freys ou salee, iiij.d del vendour,
horpris de ceux qe le peschent meymes. De chescun
cent, de tutz manere de dur peyscun, ij. d. De chescun
samoun, quadrans. De chescun quintal de baleyne, iiij. d,

f. 44. Item de chescun cent de cire vendu par poys, iiij. d,
E si ele seyt en &ael lye des cordes, seyt pris par le
frael iiij. d. De chescune waghe * de formage, bure, e
de su* vendue par sey, iiij.d. ^E si bure seyt mys
en corce,* seyt pris pur la piece, ob/ De chescune
waghe de meyme la marchaundise paoeaunt horde terre,
en tonel ou hors de tonel, iiij. (2.

Item de chescun cent de espez, bokelers, targes, e
costz de eu, iiij. d. E si meyns y ey t, seyt pris solom
la quantite, oest asaver dU vendour, e auxi dil akatour
sil seyt marchaunt. De lege vidz corkel ne de teyle a
treefes ne de welde seyt nule custume prise. De ches-
cun cent de bord de Irelaunde ou de Estlaunde qe
lem appele elyynges ou waynscot, ou de autre teu
mauere bord, iiij. d De chescun cent de menu bord
qe lem appele baryl bord ou shyngelbord, j.d. De
chescun cent des avyrouns' auges, gates, e autre teu
manere de marchaundise tayllie de merym,^ iiij. d.

^ daAer'\ diker is the more nsoal
foim. It ocean in the Inquisition
taken at Qoinboroogh, 49 £d. III.,
recorded in the Black Book of the
Admiralty, p. 140. A diker of
hidea was half a score.

* waghe] A wey or weigh of cheese
contained two hmdied and fifty-

six pounds ayoirdapois. 9 H. VI.
ch. viii.
' de ««] lard.

* corce] bark or skin.

^ avyrouna] oars, tronghs, and
bowls. Add. MS. 25,341.

* tayttie de merym} cut out of
wood.

THE DOMUS DAY OP QIPPESWICH. 193

be lasse thanne half a last, thanne be takyn of eche Add. MS.
dagyr iiij. d] And zif ther be lasse thanne a dagyr, ^^'^^^*
thanne be takyn of eche skyn, ob.

Also of eche last of red heryng^ seld by the last
to gydyr, iiij. d. of the seller ; and zif ther be lasse
thanne the last, thanne of eche ml. ob. Of eche last
of heryng, fressh or salt; iiij. cZ. of the seller, saf of
hym that fysshyn it hem self. Of eche hundred of
all maner of hard fyssh, ij. d. Of eche samon, j. d}
Of eche quintal of balayn,' iiij. d

Of eche c. wax seld by peys, iiij. d And zif it be in
frael bounden with cordys, for the frael iiij. d Of eche
weye of chese buttyr seld by the self, iiij. d. And zif
the buttyr be put in corce, be takyn for the pece, ob.
Of eche weye off the same merchaundyse passyng out
of the toun, in tunne or out of tunne, iiij. d

Also of eche hundred of swerdys, bokeleres, dagardys,'*
[coats of mail],^ and such maner of merchaundyse,
iiij. d ; [and zif ther be lasse, be takjn after the quan-
tite, that ys to wittyn of the seller, and also of the
beyer zif he be raerchaunt]. Of mylk corkel ne of til
be take non custum. Of eche cent, of horde of Irlond
or of Estlond, that men clepyth eluying * or waynscot,
or of other such maner bord, iiij. d. Of eche cent, lasse
bord that men clepeth barel bord or shyngyl bord, j. d.
Of eche cent, herouns, gees, dookys, and other such
merchaundyse [cut out of timber], iiij. d Of eche xij.

1 last of red heryng'] The last
was twenty thousand. Haring sor
ocean in Liber Custumarom, p. 192.
Sor is from the old French word
sorir, to dry with smoke.

^ salmon j.d,"] The French text
has quadrans, a farthing, which is
mentioned below as the custom of
the fish market*

^ quintal of balayn'] The fish

here meant is probably a small
kind of whale. See Black Book of
Admiralty, p. 152. A quintal con-
tained 100 pounds. ** Quantum
** Delphinis balana Britannica ma-
** jor.'* Juvenal, Ix. 14.

* dagardys] targets.

' coats ofmaiQ So translated in
Add. MS. 25,341.

« eluyng'] elvyng, eaying.

VOL. II. N

194

I.E DOMESDAY DB GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS.. De chescune douzaine de chapeux, j.d. De chescune
85,012. j^^£jg ovesqes scaltreen ^ qe vyent a la vyle ou de denz
la fraunchiae de meyme la vyle qe marchaandise meyne,
iiij. d. De chescune nefe ovesqes bauns e beyles,* ij. d.
De chescun batel ovesqes orloks,' j.d. De chescun batel
ovesqes tolletz/ ob. De chescune flote des reys qe
sunt sechiez sour sekke terre, iiij. d, De chescun ba-
cun enter passaunt dever les partyes de la meer, ob.
De chescune perne par sey, qua. De chescun chyval
passaunt horde terre, iiij. c?. De chescun gemer de
weyde, iiij. d. De chescun quarter de weyde mesure
par comune mesure de la vyle, obole, cest asaver dU
vendour. Item de chescun gemer de ble, oygnouns, autz,
noyz, e autre teu manere de marchaundise en mesoun
ou en nefes, iiij. d, E si les marchauntz payent pur
lour gemers en mesouns ou en nefs, e meyme les biens
seyent cariez a la nefe par bateux, adunkes ne seyt
renz pris pur le batel ; mes si la nefe seyt chargee de
hors la fraunchise de la vyle, e les marchaunts rienz ne
payent pur le gemerage de meyme la nefe, a dunkes
seyt pris pur chescun batel cariaunt les avauntditz
f. 44. b. biens ver la nefe, ob. De chescune garbe ou summe
des autz ^ ou cokayle/ ob. De chescun millier ou garbe
des oygnouns venduz par teux parceles, qua., auxibien
dil akatour sil seyt marchaunt, com dil jirendour. De
chescun cent de gros seel vendu par centeyne, iiij.d.
E si meyns y eyt qe seyt issi vendu par parceles, seyt
pris solom la quantite, cest asaver dil vendour. De
chescune waghe. de blaunke seel ^ vendu par luy, j. d.

^ seaUreen'] Niefs de scaltres, and
nieft oye scaltres, are mentioned in
the Liber Albus, Introduction, p.
xcYii. Mr. Riley coi^ectures that
that they were vessels with decks.

^ baufu e heylea] Beyles were
hoops nailed to the sides of a vessel
for the suoport of an awning.

^ orlokM] rowlocks, in boats of
superior sijEC.

^ toUetz] thole pins, in a smaller
kind of boat.

' Wfighe de blaunke seeF] A wey or
weigh contained 256 pounds avoir-
dupois. It was a measure of bay salt
in Lord Ck>ke*s time. 12 Coke's
Report, p. 17.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

195

caponys, j. d Of eche ship [with scaltreen that comyn Add. M8.
to the toun or with ynne the firaunchise of the same ^*»^^^'
toun that bringyn merchaundise], iiij.cL Of a ship
with [bauns and] beylys, ij. d. Of a bote with orlokys,
j. d. Of a bote with thollyng, obole. Of eche flete
of thyng^ that ben dreye vpoun the dreye lond,
iiij. d. Of eche bakoon ' [entire passing towards the
parts of the sea], obole. Of the flyche [by yt-
self], quadrans. Of an hors passyng out of the lond,
iiij. d Of eche quarter of wood * met by the comoun
mesure [of the toun], ob. of the seller. Of eche gemer *
of wood, iiij. d. Also of eche gemer of come, onyouns,
[garlic,] walnottes, and other such manor merchaundyse,
in house or in shoppe,'^ iiij. d. And zif the merchauntz
payen for her gemers in housys or in shoppys, and
the same goodys ben caryed to the shipp by botys,
[thanne] no thyng be takyn for the bote ; but zif the
ship be chargyd out of fraunchise, and the merchauntz
payen not for the garnerage ^ of the same ship, thanne
be takyn of every bot caryeng the 'forseid goodys to-
ward the ship, ob. Of eche chef or summe ^ of garlic
or cocayle, ob. Of eche ml. of onyouns seld by the
passelle/ qv/i [as well of the beyer zif he be mer-
chaunt as of the seller]. Of eche c of gret salt seld
by the c, iiij. c2. And zif ther be lasse [that be so
sold by parcels], be takyn after the quantite, [that is
to say] of the seller. Of eche weye of whit salt [sold]

f.S7.

^ ^R^] for each float of peti.
The word reja signifies nets.

' bakoun] the entire hog.

' quarter of wood] weyd, a plant
for dyeing a black oolour.

* gemer] store.

^ shoppe] ** shippe " would be the
more correct translation, both here
and in the next following sentence.

^ garnerage] storage.

" chef or euwme] sheaf.

^ by the paeselle] by such parcels.

N 2

19C

LE DOMESDAY DE OIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. De chescun baryl de estorgoun [ij. d,]. Item de chescune
2i5,oi2. ^j.^^^ f^pj.^ Jq^q q chargee de vyn, meoles/ packes, ou

de autre marchaundyse au dyt kay ou en autre cer-
teyn lu ou ]a eustume de ceo seyt apurtenaunt au kay,
seyt pris ij. d, De chescune carette desferre, j. d. De
charge de chyval, ob. De charge de homme, quadrans.
De ciuere* chargee, qtva, De chescune carette ferree
chargee de carboun de meer,' j. d, De chescune carette
desferre chargee de meyme la marchaundise, obole. De
carbouns ne de foUeriserthe rien ne seyt pris pur charge
de chivai.

II. De chescun drap de colour de outre meer, iiij. d.

inforo** De chescun drap de Raye,* ij. d. Edes draps de colour
pannorum. de Beverle ou de Nichole^ e des autrea teux draps
semblables seyt la eustume prise auxi com des draps
de outre meer. De draps de Coggeshale, Colecestre,
Maldoun, Sudbery, e des autres teux draps Dengle-
terre de duble laour, qe lem appele tomennesette, seyt
pris de chescun drap vendu par sey, j. d,, cost asaver
de ceux qe deyvent eustume payer. De chescune pece
de drap de launge teyle, qe lem appele omannessete,
obole. E de chescune piece trenchee de meyme teu
drap qe pas j. aunne, e qe seyt vendu pur vj. d. ou
pur plus, seyt prys autaunt com pur la piece entere.
E si la piece contyent j. aunne ou meyns, e seyt vendue
pur, j. d. ob., adunkes seyt pris de cele piece qua. De
chescune piece de lynge teyle,® entere ou trenchee, qe
seyt vendue pur, ij. d- ob, ou plus, seyt pris qua. De
canevaz autre si. De chescun fardel de drap de duble
laour, qe lem appele tomennessete, karye, sour chivai e

' ^ meoUt'] BCales was a kind of
bag or mall.

' ciuere"] Civiere is probably
meant, which Bescherelle describes
as *'e8p^ de petit brancard en
usage poor le transport des &r-
deaax k bras," Angl. a hand-
barrow, or a track.

^ carboun de meer'] sea-coal.

* Raye] a striped cloth imported
from Flanders and Brabant.

^ Nichole'] the Erench synonym
for Lincoln.

* lynge teyle"] linen cloth.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

397

by. the selff, j. d. Of eche barell of sturgyoan, ij. d. Add. MS.
Of eche carte [shodde] ladyn with wyn, [balesj pakkys, ^*»^^^'
and other such merchaundyse [at the seid cay or other
certaine place wher the custum therof longybh to the
cay, be takyn] ij. d. Of eche carte shood ^ with yryn,
j. d Of eche hors lode, ob. ; a mannys lode, qua. ; a
hand barrow lode, a farthing. Of eche carte shodde
ladyn with colys [of the see], j. d. Of a carte not
shodde ladyn with the same, 06. Of colys ne of ful-
lerys erthe [be] nothyng [takyn] for the hora charge.

Of eche cloth of colour of be zonden the see, iiij. d. 5.
Of eche cloth of Kay, ij. d. Of clothys of colour of Be- S™h"
verlie or of Lincoln,' or of other swich clothys lj'k,be mw^Jtett.
custum takyn as of clothes of be zonde the see. Off
clothes of Coggeshale, Colchestre, Maldon, Sudbury, and
of other such clothes of Yngelond of doubde werk [that
they call tomennesette], for eche cloth, j. c?., [that is to
wittyn of those that owen to pay custum. For eche pece
of cloth of longe webbe, that they call omannessete, 06.]
Of eche pece [cut of the same] cloth that passyth an
ellyne, and that be seld for vj. [d] or for more, be takyn
as for alle the pecys to gedyr ; and zif the pece helde an
elle [or lasse, and be] seld for ij. d, ob. or more, [thanne
be takyn for that pece] qua. [Of eche pece of lyns web
hool or cut that be seld for it d. ob. or more, be takyn
qua."] Of cannevas lyk.* Of eche fardel of cloth of [dou-
bele werk, that they call] to a mannys sete^ caried on a
hors [and discharged and shewn to be seld], ij. d. Of

^ skood ] " not shodde with
" yryn" would be the correct
translation. '^Desferree" is used

in the sense of " not shodde " in a
subsequent sentence.
' ly/t] that is the like custom.

198

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. descbarge e mustre a vendre^ ij. d. E de chescun fardel
' ' de drap qe lem appele omannessete karie sour chival
qe seyt descharge e mustre a vendre, j. d, De chescun
fardel de drap de duble laour ou de mendre laour qe
seyt porte au doos de homme^ seyt pris a la meyte^
de taunt com de charge de chival. De chescune ca-
f. 46. rette qe vyent en la dite vyle chargee de teu manere
de drap, e qe seyt deschargee pur mettre a vente, seyt
pris, iiij. d, De linge teyle ou de canevas chargee sour
charette ou sour chival ou au doos de homme, seyt
pris la meyte de tieiunt de custume com deyt estre
pris de launge teyle com avaunt est dyt. De chescun
surcoote ou cote tabbard, mauntel, chape, ou autre ma-
nere de drap tayllie, qe seyt vendu par luy, qua. De
chescune autre marchaundise vendue en meyme le
marche, ou en lu appurtenaunt a meyme eel marchee,
pur ij. d, oboie e plus, seyt prys qua. pur la custume
le rey.

Item de cannue, dunt la custume est . appurtenaunt
au dyt marchee de drap, seyt pris de chescune charette
chargee, j. d. ; de charge de chival, obole ; de charge de
homme, quadrans. E de quanke est vendu pur ij. d.
obole, seyt pris quadrans.

De chescune charette, de peyscoun ou de haranges qe
vyent en meyme le marchee a vendre, ij. d. De charge
de chival, obole. De charge de homme, quadrans. De
ciuere, quadrans. De chescun porpeys, j. d. De chescun
samoun, qua. De chescun baryl de esturioun' e ba-
leyne seyt la custume prise auxicom au cay.

De chescune charettee de lejnie, peaux launes, quyrs
de vaches ou des chivaus,* ij. d. De charge de chival,
obole. De charge de homme, quadrans. E de ceo qe
est vendu pur ij. d. obole, seyt pris quadrans.

Custmiia
canabi.

IV.
Castama
in foro
piscinm.

V.
Cnstuma
in fbro
lanarom.

' meyte] moitie.

3 M/vrioun] Bturio, a sturgeon.

' chivaus] chevaux, horses.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 199

doth of oon mannys 8ete, j. d Of eche fardel of doth Add. MS.
[of doubele werk or lasse werke that be caried] on a 25,011.
mannys bak, be takyn [half as mochel] as for an hors
charge. Of eche carte [that comyth into the seid toun]
ladyn with such maner cloth but for to sellyn, iiij. d.
Of lyns web hool or cut, or of canvas ladyn in cart or
on hors or on mannys bak be takyn [half as mochel of
the custum as oweth to he takyn] of the longe webbe as
it is seyd aforn. Of eche surcote cote, tabart^ meptil ^
[cape], or other maner of cloth schapyn^ seld by
self, of eche such maner dper marchaundise seld by the
the market itself, or in a place that longyth to the
skme market, for ij. d. ob, and more, be takyn for
custum of the kyng, qua,

[Also of hemp, wher off the custum longyth to the 3.
seid market of cloth, be takyn for eche carte charge, ^^p^ ^
j. d. ; of the hors charge, 06. ; of mannys charge, qua.,
and that is seld for ij. d, ob., qua.]

Of eche carte with fyssh or heryng that comyth to 4.
be seld, ij. d. Of the hors charge, ob., mannys charge theVssh"
be it a qua. Of eche porpas, j. d. Of the samoun, qv^. markett.
[Of eche baryl of sturgeon and baleyne be* the custum
takyn as at the cay.]

*
Of eche carte of woUe skynnes and skynnes of 5.

hors* and net, ij. d. Of hors charge, ij. d. ; of mannys Si^^ie"
charge, qua. ; and that is seld for ij. d. ob., qua. markett.

» meptin mantle. ' *^^''«*' ] ^^^*^^*' commonly

called pelts.
2 schapyn] shapen, i.e. cut into 4 gf^^j^nes ofhora} hides would be

*"*P®- the proper translation of quyrs.

200

LE DOMESDAY D£ GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS.
25,012.

VI.
Costuma
in f oro
casei.

Ciutuina
seminis
canabi &
ollarum,
&c.

f. 45. b.

VII.
CuBtuma
inforo
msBremii.

De formage seyt pris de charettes, de charge de
chival, de charge de homme, de ciuere; e de autres
meuues parceles, en meyme la manere com eu le avaunt
dit marche de leyne. Des eos^ e dautres choses ap-
pendauntz a meyme le marche seyt la custume prise
solom la quantite auxi com en autres marchez. E
fait asaver qe la custume de semence de lyn e de
cannue est apurtenaunt a meyme le marche de for-
mage. Ensemblement ove la custume des potz de terre.
E en eel marche seyt pris de chescune cbarettee de
potz. De charge de homme, qua, E de ciuere, qua.

De chescune charettee de cuves,* auges, gates, hanaps,
enqueles,^ e teu manere de marchaundise qe est appelee
hoi ware,* seyt pris iyd. De charge de chival de
meyme la marchaundise, e des corbels, vauz, besches,*
e autres teu manere des choses, oh. De charge de
homme, qua. De chescune charettee de merym, bord,
lathes, e verges, oh. De chescune charette de cleyes e
de splentes,® qua. De chescune ciuere vendue, qua. dil
vendour. De chescun estal ou lem vend les cordes,
iij. d. par aan, e fet asaver qe meyme eel estaUage est
appendaunt a meyme le marche de merym. De ches-
cune peyre de reos a carette, j. d., ceo est asaver oh. dil
vendour e oh. dil akatour.

•

Item de chescune charettee de jenet,^ j. garbe, e ceo

vm.
dejenetis. appert BS baillifs.

IX.
Ciutama
in foro
panis.

De chescun pestour custumer seyt pris oh. qua. pur
iij. jours en la semeyne, cest asaver pur Mescredy,

1 eoti] these. Add. MS. 25,341.
Generally written |>eo8.

^ cuves] cnves, tronghs, bowls,
hampers. Add. MS. 25,341. Cuve
signifies in the Coutnme d'Ole-
ron a tub, into which new wine was
poured.

' esquela"] ladders.

* hoi toare] wood ware.

^ corbelsj vauz, beschesl baskeUt,
▼auz, spades.

^ de cleyes e de Mpleniea"] hurdles
and splints.

^jenet"] genista, the emblem of the
Plantagenets.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 201

[Of chese be* takyn of cartee, of hors charge, of Add. MS.
mannys charge of civere, and of other las8e parcels in *^ '
the same manor as in the afomseyd markett of woUe. Gostnm in
Of eos and other tbynges longyng to the same markett ^y^^Jf^
be the custum takyn after the quantite, as in other
marketts, that is to wittyn that the custum of seed of
flax and hemp longyth to the same markett of chese,
togedyr with the custum of erthe potz ; and in this
markett be the custum takyn of eche carte of erthe
potz,' of mannys charge, gua. ; and of civere, qua.

Eche carte of doubeleres, disshys, platerys, coppys,'* 7.
[ladders,] and other such maner merchaundise tibat ^""^^j^*^^
men clepyth hool ware,^ ij. d. Of hors charge [of the of merym,
same merchaundise, and of baskets, vauz, spades, and
other swich maner of thinges], ob. Of mannys charge,
qua. Of eche carte of merym, borde, latthes, and
zardes, ob. Of eche carte of hurdles and splints, qua.
Of eche civere sold, qua. of the seller. Of eche stalle
that men sellyn on cordys,* iij. d. be zere, [and be yt
to wittyn that this same stallage longyth to the same
markett of merym. Of eche pejrre of cartewhelys, j. d., -
[that is to say] ob. of the seller and ob. of the beyer.

Also of eche carte of brome oon shefl^, and [yt] long- «•
eth to the bayUes.* bronSr ^

Of eche baxter custummer," 06. qua. for iij. dayes in 9.
a weke, s. Wednysday, Fryday, and Saterday, [of those the b^^"^

markett.

'^ potz] the amount of the custom * that men seUyn on cordys ]

is omitted ; probably 06., a half- *' wher men sellyn cordys " would

penny. , be the better translation.

3 coppys] cups : hanap usually | * haylha] that itf, the bailiffs,

signifies a cup with two handles. I ^ euttummer] who is liable to pay

' hool ware] wood ware. , custom.

202

LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWTZ.

Add. MS. Vendredy, e Samedy, de ceux qe venent taunt de feze
25,012. ^^ marche ou lour peyn a vendre. E sil venent ou
lour peyn en marche par Lundy, Mardy^ e Jeody, e se
absentent hors du marche le Mescredy, le Vendredy, ou
le Samedy, jale meyns payent il lour pleyne custume.
E sil ne venent en marche forkes un jour en la semeyne,
adunkes ne seyt pris de eux forkes qua,, e pur ij. jours
06., e pur iij. jours ob. quu. E pur chescun estalle qe
burgeys tient en meyme la marche seyt pris vj.d. par
an, a la Seynt Michel e a la Pasche par oweles por-
ciouns, pur occupacioun de la commune place. E de
chescun foreyn pur seon estalle iij. d, par an a meyme
les termes, saunz plus, e ceo est pur la custume qil
peyent par les semeynes. De pestours qe sunt custu-
mers qe vendunt peyne en lour mesouns, seyt la cus-
tume pris de eux auxi com affiert, ou qil facent de
ceo gre pur un certeyn par an.

f. 46. De chescun carcoys de beofe, vache, bouete, e de
Q^' jenice qe seyt achatee de denz la vyle, seyt pris obole.
in foro E si la beste seyt achate de hors la vyle, adunkes seyt
cammm. p^,^ ^^^ |^ carcoys obole quadrans. De chescun escau-
dinge de pore e carcoys de motoun e de veel, qua.,
cast asaver si la beste seyt achate de hors la vyle. E
si ele seyt achate de denz la vyle, e la custume du
primer achat ne seyt mye paye, adunkes seyt pris-
pur le escaudinge, .ou pur le carcoys, obole ; mes si la cus-
tume seyt paye, dil achat ne seyt pris forkes quadrans.

XI. De chescun chival vendu, j. d, dil vendour e j. d, dil

infor™* akatour. De chescun beofe, vache, bouete e jenice qe

bestiarum. seyt passe le age de un aan, obole dil vendour e obole

dil akatour. De chescun porke, berbyt,^ e veel ne mye

letaunt, quad^ans dil vendour e quadrans dil akatour.

berhyf] brebis.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

203

25,011.
f. 27. b.

who comyn so many times to the market her bred to Add MB.
sell ;] or hem that comyn in to merket with her bred
Moneday, Tuysday, and Thnisday, and absente hem
out of mercat the tother iij. dayes, [nevertheless] they
shal payen the ful custum ; and zif they comyn but
on day in the weke, thanne be takyn of hem but qua,,
and for ij. dayes o6., for iij. dayes ob. qua. For eche
sialic that a burgeys holt in the market, iij. d. be zere
at the fest of Seynt Michell and att Esteryn be even
porcyouns for ocupyeng of the comoun place ; and of
eche foreyn for his stalle by zere vj.d at the same
tymes, with oute more, and that is for the custummys
that ben by the wyke.* Of baxteres custummerys that
sellyn her breed in her housys, thanne be custum
takyn [of hem as it oweth, or that they make cove-
naunt] for a certayn covenaunt * by zere.

Of eche carcays of beeff, as of oxe, kowe, bullok, and lo.
hef ker, bought with ynne the toun, for the carcays oh, ^^^J^
And zif the beste [be bought] out of the toun, [thanne markett,
be takyn] for the carcays oh. qua. Of eche carcays *
of pork and of mo toun and of veel bought with oute
the toun, qua. And zif it be bought with ynne the
toun, and the custum of the ferst beyeng be not payd,
thanne be takyn for the escaudyng or for the carcays
oh, ; but zif the custum be payd of the beyeng, thanne
be takyn but qua.

Of eche hors seld, j. d, of the beyer, j. d, of the seller. ii.
Of eche oxe, cowe, buUok, and hef ker that is more than ^^^^°
on zer old, oh. of the beyer, oh, of the seller. Of eche markett.
3wyn, sheep, and calf [not sucking milk], a qua, of the

1 that hen by the wyke'] That
they pay by the ireek.

^for a certayn covenaunt'] for a
certain sam by the year.

^ of each carcays] " of each es-

((

caudyng of pork and carcoys of
" motonn " would be closer to the
French text, the outer skin of the
pig being only scalded, so as to
remove the bristles.

204 LE DOMESDAY DE QIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. E cestes custames sunt appendauntz au marche des
^«'^^^- chars.

£ fet asaver qe des totes maoere marchaundises qe
venent a la dite vyle par ewe, e qe seyent vendues ver
munt ^ en la vyle, en gerner, ou horde gemer, sey t de
ceo la costume prise du kay jesqes a la venele qe se
estent dil ewe de Botflod par la costere de la rue dever
le suthe jesqes ou Colhel ; e de iUeokes de aumepartz
le estree jesqes au chefe mes jadys Johan JBoUe, devaunt
le cimetere Seynt Estevene ; e de illeokes par my la
venele qe se estent de meyme le cimetere ver le Brok
Strete ; e du bout de cele venele ver le suth de aume-
partz la rue jesqes a la venele, qe se meyne dehors le
comun fosse de la vyle ver Abotescroft. E issi seyt la
custume du kay prise des veneles e rues avaunt dites
ver vaal '^ jesques au kay avauntdyt. E de tutes autres
f. 46. b. marchaundises qe venent hors du payis a la dite vyle
a vendre seyt de ceo la custume apurtenaunt a les
raarchees amount en la vyle, cest asaver ble au marche
de ble, bestes au marche des chars, leyns, pels, e quyrs
au marche de leyne, ovesqes autres choses apui*tenauntz
a meyme le marche, e issi de tutz autres marchez en
la dite vyle, solom ceo qe les marchaundises sunt ches-
cune marchauudise a soun marchee auxi com afiiert,
queu part qe les marchaundises seyent vendues en la
vyle, e solom ceo qe auncienement ad este en meyme
la vile usee.

E fet asaver qe des totes manere des marchaundises
vendables qe venent a la dite vyle de Gipp[ewyz] ou
en lu appurtenaunt a meyme la vyle, par meer ou par
terre, aVaunt le jour Seynt Miehel, en meyme eel jour

* ver munt'] upwards or inland. | ' ver vaai] downwards.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH. 205

seller, a qua^ of the beyer. These custummys longyn Add. MS.
to the flessh market. ^^'^^^'

[And be yt to wittyn that] off alle merchaun-
dysys that comyn to the forseid toun [by water,
and that be] seld, put in gemer or out of gemer,
of that be custum takyn of the cay to the lane that
goth from the watyr to botflood by the syde of the
wall^ toward the south til Colhel; and from thens
of bothe parties to the hous^ that sum tyme was
Johns Belle, a fom Seynt Stephenys cherche zerd;
and from thens by the lane that gooth from the same
zerd [toward Brok Strete],' and from [the ende of] that
lane toward the south of bothe partyes of the strete to
the lane that goth from the comoun dyche [of the toun]
toward Abour croft,* and so be the custum of the cay
takyn of lauys <and stretys afornseid doun^^ard to the
same cay. And of all other merchauudyses that comyn
out of the cuntre to the toun to sellyn, ther of be the
custum takyn loDgyng to the mercates aboven in the t 28.
touD, that is to witten, com at corn market, bestes at
the flessh mercatt, woUe, skynnys,- [and hydes] at the
wolle marcatt, with other thyng longyng to the same
marcat ; and so of alle other marcates in the same
toun after that the raerchaundyse ys [eche merchaun-
dyse] at his marcatt as it oweth to ben, [that the
merchauudyse be seld in the toun] and ns it hath in
olde tyme ben used.

[And be yt to wittyn that] alle maner merchaundises
that ben to sellyn comyng to the same toun of Gip-
peswyz] in place* longyng to the same toun by lond
or by water afom the day of Seynt Michql, or the same

» wait] '* street *' woald be more j Ipswich was traceable as far back

in hannony with the French text. , »» the reign of Henry III.

^ , , , ^ . , .1 * Abour-crqfi'] Abbotscroft would

» rte W] to the capital mansion ^ ^^^^ ^^^

.8 m the French text. I , .„ ^^^ „^^ ^ , ^^„

' Broil Strele^ Broc Strete in ' ghoald be here read.

206 LE DOMESDAY DE GIPPEWYZ.

Add. MS. avaunt houre de noune/ le quel qe la marchaimdise
25,012. g^y^ ^ passer horde la vyle ou noun, de ceo seyt la
custume appurtenaunt al aan passe. E de ceo qe vyent
meyme le jour Seynt Michel apres houre de noune,
de ceo seyt la custume appurtenaunt al aan avenir.
E issi de totes autres choses appendauntz al office des
chefs baiUifs de meyme la vyle solom le chaunger du
temps.

En totes manere des marchaundises qe venent par
ewe a la dite vile avendre, seyent les mestres des nefs
jurez sour la quantite e les parceles des biens, e de
ceo seyt la custume le rey prise auxi cum affiert. £
si par mescreaunce des marchauntz cerche se face e
autrement seyt trove, chece en forfeture la marchaundise
issi concelee.

^ houre de noune'] midday.

THE DOMUS DAY OF GIPPESWICH.

207

day afom the hour of none [whether that merchaun- Add. MS.
dise is to pass out of the toun or not], of that be '
takyn custum longyng to the zer passed. And of tho
that comyn after noon the same day the custum long-
eth to the zer after, and so of alle other thynges
longyng to the office of the cheeff ballives of the same
toun after the chaung of tyme.

In all maner merchaundyse that comyth to the same
toun to sellyn the maisterys of shippys shall be sworn
upon the qiiauntite and the parcell of the goodys, and
ther of be custum takyn as it oweth. And zif mys-
byleve ^ of merchaundys ben encerched and foundyn
otherwise, that merchaundise oweth to ben forfetyd.

* And zif m^byleve'] " And zif by
^ bad fbith of merchaandz serche
be maad and it be foundyn other-

((

*' wise, fall the merchaondyse lo
'* eonceled into forfeture," would
accord with the French text.

LES COSTU.MES D'OLERON

ET DKU

JUTGAMEN DE LA MAR.

VOL. 11.

LES COSTUMES D'OLERON

ET DEU

JUTGAMEN DE LA MAR.

Add. MS.
10,146.

f. 103.
I.

Frumeyrament ^ si lorn £Eiit ung home mestre duna
nef, et la nef est a dos homes o a ires, et la nef se
part deu pais dont ela est et vient a Bordeu o ala
Rochella o alhors,^ et se affreta pour aller en pais
estrange, lo mestre ne pot pas vendre la nef si il nait
commandament o procuration des senhors, mes si il ert
mestiers' de despensas, il pot bien mectre aucun des
apparelhs en guatge^ per conseUh des companhons de
la nef. Cest le jutgament en tel cas.

& «

Ung mestre est en ung faune'^ et demora pour

atendre son temps, quant vient a 3on partir le mestre

doit prendre conselh am ® sons companhons, et lor dire,

^ The text, which the Editor has
adopted, is taken from a MS. in the
British Museum (MSS. Additional,
"So. 10,146), which was formerly
in the Library of the Royal Aca-
demy of Sciences at Bordeaux. The
language is old French intermixed
with Grascon patois very much -akin
to Catalan, and so far the MS. agrees
with the description given by Cleirac
of the MS. of the Judgments of
Oleron, which Cleirac had before
him when he composed his work,
Les Us et Coustumes de la Mer.
The text, however, of the MS. in
the British Museum is evidently of
an earlier period than Cleirac's ver-
fion, and the MS. does not contain

the additional twenty-four articles,
which Cleirac has borrowed firom
an unknown source. No similar
version of the Judgments has ever
yet been published. 'The various
readings are from the Liber Memo-
randorum in the Guildhall of the
City of London, marked M. ; and
from a MS. in the Mayoralty of the
city of Leghorn, marked L.

^ alhors"] aillors. Liber Memoran-
dorum ; alhors, MS. Libornense.

^ ert mestiers'] ad mester, M. ; la
jnestre, L.

* guatge] gage, M. ; gages, L.

^ ungfaune] une ha&e, M. ; ana
ayqua, L.

' am"] ov£, M. ; en, L.

THE CUSTOMS OF OLERON

AND OF THE

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA/

First if a man is made master of a ship, and the Add. MS.

ship belongs to two or three persons, and the ship
departs from the country of whidi it is, and comes to
Bordeaux or to Rochelle, or elsewhere, and is freighted
to go to a strange country, the master may not sell
the ship if he have not a mandate or procuration
from the owners, but if he is in need for his expenses
he may well put some of the ship's appardl in pledge
with the counsel of the companions ^ of the ship. This
is the judgment in such case.

A master is in^a haven' and tarries to await his
time/ when it' comes for his departure the master ought
to take counsel ^with his companions, and to say to them,

10,146.
f. 108.

> This title varies from the title
of the Judgments contained in the
Liher Memorandonun in the Goild-
hall of the Gitj of London, which is
an icarly MS. in old French of xivth
centory, and is probahlj the earliest
known MS. of the Judgments.
It is entitled La Charte d'Oleroun
des jaggmentz de la mier. The title
prefixed to the MS. preserved in the
Mayoralty of the City of Leghorn
is, '* Asso es la copia deos roUes de
** LerondejucgemensdeMar." It
is written throughout in the Qascon
dialect, and is probably unique of its
kind.

^ companions'] The term ** com-
panhona " implies a totally different

relation of ^e crew to the master of
the ship from that contemplated in
the Roman law, and marks an epoch
in maritime law, when the slave had
ceased to be a principal navigator.

» haven] The word " faune," of
which no trace has been found by
the Editor in any glossary, occurs
again in Article XVI. The Leghorn
MS. has " aygua " in both places.
''FauQc'' also occurs in another
place in Article XVI., where the
Lejghom MS. has " avre."

* his time] The context is BOg-
gestive that the word " temps " sig-
nifies here, as in Article XXIIL,
" fair weather."

o 2

212

JUTGAMEN D£ LA. MAB.

Add. MS. " Senhors, nos avons cestemps." Aucuns ny aura que * le
' ' temps nes pas bon, et aucuns qui diran' ie temps est
bon et beus ;' Ie mestre se doit acorder ovec lo plus
des companhons^ et si il fesoit autrament il est temps ^
darendre la nef et las mercaderias,*^ si elas si perdent^
si il ya decoy.*

ni. Una nef sen part ^ en aucun loc,® mas en quau loc

que Boit^ les mariniers sont tenuz a sauver le plus
quilz pourront; et silz ne aident mie le mestre est
tenus a engatger sil na deniers de que ilz sauveront
por lor remener en lor terras ; et si ilz ne aident mies^^
il nest tenuz de riens a lor balher^' ny de lor por-
veoir, ans perdront lurs loers ^' quant la nef est perdue ;
et lo mestre no pot vendre apparelhs de la nef sil na
commandament o procuration des s^nhors^ mas le doit
mectre en sauvegarde jusques atant quil sache la
Yolunte des senhors, et si doit fere a plus leyaument
quil pourra^^' se il faisoit autrament, il est tenuz ales-
mender, sil ya dequoy. Ce est lejutgament en cest
cas.

IV. Una nef part de Bordeu o de alhors et avient a la

feis ^* quelle sen pira/^ et lom sauva lo plus que lom

^ aucuiu ny aura que] asciin 7
aura qui dirra, M. ; aacun y aure
qui dinm, L.

' aucuns qui diran'] ascons que
dixrount, M. ; aacanB diran, L.

*bon8 et beu$2 bon et bel, M.;
bel et bon, L.

*ileii <em/w] le mestre est tenus,
M. ; ed est tengat, L.

* mereaderias] daireis, M. ; de-
neyradas, L.

' si t7 ya (2eopy] omitted, M. ; si a
de qoe, L.

7 un part"] s'empert, M. ; se pert,
L.

' en aucun he"] en aseimes terres,
M. ; en anonnas terns, L.

' mas en quau he que soit'] on
en quel leu que ceo soit, M. ; o en
aqneras ont es, one que sessia, L.

*^ et si ilz ne aident plies'] et sil
aident, M. ; omitted down to en lor
terras, Xi.

" de riens a lor balher] de riens
lour aider bailler, M. ; de res balbar,
L.

*' leers'] lowers, M. ; lor arer, L.

** leyaument quil pourra] loiou-
ment qil porra, M. ; leTaoment que
poyra, L.

^* a lafeisl MC^in ^ois, M. ; i la
vetz, L.

u queBe sen pira] qe de sempire,
M. ; c'nm torment en la mer, L.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

213

Sirs, we have this weather. Some there will be [who Add. MS.
will sayj that the weather is not good, and others ^®'^*^-
who will say the weather is good and fair. The mas-
ter ought to agree with the greater number of the
crew, and if he does otherwise, he is liable to make
good [the value of] the ship and the . merchandise, if
they are lost, if he have wherewithal.

A ship is lost^ in any place, but in whatever place
it may be, the mariners are bound to save the most
that they can, and if they aid,^ the master is bound,
if he have no money, to pledge [some] of the goods
which they have 6aved, to bring them back to their
own country ; and if they aid not, he is not bound to
lend them ailything, nor to provide them with any-
thing, also they will lose their wages, when the ship
is lost ; and the master may not sell the apparel of
the ship, unless he has a mandate or procuration from
the owners, but he ought to place it in safe custody
until he know the will of the owners, and he ought
to do this the most loyally that he can, and if he do
otherwise, he is liable to make amends, if he has
wherewithal. This is the judgment in this case.

A ship departs from Bordeaux, or from elsewhere,
and it happens sometimes, that the ship is damaged

* is hstl S'empert is clearly the
proper reading, m in the early Eng>
lish MSS. Se pierde is found in
the Casj^ian yersion of the Rolls.

> ifth^ cud} The affirmatiTe is
here clearly required hy the con-
text.

214

JT7TGAMEN DE LA MAB.

Add. MS. pot deuB vins et de las autras marchandisas ^ arreyres ;'
^^M^' les marchans et lo mestre sont* en grant debat, et de-
mandetn les marchans au mestre a veoir lurs marchan*
dises, ilz las devent men avoir,^ paiant lur fret de tant
cum la nef a &it de viatge ^ sil plest au mestre, et si
le mestre se voit, il pot bien adober la nef, si ella est
en cas que ella se pusqua adober ^ prestament, o si non,
put loer antra nef afere le viatge, et aura le mestre
son fret detant cum il y aura de marchanderias sabeias ^
por aucuna maneyra.

V. Una nef se part daucun poi^ chargea ob uita,® et

ariva en aucum port, les marineys ne deven^ pas
yssir de fors sans congeyt deu mestre, car, si la nef se
perdoit o sen perroit^^ pour aucuna aventura, ilz seront
tenuz alesmandar,^^ sils ont dequoy;^^ mas si la nef
estoit en lieu o ella se fusa amarrea de iiij. marees,
adonc pourront bien yssir defors ^' et revenir per temps
a lor nef. Cest le jutgament en tel cas.

' m€wchandi$as'] darreis qui sont
dedens, M. ; deneyiadas, L.
' arrtyres] omitted, M. and L.

* et Jo mestre wnt'] et lo mestre,
omitted, M. ; et lo mestre son, L.

* tV Uis devent men avow*] ils les
deWent bien aver, M. ; eds las de-
yen aver, L.

* de viatge"] de veiage, M. ; de
▼iagje, L.

' adober'] adobber, M-; adobar,
L.

7 eabeias] salvez, M. ; salvadas,
L.

* 06 vita] oa voide, M. ; o vuyta,
L.

' deven] deivent, M. ; deveo, L.
This word is written elsewhere de-

vent, doivent, doyvent Deven is
the tme Gascon or Catalan form of
the third person plural, and deven
is used throughout the Catalan ver-
sion of the Consolat del Mar.

>® o Men perroit] omitted, M. ; o
deperisse, L.

^^ alegmandar] k amender, M. ; k
I'esmendar, L.

" sUz ant dequojf] omitted, M. ; si
aven de que, L.

^ mcu n la ntfeetoit en lieu o ella
eefiua amarrea de ittt. marees^ adonc
pourront bien yttir defort] omitted,
M. ; mas si la nan es en loc ou
foB amarrada de quatre amarrass,
adonc poyran ysnr deffora, L.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

216

and they save as mucli as they can of the wines and Add. MS.
the other merchandises;^ the merchants and the mas- ^^>^^^'
ter are in great dispute^ and the merchants demand
from the master to have their merchandises ; they
ought properly to have them, paying the freight for
as much as the ship has completed of the voyage, if
it pleases the master, and if the master will, he may
properly repair his ship, if it is in a state to be soon
repaired, and if not, he. may have another ship to
complete the voyage, and the master shall have his
freight of 60 much of the merchandises as shall have
been saved in any manner.^

A ship departs from any port laden or empty, and
arrives at another port'; the mariners ought not to go
out without leave of the master, for, if the ship is
lost or damaged by any accident, they will be liable
to make it good, if they have wherewithal, but if the
ship be in a place where it has been moored with
four cables,^ then they may well go out and return
betimes to the ship. This is the judgment in such
case.

^ other merchandises] The word
" aireyrefl," which occuin in the
French text, is difficult of interpre-
tation. It is prohahly redundant,
^and may be a cormption of *' dar-
reis," which occnis in the place of
** merchandiBes " in MS. M. and in
other ancient MSS., and which is
rendered by the Gascon word ** de-
nejradas " in the Leghorn MS.
Th^ words *' qni sont dedens " fol-
low the word " darreis " in MS. M.,
and the Castilian version has the
equiyalent words " qne la dicha nao

trae."

' in any manner"] that is, whether
the master carries the goods onward
to their destination in his own ship,
or in another ship. The Noxman
and Breton yersions of the Bolls

contain some further provisions in
the same article as to the equitable
settlement of contracts for salvage
services, which are also fonnd in
the Butter of the See, and have
been set out by the Editor at length
in the Black Book of the Admi-
ralty, p. 98, note'. These provi-
sions are likewise incorporated into
Article IV. of Cleirac's version of
the Bolls, but they are wanting in
the earliest and best MSS.

^four cabUa] The more ancient
MSS. agree in requiring four cables
to be laid out The Norman and
Breton versions require only two or
three cables to be laid out, before
the crew are at liberty to leave the
vessel

216

JUTGAMEN D£ LA MAB.

Add. MS.
10,146.

Mariners sen vont ^ a lur mestre, et il ya aucun deus
qui sen yssent hors sans congie de lor mestre, et sen al-
lerent ^ et furent contenus ^ et aucuns deus nafires,^ le
inestre nest pas tenu ales fere guarir ny alor pourveoir
de rien, ans les puet bien mettre fors elever^ autres en
loc de lor o en loc de ly, et si costa plua que celuy
le marinier le doit payer, si ]e mestre trouva riens deu
son,® mas si lo mestre lenvoya en aucun service de la
nef per son commandament, et il ser blesast o na&ast^
il doit estre garit sur le costages de la nef, et estre
porvis.^ Cest le jutiainent en tau cas.

YII. 11 ly avient que malaudia enfrent a ung des compan-

hons de la nef, o a dos o a trois, en fasant lur service de la
nef. II ne put pas, tant es malaudes, estre eh la nef, le
mestre luy doit metre hors, et a luy pourveoir dun hostel,®
et a luy bailer pourveance et candelas ^ et luy balhar ung
massip de la nef ^® per luy garder, o loer una fempna^*
qui prenga garda de luy, et luy doit pourveoir de tela
yianda^ cum lom usa en la nef, cest assaver de tant

^ $en vorU] se lowent, M. ; ee
lognen, L.

' 8en allerent'] sen yvrent, M. ;
f'enivran, L.

* furent contentui] fbmit contek,
M. ; fiiran eontenta, L.

* najffres"] soont naofres, M. ; son
plagats, L.

' eUver] e lower, M. ; e logar,
L.

^ rieM deu Mm] reo de soen, M. ;
ares deu son, L.

7 Mcr le costages de la nef et estre
porvW] et sauvez snr le costages de

la nief, M. The text is broken off
here in the Gascon MS., and the
four following chapters are wanting.

" a luy pourveoir dun hostel] et
le quere un hostel, M.

* a luy bailer pourveance et can^
deUu"] lui bailler crescet ou chann-
dele, M.

^^ luy balhar ung massip de la
nef] lui bailler nn de ses yalles de
la nief, M.

^^fempna] femme, M.

" tela vianda] tele yiaunde, M.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

217

Mariners hire themselves to their master, and there Add. MS.
are some of them who go out [of the ship] without g
leave of the master^ and get drunk,^ and make quarrels,^
and some of them are hurt, the master is not liable to
make them be healed nor to provide them with anything,
but he may well put them out [of the ship] and hire
others' in their place or in his place,^ and if it costs
more, the mariner ought to pay, if the master finds
anything of his o^, but if the master has sent him
on any service of the ship by his order, and he wounds
or hurts himself, he ought to be healed at the cost of
the ship and be provided for. This is the judgment
in such case.

It happens that a malady seizes one of the crew
of the ship, or two or three doing their service to
the ship. He cannot remain, so ill he is, in the ship.
The master ought to place him out and to provide
lodgings* for him, and to furnish him with provisions
and candle, and to lend him a ship's boy ^ to watch
him, or hire a woman to take care of him, and ought
to provide him with such food as they use in the ship,
that is to say, as much as he took when he was in
health, and the -master is not bound to provide him

> get drunk'] 8*eiiivront is the
reading of all the best MSS.

* make quarrels'] " Furent con-
tenos " is probably a misirriting for
faran oontenta, which is the read-
ing of the Leghorn MS. The
Castilian version has ** fiicen con-
tiendas.**

^ and hire others] "£ loer"
should be read in the place of
" elever."

^ lodgings] The Castilian version
has *'una casa," and some of the
Breton versions have ** one maison."
Hostel was » fiuniliar term amongst

manners for a house where strangers
were lodged.

* ship*s boy] The Editor is un-
able to suggest anj etymology of
the word '^massip," unless it was
a slang tepi amongst Gascon mari-
ners corresponding to '* mousse ** in
French, which is said to be derived
from the Spanish word <*mozo,"
which is used in the Castilian ver-
sion. This article is unfortunately
missing from the Leghorn MS., and
the more ancient MSS. have ** an de
ses vall^," or << un de sea valkttz."

218

JUTGAliEN DE LA HAB.

Add. MS. cum il prist tont il fut a sanete,^ et non rien plus
10,146. delidoses, le mestre nest pas teuu de provider,* sil ne
soit ales despensas des maiiniers,^ la nef ne doit pas
demourer pour luy, ans sen doit aller, et si garist, il
doit avoir son loer tout aloue/ et sil muert sa fempna
et sons pai-ens le doyent aler pour ly querre.^ Cest
le jutgament en tau eas.

VIII. Una nef se part de Bordeu a de alhors, et avient
cas que turmenta le prent en mer, et que ilz ne pe-
vent eschapper sans giter fors de la choses de la gens.^
Ilz las doiveiit moustrer aus marchans. et les marchans
sil nya respondront lur volunte, et creent^ bien la
. gitezon, pour aventure les rasons deu mestre sont las
plus cleres; et silz ne le creent mie, le mestre ne doit
pas lesser pource que il ne gicte^'tant cum verra que
men soit, jurant se et ses companhons sus les sants
evangeliz, quant il sera venu a sauvete a terra, que
il ne le &soit mas pour sauver la nef eb las autras
marchandisas.^ Ceus qui seront gite fors^® doivent estre
apreciees^^ au for que seront tenuz a sauvete, ny
agrenhor for ny a menor, livra a livra entre les mar-
chans, et doit partir le mestre et compter la nef et '^

^ tant iijut a sanete] ea sauncte,
M. The CastilJan yersion has ** si
sano fuese.*'

' de provider'] a li qaere, M.

^ ales despenacLs des mariniers'] a
sea despenses, M.

* tout ahue'] tout a long, M.

* aler pour ly guerre] aver pour
lui, M.

' sans giter fors de la choses de la
gents'] sans Jettre darreis et des
YTDSyM. TheBourdeauxMS.yaries
materially in this article from the

Guildhall MS., with which the Cas-
tilian yersion accords.

7 creent] greent, M.

^ gicte] jette, M.

' la nef et las autras merchandisas]
les corps et la nief et les darrees et
les yjDS, M.

^ gite fors] jette hors, M.

11 apreciees] a prisages, M.

^ et doit partir le mestre et comp-
ter la nefet son fret, sil sont chosa]
et 7 doit le mestre partir acontre sa
nief ou son fret, a son chois, M.

JI7D0M£NTS OF THE SEA.

219

with any food more delicate, except at the cost of the ^^^' ^^^
mariner. The ship ought not to tarry for him, but '
may sail away, and, if he recover, he ought to have
his wages for the whole Hiring,^ and if he dies, his
wife or relations ought to come and claim it for him.
This is the judgment in such case.

A ship departs from Bordeaux or from elsewhere, and
the case happens that a storm takes the ship at sea,
and that they cannot escape without casting over some
of the goods on board.* They ought to shew them to
the merchants, and the merchants, if there are some' who
will state in answer their wiU, and agree well^ to the
casting over, the reaeons of the master are the most
dear, and if they do not agree, the master ought not U>
refrain from casting over as much as he shall see that ii
is good,^ swearing himself and his crew on the holy
gospels, when he shall have come to safety or to land,
that he did not do it except to save the vessel and the
other XDerchandise& Those [goods] which shall have
been cast out, ought to be appraised at the market price
of those which be brought to safety, not at a greater or
less price, pound for pound, amongst the merchants, and
the master ought to share and reckon the ship and the

^ for the whole hiring'] This libe-
ral scale of payment was subject to
deductions for any expenses incurred
by the jnaster. According to the
more modem yersion of. the Bolk
published by Pierre Garcie in Le
Grand Rentier de Mer, Garcie adds
the words en rabatant le fret, si,
le maistre luy a faict. The ancient
Breton yersions haye " le prest " in
the place of 'Me fret," which is the
equiyalent of the modem phrase le
fhiis.

* some of the goods on board] " De
la gens" is probably a miswriting

for " de dedens." The Castilian yer-
sion has ** que Ileya dentro en ella."^
This article is omitted in the Leg-
horn MS.

> if there are some] The context
requires the conditional particle, and
the reading should be, " s'il en y a
qui respondront."

* agree well] ** Greent bien" is the
proper reading.

* thai it is good] ** Que bien soit "
should be here read in place of
"qpe men soit." The Castilian
yersion has " que bien sea."

220

JUTQAMEN D£ LA HAR.

Add. MS. son fret, sil soat chosa, pour restaurer le domage ;^ les
10,146. uaariniers doivent avor cascun ung tonel franc et lautre
doit partir aus grencbs' segont soque il aura,' sil def-
fent en la mer come ung home ; et se il ne so deffent
mie, il navra riens de franchise, et en sera le mestre
creus^ pour son segrament.^ Cest le jutgament en tau
cas.

IX. II advient que ung mestre de una nef coppa son
mast per forsa de temps ; il doit appeler les marchans,
et a lor monstrer quil covient coper la mast pour
sauver la nef et les marchandisas ; et aucuna fois avient
que lorn cope caples^ et leissent ancras' pour sauver
la nef et las marchandises, ilz doivent estre comptes
livra a livra comunaument,^ et y doyvent partir les mar-
chans et payer sans nulh delay, avant que lors mar-
chandises soient mises fors de la nef; la nef estoit^
endura seege ;^^ et le mestre demorast pour lor debat, et
il est orroison,^^ le raestre ne doit partir, ancois en
doit avoir son fret de sons vins, cum il prendra des
autres.^* Gest le jutgament en tel cas.

X. Ung mestre duna nef vient a sauver a sa discharge
il doit moustrer aux marchans les cordes ovec quil

* pour restaurer le domage] poor
estorer le damages, M.

2 aus grenchs'] au get, M.

* segont soque dl aura] solont que
lama, M.

^ ersus] cm, M.

^ pour son segramenC] par son
serement, M.
' eaptes] cables, M.
7 ancras] autres, M.
^ eamunaumefU] comme get, M.

' la nefestoii] et si la- nief estoit,
M.

>® endura seege] en dur siege, M.

" il est orroison] il le eost oori-
soon, M.

" ancois en doit] einz si doit, M.

^ son fret de sons vins cum il
prendra des autres] son fret come
des aatres darreiz, qi sount saaTez,
M.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

221

freight,^ if he choose, for making good the damage ; the Add. MS.
mariners ought to have each one tun free, and the ^®»^^^*
other ought to share in the getison ' according as each
shall have behaved himself on the sea as a man, and
if he has not so behaved himself he shall have nothing
of the franchise, and the master shall be believed for
his oath. This is the judgment in such case.

It happens that the master of' a ship cuts his mast 9.
from stress of weather ; he ought to call the merchants,
and to show them that it is proper to cut the mast to
save the ship and the merchandises, and sometimes it
happens that the cables are cut and anchors left to
save the ship and the merchandises ; they ought to be
reckoned pound by pound as in getison,' and the mer-
chants ought to share and pay without any delay before
their merchandises are discharged from the ship, and if
the ship be on hard ground, and the master tarries by
reason of their disputes, and there is leakage,^ the
master ought not to share [in the loss], but he ought to
have his freight of their wines as he will have of the
others. This is the judgment in such case.

A master of a ship comes in safety to her [port of] 10.
discharge ; he oug^t to show to the merchants the ropes

' and the freight] The mAJority
of MSS. disconnect the freight from
the ship, and hsTC the di^onctive
particle "or" instead of the con*
jonctive particle " and." Some
doabts may arise as to which of the
readings is correct The Castilian
Tersion adopts the alternative form.

^ III the getison] The word grenchs
is evidently cormpt

* ae in geiieon] The Bordeaux
MS. has the word comonaument,
which is an idle phrase and inde-
finite. The English MSS. concur
in using either the phrase " eomme
get " or '< oomme getison." '< Como

'* echaxon" is the reading of the
Castilian MS.

* leakage] The word " orroison,**
yridch is the reading of the Bordeaux
MS., occurs in one other MS.,
namely Bodley MS. 462, which is
an early MS. of the liih century.
Corisone or corisoun, which is the
usual reading of the early MSS., is
probably derived from ''corir," to
run or flow, and does not diiSer in
meaning from ''coullaison," which is
the reading of Le Grand Bontier de
Mer. ** CorrixoQ " is the reading of
the Castilian MS. Cf. Black Book
of the Admiralty, p. 101, note S.

222

JUTQAMEN DE LA MAS.

Add. MS. guindera ^ et si il voit que il jra a esmender^' le mesfcre
^^*^*^* est tenu alesmender. Car si tonnel o pipa ' se pert par
deffaute degninda o de gaindatge,^ le mestre est tenu
alespaender lay et ses marinierSy et y doit partir le
mester pour tant quil prent d^uindatge,^ et doit le
' guindatge estre mis a restaurer le domatge prumeyra-
ment, et lo remanant^ doit estre mis et party entre
eiis. Mas si lea marchans dient que les cordes sont
bonnes et belles, et ilz rompent, cbascun doit partir
deu domatge^ cestassaver les marchans a cuyle vin
sera*^ tant 'solament. Cest le jutgament en tau cas.

^- Una nef est a Bordeu ou alhors, et leva sas vdLas

pour arriver sons vins, et sen part, et naffient ® pas le
mestre et les mariniers si come ilz duissent lurs boc-
cles,® et les prent mal temps en la mer en tella ma-
neyra que lur fustalhe de laienes^^ en fonda touel o
pippa, et la nef. vieut a sauvete, et les marchans dieht
que lur fustalhe dedens a lur vins perdutz,^^ et le mestFe
<Jit que no fist, si le mestre put jurer luy et ses tres

^ ovee quil guindera] ore que il
^raidera, M.

^ qUiB d ya a esmender] qil- a
amvidre, M.

* Unmd 0 pipa] le tone!, M.

^ par deffaute deguinda o de guin-.
datge] par defaute de garde ou de
cordage.!! .

^pour tant quil prent deguindatge]
par taunt qil prent enguyndage, M.

' remanant] remanent, M.

7 a cuy le vin sera] a qi lee Tyns
sonnt, }JL,

® naffienf\ nasient, M.
*' ^ ht^ boceles] lor'boude, M. ; lor
bocgla, L.

^° lur fustalhe de laienes] la foB-
tuUe des lejnes, M. ; lor Aistalha
dedint, L.

^1 Ap fustalhe dedens a lur vins
perdutz] lor fustiylld ad les rjna
perdu, M. ; lor fustalha delehns a
perdut loB Tins, L.

♦ »

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

223

with which he will hoist, and if he sees that there is Add. MS.
something to repair the master is bound to repair them. '
For if tun or pipe is lost by default of the ropes or of
the hoisting,' the master is liable to make it good |iim-
self, and his crew, and the master ought to share.*ibr as
much as he receives for the hoisting, and the hoisting >
ought to be set to restore the damage in the first place,
and the residue ought to be set and shared between
them. But if the merchants say that the ropes are
good and fair and they break, each ought to share the
damage,^ that is to say, the merchants to whom the
wine belongs alone. This is the judgment in such case.

A ship is at Bordeaux or elsewhere, and hoists sail to
carry its wines, and departs, and the master and crew do
not secure as they ought their bulkheads,' and bad
weather takes them at sea in such manner that their
casks in the hold * stow in a tun or pipe, and the ship
Arrives in safety, and the merchants say that the casks
have destroyed their wines, and the master says not so ;
if the master can swear himself and three of his crew dt

II.

' of the ropes or ofMie hoisting']
The word ** gainda "% means the '
hoisting tackle, and *" gnmdatze^'
the process of hoisting. The latter
word is subsequently osed to signify
the money paid for the hoisting.

^ each ought to share the damage]
** Each ought to bear his own loss **
seems to be the intention of the
article, so that it should be in har-
mony throughout

• bulkheads'] The word " boudes,"
which in its usual acceptation is
unintelligible in this place, is pro-
bably the French translation of the
English' word ''bulkheads,'* which
are the planks or timbers which
divide the hull of the vessel into

compartments, and are necessary to
pi'event the cargo when properly
stowed from shifting its place.'**

* casks in the hold] ** Fostalha de
" laiens,*' which is the reading of the
Bordeaux MS., is probably a mis-
writing for ** fUstalhadedens,*' which
oc(Airs again a few lines below.
Fustalha is evidently the Gascon
equivalent of '' fustallia,'* which
Ducange interprets by the Latin
word " dolia.'* It would appear to
have been the practice in the wine
trade between Bordeaux and London
about this time for the owners of
vessels engaged in that trade to find
casks for the transport of wine, as
part of the ship's furniture.

224

JUTGAMEN DE LA MAB.

Add. MS. companhons ou quatre deceulx, que les marchans esliront,
^'^ • que lur vins ne se perderent ^ pas pour lor fustalhe, si
cum los marchans luy metont sus,' il en doient estre
quitis et delivres ; et silz ne veulent mie jurer, ilz
doivent rendre aux marchans tot los dommatges, car ilz
sont tenuz afier' lurs bocdes et lurs eloers^ bien et
certanament^ avant que ilz deiant departir* de lu ont
ils le jbhargent. Cest le jutgament en tel cas.

Ung mestre loa^ ses mariniers, il les doit tenir en
paixy et estre lor jutge si aucun deus endomage lautre f
per cuy et ® met pain et vin a table, celui qui demen-
tira^® doit paier quatre deneys ;" et si le mestre dement
aucuns de ses companhons, doit paier viii. deneys ; et si
ya nulh qui demente lo mestre, il doit paier viii deneys ;^
et si le mestre en fert ^' aucun de ses companhons, il le
doit atendre lo prumey cop ^^ cum de pung o de palme,
et sU fert plas tomer o deffendre ^^ et si le mariner fert

^ perdkretU] perdirent, M. ; ne
Ion pas peigatB, L.

* ewn los marehana luy metont
aus] come les marehannx lor met-
trent sos, M. ; si los marchans los
meten sos, L.

' qfier] a aAer, M. ; deffiu', M.

^ hirs boceUt et lurs doers'] loor
bonole et lours eslores, M. ; lors
boeglas, L.

* bien et certanameiU] ben et cer-
tainement, M. ; bonas et cerUinas,
L.

' que ilz deiant departhr] quit se
deiyent partir, M.
7 ha\ lowe, M. ; logoa, L.

* si aucun deus endomage lautre"]
si il y a nol qen damage, M. ; si
Ton dampnage Tautre, L.

' per cuy et] par qei il, M.; et
qoant, L.

>^ dementira] dementira Paatre,
M. ; dementre Taatre, L.

" den^^^ deniers, M. ; deners
d*estarlins, l.

^' et si ya nmlh qui demente lo
mestrSy il doit payer uUi. deneys] et
si ad nul qi -demente le mestre. il
deit paier atont eomme le mestre,
M. ; omitted in L.

" en fert] enfierge, M. ; fer, L.

^^ lo prumey cop] leprimiere oolee,
M. ; la primejra colada, L.

^< tomer o deffendre] il se deit
defendre, M. ; ed si den deffendre,
L.

*i».

jUDaioa^Ts OF the sea.

225

four of them, whom the merchants shall choose,^ that Add. MS.
their wines were not destroyed by the casks since the *
merchants stowed them under them,'^ they ought to be quit
and set free, and if they are not willing to swear, they
ought to render to the merchants all their damage, for
they are bound to fasten their bulkheads and manholes *
well and securely, before they ought to depart from the
place, where they have laden [the ship]. This is the
judgment in such case.

A master hires his mariners, he ought to keep them at
peace [with one another] and to be their judge if any
one of them damage another ; when bread and wine are
set upon the table, he that shall give the lie [to another],
ought to pay four pence, and if the master give the"^ lie
to any of his mariners, he ought to pay eight pence, and
if anyone gives the lie to the master he ought to pay
eight pence, and if the master strike one of the crew of
the ship, the latter ought to support the first blow either
of fist or of palm of the hand, and if he strikes any
more he may defend * himself, and if the mariner strikes

* three of his crew or four of them,
whom the merchants shall choose']
This is a form of comporgation
which has some resemblazice to the
cyr-ath or chosen oath of the Anglo-
SasLons, irith this distiuction, how-
ever, that in the cyr-ath the plaintiff
named the persons oat of whom the
defendant was to choose his com-
purgators.

3 stowed them under them] The
Editor has gretit doubts as to the
meaning of the words, " si cum les
" marchans luy metent sus." ** Sur"
is the reading in the Black Book of
the Admiralty instead of " sus"

' their bulkheads and manholes']
Ttie Editor has again translated
"bondes" as bulkheads. With
regard to " estores '' the word is not
found in any glossary with which

VOL. II.

the Editor is acquainted. It is
omitted in the Leghorn MS., and the
Castilian MS. has a very different
phrase, **e facer sus obras bien."
The Editor has been induced to
translate " estores " by the English
word ** manholes '* chiefly from the
circumstance that in the Maritime
Law of Wisby and in the Jugemens
de Damme the word " slote," which
signifies a hatchway or manhole, is
used in the corresponding articles.

* he may defend] The Bordeaux
text, " torner est deffendre," admits
of an easy translation, bat there is
a general accord of the French MSS.
in the words '* il doit se defendre.*'
The Castilian version likewise is to
the same effect, '* el marinero se
" puede bien defendar."

12.

226

JUTGAMEN DE LA MAR.

Add. MS. le mestre ^ il doit perdre c. 8. et le pun^f ^ au chois deus
''•'*'■ maxinieis.' Cest le jutgament en tel Z

xni. Una nef sa freta a Bordeu o alhors et vient a sa
charge/ toatge et petit lotmage ^ son surs les marchans en
la costeira de Bretanha o son partit les dimans,^ deseus ^
de Normandia et de Anglaterra puis que lorn a paase
Chaleis,^ ceus Descosia puis que lorn a passe German-
nia.^ Cest le jutgament en tel cas.

' fert le mestre] fiert le mestre
premier, M. ; fier lo mestre premey-
ramenty L.

' t7 doit perdre cent sous et le
pung] ou les poins, M. ; ed deu
perdre cent sods o la pmih, L.

3 au chois deus tnariniers'] al chois
da mariner, M. ; al chois des mari-
ners, li.

^ vient a sa charge'] yient a sa
descharge et sont partie chartre,
M. ; yen assa carga, L.

' toatge et petit lotmage] toage
et petite lodmanage, M. ; toage et
petit locmanage, L.

^ o son partit les dimans] touz

ceox qe lem prent puis qe lem ad
passe les debatz ou sont petitz lod-
mang, M. ; tots aquets que ont
prent, pais qae on passa les dehats
o soon petits lodmanages, L.

7 deseus] et ceox, M. ; aqoeta,
L.

8 ChaJeis] Caleys, M.;*Tnaes,
L.

^ puis que lorn a passe Ger-
mannia] puis que lem passe Ger-
neseye. Et ceox de flSaundrers puis
qe lem passe Caleys, et oeyx Des-
coce puis qe lem passe Gememue,
M. ; puis qe horn passaGuemeunia,
le aquets de Fflandres, puis Ttales, L.

JUDQMENTS OF THE SEA.

227

the master, he ought to lose one hundred shillings,^ or Add. MS.
Qose] his fist,* at the choice of the mariner. This is ^®»i^^-
the judgment in such case.

A ship is freighted at Bordeaux or elsewhere, and is.
comes to her discharge, towage and petty pilotage * are
[a charge] upon the merchants on the coast of Brittany,
when they have passed the Isle de Bas,* those of Nor-
mandy and of England when they have passed Calais,^
those of Scotland when they have passed Yarmouth.®
This is the judgment in such case.

' one hundred shiUings'] This
sounds a large sum for a common
mariner to pay, but it it the general
reading of the older MSS., and has
been adopted in the Oastilian yer-
sion, which has the words <'cient
<* sneldos de la dicha moneda." In
the Black Book of the Admiralty,
p. 104, the fine is only cinq soulx,
and Cleirac agrees in estimating at
an equally low price the loss of a
man's hand.

3 or kisfist'] The reading of the
Bordeaux text, which makes the
penalties cninulative, is erroneous.
There is a general agreement of the
best MSS. in making the penalties
alternative.

* petty pUotage'] Coasting pilots
are here meant, whose Tocation it
was to conduct vessels into or out
of particular havens or rivers.

* The Ide de Bob] The reading
of all the EngUsh MSS. is hope-
lessly corruptin this passage. The
Black Book of the Admiralty has
'' les debitei," which is equally wide
of the mark. The Isle de Bas was
a small island lying o£f that part of
the Duchy of Brittany which was
subject to the Yiconte de Leon, as
the immediate feudal lord, and to
whom merchant vessels paid passing
tolls. The scribe of the Oastilian

version seems to have been well
informed, as he has adopted the
words '* que pasan la Isla de Bas en
** Leon." The proper reading, as
regards the locality, has also been
adopted in the Jugemens de Damme
(Jugement XTTT.).

' Cfdais] There is clearly an
error in the word *' Chaleis " as the
reading of the article stands at pre-
sent, but the text is probably defec-
tive owing to a line being omitted
by the scribe. Guernsey, it appears
from other MSS., was the station
where the coasting pilots were taken
on board for vessels bound to Nor-
mandy or to England. Calais, on
the other hand, was the station
where vessels bound to Flanders
called for pilots. The words omitted
in the Bordeaux text before '< Cha*
leis " are probably ** Gtemesaie, ceus
'' de Fflandres puis que lom a passe.'*
This would agree with the reading
oftheCastilianMS.

^Yarmouth'] ''Qermannia,'Which
is the reading of the French text, is
la mis-writing for ** G^emeunia,"
which is the Ghiscon equivalent of
Gememutha, the town of Yarmouth,
in Norfolk. The scribe of the Cas-
tilian MS. has gone altogether
astray, as he has adopted the word
" Artamora.'*

P 2

228

. JUTOAMEN DE LA MAB.

Add. MS. Una nef est en ung con vers ^ amarrea et estant*
^^l^' a Ba maree, et una antra nef vient et fer la nef qui
est a la peis,^ en tella manejrra que la est en damnatge
deu cop* que lautre nef luy a donnee, et il ya deus
vins enfondres daucuns, le damnatge doit estre apri-
seis * et partir pour moitie * entre les deus nef, et les
vins qui sont dedans les doas nefz^ doivent partir le
dampnatge entre les marebans; et le mestre de la nef
qui a ferrua® lautra est tenuz a jurer luy et ses ma-
riniers, que ilz ne le firent mie de gre. Et est raison
pourquoy cest jutgament est fait, que una velha nef
ferinst voluntiers en la nova ^® de una melhor, pour que
doit aver lautra nef, si ela eust tot ses danraatges,^^
mas quant ela soit ^^ que ela doit partir a la meite, ela
se met volunters fors de la voia,^^ et cetera. Cest le
jutgament en tau cas.

XV. Conecese se fet " en una nef entre le mariniers,^' le

mestre doit oster la toalha^* de devant ses mariniers
tres feis avant quil les commanda aller fors ;^^ efc si les
mariniers offrent a fere la emenda a lagrat ^® des mariniers

^ en ung convera"] en una can-
vers, M. The article is omitted in
L.

3 estant"] hastant, M.

' una antra ntf vint et Jer la
nef qui est a la pets] un ancre
neof crest en sa pees, M.

* en tella maneyra que la eat en
damnatge deu cop"] la nief est a
damage du coup, M.

' apriseis'i prisagez, M.

' et partir pour moitie'] et parti
moite.

7 lea doaa nefz] les deux niefis, M.

^ ferrud] feru, M.

' que una velha nef ferinat"] si
est qe nne vieille neof se mist, M.

^^ la nova] la voie, M.

'* pour que doit aver lautra nefai

ela etut tot ses danmatgea'] si ele
tons ses damages pour quider au
lautre nief, M.

" aoit] siet, M.

^' ela ae met volontera fora de la
voia] ele se Toit voluntiers de la
voie, M.

** Conecese ae fet] Contek fet, M. ;
Contenta se £Ea, L.

" entre lea mariniers] entre le
mestre et ses mariners, M. ; entre
le mestre et ses companhons, L.

" la toalha] la towaille, M. ; la
toalha, L.

'^ quil les commanda oiler fora]
quil les menge hors, M. ; que lor
comande aver for, L«

i> a lagrat] al egard, 31. ; a I'es-
g&rd, L.

14.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA. 229

A ship is in a roadsteaxi moored, and being at her Add. MS.
mooring, and another ship comes and strikes the ship, *^»^^®-
which is at rest, in such a manner, that it is damaged
by the blow, which the other ship has given to it, and
there are wines stove in, the damage ought to be ap-
praised and shared in moieties between the two ships,
and the wines,^ which are on board the two ships, ought
to share the damage between the merchants ; and the
master of the ship, which has struck the other, is bound
to swear, himself and his crew, that he did not do it on
pui-pose. And the reason wliy this judgment is made is,
that an old ship places itself willingly in the way of a
better ship to strike the other ship, if it should have all
its damages, but when it knows that it must share [the
damage] in moieties, it places itself willingly out of the
way, &c. This is the judgment in such casa

Contention* arises in a ship between the mariners, is.
the master ought to take away the t^ble-cloth * before
the mariners three times before he orders them to go out
[of the ship], and if a mariner* offers to make amends

^ the wines'} This is rather a sin-
gular provision, that the cai^goes
should also be liable in moieties to
make good the damage ; bat the
same proyision is found in the Juge-
mens de Damme (Jugement XV.).

2 Contention'] The word " cone-
cese/* which seems to be the reading
of the Bordeaux MS., is probably
an error of the scribe. Contek is
the old French word, and contienda
is the reading of the Castilian MS.

« table-cloth'] *» Oster la toalha " I the rest of the article,
is probably a metaphorical expres- ,

sion for excluding a person from
the dinner table. Las tobaias is the
phrase in the Castilian version. It
is hardly probable that where one
kitchen a day was only allowed, and
no wine at dinner, the ceremony of
laying a table-cloth before each
mariner was a necessary prelude to
the dinner.

* a mariner] The singular num-
ber should be used here instead of
the plural, so as to harmonise with

230

JUTQAHEN DE LA MAB.

Add. MS* qui 8ont ala tabla, et le mestre soit tant cruel que il
10,146. ^^ vulha ^ liens faire, et lomet fors le marinier, sen pot
aler et seguir la nef requis ^ a sa descharge, et aver
aussi bon loer cum sil y estoit venu dedans la nef,
emendant le forfait dela garda dela tabla,' et si ainsi
estoit que le mestre ne aust ausi bon marinier cum luy
en la nef, et ela se perdroit per aucuna aventura, le
mestre est tenu a restaurer* les daumatges de la nef
et de las marchandises qui y seront, sil ya dequoy.
Cest le jutgament en tau cas. '

XVI. Una nef o doas o plus sont en una fauna * out il ya
poi deua,^ et si assetha*^ luna nef trop pres delautre,
le mestre de cella nef doit dire aus autres mariniers
" Senhors, leves vostra ancra,® car ella est trop pres
" de nous et pourroit fere damnatge/' et ilz ne la
veulhent lever, le mestre pour eus et pour ses compan-
hons la veulent lever et alhouer® de lui; et silz la
toUent de lever,^^ et lautre ^^ los fassa damnatge, ilz seront
tenuz alesmender tot adonc ;^^ et si ilz sont en ung faune
qui asseche, ilz seront tenuz amectre balinguas alas
autras,^' que ilz ne se pegent au plain.^* Cest le jutga-
ment en tau cas.

* ne tm/Aa] ne voille, M. ; non
Tulha, L.

^ ■ requis'] des qes, M. ; jusqnes,
L.

' de la garda de la tabki] al
egard de la table, M. ; de la taula
a I'esgart deus companhons, L.

'* a restaurer"] de rendre, M. ; de
restanrar, L.

^ una fauna] one havene, M. ;
ang avre, L.

' poi deua] poi de eawe, M. ;
paac d'aigue, L.

' 81 asseiha] seeche, M. ; ensequa,
L.

^ Uvea nostra ancra] levez vostre
ancre, M. ; levas vostra ancra, L.

^ la veulent lever et aUumer] la
Yont leyer et ealoigner, M. ; la to-
lan lonher ny levar, L.

'° la tollent de lever] tolent a
lever, M. ; tolen la alevar, L.

" et lautre] et Pancra, L.

*' tot adonc] toat aa long. M. :
tot a lonh, L.

'3 ala^ autras] et autres, M. ;
ala ancras, L.

*** qui ilz ne se pegent au plain]
qe DC partigent au pleiu, M. ; que
ne perguent au plen, L.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

231

to the satisfaction of the mariners, who are at the table, Add. MS.

and the master is so cruel, that he will not do anything, ^®«^*®-

and puts the marine? out, he may go and follow the ship

up to her [port of] discharge, and have as good wages as

if he came on board the ship, making amends for the

forfeit in regard to^ the table, and if it should be

that the master has not as good a mariner as him on

board the ship, and it should be lost from any accident,

the master is bound to make good the damage of the

ship and of the merchandises, which may be on botirrl,

if he have wherewithal. This is the judgment in such

case.

A ship or two or more are in a haven * where there is
little water, and a ship grounds * too near another, the
master of this ship ought to say to the other mariners,
" Sirs, raise your anchor, for it is too near to us and may
" do damage,'' and they will ^ot raise their anclior j the
master for them and his men may proceed to raise the
anchor and set it further from him, and if they fail
to raise it, and the anchor does them damage, they shall
be bound to make it good thoroughly, and if they are in
a haven which dries, they shall be bound to put buoys
to their anchors, which may not be visible * above the
water. This is the judgment in such case.

16.

. ' in regard to] The reading of
the French text '* de la garda " is
evidently a miswriting.

' a haven] The word ** fauna "
18 rendered in the Leghorn MS. by
the word •*avre." The Castilian
MS. has ihe word ** puerto." It has
been already translated ''haven''
in article II L above.

^grounds] The wordtissetha is

probably a miswriting for aasecha,
signifying that the vessel was dry at
low water.

* which may not he visible] The
context rather requires the exclusion
of the negative particle, as the an-
chors 'Would be visible under ordi-
nary circumstances, when the har-
bour was dry. Autras is evidently
a miswriting for ancras.

232

JUTGAMEN DE LA MAR.

Add. MS. Les mariniers de la costa de Bretanha ne doivent

XVTI ^^^^ ^^® ^^^ cosina le jorn, pour la rason que ilz out
bevrage et avant et vinant ; ^ et ceus de Norraandia en
doivent aver doas * le jour, pour le reson que le mestre
ne lor trova que eau aler,^ mas puis que la nef sera
venue ala terra o le vin crest,* les mariniers doivent
avoir bevratge,* et doit leur mestre lor querre.* Cest
le jutgament en tel cas.

XVIII. Una nef arriva a sa descharga a Bordeu o alhors, le
mestre est tenu adira ^ a ses companhons, " Senhors, fre-
" teretz vous nos mariniers, o nous leres au fret de la
" nef ? " ® Ilz seront tenuz a respondre lequel ils feront ;
et silz y leissent® au fret de la nef, al fret cum la nef aura
ilz auront, et silz veulent aufreter pour eus, ilz doivent
aufreter en eella maneyra que la nef ne soit demourant.
Et si il avient que la nef ne trouva fret, la raestre na
nulh blasme, et leur doiii leur mestre monstrer leur
rivas et lor loires,^^ et chascun marinier y pot mectre le
pesant de son mareatge,^^ et silz y veulent mectre tonel
de eua ilz en pourront bien mectre, et si sui* gitezon sort
en leur tonnel de eaue^^ soit gites en mer, il doit

^ et avant et vinant'] en alaunt
et en yenaunt, M. ; et anant et en
vinant, L.

3 docuf] deux, M. ; doos, L.

3 aler"] a lour aler, M. ; omitted
in L.

•* crest'] crest, M. ; creys, L.

* bevratge] beverage, M. ; bev-
rage, L.

^ querre] quere, M. ; sercar, L.

7 adira] dire, M. ; de dire, L.

^ Jretcretz voits nos mariniers, o
noHs leres aufret de la nef] fretterc
vous a marrees ou liverees a fret
de la nief, M. ; fretes vous vous

marres ou vous larres au ffrct de
la nau, L.

' et silz y leissent] et sils eslirent,
M. ; ajssi cum si agussan) L.

*o leur rivas et lor hires] lour
rives et lour leyre, M. ; los renas et
lo lere, L.

^* le pesant de son mareatge]
penser de lour mariagc, M. ; son
menage, L.

^- ilz en pourront bien mectre, et si
sur gitezon sort en leur lonnel de eaue]
These words are omitted in M. ; la
pot ben mcttre. Et si gitazon 8*en
fey et lo tonel d'aygua, L.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

233

The mariners of the coast of Brittany ought not to have Add. MS.
but one kitchen a day, by reason that they have drink ^^»^*^-
both going and returning,^ and those of Normandy ought
to have two kitchens each day by reason that the master
only finds them water in going, but as soon as the ship
arrives in the country where wine is made, the mariners *
ought to have drink, and the master ought to find it for
them. This is the judgment in such case.

A ship arrives and discharges itself at Bordeaux or else-
where, the master is bound to. say to his companions,
" Sirs, do you freight your ventures,* or will you leave
" them to us at the freight of the ship ?" They are bound
to answer which they will do, and if they leave them at
the freight of the ship, they shall have such freight as the
ship has, and if they wish to freight them for themselves
they ought to freight them in such a manner that the
ship shall not tarry [for them], and if it happens that the
ship finds no freight, the master is not to be blamed, and
ought to show them their fares and their berths,* and
each mariner may place there the weight of his venture,
and if they wish to place a cask of water, they may
place it there, and if jettison takes place, and their cask
of water is cast over into the sea, it ought to reckon for

18.

^ both going and returning'] En
alant et en venant would be the
correct reading.

^ the mariners'] that is, those of
Normandy.

3 your ventures] The reading of
the Bordeaux MS., " noB mariners,"
is undoubtedly a miswriting. Yos
marrees or vos marres is probably
the correct reading, butneither form
of word is found in any glossary, with
which the Editor is acquainted. The
word maree or its synonym seems
here to denote the space on board
ship allowed to each mariner to

store his venture, if he chose to take
part in the risk of the voyage instead
of being paid for his services in
money. ** Quintalados ** is the term
adopted by the scribe of the Cas-
tilian version.

* their /ares and their berths] The
Editor has doubts as to the proper
interpretation of the words **leur
'' rivas et lor loires." He has not
been able to find them in any glos-
sary. The Rutter of the Sea renders
both terms into English by the single
word *' fare," which is another term
for " venture."

234

JUTGAMEN DE LA MAR.

Add. MS. compter pour vin ou pour autras marchandisas livra

io,U6. ^ livra, si les mariniers se puissent deflfendre rasonnable-

ment en mer, et si ainsi soit que ilz fors gitent e aus

marchaiis, cela franchise cum les mariniers 'auront doit

estre aus marchans.^ Cest le jutgament &i tel cas.

xrx.

Una nef vient a sauvete a sa descharge ; les mariniers
veulent avoir leur fret, et il ya aucun deus qui non an
nulha archa en la nef,^ le mestre pot retenir de son
loyer pour rendre la nef la ont il ait pris, sil hie dona
bona caucion a fomir le voyage. Cest le jutgament en
tel cas.

•

XJng mestre duna nef loa^ ses mariniers en la vila*
dont la nef, est, et les loa ' les ' uns a mareatge,'^ les autres
a deniers, et ilz voyent que la nef ne pue trouver fret a
venir. en ses parties, et leur covient ^ aler plus loipgs, seus
qui vont a mareatge la devent servir, mas ceus qui
vont a deniers le mestre est tenu a leur croistre ^ leurs
loers veua per veua et cors per cors,®* per la rason que
il les avoit loues atermine loer,® et silz chargent plus
pres que lor covient fu,^® ilz doivent aver lors loers prest
enteyre,^^ mas doivent aider a rendre la nef la out ilz la
prindrent, si le mestre vout ^^ a lavantura de Diu. Cest
le jutgament en tel cas.

^ et si ainsi soit que ils fors gitent
e aits marchans, cela franchise cum
les mariniers auront doit estre aus
marchans'] et si eiosi est qe eux se
fregettent as marchanz, M. ; et si
causa es que se affirete aus marchans,
tau franquesa cum los marineros
auran, deu estre aus marchans, L.

^ non an nuUia archa en la nef}
nount liche ne arche leinz, M. ; no
aya leyt ne-argua en la nau, L.

' /oa] lowe, M. ; logua, L.

* la Vila} la ville, M. ; la vila, L.

•'' amareatge} a manage, M. ; a
maryar, L.

* covient} covint, M. ; conyen^
L.

' crmsire} crestre, M. ; creysser,
L.

^ veua par veua et cors per cors}
vcwc par vewe et corps par corps,
M. ; per legua,- corps per corps, L.

^ a termine loer} a termine lieu,
M. ; a terme degut, L.-

*° lor covient fu} le covenaunt fust
pris, M. ; io convent no fo pres, L.

*^ lors loers prest enteyre} tout
Jopr lower, M. ; tot son loguer a
lonh, L.

** vout} vient, AL ; o von, L.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA. 235

wine, or for the other merchandises, pound for pound, if Add. MS.
the mariners reasonably exert themselves on the sea, and '
if it happens that they freight their fares to merchants,
such franchise as the mariners have, ought the merchants
to have. This is the judgment in such case.

A ship arrives safe at her [port of J discharge. The 19.
mariners wish to have their freight, and there are
some of them who have no chest ^ in the ship ; the
master Qiay retain of their wages to take back the ship
thither whence he brought it, if they do not give good
caution to perform the voyage. This is the judgment in
such case.

A master of a ship hires his mariners in the town 20.
whereof the ship is, and hires some of them for the'
venture,* and others for money, and they see that the
ship cannot find freight to como in those parts, and they
agree to go further, those who go for a venture ought
to follow, but those who go for money, the master is
bound to increase their wages, kenning by kenning,^ and
course by course,* by reason that he has hired them [to
go] to a certain place, and if they load nearer than they
agreed, they ought to hAve their wages entire, but they
ought to aid to take back th6 ship thither, whence they
brought it, if the master wishes it, at the adventure of
Qod. This is the judgment in such case.

^ chest] MoBt of the ancient ] o^^ account a certain portion of the
MSB. have words which signify in ' »^»P'» ^^^^
English "neither bed nor chest/* I ' Venning by kenning'] 4hat is,

The Leghorn MS. also has " qni no
'* ayB leyt ny arqua en la nan."
From this it would appear that the
mariner brought his bed or cot on
board with him.

3 the venture] that is, on condition
of being allowed to load on their

from one headland to another head-
land in sight, see Black Book of the
Admiralty, p. 115, note ^

^ course by course] The course
was a technical term, being the
distance over which a vessel might
keep one and the same course with-
out tacking.

236 JUTGAMEN DE LA MAR.

Add. MS. II advient que una nef est a bordeu o alhors, de cela
xii^ cosina cum home usa en la nef les deux mariniers en
porront porter ung mes * le dementres que ilz seront
treuthes en la nef,* et de eel pin* cum il y aura ilz
en doivent avoir segont* que ilz pourront manger a
ung manger, mas deu bevratge * rens ne doivent avoir
fors dedens la nef, et en doivent revenir prestament ainsi
que le mestre ne perde les obras® de la nef; car si lo
mestre les y perdoit et il en eust dommatge, ilz seront
tenuz a lesmender,^ o si ung dss corapanhons se blessa
per besoing de aide, ilz seront tenuz alesmender au
mestre et au companhon et a ceus de la tabla.® Cest le
jutgament en tel cas.

XXII. Ung mestre afreta sa nef a ung marchant et est devise *
entre eus, et mis ung terme pour charger, et le marchant
ne le tient pas, atent la nef ^® et les mariniers pour lespace
de XV. jorns o de plus, et aucun seis ^^ empart le mestre
son fret et sa mession^* par defauta deu marchant, le
marchant est tenu alesmender au mestre, et en cella
esmenda que sera feita^* les mariniers auront leur quart,
et le mestre la tierce part,^'* pour la raison que il
les trouava tost.^*^ Cest le jutgament en tel cas.

^ ung mes] an mes, M. ; ung
mes, L.

^ le dementres que ilz seront
treuthes en la nef] mais tant come
il serrouut trenchez en la nef, M. ;
dementre que seran trenchats en la
nau, L.

' Z'tVi] pain, M. ; pan, L.

^ s(gont] soloun, M. ; segond, L.

* bevratge] beverage, M. ; bev-
rage, L.

^ et a ceus de la tahla] a ceux de
la table, M. ; aus companhons, L.

• est devise] es devisat, L.

*° atent la nef] einz tint la nief,
M. ; ans lo ten la nau, L.

^* aucun seis] ascune fois, M. ;
aucnne vets, L.

^' sa mession] sa messoun, M. ; sa
mession, L.

*• feita] fait, M. ; feyta, L.

** la tierce part] les trois parties.

^ las obras] ses houres, M. ; las , M. ; las tres parts, L.

obras, L.

"* lesmender] al amender, M. ; a
Pemendar, L.

'^ trouava tost] troeve les constes,
M. ; troba les costages, L.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

237

It happens that a ship ia at Bordeaux or elsewhere, of Add. MS.
such kitchen as is used in the ship two of the mariners ^i
may carry on shore one mess^ of the size that they be
cut in the ship, and of that bread which they have, they
ought to have as much as they can eat at one meal, but
of drink they ought to have none, except on board the
ship, and they ought to return shortly, so that the
master lose not the earnings ^ of the ship ; for if the
master loses them, and incurs damage thereby, they
shall be bound to make it good; and if one of the
crew is hurt from want of help,* they shall be bound to
make amends to the master and to the crew, and to
those of the table. This is the judgment in such
case.

A master freights a ship to a merchant, and it Is
devised * between them, and a term is fixed for lading,
and the merchant does not observe it, and also detains
the ship and the mariners for the space of fifteen days '
or more, and sometimes the master loses his freight and
his fine weather by default of the merchant ; the mer-
chant is bound to make compensation to the master, and
of the' compensation that is made the mariners shall
have a fourth, and the master three parts, for the reason
that he finds their expenses.

22.

' one mess'] that is, two mariners
going ashore were entitled to take
with them as much meat as would
be served as a mess for them both,
if they took their meal on board.

' the earnings'] " Obras " would
literally be the labour or working
(operam) of the ship. The Cas-
tilian yersion has " los hayeres."

^from want of kelp] that is, from
the vessel being short of hands in

consequence of the absence of ma-
riners ashore.

* devised'} that is, there is a con-
tract between them, or a charter-
party.

^fifteen days'] It would seem
that fifteen days was allowable to
the freighter of a ship, after which-
demurrage would become payable,
divisable in fixed proportions be-
tween the master and the mariners.

238

JUTGAMEN DE LA MAR.

Add. MS.
10,146.

xxni.

Ung marchant afreta una nef et la charge et la met
au chemin, et entre se la nef en ung port et demora
tant que devert ^ luy faillent ; le mestre pot bien envoier
a son pais pour querre delargent mas il ne doit mie
perdre son temps,^ car sil le fesoit il est tenu arrendre
aii marchant totz les damnages quilz eurent, mas le
mestre pent bien prendre des vins aus marchans et les
yendre pour avoir son estaurament/ et quant la nef sera
arivee a sa droita descharga,^ les vins que le mestre
aura prins devront estre afor mis,^ que les autres seront
venduz, ny agrenor for ny a menor, et aura le mestre
son fret de ceulx vins come il aura des autres. Cest le
jutgament en tel cas.

Ung bateler® est locman dona nef, et est loes ales
mener ^ jusques au port, out on le doit descharger. H
avient bien que en cest port y ait fermes,^ out on met
las nefs pour descharger, le mestre est tenu apourveoir sa
forme,^ luy et ses mariniers,^^ et mectre balinguas que ilz

^ devert"} deniers, M. ; los deners,
L.

' sen temps'] temps, M. and L.

' son estamrament'] son estore-
ment, M. ; son estor, L.

* aia droita deschargd] a droite
deschai^, M. ; assa dreita descar-
giia,L.

* afir mis'] a foer mis, M. $ mes
al ffor, L.

" Ung baieler] on bacheler, M. ;
ung bacheler, L.

^ loes ales mener] lowe del ame-
ner, M. ; logat a Pamenar, L.

^fermes] afeTmex,M. ; format, L.

^ apourveoir sa forme] por pur-
yeoir sa forme, M. ; percassar sa
forme, L.

^^ luy et ses nutriniers] lai et ses
compaignons, M. ; lui et sons mari-
niera, L.

JUDQMENTS OF THE SEA.

239

A merchant freights a ship, and lades it, and sets it Add. MS.
forth on its voyage, and the ship enters into a port ' '
and tarries there till money ^ fails him ; the master
may properly send to his country to seek for money,
but he ought not to lose his time [of sailing], for if
he does so he is bound to render to the merchant all
damages which he may incur ; but the master may well
take of the wines of the merchants, and sell them ^ to
procure provisions ; and when the ship shall have arrived
at her right discharge^ the wines, which the master
shall have taken, ought to be valued at the price* for
which the others shall be sold, neither at more nor at
less, and the master shall have his freight of those
wines as he shall have of the others. This is the
iudgment in such case.

A young man^ is pilot of a ship, and is hired to
conduct it to the port where it ought to discharge.
It happens that in this port there are closed parts ^
where they place the ship to discharge, the master is
bound to provide her Berth,® himself and his mariners,
and to place buoys^^ which shall appear on the surface,

34.

* numey'] " Devert *' in the Bor-
deaux text is eyidently a mis-writing
for " deners.''

^and sell them] The modem
practice of hypothecating the cargo,
in case the ship should he of insuffi-
cient value, would appear to have ,
been at this time unknown.

^ cU the price^ that is, at the
market price obtained at the port of
arrival.

* A young tnan] The word ** bate-
ler *' is peculiar to the British
Museum MS. <<Bach«ler" is the
general reading of the oldest MSS.

^ closed parts'] Probably closed
with a chain stretched across, or

with balks of timber at the entrance,
the vessels remaining afloat. The
Castilian MS. has <'fosa a logar
sabido."

® her berth"] The phrase « sa
forme " is probably a technical term.
The Leghorn MS. has ** sa £Ebrma."
The reading of the Castilian MS.
is suggestive of a kmd of dry dock
with a sandy bottom.

7 buoifs] <* Balingas " may here
mean what are technically termed
** fenders,*' to prevent a vessel when
she is in her berth grinding against
another vessel alongside of her.
Of. Black Book of the Admiralty,
p. 121, note K

240

JUTOAICEN DE LA MAR.

Add. MS. ne puscant au plain,^ que la forma soit bien balinguea
10,146. q^g jgg marchans ne ayent dampnatge ; car silz avoient
dommage le mestre est tenu alesmender^ sil ne dit rason
pour quoy il ne soit abbatu de sa raLson, et le locienant'
a bien fait son devoir, quant il a amene la nef a sauvete
jusques ala forme, quar jusques il negues^ la devoit
amener, et de celle hora * en avant * le feis • est sur le
mestre et sus les raariniers.^

^ mectre balmguas que ih n$ pus-
cant au plain] j mettre bailignes
qil preignent au plein, M. ; j mettre
balenges qae ids perguen en plen,
L.

3 le loctenanQ le lodman, M. ; lo
loucmand, L.

' quar jusques t7 Tiegues"] quar
jcsques illecqnes, M. ; quar entro ad
aquet loc, L.

* et de ceUe hora"] omitted in M. ;
et d'aquera hora, L.

^ en avant] et ayant, M.

* le fas] les fees, M. ; los facts,
L.

7 sus les jnariniers] sur ses com
paignons, M. ; sobre los mariniers
L.

JUDGMENTS OF THE SEA.

241

SO that the berth be well buoyed that the merchants Add. MS,

10 146

shall receive no damage ; for if they have damage the '
master is bound to make it good, if he cannot give
reason why he should not; and the pilot ^ has well
done his duty when he has brought the ship in safety
up to her berth, for so far he ought to bring her, and
from this time forth the ^rust is on the master and
the mariners.

* the piloi] It would appear that
the pilot was responsible for the
safely of the ship until she was in

her berth, after which the master
and mariners were responsible that
she did not shift her position.

VOL. II.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Q 2

TABLE DES MATIERES.

•'*y»>*^^^>^*r>fStynf>t>eyr>f^rvy^w'^>^

De la cort aa mayor

Des guarenz ....

Quant reoors de cort est demandez

Quant le defenderes passera o son saigre-
ment .....

Quant la plainte defaut de saigrement
prendre .....

Quant le defenderes defaut de saigre-
ment prendre ....

De fons de terre ....

De heritage bailie a cens

Qui ne desacuset garanties lou ser avant

Dome trove en malefaite.

De bestes qui sont trove en malefiEdte .

Des amcmdes de bestes prises

Quant home se mariet

De osde .

Qui vent son heritage

Daus quatre seignors

De saigrement

Quant plusors hommes on fit un meifait

Quant li servant dun prodome est citez

De mestre autre pur sey.

De avoer guarion

Quant home vent sau a autre

De enfant medre de age .

De la. garde denfismt de tnenur age

Du bail dau pere

Chaptbb

..
U.

...
UL

iv.

vi.

.•
vu.

...

VUl.

ix.

. •
XIL

...
XUL

xiv.

XV.

xvi
xvii
xviiL
xix.

xxiL

...

XXIU.

xxiv.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

'^^^^^^^^^VX^^^^^^V^^^VW^^^^f^l^

Of the court of the mayor
Of warrantors ....
When a record of the court is demanded
When the defendant shall pass with his
oath .....
When the plaintiff fails to take the oath

When the defendant fails to take the

oath ...
Of landed estate ....
Of a heritage held at a chief rent
He who does not excuse his warrantors

beforehand
Of a man taken in trespass
Of beasts taken in trespass <
Of fines on cattle trespassing
When a man marries
Of dower .

He who sells his heritage
Of the four lords
Of the oath
When several persons commit a. trespass
When the servant of a prudhome is cited
To substitute an attorney in one's place
To vouch a warrantor
When a man sells salt to another
Of an infiEmt below age .
Of the guardianship of an infant minor
Of the father as guardian

Chafter

l«

. •

• ••

IIL

IV,
V.

VI.

. •

VIL

• • •
VUL

ix.

xi.

xii.

• • •

XUl.

xiv.

XV.

xvi.
xvii.
xviii.
xix.

XX.

xxi.
xxii.
xxiii.
xxiv.

XXV.

246

TABLE DES MATli:RES.

Si edifice poiiet ruine . • • xxvL

De home, qui n'est de la commune.. . xxvii.

Quant le prevos apelet autre . xxix.

Quant horn met autre en fiances

De brandoner les prez

De beste estachee

Des palus .

D'estorement de nef

De bonnes

De Sabbattees

Daus garenes

De Tespece de coniz

D'avoir essie a heritage enclos entre autres

Dau may re ....

De malefaite de verger dos

De difference de verger clos et de dedos

Qui meffait en la forest d'Availle

Quant la plainte proposet plushors de-

mandes ..... xliv.

De jor assigne .... xlv.

Quant hom parlet por autre . xlvL

Quant olest guerre en Oleron . xlvii.

Quant hom est traiz par garantage xlviiL

De fiance ..... xlix

De sazine . . . . L

De garior . . . li.

Daus convenanz . . lii

De fons de terre par tengue liii.

Dau mayre .... liv.

Qui fretet nef dautre . Iv.

Quant hom achatet vin dautre . IvL
Quant filz om baillon de son pere est

citez ..... Ivii.

XXXI.

xxxii
xxxiv.

XXXV.

xxxvi,
xxxvii.
xxxviii.
xxxix.

xl.

xli.

xlii.

xliiL

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

247

XXXL

xxxii.

xxxiJL

xxxiv.

XXXV.

xxxvL

xxxvii.

xxxviii.

enclosed

If a building tumbles down . . xxvi

Of a man who is not of the commune . xxvii.

When the provost accuses another . xxviii.

When a man makes another his surety, xxix.

Of bushing the meadows

Of a beast tethered

Of the landes

Of the marshes

Of the storeing of a ship

Of boundary posts

Of a Sabbatee

Of warrens

Of the run of the rabbits

To have access to an estate
amongst others

Of the mayor . xl.

Of trespass in an enclosed orchard xli.

Of the difference between an enclosed
and an unenclosed orchard xlii

He who trespasses in the forest of
Availle . . xliii.

Where the plaintiff advances several de-
mands . . . ... xliv.

Of a day assigned . • xlv.

When a man speaks for another . xlvi

When there is war in Oleron . xlvii.

When a man is produced to warrant xlviii.

Of sureties .... xlix.

Of seisin . .1.

Of a warrantor . IL

Of contracts . . lii.

Of landed estate by tenure liiL

Of the mayor .... liv.

He who freights the ship of another . Iv.

When a man buys wine of another Ivi.

When a son who is the ward of his
father is cited .... Ivii.

248

TABLE DES HATlI^BES.

Quant horn de la commune plaidest con-
tre home qui ne seit pas de la com-
mune .....

De plaiz de fonz de terre davans lo maior

Daver cos et demorez par plait .

Qui veit a conseil dautre

Quant sires demande la cort de son home

Quant dui sunt parsener en un vaisseau
Quant plusors sunt parseners en un vais-

seau * . • . .

Li marinea aront la meite de choze prise

deffors vaisseau.
De sauners . .

Quant bataille se fait par champions
Daus causes criminaus
Quant bataille se deit faiie cors k cors .
De bestes prises ....
Quant hom est pris en malefaite
Quant en ses vignes trobit malefaite
De vignes .....
De bataille cors k cors en Oleron
Ceu est peage des Jues .
Ceu sunt les devors des nefs
Quant nez levent daus rez
De duy compaignons . .

Du mayor ....

De marchez et de convenanz
De garenz a prover baton ou tort

De nez sur encre ....
De parceners de nef
Quant chaptaus est arestez en Oleron
Si le sire volt prendre vile

Iviii.

lix.

Ix.

Ixi.

Ixii

IxiiL

Ixiv.

Ixv.

Ixvi.

Ixvii

Ixviii.

Ixix.

Ixx.

Ixxi.

Ixxii.

Ixxiii.

Ixxiv.

Ixxv.

Ixxvi.

IxxviL

IxxviiL

Ixxix,

Ixxx.

IxxxL

Ixxxii.
Ixxxiii.
Ixxxiv.
Ixxxv.

Quant marineaus deffaut a sa nef garder Ixxxvi.
Un parconner en une nef poet vendre sa
partie . , . . . Ixxxvii.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

249

When a man of the commune sues a man
who is not of the commune .

Of a suit for land before the mayor
Of costs and demurrage for the suit
He who goes of counsel to another
When a lord demands jurisdiction over

his vassal
When two are partners in one vessel
When several are partners in one vessel

A mariner shall share in every thing

taken outside his vessel
Of saltworkers ....
When batel takes place by champions .
Of criminal causes
When batel is waged body to body
Of beasts taken in trespass
When a man is taken in trespass
When trespass is made in a vineyard
Of vines .....
Of batel body to body in Oleron
The passing toll of Jews . .
The dues on shipping
When ships disturb fishing nets .
Of two partners ....
Of the mayor ....
Of bargains and contracts
Of a warrantor to prove an assault or a

tort .....
Of a ship at anchor
Of the partners in a ship
When chatels are arrested in Oleron
When the lord wishes to take the town

of another ....

When a mariner fails to protect his ship
A part-owner of his ship may sell his

part .....

IviiL

lix.

Ix.

Ixi

Ixii.

Ixiii.

Ixiv.

Ixv.

IxvL

IxviL

Ixviii

Ixix.

Ixx.

Ixxi.

Ixxii.

Ixxiii.

Ixxiv.

Ixxv.

Ixxvi.

Ixxvii.

Ixxviii.

Ixxix.

Ixxx.

Ixxxi.
Ixxxii.
Ixxxiii.
Ixxxiv.

Ixxxv.
Ixxxvi.

Ixxxvii.

250 TABLE DES MATlilBES.

De maistre de ta nef . . Ixxxviii.

De femes mie recegues a faire saigreinent

de sa mayn ... Ixxxix.

De truylz . . xa

De molin . ... xci

De chemins .... xciL

Quant horn trovet sa chose sor autre xciiL

De gest de nef .... xciv. I

La nez paieb lo quillage et lo grant lo- ]

mant ..... xcv.

Le avers payet lo affiage xevi.

La nefz paie lo plankage xcvlL

TABLE OF CONTENTS. 251

Of iJie master of a ship . . . Ixxxviii.

Women not allowed to take an oath in

person ... Ixxxix.

Of wine-presses . xc.

Of mills . . • . xcL

Of roads ..... xcii.
When a man finds his property upon

another ..... xciii.

Of jetison .... xciv.

The ship pays the keelage and the sea-

pilot ..... xcv.

The cargo pays the stowage xcvi. —

The ship pays the plankage dues xcvii.

LES BONS USAGES ET LES BONNES COSTUMES

ET LES BONS JUGEMENZ DE LA

COMMUNE D'OLERON.

THE GOOD USAGES AND THE GOOD CUSTOMS

AND THE GOOD JUDGMENTS OF THE

COMMUNE OF OLERON.

LES BONS USAGES ET LES BONNES COST
ET LES BONS JUGEMENZ DB LA.
COMMUNE lyOLERON.

^ilS^

^ r\ .-% f *> •v *^

[fol. 1.] Pere Roberz, Sire Andre Bicharz, Sire Pere Darceaus,
Sire Helies Darceas, Sire Pare Gauter, Don lohan
Roberz, et maint autre prodome ^ borgois, que gardeiant
et mainteniant les bons usages et les bonnes costumes
et les bons iugemenz de lor ancesors, qui tau sunt
oblamandement ^ aprove quil i ont apres fet, si com
yos orrez en cest present escript segant que li diz
maires ^ fist compiler et aioster par Quillaume Guischos,
adonc derc de la commune doleron.

Chapitrei. En la cort au mayor silom est citez a ior, 11 iorz

Sr^yo? ""^^ souceanz sil nest de lespace de va iors. Si li

citez demande ior de conseiP il laura de vii. iorz, si

[foL 1. &.] donques nest horn erranz a cuy hon deit faire dreit pie

estant por tote choze et sil demandet conseiP de la

cort, il laura, et li donera raisonable salere.

^ prodome] pradhommes.

^ ohtamandemerW] ob lo mande-
ment, i.e., ove or avec le mande-
ment.

^ maires] The nominatiye case
singular of the sa^stantive, of which
mayor or mair was the gemtiye and
acduatiye.

* jor de conseil] Consilium iseu

Dies Consilii, qui concedebatnr reo,
at ei de aetori respondendo cayere-
tor : Dnoange. The phrase " jor de
** conseil " is frequently used in Le
Conseil de Pierre de Fontaines, the
earliest text-book of French law.

B conseil] an adyiser as to the
law, not a pleader, who was termed
raiaonner.

THE GOOD USAGES AND THE GOOD CUSTOMS

AJH) THE GOOD JUDGMENTS OP THE

COMMUNE OP OLERON.

Pierre Boberz, Sire Andre Bicharz, Sire Pierre
Darceaus, Sire Helias Darceas, Sire Pierre Oauter, Don
Johan Roberz/ and divers other prudhommes burghers,
who keep and maintain the good usages and the good
customs and the good judgments of their ancestors,
which have been with their authority approved, and
have been hereinafter reduced into writing, according
as the said mayor ^ has had them compiled and adjusted
by William Quischos, at present clerk of the commune
of Oleron.

In the court of the mayor if a person is cited for a Chapter i.
certain day, the time is not sufficient, if it be not after ^^^^^of
the space of seven days. If the party cited demands the mayor,
time for consultation, he shall have seven days allowed
him, unless he be a man passing on his way, to whom
justice ought to be done forthwith ' for everything, and
if he demand counsel from the court, he shall have
counsel, and shall pay a reasonable fee.

' Don Johan Roberz] The six
persons specially named would ap-
pear to be the mayor and five of the
pradhommes. It may be inferred
from the names of the pmdhommes
mentioned here and in chapter Ixv.
that they were by status the chiefs
of the commune.

^ the said mayor] Pierre Roberz
is probably meant, whose name
stands first in the list.

^/orthunth] The Editor has not
met with the phrase ** pi^ estant "
in any glossary. ** Foot-standing "
would be the literal translation. In
English law the phrase pie-poudres,
pi-powders, as applied to the court
of dusty feet, which met daily to
administer law to passing strangers,
would be somewhat analogous.

256

LA COMMUNIS D'OLEBON.

f Si la plainte est de fonz de terre/ et olen seit
guarde demandee, ele ensera donee de vii. iors, et apres
ert li plaiz par lespace daatre vii. iorz.

f Si la plainte' defaut de la guarde mostrer, li
mayres ya v. sols de guages ; si licitez ^ defaut de veer
la guarde, il nen aura ia plus guarde, mes il nen rendra
ia autre guage. Si li citez deffent que onques ne fut
citez, o lert cregu au citeor, et sil est convencuz par
lo garentage au citeor ou en autre manere, li citez ert
en la merci au mayor de lis. solz dangeuins.
[foL 2.] IT Si li citez ou la plainte liquaucunques seit * con-
vencuz on plaib de fonz de terre, il est en la merci au
maior de lix. sols dangeuins.^ Si li citez o la plainte,
li quaus qui seit, convencuz en plait de fonz de terre,
il est en la merci dau mayor de lix. sols en quauque
manere que la choze apparechet davant lou mayor, ou
par prove ou par conoissance, et par ceu se devent
apleger® U demanderes et li defenderes, quar si li vns
ou li autres nesteit pas de la comune, et li vns fust
convencuz de plait de fonz de terre, li maires ne lo
poyret pas peignorer par son gage par ceu que il ne
sereit pas de la commune. Li mayres dera terme de
vii. iors a payer la depte qui sera conegue par dauant
[foL2. 6.] luy, et si adomques ne paiet li deptres la dite depte
au chief daus vii. iorz, li maires fera bailler de la

^ fonz de terre] Fonz is a Gascon
word from the Latin fundus, signi-
fying landed estate of any kind. La
plainte is here used in the sense of
claim or demand.
3 lapJamte} the plaintiff:
3 licitez] lixitez, the defendant
* liquaucmiqueeseit'] li quaucunque

seit. Another form occurs three
lines below.

' dcmgeuins] d'Angevins, shillings
of Angers, money struck at Angers
by the kings of England, as counts
of Ai^ou.

" apleger] from the Latin apple-
giare to produce pledges.

TU£ OOMMUKE OF OLERON. 257

f If the suit is ia respect of an estate ia land, and
a summons be demanded, it shall be granted with an
interval of ^even days, and the plea shall be filed seven
days afterwards*

V If the plaintiff fails to serve the summons, the
mayor has a fine of five shillings ; if the party cited fails
to regard the summons^ he shall have no fiirther sum-
mons, but he shall not pay any fine. If the party cited
contends that he has not been cited, faith shall be given
to the summoning officer, and if he is convicted by the
warranty of the summoning officer, or in any other
manner, the person cited shall be liable to pay a fine,
at the discretion of the mayor, not exceeding fifty-nine
shillings in money of Angers.^

f If the party cited, or the plaintiff, whichever it
may be, is convicted in a suit respecting land, he is at
the mercy of the mayor -to pay a fine not exceeding
fifty-nine shillings in money of Angera If the party
cited, or the plaintiff, whichever it may be, is convicted
in a suit respecting land, he is at the mercy of the
mayor to pay a fine not exceeding fifty-nine shillings in
money of Angers, in whatever manner the matter is made
apparent before the mayor, whether it be by proof or
by recognition ; and the plaintiff and defendant shall
give sureties ' for this, for if the one or the other are not
of the commune, and the one be convicted in a suit
respecting land, the mayor could not levy upon him for
his fine, because he will not be within the commune.
The mayor shall assign a term of seven days to pay a
debt whidi has been recognised before him, and if there-
upon the debtor does not pay the said debt at the end of
seven days, the mayor shall cause to be delivered ^ to

* Angers] The use of this money
implies that Oleron was still subject
to the Kings of England.

3 sureties] The word plegius is
used in the same siense in early Eng-

lish law books for a person, who
pledged himself to produce a given
thing or its value in court.

' delivered] in other words, shall
distrain.

VOL. II. R

258

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

choze an deptre tant au creencer qui vaudra ses devers
ou plus. £t quant li creencers aura guarde les guages
par lespace de vii. iors, 11 maires comandera au creenoer
quil vendet les gages desus diz a la yeue de son com-
mandement; et si li dit gage ne valent iant com la
depte monte, li maires li fera bailler daus gages dau
deptor tant qui vaugent lo remaignent de la depte au
creencer, et lo sur plus que yaudrant li guage sera rendu
au deptor.

Chapitre iL f Si hom avouet guarenz -davant lou mayre, eles
guarenz. s^ront oyes et convent que eles seent de la oomune,
nesmayns ^ par vsage i recet hon ben autres que Ion
[foi. 3.] conoyschet estre leyaus genz, et si li garent ne volent
venir par celuy qui les avouet, si eles sunt de la
commune, li mayres les deit contraindre de venir, neis
encore si cilz qui Jes trait nest pas de la commune, et
si les garenties ne sunt pas de la comune et eles ne
vougent* venir par lo mayor, li mayres ypuet metre
tau conseil, qui se il se clamet apres a luy daucun de
la commune il nelen fera ia dreit, ou se il on feit il
len pue t deloigner iuquez il ait fet amande a celuy,
qui lo avoot aguarent dau demage, sil lia recegu par
defaute de son garentage. Si la plainte defaut davant
lo mayre ou mest son plaint en pouz ^ sanz lezer do
[fol. 3. 6.] mayor, li mayres nia point de gage. Mas se il se clamet
derrechef,* li mayres li pout parloigner * son plait decique
il ayt rendu son gage de la defaute. Si li citez deffaut
ob garantie qui seist citee davant lo mayre> li mayres
ya V. sols degage de quaucunque choze que li plaiz

* neanayng'] Deammoins, neyerthe-
lees.

3 wnigent] another form of vao-
gent, will not

' en poux] These words are
Qlsewhere written "en pos," with

the same verb mettre, in the sense
of sub pedibus mittere, to let drop.

* derrechef] de rechief, de nou-
veau, Roquefort.

' parloigner'] the same as de-
loignor, prorogue.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 259

the creditor aa much of the property of the debtor as
will satisfy the debt in money or more. And when the
creditor shall have held the securities for more than
seven days, the mayor shall order the creditor to sell
the securities aforesaid in virtue of his order ; and if the
articles distrained are nbt worth so much as the debt
amounts to, the mayor shall authorize a further distress
to be made upon the goods of the debtor for as much
as the remainder of the debt amounts to, and the surplus
of the goods distrained shall be repaid to the debtor.

IT If one vouches a warrantor ' before the mayor he shall ^P*^ **•
be heard, and it is proper that he be of the commune, ranton.
nevertheless by usage others are properly received, who
are known to be loyal people ; and if the warrantor is
not willing to come for him who has vouched him, if he
is of the commune the mayor ought to constrain him to
come, even if the party who requires him to come is
not of the commune, and if the warrantor is not of the
commune, and he is not willing to come before the
mayor, the mayor may make this order, that if he sues
any person of the commune before him, he will not
administer justice to him ; or if the mayor does not abso-
lutely refuse justice to him, he may delay justice until .
he has made amends to the party who had vouched
him as a warrantor, for the damage, if he has incurred
any from default of his warranty ; and if the plaintiff
makes default before the mayor, or lets drop ' the suit
without leave of the mayor, the mayor has no fine;
but if he brings a suit a second time, the mayor may
prorogue his plea imtil he has paid a fine for his default
If the party cited makes default with the warrantor,
who has been cited before the mayor, the mayor shall
levy a fine of five shillings, whatever may be the matter

' vouches a warrantor] Vouche I ^ ku drop] The translation is
h gamnt is the phrase usual in I conjectural.
Britton, 1. p. 57, 116. |

B 2

260

hk COMXITNE D OLEBON.

seit. Si li deffenderes est eonvenauB, il est en la merd
dau mayor de lix. sols, sau tant que se il conoyt saius
nuUe deffense ou neya poynt de gage, mas rendra sa
demande au demandeor, si donqucs li plaix nest de
baton/ et sil est de baton et li citez seit oonvencuB par
sa conoysanoe ou par garenz, la plainte ya v. sok
damande, et li mayres cinquante et neuf sols'de gage,
si donques nest boneste persone oil qui aura este batuz,
[foi. 4.] et sil eiit honeste persone, lamande sera iugee a la
volonte dau mayre et daus esqueuins s^nt lou baton,
qui aura este faiz.

Gbspltre Si recors de corb est demandeE devant lou mayor, il

Qaant ^^ donnez encore neis ' de ceu qui aureit este feiti ea

recors de autre cort, dont la cort fust faiUie^ dftvant lo mayor.

demandez. ^^ ^^ sereit oiz de lautre cort, et ceu fait et iuge on

plait de Amaut Darceaus et de Pere Durant dau Mares-

dous sur chozes, qui aveent este menees davant le

prevost^ dont la cort esteit puys venue davant lo

mayor, et par esguart de la cort au mayor fut oyz le

recort dau prevost. Yns esqueuins vaut doues garenties,

[fol. 4. 6.] por ceu que yl a fait dous saygremens * a la comune.

Chapitre

f Si la plainte ne avoet en sa demande garenties^ ne
Quant li recort, ne de prodeshomes, ne autre prove, li deffenderes
deffenderes passera o SOU saigrement de sey ou de son mesage'

' baton"] a contraction probably
of batison, action de battre, Roqne-
rort. ■

^ encore nets'] encore moins.

^ faillie] The meaning of this
word bas been inferred from the
context " pays venue/

* douM saygremens] denz sere-
ments.

^ aonmetage] message, procurear,
celui qui est charge des affiures d'on
autre, Koquefort.

»i

TH£ COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

261

of tlie suit. If the defendant ia convicted, he i» at the
mercy of the mayor to the amouBt of fifty-nine BhilliDg8>
saving that, if he admit that he has no defence or has no
secarity, he shall render to the plaintiff his demand, if
the plea is not one of battery ; and if it is of battery, and
the party cited be convicted by his recognizance or by
warrantors, the plaintiff shall have -five shillings com-
pensation^ and the mayor fifty and nine shillings fine,
if the person who has been assaulted is not a person of
condition, and if he be a person of condition, the com*
pensation shall be adjudged at the discretion of the
mayor and of the echevins,^ according to the assault
which shall have been made.

If a record of the court is demanded before the chapter iii.
mayor, it shall be given, except it be of that which ^^^ ^
shall have been done in another court [in a matter] the oourt is
of which jurisdiction has devolved on the mayor. ^«°^^^^-
But it shall be heard by the other court, and this was
done and adjudged in the suit of Amaut Darceaus and
Fiere Durant of Maresdous, upon matters which had
been brought before the provost, of which the juris-
diction afterwards devolved on the mayor, and by the
order of the court of the mayor, the record of the
provost was heard. An echevin is equivalent to two
warrentors, because he has made two oaths ^ to the
commune.

If the plaintiff does not vouch in support of his claim Chapter iv.
warrantoiB, or record, or prudhommes, or other proof, ^Z^t
the defendant shall be acquitted upon the oath ofBh^i^P^^
himself or his agent, the more so if he maintains ''it oath.

* echevina] The Editor has re^
tained the French word echevin
thronghont the translation. The
term sheriff would be an inadequate
translation, as the echevins were

judges, corresponding to the scabini
of the Germanic courts.

' two oaths] as prudhomme, and
again on his election as echevin.

262

LA OOMMUNE D'OLERON.

passera o encore neys se il deffent ensi ceu nest pas vers que ge
m^t ^*^ saehe. Et ceu fut iuge on plait de Sire Giraut Dastingues
et de Pere de Solac. Et de' refiance^dau saigrement
faire dau premer dialuns ' que sera empres lou plait en
XV. iorz, et se il dit quil nen puet doner fiances yl
plevira * sa fey que nen puet doner fiances, et que yl
sera au ior dau saigrement fere, et se il defi*aut dau
saygrement fayre yl est convencus de la demande et
det a la plainte v. sols de gage, et en est en la merci
[foi. 5.] envers lou mayour de lix. sols, et encore neys, si en fait
paiz ou li est mis en pos sanz lou lezer dau mayor, yl
est en meisme merci.

Chapitrer. Si la plainte deffaut dau saigrement prendre il pert

^i^te'* sa demande, mas li mayres nia point de gage sur luy,

defaut de si donques nia envolope ^ deffensse on plait. Si cum

■J^^®"* issi, tu me dez v. sols de loer de mon chevau que

ge te loay, et li 'deffenderes dit, ge ne te dey pas les

v. sols, car tu me prestas lou chevau, or est iuge que

la plainte dit, ge defient que ge ne te prestay pas lou

chevau, or est iuge que la plainte, qui deffent lou prest,

deit feire i. saigrement.

Chapitra % Si cilz, qui le deit recever deffaut, il est convencuz
rfoL^5 6.1 ^^ ^ demande et est en la merci daus diz gages de
Qaant le V. sols et de lix. sols, et si tot recet lou saigrement, si
d^tde" ^^ ^^ ®^ meisme merci; par ceu que il lia fet iurer
saigrement la soe choze que il liavet deffendu premeremeni

prendre.

^ r^fiance] This is prol>ably mls^
written for refoianoe.

' dialuna] This word occurs lower
down in the MS. The Editor has
not been able in either place to
dirine its exact meaning.

' plevira] plever, engager, Koque-
fort*-

** envolope] This word is pro*
bably miswritten.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

2fi3

"is not true, as far ns I know/' And this was adjudged
in the suit of Sire Qiraut Dastingues and Pierre de
Solac. And on the refusal^ of the first to take the
oath, the suit shall proceed in fifteen days ; and if he
says that he cannot give securities, he shall pledge his
faith that he cannot give securities, and that he will be
there on the day to take the oath ; and if he fails to
take the oath, he shall be convicted of the demand, and
shall owe the plaintiff five shillings penalty, and shall
be at the mercy of the mayor to the amount of fifty-
nine shillings ; and still more if he makes peace, or lets
the suit drop without the permission of the mayor, he
is subject to the same amount of fine.

If the plaintiff fails to take the oath he loses his Chapter y.
claim, but the mayor has no right to fine him unless he I^^^ff
has undertaken * to reply to the plea. Thus, if he says, fails to
" You owe me five shillings for the hire of my horse, which ^J ®
" I let to you," and the defendant says, " I do not owe
"you the five shillings, for you lent me your horse ;
thereupon it is adjudged that the defendant must say,
" I deny that I lent you the horse ; '* therefore it is
adjudged that the plaintiff, who denies the loan^ ought
to make oath to that effect.

^ If he who ought to receive the oath makes default. Chapter vi.
he is convicted of the demand, and is at the niercy ^^^^^^^
[of the mayor] for the said fines of five shillings andfi«l«totake
of fifty-nine shillings ; and if he receives the oath he
is at the same mercy, because he has made him swear
the thing to be his, which he had at first denied.

the oath.

1 refiual] The meaaing of the
'paMage is open to some doubt, as
what foUows is rather inconsistent
with the suggested translation.

3 undertaken] Hie tnmshitioli is
coigectunU, but the sense of the
paragraph is obyious.

264

LA COMMUNE DOLERON.

Chapitre

• •

vu.

a <%ns.
[foL 6.]

Si en plait de fonz de terre demande li ciiez finemeni

De foDs de ^^ ^S^^S^' ^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^f ^^ V^ ^^^^ nomer lo lignage.
terre.^ Si feinme est citee davant lo mayor et ele ayt mariz,

il en aura la oort se il est raigne,' et si li mariz nest

on pais yl sera atenduz par xl. iors et non plus.

Chapitre f Si heritages est baillez a cens, li lignages lou puet
Deh^. retenir ausi cum achat, mas ceu nest pas de lanciene

tage 8 bailie COStume.

IT En achat si est ensi^ li achateres deit semondre
lou lignage que li pait ses denera dedens vii. iors, et
si adomques lo lignages li payet, yl puet retenir la
choze vendue, mas si adomques na payet, il ni a point
de recousse, et la recousse deit estre faite en tau manere,
quar cil qui veost recoyre deit mostrer les deners touz
en apert, et deit dire, si eci na assez deners, ge vos
fomiray mayntenant toto vostre paye.

IT Si aucuns dau lignage est fors dau pays, apres ceu
que yl vendra yl puet rescoyre la choze dedenz vii.
iors, mais si esteit plus de i. an et i. ior sanz deffensse
fait,^ preiudice mas ore ne fait pas entre parenz, et ceu
nest pas de lanciane costume, quar la chartre de la
[fol.^. 6.] franchize nen excepte negun.

^fons de terre'] In the Glossaire
dtt Droit Fran9ais par De Laari^re
it is said, L'auteur du Grand Cos-
tumier et autres anciens ont prit les
termes ** Fonds de terre,*' pour le
premier cens, appelli6 dans les an-
ciennes chartres, fundus terrs?.

^ raigne] from the Latin ratioci-
nari.

' heritage] Nous apelons, says
Pierre de Fontaines, ch. xxziii.
c. xiL, heritage toutes les teneures

et totes les droitures qui nos eschi*-
ent de p^re ou de m^re, on de autres
personnes de nostre lignage, nis les
conquez qu'il firent : m^ mueblee
et cbateua n'apcloiis^nos pas heri-
tage, encore nos soient il ch^ des
devant dites persones per prometre.
^/ait] The following words are
added at the aide of the text, *« U iii»
** point de recousse quai tengue de
" 1 an et 1 ior."

THE COmiirNE OF OLERON.

265

If in a claim of landed estate the party cited demand Cliapter
a complete pedigree, he ought to have it, but he ought of ]]^^
to specify the pedigree. If a woman is dted before e«taie.
the mayor, and she has a husband, he shall be heard
in court, if he is there to defend himself, and if the
husband is not in the country he shall be waited for
during forty days and no more.

% If estates are held at a chief rent, the heir may Chapter
retain them, in case they are purchased, but this ^^ofaheri-
not the ancient custom. tage held

T In a purchase the matter stands thus : — The pur- J;^J^'*
chaser ought to summon the heir' that he may pay
the [purchase] money within seven days ; and if the
heir pays the money, he may retain the thing sold,
but if he thereupon does not pay the money, he has-
no means of recovering the property, and the recovery
ought to be made in this manner, for he who wishes
to recover the property ought to exhibit all the money
openly and ought to say, ** If there is not here suflSdent
" money, I will furnish you immediately with all that
" you have paid."

f If any of the lineage is out of the country, afler
that he returns, he may recover the thing within seven
days ; but if he be more than a year and a day without
making objection, it is fatal to his claim, but not
amongst relations ; and this is not according to the
ancient custom, for the Charter of the Franchise^ makes
no exception of any person.

' chitfrenf] Cens vas a chai^
upon land in the nature of a chief
rent to the lord, as distingnished
from land held k tezrage, that is, on
payment of a certain portion of the
crops.

' the heir^ The heir of the tene-

ments had a right of pre-emption
'nrithln seven days.

3 the Charter of the Franchise}
This was probably a rery ancient
charter, long prior to that of qneen
Eleanor.

266

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

Chapitre gi cil qui avoet garenties dit en tau manere quant
Qaine li iorz li ert assignez, ge y auray ceu que ge ponray,
desacurfet* gj ^^ jor assijme yl nen trait nesrune crarentie et

868 garens • i o o

lou ser avant le ior ne les desacuse, yl est en defaute de sa
auant prove et pert sa demande. Et sun dit * en tau manere
on ior au mayor^ se ge ne puys aver mes garens au
ior assigne, repetez* les moy avenir si tot ne les ha
au ior assigne, il nest pas ainz les contraindra li mayres
si cum desus est dit, et si ne sunt ou pays les garenties,
eles seront attendues par xL iorz, et non plus.

T Si li traieres daus garenties les tndet * au ior assigne,
[foi. 7.] et li aversayres ni seit mie ne ne se seit desacusez so-
ceablement,^ li traieres ha gaigne sa demande et li
averseres est conveincuz sanz ceu que ia seent oi&s les
guarenties. Ne U guarenz nont nule renz de celuy
qui les ha trait, ne iornees, ne despens.

Chapitre gj home est trovez en male faite il nen rent point

Dome de gages^ mes amande la male faite® a lesme et a la

*^^^e en ^eue des prodeshomes, et si tant est que cil, qui le

trobet en la male faite, li vost oster sa pignore et il

la deffent, lautre la li puet oster par force en tirant

et en enpaignant^ sanz luy autrement batre; et si U

maufaiteres force la pignore, yl deit rendre a lautre v.

[fol. 7. 6.] sols de gage, et au seignor cuy envendra la clamor, se

il est li mayres, lix. sols.

Chapitre gi jjestes cheualines, si cum cheuau, egues* anes et
De bestes anesses, muls et mules, et autres bestes cheualines sont

qui Bont

1 desacttsef] dis-accuse, that is,
6zciue.

' 9un dit] fl*on dit.
' repetez] repitez, accoides an de-
lai, Roquefort.

* i^aietj from the Latin tradere.

* toceabUment'] sufficiently:

' male faite] Cf. LesCoutumesde
BeauToisis, eh. zzx. tod eh. lii.
7 etqMignant] enpoignant
" eguei] The word should be
written eques, from the Latin equa,
a mare.

THE COMMUKE OF OLEBON.

267

If he who vouches a guarantee says m this manner, Chapter
'' When a day shall be assigned to me I will produce Q^^ho
" him if I can ;" if on the day assigned he produces no does not
one as a guarantee, and before the day has not excused guarantee
him, he is in default of his proof, and loses his claim, ^ore-
And if a person has said in this manner on a day to
the mayor, '' If I cajmot have my guarantee on the day
'' assigned, respite him for me to a future day if I cannot
" produce him on the day assigned,** the mayor will not
then constrain him as above, and if the guarantee is
not in the country he shall be waited for during forty
days^ and no more.

If the producer of the guarantee produces him on
the day assigned, and the adversary has not at all or
has not sufficiently excused himself, the producer has
gained his demand, and the adversary is convicted
without the guarantee being heard. And the guarantee
has nothing f5rom him who produces him neither jour-
neys nor expenses.

If a man is taken in trespass, he shall escape without Chapter x.
a fine, but he shall make compensation for the trespass ^^n^
at the valuation and view of the prudhommes, and trespass,
if it be, that he, who took him in the trespajss,
seeks to take from him a pledge, and he resists, he
may take it by force in dragging him along and in
keeping hold of him without otherwise beating him,
and if the trespasser forces away the pledge, he ought
to restore to the other five shillings fine, and to the
lord before whom the complaint is made, if he is the
mayor, fifty -nine shillings.

If beasts of the horse kind, such as horses, mares, Chapter xl
male asses and female asses, male mules and female ^h^^^f^

' yoHy dojfi"} An essoin de ultra
mare sunply, as for a common pil-
grimage to Borne or to St. James,
Iras allowed in the English courts

for the period of forty days and ond
flood and one ebb of the sea. BHt-
ton, eh. yii. § 4.

S68 LA COMMUNE D'oUSBON.

troTeesen trobees en male&ite. Si eles sunt enpaitrees oil cay
malefkite. i^^j^^ este fSute ]& malefaite anra sua cheaoune beste v.
sols de gage, ou li ert amandee la malefaite par lesme^
et par la veue de prodeshomes, lou quau yl vodra, mas
il mcN3trera premerement par lo saigrement de sey on
de son mesage ou viL iorz qui li ert assignez ou plait,
or il trouba la beete fiadsant la malefaite. Mas ail ne
puet mostrer la malefidte present ni par prodeahomes
[foL8.] qui laient avant veue enquauque manere que eeu seit,
si cum si a este fait empre^' et li prez seit &uchet'
ainz que aifc este veue la malefaite, ou enquaucunque
manere que seit que ne paresche^ la malefidte si que
ne puchet estre veue, li apelez en ert quiptes de la
demande, et eeu fut feit on plait de Bonin Durant et
de Ouillame Durant.

Y Si li sires de la beste la veaut affianoer, li querelans
en deit ben prendre fiances aus costumes dau pais, e
est atendre que la fiance est tengue, que li sires de la
beste facet dreit au claim de la malefidte a lesgart dau
pais, qui est taus. cum vos avom desus dit.

Chapitre En totes maneres de bestes, se il ya garde qui les
[fol. 8. 6.] guardet et eles entrent en male faite et isont prises, e
Bes les rendent autre tau dreit cum les empaitrees' et li

amandes

de bestes. ■

^ Uane] l*esme. From the Latin
estimatio.

' empre^ en pre, from the Latin
pnedium.

^/auchet] from the Latin falx.

^pareseke] parer, paroitre, Boqae*
fort. Apparechet occurs below.

^ enpaitreai] empestrees, from the
Latin impedire, se laisaer prendre
en pi^ge, Bo^uefort.

THB COMMUNE OF OLEBOK.

86»

inulds, and oihet beasts of the horse kind, are found ^"^^^^ ^'^
trespassing, if they be trapped/ he against whom the
.trespass has been made shall have upon each beast five
shiUingB penalty, or the trespass shall be compensated
for at the valuation and view of the prudhommes»
whichever he prefers, but he must show first by the
oath of himself or of his agent,' within seven days that
shall be assigned to him to plead, where he found the
beast making the trespass. But if he cannot show the
trespass present, nor by prudhommes who have seen
it, in whatever manner it may be, as for instance if
the trespass has been made in a meadow, and the
meadow has been mown before the trespass has been
viewed, or in whatever manner it happens that the
trespass is not evident, as it cannot be viewed, the
defendant shall be acquitted of the claim, and this was
adjudged in the suit of Benin Durant and Ouillaume
'Duraht.

f If the owner of the beast wishes to give sureties
to the complainant, he ought to accept sureties ac-
cording to i^e custom of the country ; and it is to be
understood, that the sureties are bound, that the owner
of the beast do justice to the claim of trespass according
to the decision of the country as above said.

With regard to all kinds of beasts, if there is a Chapter
watchman who watches them, and they commit a tres- of beasts.
pass, and are taken in the act, they are subject to the

* trapped] The word empaitrees
may mean simpl j, if they are taken,
or if they allow themsclTes to be
taken.

^ of his agenQ The phrase " of
" himself or of his agent " occurs
aboTe, and is frequently used
throughout the MS. The practice,
as apparently here allowed, for an
attorney to take an oath for his

principal seems not to have been
allowed in the king's courts in Eng-
land in Britton's time. **Et ausi
'* sount ceux attoumez chalenge-
" ables en nostre court, coment qe
'* il ne sount pas en la Cristiene ley,
" qi se profirent a fere la ley pur
lour seignur, ou a jurer en lour
almes." Britton, 1. vi. c. x. § 5.

270

LA COMMUNE D'OLBRON.

r
f

gage sunt apele gage de bele garde. Si olest boves on
vache il deit ii. deners de gage, ou amande la male
faiie. Si eat anes on aneaae, muls ou mule, il deit i.
dener de gage ou amander la male &ite. Si sunt
oveilles^ ou pores ou autres meimes bestes, le iii.
devent i. dener de gage, ou amandent la malefaite.

f Si sunt chen ou chat, ou noyrim dostau,' il nen
devent point de gage, mes amander la male£Edte. Et est
assaver que si oil qui sera li chens o li chaz lou veaut
forbenir ' por la malefaite a la plainte, yl le puet bien
fere et ia ne len fera autre amande. Mas la plainte lo
[fol 9.] puet de qui est avant ocire ou faire ocire.

- IT Si dizent li plus or que iaus ne geline,^ chapons,
ne pouzins ^ aut despaice entor la maison a lor seignor
ou a lor dame tant com lor sires ou lor dame porra
geter i. of desus lo fest de sa meison dendreit lo

* oueiUes] fin>m the Latin ovis, a
sheep.

^ noyrim dostau] Accordmg to
La Somme Rural, torn, ii., tit. xl.,
a fine was ieviahle in certain diBtricts
upon geese taken* as trespassers.
" Item ponr le foue d'ojes, six den-

** iers, iK)artant qu'il n'y en ait que
** dix, si plus en j avoit, lors serait
" Tamende de trois sols."

'^/brfteiiir] forbannir.

* gdine] galline, irom gallina, a
hen.

^ pouzins] poussins, petits poulets.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

271

same law as if they had been trapped,^ and the penalty
is called the penalty of good watching.' If the beast
should be an ox or a cow, the owner ought to pay a
penalty of two pennies, or make good the trespass. If
it is a male ass or female ass, a male mule or a female
mide, the owner ought to pay one penny or make good
the trespass. If it be a sheep or a pig or other smaller
beast^ the owner ought to pay one penny for three of
them, or make good the trespass.

f If it be a dog or « cat, or a house-goose,^ the
owner ought not to pay a penalty, but make good
the damage. And it should be understood that if he,
to whom the dog or cat belongs, is willing to banish
it for the trespass against the complainant he may
well do so, and he shall not then be required to ihake
any other compensation, but the complainant may if
h6 pleases kill it or cause it to be killed.

% The majority say that hens, capons, and chickens
may wander free within the space around the house of
their lord or their lady as far as the lord or the lady
may throw an egg * over the roof of the house into the
heather in every direction, but two couples of gables

^ trapped] This translation de-
rives support from the use of the
word '* prises'' in the sense of
** taken " immediately before it.

3 good watching} The Gascon
text may be '* bete garde," beast
watching.

' a house-goose] or a ftirm-yaid
goose, as distinguished firom a wild
goose. Dostau is evidently intended
for d'ostan, of the house, and in the
absence of any other clew to the
meaning of the word ** noyrim " the
Editor has endeavotired to find a
meaning in what may be the root of
the word, namely oy or oye, a goose.
It appears to have been not unusual

to set a fine on geese as trespassers.
In the Coutumes de Bourdeaux the
following penalties are imposed upon
** bestailtrouve en heritage d'autruy.
'* Four chacun gros bestail quatre
" sols toumois ; pour chievre deux
sols toumois, autant du pore ; et
pour chacun brebis payeront sem-
blable somme, et des oyes, quand
les fruits y sonts, et quand les
firuits n'y seront, la moitie, et snr
le tout le dommage d'avantage."
^ an egg] This is a very singular
privilege. The word " of" is from
the Latin ovum, Fr. ceuf. Cobler is
rendered by Boquefort accoupler.

(«

((

272 Ll COMKUNE B'OLERON.

foQgier 6U tone senz, mas il y aura oete ^ donea oobks
de chebrons^ et ert la fest toute nae.

IT Si cil qui prendra la befite en sa malefaite la met
en prison il ne la deit mie batre ne maumener' ne
espleiter, neis^ que se il leepleitet, le ior que il lespleitera
li deit doner a manger a son cost, mes autrement ne li
dera ia a manger ae il set cuy est la beste, mas mandera
au seignor de la beste que yl li enveit a manger en la
prison ; et sil ne set cuy est la beste, il la fera crier^ et
[fol. 9. &.] tant li dera a manger au cost de son seignur ; et si la
beste mouret en la prison saaz defaute dau quereillaot,
il nen amandera ia rens de la beste nest mains ert
amandee au quereillant la roalefaite, ou en quauque
manere que seyt que non apparechet la malefaite, si
que ne puchet estre veue, li appelez en est quiptes de
la demande et oeu fut fait on plaint de Bonin Durant
et de Quillame Durant.

Chapitre £n Oleron est costume longement maintenue et ap-

Qaaiit\om P™^^ et dit hom quen si est en toute la conte de

ie mariet. Peiters,' quant home et feme saiostent par mariage, li

moble que cbacuns ha par doners say. et les deptes que

deit et sunt degues a luy ou a le, et les coubrances^

[fol. 10.] que il feront apres ensemble, se aiostent comunaus entre

aus dous ensemble par metie. Mas or posom ensi, vns

horns prent vne feme la quau fame a avant mariee

vne soe filhe, et a promis a la fiUe xz. libres eu

manage ; or mort la femme, li parent dicele femme

* arte] ote. ' eonie de Peiters] Peitarin ; Poi-
^ cMmnui] eherrom, the gableR tiTin« qm est dn Poiton, Roqaefort.

of a roof. * couhnmeta'i This ia explained

' mautnener] maltraSter, Roque- afterwards to mean acquisitioiis made

fort. ^ after marriage. They are tetmed

* neia] unless, from the Latin " conquests '' in the Ooatome da
nW. Pays de Poiton, tit. iii.*§ ccxiiii.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 273

shaJl be removed, and the roof of the house shall be
entirely bare.^

IT If he, who takes a beast in the act of trespass,
puts it in prison, he ought not to beat it nor to mal-
treat it nor to work it, unless, if he works it, on the day
on which he works it, he ought to give it to eat at
his own cost, but otherwise he shall not give it to esift,
if he knows to whom the beast belongs, but he shall
send to the owner of the beast that he may send it
food in prison ; and if he does not know to whom the
beast belongs, he shall have it cried, and shall give it
so much food at the charge of the owner ; and if the
beast dies in prison without the fault of the complainant,
he shall not make any compensation for the beast, nor
shall any compensation be made to the complainant for
the trespass, for in whatever manner it happen that the
trespass is not evident because it cannot be viewed, the
defendant is quit of all demands, and so it was decided
in the suit of Bonin Durant and William Durant.

•

In Oleron it is the custom long time maintained and Chapter
approved, and they say that it is so in the whole county -^jj^^J^
of Poitiers,* when a man and woman are joined together man
in marriage, the moveable goods which each party pos-
sesses of its own, and the debts which each party owes
or which are owing to each, and the acquisitions,
which they shall make thereafter together, are united
in community between them both together in moieties.
Let us suppose a case. A man takes a woman to wife,
which woman before her marriage had a single daughter,
and she had promised her daughter twenty pounds for
a marriage portion; thereupon the woman dies, the

marnes.

^ entirely bare'] so as to allow of
the egg being thrown to a greater
distance.

2 county of Poitiers'] This is in
accordance with the provisions of

VOL. II. S

the CoQtame da Pays de Foitoa,
tit. iii., in Le Nouveaa Coutomier
General, torn. iv. p. 797. The rule
also prevailed at Rochelle.

274

LA COMMUNE D'OLEBON.

demandent a son mari que il 11 part la meite diceles
XX. libres par la reson auant dite, daus mobiles et
daus depies li mariz dit que ni deit rens metre, quar
ceu nest par depte qui tort en moble, aiz tomet en
heritage par ceu que ol est nomeement manages, et si
la fille moret/ ou tomeret ^ au lignage ou au comande-
ment de la fille come heritage, de ceu fut einsi iuge
que li mariz ne deit rens metre a paier les dites

[foi. 10.6.] xz. libres, quar eles sunt comme heritages. Quar sus-
sauer est que denerz et moble einsi assis et donnez a
femmes en lor manages simt come heritages, et neys
les det tenir li mariz endere ^ com heritage, et si
deperissent li mariz, les deit restituer dau son propre.
Mas tant que la fenmie les li porroit bien donner et
quipter, et toutes les autres mobles de sa femme puet
ben li mariz fere sa uolente sanz parler en ia. I ceu
fut fait et iuge on plait de loffi-ey Boysseau et de
ses fillatres, les filz de ne lohanne Enchaize.^ Si fut
ausi iuge on plait de dom Pere Chevalier, et deveit por
sey et por ne Marie Chevalere Fahne, qui aveit este sa
feme avant que il presist la dite Aleaiz,^ esteent com-

[foi. II.] munau par meitie entre lo dit Fere Chevalier et les
fillz de la dicte JUaxie, autresi li moble que la dite
Aleaiz aveit par sey et par don Pere Vezos Fahn, qui
avet este sis mariz® avant que ele presist^ don Pere

^ moref] mourrait.

* tameref] devolve to.
' endere] entier.

* de ne Johawne EnchMze"] de
n^ Johaime Enobaize, the latter
name being that of the fkmily of the
wife before marriage.

* ia diU Ateaiz] The passage is

probably an extract from a jadg-
ment, in which the name of Alice
had previously occurred.

" sis mctriz'] from the Latin suns
maritus.

7 presist'] pressist : prit, Roque-
fort

THE COMMXJyE OF OLERON.

275

relations of the woman demand from her husband that he
should share with them the half of this twenty pounds, for
the reason above said of [sharing in common] the move-
ables and the debts. The husband says that he ought
not to pay anything, for that this is not a debt, which
is a lien on the moveables, but has become a heritage
by reason that there has been .a marriage, and if the
daughter died it would descend to her lineage, or
according to the direction of the daughter as a heritage.
Thereupon it was adjudged that the husband ought not
to pay any part of the twenty pounds, for they are
as it were a heritage.^ Whence it is to be understood
that money and moveables, so settled and given to a
woman at her marriage, are as it were a heritage, and
the husband ought to keep them entire as a heritage ;
and if they perish, the husband ought to restore them in
full. But as long as the wife can well give them and
release them, they as well as all the other moveables of
his wife are in the power of the husband to do with
them as he pleases without speaking to her. And this
was done and adjudged in the suit of Joffrey Boysseau
and his stepson, the son of Johanne Enchaize. It was
also so adjudged in the suit of Don Pierre Chevalier,
that the moveables which he had for himself and for
Marie Chevalere Fahne, who had been his wife before
he took the said Alice to wife, were common in moieties
between the said Pierre Chevalier and the sons of the
said Marie to the exclusion of the moveables, which
the said Alice had for herself and for Don Pierre Vezos
Fahn, who had been her husband before she took for

^ a heritage] The wife might
have giyen the twenty potindB in
her Ufetime ; but, as she made no
gift, the money remained part of
her estate at her death and went to
her heirs.

' Fahne'} It would appear from
the husband's surname being after-

wards written Fahn that the termi-
nalion of the surname of the wife
underwent an inflexion in Gascon,
as is the practice in the Polish lan-
guage. Thus the surname of Ponia-
towski in the Polish language in the
case of females becomes Ponia-
towska.

s 2

276

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

Chevaler, estiant communau par meitie entre la dite
Aleaiz et les enfTanz audit P. Vezos et essi les does
meitez, cest asaaver la parfcie dau dit P. Chevaler et la
partie de la dite Aleaiz estiant communau par meite
entre lo dit P. Chevaler et les enfanz de la dite Aleaizu
Si donques saviant dire razon est contre les vnes parties
vers les autres de dom P. CShevaler ou des autres con-
venances, quil en oussant ^ fait li vns vers les autres.
Quar de ses mobles et de ses coubrances puet on fere
sa planere volunte en- doner, en aliener, et en toute
autre manere.

[fol. 11.6.] ^ Lou terz* de son patrimoyne puet hom doner en
ausmone. Vere mas li plus ors dient que ce est dome
qui se donet en religion. Tout son patrimoyne puet
hom vendre efc doner en les deners ceu dit hom, mes ceu
nest pas de lanciane costume, aynz ne le deust home
vendre fors por son grant besoig, et encore neys tant
cum lignage lou vouguist porveir souceablement segont
sey et retenir leritage.

If Si pere et mere ensemble marient lor filz o lor fille,
ia li mariez ne naura empres partie entor lo lignage ne
on chozes mobles et non mobles dau pere ne de la
mere, fors tant com il en doneront, si domques nest en

[fol. 12.] convenant au mariage, et autre tau die daus chozes
au pere sil mariet son fil ou sa fille apres la mort de
la mere, et autretau est de la choze a la mere si les
mariet apres la mort dau pere.

^ oussant] Probably a mis-
Trriting.

2 Lou terz] This was more libe-
ral than the usage of Vermandois
in the reign of Philip III., to which
Pierre de Fontaines refers, ch. xxxiii.
§ xii. ** Le peres puet, par nostte
" usage, lessier le quint de son iri-

*' tage, s*il tient Teritage firanche-
<* ment, ou ^ ccns, ou h. terrage,
" m^s, sor terre qui tient a jostise,
'< ne quit-je, quMl puisse riens les-
" sier.*' Cf Les Coutumes de Beau-
voisis, ch. xii. § 3, where the same
limitation of the power of bequest
was maintained.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 277

her husband Don Pierre Chevalier, which were common
in moieties between the said Alice and the children
of the said Pierre Vezos, and thereupon the two moieties,
that is to say, the part of the said Pierre Chevalier and
the part of the said Alice were common by moieties
between the said Pierre Chevalier and the children of
the said Alice. If therefore the question is to be de-
cided between the one party and the other, touching
the rights of Don Pierre Chevalier and the other
courtesies, which they must exhibit one towards the
other, Don Pierre Chevalier may of the said moveables
and the said acquisitions do his full will in giving
them away or in alienating them in any other manner.^

IT A man may give away a third of his patrimony
in alms ; but the majority say, that what is given for
religious purposes is so given. A man may sell all his
patrimony and give it in the latter case, it is said ; but
this is not the ancient custom; accordingly, a man
ought not to sell his patrimony except he be in great
want; and even not so, if the heirs are wilting to
provide him with what is suitable to him, and to retain
the inheritance.

IT If father and mother together give away in mar-
riage their son or their daughter, the married party
shall not have any part in right of inheritance of the
moveable or immoveable property of the father or
mother, except so much as they shall give him or her,
if it be not in the contract of marriage ; and the same
is the case with regard to the property of .the father,
if he gives away in marriage his son or his daughter
after the death of the mother ; and the same is the case
with the property of the mother, if she gives away her
son or her daughter in marriage after the death of the
father.

^ manner'] A portion of the decree of the court in this case appears to
conclude the paragraph.

278

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

Chapitre Tote pucele ne fait de oscle ^ a son mari, et 11 mariz
De oMle ^^ ^^^^ oscle, li autre se font entreaus oscle, et li mariz
a sa feme, et la feme a son mari. Et si quant li
mariz est mors est dopte de oscle a lautre, et ne puet
estreprouez, li vns aura de la choze au mort osde a
esguart de prodes homes segont ceu que la choze eit.
f E entre les gentis hommes * est einsi, que si li
gentis hom mort, sa femme aura de leritage au chevaler
lo ters en oscle, sil ne lia assis autre oscle.

[fol. 12.6,] ^ Si oscles enpeiret en la tenue de celuy qui le
tendra, li lignages, a cuy il deura tomer apres la mort
dau teneor, lo i poet tolir,^ car en oscle cilz qui tent
ma fors le use fruit,* et est assavoyr que osde tomet
a lignage einsi com il est alore que il eschiet. Mas
assauer est que li dauant dit Helies de Fors^ qui fut
evesques de Xainctes, ob lasentement des prodeshomes
mua que li heir on li commandement de celuy qui

* osde] Ousclage is the ordinary
French word. ** Dotem non uxor
** marito, sed uxori maritus offert,
" Tacitus, German, ch. 18." Some
French writers distinguish ousclage
from douaire, the former being given
upon solemnization, the latter being
acquired upon consummation. "Dou-
" aires est aquis a la feme si tost
** comme loiax manage et com-
" paignie camele est fete entre li et
** son mari, et autrement non."
Ck)utumes de Beauvoisis, ch. xiii.
§25. On the other hand, " ous-

** clage ** is recognised in ch. xv. of
the Customs of Bochelle as distin-
guished from douaire. XjC Nouveau
Coutumier General, tom. iy. p. 858.

^gentis homes'] nobles as distin-
guished from roturiers. Gentis
homs de lignage are mentioned in
the Conseil de Pierre de Fontaines as
distinguishable from frans hommes,
who were such by tenure.

3 tolir'] from the Latin toUere.

•* use fruit] the usus et fructos,
but not the fee simple of the estate.

THE COMMUNE OF OLBRON.

279

Every maiden does not bring a marriage portion ^ to Chapter
her husband, but the husband gives a dowry to his wife ; of dower,
others make a marriage settlement between themselves,
the husband on the wife and the wife on the husband.
And, if when the husband is dead, there is doubt as
to the dowry of the woman, and it cannot be proved,
the widow shall have of the property of the deceased
a dowry according to the decision of the prudhommes,
in proportion to what his property shall be.

f And between gentlemen tiie rule is this, that if a
gentleman dies, his wife shall have the third of the
estate of a knight as her dowry, if he has not settled
on her another dowry.

T If the dowry becomes deteriorated in the tenancy
of the person who shall hold it, the heirs to whom the
dowry ought to devolve after the death of the holder
may take possession of it, for in dowry the holder has
nothing except the usufnict ; and it is to be understood
that the dowry devolves to the heirs as soon as it
falls in. But it is to be understood that the aforesaid
Helies de Fors,^ who was bishop of Saintes, with the
assent of the prudhommes, made a change, that the
heir, with the authority of the person who holds the

* marriage portion^ The word
OBcle is derived from osculum, the
kiss given by the husband to the
wife immediately after marriage, and
it properly signified the gift made
by the husband to the wife at that
time. " Solet sponsus interveniente
'' oscalo res donare sponse " are the
words of the Contome da Rochelle.
The word '' oscle " seems to be used
in this paragraph to signify the mar-
riage portion of a bride, or the
dowry given by her husband. Cf.
Cod. Theodos. 1. iii. tit. v. § v. De
Sponsalibus.

^ the aforesaid Helies de Fors"]

This form of expression, as the
bishop has not been named before,
may be attributed to the circum-
stance that the clause was copied
from a document in which the bishop
was previously named. He appears
as the thirty-ninth bishop of Saintes
in the list of bishops given in Ghillia
Christiana, tom. ii. p. 1074, ^having
succeeded Pontius III. in 1267.
William de Forz of Oleron, who was
one of the admirals of king Rich-
ard I.'s fleet for the relief of the
Holy Land, may have been an an-
cestor of the bishop. He was the
first earl of Albemarle.

280

LA COMMUNE D'oLERON.

tent loscle deivent aver apres luy la partie ons fruys
quo li aureit vns autres qui aureit coetive ^ loscle ; quar
gaigneres ne pert reus. Et est assauer que fruz apele
on ^n Oleron en terres et en vignes et en arbres, ceu
qui aparest en un Marz* decique en auant que icil
[foi. 13,] fruit seyent coilli. En salines est fruiz la sau icele
qui parest ons ayres,* et icele qui en est traite. •

f Quant gent se aiostent par mariage, si li vns deaus
ha davant vne choze achatee ou paumeiee,* ia il ne lait
paiee, ainz la paiet apres^ horn dit que ceu est coubrance
propre de domaine a celuy qui layeit davant achatee.

Chapitre

XV.

Qui vent
son heri-
tage.

Si horn vent de ses heretages et apres encoubret
autres, horn dit que i quil autres sunt coubrances.
Mas ceu nest past de lanciane costume, que ainz de-
guist * estre faite recompensacions des heritages coubrez
en tant comme il aveit vendu des autres.

f Si horn demandeit ob le principau damages, il deit
prover par guarenties le demages, mas ceu nest pas de
[fol. 18.6.] lanciane costume que ainz le soleit prover par son
saigrement.

f Feme qui ha son mari ne puet negun convenant
fere sanz le leser ^ de son mari, si domques nest femme
qui soyt apertement marchande.

Chapitre Li quatre seignor ^ nont point de cort en- Oleron de
DauB iiii. nule choze. Si que monsire Johan Vidaus dist davant

seignors. ;

^ coetive] cousti^er, coutiver : cul-
tiver, Roquefort.

2 Marz\ The first day of March
was the commencement generally of
the close season in France, which
lasted in Gascony till the day of the
Nativity of the Virgin, 8 Sept.
Nouveau Coutumier General, Paris,
1724, torn. 1, p. 901.

' cfM eyres'] ons from the Latin
omnes.

* paumeiee] Faulm^e : march^ con-

clu en se donnant mutnellement la
main, Roquefort

^ deguist] Frobahly a miswriting
for requist

• feser] laisser.

' Li quatre teignor] The four
lords seem to have discharged duties
somewhat similar to those of the
four knights of the Great Assize in
England, hut there is no account in
the MS. of their appointment They
seem to have been a distinct body
from the echevins.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERQN. 281

dowry land, ought to have after him the part of the
crops which the other would have had if he had
cultivated the dowry land ; for the cultivators lose
nothing. And it is to he known, that in Oleron the
term crops is used in regard to lands and vines and
trees, whatever is apparent in the month of March,
from that time until the crop is gathered In salt
marshes the crop is the salt which appears every year,
and which is collected from them.

f When persons are united in marriage, if one of
them has beforehand bought or contracted to buy a
thing, and has not paid for it, and afterwards pays
for it, it is called an acquisition (coubrance) proper to
the domain of the person who had beforehand pur-
chased it.

IT If a man sells some of his heritages and after- Chapter
wards acquires others, the others are spoken of as ac- He who
quisitions (coubrances); But this is not according tof^^^
the ancient custom, which formerly required compensa-
tion to be made for the estates acquired in proportion
to the value of the other property sold by him.

IT If a man demands damages with the principal sum,
he ought to prove by warrantors his damages ; but this
was not the ancient custom, as formerly it was usual
for him to prove it by his oath.

% A woman who has a husband alive cannot make
any covenant without the leave of her husband, unless
she be a woman who is openly a trader.

The four lords have no court of any thing in Oleron. Chapter
According to what Monsieur Johan Vidans said before q^^^^'^^^

lords.

282

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

les prodeshomes a Saint Andre/ que il aveit yen au
Chastea ^ vne bataille qui i voguit estre faite, et apres
en fut paiz, et li quatre seignur en demanderent
lo gage sus lo conveincu et diseant que il en devei-
ent aver la cort ; adonques fut iuge que il naveent
point le cortjsi com nos avom dit en Oleiron, ne
[foi. 14.] naveant sus le convencu de bataille fors i. dener de
gage. Mas li reis por ceu, que il esteit sires de* la
cort, y aveit lix. sols de gage. Et est assauer que li
gages est sub celuy qui done danson^ por la paiz, ou
qui la requert premerement, ou quipte son auersere de
la bataille.

CSiapitre
xvii.

ment.

En saigrement iuge davaut lo mayor, si olen est fait
Desire- P*^^' ^^ quatre seignor iont meable * de saigrementage
sus celuy qui le devet fere, et sil nen rent la meable
ainz que il ische fors de la cort, li quatre seignur ob
lou meable iant Ix. sols de gage. Ne portant nos ne
disons mie que de cens reconoguz que li iiii. seignor
ben nen aient la cort de toute choze de quey vns
veisins laureit vers lautre.

* Saint Andre'] Probably a Til-
lage or a parisb in Oleron.

2 Chastea'] Chateau. The chief
town in the Isle of Oleron is at
present called Chateau.

^ dauson] This word is evidently
a miswriting for ranson, i.e., ran-
9on, ransom.

* meable] This word is probably
miswritten. As it stands, it may
be interpreted as " meuble du sere-

" ment," namely, the various articles
required for the due swearing of a
party or of a witness. It may have
been a relic of an earlier practice,
when the wager of battle was al-
lowed, and when the four lords were
entitled to the armour and other
equipment of the vanquished party,
as reference is made in the text to
peace having been made as a con-
dition precedent.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEKON.

283

the prudhomraes at St Andre,^ that he had seen at the
Chateau a battle which was publicly wagered, and after-
wards there was peace, and the four lords demanded a
fee from the party convicted, and said that they ought
to hold the court ; it was then adjudged that they had
no jurisdiction, as we have said, in Oleron, having only
against the party convicted in the battle a right to a
fee of one penny. But the king, because he is lord of
the court, has fifty*nine shillings as his fee. And it is
to be understood that the fees fall upon him who pays
ransom for peace or begs for peace first, or quits his
adversary in the field.

In the oath adjudged before the mayor, if peace is Chapter
made, the four lords have the apparel* of the oath from Qf S^'
him who ought to make it, and if he does not render oath,
the apparel before he goes out of court, the four lords
with the apparel shall have sixty shillings penalty.
Nevertheleas, we do not say, that of a chief rent recog-
nised the four lords may not hold a court in respect
of every thing of which one neighbour* may make
claim against another.

' at St. Andre'] The Breton and
Norman versions of the Kolls of
Oleron have at the end a clause
attesting their authenticity : '* Tes-
*^ moing le seel de Tlsle Dauleron
" estahli aux contractz de la dicte
'^ isle le jour du Mardi apr^s la
" feste Saint Andre Ian mil deux
" cens soixante six bus."

2 the apparet] The Editor has
great douhts as to the translation
being in accordance with the trne
meaning of the text, as there may
he some blunder of the scribe. The
Editor's idea is that certain 'Mn-
''stmmenta sacramenti" may have
been required, such as relics, *' ista

" sancta,*' or the Holy Gospels, &c.,
upon which the parties were to be
sworn, and that it was. within the
province of the four lords to pro-
vide what was necessary and to
require in return a fee from the
party or parties who had to take
the oath.

3 neighbour] Mr. Augustin Thierry
states that at Bayoune, to which
king John granted a charter after
the model of that of Kouen, in
A.D. 1215, the members of the
governing body, usually styled
jur^s, were called ** voisins," neigh-
bours. Histoire du Tiers Etat, p.
249.

284

LA CX)MMUNE D OLERON.

[fol.14.6.] f Si plusors homes, cest assaver duy ou trey ou
Chapitre quatre, ont fet vu meffait a autre efc il sen clamet, si
li plaiz est de fons de terre chescun respondra par sey,
ia seit eeu que la plainte les apelet en tau manere:
Tu me feis tau meffet et itel autre ou autres, et det
bien nomer les autres. Si il iest requis en cort, et
iceu fut iuge on plait de Helies Gignont^ et de Pamele
la Costurere. Mas si on plait de fons de terre, i. home
apelet vn autre, et plusors ob luy, li vns ne respon-
<lra pas sanz lautre ni de depte ni de convenant de
marche.

XVIU.

Quand
plusors
homes ont
fet un
meffait.

Chapitre Si li servant^ dim prodome est eitez, et sis sires lou
Quand li veaut desacuser, la desacusacion ne vant reus plus
servantdun que dun autre, ni ne lou puet metre li servanz en luec

prodome •■ o* i* • j* '^ :i »± • i*

est chjBz. de sey. Si b sires ne feseit dreit ausi cum li servanz

[fol. 15.] meismes ou vns autres, et ceu fut iuge on plait Deste

ne le Batart, et de don loban Guillem et de Pere lou

servant, por que son servant ne tenget rens de luy de

que il seit si horn ^ en autre manere.

Chapitre Hom puet establir ben et metre vn autre en luec
de sey • a tout son plet ou a aucimes des iornees en la
cort ; maa il convent que li iuges soit presenz et li
aversaires et autrement non ne le puet- mie fere; et
convient que cil que il establira en luec de sey facet
autretant com il feret en la cort.

De mestre
autre pur
sey.

Chapitre Hom puet bien avoer garior en la cort, et si hom
De avoer ^voet il deit avoer ior par espace de vii. iors de amener

garior. son guarior, et sil ne laraenet au ior, ou ne le desacuset
[fol. i#. 6.]

* servant"] This word Is trans-
lated hy Roquefort esclave and do-
mestique. " Servage ** was a chief
rent paid hy serfs to their lord.

^ 81 fum] suus homo, his Tassal ;
hence homage.

^ en luec de sei/] in loco suo, as
attorney or proctor.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEROK. 285

If several persons, that is to say, two or three or Chapter
four, have committed a trespass against another, and he when
complains of it, if the suit is about land, each shall several
answer for himself according as the complainant makes commit a
a claim against them in this manner : You have com- trespass,
mitted such a trespass against me, and such a one such
another trespass, and he ought to name the others, if
it is required in court, and this was adjudged in the
suit of Helies Gignont and Parnell La Costurere. But
if the suit is about land, and one man charges another
and several with him, the one shall not answer without
the others, neither for debt, nor covenant of sale.

f If the servant ^ of a prudhomme is cited, and his Chapter
lord wishes to excuse him, his excuse is of no more when^the
value than the excuse of any other person ; nor can servant of
he put the servant in the place of himself, if the lord hcSnme is
does not do justice as well as the servant himself to ci*^-
another ; and this was adjudged in the suit of £stene
le Batart and Don Johaa Guillielme and of Pierre his
servant, because his servant did not hold any thing
of him, whereby he was his vassal in an other
manner.

A man may well appoint and put another pei*son chapter
in place of himself for the whole suit, or for certain^ "•
days in court; but it is proper that the judge bestitute
present, and the adverse party, and otherwise he cannot ™^n'in
do it; and it is proper that he whom he shall appoint one's place,
in place of himself do every thing as he himself would
do, if present in court.

A man may vouch a warrantor in the court; and Chapter

XXI.

if a man so vouches a warrantor, he ought to have to vouch
a day after the space of seven days to produce his*^^"

^ servant"] The term " servant ''
is rendered hy Roquefort " domes-
tique," which seems to he the mean-

ing of the word in this place, as
the context implies that he was not
the vassal of his master.

286

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

souceablement, on si li garieres ^ est taus que il ne veuget
en meisme cort fere dreit de oeu que il est avoez a
garior, cil qui lou avoet est oonvaincuz de la demande,
et en est en la merci au maior de lix. sols. E est
assaver que en desacuser guarior deit fere luges meismes
dreit, que il feret quant horn desacuset ses guarenties.*

Chapitre T Si hom vent sau a autre sanz terme deviser au

o ^™h pi*®ii^®> li venderes li deit guarder de sique li achateres

Tent sau la i demant, si domques li venderes ne semoUt lachateor,

a autre. ^^ j^j^ j^^j^ semondre par seignorie ® que il prange sa

sau.

Si la sau est vendue a terme devise dau prendre, si
[foi. 16.] ]i achateres ne la prent dedens le terme, li venderes la
puet vendre a autre et fere en son profit, et rendre a
lachate or lefuer^ que la sau valeit, sil en a agu' les deniers
au terme devise ; mas si alore que li venderes la revendra
apres lo terme, la sau ne vaut tant com li venderes laveit
vendue avant, li achateres lou ideit entermer, et iceu
iuia li reys Richarz en Ian que les saus furent cheres,
quant dom Pere Dorz estoyt prevost Doleron.

Chapitre Enfes ^ qui est de menor eage de xv. anz puet de-
D ^^^Siit °^®^^®^ ^ autre demande de heretage, mes non pas des
medrede- autres chozes, et hom ne puet rens demander aluy.

age.

^ gcuieres'] The nominative case
of the sabstantiTe, of which the ac-
cusative case is garior.

^ guarenties'] A garior was a
warrantor of title, a guarantee was
either a surety for appearance or for
the performance of some act

' seignorie] through the court of
the lord

* filer] from the Latin forum,
market price.

' agu] aquiait, fh>m the Latin
acquisitus.

* Enfes] enfans.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

287

warrantor ; and if he does not produce him on the
day assigned to him, or does not excuse him sufficiently,
or if the warrantor •is such that he will not in the
same court do right to him whom he is vouched to
warrant, he who has vouched him shall be convicted
of the claim, and shall be at the mercy of the mayor
to the amount of fifty-nine shillings. But it is to be
understood that in excusing a warrantor, the judge
ought to administer the same law as he would do when
a man excuses his guarantees.

f If a man sells salt to another without fixing a Chapter
term for him to take it, the seller ought to keep it when a
until the purchaser claims it,, unless the seller summons ™^ ^*
the purchaser, and makes him be summoned by the another,
seignory to take his salt

IT If the salt is sold for a term fixed to take it, if
the purchaser does not take it within that term, the
seller may sell it to another, and make profit of it,
and render to the purchaser the sum which the salt
was worth, if he had received the money at the time
fixed ; but if at the time when the seller resells it,
after the expiration of the term fixed, the salt is not
worth as much as the seller would have sold it for
beforehand, the purchaser ought to make the deficiency
good; and so decided king Richard, in the year in
which the salt was dear, when Don Pierre Dorz was
provost of Oleron^

An infant which is of less age than fifteen years* Chapter
may claim of another a claim of inheritance, but not of an in-
of other things, and no one can claim anything from **°* ^®"

low sffe.

> king BichariT] Bichard the First,
king of England and dnke of Aqoi-
taine.

* fifteen years'] that is, fifteen years
complete. Pierre de Fontaines,
c. ziy., describes the soos-aagi^ i(8

" oil qui ont meins de xy, ans."
Philippe de Beaumanoir, c. cxli., is
more precise, as he states qainze
ans acompUs to be the limit of
minority.

288

LA COMMUNE D'OLEEON.

Mas ne pero li enfes ^ dera fiances autres que sey home
[fol. 16.6.] soceant, que ceu qui adonques sera fet ob luy prenge fin
a touz temps.

Chapitre
xxiv.
Dela
goarde
denfant de
menor
eage.

Tvit II enfant de lome de la commune sont en la
guarde de la commune, tant com il sunt en bail de lome,
et neys la feme de lome de la commune, tant com li
mariz est vivanz. Mas apres la mort du mari si enfant,*
sil ne sont deage, sunt en la guarde de la commune.
Alas, se il sunt deage, il ne simt pas de Ja commune, sil
ne la iurent.

Chapitre Dau bail son pere o de son autre tutor ist hom quant

Du baU ®st mariez, ou quant li est sa choze bailhee a gouemer ;

dau pere. et deit li estre livree davant seignur, ou quant il est
deage et se depart de son pere ou de son tutor par son
gre melsme.

Li Ysefruit dau bail est touz au tutor, mas il deit tenir

[fbl. 17.] les affiemens ^ sanz emperer, et si li affiement enpeireent
en sa tenue, il est tenuz de lamander, et endera ou segur-
tances * ou fiances au lignage de ceiuy qui ert en bail
davant la seignorie, et autretau fera o Ion on com-
mencement cil qui deit aver bail, ainz quil ou ait si
hom le voy t tau que il ne seit pas soceant * a restituer
les chozes que il aureit en bail, si eles enpireent en sa
main. Ne pero moble par ceu, que cest choze qui se
degaste, si il empirent ou se degastent en eaus meismes,
il ne simt pas restitu.

^ enfes"] from the Latin infans.
3 si enfant'] sui infantes. •
^ affiemens] fixtures.

^ segurtances] segurte, assurance,
Roquefort.
^ soiearU] sufficient, responsible.

THE gOMMUNE OF OLERON. 289

the infant. But nevertheless the infimt may give
other securities, that> when he be sufficiently a man^
what shall be done with his consent shall take effect
for all time.

Every infant of a man of the commune is in the Chapter

XZIT.

guardianship of the commune, as long as he is under Of the
the man as trustee,^ and not of the wife of the man e^?^^^-

' , ., , Bhip of an

of the commune as long as the husband is living. But infaut
after the death of the husband, the infant, if he is not "^°'-
of age, is in the guardianship of the commune ; but if
he is of age he is not of the commune, if he has not
taken the oath.

A man is free ^ from the control of his father, as Chapter
trustee, or of his other tutor, when he is married, or q^ ^^'
when his property is committed to him to manage ; father as
and it ought to be delivered to him before the lord, ^™®**®'
or when he is of age and quits his father or his tutor
of his own accord.

The usufruct of a trust is with the tutor, but he
ought to maintain the fixtures without waste ; and if
the property in trust suffers waste in his keeping, he
is bound to make it good, and he shall give securities,
or find sureties to the heirs of him, whose property
shall be in trust before the seignory ; and he who is
» to have the trust, shall do as much before he receives
it, if it is seen that he is not sufficient to make good
the property which he will hold in trust, if it dete-
riorates in his hands ; nevertheless moveables, by reason
that they are things which are perishable, if they dete-
riorate or perish of themselves, they are not required
to be restored.

1 as trustee'} The meaning pro-
bably is that as the father was en-
titled to have the custody and
management of any property belong,
ing to his son, as trustee for him,

VOL. 11.

during his minority, so the commune
was during such time guardian of
the person of the minor.
^free"] emancipated.

290 LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

f Est assaver que feme puet ben aver bail^ ei lou
bailler en sa vie, ou laisser ley empres sa mort a
autre.

Y Si home apelet autre que il a batu en chemiD,ol
nia point de guarde, par ceu que chemins sont chozes
[fpl. 17.&.] ^oi^^u^^us > ™^s ^ ^1 dit que il lait batu en terre,
en vigne, ou en mares, ou en autre affiement/ olia
guarde ; et ceu fut iuge on plait de Availle et de lohan
Meynart Larbalester.

Chapitre Si li edifices de vn veisin chet so dosement* einsi
Si edifice Q"® avant ne menacet point de mine, si il en cele
portet cheete ^ empiret ledifice de son porchain * veisiu, li sires
de la choze cheete nen amandera ia rens a lautre vei-
sin, quar ceu est cas daventure ; mas si la chose mena-
coyt mine avant que ele cheist, li vesins porchains, ou
cil qui tendroit la mine, deit lo seignor dicele choze
fere amonester par seignorie^ que il amandet la chose,
einsi que ele ne li facet domage; et apres fete cele
[fol. 18.] monicion, si la choze chet et fait demage a lautre
veisin, li pires de la choze li est tenuz restituer.

% Si massons ^ ou autres edifior fait cost o autre
edifice apreffait, 11 lou deit tenir L an et i. ior coste
sanz enpirement. Si dedens Ian et le ior empiret ou
chet li edifices sanz force de gent ou de bestes, li
edifieres deit ledifice amander a son propre cost et re-
stituer le demage.

% Si horn est apelez de depte et il neet^ la depte
toute, li iuges li deit demander se il lendeit rens, et

' affiement] private property.

* doaemenf] doucement.
' cheeteli chute.

* porchain'] prochain.

' moMona] ma90ii, from the Latin
mansio.
^ neet] niet.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 291

f It is to be understood that a woman may hold a
trust, and transact the trust during her life^ and leave
it after her death to another.

IT If a man accuses another that he has built on a
high way, he can have no summons against him, because
high ways are things in common ; but if he says that
he has built on a field, in a vineyard, or on a marsb,
or on any other private property, he shall have a sum-
mons, and this was adjudged in the suit of Availle
and of Johan Meynart Larbalester.^

If the building of a neighbour falls so gently that it Chapter
does not threaten to tumble down, and if in falling if abulia
down it damages the building of the next neighbour, ing tum-
the owner of the building which has tumbled down * .^^"*
shall not make any compensation to the other neigh-
bour, for this is a case of accident; but if the thing
has threatened to tumble down before it has fallen, the
next neighbour or the tenant of the falling house ought
to have had the owner of the house admonished by the
seignory to repair the building, so that it shall not cause
damage ; and after the warning so given, if the build-
ing falls and does damage to the other neighbour, the
owner of the building is bound to restore the damage.

IT If a mason or other builder makes a cottage or
other building at a profit, he ought to keep it for a *
year and a day at his own cost without deterioration.
If within a year and a day the building deteriorates^
or fisdls down without violence from man or beast, the
builder ought to repair the building at his own cost
and restore tbe damage.

f K a man is accused of debt and denies the debt
altogether, the judge ought to demand of him if he

^ Larbalester] This may be a term i being famous for his use of the
descriptive of Johan Meynart as | cross-bow.

T 2

292

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

il endoit respondre combien il endoit, et se il dit, ge
ne len doy^ riens, ge lay bien paie, il doit prover la
paye.

Cbapitre Si hoiu qui nest pas de la commune pkudeet
rfoi!^r8.&.] Savant lo mayor, et U plaiz se &cq taus que si la
Be home .plainte qui nest pas de la commune ifiist escheguz,^ li
?a*com-^^ maires nia point de gage, car cil ne a point de dreit
mune. fors sus lou lure; ma se il se clame derechef au
mayor, li mayres ne li fera ia point de dreit, decique
il eit paiee loncheite.*

f Si hom loge mayson a autre, tuit li bien que cil
qui loget la mayson metra et menera dedens sent tengu
por lo logier, einsi que cil qui loge la mayson ne paiet
les deners aus termes devisez, cils qui la li aura logee
puet les chozes prandre et metre aiUors, ou former la
mayson et encloyre les dedens; et quant il les aura
guardees tant comme il deit, ceu est assaver par vii
iors, il puet fere la costume dau pais si cum est de-sus
[fol. 19.] dit, cest a dire vendre les ob conge de la seignorie ; et
si cil qui loget la maison veet les pignores a prendre^
ou la maison afermer, li loianz ipuet metre force par
sa propre auctorite sans hom blecier; et si li logeres
lo forcet, il li deit amander la force ob gage de v. sols
vers luy, ob amande uera la seignorie.

IT Si cilz qui loget la maison est achief ® de son terme,
et la maison remanget empetree daus pignores, il en
deit amander au loyant lo demage que il en recevta.

1 day'] doit.

3 eicheguz'] failed, from escheir
or esdiier ; tomber.
* derechef] a second time.

* lencheite'] the forfeit or penaltj.
^pignores a prendre"] pignorare,
that is, to seize the goods as secnritj.
' aehief^ h chief, au fin.

THE COMHUNE OF OLEHON. 29S

owes anytiiing, and he ought to reply how much he
owes ; and if he says that I owe him nothing, I have
paid him well, he ought to prove the payment.

If a man who is not of the commune brings a suit Chapter
before the mayor, and the suit is so brought that if the ^^"^""
plaintiff who is not of the commune is cast, the mayor who is not
has no security, for he has no right to exact security ^^^^^6.
except he be sworn ;^ if the party complains again to
the mayor, the mayor shall not administer justice to
him, until he shall have paid what he has forfeited in
the previous suit.

Y If a man hires a house from another, all the goods,
which the party who hires the house shall place and
bring within it, are liable for the hiring, so that if he
who hired the house does not pay the money at the
times specified, he who has let the house may take the
goods, and place them elsewhere, or shut up the house
and enclose them inside; and when he has kept them
as long as he ought, that is to say for seven days, he
may follow the custom of the country as has been
above explained, that is to say sell them with the
leave of the seignory ; and if he who let the house
wishes to take pledges or to shut up the house, the
lessor may use force by his own authority without
hurting .anybody ; and if the lessee uses force to him,
he ought to make compensation for such force with a
fine of five shillings to the lessor, and with a fine to the
seignory.

% If the man who hired the house is at the end of
his term, and the house remains encumbered with
pledges, he ought to make compensation to the lessor
for damage, which he may thereby incur.

1 8u>orn'\ The passage is yery obscure, bat the meaning of the
paragraph is obvious.

294 LA COMMUNE D*OLE»ON.

f Si horn louget beste ou autre choze, ou lenpranie
a besoigne fere, il la deit guarder a son pover segont
dreit de demage et degrevement en sa besoigne fazent,
decique il ait rendue arrere; et si olest horn o beste
qui seiant louge a iomees^ si autrement nest devise
[fol. 19.6.] qiii paiera le cost et la despense que fera li hons ou la
beste, o le paiera le sire de lome o de la beste, et
autresi paieret li sires de lautre choze lamandenient
que horn feret en sa choze, cest assauer, celuy amande-
ment qui sereit neccesseres afere en la besoigne a quey
la chouse sereit lougee.

Chapi^ Si li prevos^ ou autre sire apelet autre come sires,

Qiuunrii' ^^ ^^^^ ^® P^®^ deffendre vers luy comme vers seignur;

prevos et si licitez avoet guarenties, li citez se puet defiendi'e

MAre. ^^^ ^^ garenties ; et se il se deffent, einsi il passera

vers le seignur par son saigrement, solement fors tant

que li mayres accuset i de ses iurez, on crera au dit

dau mayor.

[foi.20.] f Si horn met autre en fiances, il lou deit delivrer
mx'* de la fiance et amander li les demages, qui len aven-
Quant dront par ochison de la fiance; nies la fiance, quaut
autre cn^* veira que demages len vendra, ou deit avenir, il ou-
fiances. deit ben fere assauer a celuy qui laura mis en fiance,
et requeiTe le que il le guart de demage ; et sil ne
trove luy ne son comandement, deit horn bien pro-
tester davant la seignorie ^ ou davant prodeshomes ; et
si ensi est que au terme empres li deptres vers lo
creancer ne lo delivret la fiance, la li deit bailler pig-

^ prevos'] the prevost, prsepoBitas.

3 la seignorie^ the board of magistrates.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEROK.

29S

f If a man hires a beast or other thing, or borrows
it for his immediate service^ he ought to protect it as
far as is in his power according to right from damage
and deterioration in doing him service, until he shall
have returned it to the owner ; and if a man or a beast
is hired for the day, if it is not otherwise settled who
shall pay the cost and expenses which the man or beast
shall incur^ the master of the man or of the beast shall
pay it, and likewise the owners of other things shall pay
the repairs which a man makes to those things, that
is to say, such repairs ajs it may be necessary to make
in the service for which the thing is hired

If the provost^ or other lord accuses another as Chapter
lord, the party cited may defend himself against him "v^hen the
as against the lord ; and if the party cited ^ vouches provost
guaranties, tlie party cited may defend himself against ^ther.
the guaranties; and if he so defends himself he will
succeed against the lord by his oath alone, except, when
the mayor accuses one of his sworn men, credit will be
given to the word of the mayor.

K If a man makes another his surety, he ought to Chapter
deliver him from his responsibility and compensate him ^vvhim'a
for any damages which may have resulted to him by man makeg
occasion of his being surety ; but the surety, when he ^tyT
sees that damage will result to him, or is likely to -
result, ought to make it known to him who has made
him his surety, and request him to protect him from
damage ; and if he cannot find him or his mandatory,
the party ought to protest before the seignory or before
prudhommes; and if it so happens that the term fol-
lowing the debtor does not deliver the surety as regards
the creditor, the sui'ety ought to deposit with the cre-

^ the pravosi] This officer was
appointed by the Crown.
3 the party cited] The accuser

seems to bo the party intended
here, not the defendant.

296

LA COMMUNE D*OLERON.

nore sanz oontredit ; et est la premere pignore soceaaz
ob que ele vauget L dener ou plus; mas a chascun
ior apres que li demandera pignores, U la li deit

rfol.20.6.] baillier tantost que vauget^ toute sa depte; et si la
fiance ne la li veost baillier^ li creencers la puet prendre
par sa propre auctorite, ou que il troche * la choze de
la fiance. Mas ceu est entendu quant horn est fiance,
il et toutes les soes choses; quar si en lentree'de la
fiance les choses ne sont tengues ausi com la fiance,
si la fiance murt/ les chozes nen sunt point tengues,
et si her^ neis nen sunt point tengu, si donques li
fianceres navet mis emplait la fiance avant quelle mo-
rist, car de quaucunque choze de quo horn ait este
mis emplait, si li plaiz nest pas achevez davant sa
mort, si her en sunt apres tenguz de parsegre* lo
plait decique iugenient les delivre ou les condempnet ;
et si tot encore vit, la fiance ne sunt opas ® les chozes

[fol. 21.] tengues, si a lautre nest devise nomeement si cum est
dauant dit ; et si les chozes ne sunt tengues, li crean-
ceres ne les puet mie prendre par sa propre aucto-
rite. Mj\s si la fiance ne les veust baillier, il sen deit
clamer a la seignorie. Quant li creencers aura les
pignores de la fiance, la fiance les puet affiancer a
vii. iors ou avaunt encore que ia en bailie nule
dira ensi, "Ge affiance mes pignores a vii. iors sus
" moy et sus toutes les mees choses." Adonques li orean-
ceres U deit rendre toutes ses pignores a la fiance, si
domques la fiance nesteit persone suspecte, qui ne
oguist^ pas dautres choses vaillant aus pignores, ou
fuste dopte que il sen voguist aler fors dau pais ; quar
[fol. 21.5.] si olesteit^ einsi, la fiance sa voleit affiancer ses pig-
nores au vii. iors, il endoyt doner i. autre que sey sou-
ceant^ enfiance. Et est assaver que toute fiance est
soceanz, qui plus vaillent que ne vaut la chose qui deit

1 vtrngef] yaloit

2 troche] Tottche may bo the
correct writing.

* muri] menrt.

* her] from the Latin bseres.

5 pco'se^e] poarsoiTrc.

^ opas] pas.

' oguisi] avoit

^ «t olesteii] sUl 5tait.

' soitceani] souffiisant, sufficient.

■»^"»1

THE COMMUNE OF OIJEKON. 297

ditor pledges without oontradiction, and the first Buffi-
cient pledge should be worth one penny or more ; but
on every day after that the creditor shall demand
pledges^ the surety ought to deposit them with him to
such an amount as will pay off all the debt ; and if
the surety will not deposit so much^ the creditor may
take it of his own authority, or may seize the pro-
perty of the surety. But this is understood when a
man is a surety, he and all his property; for if on
entering upon the surety the property was not liable
as well as the party himself, if the party died, his
property would not be bound, nor his heir, if the
party to whom the surety is liable did not sue the
surety before he died ; for in respect of whatever pro-
perty a person has been sued, if the suit is not finished
before his death, his heirs are bound to continue the
suit until judgment delivers them or condemns them ;
and if the surety is still living, the property is not
liable, if it has not been specifically named as above
said; and if the property is not bound, the creditor
cannot touch it of his own authority. But if the
surety wiU not deUver it up to him, he must go and
complain to the seignory. When the creditor shall have
pledges from the surety, the surety may pledge them
for seven days, or before that he deliver tiiem he may
say, ** I assuro my pledges for seven days upon myself
" and all my property." Thereupon the creditor ought
to give back all his pledges to the surety, if indeed the
surety is not a person suspected, that he has no other
property as valuable as the pledges, or it is doubted
that he intends to go out of the country; for if it
should be so, the surety, if he wishes to assuro his
pledges for seven days, he ought to give another per-
son, who will be sufficient surety. And it is to be
known that every surety is sufficient who is worth
more than the thing itself which is to be secured ; but

298 LA COMMUNE D'OLEBQN.

estre affiencee; mas non pero non ne prent pas, si ne
veaui, li creancers en fiance genz clergees/ ne de reli-
gion, ce est par reson de lor priuileges ; ne cfaevaler, ne
dame, cest par reson de leur nobilite ; ne femmes qui
ont leur mariz^ ne autres genz qui ne sunt pas on poer
deaus meismes,^ et ceu est par ceu, que ceu, quil font,
nest point establi sanz la volunte de ceaus en qui poer
il sont. Mas autres prodes genz souceanz ne deit horn
pas- refuser. En fiances apelon gent ausi femmes cum
homes. Fiance dit horn de ceu, que horn li done fey de
la chouze recourer.

[foL22.] QvANT la fiance a fiance ses pignores a vii. iQrs si
cum desus est dit, si la fiance ne paiet ecertement ^ lo
creancer dedens les vii. iours sanz autre deley au chief
dau vii. iours, au chef dau sept iors rendra la creance
au fiancer toutes ses pignores arrere, et U creancers
aura sus la fiance par chascun daus viL iors v. sols de
gage, de quey les pignores qui li creancers ara pris
seront ausi tengues come dau principau ; et si li creen-
cers na pris negunes pignores avant la fiancement dau
pignores, il adonques apres*les vii. iors puet prendre
pignores tout ensemble a vne fez,^ dont il puche traire
largement sanz delay son principau ob toz les diz
gages, et li gage i sunt par ceu que par fiancement

[fol 22.6.1 ^*^^ viL iomees a la fiance de la ley lou creancer de
sa deliurance, et quant li creancers ara einsi les pig-
nores de la fiance, il deit requerre la seignorie por aver
lezer de vendre les pignores segont la codnme dau pais,
si comme est dauant dite.

Cest assauer, que totes pignores deiuent estre guar-
dees en ta manere, que par cope^ dau creancer eles
nempirent tandisque seront en sa guarde, et est assez
se il imet cure et diligence en eles guarder autau

' genz cUrgees] secular clergy as
distinguished from regulars ; de re-
ligion.

^ on poer deaus meiamtf\ in potes-
tate sua.

' ecertementl a certement, pune-
tually.
^ vne fez] une fois.
^ cope] from the Latin culpa.

THE COMMUNE OF OLREOK. 299

nevertheless the creditor need not accept for surety,
unless it pleases him, persons who are clergy, or in a
religious order, that is on account of their privileges ;
nor a knight nor a dame, that is by reason of their
nobility ; nor women who have husbands alive, nor
other persons who are not in their own power, and
this is because what they do is not certain without
the consent of those in whose power they are. But
other sufficient discreet persons.^ ought not to be re-
jected as sureties. By persons are here meant women
as well as men. By siureties arc^ meant persons who
pledge their faitli that the thing shall be recovered.

When the surety has assumed his pledges for seven
days as above said, if the surety does punctually pay
the creditor within the seven days without any delay,
at the end of the seven days the creditor shaJl restore
to the stirety all his pledges again, and the creditor shall
have from the surety for each of the seven days a fee
of five shillingSi for which the pledges, which the cre-
ditor shall have taken, shall be liable equally as for the
principal simi ; and if the creditor has not taken any
pledges before the assurance of the pledges, he still may
afier the seven days take pledges altogether at one
time, from which he may deduct largely without delay
his principal with all the above said fees, and the fees
are because by the assurance of seven days the surety
has by the law his deliverance from the creditor : and
when the creditor shall so have the pledges of the surety,
he ought to request the seignory to have leave to sell
the pledges according to the custom of the country as
above said.

It is to be known that aU pledges ought to be kept in
such manner, that by fault of the creditor they shall
not be deteriorated, whilst they are in his keeping, and
it is sufficient, if he uses as much care and diligence in

1 diacreet persona] The oontext
snggests that the prodes gens are
not identical with the prudhonunes

or magistrates. The same words
occur below in a similar sense.

300

LA COMMTTNE D*OLERON.

Cbapitre

XXX.

De bran-
doQer les
prez.

[fol. 23.]

comme en la see chose domayne. Mas si les pignores
sunt iaus, que olesioche^ fere cos ou missions en eles
guarder, li livreres dau pignores deit la mission et tot
le cos neys fet par ochison dau pignores.

A la feste de la chandelor pot horn brandoner' ses
prez, et non avant, et apres quant li pre sunt fauche
il sunt pasturau communau, si domques nest prez qui
seit fauchable doues fes,^ que horn brandone derechef
apres la premere fetuchesoa £ non pero prez puys que
il sunt &uclie ne sujit il mie pasturau communau a
pors ni a beste foyllant,^ ne encore a nule autre beste
par tau manere que hon ifichet pau ou pre pur esta-
chier la beste ; quar si ele i est trobee ou prise estachee
au pau,^ ele deit rendre v. sols de gage por guarde
fete,^ ou amander la male faite segont la codume dau
pais avant dite.

Chapitrc Si beste est atachee apau ou a boisson ou en autre

Debate ^^^^^^^ ®^ P^» ®*' autres bestes pur a ooindanoe ^ dicele

estachee. beste venget equi, qui facet damages en terres o en

[fol. 23. 6.] vignes ou en autres chozes qui soyent pres di quau

pre, li sires dicele beste nest pas tenuz damander les

damages que feront les autres bestes, encore neys se

il esteit presenz et veist les autres bestes &zent

^ oUaloche'l il estoucc. Estouce ;
convienae, Koquefort.

- brandoncr'] On appelle encore
brandons en qnelqaes endroits les
opines, branches, ou bonchons de
paille qu'on met dans les champs,
pour avertir que le chaume est re-
serve et retenu par celui qui jouit
de la terre. Dictionaire de Trcvoux,
art. Brandon.

3 doueafea] deux fois.

** a pors ni a beste foyllant] In
Les Coutumes de Beauvoisis, ch. lii.
§ 5, we find a similar prohibition.

*'• Pourcel ne doivent en nule saison
** cstrc soufert en pros, porce qu'il
•* enpirent de fliullier."

* pau'} piett.

^ guarde "fete"} that is, for the
watch kept to drive cattle off
when trespaesing. Tlie word occurs
in Les Coutumes de Beauvoisis,
ch. XXX. § 57. Garde&ite is also
found in other Coutumes of northern
France.

7 a coindance'] acointance, aocoun-
tauce, ' society, Roquefort. Hence
acquaintance.

THE OOMHTJNE OF OLERON.

301

keeping them as he does in things of his own property.
But if the pledges be such that it be proper to make
costs and expenses in keeping them, the giver of the
pledges ought to make good all the expenses and costs
incurred by occasion of the pledges.

At the feast of Candlemas,^ a man may mark out with Chapter
bushes* his meadows, and not before, and afterwards of buahing
when the meadows have been mown, they are common J® ^^'
pastures,' if indeed they are not meadows which may
be mown twice, which a man marks out immediately
after the first mowmg ; and neverbheless meadows after
they ai*e mown are not pasturable in common for pigs
or beasts that root up the ground, nor still for any other
beast in such a manner that a stake should be fixed in
the meadow to tether the beast to it ; for if it is found
or taken tethered to a stake, it ought to pay a fine of five
shillings for guarde-fete, or make amends for the trespass
according to the custom of the country aforesaid.

If a beast is tethered to a stake, or to a hedge, or in chapter
any other manner in a meadow, and other beasts for of "beast
the sake of company with that beast come to it, and tethered,
cause damage to the land or the vines or other property,
which is near that meadow, the owner of the beast is
not bound to make good the damage which the other
beasts cause, not even if he should be present and see
the other beasts making the trespass, for no one is

> Candlemas^ The feaat of the
Purification of the Vii^D Mary, the
2nd Febmar^r, is called by the Ia-
tins Candelaria, and by the Greeks
Hypapante (occorsos), being the
occasion of the presentation of Christ
in the Temple, 'where he iras met
by Simeon and Anna the prophetess.

' bushea'\ Or by branches of trees
set up in the ground, as formerly
was practised in England, when the
great tithes w^ere collected in kind.

' common pcuturea'] This rule
holds good in many parts of Eng-
land.

302

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

la male faite ; quar neguas nest tenguz, se il ne veaut^
damander lo damage fait par autre, ne de guarder la
beste dautre.

Ausi com nos avom dit dau prez, tot en meisme
manere disom daus terres et dau vignes, et dau boys-
sons^ qui lor partenent desque li bien en sunt eoUiy^
deci quen len les rapareillet arreres de fructifier ; et est
{ussaver daus vignes des que eles sunt taillees, daus
terres desque eles sunt emblaieea Et ausi est dau
bocios^ daus salines vere^ de ceux qui sunt emblaie,
[fol. 24.] ^^^^ entant sont apertenant li tasselier ^ de la sau, ne
deit nen negune sazon beste aler par ochison de pas-
turau, ni ons autres apertenances de salines saus les
bocios guarantables.

Chapitre ToUTES les landes et les bruyeres de Oleron sunt
D^^"dM P^^'^r*^ communau, et qui les clot de fossez ne les
deffent en autre manere, einsi que ni puchet entrer, il
fait tort au seignor dau pais et a tot le communau.

Chapitre ToUTES les paluz de Olcron sunt communaus, et li
De^ paiuz ^^Y^* ^^ quicunques seit seignor dau pais Doleron, le

deit a ceu guarder et deffendre, et ne endet fere autre

choze, quar ceu est li communaus profet a tote la gent

dau pais,
[fol. 24.6.] Liesplaiz® ausi est communaus, et en ixwche coillir,

et en peisson prendre, et a espleiter par communau

1 b(^8aons] probably underwood.
Boisson, boia taillia, Boqnefort.

3 colli] ceailli, gathered.

3 bocioa] ttom tho Latin boacos, a
woodland or thicket.

* vere"] This word is somewhat
obscure ; it may be a miswriting for
vers, k I'egard.

^ toMelier] Sel is probably the
root of the word, unless it is derived

from tasse, which Roquefort inter-
prets touffe d'arbres. If the mode
of drying the salt in Oleron was by
pouring the brine oyer stacks of
faggots and letting the watery par-
ticles evaporate, until the salt be-
came crystallised, the latter deriva-
tion would be the more plausible.

^ eqtlaiz'] This word has probably
a special meaning here.

THE COMMUNE OP OLEROK

303

bound, if he is not willing, to make amends for the
damage done by another, nor to keiBp the beasts of
another from doing damaga

Likewise as we have said of a meadow, in the same
way we say of lands and of vineyards, and of hedges
which belong to them until the crops are gathered,
from the time that they prepare them to bear fruit,
that is to say in vineyards after the vines are
pruned, and in lands after they are sown. And
so it is with woodlands ^ amongst salt meadows with
regard to such as are sown, for as regards those which
are appurtenant to the saltpans themselves, no beast
ought in any season to go into them under pretext of
pasturage, nor in any other places appurtenant to salt
works, except in woodlands which are fenced in.

All the landes' and heaths of Oleron are common. Chapter

• ■

pastures, and whosoever encloses them with ditches, ofSe"
or obstructs them in any other manner, that a person landes.
cannot have access to them, he does wrong to the lord
of the soil, and to all thc'connnunity.

All the marshes of Oleron are common, and the king, Chapter
or whosoever is the lord of the soil of Oleron, ought ofttwe*"
to guard and defend them, and shotild do nothing else marshes,
with them, for they are for the common profit of all
the people of the soil.

The clearances ' are also common, both to collect gravel
and to take fish, and to employ by common enterprise

1 woodlands] Without a know-
ledge of the localities in which the
salt works of Oleron were carried
on, it is difficult to divine the trans-
lation.

' Ictndes] This term is common
to Gascony, of which a large district
now forms the department " des
Landes," consisting of sandy plains,
marshes, heaths, and forests.

^ dearances'] The Editor has
misgiyings as to the proper inter-
pretation of the word **esplaiz."
He has adopted that which is in
harmony with the verb espleiter,
as interpreted by Roquefort The
existence of a great deal of uncul-
tivated land in Oleron was no doubt
a &ct.

304

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

espleit Ion mieux que cheBcun puet, ne set et ne pero
ob la volante dau seignor dau pais. Si aucuns voloyt
fere escorezon ^ ou doit on poriet ben faire et seret son
domaines.

f loi pasturau Doleron furent establi a estre si large
en press, et en landes, et en brueres^ et en paluz^ et en
aatres chozes par souffraite de autres granz pastnrans.

f Li pbiz de prest, on de convenanz, ou de logiers,
ou de compaignies, ou de marchez, ou de reconoyssances,
ou di tau chozes semblables, et laquaucunque ^ seit des
parties si lautre partie neet et avoet, et dit olioguit'
prodeshomes et vuyl quil enseent oy,^ et so il ne
[fol. 25.] volent venir par eaus ni par celuy qui les avoet, li
mayres les fera venir, ausi comme il fereit guarenties,
et de ceu que il diront il seront cregu par lor simple
parole sanz autre saigrement. Mas si la partie averse
dit quant yl seront avoe,* " Ge le creiray partant cum
'* devray,'* cil qui seront avoe au iors iureront saigre-
ment de dire verite.

f Si einsi est que iustice sezist aucuns biens, ou
bailget gagez a auqun por fere acomplir iuge, silz a
cuy instance aura este fere sazine, ou li gage baiUe, en
fera la deliurance sanz la seignorie.

Chapitre Ceu qui est charge en nef au lops de lestorment de

Destore- ^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ paier negune codume, ne li portages • dau
mentde malineaus ausi.

nef.

* escorezon'} This word would
seem to be derived from the Greek.

2 laquaucunque'} whoever may be
the parties.

3 oHoguW] This word favours of
a mjswriting ; qa'il avait is probably
the sense of it.

* ensccnt oy] en soient oyes.

* avoe'] avoic, conduit, Roquefort.

^portages'] Portades is used in
the same sense in the Consolat de
Mar, oh. Ixxxviii. (IJS).

THE COMMUNE OF OLEEOK.

805

in the best way that each caD, whether it be or not with
the coDsent of the lord of the soil If any body
wishes to make an excavation,^ he ought and may
make it, and it shall be his property.

f These rights of pasture in Oleron have been esta-
blished so largely in meadows and in landes, and in
heaths and in marshes, and in other things, through
the poverty of other great pasture grounds.

1 In suits of loans, or of contracts, or of hiring, or
of pai*tnership, or of sales, or of recognizances, or of
such like things, and whoever may be the plaintiff, if
the other party denies and vouches and says that he
has certain prudshommes [to produce], and wishes that
they may be beard, and if they do not wish to come of
themselves, nor fpr him who has vouched them, the
mayor will make them come precisely as he would
make guarantees come, and in regard to what they
shall say, they shall be believed on their plain word
without another oath. But if the adverse party says,
when they are brought forward, " I will believe as
" much as I ought," those who shall be brought forward
on a certain day shall swear on oath to speak the trutL

IF If it be 80 that justice seizes any goods, or causes
pledges to be given to any one to put in force a
judgment, he at whose instance the seizure has been
made, or the pledges given, shall make the deliverance
without the seignory.

That which is laden on board a ship on account of Chapter

the stores of the ship ought not to pay any customs, q/^^

nor the ventures ^ of the mariners in like manner. storingd
. a ship.

^ oji excavation] This proviBion
may have been intended to encoo^
rage persons to dig* for gravel or
stone. It is not found in any glos-
sary. Escoria in Spanish means
the dross of a mine, "which is thrown
aside. Ih the Staffordshire mining
districts the mining law recognises

VOL, II.

a right for any one to dig for mine-
rals in priTate property after doe
notice to the owner to exercise his
preferential right

' ventures] The Black Book,
p. lis, has the word "marees" used
in the same sense in the Bolls of
Oleron.

306

LA COlOnTKE D'OLEBON.

[foL25.6.] Pignons^ ne doyson par goarde-faite ^ ne hont point
de sabatees, car on dit que pignon est cheeson levent
lordreytore aloure que sunt fait, si domques en autre
manere ne apparest par bonnes, ou par couverture desus
qui ait de gotail,' ou par prove de prodegens.^

Chaintre BoNNE quant ele miae deit aver au pie de soz petites
Deh^ei, p^i^^ fiUoles, que om apelet gaites, et si eles ne isont la
bone ne porte pas si grant fey cum els feist ob les
filloles. Si donques nest anciane aprovee par ancianete,
et sachiez que bonne veraye porte garentage de verite.
£t est ajssaver que par guarde faite bonne est posee
. meite a meite entre does devises et moetre devise
avant sey quant ele est om nuluec lors devise avant

[foL 26.] sey et apres sey, et porte devise en la trenche de son
plfdt et touz temps est communaus entre douez gens^
et si li uns la ostet ou la remuet sanz lassentiment de
lautre, il fait faussete et en puet estre repris come
faussoners. Est assaver quant bonne est fors chemin,
ele ba par garde fete sabatee devers lou chemin por
recover fosse.

' Pignofui] Boqnefort inteiprets
pignon as ** partie qui va en trianele,
** eft la plus elevle d'nne maraiUe, ou
« da mar d*an bfttiment."

^ guarde-faite] This word is ex-
plained in the text farther on as a
landmark. It seems to be used in a
different sense from guarde-fete,
which occurs above.

> de gatail] This strange word
occurs below, in connection with the
eaves of a house, as if it ngnified a

spout, gouti^re. The various glos-
saries give no assistance. Gotera is
the Spanish word.

* prodegens'] This is a phrase
borrowed probably frx)m an earlier
order of things. It may mean
simply discreet or trustworthy per-
sons, or it may mean technically
probi homines, freeholders. The
phrase is used in this sense by Brit-
ton.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEEON.

307

The coping stones^ of enclosures intended for land-
marks have not '' sabat^/' for they say that a coping
stone (pignon) is a thing which establishes a right from
the hour when it is made, if it does not appear otherwise
by palings,* or by a roof above which has a spout, or
by proof of freeholders.

A boundary post when it is set up ought to have at Chapter
its foot below it little stones, as godchildren, which are Qe^^^'
called "gaites" (sentinels),' and if they are not there daiypostp.
the boundary post does not carry with it so much
assurance as it would have with its godchildren, if it
is not ancient and approved from ancient time, and
note, that a genuine boundary post carries with it an
assurance of the truth ; and it should be known, that
for proof at sight, a boundary post is placed Lalfway
between two divisions of land, and is evidence of a
division before it when it is placed in the middle of
the divisions before it and behind it, and it carries
with it decisive proof of the division, and it is always
common between the two owners, and if the one
take it away or remove it without the assent of the
other he commits a fraud, and may be proceeded
against as guilty of a fraud. It is to be understood,
when a boundary post is on the side of a high road, it
has for the purpose of evidence at sight a sabat^
(foot's length of ground) between it and the road to
receive a ditch.

' coping stones] The Editor is
very doubtfhl as to the meaning of
the word ** pignon," and his inter-
pretation of the entire paragraph is
conjectural.

> palings] Bonnes, as boundaries
between two estates, are mentioned

in Les Contumes de BeauToisis,
ch. XXX. § 27. Borne is another
form of the same word.

' sentinels] Qaite is probably
derived firom cavere, to be on guard.
Guet is the modem French word.

u 2

308

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

f Si horn ifait fosse, li fossez par garde faite est a
celuy en la cuy chose horn veit giter lou cureiz^ dau
fousse. Si domques ne aparest que oli seit aatrement
par bonnes ou par autre prove.

Chapitie Sabbatee apelet horn la longor de i pie de L home,

Desab- tot chauoe' ob quey il vait. Garde faite apelet horn

batee. q^ solement de simple veue fait prove.

[fol.26.6.] f Li boys et li boysson qui crest on fosse, neis encore

si tot on fosse ou en leritage partenant au fosse, gre-

guissent ' gros arbres raige ^ de forest, il sunt au seignor

dau fosse ou de leritage partenant au fosse ; et ceu fut

iuge por les heritages qui sunt porchayn a la forest

davaylle. Si sunt ausi au seignur dau fosse la buche.

et li buysson sur raiz dau chemin ioste le fosse, tant

come il enporra faire collir ob le bois dau fons de son

fosse.

Cbapitre Li fossez OU heritages est ioste chaice^ ou guarene,

DauM^^* ou ait counilz, et se fautent • en fo&e ou en leritage,

garenes. si o lest on fosse li sires dau fosse i porra fundra ^ lou

faus^ et prendre le oonilz a son ops tant com il en

poira fere ob le dreit recureiz de son fosse, et non

[foi. 27.1 P^^^ > ^^ ^utresi est en heritage tant com hom en poyra

fere en cotivant * leaument son heritage ob fessor ^® ou

ob charrue et non plus; mas tant cum ia que de sa

malefete puet hom chaicer les conilz touz vis; mas

' cureiz} curtes : le carquoid,
Roquefort.

3 chauce] chaceer, jouer aux des,
Roquefort.

' greguissent'] greindre, to grow,
Roquefort.

* raige] sur mige. The same
words are probably here intended as
are written lower down sur raix.
Rail : niyeau, Roquefort.

* et ioste chaice] adjoin a chase.

^fautent] probably sautent

7 Jundra] foudre : batir, Boqae-
fort.

^faus] hlsas, Roquefort.

* cottuant"] coItiTant.

>* /ecfor] fessoir: sorte de hone
propre k remoer la tecre^ Boqaefort.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBCAT.

309

If a man makes a ditch, the ditch for a proof at sight
bdongs to him on whose property the cleanings of the
ditch ^ are cast, if indeed it is not apparent that it is
otherwise, by bonnes or other proofi.

IT Sabat^ is the term given to the length of a man's Chapter
foot, in whatever direction the man goes. Garde faite of a sab-
is the term for a thing which solely upon sight con- ^**^-
stitutes proof

IT The wood and the hedge which grows on a ditch,
still more, if on a ditch or on the land which belongs
to the ditch great trees grow on the edge of the
. forest, they belong to the owner of the ditch, or of the
estate belonging to the ditch ; and this was adjudged
in the case of the estates neighbouring to the Forest
of Availle. There also belong to the owners of the ditch
the wood, and the hedge on the edge of the wood up
to the ditch, as much as they can gather with the
wood from the bottom of the ditch.

If the ditches of heritages are next to a chase or a Chapter
warren 'where there axe rabbits, and the rabbits leapo,^SS««.
into the ditch or on the land, if it be a ditch, the
owner of the ditch may build a trap and take the
rabbits for his own use, as many as he can, with the
right of repairing his ditch, and nothing more ; and so
a]^ it is with a private estate, as much as a man
can work fairly, cultivating his ground with a hoe or
with a plough, and not more; but a man may also
chase the rabbits in every direction, as trespassing ;

1 the (Meanings of the diick] The
word '^cnreixj" which means the
carcase of a beut or the entrails of
a hnnted beast given to the hounds,
Mgniflea probably in this place the
mad of the ditch, which was cast on
the acQoining land when the ditch
wti cleaned.

' warrenai] The Benedictine com-
pilers of GalUa Christiana, in de-
scribing the diocese of the bishop of
Saintes, tom. ii. p. 1058, speak of
the island of Oleron as abounding in
rabbits, ** l^oscnlis abondat"

310

LA COMHUNE D OLEBON.

prendre ne les ideit horn, mie ob furet ni ob rez mas si
les ipuet ferir de baston et retenir, et prendre^ il ert
sons ; ^ et oeu disom daus heritages qui sunt iostes les
guareneSy quar ons autres heritages loig daus puet
prendre les conilz et toutes autres bestes et oyseaus
chaysables celuy^ qui ert leritage a planere chaice, en
tote toanere que il puet.

Chapitre La loyndete de garene a ops de conilz dedens leritage
xxxviii. porchain a la garene apelom lespace dune versaine,*et
des coniz. versaine apelon ceu que labouret dreitement a L tor 11
[fbL27.6.] gaigneres ob lo fessor et ob la charrue.

Chapitre Si heritages est enclos dedens autres einsi que ni
Daver^ie ^^ point dentree ne de issue, la seignorie lo idet doner
a heritage par les autres heritages devers lou plus pres dau grant

enclos en- •.•v a t-xv i.»

treaatres. chemin charrau, tau que une beste chargee ob l sac
de ble, ou ob vne some de vin en costerez en puchet
largement passer, quar assaver est que aucuns heritages
nest sanz vee, neys pas encore poyz ou fontaynne.

IT Toute reconoyssance fayte dauant prodes homes '
vaut autant comme si aueit este &ite en cort.

Chapitre Li mayres est creguz de tout ceu que il dit comment

[fol. 28.] ^^^ ^ dient comme iuges, ou comme clamis/ ou comme

Dan garenz; neys encore, se il se quereillot daucun de ses

^«yre. itirez, ert il creguz de ce que il dira, quar li maires est

tenguz par son saigrement de iuger dreit et de dire

verite et de faire leaute.

^ tons] saufi, safe, from the Latin
salYOB.

' vertaine] Tenane : eertaine
meenre, Roquefort. From the La-

tin vertere. Versaine in the dialect
of Anjou meant a ftirrov. .

' prodeg homes] pradhommes.

^ clamis] claimant or plainti£L

THE COlOfUNE OF OLERON.

311

he may not, however, take them with a ferret, nor
with nets, but if he can strike them with a stick and
detain them and capture them, he will be safe ; and
this we say of estates which adjoin warrens, for on
other estates distant from warrens the owner of the
estate may take rabbits, and all other beasts and birds
of chase, in eveiy manner that he can.

The distance from a warren for the use of the rabbits Chapter
within the estate next to the warren extends over the ofSe"
space of a versaine,* and a versaine is the extent of r^a^ofthe
ground which a labourer can cultivate fairly in a day
with a hoe and a plough.

If an estate is enclosed amongst others, so that there Chapter
is no entrance nor exit, the seignoiy ought to grant xo^^
a way through the other estates in the direction of access to
the nearest part of the high road for carriages, such ^closed
as a beast carrying a sack of wheat, or a load' of amongst
wine in panniers, may freely pass along; for it is to
be understood that no estate is without a way to it,
nor again without a well or a fountain.

IT Every recognisance made before the prudhommes ^
is of the same value as if it had been made in court.

The mayor is believed in anything which he says. Chapter
in whatever way he may say it, whether as judge of the
or as claimant, or as warrantor ; still more, if he naayor.
complains of any of his sworn men, he shall be believed
as to what he shall say, for the mayor is bound by
his oath to judge right, and to speak the truth, and to
act fairly.

1 run] the space orer which the
isbbits may freely nm.

' persotJM] somethmg like a hide
of land, being the extent of hmd
which an ox can plough in a day.

' load] some: charge, fiffdean,
Boquefort J betes de somme.

* prudhommes'] It would appear
from this and other passages that
the pnidhommes were magistrates
of some kind or othei^ and not
merely freeholders.

312

LA COICMUNE D'OLEBON.

Chapitre Si hom entret en rebost ^ en verger clos por faire

-. ^ male faite, et il iseit trobez, il ert repris comme leiree,*

fiiite de et deit amander au dit daus prodeB homes au seignor

veigeroloB. jg^^ verier sa malefaiie; et apres li prevost en deit

fere la iustioe dau cors ou dan membres segont cea

que li maufisiiteres aura deservi. £t se il est einsi que

il ait abatu arbre qui seit einsi gros que il puchet estre

perciez entravers ob talere,' par tant en nombre com

[foL28.6.] il aura abatu par chemin rendra li maufaiteres au

seignor dau verger, v. sols, de gage.

Chi^itre Cest assaver que tant ha de difference entre mau&itor

fS* de verger clos et maufaitor de verger desclos, ou de-

encede rosche/ nest pas repris comme leires, mas lamande en

^td^^'*^^^ est autele comme de verger clos que nos avom dit

dedofl. Mas assaver est que si la malefaite en verger ou en

tosche ^ est taus que li maufidteres ne la puchet amander,

il deit par reson solement perdre le poig de lamande,

ou le pie, ou loreUle, ou estre seignez en la iote, estre

lautre iustize de la seignorie.

Chapitre ^ forest davaiUe lou rei atant de seignorie que, si

?^"- hom itrenchet plancon sanz congie dau seignor ou

en la forest dau tre comandement, li maufaiteres por chascun plan-

dayaille. ©on que il ara trenche o abatu deit rendre au seififnor
[fol.2».] ^ ^

^ rebotf] rebot : cache, Boquefort

^ ieires] from the Latin latroncB.

' ttUere"] tali^re : oatil de char-
pentier pour percer le bois, Roqa<^-
fort.

* deroeche] The Editor yentures

to think that the scribe ooght to
haye here written *'de tosche." '

* tosche] This is evidently the
same word with tonsche: petit bois
de hante fiitoie proche la maison du
seigneur, Roquefort

THE COMMUNE OF OLEEOK.

318

If a man enters secretly into an enclosed orchard Chafer
to commit a trespass^ and he is found th^e^ he shall of ^'paas
be seized as a robber, and ought to make amends at in an en- >
the discretion of two prudhommes to the owner of the ei^rcL^''
orchard for his trespass ; and afterwards the provost^
ought to do justice upon his body or his members,
according to what the trespass deserves. And if it
be so that he has cut down a tree which is so large
that it can be pierced through with a centre-bit,' for
as many in number as he shall have cut down in the
wood, tibe trespasser shaU render to the owner of the
orchard a penalty of five shillings.

It is to be understood that there is this difference Clia(»ter
between a trespasser on an orchard enclosed and a tres- of the
passer on an orchard not enclosed, or on a plantation, deference
that he is not seized as a robber, but the fine is as great orchard
BA for an orchard enclosed, as we have said. But it ^^}^>^

and not

is to be understood that if the trespass on an orchard enclosed,
or a plantation is such that the trespasser cannot make
compensation, he ought reasonably only ^ to lose his
hand, or his foot, or his ear, or be branded on the
cheeky or suffer other justice from the seignory.

In the Forest of Availle ^ the king has such rights of Chapter
lordship,, that if a man cuts a branch of a tree without He who
permission of the lord, or other authority, the trespasser trespauet
for each branch that he has cut or thrown down ought ^^or^ of

ATaiUe.

^provoH"] The provoet or prss-
poritna was the representatiTe of the
king.

s a eentre^i] Sofficiently thick
that a hole might he hored through
it with a oentre-hit The word
"talere'' may^howeyer, haye an-
other meaning, namely, thick enough
to he cut down for underwood,
«< bois taill^."

' onfy"] that is, without being sub-
ject to any fine.

4 AvaiBe] The "Foreat of Ayaille
was in the island of Oleron.
Amongst the Gascon Bolls in the
Record Office there are letters pa-
tent of 20 & 21 Edw. I., entitled
De custodia de foresta de Kayaille
in insula Olcron concessa Boberto
Bnllebek (Bolebec).

314

LA comanm b'olebon.

Ix. sols, de gage, ou ail ne paot rendre les gages il
sera puniz en see membres si cum dob avoms dit; et
autreiau disom dans oonilz, daus faizans, et daus autres
sauvayzines/ si horn les iprent sans oonge.

IT Mas li gros arbre tranche sanz conge ne portent
mas yji. sols, de gage. Et. est assaver, que autan gage
cum portent li arbre, li conilz, et les autres sauvasdnes
en la forest lo rey portent ous autres deffens en
Oleron, a quiconques seient, quar quiconque les ya yl
les tient dau rey.

T Deffens apelon les garenes et les boys que lentent
deffenssables en fez,^ mas assauer est, qui en luniver-
[foi. 29. 6.] site doleron sanz lor deffens a ceus qui les iont
neguns hons na avantage de chaicer.

T A chaicer en la vniuersite^ vns nia plus que
autre, neys chevalers plus que borgoys.

Chapitre Si la pladnte vers lo cite proposet a vne voiz plus
Qimi7ia ^^^ demandes, et li dtez proposet aucune excepcion
piaintepro- par la raison daus aucunes dem.andes et non pas de

poset plus 1 1 • r • J !• -A J

honde- toutes, la por ^ceu mams ne respondra li citez daus
mandes. autres demandes a que il ne proposeit pas les excep-
dons, si donques nest de demandes qui naschet de
autre demande, si comme fruyz que home demande ou
autres semblables fruiz de terre et domages que horn
demande ob principau«

Vne voyz^ apelom les clamors, que horn proposet a
i. meisme ior, en vne meisme cort.
[foi. 30.] IT Excepcion apelom ce qui prolonge les iors o lou
plait, ou qui efface la demande.

^ sauvayzines] This vord is the
same mih saavazines, that is, sauya-
gines, du gibier.

' en fez] en fait

' la vniuersite'] Land belonging
to the Gommone is probably meant,
the word vniTersit^ being synony-

mons with a body eorpOTate. The
word may, however, be used here to
denote a particular district, known
by the name of rUniyersite, as in
English *' the Conmion."
* Vne vojfz'] nne yoix.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON. 315

to pay to the lord sixty shillings penalty, and if he
cannot pay the penalty, he shall be punished in his
members, as above said. And we say as much in the
case of rabbits, and pheasants,^ and other wild game, if
a man takes them without leave*

IT But the great trees cut down without leave bring
with them only seven shiUings penalty. And it is to
be understood that whatever penalty is payable for
trees, rabbits, and other wild game in the forest of the
king, the same is payable for other forbidden places in
Oleron, to whomsoever they belong, for whoever has
them holds them from the king.

Forbidden places is the name given to warrens and
woods, which are capable of being protected in &ct, for
in the commune of Oleron every man has the advan*
tage of the chase, unless he is forbidden by the owner
of the land.

T In the commune no one has more right than
another to chase — knights no more than burghers.

If the plaintiff advances with one voice several Chapter
demands against the defendant, and the defendant ad* whence
vances any exception by reason of certain of the de- plaintiff
mands, and not of all, the defendant shall not answer aeyerai
to the other demands, to which he has offered no*®°^*"^-
exception, if it be not to demands which arise out of
other demands, as of fruits, which a man demands with
other like produce of the ground, or damages, which a
man demands with the principal.

IT By the term " one voice " is meant the claims,
which a man brings forward in one day, or in one
court.

IT By the term "exception" is meant that, which
prolongs the day or the suit, or which effaces the
demand.

1 phKuantB] Ayes phasiani were I the river Fhaais in Colchis, whence
known totheBonums, so called from | they were introduced into Europe.

316

LA COMMUNE D'OLEBON.

Chapitre
xlv.
De ior
assigne.

E fid est einsi que seit assigne ior de conseil an cite,
la plainte pi^oposet an ior dau conseil de plus que il
na fet en lautre iomee avanti et acreschet ou muet
en sa demande, li citez par raison dau cressement ou
dau muement il aura derechef ior de conseil sor totes
los demandes en tant de fez, cum la plainte acrestra
ou muera en sa demande, quar ia aus Ynes demandes
ne respondra sans les autres, quar sil ofiaseit avis seret
que on menast dous plaiz.

Cbapitre Si hom parlet en cort por autre, cil por qui il

Qnanrhom P*"^^®'* OU sis autres conseil, puet corriger ou revoquer

parlet por ce que sis raisoneres aura dit, seil veit que il ne die

ffoi 80 & 1 ^^^ profiet,'^maEf, ce que la plainte ou li citez dit de

sa propre boche, deit tenir fermete et estre estable. Si

seret ol ausi ce que li raisonayres dit, si li dientons

aveit dit, ge tienc por dit ceu que il dira. Mas si

aiosteit sans lou commandement de me ou de mon

conseil, adonques li clientons ou sis conseilz poent

amander au raysouneor desique les parties se eom-

mandent iuger. Baisouneor ^ apelon plaideor qui parlet

por autre.

f Clienton apelon celuy, por -cuy hom parlet por
autre en cort. Si recors est demandez en cort, il ne
deit pas estre dounez decique les parties aient oon^u
o nee, quar recors ne se donet fors en paroles contre-

^ RcuMuneor'} The term <'Avocat"
18 used lower down. The phrase
raisouneor is peculiar. Herre de
Fontaines, ch. zL § 1, speaks of
"emparliers" or "amparliers^' which
correspond with the phrase " avant-
parliers'' used in the Assises de
Jerusalem, § xz., and in theEta-
blissements de Saint Louis, L ii.

ch. xiv. Karratores or band narra-
tores was the medisval Latin term
for pleaders. Coonters was the early
English term for the " setjeants
" sachants la ley del Roiafane, qui
** servent al common des people a
'* pronounder etdefendre lee actions
« enjugement," Myrrour des JTos-
tioes, ch. ii § ▼.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

317

And if it be that a day of counsel^ is assigned to Chapter
the party cited, and the plaintiff brings forward on the of a day
day of connsel more than he did on the other day assigned,
previous, and increases or changes his demand, the
party cited by reason of the increase or the change
shall forthwith have a day of counsel upon all the
demands, and as often as the plaintiff increases or
changes his demand, for the defendant shall not an-
swer to one demand without the other, for if he did
so it would result that two suits would be brought at
once.

If a man speaks in court for another, he for whom Chapter
he speaks, or his other counsel, may correct or revoke ^^ena
what his reasoner may have said, if he sees that it man speaks
is not for his advanti^, but that which the plaintiff ^'*"^ ^'
or defendant says of his own mouth ought to be held
firm and be established. It shall also be so with what
the reasoner has said, if the client shall say, " I hold
" for said whatever he shall say." But if the reasoner
adjusts a question without the authority of me or my
counsel, then the client or his counsel may correct the
reasoner, until the parties give authority to go to
judgment. The pleader who pleads for another is
called the " reasoner." *

Client is the name given to him5 for whom a man
speaks when he speaks for another person in court.
If a record is demanded in court, it ought not to be
given until the parties have admitted or denied,' for
records are not given except where an issue has been

^ a day qfanaud] a day for the
defendant to appear after consnlta*
tion. Dies oonsilii, qui eonoedeba-
tifir reo, at ei de actori respondendo
caTeretnr. Da Cange.

> the rea$fmer] It woald seem
that a person who was neither aro-

cat nor conseiller might plead for a
party in court, with certain excep-
tions, sach as minors, deaf persons,
-and serfik Aesises de Jerusalem,
§ xvii.

' admitted or denied] tiiat is, until
issue has been joined.

318

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

dites^ et ceu fut iuge on plait de lohan Vilain desaint
Pere et de Pere Gasc de Bone Amie.
[foL 81.] IT Si la plainte ou li citez dit que il nentendit mie
lassignacion dau ior, il en passera ob son saigrement de
sey on de son mesage.

H Cest assauer que quant li mesages iuret^ il tient
celuy et dit einsi, si li aiut des ^ et li sainz euuangeles
a celui, et nomet lo et acomplist son saigrement.

f La dreite hore de aparestre en cort duret deeique
amedi ; li mayres tent encore sa cort, et adonques horn
se presentet, si la partie averse est presentee, et ne ait
encore mie pris congie, li maires en orra lo plait
sauve la deffaute. Mas si la partie a pris congie, nen
est mie plus tenue de entrer en plait, si ne se vost.

Chapitre IT Si olest guerre en Oleron et convenge gamir

QuMLt" navie* ou pais, neguns est tenuz entrer en navei vns

olestguerre plus que lautres, aynz tuyt emsemble.

^L8i?6.] ^ "^^ ^^ convient en veier escheigaites ' aus costeres

ou nia point de nombre taxe ou establi fors tau

comme ert a la provetice ^ dau prodes homes dau pais,

segont ce que sera mesters, et com cest que la semonase

en anget a loustau ^ oiant la gent de lostau, et deit

leschaigaite aler de cler ior et quant li souleilz est

levez, si en est mis en defaille rendra x. sols, au mayor

por la defSaille, et si autres demages avient en la

defaille leschugaite en ert grevosement punie en cors

et ous chouzes segont lo demage.

1 si U aiut dei\ " si le ait Dicx "
axe the words of the oath in Les
Contumes de BeauToisis, ch. xl.

2 navie] from naTigium. The
maritime congcription seems to have
been general in Oleron.

^ escheigaitet] eschargaite is the
more usual form of this word.

* provetiee] from the Latin provi-
dentia.

^ a iou8tau] The word " ostau "
is generally used to signify a house-
hold, but it may be here an inflexion
of oste, an army.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBOK.

319

raised^ and this was adjudged in the suit of Johan
Vilain of St. Pierre, and Pierre Gaze of Bone Amie.

IT If the plaintiff or the defendant says that he did
not understand the assignation of a day, he shall pass
free upon the oath of himself and his household

IT It is to be understood that when the messenger ^
pf the court administers the oath, he holds the party
and says thus, ^' So God him help and the holy evan-
gelists/' and he names him and completes the oath.

f The right hour to appear in court lasts up to
mid-day. If the mayor holds still his court, and there-
upon a man presents himself, and the adverse party
is present and has not taken his leave, the mayor
shall hear the suit without default, but if the party
has taken leave, he is not any longer obliged to enter
upon the suit if he does not wish.

IT If there should be war in Oleron, and it is agreed chapter
to fit out a navy in the country,* no one is compelled y^^^'
to enter into the navy more than another, all are there is
liable alike.

IT If it is agreed to send scouts on the coast^ there
is no taxed or established number other than what
shall be arranged by the precaution of the prudhommes
of the country, according to what may be necessary,
and when the summons shall be sent to every house,
in the hearing of the people of the house, the scouts
ought to go forth in the clear day, and after the sun
has risen if they are in default they shall pay ten
shillings to the mayor for their default, and if other
damage arise out of their default, the scouts shall be
severely punished in person and in property according
to, the damage.

war in
Oleron.

' megsenger] ** Apparitor " would
be the Latin title of the officer of the
court.

* a navy m the country'] The
word navie is translated by Boqae-
fort, flotte de gaerre on marchande.

320 LA COMMUNE D'OLEBON.

Cha^itre Si hom est traiz en garentie et apareschet que la

QnauM!^ chose, de quey il est traiz en garentie, est soe ou en

esttraix est tomeres au compainz, ou li profet en est on sera

SJ^T^" sons, si garentages ne vaut tens, qoar ce sereit gaaientir

[foL82.] a son ops meisme. Mas se il en est en la choze

messages ou comanz dautre, sis guarentages est vaillanz

et provables.

Chapitre Si plusors sunt tengu fiances ou guarenteor a autre

De fiance ^^ ^^^^'^^ P^^ ^® *^"^ chascum neu est tenuz fors par
sa ferme^ tandis que li autre seront trobe yif et
trouable et poissant, quar quant hom dit chascu por
letout ceu est a entendre que si li vns deffaut par
mort ou par de partie dau pais ou par le decheement*
de ses chozes ou par autre schison li autres est tenuz
por le tout

Si hom teut en pignore autruy choze ou en com-
mando ol est assez, se il imet ausi grant diligence ou
garde comme en la soe choze domayne einsi que si

[fol.d2.6.] hom part ob la soe choze il nen amandera ia reus
mas sU ou pert sanz de la soe choze il ou amandera
tout.

Si hom estranges na auocat ou couseil et le demandet^
li mayres lo y dera soceant, et dlz dera au oonseil
salayre resonnable a lestimacion de prodes homes de
la cort, et cil a cuy li mayres commondera que il seit
li auocat o U conseil ne deit mie refuser si domques
nestoyt dau conseil a lautre partie ou sil naueit autre
excusacion leau.

^fertM] assurance or cautioD, from | ' decheemetU] from decheoir, aUer
the Latin firmare. I en decadence.

THE COMMUVE OF OLEBON. 321

If a man is produced to guarantee, and it appears Chapter
that the thing which he • is produced to guarantee is ^©n a
safe, or is employed in partnership, or the profit of it man is pro-
is or will be safe, his guaranty is worth nothing, forgJ[^„nt^,
this would be to guarantee a thing for one's own service.
But if the thing be in the hands of an agent, or at
the disposition of another, his guarantee is effective
and proveable.

«
If several are bound as sureties or guarantees of Chapter

another, and each is bound for the whole, each is not of sureties,
bound for more than his own share by his bail bond
as long as the others shall be found alive, and are pro-
ducible and able to pay, for when a man says " each for
all,'' it is to be understood that if one fails by death or
by departure from the country, or by the destruction
of his property, or by any other cause, the others are
bound for the whole.

If a man holds in pledge or in deposit a thing which
is the property of another person, it will be sufficient
if he employs the same diligence and safeguard as in
a thing of his own property,, so that if a man loses it
with his own property, he shall not make compensation,
but if he loses it without losing at the same time his
own property, he shall make compensation for the whole
of it.

If a stranger has neither advocate ^ nor coimsel and
requires them, the mayor shall give him sufficient of
them, and he shall pay to the counsel a reasonable fee
according to the estimate of the prudhotnmes of the
court, and he, whom the mayor shall recommend to the
stranger, that he shall be his advocate or his counsel,
ought Qot to refuse, unless he be of counsel to the other
party or have other loyal excuse.

^ advocate] The term ndsonner
has heen used above. The adyocate
always was presumed to speak par

VOL. n.

commandement do celui, de cui est
H plais. Assises de Jerusalem, xx.

322

LA COBCMUNE D OLERON.

E vere^ fiance et creantor ha itau diflference, crean-
ceres est tenuz ausi comme li deptres. Et est assaver
que li creancers ne pot mie prendre par pignore par
sa propre aactorite sanz conge de seignor la choze dau
[foK ss:] deptor. Si donques au commencement de lor convenanz
ne flit la choze liee nomeement einsi com non dit, Ge
vos suy tenuz et les meies chozes.

Cbapitre Sazine est dite en maintes maner^s. Sazine est, qui
Desazine. ^^ ^^*® naturaus, et ce est cele qui vient a home,
quant dreit naturaument lo sazist apres la mort dautre
de son dreit heritage. Et est sazine, qui vient a home
quant yl espleite la choze comme soe apertement
veant la gent.^ Et est sazine, qui vient a home
quant par rayson dachat ou dedon de commandement
ou dautre choze home est sazit de la choze. Et est
assaver que raaites feiz ^ sazist hom autre home de
aucune choze, ob. i. festu, ou ob. i. gant, ou ob. i.
chaperon, ou ob aucune autre choze et tot vaut et est
[fol.33.i] gj^jjjjjg Et si est einsi que hom se dame dessaziz, il

deit bein dire la forme de la sazine que il aveit avant
que il fust dessaziz. E de la dessazine que li a fait
la partie adverse, por oe que plus hors maneres sunt de
sazines et plusors de dessazines, quar dessazirs ^ est
entrer en la chouze et coctiver la par sa propre aacto-
rite, ou oster les coctivors de celuy qui tenet la choze

* E uere] Envcn*.

* veant la gent] En presence de
tout le monde, Roquefort.

' mattes feiz"] maintes fois.

* dessazira'] Disseisin is defined
in the Myirour des Justices as " an
** personel trespas de tortious onster
*' de possession."

THE COMMUNE OF OLEKON.

323

Between the surety and the creditor there is this
difference : a creditor is bound just as a debtor ; and
it is to be understood, that a creditor cannot take the
property of a debtor as a pledge by his own authority
without leave of the lord, if indeed at the commence-
ment of the contract the thing was not specifically
bound in the usual words, " I bind myself and my
goods to you/'

Seisin ^ is spoken of in many manners. There is Chapter
first seisin which is called natural, and this is when ^^ J:,
a thing comes to a man of natural right, where after
the death of another he succeeds by right of inheritance
to property. Seisin also is acquired by a man, when
he employs a thing openly as his own in the sight
of the public ; and seisin is also acquired by a man,
when by reason of purchase, or of gift, or of deposit,
or of other act, a man is seised of a thing. And it is
to be understood that a man often gives seisin to
another man of a thing with one beam, or with one
glove, or with one hat, or with any other one thing,
and the one thing is equivalent to the whole, and this
constitutes seisin of it. And so it is if a man complains
of disseisin, he ought to state clearly the manner of
the seisin which he had before he was disseised, and
of the disseisin which the adverse party has effected
against him, because there are several modes of seisin,
and several modes of disseisin f for disseisin is to enter
on a property and to cultivate it of one's own autho-
rity, or to oust the cultivators of him who held the

1 seisin] Britton in speaking of
seisin, 1. ii. ch. iz., says, *' Posses-
" sioun proprement est seisine ct
'' tenir de acune chose par cors et
** par Tolnntti oveke la proprete."

2 disseisin'] Britton, L ii. ch. xi.,
§ 2, says, En plusours maneres porra
homme estre disseisi. Car cestui

est proprement disseisi, qi a tort est
engettd de acim tenement qe il
avera peisiblement teno, et en qi
persone eynt est^ joynt le droit de
proprete de fee, et le dreit de la
possession dc frannc tenement et la
seisine.

X 2

324 LA oohmctnb; d'olehon.

avant en sasine ou en fazent hi force en autre manere.
Et est assaver que cilz, qui deasazist autre^ deit rendre
a lautre la restitucion de sa sazine, et v. aoU. de gage,
et au maior lix. sols.

T Si sires par sa quereille sazist la choze et li autres
tienget de luy, et li teneres la veaut alBiancer, li sires
laideit leiser affiancer, souz tele fiance^ que li teneres
[foi. 34.] facet dreit, si tort li a fait, et au ior dau plait et a
lore que li teneres se sera presentez davant lo seignor
par dreit fere, li sires deit quipter les fiances et dessazir
plenerement la choze. Car neguns horn ne deit plaideer
sa choze dessaziz, neis encore puys que la choze ne
sereit sous fiance. Ainz deit li sires dessazir la choze
que il aura sazie avant que li teneres ia entrent en
plait. Et sachez que gaagneres ou coctiveres na point
de sazine e la choze que il tient ou coytive^ dautre,
ne on fruit neys tandis que il seront dedens la choze,
ausi qui tent oscle. ne ia point naturaument de sazi
ons chozes de loscle, quar il ne ya fors luse fruit.

f Sazine de espleit vaut davant toutes les autres
[fol.34.6.] quant a raisgner' pure sazine, quar cele ne perdra horn
iamais sanz iugement. He ia nen plaideiera hoip
dessaziz.

Chapitre Garior apelet horn celuy, par cuy auctorite ou par
^ ^^'. cuy commandement om a traite ou esplete la choze.

De ganor. "^ *

Chapitre ^ Si hom fait convenant ou marche et ille facet par

^ ^"- sey et par autre, ou encore solement par autre et de-
Dans con- •'I I.

venanz.

' coytive'] cultiTe, ensemencer ; en
Langued. Coujtiya, Roquefort.

' raisgner'\ from the Latin ratio-
cinari.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEEOK. 325

property beforehand in seisin, or in using force to them
in some other manner. And it is to be understood
that he who disseises another, ought to render to the
other his seisin and five shillings penalty, and to the
mayor fifby-nine shillings.

f If a lord in his own quaxrel seizes property, and
another holds from him, and the tenant wishes to give
security for it, the lord ought to allow security to be
given for it on these terms, that the tenant will do
right if he has done wrong ; and on the day of the
trial, and at the. hour when the tenant shall present
himself before the lord to do right, the lord ought to
release his security, and fully disseise the property.
For no man ought to plead that his property be dis-
seised, much less that the property shall not be under
securities. Accordingly, the lord ought to disseise the
property which he has seized, before the tenant enters
upon the trial. And know that labourers and cultivators
have no seisin in any property which they hold and
cultivate of another person, nor of the crops, as long
as they shall not be within the property; also he
who holds dowry land has not naturally seisin of
the property in dower, for he has nothing but the
usufruct.

% Seisin of cleared land^ comes before all other
seisins, as regards pleading pure seisin, for this a man
will never lose without judgment^ and a man disseised
may plead it.

By warrantor is meant a person, by whose authority u^
or by whose mandate one has treated or employed a^*^'"-
thing.

1[ If a man makes a contract or a bargain, and he Ch^ter
does it by himself and by another, or solely by another, q£ ^|^

: tracts;

I cleared land"] land which the I under cnltiyationy and of which he
possessor has cleared and brought | has been the first occupanti

326

LA COMMUNE D'OLEEON.

viset nommeement lautre, cilz o qui il aura fet lou
convenant est tenguz a lautre ausi comme a luy
meismes. Mas si oiu nei nomet lautre, cil ob cuy il
aura fait lo marche nest point tenuz a lautre.

IT Sur covenanz et sur marchez na point des&ec^ en
Oleron, mas cilz qui achatet puet bien se il veaut ob
sey a compaigner autre, et se il ia compaignet autre
li autres deit sanz deslay paier sa partie. Si donques
[fol. 35.] nia convenant de terme, celuy qui lo aura ob sey
acompaigne, paiet les deners selont la ferme de la com-
paignie. Neys encore avant que ia rens ait de la choze
de la compaignie. Car il nest'de riens tenuz a lautre
marcheant fors a celuy, qui lou ha ob sey acompaigne
ne ia li marcheanz riens ne li puet demander, fors a
celuy qui fist lo marche ob luy, quar celuy le dit de
tot paier. Et si est einsi qui il iayt convenant de
terme, cilz qui ert acompaignonez on marche deit
bien son compaignon a segurer^ que ille pait au terma
Iceu fut iuge on plait de losseame Osmont et de
Gumbaut Boysseau sur vne compaignie de oysios.

f Essec^ apelet horn, quant home achatet chose et
autres clamet en la paumee part,
[fol. 35. 6.] If Si convenanz est faiz entre gent Doleron et gent
dautrc pais, et apres en sordet plaiz, li plaiz en ert
oyz on pais, ou li convenanz aura este faiz, quar plus
legerement ipuet horn oir ceaus qui auront oy lo
convenant.

1[ Ob vne sole garentie provet horn sa demande en
ta manere. Quan horn ha vi. homes leans qui iurent

' dessec] The term '* essec *' is
explained below to mean a kind of
compulsory option, which onepartner
gave to another to sell his own or to
bny his partner's share at a given
price.

^ a segurer'] assecnrer.

' Easec] This word seems to be
used in this place in a sense other
than that, which is below explained
as between partners in a ship.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

327

and appoints the other person specifically, he with whom
he has made the contract is bound to the other equally
as to himself. But if he has not named the other, he
with whom he has made the bargain is not bound to
the other.

1[ Upon contracts and upon bargains there is no
" essec " in Oleron, but he who buys may well, if he
will, with himself take another into partnership, and if
he takes another into partnership the other ought to
pay without delay his share. If then there is no cove-
nant as to term, he who shall have admitted a partner
with himself pays the money according to the under-
taking of the partnership, even before he has any of the
property of the parti\|r. For the partner is liable for
nothing to the other merchant, except to him who has
taken him into partnership, nor can the merchant de-
mand anything except from him who made the pur-
chase from him, for he ought to pay the whole. And
if it be so, that there is an agreement for a term, he
who shall have accompanied him to the market, ought
to secure his partner that he pay at the term fixed.
This was adjudged in the suit of Josseame Osmont and
Gumbaut JBoysseau upon a partnership of birds.

f The term essec is employed when a man buys a
thing and another claims a share in the bidding.

f If a contract is made between people of Oleron
and people of another country, and afterwards if suit
arises, the suit shall be heard in the country where the
contract was made, for one can there hear more easily
those who shall have heard the contract.

IT With a sole guarantee a person proves his demand
in this manner. When a man has six loyal men,^ who

^ six loyal men] These were
clearly comporgators, who spoke to
the credibility of the guarantee.
Twelve was the asaal number of
compurgators amongst the Ger-

manic tribes, but seven was the
number of Scabini required to form
a court by the Capitularies, anno
803, and the number of witnesses,
like that of the Scabini, was usually

328

LA COMMUNE D'OLflROK.

apres la garentie que il creent que la guareniie a ga-
ranti verite, et ee fut iuge om plait de Guingant de
Perroe.

Chapitre De plait de fons de terre si horn veaut raisgner la

De fong de ^^^^ P*"^ tengue,^ il la deit raigner en tau manere.

terre par II deit dire que il a tengue la choze i. an. et i. ior

'^°^^^' ben et leaument et par son dreiturage sanz deffensse

de dreit seignor, et si horn avoet ou raignet en tau

[fol. 86.] manere tengue, il en ert tenguz par son saigrement et

guagnera par tengue, si donques la partie adverse ne

veaut prover par garanties, que il ait fet deffensse par

son dreit seignor dedens Ian et le ior, ou laveit se

veans proteste davant lo seignur, si li averseres esteit

iors dau pais yssi que ne ifust trovez dedenz les vii

iors que il on aveit sogu ' retorne om pais, quar cestes

chozes li averseres provet par garenties, la tengue ert

entrerumpue et ne vaudra rens.

f Ausi est se dit om de depte qui nest demandee
dedoQs Ian et 1. ior, et li deteres veut iurer, quil ayt
paie locreancer, yl en sera creuz.

1[ Dreit seignor' apelom celuy qui en poet la cort
tenir. Si horn veit tenir sa choze a autre et ne vouget
[fol. 36. 6.] metre deffense, la deffensse ne vaut rens si nest faite par
dreit seignor ; hom espletet la chouze, il en det lougage *
au seignour, ceu est assaver lix. sols, si li m&yres en
est sires.

* par tengue] by tenure.
3 9ogu] BQ, u ogu for eu.

* Dreit eeignor^ The lord of the

manor, the lord who had jorisdiction
over the fief.
^ Umgage'] loa gage, the penalty.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

329

swear after the guarantee, that they believe the gua-
rantee has guaranteed th^ truth, and this was adjudged
in the case of Quingant de Ferroe.

In a suit for landed estate, if a man wishes to main- chapter
tain his right to property by tenure, he ought t^Qr/"*^^^
maintain it in this manner. He ought to say that he estate by
has held the property for a year and a day well and*®°"^*
loyally and by right, without objection on the part of the
lord of the manor, and if a man asserts and maintains
his tenure in this manner he shall support it by his
oath, and shall gain by [his plea of] tenm'e, if indeed
the adverse party cannot prove by guarantees, that he
has objected through the lord of his manor within a
year and a day, or had laid bis protest before the
lord, if the adverse party was out of the country and
was not to be found, within seven days immediately
after his return to the country was known, for if the
adverse party can prove these things, the tenure is
interrupted and will be of no avail.

f So also it is said in the case of debt, which is
not demanded within a year and a day, if the debtor is
willing to swear that he has paid the creditor, he shall
be believed.

1[ The lord of the manor is he, who is entitled t6
hold a court. If a man sees his property held by
another, and wishes to protest, the protest is of no
avail imlesB it is made through the lord of the manor.
If a man works the property,^ he must pay a fee to
the lord, that is to say fifty-nine shillings, if the mayor
is the lord.

seyen. The Constitution of Royan,
ch. XX., had an analogous role, that
against the word of one jurat an
accused party Alight purge himself
by his own oath and the oath of six
men.

^ toorks the property'] This para-
graph is not very intelligible, but
ihere may be some special meaning
of the word " cspleitet " in the sense
of clearing or working land for the
first time.

330 LA COMMUNE D^OLERON.

1[ Si bom veit que diz qui tent la choze^ en quey
autres clamet part ou la damet toute, 8oe seit soupeconoB
de la choze de harder ou de se en aler, et ne eeit
poissanz ^ de la diouze restituer, li sires deit prendre la
choze en sa mayn a la requeste de la partie adverse,
por la choze garder decique ol seit sogu a la quau
partie la choze devra estre leaument Ne pero si li
teneres puet etveaut affiancer la choze, li sires laidet'
bien laisser affiancer souz fiance soceant, et ert la fiance
tengue au seignur de ses dreiz et a laverse partie dau
[fbl. 37.] dreiturage de sa demande, et itau' fiance nest pas
quipte dedque dreiz ait les parties departi et rendu
son dreit a chascun.

IT E si est einsi que la plainte, qui veit sa choze
tenir a autre, vee est* que il ne puchet promtement
trober lo seignor, que sil lou aloit querre, le teneres
entandis porreit debarder la choze, il puet ban par sa
propre auctorite detenir la choze, decique il ou ait fet
assaver a la seignorie dau fey. Mas il deit lou seignor
ausi tost aler querre et li mostrer sa plainte.

1[ De autretau meismes detenue puet fere li crean-
cers o sis commandemenz sus la choze de son deptor.

f Ceu qui est fait par celuy, qui est commandement
dautre, deit ous chozes en quey il est establiz com*
mandemenz estre ausi estable cum si li sires meismes
o aveit fait

rfoi.37.6.] ^^ maires ne tent cort davaut sey de fonz de terre,
Chapitre fors de ceu qui est ou fey daus quatre seignors ou en
jy^J^^' autres fez, dont la cort seit mon seignur le rey, si li
mayre. plaiz estet de gens qui ne fussent de la commune.

^ poiasanz'] puissant. I ' ilau] tel.

3 laidet] la deit | ^ cee esf] yeest.

THE COHHUKK OF OLERON. 331

1[ If a man sees that he who possesses the thing, in
which another claims part or claims the whole for
himself, is suspected of removing the thing, or of
going away; and is not of suflBcient substance to
restore the thing, the lord ought to take the thing into
his own hands, at the request of the adverse party, to
keep the thing until it be known to which party the
thing ought fairly to belong. Nevertheless, if the pos-
sessor can and will find security for the thing, the lord
ought properly to allow him to give sufiicient security,
and the sureties shall be bound to the lord for his
right and to the adverse party for the justice of his
demand, and such sureties are not relieved until justice
has been done between the parties, and right has been
rendered to each.

% And if it be so, that the plaintiff, who sees his pro-
perty held by another, sees that he cannot promptly find
the lord, and that if he goes to seek him, the possessor
may meanwhile carry away the property, he may well
of his own authority detain the thing until he has
made it known to the seignory of the fief. But he ought
to go in search of the lord as soon as possible and
exhibit to him his claim.

% A creditor or hi? mandatory may make the like
seizure of the property of his debtor.

? That which is done by him who is the mandatory
of another, ought to be in the matter, in which he
has been appointed mandatory, as stable as if the
owner had done it.

% The mayor does not hold a court before him in chapter
matters of landed estate, except in the case of land^^^-
which is a fief of "the four lords," or in the case of mayor,
other fiefs, of which the jurisdiction is with his majesty
the king, if the suit is of persons who are not of the
commune.

332

Ul comkuke d'olebok.

Chapitre
Iv.

Si hons fretet nef dautre en Oleron a porter vins
Qui fratet ^^ autres pais, ia nen aiira porte xsd. tonea por xx., si
nefdaatre. nomeement ne est devise on marche fayre.^

Chapitre
Ivi.

T Si horn achatet vin dautre, et li achateres semon-

QuMthom^^ ^^ vendor que il aparaille comme il livre son vin,

achatet vin et li venderes metet lou seir^ dxenele ' on ioneau o

^^^' lo apareillet en autre manere por lo vin livrer et la

nuyt par la chenele li vins verset ou sen anget en

[foL38.] autre nutnere, li vins est perduz au vendeor par ceu

que il li est livrez ; et ceu est quant li vius est venduz

sanz terme de prize, mas sil est venduz a terme establi

de prendre, lo terme passe la venture est a laehateor,

et ceu fut iuge om plait de Constantin losseaume de

Doulux et de marchanz qui avient achate vin de Iny.

% Et est assaver que quant bom vent choze sanz
terme devise aprendre, et veet que li achateres les chozes
proloignent aprendre, il len deit fere semondre par la
seignorie, et li sires deit ben fere semondre lachateor
que il prenge la choze vendue et la paiet dedens sept
iors au plus tart, ou il perdreit son marche ou h
enperemenz^ daus chozes tomerent tout sur luy, la
[foi.38.6.] quau chouse li venderes voudreit, mays ou en deit
restituer ob tot li achateres au vendeor ses damages.

•

Chapitre Si filz OU fllle qui set om baiUou' au pain o au
QuanTfilz '^^^ ^^ ^^ P^^ ^^ citez, li peres en aura sa cort, si

* on marche fayre] en faisant la
inarch6.

3 seir"] Thia may be a prefix of
the following word.

' ehenele] ohenal, canale. Hiis
word probably signifies a tap to
draw oflf the wine from the yats, or
it may be a syphon, such as is nsed
to draw off spirits.

^ enperemeHz"] empirements.

* om haittou] On appelle " bail "
la Jonissanoe que les p^res, les |

m^res, et les coOat^raiix oot des
biens des mineors sans lenr en ren-
dre compte a la chaige de les nonr-
rir et des les aoqmtter de tootes
letirsdettes. £n qnelqaes oontomes
oette jonissance est nomm£ garde
en ligne directe, et bail en ooUate-
rale. Ici en ligne directe, conmie
en collat^rale elle est nomm^ bail.
C£ Ordonnance des Bois de I^rance,
tom. i. p. 58.

THE COmnTNK 07 OLEBOK. 838

If a man freights the ship of another person in Chapter
Oleron to carry wines to another country, he shall „ ^^*
carry twenty-one tons for twenty, although it is not freights
specifically agreed upon in making the bargain. Mother.

If a man buys wine of another, and the buyer sum- Chapter
mons the seller that he make ready to deliver the ^^^^ ji
wine, and the seller puts a funnel into the tun^ or mao buys
prepares in another manner to deliver the wine, and JJ^^fh^,
during the night the wine runs out by the funnel, or
escapes in some other manner, the wine is lost to the
seller because he has to deliver the wine ; and this is
the case when the wine is sold without any term fixed
to take it away, but if it is sold for a term fixed
to take it away, and the term elapses, the risk is with
the buyer, and this was adjudged in the suit of Con-
stantino Josseaume of Doulx and the merchant who
had bought wine of him.

% And it is to be understood, that when a man seUs
a thing without any term stipulated to take it away,
and sees that the purchaser delays to take the thing
away, he ought to summon him by the seignory, and
the lord ought to cause the purchaser to be summoned
that he should take away the thing sold, and pay for
it within seven days at the latest, or he shall lose his
bargain, and any deterioration of the property shall
devolve altogether upon him, whichever the seller
chooses, or the purchaser ought to restore with the
whole to the seller his damages.

If son or daughter, who is under the guardianship Chapter
and eats the bread and the wine of the father, is cited, when a

son "who is

334

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

ombailloa ol est raigne. Et est assayer que quant cort vient
estciteS*^®^^ au mail de sa femme et au pere de son enffant,
il en puent tenir cort sur lor banc ' se il volent, ou
aillors en lues acostumez a cort tenir. Mas il devent
la cort raener ausi cum lamenast lou sires dont la cort
lor est venue, et ideit estre le commandement di celuy
seignur, et si gages ichiet il est a celui seignur.

Cbapl^ Si hom de la commune plaideet contre home qui
Quant ^^ seit pas de la commune, et cilz qui nest pas de la
home de la commune requiert autre iure que il seit por luy contre
plaideet le iure de la commune, il ne deit pas estre centres ou
contre ^^^ p^j, lautre, neis encore se il ^li' donet partie de sa

home qui ir ' i ^

nest par de demande por lautre conquere, si donques nest li autres
la com- gjg parenz, ou done en avocat ou en conseil par lesgart
[fol. 89.] de la cort.

% Mas si est einsi que hotns de la commune par
di'eiturage partet^ en chozes ob autres qui ne seent
pas de la commune, si les chozes sunt non devisees il
puet bien raigner totes les chozes, et ceu est par la
raison de sa partie. Quar ia seit ce que tuyt cil de
la commune seient tenuz par saigrement lun a lautre,
a en dre est que plus est tenuz chascuns a son parent
que a autre, ia seit ce que il seit iurez de la commune
en sa choze guarder que ne deperichei

[fpl.89.ft.] gi plaiz est de fons de terre davant lo maior de

^^^^^'^ choze qui seit en autre fez que en fez reau, si li plaiz

Deplaia vient a tant que par iugement de la cort au mayor

terreTda- ®^ ^^* garde veue et apres en seit respote donee, chas-

* lor banc] the bench of justice.
BancOy seggio del judice, Ducauge.

^ parte f] is partner in things with
others.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEROK.

335

the father shall have his court, if he is arraigned. And a ward of
it is to be unclerstood, that when a court thus comes jg'gj^®'^
to the husband of a wife, or to the father of a child,
he may hold the court on his bench,^ if he wishes, or
elsewhere in the place accustomed for the court to be
held. But the court should be conducted as the lord
would conduct it, whose court has come to him, and
it ought to be by the mandate of the lord, and if a
penalty is awarded, it goes to the lord.

If a man of the commune sues a man who is not Chapter
of the commune, and he who is not of the commune when a
requests another juror that he maybe for him against ™a° of the
the juror of the commune, he ought not to object gues a man
against the juror for the other, much less if he grants ^?*J ^* "^*
him part of his demand for the other's advantage, commune,
unless the other be his relative, or be assigned as
his advocate or as his counsel by the direction of the
court.

^ But if it happen that a man of the commune by
right shares in property with others who are not of
the commune, if the property is not settled, he may
arraign all the property, and this by reason of his
share. For it may be that those of the commune
are bound by oath one to another, just as each person
is bound to his parent more than to another, and it
may be that he is a sworn man of the commune to
guard its property, that it perishes not.

If a suit is for landed estate before the mayor, of Chapter
things which are in another than a royal fief, if the ^^ ^^f^^
suit goes so far that by the judgment of the mayor's for landed
court a view of the property has been made, and fo^^^e*^

• mayor.

> his bench] This paragraph is
not yery intelligible. It would al-
most seem as if the father, by virtue
of the patria potestas exercised

jurisdiction in the name of the lord,
where a minor child living in his
house was sued as defendant.

336

LA COHMXTNE D'OLERON.

Tant io cune daus paitieSy on deit par segre lou plait davant lo

"^"^'^l* maior decique en la fin. Et tenir en Jo iuge qiiar de
son non iuge poet horn faire son iuge^ et si ancune dans
parties nest de la commune, et ne veauge tenir lo iuge,
li sires dau fe cuy il ert hons lo li deit fere tenir a la
requeste dau mayor. Mas avant que li plaiz soit en*
temez ne respote donee, si lune daus parties ou
enbedoes ^ redamet la cort dau seignor en cuy fe serout
les chozes, et cilz sires en aura la cort, et tot ceu

[fol. 40.] que il en auront fet davant lo maior sera comme non
fet. E est assaver, que apres ce que li plaiz ert achevez
dau fonz davant lo seignur dau fe, daus fraz, et daus
demores, et daus autres incidenz por ce que ce sunt
mobles en ert la cort an maior, si domques nen a estee
faite demande en lautre cort ob lo fonz, quar einsi
finera de tot.

Cilz qui depecet * o en pestret ' autruy sazine deit a
la plainte v. sols., de gage et li roayres de lix. sols.

Y Si bom est citez davant lo mayor, et il deffaut iii.
fez continueement, li sires sazira la demande en sa
main et dira einsi, ge met en ma mayn la demande
que cist a fait a celuy, et nomera les persones et la

[fol. 40.6.] demande, et apres dera ior au cite que il li vienge faire
dreit, et li dreiz est itaus que rendra li citez les gages
daus deffailles au seignor, se il iuient a donques. Mas
si denques ne iuient, li sires sazira la plainte de sa
demande' comme de son dreiturage. De baton a la plainte
V. sols, damande et li maires lix. sols, de gage, et ceu
est de simple baton. Mas si li batons est granz segont

* enbedoes'] ambo, denx, both of
the two.
^ depecet"] literally, pulls to pieces.

' en pettret] empestret, impedit.
* se il tiitent] s'il vient

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 337

afterwards a respite given, each of the two parties
ought to prosecute the suit before the mayor to its
conclusion^ and acquiesce in the judge ; for a man may
"Constitute one his judge, who is not properly his judge ;
and if any one of the parties is not of the commune
and does not wish to acquiesce in the judge, the lord
of the fief whose man he is, ought, to make him ac-
quiesce at the request of the mayor. But before the
suit be contested and the respite given, if one of the
two parties, or both, reclaim the court of the lord in
whose fief the property is, the lord shall hold his court,
and all that which they have done before the mayor
shall be as if not doue. And it is to be known that
after the suit shall be finished respecting landed estate
before the lord of the fief, of the crops, and of the
demurrage, and of the other incidents, because they
are moveables, the court of the mayor shall have juris-
diction, if indeed no demand for them has been made
in the other court with the estate, for in that case it
Bhall decide the whole.

He who infringes or harasses another's seisin owes
to the plaintiff five shillings penalty, and to the mayor
fifty-nine shillings.

IT If a man is cited before the mayor, and makes
default three times successively, the lord shall seize
the thing demanded into his hands, and shall say thus :
I take into my hands the thing demanded against
this party, and he shall name the parties and the thing
demanded, and afterwards shall assign a day to the
party cited, that he come to do justice, and justice
requires that the party cited shall pay the penalties
for his defaults to the lord, if he at length comes. But
if he does not come, the lord shall put the plaintiff
in possession of the thing claimed by him, as of his
own right. For an assault to the plaintiff five shillings
compensation is due, and to the mayor fifty-nine shil-
lings penalty; and this is for simple battery. But if

VOL. II. Y

338

LA COMMUNE D'OLEBON.

lo meffait^ et segont la persone qui aura este batae et
segont la costumance do bator lamende ert maire a la
plainte, et sera iugee lamende a leagart dau mayre et
daus esquetdns et li gages au mayor ert en la merd
dau mayor.

fAusi de convices et de laidengices^ segont lones-
tete ^ de la persone a cuy sera dit, et segont la costumance
de celuy qui la dira, ert lamende a la plainte al esgart '
[foL4i.] dau maior et li gages i est de\ix, eola.

Chapitre Si hom voleit aver couz ou demorez^ que ait £Bdt en
^^ ochison deplait en la cort au mayor, il les demand^ra

et demores en fSBizent reson comme de prindpau et se il les provet

par plait £| jj gerQ^t restitues, et autrement non.

Si on chozes en que il et autres seront parsoner
veit tenir a autre engages qui ren ne iait a faire, il
semondra les parsoners que il li demandent la choze,
et metront lor part ou cos, et ons missions qui seront
feites on plait, et si li parsoner ne sunt deage et il
seent en bail,^ il deit semondre lor ductors;* et si par
sa semonse ne le volent fisdre, il les en fera semondre
par la seignorie, et si apres la semonse de la seignorie

[fbl.41.6.] il ni volent venir, tot ce que il porra de la choze con-
querre sera son perpetuaument ^ domain, et' li autre ne
y auront iames^ rens. Car om part® soent son dreit
par sa negligence. Mas si li parsoner ne sont deage
et ne scent en bail quant sunt enfant et sunt sanz
tutor que il puchent saver la semonse qui lor sereit

> laideugices] leidenger, loedorer,
Latin Icedere.
- ' hnestete] llionnetete.

* a lesgarQ k Tesgard, k I'^gard.

* demorez] from the Latin mora,
delay.

•' U seent en haxC\ if they are

minors and have guardians in respect
of their estate held as a fiet

• ductorel This is probably [^a
miswriting for tutors.

7 son perpetuaument'l son propre
seems to be here required.
^ ianfes'] jamais.

• om parf] on perd.

THE C0MMT7NE OF OLERON. S39

ihe assault is violent, according to the trespass, and
according to the person who has been assaulted^ and
according to the habit of the assailant, the compen-
sation shall be greater to the plaintiff; and the com-
pensation shall be adjudged by the award of the mayor
and of the echevins, and the penalty to the mayor shall
be at the mercy of the mayor.

IT So of reproaches and insults, according to the
respectability of the person to whom they shall be
said, and according to the habit of the person who
shall say them, shall be compensation made to the
plaintiff by the award of the mayor, and the fees to
him are fifty-nine shillings.

Tf a man wishes to have the costs or demurrage Chapter
which he has incurred on occasion of a suit in the of having
court of the mayor, he shall demand them, stating c^^ts and
reasons for them, as for the principal sum, and they foiJ^^^^
shall be rendered to him if he proves them, but not «"»*•
otherwise.

If in things in which he and others are partners, he
sees the others engaged that there shall be nothing
done, he shall summon the partners, that they demand
the thing and contribute their part in costs and ex-
penses which shall be made in the suit; and if the
partners are not of age and they are under guardian-
ship, he ought to summon their tutors, and if upon
his summons they will not act, he shall have them
summoned by the seignory, and if after the summons
of the seignory they will not come, all which he can
collect of the things shall be his own property, and
the others shall have nothing. For a person often
loses his right by his negligence. But if the partners
are not of age and are not under guardianship, although
they are infants, and they are without a tutor who
can be made aware of the summons which shall be

T 2

340

LA COMMUNE D OLERON.

Chapitrc
Ixi.
Qui rait a
conseil
dautre.

[fol. 42. J

[fol. 42.]

Chnpitre
Ixii.-
Quant sires
demande
la cort de
son home.

faite, ia rens ne vaudreit. Mas si li parsoners conquert
la choze, 11 en levera ses couz, et ses missions, et ses
demores, avanfc que li menor^ en ayent rens, ne ia ne
lor endeit rendre partie decique il seent deage, ainz
deit espleter tandis la choze comme la soe domayne.

Home que vait a conseil dautre en son plait ne puet
mie apres porter garentie avers laverse partie. '

Si sires demande la cort^ de son home qui seit de
la commune, il en aura la cort, mas il endeit fere dreit
dedenz ii. quinzenes, si li plaiz est de fonz de terre.
E si li plaiz est de depte o dautre choze^ il en deit
acomplir dreit dedens ii. octaves, et sil no fait li
maires en aura la cort et en acomplira dreit.

Chapitre ^ Si dui sunt parsoner par meitie en i. vaisseau, et

ixiii. li jjjyjQ lespleitet vn tor a son obs domaine,^ li autres

sunt par- parsoners lo espleitera i. autre tor. Mas si li vaisseaus

sener en un ^^j, tormente ou par deffaute de temps est plus detenuz

vaisseau. ^ ^ r r

en i. tor^ que en lautre iceu ne Eera ia conte en la
compaignie. Et iceii meisme est entre plusors par-
soners.

[fol. 42.6.] IT Si plusors parsoners sunt parsoners en L meisme

Chapitre vaisseau, si luns daus parsoners en menet lou vaisseau

Quant do port ob lassentement de son autre parsoner, et. au

plusors retor lamenet sanz lassentement de son parsoner en

sunt pap- • A •

Boners en autre port que en iquou * o il lo ara pris, il ne le puet
un vais- jjjjg metre a essec decique il lo ayt amene ou port

* U menor"] le mineur.

^demande la cori] demands to
exercise jurisdiction over a member
of the commune, yvho is his vassal.

Cf. Pierre de Fontaines, ch. xxi.
§xxv.

^ a son obs domaine] for his own
special service.

* en iquou"] en lequel.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

341

made to them, it will be of no avail But if the part-
ner makes profit of the thing he shall levy his costs,
and his expenses and his demurrage, before the minor
shall have any thing, nor shall he be bound to render
him any part until he shall be of age, meanwhile he
ought to employ the thing as if it were his own per-
sonal property.

A man who goes of counsel to another in his suit, ix?.
cannot afterwards give a guarantee against the adverse ^® ^^^

party. counsel to

another.

If a lord demands jurisdiction of his vassal, who is Chapter
of the commune, he shall have jui-isdiction, but he tttj^^^
ought to do justice within two fortnights, if the suit lord de-
is about landed estate. And if the suit is of debt orl^^^^^^^^
another matter, he ought to accomplish justice within over his
two weeks, and if he does not so, the mayor shall hold ^*"^-
a court upon it and shall accomplish justice.

f K two are partners in moieties of one vessel, and Chapter
the one employs it for a turn for his own private ser- when two
vice, the other shall employ it for one other turn, are part-
But if the vessel by tempest or by default of weather vessel.
is detained longer in one turn than in another, this
shall not be reckoned in the partnership. And the
same thing holds good in the case of several partners.

f If several partners are partners in one and same Chapter

Ixiv

vessel, if one of the partners takes the vessel out of when
port with the consent of the other partners, and on its wverai are
return takes it without the assent of his partners to a vessel,
another port from that out of which he took it, he
cannot put it to option (essec^) until he shall have

' essee] Mr. Fardessus, in an
extract from this MS., which he has
published in his Lois Maritimes,
torn. iy. p. 290, writes <<esset,'* which
he derivet from essir or eissir, and

interprets to mean licltation, ** par
« ce que la licitation fiut sortir de
*< rindivision." The Editor has had
the MS. carefiilly examined, and
the result is in &Toar of" essec.''

342

LA COMMITNE D'OLEBOK.

dont il lo aura pris. Ne iandis ausi que li vaisseaiis
sera en port loigdaig, que li parsoners ne le puchet
aler voir eanz granz cos ou demores et damages de
sey et de sa choze^ si tot encore neys^ le vesseaus
esteit la menez en port loigdaig ob lou assentement
daus parsoners, quar cil qui aureit veu lo vesseau
fireschement poyret engigner ^ en lessee celuy qui dauant
grant piece ne lo aureit yeu, et essecs se deit fere oom-
munaument et leaument

[fol. 43.] f Essec apelon en icest luec ' qiiant vna parsoners
dit a lautre, ge te met lo vesseau a essec en tau
manere que tu me deras tant de la meie partie ou ge
te deray^ itant de la toe, et dit quau some, et sachez
que li autres parsoners ne puet mie refuder,^ quar autre-
ment ne puet mie estre vaesseas partiz sanz damage
et sans la deffbrmacion de sa premere matere. E en
totes itaus chozes qui ne puent mie estre autrement
parties sanz faire essec, et cil qui lou reoet lou deit
paier dedenz terme de vii. iors apres qui lo aura
retenu.

T Si de pluBors parsoners li aucuns vent sa partie
dau veisseau a autre estrange qui ni ait reus affaire,
li autres parsoners puet retenir lo marche ob touz les

[fol. 43. 6.] convenanz qui i seront faiz si il vout a son obs, et
autretau si li vns lo eschanget li autres .lo puet retenir,
sil veaut fomir la valor de leschange et ceu meismes

> si tot encore im^«] much less if.
^ enffigner"] engaigner, have an
advantage over.
' en icest luec"] en ce lieu.

^ derail darai : je donneraL
Roquefort.

' rtfuder^ refuter : refbser, Roque-
fort.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

343

brought it back to the port whence he has taken it.
Nor so long as the vessel is in a distant port, so that
the partners cannot go to see it without great costs
and demurrage and damage to themselves and their
property, unless the vessel has been carried into the
distant port with the consent of the partners, for he
who has freshly seen the vessel, may have an advan-
tage in the option over him who has not seen it for
some time, and an option ought to be made in com-
mon, and with loyalty.

IT Option (essec ^) is used in this place to signify
when one party says to the other, I put the vessel
to option in this manner, you shall either give me so
much for my part, or I will give you so much for
your part/ and he names the sum; and note that the
other partner cannot refiise the offer, for otherwise a
vessel could never be shared without loss, and without
the breaking up of its primitive matter. And in all
such things which cannot be otherwise shared without
making an option, he who receives the thing ought
to pay within the term of seven days after that he
has retained the thing.

IT If of several partners a certain one sells his share
of a vessel to a stranger who has nothing to do with
it, any other of the partners may retain the part sold
with all the engagements which may have been made,
if he wishes it, for his own service; and in the same
way if the one exchange his share, the other may re-
tain it, if he wishes to furnish the value of the ex-

' essec] The Editor is not aware
of any corresponding term in the
English language, unless it be the
word ** option," namely, to pnt it to
the option of the other party whether
he will choose to buy or to sell at a
giTcn price. The identical provision
is found in chapter x. (55.) of the
«< Consolat de Mar," where it is pro-

vided that if one or two of the part
owners of a ship wish to sell his or
their shares to the managing owner
(patron), or to buy his share, they
may compel him to an option — and
he has a corresponding right against
them— or to put up the vessel to
auction.

344

LA COmiUME d'olebon.

est en totes chozes de compaignie quant la choze est
par ^on devis. Non devis apelon quant neguns daus
parsoners ne puet dire ne mostrer devisement ou ceste
partie en la mea. Et est assaver que parsoners devent
partir entreaus leaument, et eommunaument les mises^
et les prises, les bens et les maus,^ segont que afferrft
a chescun par reson de la compaignie.

Cl^pitre j^j 3 marineau, acompaignone, ou autres genz on vai»-
li man- seau veent * choze defFors, que il puchet prehdre et metre
Umeite°de ^^ vaisseau, ne sunt tenu daler ne de prendre la choze.
choze prise ne de metre on vaisseau se il ne volent. Encore neys

yaissean. ®^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ vaisseau OU sis commandemens ou
[foL44.] oommandet ne sunt il point tenu. Quar la marinea
ne simt tenu fors dau vaissea mareer ne li fuer a
quey il sunt establi. Mas si avent' que de lor
Yolunte il prengent choze il y aront la meite et li
sires dau vaissea lautre, si donqiies entres convenans
ne aveent entre eaus. Car on dit que convenantz les
veint.^ E est assaver que dau servant qui a terre
vait ^ au pain et au vin de seignour et assiduoos ® ou
vaisseau, la soe partie est au seignur e que il est ben
tenuz en totes maneres de faire lo profet au seignor.

^^^ Si sauners vent sa partie de la sau par saunerie ou

[fol.44.6.] mares que il tent dautre, li sires dau mares puet retenir

De Banners, se il veaut lo marche a son obs si li marchez a este

faiz sanz luy o sanis son commandement, et ia por ce

> msea"] depenses, Roqnefort.

^ les bent et lea fnaus"] les biens et
les manx. Mr. Pardessns adopts,
upon the faith of the extract from
the MS. with which he was fur-
nished, the words *' les vens et les
** mairs," which he supposes to be a
local idiom amongst partners.

* Li] probably a miswriting for
Si, if.

* veent} The context requires
veent, sees.

* avent'] avient.

^ veint'] from the Latin vinciunt.

' vaW] from either the Latin y»-
dit, or yivit.

^ assiduoos] from the Latin assi-
dere.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

345

ehsiJige ; and the same rule prevails in all things which
are not divisible. We ppeak of things as not divisible,
when neither of two partners can say or show dis-
tinctly that this part is mine. And it is to be un-
derstood that partners ought to share fairly and in
common the outgoings and the incomings, the good
and the evil, according as it shall result to each by
reason of the partnership.

If a mariner, companion,, or other person on board Chapter
a vessel sees anything outside the vessel which he can ^ manner
take possession of and put on board the vessel, he is y^^ail ^.'^e
not obliged to go and take the thing, nor to put it on takeu oat-
board the vessel, if he do not wish, still less, if the "^^® ^^^
owner or his agent command, is he obliged, for the
mariner is not bound to any thing but to navigate
the vessel, nor to any thing for which he is not en-
gaged. But if it happens that of his own free will he
takes any thing, he shall have a moiety, and the owner
of the vessel the other moiety, unless another contract
has been made between them, for it is said that a
contract binds them. And it is to be understood that
if a servant, who on land lives on the bread and wine
of his master, assists in the vessel, his share is for his
master, for he is bound in every manner to work for
the advantage of his master.

If a saltworker sells his portion ^ of the salt from a Chapter
saltwork or salt marsh, which he holds from another, q^ g^^**
the owner of the salt marsh may, if he please, retain workers,
what has been sold for himself, if the sale has been
made without him or without his authority, and this.

^-portion] Tbia proTision would
seem to apply to salt lands held
upon metayer tenure, the owner of

which had a right of pre-emption as
regards the tenant's share of the
salt.

346

LA COMUUNE D OLEBON.

ne remaindra se li saunerB ha de quey aillors ne for-
nicbet son marche a lautre, a cuy il on aura feit pre-
merement, eil o aveit fait estroseement ^ sanz autre
convenani Quar li sauners quant il veost vendre sa
partie, il o deit fere assaver au seignur et a la vende
et li aires rendra^ la vende sil volt^ et sil la volt
retenir il endeit auaitost respondre sanz delay, et sil ne
la retent, il nen deit mie delaier au sauner livreor
quant il vodra la sau prendre, si donques li sires
autre reson nia.

E est assaver que si gaagneres' meffait de lagaag-
[fol. 45.] nerie a son seignor a la partie dau gaagnor daus
fruyz de la gaagnerie, que li gaagneres rendra de celuy
li amandera les demages. Quar li gaagneres ne ha
rens en la gaagnerie fors par reson de son labor. £t
sachiez que en quaucunque manere que horn facet ou
procuret lo demage dautre il est tenuz a lautre de
restituer. E en quauconque manere que horn amandet
la choze dautre li autres li est tenguz de restituer, si
donques nosot^ iurer que il par povrete ou par autre
choze resounable o provable noguist^ encorage^ de tei
amandement en cele fazon en sa choze fsbire.

la seit ce que li mayres ait mult grant voyz en sa
cort^ il ne deit mie estre avocaz par negunes daus
parties.

^ estroaeement'] estros : a Piostant,
Roquefort

' rendra'] rendre: declarer,Boqae-
fort

* gaagneres'] gaagnidre: labour-
eur, Boquefort.

^ nasot] ne sait pas.

' nogutsQ n'airait pas.

^ encorage] llhere is probably
here an error of the scribe. .

7 en sa cort] A separate para-
graph should commence here.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

347

notwithstanding nothing shaU remain which the salt-
worker can furnish to the other to complete the sale
which he has previously made to him, if he has made
it off-hand without any other covenant ; for when the
saltworkei' wishes to sell his part of the salt, he ought
to make known the sale to the lord, and the lord shall
restrain the sale if he will ; and if he wishes to restmin
it, he ought to reply without delay, and if he does not
restrain it, he ought not to delay to deliver the salt to
the saltworker, when he wishes to take it, if the lord
has not any reason against it.

And it is to be understood, that if a cultivator,^
who cultivates land under an engagement to render half
the produce to the owner, trespasses on the share which
the owner of the land ought to have of the crops of
the land, he shall make compensation for the* losses, for
the cultivator has no interest in what he cultivates
except by reason of his labour ; and note that in what-
ever way a man does or procures damage to another, he
is bound to indemnify him, and in whatever manner a
man makes compensation he is bound to make good
the property damaged, unless he can swear that by
poverty or by some other reasonable and proveable
cause he has not wherewith to make indemnification
in such manner as to make good the property.

Inasmuch as the mayor has great voice in his court,
he ought not to be the advocate of either party.

^cuhivator] Gaagneres has some-
tunes the generic meaning of a
labourer or cultWator who is paid
with a portion of the produce ; but

its specific meaning is that of a
coltiyator *^h moiti^ profit," in which
sense it is probably used here to
signify a metayer tenant.

348 LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

[fol.45.6.] En la cort au mayor ne ha poinb de bataille. Mas
^^1^ en autre oort quant bataille se fait^ ele se fait en tau

Quant manere.

faitpar'^ f Si li plainte avoet et nomet garenties en sa de-

champioM. mande, quar autrement ni aureit mie bataUle, et li
adverseres se deffendet en vei's luy et en vers les
garenties en sa demande, quar autrement on aiuget^
saigrement a faire a laversaire^ et quant li saigrement
* est aiugez avant que la plainte enprenget les fiances,
quant apres les fiances prises il ne poet mie fere sil
voleit lever son auersaire dau saicrement, il o fera en
tau manere et dira ensi : Je ne vuil mie ' que vos facet
cest saigrement et teu leve, quar suy prest que ge te
maintenge par bataille que ce que ge te demande seit

[foL 46.] verite et leaute, et yez en mon gage,' et baillera en la
mayn dau seignur de la cort son gage, chaperon, ou
ganz, ou ob autres chozes, et si li aversayrea se deffent
et baillet son gage. Quar si einsi non faises il seret
provez que la bataille ert iugee.

f Et adonques seront levees de moubles de laversayre
totes ses depte& Et apres aura la plainte sa mostre^
dau remaignant daus moubles de son aversaire, et querra
e son pi*opre cost dous chanpions, daus quaus dos quant
il seront ou champ li aversaires choisira celuy quil mes
voudra a son ops, et celuy sera son champions et se
combatra par luy, et sor celuy qui li champions sera
vaincuz aura li reys ^ Ix. sole, de ga^e. Li quatre seignur

^ aiuget"] adjugait
^ Je ne vuil mie] je ne veux pas.
' vez en mon gage] yoyez mon
gage.

* moftre"] moiti^.

• /*' reys] le roi.

THE COMMUNE OP OLERON.

349

In the court of the mayor batel ^ is not allowed ; but Chapter
in other courts, when batel takes place, it takes place whenbatel
in this manner. ^^^ p^ace

• f If the plaintiff vouches and names guarantees of p^^*™'
his claim^ for otherwise there shall be no batel, the
adversary defends himself against him and the guaran-
tees of his claim, for it would be otherwise adjudged that
the adversary make oath, and when an oath is adjudged,
before the plaintiff pledges his faith, for after his faith is
pledged he cannot cause, if he wishes, his adversary to
be relieved of his oath, he shall proceed in this manner,
and shall say thus : I do not wish you to make oath,
and I relieve you, for I am ready to maintain by batel
that what I claim is true and loyal, and here is my
pledge ; and he shall deposit in the hands of the lord
of the court his pledge, a hat or a glove, or some other
thing, and likewise the adversary defends himself and
delivers his pledge. For if he does not do so, it shall
be proved that batel is adjudged.

% And then shall be levied of the goods of the adver-
sary all his debts, and afterwards the plaintiff" shall
have his half of the remainder of the goods of his
adversary, and shall seek at his own cost two champions,*
of which two, when they shall be on the field, the
adversary shall choose the one which he most wishes
for his own service, and this one shall be his champion
and shall fight for him, and upon him whose champion
shall be vanquished the king shall levy sixty shillings

' baid] In the Assises de Jcra-
salem, § xliii., we find it laid down
that maritime contracts should he
Judged par la cort de la mcr, por ce
que en la cort de la mer n'a point
de bataille por preuTC ne por de-
mande de celny Teagc, et en I'autre
cort des borgeis deit areir esprenves

[par] bataille, si la querclle monte
dun marc dargent en amont. £d.
Eansler, Stnttgard, 1839.

' two champiorui] This is a very
singular provision, and implies that
there were at this time champions
by profession.

350

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

[foi.46.&.] 1 dener. Lo quau dener hant^ li quatre aeignor par
ceu que il gardent ob lou seignor lo champ de la bataille^
mas sachez que ceu est en eleccion et en chois de laver-
saire de bailler a la plainte la meite de ses moebles, si
cum nos ayom dit, ou de querre son champion a son
propre cost. Encore se fait bataille en tau manere. Si
la plainte apelet a vive voiz, et dit einsi, ge te apeau '
de ceu, et dira quey et que ce seit veir' taus gens ou
seventy que ge ten trairay a garenz, et les nomera, et si
tu ten veos deffendre, ge suy touz pros que ge te man-
tenge par bataille, et vez en mon gage, adonques a
laversere de mon aversere convent que il se deffendet
ausi tost sanz pe remuer et bailie ausi son gage, et diet
einsi, ge men deQent vers tey et vers toutes garenties,

[foi. 47.] et tot einsi comme apele, mas ge suy encore prez que
ge men deffende et vez en mon gage.

f E est assaver que bataille emprise per chozes si
cum par heritages, par deptes, et par autres itaus
chozes, ne se fait mie cors a cors, ^ et si lune partie et
lautre ne o vont, aynz fait par champions en la menere
que nos avons dit

f A bataille emprise par ochison^ de crim, si cum
de murtre, ou do larroncin, de traison, de faussete, ou
dautre mayor choze, que portet crim^ ne se fait mie
par champions, ainz se fait cors a cors.

f E li apelez ha tant davantage, que il deviset la
forme de la bataille, et U sires de la cort assigne le
ior et lou terme. E sachez que cilz qui est apelez se

[foi.47.6.] det deffendre ausi tost sanz .son pie remuer, et se il
non fait, il est convaincuz.

^ hant"] ont

3 ge te apeau] }e t'appelle. The
words of the challenge are in the
first person.

3 mr] from the Latin venu.
* cors a cora] corps k corps.
^ ochiaon] ochoison : occasion,
Roquefort.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

351

for fees. The four lords ^ shall levy one penny, which
penny the four lords have, because with the lord [of the
court] they guard the field of battle ; but note that it is
in the election and in the choice of the adversary to
deliver to the plaintiff the half of his goods, as we have
said, or to find a champion at his own cost. Again,
batel is waged in this manner. If the plaintiff accuses
aloud, and says I accuse you of this, and shall say of
what, and that this is true such and such persons know,
whom I will produce to you as warrantors, and shall
name them, and if you wish to defend yourself I am all
ready to maintain what I sAy by batel, and here is my
pledge, then it is requisite for the adversary of my
adversary * that he defend himself immediately without
withdrawing a foot, and deliver also his pledge, and
say also, '' I defend myself against you, and against all
« warrantors, and fot every thing of which I am ac-
" cused, and I am also ready to defend myself, and here
" is my pledge."

IT It is to be understood that batel undertaken for
things such as landed estates, debts, or other such
things, is not made body to body, and if one party or
the other party wishes it, it is made by champions in
the manner above said.

f But batel undertaken for crime, such as murder,
larceny, treason, forgery, or other greater thing, which
carries with it crime, is not made by champions, but
is made body to body.

T And the accused has this advantage, that he devises
the form of the batel, and the lords of the court assign
the day and the time ; and note that he who is accused
ought to defend himself immediately without with-
drawing a foot, and if he does not do so, he is convicted.

^four lords'] The four lords are
spoken of as a special body, some-
what like fhe foar thanes of an
English county.

^ofmy adversary] These words
seem to be redondant.

352

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

IT Parenties * ne auditor * ne sunt point cregu, ainz,
si li adversaires icontredit en cause de crim^ ainz
passera cilz, qui est apelez ob lo saigrement de sey et
de son mesage.^

f Si la plainte ne len veost torner par bataille, car
grant boydie* a venir en condempner home de crim
par lo garentage de genz, qui par aventure sereient
corrumpu par ainge de luy^ ou par amor dautre, ou par
loyer de priere, et poyreent porter fausse guarentie
centre luy por luy destruyre, des quant que la choze
ou la cause est vengue devant lou seignor^ lacunques
daus parties et en quauque manere que seit conyeincue,
ele est en la merci dau seignor dau cors et de
laveir.

[fol. 48.] f Et cum liseent * tengu de venger et de choicer
raidement les felonies et les maus crius * de la gent,
ceu seret maynz leiaute et de honestete, sil souffiissant
a fiedre pais aus parties en cause de crim, ensurquetot '
empres ceu que bataille en sereit emprise, si donques
ne estet apartement que lune daus parties ont apele
lautre par sole malignite sanz autre raison et si tot
en est paiz, par ce nest mie la dreiture de la seignorie
mendre sur lo convaincu; convencuz est en cest luec
apelon celuy, qui primes demandot la paiz ou donast
dau son por la pais faire. Apeler sanz guaranties dit
hom apeler nuement, et de itau appeau ne se fait mie
bataille, quar en appeau ou se fait bataille convent

[fol. 48. 6.] q^© bom avoet et nomet garanties, ne pero eles ne
seront ia par ce oyea

^ ParantieM ] This should be
written Garanties.

' ne ixudUor] These words are
probably miswritten.

s. et de son mesage'] The ordinaiy
phrase is on de son message.

^ hoydie'l boisdie : fraade, trom-
perie, Roqaefort.
^ Ueeent"] ils sont.
^ crms] crims.
7 efuurquetoi] sortoat.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 353

T Warrantors are not heard nor believed in a criminal
cause, if the adverse party denies the charge. The
accused shall pass free with the oath of himself and of
his proxy.^

% If the plaintiff * is not willing to have recourse to
bately for great mischief would arise in condemning a
man for crime upon the warranty of persons who by
chance might be corrupt from hatred of him^ or from
love of the other party, or from the influence of his
prayei-s, aiid might bring a false warranty against the
accused to destroy him, for when once the matter or
the cause has come before the lord, whichever of the
two parties in whatever manner is convicted, he is at
the mercy of the lord as regards both his person and
his property:

T And since the lord is bound to punish and prose-
cute severely the felonies and the evil crimes of the
people, it would be poor loyalty and little honesty if he
were to suffer parties in a cause of crime to make peace,
especially after batel has been undertaken^ if it be not
apparent openly that one of the parties has accused
the other solely from malignity, without other reason,
and as soon as there is peace, the right of the lord
is not for that reason the less against the convicted
party. Convicted he is said to be in this place who
has first asked for peace, or has given of his property
to make peace. When a person accuses without guaran-
tees, he is said to accuse nakedly, and in case of such
accusation batel never takes place, for in an accusation
in which batel takes place, it is proper that a man
vouch and name guarantees, nevertheless they shall not
be heard.

* of his proxy"] The word •* mes-
sage'' is rendered proenreur by
Roqnefort, but that interpretation
does not appear to be appropriate
in this place, as it is not a reasonable
proceeding to take the oath of a

proxy conjointly with the oath of
his principal. The text shonld pro-
bably be in the alternative.

^ If the piamtiffi The break in
the text is evidently a blander of the
scribe.

VOL. II. Z

354

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

Y Si li aversaires icontredit sicum nos avom dit
aa oommencement^ e d vob apelez autre davant seignur
de bataille, cilz tenoz par conveincuz, qui, ausitost en
lappeauy ainz que se remuet ne bailie son gage.
Convaincuz est oil qui est apelez et point ne se de&ent ;
convaincuz est ausi cilz qui en fait pais par la manere
que nos avom dit desus; conYai[n]cuz est oeluy qui
reconoist son £Edt par sa propre boche ; convaincuz
est cil qui est prove par garantie ^ en bataille.

Chapitre % Causes criminaus sunt icestes, larrohcin, murtre,

Caiua^ violence, homicides, et fisiussoneries^ et itaus chozes

criminaiis. semblables. Larroncins est prendre lautruy choze sanz

sogue ' et sanz la volunte de celuy qui est la choze.

[foL 49.] Violence est peceer ' chemin ou prendre par force

lautruy choze^ et despuceler pucele par force est ausi

violence ou traison. Homicides est qui tue home en

tort; murtres est toute force de ostrage faire de

nuyz ou encore de iors en bois et eh quaves ^ et

en itaus luecs rebos,^ et . par co que horn iuia que

feme encore non pucele de nuiz forcer esteit murtres,

et en fut penduz Ozillaes de Ruelons por la feme

Lavandere Davaille que il aveit denuiz force.

IT Baisons ^ est quant hocH est tenuz a autre par fey
et par saigrement, par homage o par autre aUance, et il
lou en decept en ceu dome ^ il li est tenguz, dont horn
dit que vns hons fut qui sacuillit^ ob vn autre a &ire

^ jMir garatitie} This is not very
intelligible.

^ sanz aogue"] sans savoir. Oga
with its inflexions, is osed frequently
as the equivalent of avoir.

^ peceer"] peciar : briser, mettre
en pi^es, Boqaefort.

^ quaves] Qnave : cave, Boqae-
fort.

^ rebos] Bebot: secret, Roque-
fort.

* Haisans] The Editor ventures

to think that '' Traiaons " is reqnircd
by the context, and that there has
been an error of the scribe in writing
" Baisons.'* Treason in the Myx^
rour des Justices embraced a greater
number of offences than here, and
might be committed against relatives
by lineage or affinity, as well as by
vassals agahist their lord.

7 dome] dont

B saeuiBU] s'aocueillit. Acoillir :
prendre sur sol, Roquefort

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

355

T If the adversary denies the charge as we have
said in the commencement, and the accuser claims
before the lord the batel, he is held to be convicted,
who as soon as he is accused withdraws and does not
deliver his pledge ; convicted is he also who is accused
and does not defend himself ; convicted is he also who
makes peace in the manner above said ; convicted is
he who acknowledges a fact by his own mouth;
convicted is he who is proved by a guarantee in bateL

T Criminal causes are these, larceny, murder, violence. Chapter
homicide, forgery, and such like things. Larceny is to crinS
take the property of another without the knowledge and causes,
without the will of the person to whom it belongs ;
violence is to plunder on the high road, or to take by
force the property of another, and to deflower a maid by
force is also violence or treason ; homicide ^ is he who
kills a man ; murder ^ is every kind of forcible outrage
done by night, or even by day, in woods or in caves, or in
such secret places, and for this reason a man who forced a
woman by night who was not a maid, was a murderer,
and Ozillaes de Ruelons was hung for the woman
Lavandere Davaille, whom he had forced by night

% Treason * is when a man is bound to another by
fealty and by oath of homage or by other tie, and he
deceives him in respect of that in which he is bound,
of whom it is said that a vassal is he who agrees with

^ homicide'] So Le Myrronr des
Justioes, eh. 1, b. ix., defines homi-
cide as '* occision de home par home
^ fait, car si soit fait par beste oa
" mischeance, nest pas homicide."

^ fourder] Murdmm is defined
by Bracton, 1. iii. tr. 11, ch. 15,
num. i. Homicidium quod nullo
pncsente, nullo audiente, nullo vi-
dente clam perpetrator. Britton,

1. i. ch. vii., defines it, occisioun de
homme desconu, felounosement fete,
dunt homme ne pent saver par qi,
ne par quels.

' Treason] This offence has been
omitted accidentally in the list of
crimes enumerated in the preceding
paragraph, and the omission may
have caused the mistake of the
scribe in writing " Raisons."

z 2

356

LA COMMUNE D OLEROK.

son servize et fiit provet que il emblot^ la choze de
son seignur que il aveit en guarde, et par ceu fdt iugez
[fol.49,&.] que 11 deveit estre premerement trainez comme lierres,
quar il traisset son seignor qui se fiot en luy, et la qui
choze il esteit tenuz de guarder, et apres deveit estre
penduz par ceu que il esteit lerres.

% Faussonerie est espleiter fausse monoye ou fausses
mesureSy ou faire vers autre &us8ete par luy deceure
de son cors ou de sa choze, et quez taus ou de semUables
quas si aucun autre en sunt, quant on en est provez,
sis cors ha desservi mort, et ses chozes remaignent au
seignor forfietytes, sau les deptes paiees et ses amandes
fiutes, quar ce deit horn daus deptes et des autres
amandes ne deit horn mie nombrer qui seit de la choze
au deptor ; ne pero par taus ou par autres petiz meffaiz
qui taignent' a crim, quant horn nest mie mult acos-
[fol. 50.] tumez, est hom seignez en la iote ob i. ferchaut ' tant
solement, ou en pei*t aucuns de ses membres, ou en
foriuret lo pais deciquaucun terme o a toz temps, mais
ou en est mis on pillori ou en soffrist autre iustice qui
ne portet mie mort. Mas apres ceu sil est iamais
provez de crim, il ha sanz dopte mort deservie.

% De la iustice faire de home condempne de crim
devent estre menistre li bedea* ons viles, o il sunt
establi soz le prevosK Mas li prevostz querra tot ceu
que il li coitera^ ou qui convendra au torment E est
assaver que qui apelet autre de crim, si il ne provet

^ embloQ embler : enlerer, Toler,
Roquefort.

' iai^enQ teigner : tenir, Roque-
fort

* ferchaut'} forchette, fork*

^ U bedea ] bedeaz : bedeaa,
Roquofort.

' coitera] coitier : sener, enfer-
mer, Roquefort.

1^1 I-... ^11 . ^

■S^^P™?"

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

357

another to do him service, and it has been proved that
he has embezzled the property of his lord which he
has had under his safeguard, and it was so adjudged
that he should be first drawn as a thief, for that he
has betrayed his lord who trusted in him, and whose
property he was bound to guard, and afterwards that
he should be hung, because he was a thief.

f Forgery^ is to employ feJse money or false measures,
or to do to another a falsity to deceive him in his
person or his property, and such like or similar acts, if
there be any other, when they are proved, his body
has deserved death and his property escheats to the
lord forfeited, save and except his debts and other
liabilities, for what a man owes for debts and other
liabilities ought not to be counted amongst the pro*
perty of the debtor ; nevertheless for such and other
petty misdeeds which tend to crime, when a man is
not much accustomed to commit them, he is branded
in the cheek with a fork only, or he loses one of his
members, or he forswears the country for a term of years
or for ever, but he is first put into the pillory, or suffers
some other punishment which does not cause death.
But after this, if he is ever proved guilty of crime he
has without doubt deserved death.

% The minister to inflict justice on a man condemmed
of crime ought to be the bedel of the town, where he is
established under the provost. But the provost must
procure all which is necessary to confine him,* and which
shall be requisite for punishment.' And it is to be
understood, that he who accuses another of crime, if

* Forgerffi Faussoneric in Le
Myrrour des Justices, ch. i. § vi., is
limited to two offences, pour iausser
]e Seale du Roy, and ponr fausser
son mony, either of which would be
forgery in the present day.

3 confine Aim] sach as fetters for
his feet, handcuffs, &c.

' puniskmenf] The word " tor-
** ment " is here rendered punish-
ment, as comprising death as well
as mutilation.

358

LA COHMUKE D'OLEBON.

son propos vers celuy que li apelet, li apelanz deit estie
condempnez en tant comme on fust li apelez sil en fdst
conuaincuz.

[fol.50.6.] T QvANT bataille se deit fere, alore^ que les parties
Chapitre devent aler ou champ per combatre, eles devent iurer
Quant^ ^^ 1* mayn dau seignor saigrement de verite sus les
bataiUese sainz evvangeles. La plainte deit iurer premerement
con a con. en tau manere: Si ma iut des^et les sainz ewangiles
cum ge foys leiau apeau' en ceu que ge appeau vers
cestuy, et nomera son aversaire. Apres ceu deit iurer
li adversayres einsi : Si ma iut des et les sainz evvan-
geles, cum ge foys loyau delffensse en ceu que ge
defient vers cestuy, et nommera sa plainte. E apres
aussitost deivent entrer en champ por combatre am-
beduy la plainte et li aversayres. Et la plainte por
ce que il appelet deit premer envair* son adversaire,
qui deffent ; et taDdis que la bataille duret, neguns
autres qui isset ne deit mout sonner ne parler ne
[fol. 61.] ou lices entrer sanz le congie au seignor. Quar qui
olSeret, il sereit en la merci au seignor de son cors
' et de son aver; quar desquant que U bataillant sunt
dedens les lices nul autre ne deit entreduyre^ ne en
parole ne en fait lun daus bataUlanz cqntre lautre.
Lices apelon les bonnes,® que li sires establist daus
barreres ou par autres chozes aus bataillans combatre.
E celuy daus bataillans qui se fuyra dau lices sanz
faire plus semblant de se plus combatre est repris
convaincuz. Si la bataille est de champions^ et aloure
que il serant on champ hom en fait paiz avant que il
se combatent, li champion deyvent mostrer les coups

* ahre] al ore, k I'heure.

3 Si ma iut des] Si m'aide Dieu.
3 leiau apeau} loial appel.

* cn&atr] from the Latin invadcre.

' ejitreduj/re] introduire.
* bonnes'] An explanation of this
word has been given above, p. 30.

THE OOMMUKE OF OLEBON. 359

he does not prove his charge against him whom he has
accused^ the accuser ought to be condemned in as much
as the accused party would have been condemned^ if he
had been convicted.

f When batel is to take place^ at the time when the Chapter
parties ought to go to the field to combat, they ought wji^^td
to swear in the hand of the lord an oath of truth upon has to be
the holy Evangelists. The plaintiff ought to sw^earj^^^
first in this manner, So God me aid and the holy body.
Gospels, that I make a loyal charge in that which I
charge against this man, and he shaJl name his adver-
sary ; after this the adversary ought to swear in this
manner, So help me God and the holy Gospels, that I
make a loyal denial in that which I deny against this
man, and he shall name the plaintiff. And immediately
afterwards both the plaintiff and his adversary ought
to enter the field to combat. And the plaintiff, because
he is the accuser^ ought first to attack his adversary,
who defends himself, and as long as the batel lasts, no
one else must go out, nor make much noise, nor speak,
nor enter the lists without the leave of the lord.
For whoever offends in this respect, he shall be at the
mercy of the lord of the court for his person and his
property, for from the time that the combatants are
within the lists^ no other ought to encourage by word
or by act one of the combatants against the other.
Lists [lices] is the term for the palings, which the lord
fixes up with barriers and other things for the com-
batants to fight within. And that one of the two
combatants, who shaJl flee within the lists without
making semblance of fighting any more, shall be taken
to be convicted. If the batel is waged by champions,
and at the hour when they shall be in the field, peace
is made before they combat, the champions ought to

360

LA. COMMUNE U'OLEBON.

lo roy, cest a dire que il deivent au maynz mosfcrer
treys de lor escremies^ por la gent solacer.
[ibl.51.6.] 1[ For ceu que nos avom parle dau saigrement, or
posum itau, quas vns hons envaist autre ob glaive, et li
autres se deffent, et bus sey deffendant ocist celuy qui
la envahi ; or vient vns autres et apelet lou ocieor qui
ha lautre mort, et dit einsi, Qe appeau que tu as mort
celuy, et formera son appeau ; or convent que li apelet
se deffende isnelement f Ge me defient que ge ne lay
mie mort, fors sor mon cors dependent ; ceu sereit re-
conoissance que il lo aureit mort, par ceu ne vaudret
reus plus savoyz, ne sa deffensse, ainz sereit convaincuz
ben et estrosseement ^ si cum nos avom dit, et la bataille
est aiugee, sont en bedoes* les parties au saigrement
de verite, or est demande si li apelez est pariures quant
, il iuret se il fait leau deffensse, car dl est ou tot oer-
[foL5S.] tayns que il ocist lome.

T Baysons dit de prodeshomes, que il nest mie par
iures ainz fait leau deffensse. Quar entendu est que
quant 11 mors fist choze par quey il fust morz, sis faiz ^
meismes lodst,^ non pas autres.

T Encore se fait bataille en autre manere. Si horn
appelet autre tout nuement, et il appelez se deffent, et
dit einsiy Qe me deffent ^ vers tey par tot einsi comme
appele mas, et vez en mon gage, la bataille y deit estre ;

' treifs de lor etcremiei] three of
their passes of fence.

^isnelemetU] promptement, Roque-
fort.

' eatroueemeiU] estros: iiPinstant,
Roquefort

^ en bedoes] ambedons : I'un et
I'autre, Roquefort.

* sis faiz] from the Latin sua
facta.

* lodst] I'occist

7 geme deffent] je me defends.

THE COBDiUl^E OF OLERON.

361

exhibit the king's strokes/ that is to say, that they
ought at least to exhibit three passes of fence, to solace
the spectators.

H For what we have said of the oath, suppose a case,
that a man attacks another with a sword, and the
other defends himself, and in defending himself kills him
who attacked him, thereupon comes another and accuses
the slayer who has killed the other, and says thus, I
accuse you that you have slain this person, and shall
put his charge in form ; thereupon it is requisite that
the accused defend himself promptly, I deny that I
have slain him, except in . defending my own person ;
this would be an acknowledgment that he has slain him,
and further words or denial would be useless, thereupon
he wiU be convicted well and strictly, unless aa we have
already said the batel is adjudged ; both parties are
thereupon put upon their oath, and it is demanded if the
accused is perjured, when he swears that he makes a
loyal denial, for it is altogether certain that he has slain
the man.

T The Prudhommes * gave an opinion, that he was not
perjured, when he made a loyal denial, for it is under-
stood that if the dead man did an act whereby he died,
his own act and not the act of the other man killed
him.

IT Batel is also made in another manner. If a man
accuses another nakedly, and the accused defends him-
self, and says thus, I defend myself against you for all
that is charged against me, and here is my pledge.
Batel ought then to take place, and if the accused party

* the king's strokes'] The phrase,
the king's strokes, is prohably a
technical term for the introductory
passes of fence preceding the actual
combat.

^ The prudhommes'] It has been

elsevhere Uid down that the deci-
sion of the prudhommes is equiva-
lent to the judgment of a court.
This is evidently the recital of such
a decision, p. 33.

362

LA COMMUNE D'OLESON.

et si li appelez ne baillet son gage ausi tost par lo
mayntenir, il est conveincuz.

Chapitre Si hons ha prises bestes en sa male£Etyte, et li sires
I>eb^te8 ^^^ bestes on sid oommandemanz les veoget affiancer,
pnaes. U preneres qui aura prises les bestes li puet assigner
[fol.52.fr.] terme tau comme il voudra de veer^ la malefaite. E
si li sires daus bestes ne la vost aler veer au terme, li
preneres la mostrera a prodeshomes, a cuy garanties il
en sera creuz, apres tant par la malefaite li sires daus
bestes en remaint touz quiptes.^ E si est einsi que li
preneres ne sapchet ^ a cuy sunt les bestes que il aura
prises en sa malefaite, quant les aura tengues vne nuyt
et L ior, puys les fera crier a la crie ^ dau pais, ou le
fera dire ous eglizes par la voyz dau prestre, ou dira
aus veizins que qui aureit taus bestes, et dira les il &it
assaver que eles sunt en sa prison, et que il les ha prises
en sa malefaite. E si est einsi haste que paraventure
en prochain terme se porreit perdre la mostre^ de la
. malefaite, si cum em prez qui sunt prez a fancher,
en blez qui sunt pres acoiUir, en vignes qui seront
[fol. 58.] prestes a vendenger, ou en autre mare,® se porreit per-
dre prochanement la mostree de la malefaite.

% Si li sires dau bestes ne vent astivement por veer
la malefaite, li preneres la mostrera a prodeshomes, en
cuy guaranties il en sera creguz si cum nos avom dit.

Chapitre IT Si hom est pris en malefaite, la garde en sera mos-
Qui^bom^^® au seignor de la cort. Et si hom est pris et ne
est pris en treubet qui lo affiancet, ou na gage vaillant damander

malefiute.

* veer'] voir.

^ quiptes'] acqtiittes.

' sapchef] sachent

^ crie] proclamation, Boquefort.

' mostre] from the Latin mon-
strare, to show.

* mare] probably manere, ma-
ni^re.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 363

does not deposit his pledge immediately to maintain
his denial^ he is convicted.

If a man has seized beasts trespassing, and the owner Ch^ter
of the beasts or his agent wishes to give sureties for the of beuts
trespass, the seizor who has taken the beasts may assign taken in
him such a term as he pleases to view the trespass.
And if the owner of the beasts is not willing to go and
view the trespass at the time fixed, the seizor shall show
it to the prudhommes, upon whose guaranty he shall be
believed, and after this, for the trespass, the owner of
the beasts remains quit.^ And if it is so that the seizor
does not know to whom the beasts, which he has taken
in the trespass, belong, when he has kept them a night and
a day, he shall have them cried by the crier of the
country, or he shall have them proclaimed in the church
by the voice of the priest, or he shall say to his neigh-
bours, that he has detained such beasts, and shall tell
them to make it known that they are in prison, and
that he has taken them in the act of trespassing. And
this haste is necessary because in the term next ensuing
he may lose the evidence of the trespass, as for instance,
in meadows which are ready to be mown, in wheat
which is ready to be gathered, in vines which are ready
for the vintage, or in some other manner he may lose
in a short time the evidence of the trespass.

T If the owner of the beasts is not willing promptly
to provide for the trespass, the seizor shall show it to
the prudhommes, on whose guaranty he shall be believed,

as we have already said.

• •
T If a man is taken in a trespass, notice of the fiekct Chapter
shall be given to the lord of the court, and if a man is y^^^^
seized and does not find any one to be surety for him, man is
or has not a pledge to give sufficient to make compensa- Sw^aM

» quit] This is somewhat unin- I tide, required by the context, has
telligible, unless the negative par- I been by error omitted.

364

LA COMHXmE D'OLERON.

la malefaite, lo preneres lo puet ienir pris decique il
lait livre au seignor, qui lo deit punir ou en oors on en
membres segont la quantite de la malefaite.

T £ de tant cum non trobera de la choze dou prison,
li sires deit estre tenuz a horendre^ que hon li livre
[fol.53.A.] lou prisoner de faire la demande a celuy qui aura este
faite la malefaite ; et sachez que li sires dau fey, segont
ce que il prent ou fei dau fruit, deit aver sa partie en
lamande de la male faite.

% Mes li coutivers ' ou sLs oommanz les prent par sey,
li sires ne ideit rens aveir en lamende. Quar cum il
fiist tenguz de garder la choze et en deifaute de luy
iest avengue la malefaite. En quaucunque manere que
home facet tort a autre il ou deit amander ob v. sols
de ga^e, saus ne pero les quas de la malefaite dont
sunt li dreit gage, et les amandes nomeement en seront
apres.

Chapitre
Izxii.
Quant en-
868 vi^es
trobct
malefiiite.

[fol. 64.]

% Si en ses vignes trobet malefaite et ne trobet celuy
qui li aura faite, li sires dau fe ausi ben cum feret
vns autres^ deit fere lamande de la malefiute. Car
ce est en la deffaute daus vigners que li sires deit
establir. Mas iquele meismes amande que li sires fait
a autre li vigner la deivent paier et restituer au seignor.
E est assaver que ons vignes on deit aver vigners il
deivent estre establi on meis davril,* et des iqui* en

^ harendre] Thin word is probably
miswntten.
^ U coutivers'] tbe cultivator.
3 vnsautres] probably vers autres.

* on meis davril] en mois d'ATiil.

* des iqui"] from desic : Jusqaes,
Roquefort.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

3G5

iion for the trespass, the seizor may detain him until
he has delivered him to the lord, who ought to punish
him either in body or in limb, according to the amount
of the trespass.

S And in case he shall not find any property of the
prisoner, the lord ^ ought to be bound to allow that the
prisoner be surrendered to him against whom the tres-
pass shall have been committed ; and note, that the lord
of the fief, according to what he takes of the crops of
the fief,^ ought to have his part in the compensation
for the trespass.

T But if the cultivator or his agent take them ' for
themselves, the lord ought not to have any part in
the compensation, for since he was bound to protect
the property, the trespass has arisen from his own
fault. In whatever manner it happens that a man
does wrong to another, he ought to make compensation
for it with five shillings penalty, saving always those
cases of trespass of which there is by law a settled
penalty, and the special compensation shall follow.

f If a trespass is discovered in a vineyard, and he Chapter
who has made the trespass is not found, the lord of-vniena
the fief, as well as in other cases, ought to make com- ^^spass ig
pensation for the trespass; for it is in default ofinayine-
watching on the part of the vine- watcher,* whom the y"^-
lord ought to maintain. But the same compensation
which the lord ought to pay to another, the watcher
of the vines ought to pay and restore to the lord ;
for it is to be understood that in vines where there
ought to be a watcher, he ought to be established

^ the lord] The paragraph is not
Tery intelligible, and the Editor has
some misgiTingB as to the tme pur-
port of the proviBion.

* crops of the fief] that is, where
the land is rented 2k terrage, as abore
mentioned.

* tahe them] that is, where they
pay a money rent, and reap all the
crops for themselTes.

^ vme-4oatcher] Vigners is clearly
distinguishable from yigneron, the
irine-dresser or vine^nltivator.

3B6

LA COHMXJNE D'OLEBON.

avant li vigners deivent guarder lea vignes dedqne
vendenges seiant acomplies ; et sil sunt prove que 11
meismes ifacent malefaite o la i Bouffrissent afaire, oer-
taynement il deivent estre puniz comme larronH.

Chapitre Si hom veost faire aigres^ de ses vignes a lops de
De^^es. ^^ ostau, o li lest ben faire sanz conge dau seignor dau
seignor dau fey. Mas se il ha en plusors feyz vignes,
il ne lo deit mie faire fors partie daus vnes et parties
[fol.54.6.] daus autres segont la quantite daus vignea E ausi
poet hom prendre sanz conge a son menger daus feves
noveles de sa favere, daus feves ou daus peseaus ^ ou
daus autres leuns.' Ausi si hom veust fere vin noveau
en plusors fez centre vendenges et en defaute dautre
vin, il on puet ben faire sanz conge dedque a vne
moyau plaine ou vne plene botizde.* Mas sil en voleit
fedre tant que il oguist plus de vn muy de vin escole,^
il ne le porreit mie faire sanz conge dau seignor dau

fey.

f Si hom en vaist sa vigne a vendenger sanz lo

conge dau seignur dau fey, li sires ni ha poynt de gage,

mas que chaicer em pot fors les vendengeors, et oeu que

il li trobera vendenge poet verser fors daus moyaus et

[fol 55.] tant ia ausi sanz parler ob le seignor de quarteors on

^ aigres] vinaigres.

^pe$eau8^ from the Latin pisom,
peas.

' lewu'] from the Latin lens, len-
tils; hence the name of Lent for the
fortjr days ftst before Easter.

* botizeW] boacel : tonneaa,*hoa-
t&He, Roquefort

^ escole] This may mean *' ran
" off" from the Tat, for immediate
drinking.

THE COMMU^K OV OLEHON.

367

in the month of April, and from that time the watcher
ought to guard the vines until the vintage is made,
and if it be proved that the watcher has made the
trespass, or has suffered it to be made, he ought cer-
tainly to be punished as a robber.

If a man wishes to make vinegar from his vines Cba{>ter
for the service of his household, it is allowed him to of vines,
do so without the leave of the lord of the fief; but
if he has vines in several fiefs, he ought to make a
part only of the vinegar in one and a part in another,
according to the quantity of the vinea So also a
man may take without leave for his food new beans
from his beanery, beans, or peas, or other pulsa Also,
if a man wishes to make new wine ^ in several fiefs
for his vintage, and in de£Etult of other wine, he may
well do^ so without leave up to a fall tub or a full
tun, but if he wishes to make so much that he will
have more than a muy^ of wine in draught, he
cannot do this without the leave of the lord of the
fief.

Y If a man sells his grapes to vinedressers without
the leave of the lord of the fief, the lord cannot im-
pose any penalty, but he may drive the vinedressers
out of the vineyards, and may pour the grapes which
he ^ds gathered into tubs,^ for without speaking to
the lord of the quarter,^ one may not carry out of

* new wine] that is, for the yine-
dressers to drink.

^mvy] The French wordis *'muid,"
a certain measure of wine which
contained two hundred and eighty-
eight pints, from the Latin modias.

' into te6«] The Editor has some
doubts whether this is correctly
translated.

* ihe quarter] The word quar-
teor may be another fbrm of '^ quar-

'* tiers," which is interpreted by
Roquefort as canton, or division
d'nn pays en plusieors parties, or
of " quartere," which signifies land
which brings in to its owner a
fourth part of the crops. The pro-
vision in this paragraph requiring
the leave of the lord as a condition
precedent to the vintage, implies
that he was entitled to some share
of the crops.

368

IJi COMMUNE D'OLERON.

Be deit point porter de la vendenge fors de la vigne.
Quar qui o fereit tort en fereit grant au seignor dau fe.
E sachez que li sires dau fez ne puet mie doner conge
dentrer ou fey por vendeigner a vh plus que autre.
Quar ceu est choze coromunau a touz ceauz qui ont
vignes. #-

Chapitre Einsi avenguit que Quillaume Focaus li filz Folquauz
DebatSile appele P. de De, que li diz P. aver lo servant dau dit
core a core. Quillaume fait rober et tholir^ son argent de nuiz, havet
en 11 diz Quillaumes bones garanties et si li diz P.
sen voleit deffendre li diz Ouillaumes esteit touz prez
que il li maintenguist son cors sanz changer autre et
bailla son gage ; et li diz P. dist que il se deffendet aus
[fol.55.&.] vs et aus costumes Doleiron et bailla son gage et volt
Taigner' li diz Peres que li diz Quillaume se deveit
combatre sis cors por ceu que il lou aveit offert, et li
diz Peres deveit ou poet bailler champion par sey por
ce que il naveit pas son cors offert, ainz se esteit def-
fenduz aus vs et aus costumes Doleyron. Quar bataille
de tel appeau se deveit fayre par champions. De ceu
fut iuge que deveit estre de eaus dous ' cors acors,^ et
que li diz P. si cors se deveit combatre contre lou dit
Quillaume son cors. Quar onques ne aveit hom vse ne
a costume en Oleiron, que li appeleres se combatist sis
cors et li deffenderes ne se combatist sis cors, et par
appeau toche crim ce est murtre par la rayson de la
nuit.

> thoHr'} from the Latin tollere.
' raigner} from the Latm ratioci-
nari, to aigae with.

' de eaua doutf] de eox denz.
^ cors acort] coqie ik corps.

THE COBffMUNE OF OLERON, 369

the vineyard any part of the vintage ; for he who
would do wrong in this respect would do great wrong
to the lord of the fief And note, that the lord of the
fief cannot give leave to enter into the fief to one in
preference to another to gather the grapes, for this is
an afiair common to all who ^hsbve vines.

% It happened once that Guillaume Focaus, the son chapter

of Folquauz, accused Pierre de De that the said Qf b^'

Pierre had caused the servant of the said Quillaume body to
to be robbed and his money stolen during the night. ^^^^
The said Guillaume produced good guarantors, and if
the said Pierre wished to deny it, the said Guillaume
was all ready to maintain it with his body, without
substituting another person, and he delivered his
pledge, and the said Pierre said that h^ would de-
fend himself according to the usages and customs
of Oleron, and delivered his pledge, and the said Pierre
wished to argue that the said Guillaume ought to
combat in person because he had offered to do so,
and that the said Pierre might and ought to substitute
a champion in place of himself, because he had not
offered to combat in person ; accordingly he would
defend himself according to the usages and customs
of Oleron, for batel on such an accusation ought to be
made by champions. Thereupon it was adjudged that
the batel ought to be macle by them both, body to
body, and that the said Pierre in person ought to
combat against the said Guillaume in person ; for
hitherto it had never been the use or custom in Oleron
that the accused should combat in person and the
defendant should not combat in person, and as regards
the charge touching the crime, it is murder ^ by reason
of the night.

^ mvrder'\ This has been defined above as any act of violence com-
mitted by night

VOL. H. A A

370

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

[fol 56.] Chascuks iues ^ et iueve ' non estant en Oleron par
Goitre chascone fois que il venent en Oleiron devent de lor

Cen est l<m chef iiii. deners do paage au rey. E si la iueue est

peagedes prainz* de en deit viii. par sey et par lenffant daa
ventre. Et dit horn que Ouamers Chasteaus, quant il
fut seneschaus Doleyron/ iuia quant li iues ou kt iueve
sen aloit ob lo dit peaage il sereit qualez en la mer vne
foyz par le gage dau dit peage^ et la iueve prainz iseit
qualee does fez*^ par sey et por lenffant Quar por
ceu que tout laver aus iues sont aus granz seignors
daus terres sor cuy il estont, et ne sereit pas corteisie
que on en preist lor deners por gage. Mas au meisme
cors dau iue qui fait la malefaite en tort lo demage.

[fol. 56. 6.] Et apelet hom qualer que horn est estachet® par desoz
les aiseles ^ ob vne fort corde, et puys est gitez en la
mer, et apres est traiz sus que ne muret.

' ittet] from the Latin Jadaens.

* iueve'} Joive.

' pramz'\ from the Latin prseg-
nans.

^ sene»ckati» Doleyron] seneschal
of Oleron, an officer of the king of
England as Duke of Aquitaine.

^ does fez} deoz fois.

* estadtefl estaichier: lier, Roque-
fort.

7 aiseles'] from the Latin axOla,
an armpit.

THE COMHUNE OF OLERON.

871

of Jews.

% Every Jew ^ and Jewess not living in Oleron, for Chapter
each time that he or she comes into Oleron, ought to ijij^jg ^'^^
pay fourpence toll to the king, and if the Jewess is passing toll
pregnant, she ought to pay eightpence for herself and
the infant in her womb ; and it is said that Guamers
Chasteaus, when he was Seneschal ' of Oleron, ordered,
when a Jew or Jewess went away with the said poll
tax, the Jew should be ducked once in the sea, as a
penalty for not paying the said poll tax, and the
Jewess, if pregnant, should be ducked twice for herself
and for her infant. For inasmuch as all the goods of
Jews belong to the great lords of the lands on which
they may be, it would not be courtesy to take their
money as a penalty ; but against the person itself of
the Jew who has committed an offence^ damages may
be enforced, and the word " duck " (qualer) is used
when a man is fastened under the arm pits with a
strong cord, and thereupon is cast into the sea, and is
afterwards dragged out, so that he does not die.

* every Jew] A passing toll of a
similar amomit seems to have been
levied on the Jews in Daaphiny
about A.D. 1815, as it appears from
the Histoire da Daophin^, by Val-
bonais, torn, i., preuves cc. du 4*
disconrs, that about that time at
Saint Sjmphorien d'Oson a Jew
travelling on foot paid a passing
toll of fourpence, a Jew on horse-
back eightpence, and a pregnant
Jewess eightpence.

> SeneBchaC] Several letters of
King Edw. IL, addressed to the
seneschal of Gascony, are preserved
in the Record Office, in which he
gave express orders that all the
Jews should be banished from Gas-
cony. They had been banished
from France in 1311, but were al-
lowed by Louis X. to return in
1316 for a period of twelve years,

under the stipulation that they should
resume their state of serfdom under
the same lords as before. In the
reign of his successor, Philip V.,
the condition of the Jews was con-
siderably improved, and they ob-
tained some civil rights, A.D. 1317.
It is probable that the orders of
Edw. n. Vere not strictly enforced
by the seneschal of Gascony, as
there were numerous Jew9 mas-
sacred in Gascony during an out-
burst of relipous fanaticism in 1821,
when Edw. II. wrote a further letter
to the seneschal of Gascony, claim-
ing for himself the property of all
the murdered Jews. This letter is
preserved in MS. Julius £. i. in the
Cotton Collection of the British
Museum, with various other docu-
ments relating to Oleron.

A A 2

372 LA COMMUNE D^OLERON.

Chapitre Lo assiage ' et lo planchage et lo qualage * paumt
CeuBunt ^^ ^®fs sor lor propre cost, lo rivage paiet li avers
les derers segont ceu que il est E est assaver que cilz Doleiron
ne paient point de rivage de laver que il aportent a
ops de lusage de lor ostaus, et de ceaus avers les
creit hom par lor fey ou par lor saigrement; mas
daus autres avers que il aportent de fors paient lo
rivage ausi ben cum li autre estrange, saus les vins
que hom a de ses propres vignes, et les vins daus
quarz aus iiii. seignors, si cum nos avom dii

[foi. 57.] % Si nez siglent par la mer, et li rez * seent en la

CH>toe ^Q^^ Q^ ^ jg la'nef levent ceaus rez et en prengent

Qoantnez l^u peisson, dementres que il trobent les rez sans

^^* guarde, et sanz home qui lor vendet lo peisson, il

lou puent prendre, se dient li aucun; et aucun autre

volent dire que cil de la nef font assez se il

esparent^ les rez arrere sanz fere en autre amande ;

et li autre diseent que anoeys devreent ceux de

la nef lier sauvement aus rez tant dargent cum

vaudreit lo peisson leiaument, et ge macort mielz ^ a

ceste darrere.raison de largent lier au rez, quar mis

ne deit^ prendre lautruy travail sanz faire amande.

Chapitre Si Sunt duy compaignon sus i. aver, et li vns en
])^ ij,^^. facet creance, il nen est de reus tenuz a lautre daus
paigDOM. deners rendre, mas ben li deit dire les debtors, et
[foi. 57. &.] aioster lo ob eaus que il lo paient aussi comme luy ;

' assiage] affiage. ' mis ne deit] on ne dbit mie.

^ gwUoffe'} qnaiage. The word *'mie'* for "pas** waR

^ rez"] from the Latin rete, a net. still in use in seyeral parts of France

^ egpareni] esparager : r6pandre, at the commencement of (he nine-

Koquefort.

* ge macort mieW] je m'accorde
mieaz.

teenth century.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

373

A ship pays for the stowage,^ and the landing boards caiapter
and the quais at its own cost, the cargo according to xhese are
its value pays the towing paths (rivage), and it isj^^^^so'^
to be understood that people of Oleron do not pay
rivage upon the goods which they bring for the service
and use of the household, and as to those goods
they are believed upon their faith and their oath ; but
of the other goods which they bring from abroad
they pay rivage equally as strangers^ excepting wines,
which a man has from his own vines, and the wines
from the quarters of the four lords above mentioned.

1[ If a ship sails along the sea, and nets are in the chapter
sea, and the crew of the ship raise those nets and.ry?°^^"'
take fish from them, whilst they find the nets without nhipe dis-
a watcher and without a person who can sell them j^^^,
fish, they may take the fish, some say, and some others
say that the crew of the ship do enough if they spread
the nets again in the sea, without making other recom-
pense, and others say that the crew of the ship ought
first to bind fast to the nets as much money as the fish
would be fairly worth, and I agree ^ more with this last
argument of binding money to the nets, becaase no
person ought to take the labour of another without
making compensation.

If there are two partners in one property, and the chapter
one borrows money on it, the other is not bound to rJ^^^'

Of two

render back the money, but the debtor ought to tell it parsers,
to him and adjust with him that he pays as well as

> stowage'} Affiage implied the
fitting np bulkheads as well as the
ananging the casks in the hold of a
yessel. The word is used in the
same sense in art. zL of the Bolls
of OlcTon. It is written "assient ''
in the Black Book of the Admiralty,
p. 102.

" / agree] The first person oc-
curs in seyeral paragraphs, probably
in cases where the names of the
parties were not on the record ; but
it may be that the first person is
used to distinguish the opinion of a
prud*homme from the judgment of a
court.

374

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

Ghapitre
Ixxix.

car cilz qui ha feit la creance> la fet per lou profet de
son compaignon ansi come par le aon^ car cil qui part
on profet deit partir on domage.

Si home a ior davant lo mayro, et avant hore le
Damayor. ^^7^ ^ ^^^^ congie, et cilz sen auget, et apre[z] ce
vienge dedenz hore soceant ^ li autres sis adversaires
et se preseutet au mayor, ou sil ne trobet luy aus
autres prodeshomes, ge nedi pas ^ que li vns ne li autres
daus douB aversaires seent endeffaute, quar ceu est en
la cort dau mayre, et ce fiit iuge on plait de Foquea
Richart lo gene,' et de P. Charcoyre, quant Sire
Aymeri Chesac esteit por mayor au chastea^^ dona
[foL58.J conge au dit Pere Charcoyre lo dialuns^ par iurer
apres la Saynt Ylaire.

Si horn a este esqueuins ou por maior® si cum nos
disom oomme de Sire Aymer Chezao, et apres yceluy
temps yl seit trez^ en garantage de choze qui a este
faite on temps de son esqueuinage ou de sa sous-
mayrerie, ia sis garantages passe oeluy temps, ne
vaudra plus que dun autre home simple. Sis recors
vaudra autretant comme au temps de sa sosmayrie
ou de son esqueuinage, quar recors se &it ben de tot
home qui ha tengu cort, quauque il seit, li recors est
maintengu, mas que il seit coneguz a estre leans hom.
Et ce fut dit on plait de Foques Richart lo gene, et
de Pere Charcoyre, on quau plait on oit le recort
[fol.58.5.] daus chozes qui avient este faites davant luy tnadis

^ soceant] soffioiently.
' ge nedi /mm] je ne dis pas.
> Richart lo gent] Richard le
Jenne.

* chastea] chateau.

* lo tUaluni] This word occurs
previously, in a sense equally as

obscure. It probably means the
defendant

* por muior] vice-magister, the
mayor's deputy, afterwards called
nnder-mayor.

' trez] trait.

W9^

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

375

himself, for he who has borrowed the money has
borrowed it for the profit of his partner as well as
of himself, for he whp shares the profit ought to share
the loss.

If a man has a day assigned him to appear before the Chaijter
mayor, and before the hour the mayor give him leave of the
to depart, and he goes away, and afterwards there ^^J^^-
comes within the hour sufficiently the other his adver-
sary, and presents himself to the mayor, or if he does
not find him, to another prudliomme, I do not say that
the one or the other of the two adversaries are in
de&ult, for this is in the court of the mayor, and so it
was adjudged in the suit of Foques Bichart the younger,
and of Pierre Charcoyre, when Lord Aymer Chesac
was deputy mayor at the Chateau, and gave leave to
the said Pierre Charcoyre, the defendant,^ to swear
after Saint Hilaire.

If a person has been an echevin or deputy mayor ^
as above said in the case of Lord Aymer Chezac, and
after the time of his so serving he be called in to
warrant a thing which has been done in the time of
his shievralty or his deputy mayoralty, his warrant
after his time of office will be worth no more than that
of a simple person. His record will be of as much
value as in the time of his deputy mayoralty or his
shrievalty, for a record is well made by any man who
has held a court; whatever he become, his record is
maintained, provided he is known to be a fair man.
And this was said in the suit of Foques Bichart the
younger, and of Pierre Charcoyre, in which suit was
heard the record of the things which had been done

* the defendant'] The context
appears to warrant this translation.

' deputy mw/or"] It is not clear
from the text whether Lonl

Aymer Chezac held the office of
mider-mayor, sous-mayrc, or was
the mayor's deputy on occasion of
the mayor*s absence.

876

LA COMMUNE D OLEBON.

comme il esteit por maior^ quar adomques il ne esteit
fore comme yds autres simples horns, et oeu fut dii
on plait de Foque Kichart, et do P. Charcoyre, en
quau plait Sire Aymer Chezac voleit que il deveit
estre reoeguz adonques a garantie comme sires ou cum
esqueuins daus chozes, qui aveent este faites davant
luy dedenz son mayrage sis recors.

Chapitre Si gent de pais font marcbe ou convenanz entreaus,

D ^^- ®*' apres isordet ^ contenz, li conteDz, deit estre assignez

Chez ou de on pais OU aura este faiz li marchez ou li convenanz,

conyenanz. ^^^j^, meilz trobet hon en icel pais ceaus qui ont oyes

les convenances et les marchez ; mas si ce sunt genz de

vn meisme pais, cest ben raison que lor contenz seit

assignez en lour meisme pais.

[foi. 69.] Horn qui promtist ou promet a prover baton ou tort

Chapitre fiait OU autre chose par garanz, et li garanz seent ame-

Dcgaranz ^^^ encort davant lo maire, et li dit gareuz dient lor

ji prover garantage davant lo mayre oiant lo mayre et les esque-

tort uins, ou oiant lun daus esqueuins, avant qe il aient

fet lo saigrement, lor garantages nest mis,' por ce que

semblant est que il seient parcener en la demande, ou

quil eient este sobome ' par deners ou par prieres. Ne

bom qui est plaideeres^ en eele meisme cause ne puet

estre garanz a celuy por cuy il plaideet, car tau gent

^ isordet] from the Latin surgere.
^mia'] admifl.

* sobome] from the Latin snbor-
nare.

* plaideeres] This term is also
used in &e Assises de Jerusalem.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEBON.

377

before him ^ when he was deputy mayor, for at that
time he was nothing but a simple ordinary person ;
and this was said in the suit of Foque Bichart and
Pierre Charcoyre, in which suit Lord Aymer Chezac
contended that he ought to be received at that time
to warrant his record, as a lord or as an echevin,
respecting things which had been done before him
during his mayoralty.

If people of the country make bargains or contracts Chapter
between themselves, and afterwards a dispute arises, qj{™|.jj^
the dispute ought to be assigned [for hearing] in the and of
country where the bargain or the contract was made ; ^°*"*®*^
for one finds more easily in that country those who
have heard the contract or the bargain. And if they
are people of one and the same country, it is highly
reasonable that their dispute shall be assigned for
hearing in their own country.

If a man has promised or promises to prove an chapter
assault or a tort done in any matter by warrantors, rJ""*
and the warrantors are brought into court before the rantor to
mayor, and a warrantor gives his warranty before ^^wSt^^r
the mayor in the hearing of the mayor and the eche- a tort
vins, or in the hearing of one of the echevins, be-
fore he has made the oath, his warranty will not be
admitted, because it is likely that he is a partner in
the demand, or has been suborned by money or by
entreaties. A man who is a pleader ' in the same cause
cannot be a warrantor for him for whom he pleads;
for such persons are suspected in giving a warranty for

1 before Aun] that is, before Lord
Aymer Chesae.

^pUader] The Editor has adopted
the literal translation of the vrord
plaideres, which according to Koquc-
fort might apply to a procareur or

an arocat The verb plaidier is
osed in a generic sense in the As-
sises de Jemsalem, ch. xvii.-xix.,
where the ayocat is designated
lavant-parlier.

378

LA COMMUNE D OLERON.

Bunt soupeconos a porter garantage par la partie qae
il sosteneiit ; mas li plaideor sunt ben reoegu en garan-
tage contrc laverse partie.

[fol.59.6.] % Si doues nez^ sunt sus encre, et par tormente lune
Chapitre 39 desamarret et fert* sur lautre, et cele qui se desa-

Denezsur marret briset lautre, cele qui cest desamarree payera

encre. ^ meste dau demage^ et lautre qui est ben amarree
sus lencre paiera lautre. meite dau demage, par que oeu
est cas daventure. Si, donques, oil de la nef qui est
ben amarree ne poieant prover, par la veue de bones
genz' ou par autres garens, que par deffaute daus
marineas, ou par deffaute daus appareilz de la dite nef,
fut desamarree la dite nef, et en fust veuz li diz de-
mages, et si ceu puet estre prove, la nef qui est ben
amarree nest pas tenue de rendre nus ^ daus demages.
Mas si li encreant^ a chaice* de cas daventure tant

[fol. 60.] que venget sus la nef qui est ben amarree, adonques
deit paier la nef qui est ben amarree la meste daus
demages, par ceu que meismes cas li poyret ben avenir,
et la nef qui est desamarree lautre meite.

Chapitre
Ixxxiii.
De par-
conen de
rxet

Si duy ou plusor^ sunt parcener en vne nef, et li
vns dauB parconners ne voget ou ne puchet espleiter
si partie, ia por ce ne remayndra que cil qui ne veaust
ou ne puet espleiter sa partie ne fomissent les couz
et les missions® daus manneaus et de la nef segont
sa partie, ja seit ceu que ^ il ne espleite sa partie de

1 doues nex] deux navires.

^/erf] from the Latin ferit

3 bones genz] good and true men.

* nus"] mil, Roquefort

^ li encreanl'] the vessel anchoring.

* choice^ cheir : tomber, Roque-
fort.

' plusor] plosieurs.

B missions'] deq>enses, Roqaefbrt.

^ja seit ceu que"] Ja9oit ce qve :
malgre que, Roquefort

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

379

the party whose cau6e they plead. But the pleader is
properly received as a warrantor against the adverse
party.

If two ships are at anchor, and by tempest one of Chapter
them drives from her anchorage and strikes the other, of ghipi
and that vessel, which has driven, damages the other, at anchor,
the ship which has driven from her anchorage shall
pay half the damage, and the other which has kept
herself well at her anchorage shall pay the other half
of the damage, for this is a case of accident.^ If, how-
ever, the ship which has remained well anchored can
prove, by the view of prudliommes or by other war-
rantors, that by default of the mariners or by default
of the tackle of the said ship, the said ship drove from
her auchorage, and the said damage be inspected, and
this can be proved, the ship* which is well anchored is
not liable to render any part of the damages. But if
the anchoring vessel has met with a case of accident '
in coming down upon the said ship which is well
anchored, then ought the ship which is well anchored
to pay half the damages, because the same case may
well happen to it^ and the ship which has driven from
her anchorage shall pay the other half

If there are two or several partners in a ship, and Chapter
one of the partners is neither willing nor able to cm-Qfp^'
ploy his part, it does not follow that he who neither owners of
will nor can employ his part shall not furnish the** ^'
costs and expenses of the mariners and of the ship
according to his part, even although he does not employ

1 accident'] The same principle
of dividing the damage is adopted
in the Judgments of Oleron, in the
case where a ship comes in from
sea and by accident runs into a ves-
sel at anchor, article xv. The

Consolat del Mar, ch. dv., applies
the same principle to a vessel con-
strained by a tempest to enter a
port, and unable to anchor without
causing damage to another vessel
at anchor.

380

LA COMMUNE D'OLEBON.

la nef^ quar por ceu ne coste mie mainz ' a fomir lea
marineas de la nef, en autres missions. Si dl qui ne

[fol.60.ft.] veaut espleitersa partie ne ne puet ne ne veaut fomir
les couz si cum nos avom dit, li autres qui espleitera
sa partie propre de la nef fomira les couz et les mis-
sions, et len ert tenguz li cors de la nef einsi que'
ia neys encore, li autre ne lespleitera decique il len ait
paie dreitement de sa partie. Mas or posum einsL
Luns daus parconers chargpt sa partie, et apres celuy
qui ne veost ou ne puet charger sa partie semont, que
il facet secte * ou couz ; si cum nos avom dit, cil en
segant ses couz troubet fret, et fomist sa partie einsi
que mais assez gaigneret en son fret que li autre en
sa charge; or vent cilz qui ha charge et dit que il
veaut aver partie comme compaignon on gaig* de celuy
qui ha firete, et si ait sa partie on gaig de ce que
celuy a gaagne de ceu, disons nos que chascun deit

[fol. 61.] aver lo gaig de sa partie cestui de ce que il ha frete,
quar lor compaignie est commune devise quant a
celuy tor ; quar U vns ha especiaument sa partie cestuy
de ce que il ha charge, et celuy de ce que il ha frete,
quar lor compaignie est commune devise quant a celuy
tor.

Chapitre Si chaptaus ^ ou avers est pris ou arestez en Oleron,
Qnant ®' venget avant hom leyaus et conoguz et avoet que
chaptaus U chaptaus fust sons, et ne seit autre qui puchet mos-

est BTestfiz AX

en Oleron. ^^^ ^^ deffendre quil seit a autre, et non mie a celuy
qui lo avoet, il ert creguz par son saigrement que li
avers est sons.

^ ne coste mie mamz'] il ne conte
pas moins.

3 eaui que"] de maniere que,
Roquefort

^ facet eecte] fiisse suite, from
segar, suivre.
^ en gaig] en gain.
^ chaptaus] chateux, chattels.

THE COMMTTNE OP OLERON.

381

his part of the ship, for it does not for tliat reason
cost the less to provide the mariners and the other
expenses of despatching the ship. If he who will not
employ his part cannot and will not Airnish the costs
as above said, the other who wishes to employ his own
part of the ship may furnish the costs and the ex-
penses, and the hull of the ship is bound for them, so
that the other partner cannot employ his part until he
has paid rightly the expenses for his part. Let us
suppose a case. One of two part ownel^ loads his part,
and afterwards summons him that will not or cannot
load his part that he contribute his share of the costs ;
if the latter, as we have above i^id, in providing his
share of the costs finds freight and furnishes his part
in such manner that he gains more by his freight than
the other by his cargo, thereupon the part owner who
has loaded his part comes and says that he wishes to
have a share as part owner in the gain of him who
has freighted his part, and claims his share of the .gain
which the latter has made, we say^ that each ought
to have the gain of his own part, the latter of that
which he has freighted, for their joint ownership is
divided in common ^ for this turn ; for the one has
specially his part in that which he has loaded, and the
other in that which he has freighted, for their part-
nership is divided in common for this turn.

If chattels or goods are taken or arrested in Oleron, Chapter
and a loyal and well-known man comes forward and ^"^^^
asserts that the chattels are his, and there is no other ^j^igare
who can show or maintain that the goods are another's, ^!^^^^*^ ^
and not his who claims them, he shall be believed upon
his oath that the goods are his property,

Oleron.

> we goff'] The words of an opi-
nion or Judgment.
^ m conmon] that is, not a Joint

partnership for this tarn, hot a part-
nership in common.

382

LA COMMUNE D'OLEttON.

Chapitre QuANT li sires veost prendre autruy ville ou cbas-

Si ™reB ^'^^ ®^ ^"^ ^^i ^^ ^^^^ guarde ne nant ogu * com-
voit^ren- mandeineDt de leur seignor, il deivent aver espece da

dre vile. 111 'ji* « -i

rfoi 61 6 1 ^^ parler a leur seignor, de xJ. lors ou plus, que il
puchent aler et venir. Et ceu dona li seneschaus au
rey de France,* quant yl vouguit aver Oleron, que Ion
raignot a aver dilacion a aler en Angleterre saver la
volunte dau rey.

Chapitre Si marineaus defiant a sa nef garder, et la nef ou li

Qui^^* avers en recevet domage, il est tenguz damander en

marineaus tout lo domage. Et si est einsi que encore plusors

^ef* * parconers lou ait mis parsey * ou marineaus, einsi comme

^urder. vns met autre parsey, cis qui lo aura mis est tenguz

damander en tot lo demage, et cil qui aureit reoegu

lou domage lo poyret demander auquau yl vodra daus

[fol 62.] dous, ou au marinea ou a celuy qui li aura mia Mas

si bom demandet lo demage a celuy qui li aura mis,

lo marinea aura recors a lautre quil y avet mis. Mas,

ne pero,*^ si cilz qui auront recegu lo demage hant re-

cegu soceablement ^ celuy marineau qui aura este mis,

nos de disom mie que cilz qui laureit mis en soyt

coupabla

•

Chapitre IT Si duy OU plusor sunt parconner en vne nef, cbas-
\ln^j> ^^^ ^^^^ parsoners poet vendre sa partie, se il veaut^
Conner en entreaus, au fayre la nef en lemprise ^ de lor compaignie ;

* chastea] chateaa.

^ nant ogu] n'ont eu.

^rey de France] This may refer
to the invasion of Poiton hy Louis
VIII. of France, when he took
Bochelle, A.D. 1224, upon which
the earl of Salisbury was sent oyer
by Henry III. of England and
stopped the progress of the French
arms.

^ Urn ait mis partey'] This is pro-

bably a more correct reading than
that which M. Fardessns, torn. It.
p. 298, has adopted, via., lou ait ans
seyen. <*Mis" instead of **nns"
is in perfect accordance with what
follows.

* ne pero] nempero, neammoins.

' BoceabUment'] sufficiently.

7 en lemprise'] From the Catalan
empresa.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

383

When the lord wishes to seize a vill or a chateau, Chapter
and those who are in guard of it have received no j£ ^^ i^^
orders from their master, they ought to have a space wishes to
of forty days or more^ to go and speak to their master,
that they may go, to him and return. And this was
allowed by the seneschal of the King of France when
he wished to have Oleron, when they claimed to have
delay to go to England to know the will of the king.'

If a mariner is negligent in protecting his ship, and Chapter
the ship or the cai^ receives damage, he is bound to m "r*
make compensation for all the damage. And if it ^^^^^

1 . i 1 1 ' 1 neglects to

happens amongst several partners that one has put on protect his
board for himself a mariner, and another has put on ^^P*
board for himself another mariner, he who shaU put
the mariner on board is bound to make compensation
for all the damage which he may cause, and he who
shall have received the damage may demand compen-
sation as he pleases from either of the two, either
from the mariner or from him who has put him on
board. But if a man demands compensation for damage
from him who shall have put the mariner on board,
the latter shall have a remedy against him whom he
has put on board. But nevertheless, if he who has
received the damage has recognised as responsible the
mariner who shall have been put on board, we do not
say that he who put him on board shall be culpable.

If two or more are partners in a ship, each of the Chapter
partners may sell his share, if he wishes, amongst ^ ^^"'
themselves, so as to keep the ship in the employment o^ner of a

^ forty days or more\ This inter*
val, which agrees with that allowed
for parties or witnesses abroad,
points rather to England as the resi-
dence of the master.

3 the king] that is, the King of

England, who was Dake of Aqui*
taine. Louis VIII. of France is
probably alluded to in this place,
being the lord paramount under
whom Oleron was held as a fief by
the dukes of Aquitaine.

384

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

unenef quar ch&scuns horn puet sa partie vendre coma sa
»ft pa^* ^ choze domayna Nein pero li aucim vodrient dire que
ben deit vns daus parconners aveir la partie de lanef
plus tost que vns autres estranges por le fuer ^ de autre
[fol. 62. &.] estrange ; mas eeu ne tent mie/quar avis sereit que
fust aliance.^ E cist iugement fut rendu a GuiUaume
Daniau dune part et a David Lo Corre dautre, Bretonz,'
li quau Bretons oguirent ^ mult de contens en Oleron
sur compaignies et sur autres chozes.

Chapitre Li maistre de la nef deit mener et ramener a sa
De mt^e dreste charge et descharge sur lo pone ^ de la nef, et
deianef. apelum petit lo mant home qui loget a lentree daus

pors et daus avres sevent dau dangers daus porz et

daus havres.

Chapitre Feme nest mie recegue a faire saigrement de sa

IXXXIX. A • • 7 . i

De femes T^^y^, amz lure par roepsage/ et ceu est par reverence
mie re- Jaus sainz livres et daus Ewangeles, sor cuy horn iuret;
fkiresaigre-e sorquetot ^ feme enceinte ne iuret mie par sey ne par
ment de sa message ne par nembre,® ne ne soflre iugement qui tort

a domage de son cors decique seit delivre, et ceu est

par raison de lenfeint que ne perillet.

^fuer ] prix, from the Latin
fonmi.

^ idiance] aliencer : acheter, Bo-
qaefort.

' Bretonz] This word commences
a new paragraph in the MS., which
is eTidently a hlander of the scrihe.

* oguirent'] avaient.

^ pone] pont Fonoel: petit pont,
Roquefort.

^ desa mojffQ d'elle mtoe.

7 par message ] hy an attorney
or proxy.

^ sorguetof] surtout.

* par nembre'] These words are
probably miswritten.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

385

of the company ; for every man may sell his own pro- s^»p may
perty. Nevertiieless some one will say that one of the ^rt. ^
partners ought to have the part of the ship rather
than a stranger for the price offered by a stranger ;
but this does not hold good, for the better opinion
would be that there should be a public sale, and this
judgment was rendered to William Daniau on one part
and David Le Corre of the other, Bretons,^ which Bre-
tons had many disputes in Oleron upon partnerships
and upon other matters.

The master of a ship ought to conduct her to and Chapter
from her port of loading and of discharging on the Qf"e^"
deck of his ship, and petit lomant ^ is the term used master of
to denote the man who stations himself at the entry ***"^*
of ports and of havens, knowing^ the dangers of the
ports and of the havens.

A woman is not admitted to make an oath herself. Chapter
but she swears by proxy, and this is from reverence of^omen
of the sacred books and of the Gospels, upon which a not allowed
man swears ; and especially a pregnant woman does ^J^ ^ *°
not swear, neither by herself nor by proxy, nor suffer
judgment which would turn to the damage of her
body or her limbs,* until she shall be delivered, and
this is by reason of the infant^ that it be not imperilled.

1 Bretofu] This implies that the
mayor's court administered a com-
mon maiitime law to foreigDers.
The mention of Bretons is note-
worthy in connexion with the early
reception of the Rolls of Oleron in
Brittany.

' petit lomant'] a coasting pilot as
distinguished from a sea pilot. Fe-
titz lodemananges are mentioned in
art. xiiL of the Bolls of Oleron.

B knotoing] Mr. Pardessas con-

VOL. n.

siders " sevent " to be identical with
"sanyant," saving; but Roquefort
renders the word *' sevent " as <* sa-
•* vant," from seveir, savoir, to
know, which is the more probable
interpretation in this place.

* her body or her limbs] that is,
which would inflict death or mutila-
tion. . The translation proceeds on
the assumption that the words par
nembre or par membre are mis-
placed in the Gascon text.

B B

386

LA COfMTJNE nOLERON.

Ghapitare

zc.
De traylx.

Troilz ^ sunt apele moeble en Oleron, si domques ne
sunt fet en tau manere que la maison seit apoee^
desus, ou se tenget einsi que le truyl ne puchet estre
deffez sanz espeirement de la meson. Et por ce sunt
li autre truyl moble que horn les puet remuer sanz
deformacion de sa premere matere. Mas oil sur quey
la mayson sapoet ne poet pas estre remuez entres sanz
demage de sa premere faison, ainz qui le vodroit re-
muer, il le conviendreit a fondre on la meson apoer en
autre manere.

[fol.6d.&.] Molin daigue' ne sunt mie moeble, car il sunt for-

Chapitre ment affiche en terre, et ne poent estre remuez en ter

De molin. ^^'^^ domage de lor premere matere.

f Or enssi vers qui de molin de vent, que li aucun
sunt tuit sor terre ob haute eschale,^ li aucun sunt lo
pie fiche en terre, dit hom ben afficheement, et aoordee-
ment^ que ne sunt pas moble, car desenterre^ ne poent
pas estre ne remue sanz domage de lor premere ma-
tere. De ceaus molins qui sunt sur terre, volent aucuns
dire que sunt moebles, quar hom les puet remuer sanz
emperer lor premere matere, et centre ceu avom raison
oontraire. Quar ceu nest pas taus machinemenz cum

[fol 64.] est cube,^ toneas, ou arches, ou nez encore truylz, que
hom puet remuer; ainz est comme maison ob eschale,
portant fest,® et avent foe et loc,* et celables agent,^®

1 Troih'] Troil : pre88oir, Roque-
fort.

3 apoee"} appoier, apuer : appuy^,
Boquefbrt.

' daiffue] From the Latin aqaa,
water.

* eichaJe] echelle.

' acordeemeni] accordement, ac-
cord, Boqnefort.

^ desenterre] A compound word
like deaamarr^. Disinteired is the
literal translation,

^ cube] cnbel : baril, Roquefort.

^fest] From the Latin fastigiam,
the roof of a house.

^foe et loc"] In Latin focnm et
loonm. The Editor has not met
with this phrase in any law diction-
aiy. The meaning of foo is ohvions.
Loc on the other hand is the same
as Inoc, locus, to which Dncange
assigns, amongst other meanings,
that of lieu d'aisance.

^ cehbleg agenf] chamhree 4 gens.
Celle : ohambre d'nn religieuz, Ro-
quefort.

THE COMMUNE OF OLEHON.

387

Wine presses are reckoned as moveables in Oleron, if Chapter
indeed they are not made in such a manner that the Qf ^'^
house rests upon them, or so touches them that the presBes.
press cannot be removed "without impairment of the
house. For this reason other presses are moveables,
which a man may remove without disfigurement of the
original materials. But a press, upon which the house
rests, cannot be removed entire without damage to its
original form, and he who would remove it must break
it to pieces, and support the house in some other manner.

Water mills are not moveables,^ for they are firmly Chapter
fixed into the ground, and cannot be removed entire q^^^^
without damage to their original materials.

f And likewise with regard to windmills, some of
which are altogether on the- groimd, with a high
ladder, and some have their foot fixed in the ground,
as men say fixedly, and accordingly they are not move-
ables,' for they cannot be separated from the ground,
nor removed without damage to their original mate-
rials. Of those mills which rest on the ground, some
will say that they^ are moveables, for a man may
move them without damaging their original mate-
rials ; but against this there is reason to the contrary.
For they are not such machines as tubs, casks, or
chests, or still less wine presses, which a man can
remove; but a windmill is as it were a house with
a ladder, having a roof and having a fireplace, and a
latrine, and chambers for persons, and closing with a

1 nuweabkM] that is, personal pro-
perty as distbgaished from real
estate.

^ fHoveabUs^ that is, not fixtuies
in the legal sense of the term.

B B 2

388

LA CX)MMUNE D'OLEBON.

et fermant ob clef/ et eatable en son domaine sol et en
son propre loc, et par ceste raison nest mie nioebles.
Et ce fat ladis, au temps Sire Fere Dors, et de Sire
Helies Ronas, et de Sire lofaan Yiau, et de Don Yiau
son frere, et de Don Bertome Saugeta, et de mainz
autres prodes homes acorde sor i. contenz qui fut dans
molins dans cucheaus^ et a ce que len vait. Parlent
de remuement, porreit hom par meisme raison dire que
maison qui est toute sus estelons poet hon remuer
etc., et por ce est moeble. Mas ceu est apertement
fans, quar nule mayson est moebles, et domques molins
nest mie moebles, car cest maison si cum nos auom
dit.

Chapitre Roys deit garder et deffendi*e leschemins a ceu que il
^^ seient communaus a aler et avenir a la gent, et sunt
cheminB. communau U chemin, si hom fait sa maison de vne part,
et sebrohdailz * posset ostre la meite dau chemin, et
autres de lautre part dau chemin facet apres maison,
et voilget £Etire amander son sebrondail decique la meite
dau chemin, il convendra au premer que ildemermet^
son sebrondail entant que il passet ostre la meite dau
chemin, que li duy degotail'^ cheent on meilluec dau
chemin ; quar li chemin sunt einsi communaus que
neguns nia prerogative, ce est avantage, et empaitrer ^
les, et ne ipoet einsi li premers raigner tengue ^ par nul

[fol. 65.] temps, quar vers les dreiturages de seignor neguns ni puet

^ ob clef] ove or ayec cle£
^dau8 cuckeatts"] caohot, tas de
foin, Boqaefoit.

' sebrondaUz'} The Editor has in
Tain sought for this word in the
ordinary glossaries. It may be
another form of chebrondail, chey-
rondail, compounded of ohebron or
chevron a gable, and dalle or dale,
which Roquefort renders d^ de pierre
sur le quel on pose des pieces de

bois pour batir des hangars, pour
etayer. Dalle also signifies un ^gout
ou trou, par otk les eaux s'^ulent.

* demermet'] deminuet, diminuet.

' duy degotail] les deux degou-
ti^res. Degoult, degot : goutti^,
Roquefort

' empaiirer'] empestrer : gkier,
Roqu^ort

7 raigner tengue] set up a daim
of occupation.

^_,,j-sp-"t :

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

389

key, and established on its own ground and in its
proper place ; and for this reason it is not a moveable.
And this was adjudged some time ago, in the time
of Lord Peter Dors and of Lord Helias Ronas, and of
Lord Johan Yiau and of Don Yiau his brother, and
Don Bertome Saugeta, and several other prud'hommes,
touching a dispute which arose respecting some mills
and some haystacks, and the taking tbem away.
Speaking of removing, a man may for the same reason
say, that a house which is altogether built upon posts
may be removed, and therefore is a moveable. But
this is clearly false, for no house is a moveable,^ and
accordingly mills are not moveables, for they are houses,
as above said.

The king ought to guard and protect the roads for Chapter
the use of those to whom they are in common to go and q^ *^
to come, and in a common road, if a man builds a house
on one side, and the eaves ' of his roof pass beyond the
half of the road, and another person afterwards builds a
house on the other side of the road, and wishes to have
the other man's eaves reduced within the half of the
road, it is proper for the first to contract the eaves of
his roof so much that they shall not pass beyond the
half of the road, so that the two spouts * fall id the
middle of the road, and the roads are so far common
that neither party has a prerogative, that is, an ad-
vantage over the other to commit a nuisance, and the
first cannot assert a right of occupation against the other,
for no one can assert a right of occupation against the

1 moveable] that is, is a flztuie
in the legal sense of the tenn.

> the eaves'} The Editor has in-
terpreted the void sebrondail ac-
coiding to the probable meaning of

the entire paragraph, in the absence
of any clue to its use elsewhere.

' spouts'] The word gotail has
an affinity to *' gote," which Boqne-
fort renders by the Latin gatta.

390 LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

raigner tengue. E si dreiturages dau rey ^ est en ce
que il deit garder les chemins a lops de la oommu-
naute de la gent, si cum nos avom dit. £t pas ne
disom que li reis ait sus le premer por ice gage, quar
si tot a fait son sebrondail ostre la meit dau chemin
il nia rens offendu, ni fait empaistre; mas si esteit
einsi que li sebrondail porttfst offensse ou empaistre,
et a la semonse dau seignor ^ceant de vii iors il
ne lostast' lo empaistre, ge ne di pas^ que il ne
rendist a seignor Ix. sols de gage, et ob tot ceu en
osteret len lenpaistre; et ceu Ait dit et disceme por
la mayson neuve que loflrey Boisseaus, freres de

[fol. 65. 6.] Perronele, la feme Sire Guillaume Bormaut, fist au
Chasteau ^ davant la maison de Sire Guillaume Chezac
et lohan Chezac, freres, or li sebrondailz daus diz
freres passot ostre la meite dau chemin, quar les
maisons* de lune partie et de lautre sunt einsi por-
posees,® que luns o lautres ne dit que plus volget
amander en ses^ paroles, cilz qui refuset iugement est
" convaincuz en la demande proposee, et vers lo seignor,
de son grant gage, ce est vers lo prevost® de Ix. sok,
ou vers lo maior de lix. sols. E ce dizom que il est
convencuz par tau raison par ce que il ne veost
atendre lo dreit de la cort de demander aus parties
par treys foys continue, se il se volent iuger ou

[fol. 66.] receure iugement est encheguz • en la forme de susdite.
Or posum que luns o lautres ne respont que il se
vuille iuger ou reciure iugement.

f Nos disum que la plainte ha perdue sa demande,
et li citez est en la merci dau dit gage par la defiaute
que yl a fidt vers lo seignor, et fut conveincuz de la

* rey\ The genitive case of reys, * porposees'} proposees, as in a

from the Latin rex.

2 logtast^ rdtait.

' ge ne dip<w'\ je ne dis pas.

* au Chasteau'] the town of Cha-
teau, in Oieron.

^ maisotu'] probably raisons.

subsequent paragraph.

7 «e»] ces.

* prcvost'] the king's officer.

° encheffuz] cast, or condemned,
from encheir, to fall.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON. 391

lord. And the rights of the king consist in this, that he
ought to guard the roads for the service of the com-
munity of people, as we have already said. And we do
not say that the king can inflict a penalty on the first
party, for when he first made the eaves of his roof to
extend beyond the half of the road, he did not commit
any offence or any nuisance ; but if it happen that his
eaves cause offence or nuisance, and at the reasonable
summons of his lord within seven days he has not
removed the nuisance, I do not say that he shall
not render to the lord a penalty of sixty shillings,
and the latter shall remove the nuisance ; and this was
said and decreed in the case of the new house which
Jeffrey Boisseaus, brother of Perronele, the wife of
Lord GuiUaume Bormaut^ made at the chateau before
the house of Lord GuiUaume Chezac and John Chezac
his brother, where the eaves of the roofe of the two
brothers passed beyond the half of the road, for the
arguments of the one party and of the other were so
stated, that neither the one nor the other s€dd that he
was willing to amend in these words, he who refuses
judgment is convicted of the demand made, and of
the highest fine to the lord, that is to say, to the
provost sixty shillings, and to the mayor fifty-nine
shillings. And we say that he is convicted for this
reason, because when he will not await the right of the
court to demand of each party three consecutive times
if he is willing to judge or receive judgment, he is cast
in the above-said manner.

We suppose a case ^ that neither the one nor the other
party answers that he is willing to judge or receive judg-
ment a We say that the plaintiff has lost his demand,
and the defendant is liable, to the said penalty for the
default which he has made towards the lord, and is

> We suppose a case"] Thb should be the oommencement of a fresh
ptamgraph.

392

LA COMMUNE D OLERON.

demande, mas la deffaut de la plainte meisme len sauve.
Or disum que quant les raizons de lune partie et de
lautre sunt einsi proposees que il se commande iuger
desequi en avant, il ne poent les parties amander, et
lor paroles que il ne retenge iugement segont lor
raizons avant porposees.

Chapitre Si hom trovet sa choze sor autre, cilz sus cui horn
Quant horn 1ft trovera deit ben dire et commant^ il la tent; et si
trovet sa q[\^ ^[^ q^e il la achate ben et leaument veent gent,*

C11086 sor

autre. et deit en dire lou prez ' que il ia doune, et se il dit
[fol.66.6.] par son saigrement que quant il lou trobera mostrera
-avaunt, et iquest sollempnite faite, cilz cuy la choze
aura este foifaite rendra a celuy sus cuy ele ert trovee
lo prez que il i aura done, et recevra sa choze. Et ne
pero nos ne disum mie que cilz sus cuy la choze est
trovee ia facet iceste sollempnite decique li autres ait
mostre par bons garenz ou par autre prove que la
choze seit soe. E ce meisme que nos disom achat ^
dizom aussi que cil sus cuy la choze est trovee dit
[fol. 67.] quil la tent par gage ou par autre rayzon ou manere.
Si choze de gent de pecey' est trovee a la mer ele
nest mie a celuy que la trovet, mas si il latrait a
sauvete aura en merite® de celuy a cuy la choze ert
par son travail a lesme de prodeshomes. Et issi aura
la choze cil cuy ele ert, se il la vait requerre dedenz
i. an et i. ior.

^ conunant'] commeot.

^ veent geni] veer, veoir, Tidere,
Roqneibrt.

' lou prez"] preis: pretiom, Roque-
fort

*diwm (tchat'] There is some

word omitted here, as achat belongs
to the preceding word.

' de pecey] Probably depeciej,
from depeder : mettre en pieces,
Roquefort.

' en ificnie] en moite, a half.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

393

convicted of the demand, but the de&ult of the plaintiff
himself saves him. Again we say that when the argu-
ments of the one party or of the other party are so
stated that he can proceed to judgment forthwith/
he cannot impose* a penalty on the parties, and the
words that he take upon himself to give judgment
follow the arguments above stated.

If a man finds his property upon another person, he Chapter

XCIU.

upon whom he shall find it ought to say how he became wiien a
possessed of it, and if he says that he has bought it well ?^ ^<*»
and fairly in the presence of other persons, he ought to say perty npon
^the price which he has given for it, and if he says upon ■notl»«'«
his oath that when he found it he showed it publicly, and
this solemnity is completed, he whose property has been
missing shall render to him upon whom it shall be found
the price which he has given for it, and shall receive the
property. Nevertheless we do not say that he upon whom
the property is found shall be required to perform this
solemnity, until the other has shown by warrantors or
by other proof that the thing is his, and we say the
same as to a thing which a man has bought.* We say
also the same, if he upon whom property is found says
that he holds it as a pledge, or for some other reason,
or in some other manner. If the property of persons
broken to pieces is found on the sea, it does not belong
to him who has found it, but if he draws it into safety
he shall have for his labour according to the estimate
of the prud'hommes. And the person to whom the pro-
perty belongs shall have it again, if he comes to request
it within a year and a day.

^ forthwUk'} There is some on-
certainty as to the trae meaning of
this paragraph, which is prohahly
attrihutahle to an error of the scribe.

^ has bought} The word << achat "
or '* pmtihase " has clearly reference
to a case supposed in the earlier part
of the paragraph.

394

LA COMMUNE B'OLEBON.

Chapitre En gest^ de nef ne partent rens li cor* de la nef ob
De ffest ^^ ^^ appareilz et ob toz son estorement, ne li leit^'
denef. ni les huches, ni les chozes brevement qui sunt esta-
blies parveentement ^ a lestorage de la nef et de ceaus
de dedens ; mas si ya lez huches et taus autres chozes
que seient portees par non de marchandie, eles partent
toutes on gest.*

Chapitre La uez, non li avers de la nef, paiet lo quillage* et
La n^ '^ grant lomant7 Quar desque la nef est bien atornee
paiet lo de marineaus et de grant lomant, de se qui ^ en avant
^f 1 6^6 -I si li marchaanz volent aver plus marineaus ou lomanz

por lor aver mieuz sauver, li marcheant lo devient aver

a lor couz.

Chapitre
xovi.
Li avers
payet lo
affiage.

Li avers qui est chargez en Oleiron payet lo affiage.
Quar par raison de laver vent la nef au port on ele
se fait affier ; et si tot horns Doleiron charget vaisseau,
et charge lo tout, fors tant que si est autres estranges
icharget i. toneau de vin ou dos ou autre einsi que
partie, iquele partie que li estranges chargera paiera
tout laffiage.

* En gegt] en jet, jetison.
2 U cor'] le corps.

8 li leit] les lits.

^ parveentement'] This word is
probably miswritten.

* en gest"] This may have been
the substance of a judgment of the
mayor's conrt in accordance with
the lettiers patent of Edw. I., AJ).
1285. Before that time the mer-
chants of Gascony had contended
for a different rule, and no judgment

precisely in point to goyem this
case is to be found in the BoUs of
Oleron.

^ quiUage'] quittage is adopted by
Fardessus, t. iv. p. 294, but quillage
from quille, the keel of a ship, is
intelligible.

7 grant hmant"] The petit lomant
has been mentioned above, ch.
Izxzviii. C£ Black Book of the
Admiridty, p. 104.

^ de 8€ qui] deciqne.

THE COMMUNE OF OLERON.

395

In jetison from a ship, the hull of the ship^ with all Chapter
ite tackle and with all its stores does not contribute, nor r^r?!-^'

' Uf jetison.

the beds nor the chests, nor the things in brief which
are provided for the storing of the ship and those within
it; but if there be chests or any other things which are
carried under the name of merchandise, they contribute
all to the jetison.'

The ship and not the cargo of the ship pays the keel- chaptet
age dues and the sea-pilot, but as soon as the ship is-- ^^•
provided with manners and the sea-pilot, from that time pays the
forward, if the merchants wish to have more mariners ^^^p

and the

or more pilots, to have greater safety, they ought to sear-pilots,
have them at their own cost.

The cargo which is laden in Oleron pays the stowage Chapter
dues.* For by reason of the goods the ship comes into rm^^^^'
port, where it has them stowed, and if a man of Oleron pays the
loads the vessel, and loads all except so much as another »t<>^^®-
stranger loads with a tun or two of wine or any other
part, the part which the stranger shall load shall pay all
the stowage dues.

i the hull of the ship'} The role
of the Rhodian law was maintamed
in the Assises de Jerusalem, § xlv.,
and was probably the rule observed
in the kingdom of France at this
time, as may be gathered from Li
Livres de Jostice et de Flet, 1. yii.
§ ii., '<De hi loi Rodiane de geter
" marchandise en mer." But it
was otherwise in Enghind alter
A.D. 1285, in which year King
Edward I. issued letters patent to
settle a dispute in a matter of jeti-
son between the barons of the
Cinque Forts on the one hand and
the merchants of England and
Wales, Ireland, and Gascony on
the other, when it was ordered that
henceforth the vessel with her ap-

parel and stores should not contri-
bute in cases of jetison, where cargo
had been cast overboard. The dis-
pute and the king*s decree are set
out in the Liber Albus of the City
of London, vol. 1, p. 490, ed. Riley ;
cf. Black Book of the Admiralty,
p. 127.

3 contribute all to the jetison'] The
rule of the Rhodian law is thus
described : '* Lege Rhodia cavetur,
** ut, si levandae navis grati&, jactus
« mercium factus est, omnium con-
** tribntione sarciatur, quod pro
« omnibus datum est." Fr. 1.
Paulus, lib. ii., Sententiamm.

3 the stowiige dues] The text is
obscure, and the translation is
somewhat conjectural.

396

LA COMMUNE D'OLERON.

Si nez entre desaiBee en port, ele padera xii sok
daffiage, ia tant petite ne sera.

f Si nez avalet, ia ne &cei solement, nias que se
remuet fors de son siege, si na paie son affiage, li avers
[fol. 68.] en doblera tan gage, et si sen vait fors dau port il
nia autre gage fors doblement de laffiage, quar cist tau
affiage ne sunt for cum mautote ^ et force. Mas apprie
sunt par lone vsage, et tant ya que si hon nest, que la
nef sen alast et noguist paie son affiage et lo davant
dit gage, li avers de la nef paieret lo affiage et lo
davant dit gage, ceu est lo dolement' de laffiage.

Chapitre IT La nefz, non li avers, paie lo planchage. Quar toz
La nefii vaisseaus deit aveir sa planche a entrer et a essir, a
paie la charger et a descharger.

plancliage.

^ mautote ] Probably mantole
sbonld be written. Maatolln : pris
par force et contra justice, enley^,
Roquefort

* doiemeiW] Probably doblement,
doublement.

THE COMMUNE OP OLERON. 397

If a ship enters the port with her cargo shifted, she
shall pay twelve shillings stowage dues, however small
she may be.

IT If a ship is going away, but does not do so entirely,
but moves herself from her station, if the cargo has not
paid the stowage dues, the penalty shall be double of
the dues, and if the' ship goes away out of port it shall
pay a penalty of double the stowage dues, for such
stowage dues are for carrying away the vessel wrong-
fully and by fol-ce. But they are levied by long usage,
and so far is it settled, that if the ship goes away and
has not paid the stowage dues and the said penalty, the
cargo of the ship shall pay the stowage dues and the
above said penalty, that is, double of the stowage dues.

f The ship and not the cargo pays the plankage dues. Chapter
For every vessel ought to have its planks to enter by q«^^^?'
and go out by, and to load and to unload. pays the

plankage
does.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

TABLE DES MATIERES,

^»^^^s^^»^^^»/^^^^»^^^w^^^^^^»v^^

Chapitrk

Ealite dau mayor^ daus esqueuins, et daus

conseillers . . , . i. ■

Quant aucun esqueuin vout a]er en An-

gleterre . . . . . iL

Si li mayres trespasse Testabliment de la

commune . . . iiL

Quant aucun conoichet sa choze sur lar-

ron . . . . . iv.

Quant jurez de commune ocist aucun . v.

Si aucuns fait traison en la cit^ . vL

Quant aucuns qui ne seit pas de la com-
mune meffait a aucun de la commune viL

Si aucuns ha este mis en pillori . viii.

Si femme est conveincu destre tenzose . iz.

Si aucuns jurez fidt clamor de meffait . x.

Si aucuns jurez est mis en merci . . xL

Comment prover qui aucuns seit jurez . xiL

Quant deptres non veoget faire dreit . xiii

Quant est comptenz de depte ou de con*

venant ..... xiv.

Un jurez ert creguz par sa parole . xv.

Quant jurez portent garantie . . xvL

Quant aucuns fait clamor de terre . xvii.

De requerre sa cort de sa terre . ' . xviii.

De requerre sa cort de depte . . xix.

Quant aucuns deit debte a aucun . xx.

Si homme estranges fait clamor de debte xxL

Quant la commune deit aler fors dau

pais ..... xxiL

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Election of the mayor and echevins and
counsellors . . . .

When an echevin wishes to go to England

If the mayor transgresses a law of the
commune ....

When any one recognises his property on
a thief .....

When a jurat of the commune kills any
one .....

If any one commits treason in the city .

When any one not of the commune
wrongs a member of the commune

If any one has been set in the pillory .

If a woman is convicted of being a
scold .....

If a jurat complains of a trespass

K a jurat is fined

The proof of being a jurat

When a debtor will not do right

When there is a suit for debt or con-
tract .....

A jurat shall be believed on his word .

When jurats warrant a thing

When any one claims land

To claim jurisdiction over land .

To claim jurisdiction in matter of debt .

When any one owes a debt to another .

If a stranger claims a debt

When the commune ought to march forth

VOL. II.

.CUA1>TKU

• •
II.

• . .
111.

iv.

vi.

. a

VII.

• • •

Vlll.

ix.

xi.

xii.

...

XIll.

xiv.

XV.
XVI.

xvii.

xviii.

xix.

XX.

xxi.
xxii.
c c

404

TABLE DES MATl&BES.

Quant aucuns ha mesdit de la commune
Qui refudet lo saigrement de la commune
Quant vecoms pot metre mayn au jurez

de la commune
Si aucuns deffors commune meffait a

aucun de la commune .
Quiconques trayra cotea ou espee
Se il convient aler au besoig de la vile.
Nub ne poet veer sa chevau a aler por

la ville .....
Li mayres jurera qui il ne fera pri^re

vers lo seignor dau pais
Li mayres jurera k juger dreit
Li mayres jurera qui il ne prendra lou-

gers .....
La peine de celuy mayor qui aura pris

le loger .....

Chapitrb

xxiii.

xxiv.

XXVI.

xxviL
xxviii.

xxix.

XXX.

xxxL
xxxlL
XXX iiL

TABLE OF CONTENTS. 405

Chapter

When any one has slandered the com-
mune ..... xxiii.

■

He who refuses to make oath to the

commune .... xxiv.

When the viscount may lay hands on a

jurat of the commune . . . xxv.

If any one outside the commune wrongs

a member of the commune . xxvL

Whoever draws knife or sword . . xxvii.

If it is requisite to go anywhere for the

service of the town . . . xxviii.

No one can refuse his horse to go any

where for the town . . . xxix.

The mayor shall swear not to ask a favour

of the lord of the manor . . xxx.

The mayor shall swear to judge right . xxxi
The mayor shall swear not to accept a

bribe . ' . . . . xxxii.

The punishment of the mayor who has

accepted a bribe • * . xxxiii.

c c 2

LI ESTABLIMENS DE LA COMUNE DE

ROAN.

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMUNE

OF ROYAN.

CEU EST LI ESTABLIMENS DE LA

COMUNE DE ROAN.

ChapitreL ^^ ^^ convent a faire lo mayre en la cite de Roan

L'edite U cent par,^ qui sunt establi, esliront treys daus prodes-

daus CT- ' homes de la cite, et les presenteront au roy, que de

qucuinset celuy qui aluy plaira daus treys il facet mayre. Et

seiUers. da Cent pers davant diz esliront li ditz cent per vint

et quatre, qui en seront chacun an oste,^ daus quaus

seront establi douze esquevin et doze conseiller. Ces

vint et quatre jureront ou commencemeut de lor annee

que il garderont les dreistures de saincte yglize et

la feaute et la dreiture segont lor escient.' Et si li

mayres lor commandet aucune choze a celer, il la

celeront, et cUz, qui on revelera, sera desposez de son

office^ et sera en la merci dau mayor, et daus esquevins

et de la commune, Li mayres et li douze esquevin

' li cent par, qui sunt establi] nii
centum qui pares constituti sunt, is
the reading in the Charter of the
Commune of Bouen, of which a
copy is inserted in the Letters Patent
of Philip Augustus, of A.D. 1204,
granting a commune afler the same
model to the jurats of the Commune
of St Jean d' Angely. Ordonnances
des Rois de France de la Troisi^me
Race, torn. v. p. 671.

^ ckacun an oste] Qui singulis
annis removebuntur. Id. ** Renora-
** buntur ** is the reading of another
copy of the Charter of Rouen, which
is not so trustworthy. Ordonnances,
torn. i. p. 306.

' segont lor escient'] secundum con-
scientiam suam. Id. '*Ju8titiam," is
the reading of the other copy,
tom. i. p. 306.

THIS IS THE CONSTITUTION OF THE

COMMUNE OF ROYAN.

i/X^O' /\f»^\

At the meeting to appoint the mayor in the city of Chapter i.
Royan^ the hundred peers who are estabUshed shaU^^^^^[
choose three amongst the prudliommes of the city, and and eche-'
shall present them to the king, who shall make him of ^^S^ora.
the three, whom he pleases, mayor. And out of the
hundred peers above mentioned, the said hundred shall
choose twenty and four, who shall each year be removed,
of whom there shall be appointed twelve echevins ' and
twelve counsellors. These twenty-four shall swear at
the commencement of their year that they will main-
tain the rights of the holy church and the fealty and
the rights of the king, and that they will adjudge right
according to their knowledge ; and if the mayor com-
mands them to conceal anything they shall conceal it,
and he who shall reveal it shall be deposed from his
office, and shall be at the mercy ^ of the mayor, and
the echevins and the commune. The mayor and the

1 ci^f ofBoyan] This town was i scabinus, and is deriyed fh>m the
at the mouth of the Gironde, on the Teutonic word schaffen or schOffen.

north bank. Its constitution was
framed after the model of that of
Bouen in Normandy, which was the
type of the Anglo-Norman Com-
munes, and was copied for the most
part in the towns in the south-
western parts of France, which were
under the suzerainty of the Anglo-
Nonnan princes.

* echevins} The Editor has re-
tuned the French term echevin,
which corresponds with the Latin

Scabinus is first met with in the
Capitularies of Charlemagne. The
English tenn " sheriff" in its usual
signification of sheriff of a county is
the synonym of the French word
''yicomte,'' but the sheriffiB of
London and Middlesex retain many
features of resemblance to tfa^
ancient echevins.

^ at the mercy} I^ble 'to a fine,
un amerciment, at their discretion.

408

LA COMUNE DE ROAN.

[fbi. 69.] se assembleront chascune aemayne does fez ' par les
negoyces de la cite; et si il doptent en aucune choze
faire, il apeleront celuy ou ceaus quil voudrant des xii.
conseiUors, et useront sus cele choze alor conseiL E
li xii. conseiller seront assemble ob lo mayor et ob les
esquevins chascune quinzene lou Semadi et tuit li cent
per.^ E quicunques daus davant diz esquevins et
conseillers et pers ne vendra au davant dit ior avant
que prime' seit chantee, sanz monicion ob les autres
esquevins et conseillers, si il est esquevins il paiera
v. sols, aus affaires de la cite ; e si est conseillers
qui ne seit pas en la ville il paiera iii. sols ; et si
est pers/ ii. sols, si il a aucun ior avant ne a dit au
maior raizonable escusacion par quel il ne ipuchet estre.

[foi.69.6.] Et quicunques daus davant diz sen ira sanz conge dau
maior de lassemble daus autres paiera autant cum il
paieret, se il ne veneit alote de prime. E si li mayres
aucune fee a mester de aucun de eos, adonques si au-
cuns de eos ne vent a son mandement, il paiera lavant
dite pene, se il ne roostret aperte excusacion.

Chapitreii. f Si aucuns daus xii. esquevins vout aler en Angle-

2^ eg- ^rre,* ou en autre loig pais,il deit prendre conge dau

qaeyinToet mayre et daus esquevins quant 11 seront lo Samadi

gietene. " assemble, et il adomques esliront communaument celuy

que il establiront en luec de luy iuques il seit venuz.

Si li maires et li esquevin se seent en lesquevinage,*

et aucuns daus iurez dit vilanie a lautre en la presence

^ does fez] deux foia.

3 tuit li cent per] tons les cent
pairs.

^ prime] The service of prime
'was Bung at six in the morning.

* et si est pers] et s'il est pair.

* Anglelerre] Boyanj it may be
presumed, ivas at this time a pos-

session of the king of England. The
same provision is foond in the char-
ters of Rouen and Falaise.

^ lesquevina^] The court of the
echevins. Three articles are omitted
here which appear in the Constitu-
tion of Rouen.

THE COMMUNE OF BOTAN.

409

twelve echevins shall assemble twice every week for the
business of the dtj, and if they doubt in anything to
be done, they shall call in him or those of the twelve
counsellors whom they will^ and shall use their counsel
in the matter. And the twelve counsellors shall assem-
ble with the mayor and the echevins every fortnight
on the Saturday^ and all the hundred peers^ and whoever
of the said echevins and counsellors and hundred peers
shall &il to come on the aforesaid day before prime is
chantedy^ without previous notice to the other echevins
and counsellors, if he is an echevin he shall pay five
shillings towards the affairs of the city ; and if he is
a counsellor who is not resident in the vill, he shall
pay three shillings ; and if he is one of the hundred
peers, he shall pay two shillings, if he has not on some
day beforehand stated to the mayor a reasonable excuse
why he cannot be there. And whosoever of the above-
said persons shall go away without the leave of the
mayor from the assembly of the others^ shall pay as
much as he would have had to pay if he had not come
at the hour of prime. And if the mayor at any time
has need of any one of them, thereupon if any one of
them does not come at his summons, he shall pay the
above-said penalty, unless he show clearly an excuse.

IT If any one of the twelve echevins wishes to go to Chapter iL
England, or to any other distant place^ he ought to obtain ^!^^^
leave from the mayor and the echevins when they shall wishes to
be on Saturday assembled, and they shall thereupon ^J^ *'
elect in common him whom they shall constitute in his
place, until he shall have come back. If the mayor and
the echevins are sitting in the court of the echevins,
and any one of the jurats' say anything insulting to

' prime is chante<r] Prime seems
to have been the commencement
everywhere of the civil day.

^jurats ] These consisted of
the twelve echevins and the twelve

conseillers, who were sworn to
maintain the rights of holy church
and the fiealty and rights of the
king, and that they wonld adjudge
rightly.

410 LA OOMUNE D£ ROAN.

[fol. 70.] et en laudienoe dau mayor et daus esquevins, il ert en
Ia merci dau mayor et dans eBquevins, et sera pnniz
segont la grandor daus medit, et segont ceu que 11 est
acodumez de mesdire.

Chapitre IT Si li mayres trepasse lestabliment de la commune,

Siiimayres ^ ®^*' P*^ ^^ esquevins puniz a double paine que seret
trepasse vns daus esquevins se il trepassot, se il na aperte
m«a?de U desacusance, quar de luy deit estre pris exemple de
commime. dreiture et de egaute^ et de guarder les establimenz.

Chapitre IT Si ol avent que aucun conoichet aucune choze dau

Qoant ^9^ ^ ®^^ larron ou feussoner pris ou convencu a Boan,

aucun , et il puche mostrer par leau garentage de ses veysins

Mdiosse' ^ choze estre soe, ele liert* rendue, et li leres ou li

■ur larron. faussoners sera mis on pillori, si dreiz ' requert^ que toz

[fol. 70. 6.] le veent,* et le conoichent, et se il deit aver merci il o

aura. E se il a mefTait par quey il deiet perdre membre

ou plus, il et ses chozes seront livrees a la iustice lo

rey a faire dreit

Chapitre Si li iurez de la commune ocist son iure et il en
Quant s^i^ ftiitis^ o convencuz, sa maison ert abatue, et il et
urez de tuit si ben seront livrez aus iustices lo rey, se il puet

commune ,, ^^. •■• .« .

ocistaucun. estre tenuz. Si aucuns dau lurez maagnet ° son autre
de aucun de ses membres, ou en autre manere li ait
meffait, et il enseit convencuz, il remaindra en la merci
dau mayor et daus esquevins, por ce que il aura maagne
son iure de son membre, ou lo aura feru ou li aura
tort fait.

^ dau son"] du sien.

^ ele liert] elle lui Bcrait.

^ dreiz'] droit.

* le ueenQ ie voient.

^fuitis] From the Latin fbgiti-

TUS.

^ maagnet] Maaignier, mehainier,
mehaimier, maim.

THE COMMUNE OF ROYAN.

411

another in the presence and in the hearing of the mayor
and the echevins, he shall be at the mercy of the
mayor and the echevins, and shall be punished accord-
ing to the degree of his insulting words, and according
as he is accustomed to use such words.

IT If the mayor violates the constitution of the com- Chapter
mune, he shall be punished by the echevins with double j^ ^jj"'
the penalty which shall be inflicted on an echevin if mayor
he violates it, unless he openly excuses himself; for he^^^"^®
should set an example of right and of equity,^ and of t^« com-
maintainiDg the constitution. mune,

% If it happens that any one recognises any thing Chapter
which belongs to him on a robber or on a forger, taken ^hen any
and convicted at Boyan, and he can show by the war- ope recog-
rant of his neighbours that the thing is his own, itpro^rtyon
shall be rendered to him, and the robber or the forger a thie£
shall be set in the pillory, if right requires it, that every
one may see him and know him, and if he ought to be
fined, he shall be fined. And if he has transgressed in
such a way that he ought to lose a limb ^ or more, he
and his goods shall be delivered to the justice of the
king to do right.

If a jurat of the commune kilk another sworn man Chapter
and he shall be a fugitive or be convicted, his house y^^^
shall be razed to the ground, and he and all his goods jurat of
shall be delivered to the justices of the king,* if he can munTSib
be captured. If any of the jurats shall maim another another,
in any of his limbs, or shall in any other manner
have injured him, and shall be convicted, he shall be
at the mercy of the mayor and the echevins, because
he has maimed a jurat of a limb, or has struck him,
or has done him wrong.

1 equify"] Egaut^ in the sense of
eqaity occara in Li livres de Jos-
tice et De Flet, L iii. ch. v. § 9*
** Que egaut^ lor querra.*' .^ni-
tatis i8 used in the Boaen charter.

2 /tm6] The loss of a limb was
generally commnted for a money
payment

^justices of the king"] as guilty of
felony.

412

LA COMUNE D£ ^OLS,

Ch^itre IT Si aucun» £ut traison en la die, et duy daus
7^' xxiiii. en ayent veu ou oy, li traitres en sera con-
Si aacunB veincuz par la simple parole de eaus dous,^ par ceu
^*^J?° seront creguz par lour simple parole, quar il iurerent
on commencement de lor an que il direent verite de
ceu que veireent et oyreent. Si duy daus autres pers®
on ayen veu ou oy^ il en ert convaincuz par lor sai-
crement de eaus dous, et en ert conveincuz en la merci
dau mayor et dos esquevins, et amandera a lesgart
dau mayor et daus esquevins lo mefiait, segont que il
sera, et segont que il ert costumez de meffaire. Si
aucuns mesdit de convice a aucun en la dte, ou en
rue, ou en maison, ou en autre luec, il en ert convein-
cuz par dous garenz daus cent pers ^ sans saicrement,
ou par ii. autres iurez ob saicrement, et amandera par
[foL7i.6.] lo maior et par les esquevins le convice, segont que il
ert, et segont que il ert acodumez de mesdire, et de
convice dit a son iure remaindra en la merci dau
maior et daus esquevins; et si cilz qui aura este lay-
dengez*^ na garenz daus cent pers, ou dous autres
iurez^ sa querele sera demenee segont la loy de la
cort.

Chagitre % Si aucuns qui ne seit pas de la commune meffait
Qaant ^ aucun de la commime, li mayres mandera a celuy
aacnnsqui par SOU message ou par autre que il amandet lo for-
delTccm^ fait; et si amander ne le vaust, il ert deffenduz aus
mnne mef- iurez de la commime que il naient ob luy commuuaute
de la oom- ^^ vendant, ne en achatent, ne encreent,^ ne en parlant,

mnne.

^ eaus doua] eux deux.
^ doMs autres />«r<] des autres
pain.
' oyen veu ou oy'] ont vu ou oye.
** doMs cent pers] des cent pairs.

* laydengez] laidanger, leidenger ;
blesser par des paroles, calomnier,
Roquefort.

' enereent] en creent, from the
Latin credere.

THE COMMUNE OF ROT AN. 413

f If any one commits treason ^ in the city, .and two Chapter
of the twenty-four have seen or heard him, the traitor jf^P'^^^
shall be convicted upon the simple word of the two, commits

tiFCBflOIl 111

for they shall be believed upon their simple word, the city,
because they have sworn at the commencement of their
year, that they will speak the truth of that which they
have seen and heard. If two of the other peers have
seen or heard him, he shall be convicted by the oaths
of those two, and when convicted shall be at the mercy
of the mayor and the echevins^ and shall make com*
pensation according to the sentence of the mayor and
the echevins for the offence, according to what he shall
be, and according to what he has been accustomed to
offend. If any one insults by word of reproach any
one in the city, or in the street, or in a house, or in
any other place, he shall be convicted by two war-
rantors of the peers without an oath, or by two other
jurats upon oath, and shall make compensation ac-
cording to the sentence of the mayor and the echeviQS
for the insult, according to what he shall be, and
according to what he is accustomed to insult, and for
revilings addressed to his brother jurat he shall be at
the mercy of the mayor and the echevins, and if he
who shall have been reviled has no warrantors of the
hundred peers or of the other jurats, his complaint
shall be settled according to the law of the court.

f If any one who is not of the commune commits Chapter
an offence against any one of the commune, the mayor '^^^'^ny
shall order him, by his messenger or by some otixer one not of
person, to make compensation for his offence, and if mime^™"
he is not willing to make compensation, it shall be wrongs a
forbidden to the jurats of the commune to hold any in- ^^^^^
tercourse with him in selling, or in buying, or in trusting commnne.
him, or in speaking to him, neither in their houses

^ commits tretuon] That is, does I to the commuie. The Bonen char-
some act at yariance with his fealty I ter has the words seditionem fecerit.

414

LA COMUNE DE ROAN.

ne en ostau, ne en autre manerp naient ob luy com-
[fol. 72.] munaute; si li sires ^ ou sis fi]z^ nest a Boan oujen
assisia,' et si cilz ne veaut par ce lo forfait amander,
li mayres lo mostrera aus iustices lo rey, et ajuera a
son iure a oonquerre en sa dreiture ; et si aucuns dans
iurez de la commune fJEdt centre oeste deffensse, il sera
en la merci dau mayor, et daus esquevins.

Chapitre % Si aucuns ha este mis on pillori non pas par
Si aucmis layroncin, mas par autre choze . que il ait assaye afayre
ha este mis contre les establimens de la commune, et aucuns loy
en pi on. j.Qpj.Qgjjg^ ^j, q^Qj i\ li facet vergoigne davant les

iurez ou davant autres homes, il paiera xx. sols, daus
quaus cilz a qui aura este diz li convices aura v. sols,
et li XV. sols seront au besoig* de la vile; et si cilz
[fol. 72. 6.] que lo li aura reproche ne le veaut ou ne puet paier,
il sera mis on pillori.

Chapitre % Si feme est conveincue destre tensoze^ ou medi-

■

SifCTome ^^''^> ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ "^^^ corde soz les aysseles* et
est con- sera gitee par iii. fez en laigue;^ et si aucuns lo y
tee^Bozt reprochet cilz paiera x. sols, et si feme lo y reproche

' li sires] The word reys is used
instead of sires in a snbseqaent
paragraph. In the Latin Tersion
the passage here runs thus : ** nisi
** dominus rex vel filius ejus adsint
" Botomagi vel assisia." *' Sires "
may have been here introduced pur-
posely if the charter was granted
to Royan by the duke of Aquitaine,
and the MS. has escaped alteration
in modem times. The original MS.
of the Bouen charter was sur-
rendered to Philip Augustus.

3 sisjilz'] From the Latin suus
filius.

^ en OMuta] Assisia here means
probably a court of assise, and not

any particular place. ^'Assisas et
*' assisise dicuntur concilia publica,
'< oonventus et consessus proborum
'' hominum, a principe Tel domino
<< feudi electorum, qui pro tribunaU
« jus dicnnt, lites dirimunt," &c.
Ducange.

^ besoig] besoign, as gaig is used
above for gdgn.

^ tenaoze] tenceresse is the word
used in the Domesday of Ipswich, s.
Ixxiy. It occurs in the Boman de la
Rose, Ters. 16,946 : "Cta ge ne sui pas
jangleresse, yilotiere, ne tenceresse.

" aysseles'] From the Latin axilla.

7 en UUgue'] en I'ean. From the
Latin aqua.

THE COMMUNE OF ROYAN.

415

nor in auy other manner to have any intercourse with
him. If the lord ^ or his son is at Royan or in the
assize, and if he will not make compensation for his
oflfenoe, the mayor shall denounce him to the justices
of the king, and shall aid the jurat to prevail in
obtaining right, and if any of the jurats of the com-
mune acts contrary to this prohibition, he shall be at
the mercy of the mayor and the echevins.

% If any one has been set in the pillory, not for Chapter
larceny, but for any thing else which he has attempted if al^ne
to do against the constitutions of the commune, and has been
any one reproaches him, whereby he makes him ashamed ^^^^'
before the jurats or before other men, he shall pay
twenty shiUings, of which he, to whom the reproach
was made, shall have five shillings, and the fifteen
shillings shall be for the wants of the town, and if he
who has reproached the other is neither willing nor able
to pay the fine, he shall be set in the pillory.

Y If a woman is convicted of being a scold or Chapter
slanderess,* she shall be tied with a cord under hery^."' „„

^ ' if a woman

arm pits and shall be cast three times into water, and is convicted
if any one reproaches her of it, he shall pay ten shillings, ^ ^^
and if a woman reproaches her, she shall pay ten shil-

^ the lord] The king is spoken of
below, as if he was the lord, who
might be at Boan or in the assize.
The same provision specifying the
king is found in the charters of
Kouen and of Falaise.

' slanderess] This punishment
seems to have been of a more rude

kind than the dncking stool men-
tioned in the Domesday of Ipswich.
It appears to have been a general
practice in fill the communes framed
after the Anglo-Norman model to
condemn common scolds to be
ducked in water with a rope tied
round their waists.

416

LA COHtJNE DG ROAN.

ele paiera x. sols, ou sera oolee^ iii. fez en laigae, et
cis X. sols sunt au besoig de la cite.

Chapitre Y Si aucuns iurez fait clamor de meffait que sis

Siawrans ^^"^^ ^ ^^^ ^*^** ^^ ^® toute autre quereille, et ne
volget dreit prendre davant lo mayor et davant les
esquevins, il sera retenuz et sera mis par gages, et par
pleges iurera que il ne meffera par celuy meffait a
celuy de cuy il avet fait clamor ; et si apres par celuy
meffait li meffaiz illi meffait, il sera iuget a pariure,

[fbl. 73.] et sera en la merci dau maior et daus esquevins dau
trespas.

jnrezfidt
clamor de
mefiGut.

Chapitre

xL
Si aacan
juiesest
mis en
merol

Chi^itre

Xll.

Comment
prover que
aucons seit
jarei.

Chapitre
zm.
Quant
d^itres
nonveoget
fiure dreit.

IT Si aucun iurez de la commune est mis ea merci
par son meffait^ et il fidt prier par aucun son riche
veisin de relaschement ' de sa merci, se il nofait par
lo commandement lo rey sa merd sera doblee, quar
nest pas bon aver la mauvolence de ses riches veisina.

f Si aucuns dit que il seit iurez de la commune, et
li mayres ne li esquevin nen seent ben oertayn, il ou
provera par lou garentage de ii. iurez.

% Si clers ou chevaler det depte a aucun iure, et li
deptres nen veoget faire dreit por lou mayor et por
les esquevins, on deffent que nus iurez ait communaute
ob luy en bevant, ne en menjant,' ne en vendent ne en
achatant, ne en parlant, ne en autre manere, si li reis ^

1 coUe'] coal^ snbmergife. The
same punishment for scolds is foond
in the diarters of Rouen and of Fa-
laise.

' rdaschement'] relachement, di-
minution.

> menjani} mengant, mangant

* H reW] li sires is the reading in
a preyions paragraph which treats
of a similar excommunication, but it
is questionable whether the wordi
'' si li reis ou sis fill nest a Boan on
'' assisia " are not redundant in this
place.

THE COMMUNE OF ROYAN. 417

lings, and shall be ducked overhead three times in water,
and these ten shillings go to the wante of the vilL

IT If any jurat makes complaint of trespass which a Clmpter
jurat has done to him, or of any other quarrel, and isifaj^at
not willing to take proceedings ^ before the mayor and complains
before the echevins, he shall be detained, and shall be ^^^
ordered to find sureties and pledges, and shall swear
that he will not himself retaliate for the trespass upon
him, against whom he has made complaint ; and if after-
wards for this trespass the person trespassed against
commits a trespass against the trespasser, he shall be
adjudged peijured, and shall be at the mercy of the
mayor and the echevins for the trespass.

% If any jurat of the commune is fined for an offence, Chapter
and if he makes entreaty by any of his rich neighbours j^ ^ ?^^^
for a remission of his fine, unless he do it by the order is fined for
of the king,2 his fine shall be doubled, for it is not good * ^P^'
to have the ill-will ' of rich neighbours.

% If any body says that he is a jurat of the commune, Chapter
and the mayor and the echevins do not know it foTj^^^^^^^
certain, he shall prove it by the warrant of two jurats, of being a

jurat.

1[ If a clerk or a knight owes a debt to a jurat, and Chapter
the debtor is«not willing to do justice through the.^^^"^
mayor and the echevins, it is forbidden that any jurat debtor will
have intercourse with him in drinking or in eating, or ^ght*
in selling or in buying, or in speaking, or in any othe^

, J* 1 rm.* I " trictiones fiiciat per volnntatem

' proceedtngsj This proYision re- | ^^ „ '^

quiring a jurat to demand jostice
from the mayor's court instead of
retaliating upon the wrong doer,
is in accordance with the statute of
Marlbridge, temp. Henry III., '' Ut
nullus de csetero ultiones aut die-

s by order of the king"] The char-
ters of Bouen and of Falaise have
the words ^'nisi fiat pr^cepto do-

" mini regis."

> iU'tDilT] « malevolentiam " is in
the Boueo and Falaise charters.

VOL. II. D D

■ ■

418

LA COMUNE DE BOAN.

[foi.73.6.] ou sis fiLs nest a Roan oa asskia^ et si aacuns
iurez fait oontre ceste deffense, il rendra la depte aa
creancer, et sera en la merci dau maior et daus es-
quevins; et si par ceu li deptres ne veaut fure dreit
au creancer por lo mayor et par les esquevins, li
maires ajaera au iure a querre son dreit par les autres
iusticers.

Chapitre T Si en la commune est comptenz ^ de depte ou de
Qoftnteflt convenant par lo recort et par lo garantage de iL des
comptens xx. et iiii iurez, qui seront cre^z par lor simide parole,

dedepteou . . ^ . j i ^ -i

de conve- quar lurarent ce on commencement de lor an ; et si Ian
^^^' passe, et eaus deposez, sort' contenz de depte cregue
ou de convenant fait davant eaus, ou dautre choze^ on
Chapitre s^ra fine par lor saigremeni

XV.

Un jurec

Y Si vn daus zidiii. iurez porte de ce garantie, il en
ert creguz par sa parole.

ett cregiuE
par sa
parole.
[foL 74.]

Chapitre
xvi.
Quant
jnrez
portent
garantie.

IT Si duy ou trey dos autres iurez en portent garan-
tie, on sera fine par lor saicrement ; et si vns daua
iurez nen porte garentie, la querele sera demenee se-
gont la codume dau pais ; et si de x. sols ou domains '
est la querelle, ele sera finee par lou garantage de dos
pers sans saygrement.

> comptenz'] contenz as below.
^•orQ From the Latin snrgit.

' demains] de moins.

THE COMMXTNE OF ROYAN.

419

manner, if the king ^ or his son are at Roan or in
the assise^ and if any jurat acts contrary to this pro-
hibition, he shall render the debt to the creditor, and
shall be at the mercy of the mayor and the echevins ;
and if afber this the debtor is not willing to do right
to the creditor through the mayor and the echevins,
the mayor shall aid the jurat to obtain his right through
the other justices.*

IT If in the commune there is a contention of debt or Chapter
of covenant upon the record and upon the warrant of ^j^^^^'
two of the twenty-four jurats,* they shall be believed there is
upon their bare word, for they have sworn at the com- J^^t ^^
mencement of their year ; and if the year passes, and eontract.
they have laid down their office, and a dispute arises
about a debt contracted or a contract made before them,
or about any thing else, it shall be finished hy their
oath.

Y If one of the twenty-four jurats gives a guarantee Chapter
of this, he shall be believed upon his bare word. ^ .^^ -^

belieyed on

T If two or three of the other jurats offer to war- ^ '^<^'*-
rant, it shall be settled by their oath ; and if one of ^^^^^
the jurats offers to warrant, the dispute shall be settled When
according to the custom of the country; and if the|^^^*'"
dispute is of ten shillings or less, it shall be settled by thing,
the warrant of two peers without an oath.

> If the king] These and the
folloving words, down to "the
** assise," do not interfere with the
eonstmction of the paragraph, bat
tfaej are withont purport, if the con-
text is considered ; whereas in the
previous paragraph the whole pas-
sage is pertinent to what follows,
namely, that the offenders shall be
denounced to the justices of the

king. But it must be remarked
that the Bonen and Falaise charters
have the words " nisi dominns rex
« Tel filins cjas assint Rotfaom. yel
** Fales. yel assisia."

^ other jtutices] who may have
jurisdiction over him.

' the twenty-four juraW] These
would appear to be the aggregate
body of echevins and counsellors.

D D 2

420

LA COMUNE DE ROAN.

Chapitre

xrii.
Quant au-
cuxu £ut
clamor de
terre.

Chapitre

• ••

XYUl.

[fol 74.6.]

Dere-

qaerre sa
corte^'de
sa terre.

IT Si aucuns fait clamor de terre ou de possession
sur autre, la plainte dera pleges ou gage de segre sa
clamor ; et si apres est faite reconlssance de cele choze,
et la plainte seit convencuz de fausse clamor, il sera
en la merci dau mayor et daus esquevins de lix. sols,
quar ha fait fausse clamor en lour audience.

f Si aucuns requert la cort de sa terre,* il laura ;
et sil ne fait dreit a la plainte en ii. quinzenes, li
maires et li esquevin ou feront, se il na ogu* dreite
desacusance, que li maires et duy esquevins sachent.

Chapitre T Si aucun requert sa cort de depte, il laura et facet

De re^ dreit a la plainte en ii. octaves ; et sil no fait, li mayres

qaerresa et li esquevin on feront, si cil qui tent la cort ne ha

depte. ^ essoyne que li mayres et duy esquevin sachent.

Chapitre

XX.

Quant
aacons
deit debte
a aacun.

IT Si aucuns deit debte a aucun, et il ne volget ou
ne puchet paier, on baillera tant dau son au creancer
que il sera paiez, si cilz ha tant dont li creancer
puchet estre paiez; et se il na tant, il sera mis fors
la cite iuque^ il aura fait lo gre dau maior et daus
esquevins et do creancer. Et si il est trobez en la cite
avant que il ait fet lour gre, il sera mis en chartre
[fol. 76.J iusque U seit reins ^ de cent sols, ou par sey ou par
autre, et adonques iurera que il ne retomera en la cite

1 requerre sa corte"] This passage
is thus explained in Le Conseil de
Pierre de Fontaines, ch. xxi. s. xxyi.,
" et le premiers sires requerrasa
*' cort, porce que il sont si home.''
In other words, if any lord of a
manor claims jurisdiction over land
in dispute on the ground of its being
a fief within his manor.

3 la cort de aa terre] That is, the
court of the manor.
' ogu] probably aucun.

* tuque'] luques, from the Latin
usque. In old Pkt>T6n9al inqaio,
iuquis.

* retfw] rains, ransonn^ ** Donee
redimatur " is in the Rouen charter.

THE COMMUNE OF BOYAN.

421

T If any one makes claim to land in the possession Chapter
of another, the plaintiff shall give pledges or security when any
to follow up his claim ; and if afterwards a recognition* on« claims
shall be made of the matter, and the plaintiff be con-
victed of a false claim, he shall be at the mercy of the
mayor and the echevins to the amount of fifty-nine
shillings,^ because he has made a false claim in their
hearing.

T If any person claims his court in the matter of Chapter
his land, he shall have it ; and if he does not do jus- xo claim
tice to the plaintiff in two fortnights,* the mayor and jurisdiction

over land*

the echevins shall do so, if he has not a rightful ex-
cuse, which the mayor and the echevins know of.

T If any person claims his court in the matter of Chapter
a debt, he shall have it, and do justice to the plai n tiff xo claim
in two weeks ; * and if he does not do so, the mayor j«ri«iiction
and the echevins shall do it, if he .who holds the court of deht.
has no excuse which the mayor and the echevins know
of.

f If anybody owes a debt to anybody, and he will Chapter
not or cannot pay, there shall be delivered to thewhen^any
creditor so much of his property as will enable him one oi^es a
to pay himself, if the debtor has enough out of which another,
the creditor may be paid ; and if he have not so much,
he shall be sent out of the city, until he shall have
made satisfaction to the mayor and to the echevins
and to the creditor. And if he is found in the city
before he has made satisfaction to them, he shall be
put in prison until he shall be ransomed for one
hundred shillings, either by himself or by another, and
thereupon he shall sweax that he will not return into

' recoynitioti] That is by an in-
qaest, or by a recognition npon the
oath of pe^rs.

^ shUlingB'] In the charters of

Rouen and of Falaise the words
** bolidis AndegaTcnsibus ** are used.

^ fortnighta] literally, fifteen days.

* weeks] literally, octaves.

422

LA GOMUNE DE ROAN.

insquatant^ que il aura fait lo gre dau mayor et daus
esquevins et dau creancer.

Cbapitre IT Si hom estranges £ELit clamor au mayor et aus
Si horn esquevins de debte que iurez li det, et li iurez ait
estranges seignor, et li sires requert sa cort, il laura ; et se il ne
dS debte^^ fait dreit a la plainte dedenz iii. iors, li mayres ou li

esquevin on feront.

Chapitre
zxii.
Quant la

f Si la commune deit aler fors dau pais par lo com-

mandement lo rey ou de sa iustice, li may re et li

commonc esquevinles quaus* il establiront a garder la cite, et

fore dau qui aprcs hore de issir sera trobez en la cite, sera con-

pais. vencuz par ceaus qui seront reines' a garder la cite,

et sera en la merd dau maior et daus esquevins da-

batre sa maysou ou de cent sols ee il ne la, et si puys

[fol. 75. 6.] que la commune sera mogue, aucuns sen depart par

arber^ ou par autre choze sanz conge* dau maior ou

sanz essoine de son cors, il sera en la mere! dau mayor

et daus esquevins.

Chapitre
xxiiL
Quant an
cnns ha
mesdit de
la com--
mane.

a Encore sachent tuit que establi est en la com-
mune, que si aucuns ha mesdit de la commune, et de
son dit aforfait, si ii. daus esquevins on ant oy, par lor
simple parole seront atainz et provez et sera en la
merci dau mayor et des esquevins; et si ii. des iurez

^ iusquatanti' ^usqvL* k tant, donee I ' rentes'] remis.
fecerit. * arber] The charter of Bouen

^ esquevinles quaus"] esquevin les
quauB.

has causa hospitandL Arber maj
be a miswriting.

THE COMMUNE OF ROYAN.

423

the city until he shall have made satisfaction to the
mayor and to the echevins and to the creditor.

T If a stranger makes a claim before the mayor and Chapter
the echevins for a debt which a jurat owes him, and if a"^*
the jurat has a lord^ and the lord ' claims jiuisdiction, stranger
he i^all exercise it; and if he does not justice to the^^^^
plaintiff within three days, the mayor and the echevins
shall do justice to him.

H If the commune ought to march forth out of the Chapter
country ^ by order of the king or of his justices, the "wti^^^^
mayor &ad the echevins shall establish a guard of the commune
city, and he who after the hour of going forth shall ^fch***
be found in the city, shall be convicted by those who forth,
shall be left behind to guard the city, and shall be at
the mercy of the mayor and the echevins to raze his
house to th^ ground, or to pay a fine of one hundred
shillings, if he has them ; and if, after the commune
shall have moved, any one departs for shelter* or for
any other thing without the leave of tbe mayor or
without excuse of his person, he shall be at the mercy
of the mayor and of the echevins.'

T Further let every person know that it is esta- Chapter
blished in the commune, that if any person has slan- ^^jj^^
dered the conmmne, and if two of the echevins have one has
heard his said slander, he shall be attainted, and the th^^^
offence shall be proved' by their bare word, and he mime,
shall be at the mercy of the mayor and of the echevins ;
and if two of the jurats have heard it^ it shall be

^ out of Ihe country] This may
haTe been a levy en masse to aid
the execntiye power, like calling oat
the posse comitatus in an English
conntj, unless it had reference to a
time of war. No Tassels were
obliged to follow their lord beyond

the limits of his fief, but the king
was lord paramount of every fief.

^fir sheUer} To obtain a lodg-
ing, seems to be the meaning of the
Latin version.

> eehemns ] The charters of
Rouen and of Falaise end bore.

424 LA COMUNE D£ ROAN.

ou ont oy par lor saigrement seront proez, et sera en
la dite merci, et si vns sous ou a oy oil qui aura
mesdit, se puet espurger^ par son saigrement et par
vi. homes.

Chapitre f Hom quiconques seit de la vile qui refudet lo
Q^?^^^^ saigrement de la commune, si il en es proez* il deit
lo saigre- estre pris et mis en lians de fer et en la chartre ' de la
™^,^e* commune iuques il ait fait laraande au maior et aus

[fol. 76.] esquevins dau mesprez de la commune.

Chapitre f Si vecoms * de la vile ou autre baillis par lo rey
Quant^ve- ^® P^^ metre mayn au iurez de la commune par lor
corns pot meflFait, sine sunt convencu en la cort au maior de
a« jM^dT i^ort dome, et cilz qui de la mort est atains et con-
la com- yeincu en la cort au maior de mort dome, et si chataus '
°"^'- sunt eu la mayn lo rey, et sil ha maison o verger oest
au mayor et a la commune a en fayre dreiture ; les
autres cbozes sunt aus hers, si il les ha.

Chapitre f Si aucutis dcfors commune mefiait a aucun .de la
Siaucttns commune, et il puchet estre pris, il deit estre liez en
defers com- lians de fer et mis en la chartre de la commune, iuques
&H°^aa- ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ lamande au maior et aus esquevins, et a

cun de la [

commune.

[foL 76. 6.] * espurger^ From the Latin cx-
purgare.

*/woer] provez, prony^.
^ chartre] cartre, from the Latin
career.

* vecoms'] yicomte, from the Latin
yice-comes.

• ^ chataus"] chateux, chattda.

THE COMMUNB OF BOYAN.

425

proved by their oaths, and he shall be at the said
mercy, and if one only has heard what he has said, he
may purge himself by his own oath and by six men.*

T Any man, whoever he may be, that refuses the Chapter

X.X1V

oath ' of the commune, if it is proved, ought to be He who
taken and set in fetters of iron, and in the prison of r«^®**<i
the commune, until he has made amends to the mayor to the
and the echevins for his contempt of the communa commnne.

T The viscount of the vill,' or other bailli* of the Chapter
king, may not lay hands on a sworn man of the com- '^^"^Jje
mune for his crime, unless he is convicted in the court ▼iscount
of the mayor of the death of a man, and when a man ^^^ ^q ^
is attainted and convicted, his chattels are in the hands jurat of Ae
of the king, and if he has a house or orchard, it is for
the mayor and the echevins to do justice against it ;
his other goods are for his heirs, if he has any.

commune.

f If any one outside of the commune has injured any Chapter
one of the commune, and he can be taken, he ought if ^ one
to be bound in fetters of iron and set in the prison outside the
of the commune, until he shall have made compen- im>Dg8 a
sation to the mayor and to the echevins, and to him memher

•^ of the com-

mnne.

^ by nx men] That u hy the oath
of six compurgators, cf. ch. zliy. of
the Contumier of Oleron.

' refuses the oath] refuses to take
an oath of fealty to the commune.

> viscount of the mfl] The vi-
comte was the representatiye of the
king, and was probably the chief
magistrate within the viil, as the
mayor was within the city. It
should be remarked, however, that
** ville " has been used in chapter
viii. as if it meant the town generally.

The suburbs of an ancient town
beyond the walls was often called
the vill or the borough, as dis-
tinguished from the ancient city.
Thus Southwark was in early times
called the tIU of Southwark, as at
present it is called the borough, and
so likewise Westminster, both being
under the goTemment of a high
bailiff.

^ bailU] administrator of crown
domains.

42(J

LA COMUNE DE ROAN.

celoi a cuy il aura fiut lo meffait ; et ail ne puet esfcre
pris^ li maires en deit requerre dreit au eeignor de
oeluy qui aura meffait. Et si par son seignor li maires
ne puet aver de celuy dreit par son iure, oil qui seront
de la commune quicunques seent, quant il io porront
prendre^ il en prendront lor dreit sanz autre clamor.

Chapitre % Quicunques daus iurez trayra cotea^ o espee, ou
QuicuB- ftnnes esmolues * sur son iure, il deit estre pris et mis
ques trayra en la chartre iuques atant que il ait &it amande au

cotea ou • j. i ±^J

espee. maior et a lautre.

Chapitro f Se il couvieut aler au besoig' de la vile, li mayres
Se"^on- ot li esquevins devent porveer ; quicunques refuidera
vient aler ^iXev Duvs que il en sera requis, il ert en la merci dau

au besoiir . ^

de la vile, mayor et des esquevins.

Chapitre

xxix. T Nus ne puet veer * son chevau a aler por le besoig
'^w^ne'^ de la vile, et se il treys fez* amonestez dau maior ou
poetyeer de SOU commandcment on veet, il ert en la merci au

son chevau

a aler per maior.

la vUe.

Chapitre f Li mayres iurera au commencement de sannee que
Li ^W8 ^^ ^® *®^ priere par sey, ne par autre, vers lo seignor
jureraque dau pais, ne vers barons, ne vers baillis, que il seit
prfe^rfvers ^aires outre cele anne, se il non esteit par lo oommu-
lo seignor nau assentcmcnt de la vile.

dau pais.

Chapitre IT Encore iurera li maires et li esquevin et li per®

Lim*^' * ^^g®^ ^^^^f ^® P*^ "^^' ^® P^ aiguene^ iugeront
jurera autre choze.

jkjuger

dreit

> cotea] conteau.

> armes esmolues ] Esmouler :
aiguiser, Roquefort

^ aler au besoig'] go on an expe-
dition on account of the town.

* veer] refuser, from the Latin
vetare.

* treys fez] trois fois.

* U per] the peers.

7 aiguene] aygrin : aigreor, from
aler, Roquefort.

■

THE COMMUNE OF ROYAN.

427

to whom he has done the injury ; and if he cannot be
taken, the mayor ought to request justice from the
lord^ of him who has done the injury. And if the
mayor cannot obtain from the lord justice for his
jurat, those who shall be of the commune, wherever
they may be, whenever they can take him, shall exact
justice from him without further proceedings.*

IT Whoever of the jura.ts shall draw knife, or sword, Chapter
or edged weapon against a jurat of the commune, he whoever
ought to be taken and set in prison until he has made draws knife
compensation to the mayor and to the other man.

T If it is requisite to go [on an expedition] for the ^^y^^
service of the vUl, the mayor and the echevins shall Iritis re-
provide persons; whoever shall refuse to go after hcgoany^
has been required, he shall be at the mercy of the^^ere'^"'

J . -I -L . the serrice

mayor and the echevins. of the

town.

T No one can refuse his horse to go for the service of Chapter
the vill, and if after three admonitions from the mayor no one can
and his messemrer he reftises, he shall be at the mercy F^^°*® ^^

^ , , ° "^ horse to go

01 tne mayor. anjwhere

for the

T The mayor shall swear at the commencement of *®^^'
his year that he will not, either by himself or by xk?"^
another, make any request to the lord of the manor, The mayor
nor to barons, nor to baillis, that he may be mayor ^^t to^a^"^
for another year, if he be not made mayor by thea^^®^'**^

, All Ml the lord-of

common assent of the vm. the manor.

% Further the mayor and the echevins and the peers Chapter
shall swear to judge rightly, and that they will notrph^^yo^

shall swear
to judge
right

judge otherwise through love or through hatred.

^ the lord"] under whose jurisdic-
tion he may be.

^further proceedings] This sounds
very like what has been termed
« lynch law."

428 LA COMUNE D£ ROAN.

Chapitre % Encore iureront que il ne .prendront deners ne
Limayres loQgers ^ por dreit fere, et que il iugeront dreiture ae*
joreraqne gont lor conscience, et segont les raisons et les alle-

11 ne pren- . - . .

draloa- gacions daus parties.

gen.

[fbL77.6.j f Si li mayres ou aucuns daus esquevins poet estre
joi^^ provez que il ait pris louger por dreit fere de aucune
La peine querelle, par quey aucuns ait este en esquevinage, la
nuyor^qoi iK^^ison de celuy maior ou de celuy esquevin qui aura
anrapna prfs lo loger sera abatue sanz contredit, et cilz qui
^^ ^^' sur ceu aura meffait, ne si lier,« ne auront iameis
seignorie de mayre ne de autre office e la commune.

Explicit iste liber, sit scriptor crimine liber.
Qui scripcit scribat, ludere scriptor eat,

eat, eat.

^ hugera"] logner, priz, recom-
pense, Roquefort; en bas Latin,
logeriom.

^ si her'\ son heritier, from the
Latin heeres.

THE COMMUNE OF ROTAN. 429

f Further they shall swear that they will not take Chapter
money nor reward for doing justice, and that they will Ti^"iyor
judge right according to their conscience, and accord- shall swear
ing to the reasons and the allegations of the parties. ^pt a

bribe.

f If the mayor or any of the echevins can be proved Chapter
that he has taken reward for doing justice in any dis- rji^^"^*
pute, in which any person has been in the court of the punish-
echevins, the house of that mayor, or of that echevin, JJJayor
shall be razed to the ground without contradiction, who has
and neither he who has done this transgression, nor||^^^be.
his heir, shall ever fill the office of mayor, or any other
office in the commune.

Thebook here ends, blame not the writer, pray ;
Who wrote may write, let him now go to play,

Let him go, let him go.

LA MANIERE COMMENT LES MAISTRES DES
NAVIEBS ET MAECHANS ET AULTRES
MARINIEES COMPAIGNONS SE DOIVENT
REGIE ET GOUVERNER PAR LE JUGE-
MENT DE LA MER ET ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

THE MANNER HOW THE MAYSTERS OF
SHYPS AND MERCHAUNTS AND OTHER
MARYNER COMPAlf IONS OUGHT TO RULE
AND GOVERNE THEMSELVES BY THE
JUDGEMENT OF THE SEE AND THE
BOLLE OF OLAYRON.

ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

•N yv /x 'vrv* vx 'Xi'^'xy*. /^ J

LA MANIERE COMMENT LES MAITRES DES
NAVIRES ET MARCHANS ET AULTRES MA-
RINIERS COMPATGNONS SE DOIVENT RE6IR
ET GOUVERNER PAR LE JU6EMENT DE LA
MER ET ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

J. Fremierement,^ quant lou faict ung homme maistre

dune nef ou aultre navire, et ladicte nef ou navire
appartient a plusieurs, et ladicte nef sen va et departist
du pays dont elle est, et vient a Bourdeaulx, ou a
Rouen,' ou en aultre pays, et se frette a aller en
Lescosse,' ou en aultre pays estrange, le maistre ne
peult mye ^ vendre la nef, sil na procuration ou mande-
ment especial des seigneurs de ladicte nef. Mais sil a

> Premieremeni] This is the ear-
liest printed text of the enlarged
version of the Rolls of Oleron. It
is copied from a black letter edition
of «Le Grand Rontier de Mer,"
printed at Poitiers by Jan de Mar-
nef at the sign of the Pelican (with-
out a date), which is preserved in
the Bodleian library at Oxford.
The work was compiled in the lat-
ter part of the fifteenth century, as
far as may be judged from the dedi-
cation, which is addressed by the
author, Pierre Gkotiie, alias Fer-
rande, to his godson, and which is
dated from St Gille on the last day
of May AS), 1483. The style of
the type aignes the printing of the
work to be of a somewhat later date.
An English translation of the text
of this work is appended to Dr.

Godolphin's View of the Admiral
Jurisdiction, printed in London AJ>.
1661, under the titie of ** An Extract
" of the Ancient Sea-Laws of Ole-
" ron, rendered into English out of
" Garcias, alias Ferrande/' Bedford,
in his MS. translation of the Black
Book of the Admiralty, has intro-
duced a translation of the enlarged
version of the Bolls of Oleron after
the text, which Cleirac has published
in " Les Us et Cootumes de la Mer."

' Rouen] Bochelle is the readiog
of the ancient MSS.

* LeBcosae] This reading is pecu-
liar to the enlaiged version of the
Bolls.

^ ne peult myc] ne pent pas, Oei-
rac, who invariably substitutes peu
for mye.

ROLLE OF OLAYRON.

'>^^ /N f "^.^^.'N /* <-. *^ /^fc/*.' _^~' ^^ ."^ '

THE MANNER HOW THE MAYSTERS OF VESSELS
AND MERCHAUNTS AND OTHER MARINER
COMPANIONS OUGHT TO HULE AND GO-
VERN THEMSELVES BY THE JUDGEMENT
OF THE SEE AND THE ROLLE OF OLAYRON.

First, when a man is made mayster of a shyp or other
vesselle, and the said shyp or vesselle belongeth to
severalle parteners, and the said shyp goeth away and
departeth from the countre of whiche it is, and cometh
to Bourdeaulx, or to Rouen, or to another countre, and
is fraught to go to Scotland,' or another straunge
countre, the mayster cannot sell the shyp yf he have
not a procuracyon or special mandate from the owners
of the said shyp. But yf he have need of money for

^ Fvnt\ The articles of Garcie'B
version of the Rolls of Oleron, as
far as the 22nd article incltided,
are in substance identical with the
articles of Cleirae*a version. There
are, however, sufficient differences
between them to warrant the opinion
that Cleirac was not a mere copyist
of Garcie's text, more particularly
as the articles after the twenty-second
are differently arranged in the two
y ersiona. Both of the versions agree
in omitting the article on coasting
pilots, which is the tenth in the
Jutgamen de la Mer and in all the
ancient Snglish MSS. of the Judg-
ments of the Sea; and whilst the
2Srd article of Garcie's version has

VOL. II,

been divided into the 23rd and S4th
of Cleirac's, the 29th and 30th of
Garde's version are combined toge-
ther m the 25th of Cleirac's, so that
ultimately the number of articles in
the two versions remains the same,
namely, forty-seven. The variation
in the order of the articles will bt
noticed in thar proper place. An
English translation of Cleirac's ver-
sion has been appended to Peter's
(American) Admiralty Declaions,
vol. i., accompanied by the greater
part of Cleinu^B annotations.

^Scotland'] Garcie speaks of Eng-
land in article xvi., which name Clei-
rac has struck out ; but Cleirac has
retained Scotland in this place.

£ E

434 ROOLLE DOLATROK.

meatier dargent pour les despens de la nef^ il peult
mettre aucuns des appareil en gaige par le conseil des
mariniers de la nef. Cest le iugement en tel cas.

H- Item, vne nef est en vn havre, et demoure pour

attendre son fret et son temps; et quant il vient a
son departir, le maistrejioit prendre conseil avec ses
conpaignons, et leur dire, " Seigneurs, vous haiste ce
" temps ;" aucuns y aura qui diront, " Ce temps nest
" mye bon, car il est nouvellement venu, et le doivons
" laisse rasseoir ; ^ et les aultres diront " le temps est bel
" et bon." Lors le maistre ^st tenu a soy accorder
avecques la plusgrande partie et oppinion de ses con-
paignons ; et sil faisoit autrement, et la nef se perdoit,
il est tenu de rendre ladicte nef, ou la somme quelle
seroit prisee, sil a dequoy. Cest le iugement.

ni. Item, si vne navire ou nef se pert par fortune en

&ucunes terres en quelque lieu que ce soit, les mari-
niers sont tenuz de saulver le plus quilz pourront
saulver des biens de ladicte nef, et des denrees ; et
silz aydent a les saulver, le maistre est tenu de leur
bailler leurs coustz raisonnablement' a venir en leur
terre. Et sil ont tant saulve, par quoy le maistre le
puisse faire, lors ledict maistre pent bien engager des
choses qui seront saulvees a aucun preud home* pour
les avoir. Et ilz naydent a saulver lesdicte choses,
lors ledicte maistre nest en rien tenu a les pourveoir,
aincoys ilz perdent leurs loyers quant la nef est
perdue ; et ne peust ledict maistre vendre les appareilz
de la nief sil na commandement ou procuration des
seigneura ; aincoys il les doit mettre en saulvegarde
iusques a tant quilz sache la volunte des seigneurs.

> asseoir'] rasseoir, CI. | =^ preud komme} probus homo.

ROLLE OF OLAYRON. 435

the expenses of the shyp he may lay some of the
takelyng to pledge by the councell of the marjniers of
the shyp. This is the judgement in such a case.

Likewise, a ship is in a haven, and taryeth to s.
awayte its freyghte and its wether, and when it cometh
for its departure the mayster ought to take councell
with his felowes, and saye to them, " Mates, you have
" this wether \' some there wyll be who wyll saye, " Tlie
" wether is not good, for it has newly set in, and we
" ought to let it settle ; " others will saye the wether is
fayre and good. Thereupon the mayster is holden to
agre with. the greater number and opinion of his felowes,
and yf he doeth otherwyse, and the shyp is lost, he is
holden to restore the said sliyp, or the siimme at whiche
it is praysed, yf he have wherwith. This is the
judgement.

Likewise, if a vesselle or shyp is lost by chaunce in 8.
any landes in any place whatsoever, the maryners are
holden to save the most they can save of the goodes
of the said shyp, and the marchaundises ; and if they
helpe to save them, the mayster is bounde to gyve them
theyr costes reasonably to goo to lande ; and if they
have saved so moche wherby the mayster may do it,
further, the said mayster may well pledge the thynges,
whiche shall be saved to some honest man to have them,
^nd if they helpe not to save the said thynges, then
the said mayster is not bounde to provide for them, on
the contrarie they lose theyr wages when the shyp is
lost. And the said mayster cannot sell the takelynge of
the ship, yf he have not a mandate or procuracyon of
the owners ; on the contrarie, he ought to place them
in saufgard unto the tyme when he dooth knowe the

1 pledge the tf^gee] This aatho-
rity for the master to pledge the
goods salved iVom the wreck is here

more explicitly stated than in the
ancient HISS, of the Judgments of
the Sea.

E £ 2

436 ROOLLE DOIiAYRON.

et le doit faire le plus loyaulment quil pourra; et sil
£ftisoit aaltrement il est tenu a ladmender, sil a
dequoy. Cest le iugement.

jY Item, si vne nef se depart de la Rochelle ^ ou daultre

lieu chargee, il advient aucunes foya que la nef sempire,
Ion saulve le plus quon peust des denrees, le marchans
et les maistres sont en grant debat, et demandent les
marchans a avoir du roaistre leurs denrees : il doivuent
bien avoir payant le fret de tant que la nef aura &ict
tel voyage, veue par veue, cours par cours, sil plaist
au maistre. Et si le maistre veult, il peult adouber
sa nef, sil est [en] cas quelle peult estre prestement
adoubee, et sinon ny peult louer vne _ aultre nef pour
achever son voyage: et aura le maistre son fret de tant
comme il aura des denrees saulves. Et doit le fret des-
dictes denrees que sont saulves estre compte tout livre a
livre, et les denrees a paier selon ladvenement des costz,
qui auroient estemys^ esdiates denrees saulver. Et si
ainsi estoit que le maistre et les marchans promissent es
gens qui leurs ayderoient a saulver la nef et lesdictes
denrees la tierce partie, ou la moitie desdictes denrees
qui pourroient estre saulvees, pour le peril ou ilz sont ;
la iustice du pays doit bien regarder quelle peine et
quel labeur ilz auront mys a les saulver, et selon
icelle peine, nonobstant celle promesse que lesdictz
maistres et marchans leurs auroienj^ faictes, ler gaer-
donner. Cest le iugement.

^ Bochelle'] Bordeaux is the reading of the ancient JMSS., and is
adopted bj Cleirac.
> ^tten^t"] este idib, CI.

ROLLE OP OLATRON.

437

wyll of the owners, and he ought to do it the most
fairly that he can ; and 3^ he do otherwyse, he is holden
to make amendes, yf he have wherwith. This is the
judgement.

Likewise, if a shyp departe from La Bochelle or
other place laden^ it chaunceth sometymes that the shyp
is damaged, they save as much as they can of the mar-
chaundise, the marchauntes and the mayster are in
greaib dispute, and the marchauntes demande to have
thejnr goodes from the mayster ; they ought well to have
them, payinge the freyght for so much of the voyage
which the shyp has made, view by view, and course
by course, jrf it please the mayster. And yf the mayster
wyll, he may repayr his shyp, 3^ it be in a case to be
speedily repayred, and yf not, he may hyre another
shyp to fynysshe the voyage, and the mayster shall
have his freyght of as much of the goodes as shall be
saved. And the freyght^ of the said goodes, that be
saved, ought to be rekened pounde by pounde, and
the goodes to pay the amount of the costes, which have
been incurred to save the said goodes ; and yf it were
so, that the mayster and the marchauntes have pro-
mised, to folke, that shuld helpe them to save the
shyp and the said goodes, the thyrde parte or half of
the said goodes which shuld be saved for the peryll
that they be in, the justyce of the country ought
well to regarde what payne and what labour they have
done in saving them, and after that payne, notwith-
standing that promise whiche the said mayster and the
marchauntes shall have made, rewarde them. This is
the judgment.

1 And the freyght] This article in
the 'ancient English and Cairtilian
MSB. finishes with the word << sayed."
The concluding part, commencing
with the words, '< And th*e freyght,"

was probably added at an early
period in France, as it is found in
all the early French versions of the
Judgments of the Sea.

438

ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

V. f Item, vne nef se despart daucune ccJntree chargee
ou vuyde, et est anivee en aucune part ; les mariniers
lie doivent mye yssir hors sans le congie du maistre,
car si la nef se perdoit ou empiroit par aucune ad-
venture et fortune/ ilz sont tenuz a amender ; mais si
la nef estoit en lieu, ou elle seroit ancree et amarree
de deux ou de trois amarres, ilz peuvent bien yssir
sans le conge du maistre ; en laissant lune partie des
conpaignons raarimers pour garder le bort et les den-
rees, et eulx en revenir par temps a leur nef et bort.^
£t sil estoient en demeu,' ilz le doiveut amender, silz
ont dequoy. Cest le iugement

VI. f Item, mariniers * se louent avecques leurs maisti'es,
et y en a deux qui sen yssent sans conge de leur
maistre, et sen yvrent, et font contemps, debatz, et
meslees, desquelz y en a aucuns que sont navi*ez; le
maistre nest mye tenu a les faire guerir, ne a les
pourvoir en riens; ains le peult bien mettre hors la
nef eulx et leurs escours,' et se ilz coustent,^ ilz sont
tenuz de paier le plus au maistre. Mais si le maistre
les envoye en aucun service pour le proflSt de la nef,
et ilz se blessoyent, ou Ion leur feist chose grevante,
ilz doivent estre gueriz et pensez sur le const de ladicte
nef. Cest le iugement.

VXI. Item, quant il advient que aucune maladie prent vn

des mariniers de la nef, en faisant le service de ladicte
nef, le maistre le doit mettre hors de ladicte nef; et
si luy doit querir hostel, et luy doit querir ^ lumiere,
comme gresse ou chandelle, et luy doit bailler vn

' adventure etforhme] mesadven-
ture^ Ci.
' et horf] omitted, CI*
' demeu] demeurc, CL

^ mariniers] si les maiinien, CL
' escours] seconn, CI.
> couMteni] comptent, CI.
7 querir] bailler, CI.

^^^^^^mmm*

ROLtiE OP OLAYROK.

43d

Likewise a ahyp departeth from any countre laden or
voyde, and ary veth at another place ; the maryners ought
not to go out without leave of the mayster, for yf the
ahyp should be lost or damaged by any chaunce and
fortune, they are holden to make aroendes ; but yf the
shyp were in a place where it was ankered and moored
with two or three cables,^ they may well go out without
the leave of the mayster, levynge some of the maryners
to keep the deck and the goodes, and they to oome back
betime to the ship and deck ; and if they delay they
ought to make amendes if they have wheiwith. This
is the judgement.

Likewise maryners bynd themselves with theyr mays-
ter, and there are one or two who go out withoutte leave
of the mayster, and get dronken, and make strife and
dispute and fight, whereby some of them are hurte, the
mayster is not holden to make them to be healed, nor to
provide them with any thing, but he may well put them
and theyr helpers ^ out of the shyp ; and if they cost any
thing, they are bounde to pay what is more to the
mayster. But yf the mayster sonde them on any er-
rande for the prouffyte of the shyp, and they shuld
wounde theym, or any one shuld do them a grevous
thing, they ought to be healed and dressed at the costes
of the said shyp. This is the judgement.

Likewise when it chaunces that any sekenesse take
one of the maryners of the shyp in doyng the sei'vice of
the said sbyp, the mayster ^ ought to set hym out of the
shyp, and ought to soke a lodgynge for hym, and ought
to soke a lyght as talowe or candell for hym, and ought

^ liDo or three eabiea^ Four cables
are mentioned in the English and
Castilian MSS.

- their helpers] Thete words are
not in the English MSS. Leur

ostils is the reading of the early
Breton yersions.

^ the mayster"] This power is
expressly given to the master in the
English MSS. only in cases where the
sailor is too sick to do his work.

440 EOOLLE DOL^TRON.

vaxlet de ladicte nef a le gorder, oa lay loaer vne
femxne, qui preigne garde de luy, et si lay doit poorr
veoir de telle viande comme Ion vse en la nef, cest
afisavoir, aatant comme il prenoit, qaant il estoit en
sante, ne rien plas, sil ne plaist aa maistre. Et sil
veult avoir viandes plus delicieuses/ le maistre nest
mye tentt le querir,^ sil nest a ses deepens. Et si sa
nef estoit preste a sen partir, elle ne doit demourer
pour luy. Sil guerijst, il doit avoir son loyer tout
eomptant en rabatant le £ret,^ si le maistre lay a faict ;
et sil meurt, sa femme 6u ses prochains amys^ le'
doivent avoir pour luy. Cest le iugemeni

Vlll. ^ Item, vne nef est chargee a aller a Caen,* ou en
autre lieu, et advient que tourmente la prent en la
mer, et quelle ne peult eschapper sans getter les den-
rees et marchandie pour allever ^ ladicte nef, et pour
saulver le demourant et les corps de la nef Lors le
maistre doit dire, "Seigneurs, il convient^ getter hors
vne partie de ceste marchandise pour saulver la nef" ^
Et sil ny a nulz marchans, que respondent leurs vo«
lunte, et greent ou ont aggreable' le gict pour leur
taisement, lors le maistre doit faire ce que sera en
luy, et faire gict. Et sil nont aggreable ledict gicti
et contredisans^ non pourtant le maistre ne doit mye
laisser quel ne getteroit tant quil verroit que bien
seroit, iurant luy et le tiers de ses compaignons sur
les sainctes evangilles, quant ilz venoit a sa droicte

1 voye descharger, quil le faisoit^® pour sauver le corps

s •

^ deHcieutesJ deiictktm, CI. I ^ convient"] faat, GL

- guerir'] requerir, CI.
' lefret] les frais, CI.

* amys"] omitted, CI.

^ a Caeri] de Bourdeauz a Caen,
CI.

• cdleuer^ faire aller, CI.

^ pour saulver la nef] omitted hy
CI.

' ou ont aggrealde} ''ont agreable"
in brackets in CI.

w&/awiOontjett«,CL

BOLLE OF OLATRON. 441

to give hym a boy of the said shyp to attend upon hym
or to hyre a woman to take care of hym, and ought to
purvey hym of suche meat ae is used in the shyp, that
is to wyte, as moche as he toke when he was in helth,
and no more, yf it do not please the mayster. And yf
he will have deyntyer meates, the mayster is not bounde
to gete to seke them except at his costes. And yf the
shyp be redy to departe, it ought not to tary for hym ;
and yf he be healed he ought to have his hyre fully
reckoned, rebatynge the expense,^ yf the mayster has
made any for hym ; and yf he dye, his wyfe or his next
frendes ought to have it for hym. This is the judge-
ment.

Likewise a shyp is laden to go to Caen ^ or elswhere, 8-
and it chaunceth that a tourment taketh it in the sea,
and that it cannot escape - withoute casting out the
goodes and marchaundise to lyghten the said shyp, and to
save the residue, and the hull of the shyp. Therupon the
mayster ought to say, " Mates^ it behoveth to cast over
" a part of this marchaundise to save the shyp." And yf
there be any marchaunts, who make answere that they
are wylling, and agre to or are agreable to the castyng
over by their silence, thereupon the mayster ought to do
that which depends on hym, and cast over. And if they
are not agreable to the castyng over, and object, the
mayster nevertheless ought not to refrain from castyng
over as moche as he shall see goode, swearing hymselfe
and the thyrde parte of his felowes on the Holy Gospels,
whan they be come to the right place of theyr dys-
charge, that he dyd it to save the hull of the vessel and

> the expense'] This judgmeDt is ' purpose of interestiiig Norman
in accordance with the maritime law [ traders. The more ancient MSS*
of Rome. Digest xix. tit. ii. p. 38.

'to Caen] The introduction of
the name of the cit}[^of Caen into
Uiis article most have heen for the

have simply <<from Bourdeanx."
Cleirac has *'from Bonrdeaox to
« Caen."

442 BOOLLE DOLATRON.

de la nef, et les autres decrees, qui encores y sont;
et les vins,' qui 8^x>ient gettez, doivent estre prisez
aux fruictz^ de ceulx qui seroient venuz a sauvete.
Et quant ilz seront venduz^ si les doit Ion departir
livre a livre entre les marchans, et le maistre y doit
partir et compter le nef ou le fret a son choix. £t
pour recouvrer le dommage, et les mariniers doivent
avoir vn tonneau franc, et lautre doit pai'tir au get,
selon quil y aura, sil le defend comme bon homme
en la mer. Et sil ne defend, il naura rien de fran-
chise, et peuvent bien les marchans charger le maistre
par son serment. Cest le jugement.

IX. Item, sil advient que le maistre couppe^ son mast

pour force de gros temps, il doit appeller les marchans
qui ont les denrees en la nef, si aucuns en ya^ et leur
dire, " Seigneurs, il convient coper ce mast pour saulver
'' la nef et les denrees ;" car cest chose convenable par
loyaulte. Et plusieurs fois advient, que Ion couppe
cables funains,^ et laisse Ion cables et ancres pour
saulver la nef et les denrees. Toutes ses choses sont
comptees, livi*e a livre, comme gect, et quant Dieu
doDue que la nef est venue a sa droicte descharge a
saulvete, les marchans doivent paier^ leurs advenans^
sans delay, ou vendre gaigner^ argent, tout avant que
les denres soient mises dehors de la nef. Et si la est
a louage,^ et le maistre y demourast par raison de leur
debat, et voit coullaison,^^ le maistre ny doit mye partir.

1 ies Dins'] les viii8 ct autre mar- , ' advenans'] advenaiis et parti, CL
chandise, CL " gaigner] gager, ou gaiguer, Q.

^fruictxl fur, CI. ^ «* la est a louage] s'il les a aUoue,

' couppe] veuille cooper, CU CI.

*funains] et funins, CI. ' ^° ^i^ coukuson] y voit collusion,
• ia nef] la chose, CI. CI.

^ paier] paier au maistre, Cl«

SOLLK OF C^LATSON.

443

the other goodes, that are yet in it, and the wynes that
were caste over ought to be praysed at the produce ^ of
those which be come to safety. And when they shall
be .solde, they ought to be devyded, pounde by pounde,
amonge the said marchauntes, and the mayster ought to
share and recken the shyp or the freight at his choyse,
and for recoveryng of the damages the maryners ought
to have one tonne free, and the other ought to share in
the casting over, accordynge as he shall have, if he has
behaved hym as a goode man, but if has not so behaved
hym, he shall have nothynge of the franchyse, and the
marchauntes may charge the mayster for it by his othe.
This is the judgement.

Likewise, yf it chaunceth that the mayster cut his
mast away by force of wether, he ought to call the
marchauntes that have the goodes in the shyp, if any of
them be there, and say to them, '* Mates, it is proper to
" cut away the mast to save the shyp and the goodes ;**
for it is a thing proper in fairness. And several tymes
it chaunceth that cables and hausers are cut, and
cables and anchors are left, to save shyp and goodes.
All these thynges are rekened pounde by pounde as
jetison, and when God grants that the shyp be come
to her ryght dyscharge in saufbe, the marchauntes
ought to pay theyr rate without delay, or to sell to
make money before that the goodes are sent out of
the shyp. And if the shyp is at hyringe,* and the
mayster tarry of theyr debat and sees lekage,' the
mayBter ought not to share in it, but ought to have

* at the produce'] This is a de«
parture from the rule of the Roman
law, that the goods cast overboard
should be yalaed at the price for
which thej were bought.

' (U hiftinge'] £n dure siege, on
hard ground, is the reading of the
ancient MSB. Cleirac and Garcie

difiter in their readings of the passage,
but agree in the meaning of it.

' Uktige] This is the sense of all
the ancient MSS., subject to slight
variations in the reading. Cleirac
alone adopts the reading of "col-
" lusion."

144; BOOIiLE DOLATRON.

ains doit avoir son fret, ainsi comme tonneaux {assent
plains.^ Cest le iugement.

X. V Item, vn maistre dune nef vient a sauvete a sa
droicte descharge, il doit^ monstrer aux marchans les
cordages onquelz il gnindera, et silz voyent que il ayt
que amender, le maistre le doit amender. Car si le
tonneP se perdoit par default de guindage ou de
cordage, le maistre est tenu a le paier aux marchans
entre luy et les mariniers, et si doit le maistre paier
selon quil doit prendre de guiAdage ; et doit guindage ^
estre mys a recouvrer le dommage premierement,^ et
le remanent^ doit estre party entre eulx; mais si les
cordages rompent sans que le maistre les monstrast
aux marchans, ilz sont^ tenuz a rendre le dommage.
Mais si les marchans disent le cordage est bel et bon,
et les cordages rompent,^ chascun doit partir au dom-
mage, cest assavoir, le marchant a qui le vin sera
tant seuUement^ et le maistre et les mariniers. Cest le
iugement.

•

XI. f Item, vne nef est chargee a Brest ^ ou a aultre
lieu, et lieve sa voille pour mener ses vins ; et ne
offire^^ mye le maistre et ses mariniers leurs voiUe comme
ilz deussent; et les prent mauvais temps ^^ en la mer
en telle maniere, que la f utaille * crol et deffonce pipe
au tonnel, la nef arrive a saulvete a sa droite deschaige*
Le marchant diet au maistre, que par futaille est perdu
leur vin. Le maistre diet que non. Lors si ledict

^fussent plains] fossent peris, CI.

3 dune nef vient a sauvete a sa
drciete desehargct ii doit"] de nayire
qai frete, doit, CI.

* le tonnel] qaelque tonneau, CI.

* guindage] le salaire da guindage,

CI.

^ premierement] omitted, CI.

^ le remanent ] le remaDant ou
BvpluB, CI.

7,ih sont] il sera, CI.

^ et les cordages rompent] et ils
s'en contentent et qae les eordages
neammoins rompent, CI.

0 a Brest] k Boordeanz, CI.

i<> ne q/^«].n'officient, CL

^^ Us prent mauvais ten^] le mau-
vais temps les sniprend, CI.

ROLLE OF OLAYRON.

445

his freight as yf the tonnes were fulU And this is
the judgment.

Likewise^ the mayster of a shyp cometh in sanfte
to his ryght dyscharge, he ought to shew to the mar-
chauntes the ropes with which he wyll hoyse, and yf
they see that there is any thynge to amende, the
mayster ought to amende it. For yf the tonne is de-
stroyed by default of the hoysynge or of the ropes, the
mayster is bounde to pay after that which he ought
to take for hoysynge, and the hoysynge ought to be
set first to recover the damage and the residue to be
shared among them ; but yf the ropes break without
that the mayster has shewen them to the marchauntes,
they are bounde to render the damage. But yf the
marchauntes say the ropes are fine and goode, and
the ' ropes breke, each of them ought to share the
damage, that is to wyte the marchaunt to whom the
wine shall belong so much only, and the mayster and
the maryners. This is the judgement.

A shyp being laden at Brest or elsewher, and
hoyseth its sayle to go with its wynes, and the mayster
and the maryners trymme not theyr sayl ^ as they
shulde, and bad wether taketh them at sea in suche
manner, that the shyp's casks* roll, and stave in pipe
or tonne, and the shyp arrives in saufte at its ryght
dyscharge. The marchaunt says to the mayster that
his wyne has been lost by fault of the shyp's casks.
Thereupon yf the said mayster wyll swere, he and his

10.

11.

^/uil] This is the reading of the
old Breton MSS. ''Peris" is a read-
ing peculiar to Cleirac, the meaning
of which is not very clear,

^ theyr sapl] The ancient MSS.
have a different reading, which ap-

plies to the stowage of the vessel,
not to tiie trim of her sails.

3 shyp*8 casks] large casks, which
were part of the fitting out of yes-
sels engaged in the wine trade.

446

BOOLLB DOLATBON.

maistre veult iurer ' luy efc ses mariniers, soient quafcre
ou six, ou de ceulx que les marchans vouldroient, que
les vins ne perdissent par eulx ne leur futaille, ne par
leur deffault, comme lea marchans leurs luetient sus,
ilz doivent estre quictes et delivres ; mais si ainsi est
que ne veullent iurer, ilz sont^ tenuz a officier leur
voille bien et iustement avant que partir de leurs
charge. Cest le iugement.

XII. Y Item, vn maistre loue ses maiiniers, il les doit

bien tenir en paix, et ofire estre le iuge.^ Et sil ya
aucun, qui desmente lautre, pourquoy ilz ayent vin et
pain ^ a table, celluy qui desmentira doit paier quatre
deniers. Et si le maistre dement auscun, il doit payer
huict deniers. .Et si aucun des compaignons desment
ledict maistre,^ il payera huit deniers. Et si ainsi est
que le maistre frappe aucun de ses compaignons, ledict
compaignon marinier doit attendre le premier coup,
comme du poing ou de paulme, mais si le maistre le
fiert^ plus dun coup, ledict compaignon se peult def-
fendre; et si le compaignon et marinier fiert premier
le maistre, il doit payer cinq solz ^ ou perdre le poing.
Cest le iugement.

XIII. ^ Item, sil convient® qil y ait content® et debat
entre le maistre dune nef et les mariniers, le maistre

1 iurer] jurer, sont obligez k le
payer.

3 ilgaoHt] les maistre et mariniers
sont, CI.

3 le ivge] leur joge, CI.

* pourquoy ih ayent vin et patn"]
parquoy avant quMls ayent pain et
vin, CI.

* detment ledict maiMtrt ] desdit
le maistre, CI.

^ lefieH] fr^pe, CI.

' cinq aoW\ cent sols d'amaade,
CI.

^ ml conoieHt'] s'il advient.

' content"] coDtempe, CI.

BOLLE OF OLAYBON. 447 /

maryners, be they three or four or six/ or of those
whom the marchauntes wyll, that the wyne was not
lost by them nor theyr shyp's casks nor by theyr
defaulte, as the marchauntes put theyrs upon them,
they ought to be quyt and released ; but.yf it be so that
they wyll not swere, they are bounde to order theyr
sayle well and justly before they part from theyr charge.
This is the judgment.

Likewise a mayster hyreth his maryners, he ought 12.
to kepe them in pese and ofTre to be theyr judge.
And yf there be any who gives the lye* to another
while they have wyne and brede at table, he who
shall give the lye oughte to pay four pence, and yf the
mayster gives the lye to any one he oughte to pay
eight pence, and yf any one of the maryners gives the
lye to the said maister he oughte to pay eight pence.
And yf it be that the mayster smyte any of the
maryners, the said felowe maryner oughte to abyde
the fyrste buffet, be it with fyst or with the flat of the
hande, but yf he smyte more than one blow, the said
felowe may defend hym ; and yf the felowe maryner
smyte fyrste the mayster, he ought to pay five shillings^
or to lese his fyst. This is the judgment.

Likewise,^ yf it befal that theyre is variance and is.
dispute bytwene the mayster of a shyp and the mary-

* or str] Four is the maximum Cleirac follows the reading of the

number in the ancient MSS. | ancient English MSS., which pro-

3 ^vts the lye"} In the compila- i ceed upon a more reasonable esti-

tion known as the Jus Navale Hho- , mate of the value of a man's hand.

diorum it was provided, " Si nantsB
'* rizari voluerint, verbis id facient,
" nee alter alteram verberet." The
free condition of the mariner soiB-
ciently accounts for the alteration

^ LiAewUe'] An important article
of the original version of the Judg-
ments of the Sea, which had refer-
ence to coasting pilots, and is the
thirteenth article in the Black Book

in the law. ; of the Admiralty, is here omitted by

^ five shillings'] This is the read- Garcia and by Cleirac.
ing of the early Breton editions.

448 BOOLLE DOLATEON.

doit oster la toaille trois fois devant son marinier,
avant que le mettre hors. £t si ledict marinier S9
ofire a faire lamende au regard des mariniera qui sont
a table, si le maistre est tel quil nen vueille rien iaire,
et le met hors, le marinier sen peult aller suyyre la
nef iusques a sa droicte descharge, et doit avoir auasi
bon loyer comme sil estoit venu dedans, en amandant
le meffaict au regard des compaignon& Et si ainsi
est, , que le maistre ne preigne aussi bon compaignon
comme celuy en ladicte nef,^ et elle sempire par aucune
adventure et fortune, le maistre est tenu a rendre la
nef et la marchandise, sil a dequoy. Cest le iage^.
ment.

jlY, . % Item, vne nef est en vn cours liee et amarree, et
vne autre nef vient de hors de la mer,^ et ne ee gou- '
veme mye bien, et se fiert a la nief qui est en sa
voye, si que la nef est endommagee du coup que lautre
luy a doune, et ya des vins deSbnces et effondrez
dune part et dautre par la raison de ce coup, le dom-
mage ' doit estre party et prise moictie par moictie des
deux nefz et les vins qui sont dedans, et party aussi
le dommage entre les marchans. Et le maistre de la
nef, qui a feru et frappe lautre, est tenu a iurer ]^ur
les Sainctes Evangilles, luy et ses marchans,^ quil ne
firent * mye de leur gre et volunte. Et est raison par
quoy ce iugement fut faict, premierement que vne
vieiUe nef ne se mette mye voluntiers en la voye dune
meilleure, si avant quelle endommage chose pour gre*
ve^^ la nef, mais quant elle scait bien quelle doit
partir iusques a la moictie, elle se tire ' voluntiers hors
de la voye. Cest le iugement.

> comme celuy en ladicte ne/*] en * ses marchans'} ses mariniers, CI.
la dite nef, comme celay quMl met ^ftrent] femrent, CI.

hon, CI.

^ de la ifi€r] omitted, CI.

^ de ce coup le dommAgel le dom-
mage da coap, CI.

* quelle endommage chose pour
yreoer ] qu'elle endommage, ou
poiflse greyer, CI. .

' se tire'} se retirera, CI.

BOLLE OF OLATRON. 4i9

ners, the mayster ougbte to take the towel three
tymes from before the maryner, before he put hym
out ; and yf the said maryner offre to make amendes
upoii the verdict of the maryners that be at the table,
yf the mayster is soche that he wyll not do any thynge,
and puts hym out, the maryner may go in pursuit of
the shyp up to its ryght dyscharge, and oughte to
]|iave as good wages as yf he had come in the shyp,
amendynge the trespace upon the verdict of his felowes.
And' yf it so be, that the mayster take not as good a
felowe as he in the shyp, and it by some adventure is
damaged, the mayster is bounde to render the shyp and
the goodes, yf he be able. This is the judgment.

Likewise a shyp is in a rode ankred and moored, u.
and another shyp cometh out of the sea, and is not
steered well, and hytteth against the shyp that is in
its way, so that the shyp is damaged by the stroke
that the other has given it, OiUd theyi* are ivynes stove
and shedde on the one parte and the other parte hj
reason of this stroke, the damage ought to be shared
and -borne half and half by the two shyps and the
wynes that are on board, and the damage also shared
betweene the marchaimtes. And the mayster of the
shyp that has hytte and stroke the other is bound to
swere upon the Holy Qospels, he and hys marchauntes,
that they did not do it of theyre wyll and intention.
And the reason why this judgement was made, is first
that an old shyp may not put itself wyllyngly in the
waye of a better, knowing that its damages wyll ibe
repaired by the other ; but when it knows well that it
must share the half of the damage of the two vessels,
it wyllyngly withdrawes itself out of the -waye.^ This
is the judgement.

^ out of the waye] This is a case Law. Dig. ix. t. ii. Ad legem Aqui-

of collision, for which no express liam.
provision was made by the Roman

VOL. IL F F

450

ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

XV.

XVI.

% Item, deux nefz ou plusieurs sont en vn havre, et
ya peu eaue^ et si asseiche lancre dune desdictes nefz.
Lors le maistre de lautre nef doit dire a lautre maiBtre,
" Maistre, levez vostre ancre, ear elle est trop pres de
** nous, et nous pourroit fnire dommage." Et ledict
maistre ne veult mye lever ny ses compaignons; alors
lautre maistre et ses mariniers, qui pourroient partir
du dammage, peuvent lever ladicte ancre, et esloigner
deulx. Et si les aultres deffendent a lever lancre, et
lancre leur faict dommage, ilz sont tenuz amender tout
au long, et ainsi estoit quilz neussent mys vne orin ou
bouee, et lancre faict dommage, ilz sont tenuz a rendre
le dommage tout au long ; et si ainsi estoit, quilz soient
en vn havre asseiche,^ ilz sont tenuz ^ de mettre oryns
et haloignes a leurs ancres, qui apparoistront ' au plain
de la mer. Et tel est le iugement.

f Item, vne nef est arrivee o sa charge en Angleterre*
ou ailleurs, le maistre est tenu de dire a ses com-
paignons, ** Seigneurs, frettes o voz amarrages, ou bien
" vous louerays ou fret de la nef ; " * ilz sont tenuz a
respondre lequel ilz veulent faire. Et silz prenent au
fret de la nef, ilz auront autant comme la nef aura.
Et sil veulent fretter par eulx, ilz doivent freter en
telle maniere que la nef ne soit mye demourante. Et
sil advient quilz ne trouvent fret le maistre ny a nul
blame, et leur doit monstrer leur rymage chascun.^

1 et 81 ainsi eatoit, quilz soient en
vn, havre asseiche'] c'est pourquoy
estant en un bavre, CI.

^ tenuz"] obliges, CI.
' 3 apparcistront] puissent paroistre,
CI.

-* Angleterre] Boordeaox, CI.

^frettes o voz amarrages, ou bien

vous louerays oufret de la nef] vou-
lex-Tous freter votte ordinaire en
partioulier, ou bien voules-rous le
prendre sur rentier fret de la nef,
CI.

' rymage chascun] rimage on plas-
sage pour mettre le pesant de leur
ordinaire chacun, CI.

ROLLE OF OLAYRON.

45 J

Likewise, two shyps or more are in a haven, and 15.
there is little water, and the anker of one of the said
shyps becomes dry. Thereupon the mayster of the other
shyp ought to say to the other mayster, "Mayster,
" take up your anker, for it is too nere us, and it may
*' doo us harme." And the said mayster wyll not take
it up, nor his felowes, then the other mayster and his
maryners, who might have the harme, may take up
the said anker and set it ferther from them.^ And
yf the others prevent them taking up the anker, and
the anker do them harme, they are bounde to make
compensation for it in full ; and if it shulde be that
they have not fastened to it a float or buoy, and the
anker does harme, they are bounde to render the dam-
sige in full ; and yf it be that they are in a haven that
dries, they are bound to put buoys and floats to their
ankers that may appear * above the water. And this
is the judgement.

Likewise a shyp is arrived to lade in England' or ie.
elswhere, the mayster is bounde to say to his felowes,
" Mates, wyll ye freight your fares,* or wyll you let
*' them at the freight of the shyp ? " they are bounde
to answere what they wyll do ; and yf they take at
the freight of the shyp, they shall have as moche as
the shyp shall have ; and yf they wyll to freight by
them selfe, they ought to freight it in suche wyse that
the shyp do not tarry. And yf it chaunce that they
finde no freight, the mayster has no blame, and he
ought to shew their stowage to each ; and yf they wyll

^ ferther from theni] The Roman
Law allowed the master of a ship to
cut the cable of another ship, if it
was driven against it, and could not
otherwise escape damage.

^ appear"] so that vessels coming
in may bring up clear of the anchors
of other vessels.

' England] Cleirac adopts here
the ancient reading of Bourdeaux
instead of England, so that he is
at liberty to say '' the Rolls speak
<* nowhere of England."

^faree] the space on board ship
allowed for each mariner's venture.

F F 2

452 ROOLLE DOLATBON.

Et sil veulent mettre toDnel deaue, ilz peuvent bien
mettre pour tonnel de vin. Et si eoullaison Be faifioit
en la raer, leur tonnel deaue doibt estre pour tonadl
de vin, ou pour autres denreeB, livre a livre, pourquoy
les mariniers Be puisBent deffendre ' en la mer. Et si
ainsi^ est quilz fretegent' es marchans, telle franohise
oomme le marinier aura, doit avoir le marchant. Cest
le iugement.

xvn. f Item, les mariniers de Bretaigne ne doibvent avoir
que vne cuysine le iour, par raison quilz ont brevages
allans et venans ; et ceulx de Normandie doibvent
avoir deuz mestz de cuysine le iour, pour ce quilz
nont que de leaue a aller au despens de la nef. Et
puys que la nef est a la t^rrQ au vin, les mariuiQrs
lors doibvent avoir brevaige, et * ce doit leur mai^tre
leur querre. Cest le iugement.

XVIII. f Item, vne nef a descharge, les mariniers veulent
avoir leurs fret ; aucuns ya, qui nont mye liot ne arohe
en la nef ; lors le maistre peult retenir de leur^ loyers»
pour rendre ^ la nef au lieu, ou ilz la prindrent ; eilz
ne donnent bonne caution de foumir tout le voiage.
Cest le iugement.

ZIX. f Item, le maistre dune nef loue ses mariniers en
la ville dont la nef est ; et les vngs a mareages, les
aultres a deniers ; il advient que la nef ne peult trou-
ver fret a venir a ses parties, et leurs convient aller
plus loing ; lors ceulx qui sont a mareages le doyvent
suyvre, mais ceulx qui sont a deniers, le maistre leur

^ deffMtre] deffendre et s'aider,
CI.
2 ai'ffst] tant, CI.
^freiegmi] le fretent, CI.

^ pour rendre} pour assurance e
rendre, CI.
* a venir^ a reyenir, CI.

ROLLIfi OF OLAYRON. ' 453

to place theyr a tonne of water, they cftay well place
it there for a tonne of wyne ; and yf lekage ^ tak^s
place into the sea, theyr tdnne of water ought to bd
for a tonne of wyne, or for other goodes, pounds fot
pounde, whereby the maryners may protect them ill
the sea. And yf it be so that they let the freight to
marchauntes, suche fraunchyse as the maryner hath,
oughte the marchaunt to have. This is the judgement

Likewise, the marjmers of Brytane oughte to havft 17.
only one meale a day, by reason that they have drynkes
goynge and comynge; and those of Normandy oughte
to have two meales of the kitchen the day, becaudd
they have nothing but water, and go at the expense
of the shjrp. And when the shyp is at the lande of
wyne, the mai-yners then oughte to have diynke, and
this the mayster oughte to fynde for them. This is
the judgement.

Likewise, a shyp is at -her dyscharge, the marjmers is.
wyll have theyr freight, some there are who have nei*
ther bed nor chest in the shyp, thereupon the mayster
may retayne of theyr wages to take back the shyp to
the place whence they toke it, yf they do not give
goode security to fiirnysshe all the vyage. This is the
judgement.

Likewise the mayster of a shyp byreth his maryners 19«
in the towne whence the shyp is, and some at stowage,^
and others at money wages, it chaunceth that the shyp
cannot finde freight to go in those parts, and it is
necessary for them to go ferther, those who are hyred
at stowage oughte to follow hym ; but those who are
at money wages the mayster ought to increase their

1 lekage] Both Garcie and Clei-
rac have the same rea^g.coollai-
Bon, leakage. The reading of the
ancient MSS. is ** gettison."

^ stowage] an allotment of space
on hoard the ship to stow a venture
on their own account.

454 ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

doit croistre leurs loyers, veue pai* veue et coin's par
courS; par raison quilz les aura loues pour aller en
certain lieu. £t silz vont plus pres que le* lieu ou la
bonnement^ fut prins, ilz doibvent avoir tous leurs
loyers, mais ilz doibvent rendre la nef la ou il la prin-
drent, et la mettre a laventure de Dieu. Cest le iuge-
ment.

XX. Item, il advient quune nef vient a la noble cite
de Rouen * ou en aultre lieu, de telle cuysine comnie
il y aura en la nef, deux des mariniers en peuvent
porter vn mest a la mer,^ de telz mestz^ comme ilz
Bont tranchez en la nef Et tel pain comme il aura,
selon de quilz pourront menger a vne fois ; et du bre-
vage riens. Et doibvent bien tost et appertement re-
tourner, pour quoy^ le maistre ne perde terre de la
nef Car si le maistre se perdoit et ilz eussent dom-
mage, ilz sent tenuz lamender, ou si vn des com-
paignons se blesse par besoin daide, ilz sout tenuz a
le faire guerir, et a lamender au dire dun des com-
paignons ou de son matelot, et au diet de son maistre
et de ceulx de la table. Cest le iugeraent

XXI. Item, vn maistre frette sa nef a vn marchant, et
devise vn certain terme® loyaulment, dedans quant le
marchant doit cherger la nef a estre preste a sen aller ;
le marchant ne le faict, ains tient le maistre et ses ma-
riniers par lespace de huict iours, ou de quinze, ou de
plus, aucunes fois il pert sa maison ^ et son temps par

' la bonnement] rabonnement, CI.
' aUi nobie cite de Roueti] k Bour-
deaux, CI.
^ ala tner'] a terre, CI.

* Je teh mestz] omitted, CI.
^ pour quoy] affin que, CI.
' terme"] temps ou terme, CI.
7 maison] saison, CI.

BOLLE OlP OLAYltON.

455

wages, view by view, and courae by course, that he has
hyred them to go to a eertayne place ; and yf they go
nerer than the place where the hyring was made, they
ought to have all theyr wages, but they oughte to re-
store the shyp thither, whence they toke it, and set it
at the adventure of God. This is the judgement.

Likewise, it chaunceth that a shyp cometh to the 20.
noble city of Rouen,^ or some other place ; of such
cooked food as there shall be in the shyp, two of the
maryners maye beare to shore one mess of suche
messes^ as be cut in the shyp, and suche brede as
there shall be after that as they may ete at one tyme,
but no drynke. And they ought to return soon and
openly, in order that the mayster lese not the earnest ^
of the shyp ; for yf the maister lese it and have dam-
age, they are bounde to make amendes ; and yf one
of theyr felowes hurt hymselfe for lacke of heipe, they
are holden to hele hym, and to make amendes at the
verdict of one of the felowes,* or of his sailor, and at
the verdict of the mayster and those of the table. This
is the judgement.

Likewise, the mayster freights a shyp to a marchaunte, 21.
and sets a eertayne terme fairly within the which the
marchaunt ought to lade the shyp and .be ready to go
away : the marchaunt dothe it not, on the contrary he
kepeth the mayster and the maryners for the space of
eight dayes or fifteen dayes or more, sometime he
leseth his weather^ and his tyme by defaulte of the

1 the noble city of Rouen"] Cleirac
adopts here the common reading of
Bordeaux.

^ 0/ suche messes] These words
are omitted by Cleirac. They are
not fonnd in the ancient MSS.

^ eameaf] Cleirac writes the
word which Qarcie uses as " Perrc,"

which may be derived firom arrha,
earnest.

^fehtDes] one of the companion-
mariners, who brought on board a
comrade.

* his weather] " Maison," which
Qarcie adopts, is probably a mis-
reading of " mueson,'* which is the
reading of the early Breton MSS.

46<)

llOOLLE DdLAYROK.

le deffault du marchant ; le marchant est tenii a amto-
der au maistre. Et telle amende, comme le maistre
aura faict/ les mariniers en doivent avoir le quart, el
le maistre les trois quars^ par raison qui leur treuve
leurs deepens. Cest le iugement.

XXIL Item, vn marchant frette vne nef et la charge, et la
meet au chemin, et entre celle nef en vn port, et de-
meurent tant que denier leur fault;* lors le maistre
doit envoyer bien tost en son pays pour querir de lar-
gent; mais il ne doibt mye perdre son armogan,' sil
le faict * il est tenu rendre aux marchans tout le donl-
mage quil en court.^ Mais le maisti-e peidt bien
prendre du vin et" des denrees ausdictz marchans, et
en vendre pour querir son retournement.^ Et quant
ladicte nef sera venue en sa droicte descharge, les vins,
que le maistre aura prins, doivent estre asseures et
mys au seur,^ que les aultres seroient^venduz commune-
m6nt, ne a plus, ne moins. Et doibt le maistre avoir
Bon fret des vins quil aura prins. Cest le iugement.

XXlll. If Item, vn locman prent vne nef a mener a Sainct
Malo ou en aultre lieu sil fault,® et ladicte nef sempire
pour faulte^ quil ne la sache conduyre, les marchans
ayant dommage,^^ il est tenu de rendre les dommages
sil a dequoy;^* et sil na dequoy, il doit avoir la teste
couppee. £t si le maistre ou aucuns des mariniers, ou

^faici] fait au maistre, CI.

^ denier leur fault] I'argent de-
fa at, CI.

' armogan] armogan (c'efitti dire)
son temps opportune, CI.

* *i7 lefaicf] et s'il le pert, CI.

^ dommage quil en court] dom-
mage, cousts, et interets, qu'il en-
courra, CI.

^ reloumement] restorement, CI.

7 au seur] au fhr, CI.

^/ault] manque, CK

^paurfanlte] par 8a &nte, CI.

1^ les marchans ayant ddmmage\
ct par ce les marchans refoiTenC
dommage, CI.

1^ sil a dequoff'] omitted, CI.

ROLLE OF 0LAYR6N.

487

inarchaunt, the marchaunt is bounde to make amends
to the mayster. And of suche amendes as shall be
made to the mayster^ the maryners ought to have one
fourth and the mayster three fourths, bycause he fynd-
eth theyr expenses. This is the judgement.

Likewise, a inarchaunt freyghteth a shyp, and ladeth 22.
it, and setteth it on its waye, and the said shyp entreth
a port, and tarrieth so long that money faileth them,
thereupon the mayster ought to sende in haste into
his countre to seek for money, but he ought not to
lese his armogan ;^ yf he doth, he is holden to redresse
to the marchauntes all the damages that they incur;
but the mayster may well take of the W3me and the
goodes of the said marchauntes, and sell of them,^ to
seek his return. And when the shyp shall be come to
her ryght dysoharge, the wynes that the mayster shall
have taken ought to be valued and praysed after the
rate as the other shall be solde commonly, and neither
more nor lesse, and the mayster ought to have his
freyght of the wyne that he hath taken* This is the
judgement.

Likewise, a pilot ^ taketh a shyp to lede it to Saint 23.
Malo or an other place if it be necessary, and the said
shyp is damaged, bycause he knoweth not to lede her ;
the marchauntes having damage he is bounde to re-
dresse the damage, if he have wherwithal ; and yf he
have not wherwithal he ought to have his head cut
off; and yf the mayster or any of the maryners or

1 cufnogan] This is probably a
comtpt word, for "wbich Cleirac
Boggests an interpretation.

' Men of them'] The master's right
to sell part of the cargo -was not
recognised by the Roman Law, but
he might compel the merchants on
board, if they had provisions as
cargo, to give them up, if the crew
were short of food. Dig. ziv. t. 11.

^ a piloQ This article is not
amongst those incorporated in the
Black Book of the Admiralty, which
has adopted an article of a much
milder character, after the text of
the ancient English MSS. Cleirac
divides it into two parts, and begins
the 24th article with the words,
'' Et si le maistre.'*

458

ROOLLK DOLAYROK.

aucuns des marchans luy couppent la teste, il ne sont
pas tenuz a paier lamendement ; mais toutes fois Ion
doit scavoir avant ce faire, eil a dequoy amender. Cest
le lugeinent.

XXIV. ^ Item, vne nef guynde a sa descharge, et se meet
a seiche ^ ou elle est si iolye ^ que le mariniers prennent
a leur voille,' et la sortir devant et derriere ; * lors le
inaistre leur doit croistre leur loyer veue par veue. Et
si cii guindant les vins, il advient quilz laissent vne
broche^ ouverte on tonuel, que Ion guinde, et ne lont
mye amarree aux cordes au bout de la nef, et le ton-
nel defraude chet et se pert; et en cheant il tumbe
sur vn autre tonnel et sont tous deux perduz; lors le
maistre et les mariniers les doivent rendre aux
marchans, et les marchans doivent paier le fret de
deux^ tonneaux, par raisou que on leur doit paier au
fru^ des aultres, qui sont venduz. Le maistre et les
mariniers doivent mettre leur guy ndage « premierement
a recouvrer leur dommage, livre a livre. Les seigneurs
de la nef ne doivent rien perdre ; car cest par la faulte
du maistre et des mariniers de mareer ' le tonneL Cest
le iugement.

XXV. f Item, deux navires,'® vaisseaulx, ou pinasses sont
compagnons pour aJler pecher^^ es rectz, oonmie es
maoquereaulx, es harens, es raix ; ^' ou bien mettre les
cordes, comme es parties Dolonne, de Sainct Gilles sur
Vie, et ailleurs ; et doit lun desdictz vaisseaulx mettre
autant dangins^® lun comme lautre, et ainsi seront

* seiche] sec, CI.

^ ei i<^ye'] A jolie, si commode et
bien fatte, CI.
3 voUW] omitted, CI.

* derriere] derriere de tous cos-

tez, a,

* broche] brosse, CI.

^ de deux] desdits, Cl.
7Jru] fur, Cl.

' leur gujfruiage] leur salaire da
guindage, Cl.

' de mareer] de n^avoir bien
amarre, Cl.

w naviret] omitted, Cl.

^* pecker] k la pescbe, Cl.

" es raix] omitted, Cl:

^' danffins] d'engins, Cl.

ROLLE OF I.OAYRON.

459

any of the mai*chaunts cut oS* bis head, they are not
holden to pay a fine ; but always it ought to be known
before it is done, yf he have wherwithal to make
amendes. . This is the judgement.

Likewise, a shyp * hoyseth up at its dyscharge, and
lyeth on dry ground, and she is so pleasantly placed
that the maryners lower the sayle. and land the cargo
ahead and astern, thereupon the mayster ought to in<
crease theyr wages view by view ; and yf in hoysing
the wynes it chaunceth that they leave a spigot open
in a tonne that they hoyse, or have not well fastened
it with ropes at the ende of the shyp, and the tonne
slippeth and falleth, and is destroyed, and in falling
stryketh upon another tonne, and the two are both
spoilt, thereupon the mayster and the maryners oughte
to redresse the marchauntes, and the marchaunte ought
to paye the freyght of the two tonnes, by reason that
they ought to pay at the rate of the others that are
solde. The mayster and the maryners ought to set
theyr hoysynge fyrst to redresse the damage pounde by
pounde. The owners of the shyp ought to lese nothing,
for it is by the faulte of the mayster and the maryners
in fastening the tonne. And this is the judgement.

Likewise, two shyps,* vessells, or pinnaces are part-
ners to go and fyssh with nets, as for herynges or
makerelles or rayes, or to put out ropes, as in the
partes of Olonne or Saint Gilles sur Vie or elsewhere,
and one of the said vessels ought to put out as many
engines as the other, and so they wyll be halfe and

24.

25.

^ a shyp] This article is not in
the English MSS., but it is in the
early Breton MSS. It has been
transposed by Cleirac, and is num-
ber xxyii. in his book.

3 two 9hyps] This article is an

amplification of an article which is
found in the old Breton yeirsions of
the Judgments of the Sea, bttt Which
is not found in any of the ancient
English MSS. It is the twenty-
eighth in Cleintc's version.

460 ROOLLE D6LATR0N.

moicUe par moictie en la gaigne par convtoafifte faicte
tntte eulx. £t si le cas advient que Dieu face sa vo-
liUkiB dun desditz Vaisseaulx, des gens^ et dee an^&s,
et des aultres choses ; lung ^ seschappe et vient a sau-
Ivete. II est ainsi que les amys de celuy qui est mort ^
leur demande avoir partie en la gaigne, quilz ont
faicte, tant es engins, es harens, macquereaulx, ou
aultres poissons et vaissel; ilz auront leur partie en
la gaigne des engins et des poissons par les sermens
de ceulx, qui seront eschappez, mais ou vaissel nauront
nulle chose. Cest le iugement

XXVI. Item, vne navire fluctuans et seiglans^ par la mer,
tant en faict de marchandie que pescherie, si par for-
tune ou impetuosite de temps elle se rompt, briae, et
purist, en quelque region et cbntree ou coste* que cd
soit; et le maistre^ et ses mariniers ou lun deul±
6sohappe et se saulve, ou les marchans ou marchant, le
seigneur du lieu ne doit empescher la salvation du bris
6t marchandie de la dicte navire par ceulx qui seront
eHiChftppes, et par ceulx a qui appartiendra* la navire
ou mftrchandie ; mais doit ledict seigneur secourir et
l^yder par luy ou ses subiectz lesditz pour6s mariniers
et marchans a saulver leurs biens sans rien prendre ;
sauf toute foys a remunerer les saulveurs selon Dieu,
mson, et conscience, et leur estat, et selon que iustice
ordonnera, combien que aucune promesse auroit este
faicte esdictz saulveurs, comme dessus ay dict.^

* iung'] et Tautre, G. i ^ ^' '^ maistre] omitted, OL

^ let amys de celuy qui est mort] ^ appartiendrd] apartient, CI.
les parents oa heritien de ceux dn ; ^ comme deisus ay diet] comae

bateau qui est demeur^ perdu, CI.
^ seifflans] seiUant, CI.
* ott coste] omitted, CI.

dit est cy^essus au jngement qua-
trieme, CI.

ROLLS OF OLATHOK.

halfe in the gayne by the covenant made between
them ; and yf the* case chaunceth that God doeth his
wyll with one of the said vessells, the crew, and th^
engines, and the other thynges, and the one escapes iu
safety. It is so that the friends of hym who is dea4
demands of them to have a share in the gain that they
have made as regards the engines, and the herynges,
and the makerelles, and other fysshe, and the vessell ;
they shall have theyr share in the gain of the engines
and the fysshe by the other of those who shall have
escaped, but in the vessell they shall have nothynge.
This is the judgement.

Likewise, a shyp ^ floating and sayling on the sea, as
well in matters of marchaundise as of fysherie, yf by
fortune or violence of the weather it briiiseth itself,
breaketh up, and peryssheth, in whatever region or
countre or coast it may be, and the mayster and the
maryners or one of them escapeth ^ and is saved, or the
marchauntes or a marchaunte, the lorde of the place
ought not to hinder the saving of the fragments and
the marchaundise of the said shyp by those who shall
have escaped, and by those to whom the vessell or the
marchaundise belong ; but the said lorde ought to suc-
cour and aid, by hymselfe and his vassals, the said
poore maryners and marchauntes to save theyr goodes,
withoute takynge anythynge, saveing always to remu-
nerate the salvors after God, reason, and conscience, and
their condition, and after that as justice shall ordaine,
notwithstanding any promise may have been made tg
the said salvors as above said.

26.

1 a shyp] This article is the
twenty-ninth in Cleirac's version.

^ escapeth"] Cleirac quotes an
ordinance of Henry III. of England,
of A.D. 1226, which applied to the
coasts of the island of Oleron, re-
nouncing all right to wreck, where

a single person escaped alive from
the vessel. Spelman cites a law of
Henry I. to the same effect. A
similar law attributed to Henry IT.
will be found in the early edition of
Rymer, Fcedera, torn. i. p. 12.

462 ROOLLE DOLATRON.

f Et qui fera le oontraire, et prendra aucuna des
biens desdictz pauvres naufiragans perduz et destruictz
oultre leur gre et volunte, il est excomunie de leglise,
et doit estre pugny comme vn larron, sii ne faiet resti-
tution en brief. Et nya coustume, ny statuz quelcon-
ques, qui puisse engarder de encourir lesdictes peinea^
Cest le iugement.

XXVII. Item, vne navire en entrant en aucun Havre ou
autrement, par fortune elle se rompt, et perist, et
meurent les maistres, mariniers, et marchans, les biens
vont a couste, ou demourent en mer, sans avoir * aucune
poursuyte de ceulx a qui appartient les biens, car * ilz
nen scavent rien ; en tel cas, qui est trespiteux, le
seigneur doit mettre gens pour saulver lesdictz biens,
et iceulx biens doit ledict seigneur garder ou mettre
en seurete. Et puis doit faire assavoir ^ es parens des
deffunts submerges ladventure, et paier lesdictz saulv-
eurs selon le travail et peine quilz auront prinse, non
mye a ses despans, niais des dictes choses saulvees, et
le remanant et derneurant doit ledict seigneur garder *
ou faire garder entierement, iusques a vn an, si plus
tost ne viennent ceulx a qui appartiendront lesdictes
choses. Et le bout de Ian passe, ou plus, sil plaist
audict seigneur attendre, il doit vendre publicquement,
et au plus ofTrant, lesdictes choses, et de largent receu
doit faii'e prier Dieu pour les trespassez,^ ou niarier

* peines'] peines (comme dit est i * assavoir'] k scavoir, CI.
au jugement vingt sixleme), CI. ^ garder'] saaver, garder, CI.

' avoir] omitted, CI. | ^ faire prier Dieu pour les trespas-

^ car] quand, CI. sez] distribuer aax pauvres, CI.

BOLLE OF OLATRON.

463

And he who shall do the contrarie, and shall take
any of the goodes of the said poor persons shypwreckedi
lost, and ruined against theyr desire and wyll, he is
excommunicated by the church,^ and ought to be pun-
ysshed as a thief, yf he make not restitution briefly ;
and there is neither custume nor statute whatever that
can protect them against incurring the said penalty.
This is the judgement.

Likewise a shyp^ on entering into a haven or
elsewhere, by chaunce breaketh up and perysseth, and
the mayster, maryners, and marchaunts dye, theyr
goodes are cast on the coast, or remayne in the sea,
without any pursuyte on the parte of those to whom
they belong, for they know nothynge ; in suche a case,
the whiche is very piteouse, the lord ought to set
persons to save the said goodes, and those goodes the
lorde ought to guard and place safely, and afterwards
he ought to make known to the relations of the dead
drowned the misfortune, and paye the said salvors after
the labour and pain that they shall have taken, not
at his own expense, but at the expense of the thynges
saved, and the residue the which remayneth the said
lorde ought to guard, or have guarded entirely till a
yere,^ unless those to whom the said goodes belonge
come sooner. And the ende of a yere pa^ed or more,
yf it pleaseth the said lorde to wayte, he ought to
sell publicly, and to the highest oflFrer, the said
thynges, and from the mopey received he ought to
have prayer made to God for the dead,* or to marry

' hy the ckurck] It is impossible
to regard this article as embodying
the decision of any maritime court,
snch, for instance, as the court
which administered the Law Marine
at Oleron.

2 a shyp] This article is No. xxx.
in Cleirac's yersion.

^ //// a year] This was in ac-
cordance with the Roman Law.

Cod. 1. xi. tit V. Const. 2. De naii-
fragiis.

* for the dead] This is in accord-
ance with the Consolat de Mar,
ch. ccyii (252), which directed a
fourth part of the property to be
given « for the love of God, where
^' it may be best, for the soul of him
*' to whom they belonged.*^

27.

464

BpOLLlp: BOLATBON.

pouvres fiUes, et faire autres oeuvres pitoyables selon
raison et eonscienoe. Dt si ledict seigneur prent des
choBes quart ny part, il eucourra la malediction 4e
nostre mere • saincte eglise, et peines Busdictes, sans
iamais avoir remission, sil ne faict satisfaction. Cest
le iugement

XXVIII. T Item, si vne navire se pert en frappant a quelque
coste, et il advient que les compaignons se cuydent
eschapper, et saulver, et viennent a la rive demy noyes,
pensent que aucuns leurs ayde, mais il advient que
aucunes foys en beaucoup de lieux quil ya des gens
inhumains, et plus cruelz et felons que les chiens et
loupes enrages, lesquelz meurtrissent et tuent les
pouvres patiens, pour avoir leur argent, ou vestemens
et autres biens.

f Itelles manieres de gens doit prendre le seigneur
^u lieu, et en faire iustice et punition, tant en leurs
corps que en leurs biens ; et doivent estre mis en la mer,
et plonger tant que soient demys mors, et puys les
tirer' dehors et les lappider et assommer, comme on
fer 0 it vnchien ou loup.^ Et tel est le iugement.

XXIX. f Item, vne navire vient en aueun lieu, et veulx
entrer en port ou en havre, et elie met enseigne pour
avoir vn piUote ou vn bateau pour la touer dedans,'
parce que le vent ou maree est contraire, il advient
que ceulx, qui vont pour amener ladicte navire, ont
faict marche pour le pillotage ou touage ; roais paroe
que en aucuns lieux la mausdicte et damnable^ oous-
tume court sans raison, que des navires qui se perdent
le seigneur du lieu en prent le tiers ou quart, et les

* tirer"] retirer, CI.
^ un chien <m loup"] les loaps ou les
chiens enrages, CI.

^ dedana"] omitted, CI.

s^ mattsdicte et damnable'] omitted,

CI.

ROLLE OF OLAYRON. 465

poor maydes,^ or to do other workes of mercy after
reason and conscience. And yf the said lorde taketh
of the thynges a fourth ' or other part, he shall incur
the malediction of our mother Holy Church, and the
penalties above said withoute ever having remission
if he make not satisfaction. This is the judgement.

Likewise, yf a shyp^ is lost in strykyng against 28.
any coast, and ohaunceth that the crew imagine to
escape and save themselves, and come to the bank
halfe drowned, thinking that some one wyll ayde them,
but it chaunceth that sometyme in many places there
are inhuman felons, more cruel than dogs or wolves
enraged, the whiche murder and slaye the poor sufTerei-s,
to obtain theyr money, or clothes, or other goodes ;
suche manner of people the lorde of the place ought to
seize and inflict on them justice and punishment, both
as regards their persons and their goodes, and they
ought to be cast into the sea and plunged in it. until
they are hailfe dead, and then they ought to be dragged
out, and stoned and massacred, as would be done to a
dog or a wolfe. And this is the judgement.

_ •

Likewise, a shyp* cometh to any place, and wuld 29.
entte into a port or haven, and it sets an ensign to
have either a pilot or a boat to towe it within, bycause
the wind or the tyde is contrarie, it chaunceth that
those who go to bring in the said shyp have made a
bargain for the pilotage or towage, but because in some
places the accursed and damnable custom runs withoute
reason, that of the shyps that are lost the lorde of the
place taketh a thyrdc or a fourthe, and the salvors

^ poor maydea] This is a provi-
sion for which.no known law affbtds
a precedent

co^isance of the salyage, to resen-e
one fourth for its own uses.

^yfa aAyp] This is the thirty-
first article in Cleirac*s edition.

* a ahyp] This is the thirty-fifth

3 a fourth] The Consolat de Mar
allowed the authority, which took | article in Cleirac*s series.

VOL, II. G G

466

BOOLLE DOLATRON.

saulveurs vn aultre tiers ou quart, et le demourant es
maistreR et marcbans. Ces choses eonsiderees, et pour
estre auennes foys en la bonne grace du seigneur, et
aussi pour avoir aucunes des biens de ladicte navire,
comme villainB, traistres, et desloyaulx^ menent ladicte
navire bus les pierres^ tout a leurs escient et de leurs
certaines malices, et la font perdre ladicte navire et
marchandise, et feignent a secourir les povres gens, ilz

sont les premiers a despecer et rompre la navire et
emporter la marchandise, qui est vne chose contre Dieu
et raison. Et pour estre les biens venuz en la maison du
seigneur, ilz courent dire et annoncer la povre adventure
et perte' des marcbans; et ainsi vient ledict seigneur
avecques ses gens, et prent sa part des biens adventurez,
les saulveurs lautre part, et le remenant demeure es
marcbans ; mais veu que cest contre le commandement
de Dieu omnipotent, nonobstant aucune coustume ou
ordonnance, il est diet et sententie, que le seigneur, les
saulveurs, et aultres qui prendront aucunes choses des-
dictz biens, seront mauldictz et excommuniez et punis
comme larrons comme diet est dessus.^ Cest le iugement.

XXX. f Mais des faulx et desloyaulx traistres pillotes le
iugement est tel, quilz doibvent soufirir martyre cruelle-
ment; et doit Ion faire des gibbetz bien bault sur le
lieu propre, ou ilz ont mis ladicte navire, ou biea
pres de la, et illecques doivent les mauldictz pillotes

* 9tM Us pierres'] omitted, CI.
3 ilz sont'] cependant ilz sont, CI.
^etperW] omitted, CI.

* comme did est dessus] omitted.

CJ.

ROLLE OF OLATRON. 467

another thyrde or fourthe,^ and the residue the mayster
and the marchaunt. These thyngea considered, and to
be sometymes in the goode grace of the lorde, and
also ta have some of the goodes of the said shyp, like
disloyal villains and traitors they guide the said shyp on
to the rocks wittingly to their knowledge, and of certayne
malice, and cause the said shyp and the marchaundise
to be lost, and feign to succour the poore people, and
they are the first to pull to pieces and break up the
shyp, and carry off the marchandise, the which is a
thynge contrarie to God and reasou. • And to be wel-
come in the house of the lorde, they run to tell and
announce the poor disaster and loss of the marchaunts,
and so cometh the lorde with his people, and takes bis
part of the goodes adventured, and the salvors the
other part, and the residue awaytes the marchaunts.
But seeing that this is contrarie to the commandment
of 'God omnipotent, notwithstanding any custum or
ordeynance it is said and decreed,^ that the lorde, the
salvors, and the otheres who shall take any thynge of
the said goodes, shall be accursed and excommunicated
and punysshed as robbers as is above said. This is the
judgement.

But of false ^ and dysloyal traitrous pilots the so.
judgement is suche, that they oughte to sufire martyr-
dom cruelly ; and there ought to be made gibbets very
high upon the very spot wher they set the said shyp,
or well near it, and thei*eon the accursed pilotes ought

^ GT fourthe] This may refer to
a practice, which had grown up
since the exercise of the absolute
right to all wreck on the part of the
lord of the coast (Droit de Bris)
had been commuted for a payment
for pilotage (Brefs de Conduit), and
other payments, and the pilots were
nevertheless in collusion sometimes

with the lord to run the vessels on
the rocks.

^ decreed] This is the substance
of a decree of the Lateran Council
of A.D. 1179.

. 3 But offense] This article is the
concluding part of the twenty-fifth
article in Cleirac's seriesi

a a 2

468

ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

finir honteusement leurs ioui*s; et Ion doit laisser les-
dictz gibbetz estre sus ledict lieu en memoire per-
petuelle, et pour faire ballise est aultres navires qui la
viendront. Ces le iugement.

XXXI. f Item, si ledict seigneur estoit si felon et si cruel,
quil souffriroit telles manieres de gens, et les soustien-
droit,^ et seroit * participant en leure malices pour avoir
les nauffrages ; lors ledict seigneur doit estre prins, et
tous ses biens venduz, et confisques en oeuvres pitoy-
ables pour faire restitution a qui appartiendra ; et doit
estre lye a vne esteppe en meilleu de sa maison, et
puys on doit mettre le feu es quatre comieres de sa
maison, et fq^ire tout brusler, et les pierres des murailles
getter par terre ; et la faire la place,^ et le marche pour
vendre leurs poUrceaulx a iamais perpetuellement. Cest
le iugement.,

XXXir. % Item, si vne navire estant sur la mer, ou a lancre-
en quelque radde, et par grande tourmente quelle en-
dure il convient faire get pour alleger ladicte navire,
et son gecte plusieurs biens hora pour soy saulver.

f Sache que ces bi^is ainsi gettes hoi's sont a celluy
qui premier les pouiTa occuper et emporter ; mais il
est a entendre et scavoir que les marchans, ou maistres
et mariniers, ayans gette lesdictes chases sans avoir
esperance ne volunte de iamais les recouvrer, et laissent
comme choses perdues et delaissees deulx sans iamais
en faire poursu3rte, . et ainsi le premier occupant est
seigneur desdictes choses. Cest le iugement.

^ et les soustiendroit] et souBtixit,

CI.

et seroW] ou fut, CI.

3 ia pluce'] la place pnbliqae, CI.
* scavoir que'] S9avoir si, CI.

BOLLE OF OLAYRON.

46d

to finish shamefully theyr dayes, and the said gibbets
oughte to be left on the said spot in perpetual memorie,
and to serve as a landmark to other vessels that shall
come there. This is the judgement

Likewise if the said lorde^ were so felon and so
cruel, that he suffered sucho manners of people and
supported them, and shulde be partakynge in theyr
malyce to cause shypwrecks, thereupon the sayd lorde
oughte to be seized, and all his goodes solde and con-
fiscated to workes of mercic, to make restitution to those
to whom it may belong; and he ought to be bounde
to a stake in the middle of his house, and then fire
oughte to be set to the four comera of the house, and
it shulde all be burnt, and the stones of the walls cast
down to the grounde, and the place made a market to
sell swine for ever perpetually.^ This is the judgement.

Likewise yf a shyp * beeing on the sea, or at anki*e
in a rode, and from the great tempest which it .under-
goes, it is necessary to make jetison to lighten the said
shyp, and they cast over many goodes out of it to save
it; know, that the goodes so cast over ai-e for hym
that fyi'ste occupies and carries them off; but it is to
be ascertained and known that the mai*chaunts or
maysters and maryners have cast over the said thynges
withoute having hope or intention of ever recoverynge *
them, and leaving them as thynges lost and abandoned
by them withoute ever* makynge search after them,,
and thus the fyi'st occupant is owner of the said
thynges. This is the judgement.

31.

32.

^ if the said lorde] This article is
the twenty-sixth of Cleirac's series.

^ perpetuaJJ^'l There is no trace
to be found in the legislation or in
the judicial decisions which marked
the decay of the feudal system, of
any such penalty being inflicted on
the lord.

^ yfa skypi The number of this
article coincides with the number in
Cieirac*s series.

* recoverynge] The legal quality
of derelict was recognised by the
lloman Law. Dig. h xlm tit. iii
De Furtist

470

BOOIXG DOLA.YROK.

xxxill. f Item, vne navire a faict gect de plusieurs marchan-
dises, il est a presumer que ladicte marchandise est en
coffres, lesquelz coffres sont fermes et boudes/ ou bien
des livres lesquelz seroient bien fermes,^ et envelloppes
de paoui* quilz nendommageassent en la mer, lor celuy
qui a faict ledict gect a encores intention, vouloir, et
esperance ' de recouvrir lesdictes choses, et parce ceulx
qtd trouveront ces cboses sont tenuz a restitution a celuy
qui en sera ^ la poursuytte, ou bien en faire des aul-
mosnes pour Dieu, iouxte le conseil dun saige homme
et discret et selon conscience. Cest le iugement.

XXXIV. ' f Item, Bi aucun trouve en la mer, ou a larenne ou
rive* de la mer, ou fleuve et riviere, aucune chose
laquelle iamais ne fut a quelque personne, scavoir est,
comme pierres precieuses, poissons, et herbes marines,
que bn appelle Qaismon,^ *cela appartient a celuy qui
premier le trouve et emporte.^ Cest le iugement.

XXXV. IT Item, touchant les poissons gros et ayant lart,* qui
viennent et sont trouvez mors • a la rive de la mer, il
fault avoir esgard a la coustume du pays. Car le seig-
neur doit avoir partie au desir de la coustume, la raison

^ boucles'] bouchez, CI.
^fermes"] boudez, CI.
3 et etperance] omitted, CI.
^ en sera] en llura, 01.
^ OH rive} da rivage, CI,
^ GaUmon'] Gaymon, CI.

^premier le trouve et emporte"}
Taura premi^remeat trouv^, CX.

^ lespoissons gros et ayant lart} le
gros poiMonfl k lart, CI.

> more] omitted, CI.

ROLLE OF OLAYRON.

471

Likewise, a shyp has made jetison ^ of several mar- 83.
cbaundises, it is to be assumed that the said marchaun-
dises are in chests, the whiche chests are closed and
fastened, or indeed of bookes * that are well closed and
wrapped up for fear of theyr being damaged by the
sea, while he who has made the jetison has still the
intention, wyll, and hope of recovering the said thynges,
wherfore those who shall fynde these thynges, are bounde
to restore them to hym who shall pursue them, or to
make almes of them to God after the counsel of a wise
and discrete man, and after theyr conscience. This is
the judgement:

Likewise, y{ any one fynde ^ in the sea, or on the 34.
sande or bank of the sea, or of an estuary, or of a
river, any thynge the whiche never belonged to any
person, that is to wyte as precious stones, fysshe, and
marine herbs, that are called Gaismon,^ this belongs to
hym who fyrste fyndes and carries it off. This is the
judgement.

Likewise, touching great fysshe^ having fat, that
comme and are founde dead on the bank of the sea,
regard must be had to the custume of the contre ; for
the lorde oughte to have parte at his desire by the cus-

35.

^jetison] This article is also
numbered xxxiii. in Cleiiac*s edi-
tion.

2 bookes} The word " livres " is the
reading in Qarcie's and in Cleirac's
edition. It is probable that printed
books are here meant,- and as print-
ing with types was only invented in
the fifteenth centnry, it is evident
that this article does not belong to
the period when the ancient Judg-
ments of tho Sea were drawn up.

^ fynde ] This article is also
numbered zxxiv. by Cleirac.

'* Gaismon] This word is pro-
bably from a Breton source. Mr.
PazdeesuB says that go^mon is the
Breton word for the marine herbt^
which are called ** varech " in Nor-
mandy, and ** sart " on the coasts of
Angouleme and Poitoo.

' great Jysshe] This is the thirty^
seventh article in Cleirac's seriesj

472 ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

est bonne, car le subiecb doit avoir obeissance et tribiit
a son seigneur. Cest le iugement.

XXXVI. Item, le seigneur doit prendre et avoir sa part des-
dictz poissons ou lai-t, et non en aultre poisson, I'eserve
toutesfoys la bonne coustume dudict pays sus le lieu
ou ledict poisson aura este trouve. Et celuy qui la
trouve nest tenu sinon do la saulver, et mettre hors de
dangier de la mer, et incontinent le faii'e assavoir
audict seigneur, en le sommant, et requerant quil
vicnne, ou euvoye querir le droict a luy appartenant
audict poisson. Cest le iugement.

XXXVII. Item, si ledict seigneur veult et aussi sil est de cous-
tume, il pouiTa faire apporter et amener a iceluy qui
a trouve ledict poisson au lieu et a la place publicque,
la ou on tient le marche et halle, et non ailleurs. Et
la doit estre ledict poisson et mys a pris par ledict
seigneur ou linventeur ^ selon la coustume. Et le pris
faict, celuy qui naura faict le pris aura son election de
prendre ou de laisser. Et si lun deulx par fas* ou
nefas faict perdre a lautre la valeur dun denier, il est
tenu a restituer. Cest le iugement.

XXXVIII. f Item, si les cousts et fraiz de lamenage dudit
poisson iusques a ladicte pl'ace seroient de plus grant
somme, que ne vauldroit lo poisson, lors ledict seigneur
est tenu de prendre sa part sus le Ueu. Cest le iuge-
ment.

^ ou linventeur] oa son lieutenant, | ^ par fas'] per fas, CI.
CL

ROLLE OF OLAYRON.

473

tume^ and the reason is goode, for the vassal ^ oughte
to pay obedience and tribute to his lorde. This is the
judgement

Likewise, the lorde ^ oughte to take and have his parte 36,
of the said fysshe or fat, and not in other fysshe, re-
serving alwaies the goode custume of the said contre
in the place wher the said fysshe shall have been founde.
And he who fyndes it is not bounde except to save it
and place it out of danger of the sea, and forthwith to
make it known to the lorde, in summoning and re-
quiring hym that he comme or sende to clayme the
ryght belonging to hym in the said fysshe. This is
the judgement.

Likewise, yf the said lorde wyU, and also yf it be 37.
the custume,* he may cause the peraon who has found
the said fysshe to bring and cany it to the place and
the public square, where the market or halle is kept,
and not elswhere. And there the fysshe ought to be •
brought, and be praysed by the said lorde or the fynder,
after the custume,* and the price having been fixed, he
who has not fixed the price shall have his election to
take or leave it ; and if one of them by ryght or by
wronge causes the other to lese the value of a pennie,
he is holden to restore it. This is the judgement

Likewise, yf the costs * and expenses of the carriage 38.
of the said fysshe, as far as the said place, shuld be of
a greater amount than the fysshe were worthe, then the
lorde is bounde to take his part on the spot This is
the judgement

^ the vassoT] This sounds like a
custom -which goes back to feudal
times.

^the lorde] This is the thirty-
eighth article in Cleirac*8 series.

' the cttstiune'] This is the thirty-
ninth article in Cleirae's series.

* the custyme"] Grarcie had pro-
bably in yiew the customs of Brit-
tany and of Normandy, under which
whales were the perquisites of the
lords of the coasts.

'^ costs ] This Ih the fortieth
article in Cleirae's edition.

474 ROOLLE DOLAYROK.

XXXIX. f Item, esdictz fraiz et mises ledict- seigneur doit es-
ootter.' Car ne doit pas enrichir de la perte et domage
daultruy, aultrement il peche. Cest le iugement.

XL. f Item, si dadventure ledict poisson trouve est des-

robe ou perdu par quelque fortune, empres que ledit
seigneur la visite, ou avant, celuy qui la trouve nest
en rien tenu. Cest le iugement.

XLI. ^ Item, en toutes aultres choses trouvees a la coste
de la mer, lesquelles aultreffois out este possedees par
creatures,^ comme vin, huille, et aultres et marchandiseSy
et combien quelles auroient este iectees et delaissees des
marchaDs, et quelles devroient estre au premier oocupaniy
touteflfois la coustum^ du pays doit estre gardee comme
des poissons. Mais sil ya presumption que ces choses
soient daucun navire, qui soit pery, rompu, et sumerge,
lors le seigneur, ny linventeur, ne doivent rien pren-
dre pour le retenir, mais doivent faire comme devant
est diet, savoir est en faire prier Dieu pour les
trespassez^ et autres biens spirituelz. Ou aultrement
ilz encouront les maledictions precedentes.* Cest le
iugement.

XLII. T Item, aucun navire trouve en mer vn poisson a
lart, il est totallement a ceulx qui le trou vent, sil na
poursuyte, et nul seigneur ny doit avoir ny prendre
part, combien quon lapporte en sa terre. Cest le iuge-
ment

* escoUer'] B^^cotier, CI. passez'] du bien aux panvres neces-

siteux, CI.

- par creatures^ omitted, CI.

' en /aire prier Dieu pour les tres-

* les tnaledictiones precedeniesJl le
jugement de Dieu, CL

BOLLE OP OLAYRON.

476

Likewise the said lord ought to scot ^ the said coster 39.
and expenses, for he ought not to enrich hymselfe upon
the losse and damage of others, otherwise he synnes.
This is the judgement.

Likewise, yf by chaunce* the said fysshe is carried 40.
oflf or. lost by some accident after the said lorde has
visited it or before, he who has founde it is not holden
to any thynge. This is the judgement.

Likewise, in all other thynges ^ founde on the coasts 41.
of the sea^ the whiche have been formerly possessed by
creatures, suche as wyne, oyl, and other marchaundises,
and notwithstanding they shuld have been cast over and
abandoned by the marchaunts, and they oughte to be-
long to the fyrste occupant, yet the custume of the
contre ought to be observed as in the case of fysshe.
But if there be a presumption that these thynges are
from some shyp that has perysshed, is broken up and
sunk, then neither the lorde nor the fynder ought to
take any thynge to keep it, but they ought to do as is
abovesaid, that is to wyte, cause prayers to be made to
God for the dead,'* and other spiritual goode workes.
Or otherwyse they incur the maledictions precedent.
This is the judgement.

Likewise, yf any shyp * fynde at sea a fysshe of fat, 42.
it is altogether for those who fynde it, yf there be
no chase of it, and no lord ought to have a part
of it, in whatever waye it be brought on to his land.
This is the judgement.

> acol ] This is the forty-first
article in Cleirac's edition, in which
** s'ecotier'* is written for"escottcr."
The latter word was probably in-
troduced by the Northmen into Nor-
mandy, in like manner as it was in-
troduced by the Saxons into England.

' by channel] Cleirac numbers
this as the forty-first article.

^ thynges] This is the forty-second
article in Cleirac's edition.

^ the dead] Cleirac has modified
this in accordance i^itb the change
made by him in Art xxvii. of
Cleirac^s series.

* any ahyp] This is the forty-
fourth article in Qeiiuc

476

ROOLLE DOLATROK.

XUll. f Item, si aucun va cherchant le long de la cost-e
de la mer pour trouver ^ or, ou argent, et il en trouve,
il doibt toat rendre sans rien prendre. Cest le iuge-
ment.

XLIV. IT Item, si aucun en allant le long de la rive de la
mer pour pescher ou autrement et il advient quil trouve
or, ou argent, il est tenu a restitution ; mais il se peult
payer de sa ioumee, ou bien sil est povre, il j^eut re-
tenir pour luy, voyre sil ne scait a qui le rendre, il
doit faire assavoir en lieu ou il a trouve ledict argent,
et es lieux circonvoisins et prochains, encores doit il
prendre conseil de son prelat, de son cure, ou de son
confesseur,*'^ lesquelz doivent bien regarder et considerer
lindigence et pauvrete de oil qui aura trouve ledict
argent, et la quantite dudict argent, et luy conseiller
selon Dieu et conscience. Cest le iugement.

XLV. IT Item, si vne nef par force de temps est contraiucte
de coupper ses cables ou fiUetz par bout, et laisse cables
et ancres, et faire la vie et gre ^ du vent ; ses ancres
et cables ne doivent estre perduz a ladict nef, sil y
avoit horyn ou bonneau. Et ceulx qui les pescbent
sont tenuz de les rendre, silz scavent a quL^ Mais il
doivent estre payes de leurs peines selon lesgard de
iustice. Mais parce quon ne scait a qui les rendre, le
seigneur y prent sa part comme les saulveurs, et nen

^ pour trouver'} pour pescher ou
trouver, CI.

^ de son prelat, de son cure, ou de
son confesseur'} de ses supeiieurs,
CI.

3 et faire la vie et gre"] et s'eu ra
au gre, CI.

* a qut] a qui Us sont, CI.

* mate parce quon ne scait"] et sHls
ne 89ayeiit^ CI.

BOLLE OF OLAYRON.

477

Likewise, yf any one goes searching ^ along the coast 4J».
of the seas to fynde golde or silver, and fyndes some,
he ought tojender it all withonte takjmge aoythynge.
This is the judgement.

likewise, yf any one in goinge ^ along the bank of 44.
the sea to fysshe or otherwise, and it chaunceth that
he fynde golde or silver, he is bounde to make, resti-
tution; but he may pay hymselfe for his journey, or
yf he be poore he may retain it for hymselfe, although,
yf he knows not to whom to restore it, he ought to
make it known in the place where he founde the said
silver, and in the neighbouring and surrounding places ;
still further he ought to take counsel of his prelate,
or of his cur^, or of his confessor, who ought weU to
regard and consider th*e indigence and povertie of hym
who shall have founde the silver, and the quantitie of
the said silver, and give him advice according to God
and his conscience. This is the judgment.

Likewise, yf a shyp by stresse of wether* is con-
strayned to cut her cables or hausers by the end, and
leveth cables and ankres, and runneth to sea at the
pleasure of the wind, her ankers and cables ought not
to be lost to the said shyp, yf there be a. buoy or
float to them, and those who fysshe them up are holden
to restoVe them yf they knowe to whom. But they
ought to be payed for theyr paines after the award
of justice. But bycause sometyme they do not know
to whom to restore them, the lord takes his share
in them as the salvors theyrs, and they do not cause

45.

^ searching'] This article is the
thirty-fifth in Cleirac's series.

• goinge^ This is the thirty-sixth
article in Cleirac's series.

3 stresse of wether'] Cleirac adopts

here and to the end the same ar-
rangement which Garcie has adopted,
and the same system of numbering
^e articles.

478

ROOLU: DOLATRON..

font dire Pater Noster ny Ave Maria/ a quoy ilz ne
sont tenuz. Et parce il a este ordonne que vn chas-
cun maistre de navire aye a mettre et faire engraver
dessus les horyns et bonneaux de sa navire son nom,
ou de ladict navire, et du port et havre dont il est.
£t cela engardera de damner beaucoup dames f et sera '
grant proffit a plusieurs. Car tel a laisse son ancre au
matin, qui se pourra recouvrer au soir. Et ceubc qui
le retiendront seront larrons et pirates. Cest le iuge-
ment.

XLVI. % Item^ generallement si aucune nef par cas daucune
fortune se rompt et pert, tant le bris que les aultres
biens de ladicte nef doivent estre reservez et gardez a
ceulx a qui ilz appartenoient avant le nauflfrage, cessant
toute coustume contraire. Et tous participans, prenans,
et consentans oudict naurage, silz sont eVesque^, ou
prelatz, ou clercs, ilz doivent estre deposez de leurs
offices et privez de leurs benefices ; et silz sont layz,*
ilz encouront les peines susdictes.

XL VII. IT Item, les cboses precedentes se doibvent entendre,
si ladite nef ne excercoit le mestier de piUerie, que les
gens dicelles ne fussent point pyrates, ou escumeurs de
mer, ou bien ennemis de nostre saincte foy catho-
licque. Car a lors silz sont pyrates, pilleurs, ou escu-
meurs de mer, ou Turcs, et autres contraires, et ennemys

* et nen font dire Pater No^t^r
ny Ave Maria] n*eii font pointe
faire raison, CI.

^ de dampner beavcnup (lames']
beaucoup de dommages, CL
3 et sera] il &ira, CI.
* layz] laies, CI.

HOLLE OF OLATBON. 479

to be said a Pater Noster nor an Ave Maria ^ as they
ought. And for this reason it has been ordayned,* that
every mayster of a shyp ouglit to set and liave engraved
upon the buoys and floats of his shyp the name of
his said shyp, and of the port or haven from the
whiche it is. And this wyll prevent many souls being
damned, and will be a gi'eat gayn to several, for a
person leves his ankre in the morning, who wyll be
able to recover it at night. And those who shall retayn
them shall be robbers and pirates. This is the judge-
ment. *

Likewise, generally yf any shyp by any casualty or 46.
misfortune is broken up and lost, the timbers of the
said shyp, as well as the other goodes, ought to be
reserved and kept for those to whom they belonged
before the shypwreck, notwithstanding any custume to
the contrarie. And all persons partaking in seizing
and consenting to the said shypwreck, yf they are
bishopes or prelates, or clerks,'* they ought to be deposed
from theyr offices and deprived of theyr benefices ; and
yf they are lay persons,. they incur the penalties aforesaid.

Likewise, the thynges preceding ought to be under-
stood yf the said shyp was not engaged in the practice
of pillage, that the crew of her were not pirates or sea-
rovers, or enemies of our Holy Catholic Faith. For in
that case yf they be pirates, pillagers, or sea-rovers, or
Turks, or others opposed to and enemies of our Holy

in the place of **^ prayers for the
" dead." •

» Ave Maria] Cleirac follows

Garcie in this provision, and so „ , _ _ . , ,.

. . . . : -.1 * . 11. ' ordaynea] No early ordinance to
far IS inconsistent with himself asi,. ^-^vv i.jjj

, . ,^ . • 1 I this effect has been handed down to

regards the alterations previously • . ^ ^

®, , .. . A . , ^1 the present time,

made by Inm m Article, xxmaod , , ^^^ ^ , .^

xh. of Gftpcie's series, in which he v vi • * j j v * v

^ . ,,.,•.!_ Ml -probably intended here, not by any

has substituted "alms for the poor" i * * ^, . ^ ^ ^

*^ ' overt act on their part.

■/.

480

ROOLLE DOLAYRON.

de nostre dicte saincte foy catholicque,^ chascun peult
prendre sur telles manieres de gens comme sus chiens/
et peult Ion les desrober et spoiler de leurs biens sans
pugnition.* Cest le iugement.

f Ces choses pi-ecedenies sent extraictes du tresutille
et proffitable Roolle Doloyron, par ledict Pierre Grarcie
alias Ferrande.

^ car a lots »ilz sont pyraiei, pU-
leurSf ou escumemrs de mery ou Turcs
et aulres contraires et ennemys de

noatre dicte saincte foy caihoiicque]
omitted, CI.

^ comme bus chietui] omitted, CI.

3 sans pugtiition'] omitted, 01.

ROLLB OF OLAniON.

481

Catholic Faith,® every one may take from sache manner
of men as from dogs, and may strip them and despoil
them of t^eyr goodes without any punishment. This
is the judgement.

The preceding thynges are extracted from the very
useful and profitable Roll of Olayron by the said Pierre
Qarcie alias Ferrande.

^Hoiy Catholic FaiM] This
saTouTs of the hand of an ecclesias-
tic ; on the other side it may be ob-

served that the hand which drew np
the preyioos article does not spare
the clergy*

VOL. II.

H H

INDEX.

H H 2

INDEX.

Abatement, fresh:

plea of, in Fortmannysmote, 21.

by wed and boragb> 41.

by assise of twelve men, 43.

for tenement ebclosed, 67.

for tenement deyised, 88. *
Accusation, when termed naked, 853.
Acquisitions made after marriage :

common to hnsband and wife, 278.

ancient custom as to, 881.
Advocate :

distinguished from the pleader, 316,
iu)te.

his mandate in the Assises de Jerusar
lera, 821.

may not be a warrantor for his client,
877.
Adyree, meaning of the word, 184, note.
Age:

of discretion at Ipswich, 79.

fourteen years complete, 161.
Age of discretion at Oleron fifteen years

complete, 287.
Ale, a tunne of, 185.
Abnonds, a hundred of, 189.
Alum, a hundred of, 189.
Anchor:

under what circumstances a ship is
bound to raise her, 281, 451.

ship at, in collision with a vessel
under sail, 879, 449.

Angers, money of :

current in Oleron, 257.

prescribed in the charters of Bouen
and Falaise, 421, note,
Angleterre :

pilots for, 226.

case of an echevin of Royan wishing
to go to, 408.

ship lading in, 451.
Arguel, various interpretations of, 186.
Armogan, the ship's master ought not to

lose his, 457.
Arrest of chattels may be set aside by the

oath of thelegfd owner, 381.
Assise of the King or his son at Boy an,

415,419.
Assise:

Great, 33, 34.

of new disseisin, 43.

of twelve men, 43.
Assises de Jerusalem :

who may be pleaders, 817, note,

authority of the advocate, 821, note.

court of the sea, 849, note,

law of jetison, 395, note.
Attorney:

mode of appointing, 186, 285.

oath of an, 269.
Attoumer to transfer homage, 64, note.
Availle, the forest of :

estates adjoining to, 809.

rights of the King in, 313.
Availle :

a suitor of the court, 291.

Lavendere, a woman of, 355;

486

INDEX.

Badger, skio of the, 191.

Bail, liability of, when " each for all " is

surety, 321.
Bail, Us signification in French jurispru-
dence, 332, note.
Bailli^, may bold recognisances ..out of

court, 137.
Balayn :

a smaller kind of whale, 193, note.
customs for, 199.
Bakers :

offence of, against the a8sise, 173.
the custom taken of, 201.
Banci, narratores, the mediccval term for

pleaders, 316.
Baratonrs, common, 97.
Barley, for brewing, 175.
Batart, Estene Ic, suit of, 285.

Battle :

wager of, not allowed at Ipswich, 33.
not allowed in the Mayor*B Court at

Oleron, 349.
not waged in the Court of the Sea,

349, note,
when waged in the Lord's Court in

Oleron by champions for civil

causes, 349.
when waged body to body for crimes,

351.
plaintiff must produce guarantees, 353.
mode of waging, body to body, 359.
may not be waged by a champion

against a principal party, 369.
Bayonne,charter of, granted by King John,

283,»tote.
Beaucaire, great fair of, 173, note,
Beanmanoir, Philippe de. See Beauvoisis.
BeauToisis, Coutumes de :

Limitation of the Other's power of

bequest, 276, note.
OuBclage distinguished from Douaire,

278.
age of discretion, 287«
form of oath. 318.

Bedel of the town, the rightfiil executioner

of criminals, 357 .
. Bedford*8 English translation of the Black

Book of the Admiralty, 432, note.
Bench of justice, 334.
Beremen, the twelve licensed porters of

Ipswich, 183.
Bicharz, Sire Andre, a pmd'homme of

Oleron, 255.
Borh, an institution of the ^nglo-Saxons,

41, note.
Bolke, broken, 156.
Bonne, a boundary post, or boundary stone,

307.
Books packed up and cast overboard from
vessels in distress, not derelicts, 47 1.
Bordeaux, 211, 213, 219, 223, 237.

Royal Academy of Sciences at, 210.
Bordeaux, Coutumes de, 271.
Bormaut, Sire Guillaume, 391. •
Borugh. See Wed.
Boundary posts, proof at sight, 307.
Bow, brekyn, 157.
Boysseau, Gumbaut, suit of, 327.
Boysseau, Joflrey:
suit, 275.

new house of, 391.
Bracton:

Court of Fepondrous. 22, noie.
Magnum cape, 28.

King's writ to bailliffs of a town, 29.
binding force of a warranty, 39.
writ of nuisance, 47.
penalty of waste, 54.
alienation of wife*s property, 56.
definition of murder, 355.
Bran, not to be mixed with flour, 173.
Brass, a hundred of, 191.
Braysil sold by the hundred, 189.
Bread, price of, according to the selling of

com, 173.
Brefs de conduite, 467.
Bretons frequently engaged in maritime

suits in Oleron, 385.
Breweresses :

established in Fleet Street, London,

174.
selling against the assise, 1 75*

INDEX.

487

Brittany :

pilots for, 227.

mariners' priyileges, 233, 453.
Britton :

on proceeding* par gage et plegge,
20, note,

on abatement, 41, 77, note.

on accretion, 82, note.

on prodeshommes, 96, 306.

on the jayse, 142.

on Touching a warrantor, 259.

on «eisin and disseisin, 323.

on murder, 355.
Brook Street, in Ipswich, 205.
Bulkheads :

of a ship, 223, 225, notes,

fitting up of, 373.
Bultell, of Reynes, 173.
Buoys:

should be attached to anchors in havens,

231.
should be placed to mark out ships'

berths, 239.
should hare the names of the ships, to
which they belong, engraved on
them, 479.
Butchers :

must bring the hides to the market

wfth the carcases, 143.
punishment of, who sell bad meat,
145.
Butter sold by the wey, 193.
Buxum, in the leet-oath, 63.

Cables:

nimiber of, requisite to moor a ship in

safely, 215, 439.
loss of, subject of average, 221, 443.
Caen, ships bound for, 441.
Candlemas, Feast of, 301.
Cannevas, a pack of, 187.
Capital punishment, entrusted to the jus-
tices of (he king, 4 1 If

Cargo:

may be ca:3t overboard in case of

tempest, 219,441.
may be sold in part for ship's neces-
saries, 239, 457.
liable to contribute, where masts or
cables have been cut away, 221,
443.
damage by collision, 229, 449.
may be detained until average is paid,

223, 443.
damage by bad hoisting, 221, 445,

459.
damage by bad stowage, 225, 447.
damage by fault of pilot, 457.
pays the stowage dues in Oleron, 395.
pays for towage and harbour pilot,
227.
Cat-skins sold by the hundred, 191.
Cattle impounded for trespass, 273.
Chancery, writ from the, 39, 51. ,
Charcoyre, Pierre, suit of, 376.
Charter of the Franchise of the Commune
of Oleron, 265.

Chateau:

the chief town in Oleron, 282.

house of Je£Ek«y Boysseau at, 391.
Cheese sold by the wey, 193.
Chest, common, of the town of Ipswich,

57.
Chest, mariner's, 235, 453.

Chevaliers:

as burgesses of Ipswich, 153.
need not be accepted as sufeties at
Oleron, 299.
Chevalier Don Pierre, suit of, 275.
Cheyventain of the wine drawers in Ips-
wich, 179.
Chezac, Lord Aymer, deputy mayor of

Oleron, 375.
Chezac, Lord William, house of, 39 ^
Chief-rent, land held on a, 265.
Church, proclamation in the, 363.
Cider, a tun of, 185.
Cleirac*s version of the Bolls of Oierou^

433, note.
Clement, John, a baillif of Ipswich 19t

488

INDEX.

Clerk, common, of the town of Ipswich,

how panished for fiJae enrolliDg,

169.
Client, meaning of the term, 317.
Coals of the sea, 197.
Coats of mail, 193.
Cogeshale, cloth of, 187.
Colchester, cloth of, 187.
Collision of ship under sail with. ship at

anchor, 229, 449.
Collusion between merchants on board a

c^p, 443, note.
Coke, Lord, on the court of Ptpouders, 22,

note.
Cokett, a variety of bread, 173.
Conmione, doty of, to march forth, 423.
Compurgators:

four chosen by lot in cases of debt

between peers and commoners at

Ipswich, 171.
six required in Oleron tc support a

sole guarantee, 327.
six admitted to refute a sole accuser

at Royan, 425.
Conger, to be cut up in the common

market, 103.
Consolatdel Mar:

in the Catalan dialect, 214, note,
the seaman's venture, 304.
option of part-owners, 343.
division of damage, in case of acci-
dental collision of ships, 379.
distribution of wreck for the souls of

the dead mariners, 463.
one fourth of wreck reserved for the

use of the salvage authorities, 465.
Contracts of sale to be registered at Ipswich

by thebailliffii, 119.
Contracts, suits for, should be heard in the

country where they were made, 327.
Conveyance of tenements enrolled at Ips-

•wich, 57.
Conviction, what constitutes, in wager of

battle, 355.
Cooks, punishment of, who sell meat out

of season, 147.
Copper, a hundred of, 191.
Coprose, a tunne of, 187.

Corlenocher, in the com market at Ipswich,

104.
Cordwain, a dosen of, 189.
Coroners at Ipswich, 51.
Costnrere, Parnele La, suit of, 285.
Coubrances, acquisitionB after marriage,

278.
Counsel of a party, cannot be his warrantor,

341.
Counsel, a day of, 256, 317.
Counsellors, twelve elected from the peers

in the city of Boyan, 407.
Counsellors of the commune of Oleron, not

obliged to be resident within the

vill of Oleron, 409.
Counters, early KngHsh name for Serjeants

at law, 316.
Coutumes de Beauvoisis. See BeauToisis.
Court, hours of, 23.
Cow hides, sold by the last, 191.
Crier, the public, 363.
Crop, meaning of the term in Oleron, 281.
Crosses of nuurble, 189.
Crown, pleas of the, at Ipswich, 21.
Cucking stool:

for scolds at Ipswich, 164.
at Royan, 415.
Customs of Bordeaux as to trespass of

cattle, 271.
Custom of Ipswich recognised in the King's

Court, 160.
Custom of Poitou, as to community of

goods between husband and wife,

273.
Custom of Bochelle, as to osde and dower,

279.

Daker, of hides, 192.

Damages to be proved by warrantors, not

by the oath of a party, 281.
Damage, from a building fiedling down, how

compensated, 291.
Darceas, Sire fielias, a prud'homme of

Oleron, 256.

INDBX.

489

Darceaofi, Amaut, suit of, 261.

Darceaus, Sire Pierre, a prud'homme of

Oleron, 256.
Daatingues, Sire Giraut, suit of, 268.
Dauphin^, Histoire de, 871.
I Davy Howe, house of, in Ipswich, 183.
Debt, liinitation of time for claimisg pay-
nf N meiit,d29.

^^ebt, civil excommonioation the pnnish-
ment for, in the case of clergy and
nobles, 416.
Debtor, intending to remove goods, 331.
Debtor, distraint on a foreign, 129.
De Fontaines, Pierre, Conseil de :
jor de conseil, 254.
definition of heritage, 264'.
father's power of bequest, 276.
distinction between gentle persons by
lignage and gentle persons by tenure,
278.
age of discretion, 287.
emparliers or amparliers, 316.
the lord's claim of jurisdiction, 420.
De Fors, Helies, Bishop of Saintes, 279.
Demurrage, due after fifteen days' delay,

237.
Denial, loyal, in what case admissible in a

matter of homicide, 360.
Derelict :

recognised by the Roman Law, 469.
presumption against, in certain cases
of jetison, 471.
Dereyn, use of the word, 68.
Deposit, degree of diligence required in

. guarding a, 325.
Disseisin :

as defined in Myrrour des Justices, 42,

322, note,
as defined in Britton, 323, note.
Disseisin, Novel, assise of, held weekly in
the Guildhall of the city of London,
41, note, 44.
when instituted by King Henry II. no
essoin allowed, 42, 43, note.
Distraint fot debt, how to be enforced, 113.
Ditch, to whose property it belongs, 809.
Dooms, of Hlothhsere and Eadric, kings of
Kent, 41.

Dorz:

Don Pierre, provost of Oleron, 287.

Lord Peter, a prud'homme of Oleron,
389.
Drawn, as a thief, 357.
Dreit Seignor, definition o( 328.
Droit de Bris, the lord's right to wreck,

467.
Ducking, penalty of:

for scolds at Ipswich, 164.

for Jews in Oleron, 371.

for scolds at jBoyan, 417.
Durant, Bonin, suit of, 269.
Durant, Guilleaume, suit of, 269.
Durant, Pierre, of Maresdous, suit of, 261.

Earnest of the ship, 455.

Earthen pots sold in the cheese market at

Ipswich, 201.
Easter, rent of stalls in the market at

Ipswich payable at, 203.
Eaves of a house may not project beyond

the half of the road, 389.
Echevin :

equal to two warrantors in Oleron, 261.
warranty of an, out of office, 375.
oath of office at Boyan, 427.
punishment of, if he takes a bribe at
Boyan, 429.
Echevins:

two, associated with the mayor at

Oleron, 261.
join with him in the award, 339.
twelve, elected from the peers, at

Boyan, 407.
from the Teatonic word schaffen, sea-
binos, 407.
Edward I. :

restored to Ipswich its liberties, 19.
his charter to Ipswich, 149, note.
Letters patent of A.D. 1285, 394.
Edward II., his persecution of the Jews in
Gascony, 371, note.

490

INDEX.

Egg, custom of thro wing an, to define the
limits of (he poultry walk round the
lord's house, 271.
Encroachment on private property, 291.
England :

pilots for, 226.

case of an echeviu of Koyan wishing

to go to, 408.
case of a ship Uding in, 45 1 .
Equity, egaute, the ancient phrase, 411.
Essec:

definition of, between purchasers, 326.
between partners in a ship, 343.
Espleit, seinin of an, 325.
It)ssoyne, fourching by, 25.
Essoyues :

of lying sick, 23.
of service of the king, 27.
where the plea is by writ, 49.
not allowed in writ of novel disseisin,
43, note,
Estlond, waynscot board of, 193.
Exception, legal meaning of the term, 315.
Excommunication, civil, pimishmeut at
Royan for contumacious debtors,
417. •
Executors of the dead, 73.
Eysel, a tuii of, 185.

Fares of the companion mariners, 461.
Fahn, Don Pierre Vezos, suit of, 275.
Farm of the king at Ipswich, 143.
Femme coverte :

in what cases must answer alone, 141.

husband must answer for debt, 143.
Feoffment, charter of, 37, 125.
Figs, a frael of, 1 89.

Fish :

brought to market in panniers not to

be taken out by regrators, 103.
large fish not be cut up in private

houses, 103.
taken by passing ships from nets, 373.

Fish — coni,

taken by vessela in partnership, 459.
great, cast on shore, 471.
the lord's part in great, 473.
Fish, shell, to be sold at the key, 161.
Fishmongers of London, their hall-moie,

1 02, note,
Flanders, pilots for, 227, note.
Flax, seed of, sold in the cheesu market,

201.
Fleta, panel of the 24 jurors, 35, note.
Flitch of bacon, 195.
Focaus, Guillaume, suit of, 369.
Foe et loc, requirements of a house, 386.
Fontaines. See De Fontaines.
Force, fresh. See Abatement.
Foreigners admitted as burgesses at Ips-
wich, 153.
Foreigner^ contumacious upon sentence,

excommunicated civilly at Royan,

413.
Forenoon, the time for the sittings of the

courts, 23.
Forestal, intercepting on the highway, 7 1 .
Forgery :

definition of, 357.
punishment for, 357.
Fortescue, De Laudibus Legum Aiigliae,

28.
Forty days, essoin de ultra mare, 267.
Founts of marble, 1 89.
Four seas of England, 45, 47, 65.
Fourching by essoign forbidden by statute,

25.
Fox, skin of the, 191.
Frank-pledge, iriew of, 63, 130.
Fullers' earth free from market duty, 197.

GaugnercK, a tenant who renders half the

prodace, 847.
Graismon, a marine herb, 471.
Gallia Christiana, 279, 309.
Game la^vs in Oleron, 315.
Garcie, Pierre, author of Le Grand Uoatier,

219.

INDEX.

491

Garde-faite, as a landmark, 306, 308.
Garior, definition of, 324.
Garlic sold by the sheaf, 195.
Gascon patois, akin to Catalan, 210.
Gautpr, Sire Pierre, a prud'honime of

Olerou, 255.
Gaze, Pierre, of Bone Amie, suit of, 319.
Geese as' trespassers, 27 1 .
Gentyls Hommes as burgesses, 152.
Germannia, Yarmouth, boundary of pilots

for Scotland, 227.
Gibbets to be erected and left us land-
marks in certain cases of traitorous
pilotage, 469.
Gignont, Ilelies, suit of, 285.
Glanville :

on essoins, 23, ttoie.

on summonses, 28.

inquest of lawful men of the vicinage,

29.
oath of twelve compai^tors, SO.
jury of great assise, 32, 34.
writ de pace habenda, 33,
recognition of jurors, 35.
Touching a warrantor, 36, 37.
every testament to be attested by two

witnesses, 71.
widow's third under common law,
139.
Godolphin's View of the Admiral Jurisdic-
tion, 432, note.
Gold found on the sea shore, 477.
Gotail, a Gascon form of goutier, 306.
Guarde-fete, 300.
Guardianship of minors, 89.
GoiUem, Don Johan, suit of, 285.
Guischos, Guillaume, clerk of the Commune
ofOleron, 254.

Hamsoken, plaint of, 9t.

Hand, the twelfth, 31.

Hand, loss of a mariner's, alternative fine,

227, 447.
Haunting a craft, 147.

Hemp :

sold in the cloth market of Ipswich,

190.
seed sold in the cheese market, 201.
Henry le Waleis, Lord Mayor of London,

100, note.
Hiring, ship at, 443.
Herrings :

last of red, 193.

vessels in partnership fishing for, 459.
Hoisting, the master's obligation to take
precautions in unlading cargo, 223.
Heyr madle, 88.
Homicide, definition of, 355.
Honey, a tunne of, 187.
Horold, Baldry, house of, in Ipswich, 183.
Horse, duty on exportation, 195.
Horse hide», sold by the last, 191.
Hostel, a house where strangers were

lodged, 217.
Hosts :

of strange merchants, 121.
take their fourth part of sales at
Ipswich, 147.
Hour to appear in court, before mid-day,

319.
Husband's power to sell his wife's property,
how regulated at Ipswich, 57.

Inheritance, right of, of children who are

married, 277.
Infant :

power of, to claim an inheritance,

287.
guardianship of, 289.
Inland, customs on goods sent, 1 59.
Inquest :

of twelve men, 49, 53, 61, 127.
its taxation of damages may be en-
hanced by the court, 115.
Insults by word of reproach how punish-
able at Royao, 413.

492

INDE3t.

Ireland, wajnscot board of, 193.
Iron :

of Spain, 191.

of Normandy, 191.
Isle de Bas, an island on the coast of
Britanny, 227.

Jetison ;

should be valued at the market price
at the port of deliyery, 219, 443.

of mariner's venture, 288.

contribution, how regulated, in case
of, 395.

of merehandise in chests, 471.
Jewesses, double toll upon, when pregnant,

371.
Jews :

toll upon, that come into Oleron, 371.

in the reign of Edward II., 371, note.
Josseaume, Constantin, de Doulnx, suit of,

338.
Jugemens de Damme, 225, 229.
Jurats :

twelve at Ipswich tenned Capital Fort-
men, 167.

termed Neighbours at Bayonne, 283.

the twenty-four at Royan, 419.
Juror, objection to, when tenable, 335.
Juiy of twelve men :

in a writ of right, 33.

in a plea of abatement, 43.

in a plea of nuisance, 47.

in a plea of waste, 58.

to tax waste, 125, 131.

to tax damages for slander, 165.
Jury, panel of twenty-four names, 35.
Juyse :

an instrument of punishment for wo-
men, 142.

punishment for scolds, 165.
John, King of England :

ordinance as to customs duty made by,
158, note.

charter granted to Ipswich, 54, 167.

Kenning by Kenning, 235.
King, the :

his farm at Ipswich, 142.
> his charter to Ipawich, 149.
customs of his farm, 185.
his strokes displayed in the wager of
battle, 361.
King Henry I. of England :
charter of, 40.
laws of, 71, 95.
ordinance as, to wreck, 461.
Kitchen, mariners, 233, 453.
Knife, penalty for drawing a, against a
jurat of Boyan, 427.

Lateran Council on ^e subject of wreck,

427.
Larceny, definition of, 855.
Larbelester, John Meynart, suit of, 291.
Laws of Edward the Confessor, 144.
Laws:

ofEthehred, 41.

of Henry I., 71, 95.
Law :

the common, 88, 37.

marine, 23.
Law Merchant :

debts by tally according to the, 137.

judgment according to the, 187.
Lead, a fotmel of, 191.
Leakage :

when the master ought not to lose his
freight by reason of, 221, 443.

of casks freighted by the mariners,
453.
Leet, to beheld at Pentecost, 181.
Leghorn, city of, 211.
Leron, BoUes de, 211.
Le^vys, Howe, a coroner at Ipswich, 183.

INDEX.

498

liber Albns of the city of London:
assise of fresshe-foroe, 41, 44.
Halhnote of the flshmragera, 102.
proof of the tally, 127.
brewereises in Fleet Street, 174.
yeriflcation of measures by the stand-
ard, 176.
ordinance of King Edward I. on the
subject of jetisou, 395.
Liber Cnstomarom of the city of London :
regulations of the flshmongers, 100.
la feste dn Pui, 168.
Liber Memorandonun of the city of

London, 211.
Lincoln, cloth of, 197.
Linen web sold by the piece, 197.
Lists, in wager of battle, 359.
Liirres de Justice et de Plet, law of jetison,

395.
Lomant grand, payable by the ship, 395.
Loman petit :

coasting pilot, payable by the cargo,

226.
harbour pilot, definition of, 384.
Lord, the chief :

has no jurisdiction in Ipswich, 141.
may claipa jurisdiction over his rassal
in Oleron, 341.
Lords, the four :

have no court in Oleron, 281.
their right to a fee in wager of battle
in Oleron, 283, 351.
Lotting and Scotting. See Scot and Lot
Louis X. of France, his treatment of the

Jews, 371.
Louis Vm. of France, invasion of Poitou
by, 882.

Magistrate, assault upon a, how punish-
able, 97.

Mainpernors, sureties in pertonal actions,
62, note.

Maister Roger, house of, in Ipswich, 183.

Makerel, vessels in partnership fishing for,

459.
Maldon, cloth of, 187.
Malt for brewing, 175, note.
Marble, crosses of, 189.
March, first of, the commencement of the

close season in France, 280, note.
Mariners:

are bound to save the ship if they can,

213, 435.
may not go ashore without leave, 215,
. 439.

may be discharged if they quarrel, 217.
if sick, must be cared for, 217, 241.
may defend themselves against the

master, 225, 447.
may not be discharged without just

cause, 229, 449.
their right to food and drink, 233, 453.
may freight their ventures to mer-
chants, 235, 453.
are bound to make the return voyage,

235, 455.
responsible for aid, if they go ashore,

237, 455,
share in demurrage, 237, 455.
under what circumstances may claim
an increase of wages, 231, 455, 459.
their ventures do not pay custom in

Oleron, 805.
are not obliged to salve anything

outside the vessel, 345.
to lose a hand for striking the master,

227, 447.
hired at stowage or at wages, 453.
Mame^ Jean de, a printer at Poitiers,

432, note.
Marriage, community of property on, 278.
Marriage portion in Oleron, 279.
Master of a ship :

may not sell the ship, 211, 433.

may pledge some of the cargo, 213,

435.
may repair and carry forward the

cargo, 215, 437.
his lien for freight, 215, 487.
his authority over disorderly seamen,
217, 229, 480.

494

INDEX.

Master of a ship— co«<.

his duty towards sick seameDy 217,
441.

his power to cast goods overboard,
219,441.

his authority to cut away his masts,
221, 443.

his duty in unlading cargo, 223, 445.

his liability for bad stowage, 225, 445.

should keep order on board, 225, 447.

may not dischaige seamen without
good cause, 229, 449.

may retain wages if seamen desert,
235, 453.

may claim demurrage, 237, 457.

his place on the deck, 384.

his authority to punish the pilot, 457.

ought to mark on the buoys of the
ship the name of the ship, 479.

may sell part of the cargo in case of
necessit^^, 239, 457.
Marshes of Oleron common to the people

of the soil, 303.
Mayor, Court of the, in Oleron :

citation, 255.

record, 261.

in what cases ft has contentious juris-
diction over landed estate, 331.

in what cases it may exercise volun-
tary jurisdiction, 335.

defaults in, 337.

costs and demurrage in, 339.

battle not allowed in, 349.

Mayor of Oleron :

to be believed on his word, 31 1.
may not be the advocate of either
party, 347.

Mayor of Royan :

forbidden to seek re-election by foreign

support, 427.
his oath to execute justice, 427.
his punishment if he accepts a bribe,
429.
Mayor, deputy, in Oleron, 373.
Meadows, common pastures, after they
have been mown, 301.
what beasts may not enter them, 303.

Measures, standard, to be sealed at

Ipswich, 177.
Measures, to be assayed by the standard

before use, 177.
Meptil, a species of mantle, 199.
Merchants, punishment of de&oltisg, 115.
Mer, Le Grand Routier de, printed at
Poitiers by Jan. de Mamef; 432,
note.
Messenger of the court, 319.
Mill, the new, at Ipswich, 183.
Mills, water, not moveables, 387.
Mitigation of pumshment, allowable where
the defendant is not used to
baratyn, 97.
Muid, a measure of wine, 367.
Murder, definition of, 355.
Mussels, to be sold at the key by the fisher-
men themselves, 161.
Myrrour des Justices :

varieties of essoins, 24, note.
nature of a summons, 28.
definition of disseisin, 42.
view of frankpledge, 131.
appearance by attorney, 134.
diiscripdon of counters, 316.
definition of disseisin, 322.
definition of treason, 354.
definition of homicide, 355.
definition of forgery, 357.
Myse, an issue in a writ of right, 33, 37.

Nail, on the, paying, 107.

Navy fitted out in Oleron, 319.

Noblemen on the roll of burgesses of

Ipswich, 154.
Normandy, boundary of pilots for, 227.
Normandy, privilege of mariners of, 233,

453.
Noon, the hour of :

the time of the chief meal, 23, note.

division of the day, 207.
Nuisance, plea of fresh, 21.
Nurture of a minor, 89.

INDEX.

495

Oath :

of the defendant, 261, 263.

of the plaintiff, 263.

of an attorney, 269, note.

of a proxy or agent, 269, 357.
Oath :

ancient form of, 318.

form before battle, 359. .
Oath:

mode of administering it in ooart in
Oleron, 319.

of a woman not received in- Oleron,
884.
Odenholm meadow, for the portmen of

Ipswich, 167.
Oleron :

the Commane of, 255.

the charter of the franchise, 265.

the provost of, 287, 295.

rights of pastures in, 305.

war in, 319.

the University of, 334.
Olferoun, La Charte d', 21 1.
Oleron, custom as to freight of wines, 333.
Olonne, vessels fishing off*, 459.
Omannesete, cloth of, single work, 187, 1 97.
One voice, legal meaning of the term, 315.
Onions, sold by the parcel of a thousand,

195.
Ongle, to Buyn the, 107.
Option of purchase, between partners in n

vessel, 343.
Orchard, penalty for trespass in an, 313.
Ordonnanees des Roisde France, 332.
Oscle, the dowry of a woman, 397.
Osmont, Josseame, suit of, 827.
Osmund, the custom of, 191.
Oyle, a tnnne of, 1 85.
Oysters to be sold at the key by the fisher-
men themselves, 161.

Partners in a vessel :

the right of each to employ it, 341.
the right of each to sell his share, 343.
right of each to freight his share, 381 .
Pasture, rights of, in Oleron, 303.
Patrimony, power of a man over his, in

Oleron, 277.
Panlm^, mode of sale by shaking hands,

280, note.
Peers, the hundred, at Royan :
election of mayor by, 407.
weekly assembly of, 409.
Peer and Commoner :

a resident burge.ss at scot and lot in
Ipswich, 136, 147, 171, 179, 181.
Peters* Admiralty Decisions, 438.
Petit lomant, the harbour pilot, 385.
Philip Augustus, king of Prance, Letters
Patent of, A.D. 1204, to "the com-
mune of St. Jean d'Angely, 406,
note.
Pheasants, penalty for killing, in Oleron,

315.
Pie-estant, suits to be heard, 255.
Pignons, definition of, 307.
Pillory :

punishment for forcstallers at Ips-
wich, 100, note,
punishment for regraters, 101, 105.
punishment for butchers, 145.
punishment for cooks, 147.
punishment for bakers, 173.
punishment in Oleron for forgery, 357.
punishment for forgery or for robbery,

411.
no person to be reproached in Oleron
for having been set in the, 415.
Pilot :

for the coast is a charge on the mer-
chant, 227.
his duty to bring the ship into her

berth, 241.
punishment of unskilfiil, 457.
punishment of traitorous, 465.
Pilots, petty, who guide ships into port, 384.

496

INDEX.

Pi-powden. See FypondruB.
JPitch, a barrel of, 185.

Flankage :
dues, 37^.

payable by the ship, 397.
Pleader may not be a warrantor for his

client, 377.
Pledges must be prekerved so as not to be-
come deteriorated, 299.
Pledge :

what goods not to be taken in, 133.
how forfeited, 155.
Poitiers, custom of the connty as to pro-
perty of husband and wife, 278.
Poke-day, in the East Anglian dialect, 104.
Pokyere, 104.

Portgrave of the city of London, 21.
Portmannysmotes, the days of great pleas

at Ipswich, 21, 27, 128, 125, 151.
Portmeadow, at Oxford, 28, note.
Portmen of Ipswich, 150, 167.
Porpoise to be cat up in the common

market, 103.
Pre-emption, the heir's right of, in Oleron,

265.
Prime :

hour of, 108, 145.

chanting of, 408.

penalty for not being present in court

at, 409.
the high hour of, 103.
Prodes gens, 298, 306.

Provost :

of Ipswich, 19, note,

of Oleron, his record, 261.

Don Pierre Dorz, 287.

duties, as assessor, 295.

duties, as justiciary, 31 3.

duties, as Jailor, 357.
Proxy, oath of a, 853.
PrudHiommes at Oleron :

the guardians of the laws, 253.

vouched in proof, 261, 305.

at view of, 268.

of St. Andr^, 283.

servant of, not privileged, 285.

protest made before, 295.

recognisances made before, 311.

two, may punish trespassers, 313.

Pmd'hommes— conf.

their functions in time of war, 319.

viewers of trespass, 363.

appearance of defendant before, 375.

of the Commune of Royan, 407.
Pui, la Feste du, 168.

Purprestures presented at the Leet at Ips-
wich, 131.
Pypoudrus, pleas of, 23, 27, 255.

Quillage, the keelage dues payable by the

^ip, 395.
Quintal contained 100 pounds, 193, note.
Quarter, the lord of the, 367.
Quit-claim, charter of, 125.

Rabbit skins, a hundred of, 191.
fiagstone, a species of black stone, 189.
Raisouneor, a pleader who is neither ad-
vocate nor counsellor, 317.
Raisins, a frael of, 189.
Rape punished with deatii in Oleron, 355.
Ray, cloth of, 197.
Rayes, vessels in partnership filling for,

459.
Itecogoition :

as distinguished from proof, 2571

of title to land at Royan, 421.
Regrators at Ipswich :

not allowed to forestal, 101.

not to buy before half way to prime,
103.

punished with the pillory, 105.
Rennes, £unous for its linen, 173, note.
Requisitions, lawful, leviable upon citLaens

of Royan, 427.
Reynes, a Bultell of, 173.
Rhodian Law :

of jetison, 395, note.

as to sailors reviling one another, 447,
note.

INDEX.

497

Richard L, king of EDgland, 287.

Rice, a hundred of, 189.

Richard, Foqnes, suit of, 375.

Right, writ of, sent to the court of Ipswich,

29.
Riley's Memorials of London, 105, 164.
Roads under the protection of the king,

389.
Robert of Gloucester, Chronicle of, 179.
Roberz, Don Johan, a prud'homme of

Oleron, 256.
Roberz, Pierre, a prud'homme of Oleron,

256.
Rochelle :

ship arrives at, 211.
custom as to property of husband and
wife, 273, note.
Ronas, Lord Helias, a prud'homme of

Oleron, 389.
Rouen, in Normandy :

Commune of, the type of the Auglo-

Norman communes, 407.
charter of, 406, 408.
ships arriving at, 455.
Routier, Le Grand. See Mer.
Royan:

a city on the north bank of the river

Gironde, 407.
constitution of, 329, note.
Rowlocks, boats with, distinguished from

boats with tholes, 195.
Ruelons, Ozillaes de, hung for rape of a

woman, 391.
Rutter of the See, 215, note.

Sabat^, explanation of the term, 309.

St. Andre, a parish in Oleron, 282.

St. Clement, feast of, 159.

St. Gilles sur Vie, vessels fishing off, 459.

St. Jean d'Angely, in Poitou, charter of

the commune, 406.
St. Malo, pilot for, 457.
St Michael, Feast of :

ordinances of the town proclaimed at
Ipswich, 145.

VOL. IL

St. Michael— con/.

change of time for sellingmerchandize

at the key, 159.
assise of ale to be cried, 175.
rent of stalls in market payable at,

203.
termination of the official year at
Ipswich at noon, 205.
St, Stephen's churchyard at Ipswich, 205.
St. Symphorien d'Oson in Dauphiny, toll

on passing Jew8> 371.
Salisbury, Earl o^ sent over to Poitou,

382.
Salmon cut in the fish market, 103.
Salt sold by the weye, 194.
Salt pans in Oleron, protected from trespass

of cattle, 305.
Saltworkers may not sell their salt without
notice to the ownei; of the saltworks,
347.
Salvage :

mariners bound to aid in, 213, 435.
to be paid on the goods saved, 437.
to be regulated by justice, not by pro-
mises, 437.
of derelict goods, 469.
Saturday, the fortnightly day of mcetiug
of the nuiyor and echevins of Oleron,
408.
Saugeta, Don Bertome, a prud'homme of

Oleron, 389.
Scabini, seven, required to form a court,
327, note.
in the Capitularies of Charlemagne
were derived from Teutonic word
schaffien, and first mentioned in the
same capitularies, 407, note,
Scaltreen, ships with, 194.
Scolds:

penalty for, at Ipswich, 164.
at Royan, 417.
Scot, the lord of the manor's, in case of

large fish cast on shore, 475.
Scot and lot, 152, 154, notes.
Scotland :

pilots for, 226.
ships bound for, 433.
Scouts, on the ooast of Oleron, 319.

I I

498

INDEX.

Seas, the four, of England, 46, 47, 65.
Sea-rovers, distingaisbed from pirates,

479.
Seignoiy, in Oleron :

admonition by the, 291.
protest before, 295.
claim made before, 83 1.
summons by, 33S, 839.
Seisin :

various kinds o^ 328.
none of dowery land, 325.
Seneschal of Gascony, 371.
Service, constructive, of legal notice, 72.
Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, 407,

note,
Sherriffs, writ of , 9 1 .
Ship:

at anchor struck by another ship,

229.
stores of a, do not pay customs, 305.
part-owner of, may let his share for

freight, 381.
may sell his share, 384.
Ship's boy, termed massip in Gascon,

217.
Ship's casks for stowing wine, 223, 445.
Silkstone, stone called, 189.
Silver found on the sea-shore, 477.
Silvester, Vivien, a bailliff of Ipswich, 19.
Slander:

punishment for, in Ipswich, 1G3.
punishment for, in Oleron, 838.
Solac, Pierre de, suit of, 263.
Somme, La, Rural, 270.
Sovereyn, a governor of a prison, 96.
Spouts of the roof of a bouse should fall

into the middle of the road, 389.
Statute of Gloucester, 6 Edw. I. ch. zii.,

33.
Statute of Marlbridge, temp. Henry III.,

417.
Statute of Ikterchandise, 13 Edw. L, st. 3^

175.
Statute of Westminster, 3 Edw. I., cb. 43,

25.
Stones, precious, found on the sefr-shore,

471.
Stowage payable by the fihip, 373.

Stowage:

of mariner's freight, 451.

mariners hired at, 453.
Stowage daes payable by the cargo, 395.
Strangers :

allowed to purchase the franchiae at
Ipswich, 149.

under what conditions, 153.
Sturgeon:

sold by the barrel, 197.

custom for, 199.
SubbaiUifis:

how punished for default, 169.

how punished for gossiping, 159.
Suit in court:

of Availle, 291.

of Estene le Batart, 285.

of Sire Gnillanme Bormant, 391 .

of Gumbaut Boyssean, 387.

of Joffi^ Boysseau, 875.

of Pierre Chaicoyre, 375.

of Dom Pierre Chevalier, 275.

of Parnele La Coeturere, 285.

of Amaut Dazoeaus, 261.

of Sire Giraut Dastingues, 268.

of Bonin Durant, 269.

of GniUaume Durant, 869.

of Pierre Durant of Maiesdous, 261.

of Don Pierre Vezos Fahn, 875.

of Guillanme Focaus, 369.

of Pierre Gaae of Bone Amie, 819.

of Holies Gignont, 285.

of Don Johan Guillem, 285.

of Gonstantin Josseaume of Doaloz,
333.

of John Meynart Larbelesten, 291.

of Josseame Osroont, 327.

of Foques Richart, 375.

of Pierre de Solac, 263.

of Johan Vilain of St Pierre, 319.
Symnel, bread of the first quality, 173.
Syndres sold by the barrel, 181, 187.
Sudbury, cloth of, 187.
Sureties :

plegii, 257, note,

liability of principal to, 295.

who may be rQOCted as, 299.

liability of joint, 321*.

IKDESC.

499

Sword, peoalty for drawing, against a jurat

ofBoyan,437.
Sword to be surrendared on the death of a

burgess of Ipswich, 129.
Swords sold by the hundred, 193.

Tabard, a species of coat, 199.
Table-cloth to be taken off the table where

mariners misconduct themselves,

281.
Tallies, proof of debt by, 137.
Xsllow, a tunne of, 185.
Tar sold by the barrel, 185.
Tellers of the Exchequer, 126, note.
Tenant of a house, his goods within the

house liable for the hiring, 293.
Tenements at Ipswich partable between

male and female heirs, 121.
Tenure :

title by, in Oleron, occupation for a

year and a day, 829.
metayer, 345, note.
Terrage, land let for a portion of the crops,

265, note, 865, note.
Testament, manner of proving a, by two

witnesses, 71.
Thewe, the, punishment for scolds, 165.
Thierry, Augustin, Histoire du Tiers £tat,

283.
Threats against life or limb, surety required,

163.
Thursday, the fortnightly day of meeting of

the portmannysmotes at Ipswich, 2 1 .
Tin, a hundred of, 191.
Tomannesete, cloth of double work, 187,

197.
Torment, the duty of the provost to provide

what is necessary for, 357.
Towage dues, payable by the cargo, 373.

Treason, definition of, 855.

Treason against the city of Boyan, evidence

to convict of, 413.
Trespassers may be seised and detained,

365.

Trespass of cattle, 363.

Trespass in a vineyard, 365.

Trustee, a woman may be, 291.

Turbot to be cut up in the common market,

103.
Turks classed with pirates, 479.
Tutor, obligation of, as trustee, 289.

Unbuzomness, penalty for, 63.
University, land belonging to the Commune

of Oleron, 315.
Us et Coutumes de la Mer, compiled by

Cleirac, 482, note.

Valbonais' Histoire du Dauphin^, 871.
Vair, a species of fUr, 190.
Venture :

mariners hired for the, 235.

of the mariners, 305.
Versaine, the space of a, 310.
Viau, Lord John, a prudniomme of Oleron,

889.
Videaus, Monsieur John, respecting the

four lords, 281.
Vilain, Johan, of St. Pierre, suit of, 319.
Yill of Boyan, distinguished from the com-
mune, 425.
Vinegar, a tun of, 185.
Vine-watchers :

to be maintained by the lord, 365.

set in the month of April, 367.
Vintagers, custom as to new wine for, 861.
Viscount of the vill, an officer of the king,
425.

Waleis, Henry le, lord mayor

100, note.
Wahmts, a gamer of, 195;

yot of London, ' / /

500

INDEX.

Warrantor :

vouching a, for value, 39.

in a suit before the major of Oleron,

259.
excusing a, 286.
in a case of assault or tort, 377.
Warrens, right of estates which adjoin, 811.

extent of run for rabbits, 311.
Waste :

writ of, 51.
' ' penalty of guardian for, 54.

penalty for, after plea be moved before
the baillifih, 131.
Water mills not moveables, 387.
Wax sold by the hundred, 193.
Waynscot board sold by the hundred, 103.
Way, right of, to an enclosed estate, 311.
Way's Promptuarium Parvulorum, 164,

185.
Weapons forbidden to be drawn in the

presence of the baillifb, 163.
Wed and boragh :
pleas by, 2 1.

plea of fresh abatement by, 41.
plea of fresh nuisance by, 47.
plea of waste by, 51.
plea of partition of heritage, 123.
Wei^ts to be assayed by the' standard

before use, 177.
Weders, dealers in woad, 148.
Widow :

her right to free bench, 137.
to dower, 139.

to the franchise in Ipswich, 139.
Wife's power to alienate tenements in Ijis-
wich, 57.
cannot be a surety in Oleron without
her hnsband*s consent, 299.
Windmills not moveables, 387.
Wine, corrupt, to be condemned by the

bailliffs, 177.
Win^ presses not moveables, 387.

Wisby, Maritime Law of, 225.
Witnesses :

two at least to prove a testament, 71.
to prove a tr^pass, 97.
to prove a tally, 127.
Wright* s Political Songs, 179.
Wod, a rundelet of, 187.
Woman, married :

her husband shall be heard in court,

265.
cannot make a contract, unless open! j
a trader, 281.
Woman:

may be surety in Oleron, 299.

may be trustee, 291.

not admitted to swear in person, in

Oleron, 384.
pregnant, not admitted to take an oath

in Oleron, 384.
may not undergo judgment, 884.
Wool, a last of, 189.
Wreck :

duty of the lord of the coast in case

of, 461.
Ordinance of King Henry III., 461,

note.
Roman law as to, 463, note.
punishment of lords of the coast who
take, 462.
Wreckers :

excommunicated by the church, 483.

punishment of, 465.

punishment of lords of the coast who

encourage, 469.
clerks to be deposed, if consenting to^
479.

Yarmouth, formerly Gemeunia, 227.
Year Book, 32 & 33 Edw. L, 160, note.

LONDON:

Prluted by GsoBClB E. Etbb and William Spottiswoodb,
Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty.

For Her Mi^es^s Stationery Office.
[ .-750.-«/78.3

CATALOGUE

RECORD PUBLICATIONS

ON SALE

Messrs. Longman & Co., and Messrs. Trubner & Co., London ;

Messrs. James Parker & Co., Oxford and London;

Messrs. Macmillan & Co., Cambridge and London ;

Messrs. A. & C. Black, Edinburgh;

and Mr. A. Thorn, Dublin.

31iJ75.

CONTENTS.

CALENfDABS OF StATE PaPEBS, &C. - - - * -

Chboniglks AMD MsMOBiALS OF Gbeat Bbitain Ain> Ibelahd

DUBINO THE MiDDLE AOSS - . . - -

Publications of the Bbgobd CoHMissioNEBfiy &c« - -

WoBEJS Published in Photozinoogbapht • • «

9
26
30

CALENDARS OF STATE PAPERS, &o.

[ItfPSBiA.L 8vo., doth. Price ios, each Volume or Pnrt.]

Aa far back as the year 1800, a Committee of the House of Commons
recommended that Indexes and Calendars should be made to the Public
Records, and thirty-six years aflerwards another Committee of the House of
Commons reiterated that recommendation in more forcible words ; but it
was not until the incorporation of the State Paper Office with the Public
Becord Office that the Master of the Rolls found himself in a position to take
the necessary steps for carrying out the wishes of the House of Commons.

On 7 December 1855, he stated to the Lords of the Treasury that although
^' the Records, State Papers, and Documents in his charge constitute the most
** complete and perfect series of their kind in the civilized world,** and
although " they are of the greatest value in a historical and constitutional
" point of view, yet they are comparatively useless to the public, from the
" want of proper Calendars and Indexes."

Acting upon the recommendations of the Committees of the House of
Commons above referred to, he suggested to the Lords of the Treasury that
to effect the object he had in view it would be necessary for him to employ a
few persons fully qualified to perform the work which he contemplated*

Their Lordships assented to the necessity of havii^ Calendars prepared
and printed, and empowered the Master of the Rolls to take such steps as
might be necessary for this purpose.

The following Works have been already published under the direction of
the Master of the RoUs : —

Calendabiuh Genealogicum ; for the Reigns of Henry III. and Edward L
Edited by Chables Robebts, Esq., Secretary of the Public Record
Office. 2 Vols. 1865.

This is a work of great value for elucidatiDg the early history of our uobility

and landed gentry.

K K 2

Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Beigns of Ed-
ward YI., Mart, Elizabeth, and Jahes I., preserved in Her Maje8t3r's
Public Record Office. Edited by Robert Lemon, Esq., F.S.A., (Vols.
I. and II.), and Mart Anke Everett Green, (Vols. in.-XLL).
1856-1872,

Vol. I.— 1547-1580.
Vol. n.— 1581-1590.
Vol. III.— 1591-1594.
Vol. IV.— 1595-1597.
Vol. v.— 1598-1601.
Vol. VI.— 1601-1603, with
Addenda, 1547-1565.

VoL VII.— Addenda, 1566-1579.
Vol. VIIL— 1603-1610.
Vol. IX.— 1611-1618.
Vol. X.— 1619-1623.
Vol. XL— 1623-1625, with Ad-
denda, 1603-1625.
Vol. Xn.— Addenda, 1580-1625.

These Calendars render accessible to inyestigation a large and unportant mass
of historical materials. The Northern Rebellion of 1566-67 ; the plots of the
Catholic fugitiYes in the Low Coantries ; the numerous designs against Qaern
Elizabeth and in &your of a Catholic succession ; the Gnnpowder-ploi ; Ihs
rise and fall of Somerset ; the Orerbury murder ; the disgrace of I& Bdward
Coke ; the rise of the Duke of Buckingham, &c. Numerous other subjects are
illustrated by Papers, few of which have been previously known.

Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of
Charles I., preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office. Edited
by John Bruce, Esq., F.S.A. 1858-1869.

Vol. I.— 1625-1626.
Vol. n.— 1627-1628.
Vol. HL— 1628-1629.
Vol. IV.— 1629-1631.
Vol. v.— 1631-1633.
Vol. VI.— 1633-1634.

Vol. Vn.— 1634-1635.
Vol. Vin.— 1635.
VoL IX.— 1635-1636.
VoL X.— 1636-1637.
VoL XI.— 1637.
VoL xn.— 1637-1638.

Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reigk of
Charles I., preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office. Edited
by John Bruce, Esq., F.S.A. ; and William Douglas Hamilton, Esq.,
F.S.A. 1871.

Vol. Xra.— 1638-1639.

This Calendar of tbe Domestic State Papers of the reign of Charies L pre-
sents notices of a large number of original docnments of great valne to all
inquirers rclatiye to the history of the period to which it refers. Many of them
have been hitherto unknown.

Calendar op State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of
Charles IL, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office. Edited
by Mart Anne Everett Greek. 1860-1866.

Vol. I.— 1660-1661. I Vol. v.— 1665-1666.

Vol. IL— 1661-1662. Vol. VI 1666-1667.

Vol. ni.— 1663-1664. Vol. VU 1667.

Vol. IV.— 1664-1665.

Seven volames, of the period between 1660 and 1667, have been pnblished.

Calendar op State Papers relating to Scotland, preserved in Her
Majesty's Public Record Office. Edited by Markhau John Thorpe,
Esq., of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford. 1858.

Vol. I,, the Scottish Series, of the Reigns of Henrj VUL,

Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, 1509-1589.
Vol. n., the Scottish Series, of the Reign of Elizabeth, 1589-1603 ;
an Appendix to the Scottish Series, 1543-1592; and the State

Papers relating to Mary Queen of Scots during her Detention in
England, 1568-1587.

TheM two Tolnmes of State Papers relate to Scotland) and embrace the
period between 1509 and 1603. In the second Tolnme are notices of the State
Papers relating to Mary Queen of Scots.

Calbndab 07 State Papers relating to Ireland, of the Reigns op

Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, preserved in Her

Majesty's Public Record Office. Edited by Hans Clauds Hamilton,

Esq., F.S.A. 1860-1867.

Vol. I.— 1509-1573. I Vol. II.— 1574-1585.

The aboTC haye been pnblished nnder the editorship of Mr. Hans dande
Hamilton ; another volnme is in the press.

Calendar of State Papers relating to Ireland, of the Reign of

James I., presented in Her Majesty's Public Record Office, and

elsewhere. Edited by the Rev. C. W. Russell, D.D., and John P.

Prendergast, Esq., Barrister-at-Law. Vol. I. — 1603-1606. 1872.

This series is in continuation of the Irish State Papers commencing with
the reign of Henry Vlll. ; but, for the reign of James I., the Papers are not
confin^ to those in the Public Record Office of England.

Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, preserved in Her Mi^jesty's
Public Record Office, and elsewhere. Edited by W. Noel Sainsbury,
Esq. 1860-1870.

Vol. I.— America and West Indies, 1574-1660.

Vol. n.— East Indies, China, and Japan, 1513-1616.

Vol. III.— East Indies, China, and Japan, 1617-1621.

These Tolnmes include an analysis of early Colonial Papers in the Public
Becord Office, the India Office, and'the British MuseuuL

Calendar •of Letters and Papers, Foreign and Dohestic, of the
Reign of Henry VIII., preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record
Office, the British Museum, &c. Edited by J. S. Brewer, MjI.,
Professor of English Literature, King's College, London. 186^1872.

Vol. L— 1509-1514.
Vol- n. (in Two Parte)— 1515-
1518.

Vol. m. (in Two Parte)— 1519-

1523.

Vol. IV., Part 1.— 1624-1526.

VoL IV., Part 2.— 1526-1528.

These Tolnmes contain sununaries of all State Papers and Correspondence
relating to the reign of Henry YIII., in the Public Becord Office, of those
formerly in the State Paper Office, in the British Mnsenm, the libraries of Ox^nrd
and Cambridge, and other Public libraries $ and of all letters that have appeared
in print in the works of Bamet„ Strype, and others. Whaterer authentic
original material exists in England relatiTe to the religions, political, parliamen-
tary, or so<nal history of the country during the reign of Henry VIII., whether
despatches of ambassadors, or proceedings of the army, navy, treasury, or
ordnance, or records of Parliament, appointments of officers, grants from the
Crown, &c., wiU be found calendared in these volumes.

Calendar of State Papeks, Foreign Series, op the Reign op
Edward VI., preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office. 1547--
1553. Edited by W. B. Turnbull, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister-
at-Law, and Correspondant du Coinit6 Imperial des Trayauz Historiques
et des Soci^tes Sayantes de France. 1861.

Calendar op State Papers, Foreign Series, op the Reign op Mart,
preserved in Her M^esty's Public Record Office. 1553-1558. Edited
by W. B. TuRNBULLy Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister-at-Law. and

Correspondant du Coinit6 Imperial des Travanx Historiqiies et des
Soci^tes Savantes de France. 1861.

The two preceding Tolnmes exhibit the negotiatioiis of the Knglish amlnsndon
irith the oonrts of the Emperor CharleB Y. of Germany, of Hemy XL of Fnunce,
and of Philip II. of Spain. The affidia of aereral of the minor eontineiital states
also find Taiiooa incidental illnstrations of much interest.

A yalnable series of Papers desoriptiTe of the circumstances vbi<^ attadsd
the loss of Calais merits a special notice ; while the progress of the wars in the
north of France, into whidi England was dragged by her onion with Spain, is
narrated at some length. The domestic affitirs of Ei^gjland are of oomse passed
over in these Tolumes, which treat only of its relations with fordgn powers.

Calendab of State Fafers^ Foreign Series, of the Beigk of
Elizabeth, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office, &c.
Edited by the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, M.A., of University CoUeee,
Durham, (Vols. I.-yU.), and Allan James Crosby, Esq., B.A,
Barrister-at-Law, (Vol. VIIL). 1863-1871.

Vol. I.— 1558-1559.
Vol. n.— 1559-1560.
Vol. HL— 1560-1561.
Vol IV.— 1561-1562.

Vol. v.— 1562.
Vol VL— 1563.
Vol. Vn.— 1564-1565.
Vol. VIIL— 1566-1568.

Hese ToIumes contaio a Calendar of the Foteign Correspondenoe dming the
early portion of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, deposited in the Pablic Reeoid
Office, &c. They illustrate not only the external but also the domestie affiurt of
Foreign Comitriea during that period.

Calendar of Treasttbt Papebs, preserved la Her Majesty's Public Record
Office. Edited by Joseph Redington, Esq. 1868-1871.

Vol. L— 1557-1696. [ Vol. H.— 1697-1702.

The above Papers connected with the affiun of the Treaaoiy comprise
petitions, reports, and other documents relating to services rendered to the State,
grants of money and pensions, appointments to offices, remlasions ^ fines and
duties, &c. They illustrate civil and military events, finance, the administration
in Ireland and the Colonies, &c, and afford information nowhere else recorded.

Calendab of the Cabew Papers, preserved in the Lambeth libruy.
Edited by J. S. Brewer, M.A., Professor of English Literature, Kin^s
College, London ; and William Bullen, Esq. 1867-1871.

Vol. L— 1515-1574.
Vol. IL— 1575-1588.
Vol. ni.— 1589-1600.

VoL IV.— 1601-1603.
Vol. v.— Book of Howth ; Misod-
laneoQs.

The Carew Papers relating to Ireland, deposited in the Lambeth lahraiy, are
unique, and of great importance. The Calendar cannot fiiil to be welcome to all
students of Irish history. Another volume is in the press.

Calendar of Letters, Despatches, and State Papers, relating to the
Negotiations between England and Spain^ preserved in the Archives at
Simancas, and elsewhere. Edited by G. A. Bebqenboth. 1862-1868.

Vol. L— Hen. VH.— 1485-1509.
Vol. IL— Hen. VDI.— 1509-1525.
Supplement to Vol. L and Vol. II.

Mr. Bergenroth was engaged in compiling a Calendar of the Papers relating
to England preserved in the archives of Simancas in Spain, and the corresponding
portion removed from Simancas to Paris. Mr. Bergenroth also visited Madrid,
and examined the Papers there, bearing on the reign of Heniy Yin. The
fizat volume contains the Spanish Papers of the reign of Henry VIL ; the
second volnme, those of the first portion of the ndgn of Heniy VIIL The

Sapplement eontams new infoimatioii rdating to the priTate life of Qaeen
Katharine of England ; and to the projected marriage of Henry ViX. with Qaeen
Joana, widow of King Fhilip of Castile, and mother of the Emperor Chariea V.

Calbmdab of Lettebs, Despatches, axd State Pafbbs, relating to the
Negotiations between England and SpaJn, preserved in the Ardbives at
Simancas, and elsewhere. Edited by Don Pascual db Gatangos.
1873.

VoL m., Part 1.— Hen. VHI.— 1525-1526.

Upon the death of Mr. Bergenroth, Don Pascual de Gaya^os was appointed
to continae the Calendar of the Spanish State Papers. He has pursoed a
similar plan to that of his predecessor, but has been able to add much valuable
matter from Brussels and Vienna, with which Mr. Bergenroth was unacquainted.

Galbnbab of State Papers ani> Makusobipts, relating to English
Affairs, preserved in the Archives of Venice, &c. Edited by Rawdon
Brown, Esq. 1864-1873.

VoL L— 1202-1 509. VoL IV.— 1527-1533.

Vol. II.— 1509-1519. VoL V.— 1534-1554.

VoL ra— 1520-1526.

Mr. Rawdon Brown's researches have brought to light a number of valiiable
docnments relating to canons periods of ESnglish history ; his eontribations to
historical literature^ are of the most interesting and important character.

Syllabus, m Enqlish, of Rymeb's Fcbdera. By Sir Thohas Duffus

Hardt, D.C.L., Deputy Keeper of the Public Records. VoL I. — WilL L-

Edw. in.; 1066-1377. VoL H., Ric. IL-Chas. H.; 1377-1654.

1869-1873.

The "FcBdera," or '^Bymer's Fosdera," is a collection of miscellaneous docn-
ments illustrative of the History of Great Britain and Ireland, from the Norman
Conqaest to the reign of Charles IL Seyeral editions of the ''Fosdera" have
been pablidied, and the present Syllabus was undertaken to make the contents
of this great National Work more generally known.

Rbport of the Deputy Keepeb of the Public Rbcobds and the Ret.
J. S. Breweb to the Masteb of the Rolls, upon the Carte and
Carew Papers in the Bodleian and Lambeth Libraries. 1864. Price
2s. 6d.

Bepobt of the Deputy Keepeb of the Public Becobds to the Master
OF the Rolls, upon the Documents in the Archives and Public Libraries-
of Venice. 1866. Price 2s. 6d.

In the Press.

Calendab of State Papebs relating to Ireland, of the Reign op
Elizabeth, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office. Edited
by Hans Claude Hamilton, Esq., F.S.A. VoL III. — 1586, &c.

Calendab op the Cabew Papers, preserved in the Lambeth Library. Edited
by J. S. Bbeweb, M.A., Professor of English Literature, King's College,
London ; and William Bullen, Esq. Vol. VL — 1603-1624.

Calendab of State Papebs, Domestic Sebies, of the Reign of
Chables I., preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office. Edited
by WiLLL^M Douglas Hamilton, Esq., F.SA. Vol. XIV. — 1639.

Calendab op State Papebs relating to Ibeland, of the Reign of
James L, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office, and
elsewhere. Edited by the Rev. C. W. Russell, D.D., and John P.
Pbendebgast, Esq., Barrister-at-Law. VoL II. — 1606, &c.

Calendar op Letters and Pafebs, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reiok
OF Henrt Vni., preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office,
the British Museum, &c. Edited by J. S. Brewer, M.A., Professor
of English Literature, King's College, London. Vol. IV., Part 3. —
1529, &c.

Syllabus, in English, of Btmer's Focdera. By Sir Thomas Dciffus
Hardt, D.C.L., Deputy Keeper of the Public Becords. VoL IIL—
Appendix and Index.

Calendar of Treasury Papers, presei-ved in Her Majesty's Public Record
Office. Edited by Joseph Rbdington, Esq. Vol. 111.-1702-1706.

Calendar of State Papers and Manuscripts, relating to English
Af/airs, preserved in the Archives of Venice, &c Edited by Bawdon
Bro^vn, Esq. Vol. VL— 1565, &c.

Calendar of State Papers, Foreign Series, of the Beign of Eliza-
beth, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Becord Office. EdUied by
Allan James Crosby, Esq., B.A., Barrister-at-Law. VoL IX.—
1569-1571.

In Progress,

Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, preserved in Her Majesty's
Public Becord Office, and elsewhere. Edited by W. Noel Sainsbust,
Esq. Vol. IV.— East Indies, China, and Japan, 1622, &c. VoL V. —
America and West Indies, 1661, &c.

Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, during the Cokmon-
WEALTH, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Becord Office. Edited by
Mary Ajtne Everett Green.

CalendaIi of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Bbign of
George HI., &c., preserved in Her Majesty's Public Becord Office.
Edited by Joseph Bedington, Esq. (1760-1800), and John Bingwood
Atkins, Esq. (1801-1829).

Calendar of Dooubients relating to Ireland, excerpted from the Beoords
preserved in Her Majesty's Public Becord Office ; to the end of the
Beign of Henrt VII. Edited by Henrt Savage Sweethan, Esq.,
A.B., Trinity College, Dublin, Barrister-at-Law (Ireland).

Calendar of Letters, Despatches, and State Papers, relating to the
Negotiations between England and Spain, preserved in the Archived at
Simancas, and elsewhere. -Edited by Don Pascual db Gatakgos*
VoL HI., Part 2.— Hen. VHL

Calendar of State Papers, Foreign Series, of the Beign of Eliza-
beth, preserved in Her Majesty's Public Becord Office. Edited by
Allan James Crosby^ Esq., B.A., Barrister-at-Law. VoL X.-*-
1572, &c.

THE CHRONICLES AND MEMORIALS OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND IRELAND DURING THE MIDDLE AGES.

[Royal 8vo., half-bound. JVice 10*. each Volume or Part.]

On 25 July 1822, the House of Commons presented an address to the
Crown, stating that the editions of the works of our ancient historians were
inconvenient and defective ; that many of their writings still remained in
manuscript, and, in some cases, in a single copy only. They added, '^ that an
^* uniform and convenient edition of the whole, published under His Majesty's
** royal sanction, would be an undertaking honourable to His Majesty's reign,
^^ and conducive to the advancement of historical and constitutional know-
'< ledge ; that the House therefore humbly besought His Majesty, that He
^ would be graciously pleased to give such directions as His Majesty, in His
** wisdom, might think fit, for the publication of a complete edition of the
** ancient historians of this realm, and assured His Majesty that whatever
^ expense might be necessary for this purpose would be made good."

The Master of the Rolls, being very desirous that effect should be given
to the resolution of the House of Commons, submitted to Her Mijesty's
Treasury in 1857 a plan for the publication of the ancient chronicles and
memorials of the United Kingdom, and it was adopted accordingly. In
selecting these works, it was considered right, in the first instance, to
give preference to those of which the manuscripts were unique, or the
materials of which would help to fill up blanks in English history for
which no satisfactory and authentic information hitherto existed in any
accessible form. One great object the Master of the Rolls had in view was
to form a corpus historicum within reasonable limits, and which should be
as complete as possible. In a subject of so vast a range, it was important
that the historical student should be able to select such volumes as conformed
with his own peculiar tastes and studies, and not be put to the expense of
purchasing the whole collection ; an inconvenience inseparable from any
other plan than that which has been in this instance adopted.

Of the Chronicles and Memorials, the following volumes have been pub-
lished. They embrace the period from the earliest time of British history
down to the end of the reign of Henry YII.

1. The Chronicle of England, by John Capgbaye. Edited by the

Key. F. C. Hingeston, M.A., of Exeter College, Oxford. 1858.

Capgrave was prior of Lynn, in Norfolk, and proyincial' of &e order of the
Friars Hermits of England shortly before the year 1464. His Chronicle extends
from the creation of the world to the year 1417. As a record of the langnage
spoken in Norfolk (being written in English), it is of considerable Taloe.

2. Chbonioon Monasterii de Abingdon. Vols. I. and U. Edited by

the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, M.A., of University College, Dnrham,
and Vicar of Leighton Buzzard. 1 858.

This Chronicle traces the history of the great Benedictine monastery of
Abingdon in Berkshire, from its foundation by Eing Ina of Wessex, to the
reign of Richard I., shortly after which period tiie present narrative was drawn
np by an inmate of the establishment The anthor had access to the title^eedi
of the house ; and incorporates into his history varioos charters of the Saxon
kings, of great importance as illustrating not only the history of the locality
but that of the kingdom. The work is printed for the first time.

3. Lives of Edvtabd the Confessor. I. — La Estoire de Seint Aedward

le Bei. U. — ^Vita Beati Edvardi Regis et Confessoris. IIL — ^Yita
^duuardi Regis qui apud Westmonasterium requiescit. Edited by
Henry Richards Luard, M.A., Fellow and Assistant Tutor of Trinity
College, Cambridge. 1858.

The first is a poem in Norman French, containing 4,686 lines, addressed to
Alianor, Queen of Henry IIL, and probably written in the year 1246, on the
occasion of the restoration of the church of Westminster. Nothing is known
of the author. The second is an anonymous poem, containing 536 lines, written
between the years 1440 and 1450, by command of Heniy VL, to tHiom it
is dedicated. It does not throw any new light on the reign of Edward the
Confessor, but is valuable as a specimen of £e Latin poetry of the time. The
third, also by an anonymous author, was apparently written forXJneen Edith,
between the years 1066 and 1074, during the pressure of the suffering bfoogfat
on the Saxons by the Norman conquest It notices many facts not found in
other writers, and some which differ considerably from the usual accounts.

4. MoNUMENTA Franctscana ; scilicet, I. — Thomas de Eccleston de Ad-

rentn Fratrum Minorum in Angliam. II. — ^Adae de Marisco Epifitols.
in.^Regi8trum Fratrum Minorum Londonise. Edited by J. S.
Brewer, M.A., Professor of English Literature, King's College^
London. 1858.

This Tolume contains original materials for the history of the settlement of
the order of Saint Francis in England, the letters of Adam de Marisco, and
other papers connected with the foundation and diffusion of this great body. It
has b^ the aim of the editor to collect whatever historical infbnnation could be
found in this countiy, towards illustrating a period of the national history for
which only scanty materials exist. None of these have been before printed.

5. Fasciculi Zizaniorum Magistri Johannis Wtclif cum Tritico.

Ascribed to Thomas Netter, of Walden, Provincial of the Carmelite
Order in England, and Confessor to King Henrj the Fifth. Edited by
the Rev. W. W. Shirley, M.A», Tutor and late Fellow of Wadham
CoDege, Oxford. 1858.

This work derives its principal value from being the only contemporaneous
account of the rise of the Lollards. When written, the disputes of the school-

men had been extended to the field of theology and they appear both in the
writings of Wycliff and in those of his adyersaries. WycUff's little bundles
of tares are not less metaphysical than theological, and the conflict between
Nominalists and Realists rages side by side with die conflict between the different
interpreters of Scripture. The work giTCs a good idea of the controversies at
the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th centuries.

6. The Buik of the Croniclis of Scotland ; or, A Metrical Version of

the History of Hector Boece ; by William Stewart. Vols. I., 11.,
and IIL Edited by W. B. Turnbull, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister-
at-Law. 1868.

This is a metrical translation of a Latin Prose Chronicle, and was written in the
first half of the I6tii century. The narrative begins with the earliest legends,
and ends with the death of James I. of Scotland, and the " eyU ending of the
traitors that slew him." Strict aoouracy of statement is not to be looked for in
such a work as this ; but the stories of the colonization of Spain, Ireland, and
Scotland are interesting if not true ; and the chronicle is yaluable as a reflection
of the manners, sentiments, and character of the age in which it was composed.
The peculiarities of the Scottish dialect are well illustrated in this metrical Tersion,
and the student of language will find ample materials for comparison with the
English dialects of the same period, and with modem lowland Scotch.

7. JoHANNis Caporaye Liber de Illustribus Henricis. Edited by the

Bev. F. C. HiNOESTON, M.A., of Exeter College, Oxford. 1858.

This work is dedicated to Henry VI. of England, who appears to have been, in
the author's estimation, the greatest of all the Henries. It is divided into three
distinct parts, each having its own separate de^cation. The first part relates only
to the history of the Empire, and extends from the election of Henry L, the
Fowler, to the end of the reign of the Emperor Henry VI. The second part is
devoted to English history, and extends from the accession of Henry I. in the year
1100, to the year 1446, which was the twenty-fourth year of the reign of King
Henry VI. The third part contains the lives of illustrious men who have bome
the name of Henry in various parts of the world.

Capgrave was bom in 1893, in the reign of Richard 11., and lived during the
Wars of the Roses, for the history of which period his work is of some value.

8. HiSTORLA MoNASTERii S. AuGUSTiNi Cantuariensis, by Thomas op

Elmhah, formerly Monk and Treasurer of that Foundation. Edited
by Charles Hardwick, M.A., Fellow of St. Catharine's Hall, and
Christian Advocate in the University of Cambridge. 1858.

This histoiy extends from the arrival of St Atifrnstine in Kent until 1191.
Prefixed is a chronology as &r as 1418, which shows m outline what was to have
been the character of Sie work when completed. The only copy known is in the
possession of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. The author was connected with Norfolk,
and most probably with Elmham, whence he derived his name.

9. EuLOGiUM (HiSTORiARtJM 8IVE Temporis) : Chronicou ab Orbe condito

usque ad Annum Domini 1366 ; a Monacho quodam Malmesbiriensi
exaratum. Vols. L, 11., and IH. Edited by F. S. Hatdon, Esq., B.A.
1858-1863.

This is a Latin CThronicle extending from the Creation to the latter part of the
reign of Edward III., and written by a monk of the Abbey of Mahnesbuiy, in
Wiltshire, about tiie year 1367. A continuation, carrying the history of England
down to the year 1413, was added in the former half of the fifteenth century by
an author whose name is not known. He original Chranide is ^vided into
five books, and contains a history of the world generally, but more especially

of England to the year 1366. The eontinaation extends the history down to
the coronation of Heoiy V. The Euloginm itself ia chiefly Talaable as contain-
iog a history, by a contemporary, of the period between 1356 and 1366. Hie
notices of events appear to have been wnttoi Tery aoon after their occmience.
Among other interesting matter, the Qirooicle contains a diary of the Fcntias
campaign* eridently fhmished by some person who accompanied the army of the
Black Prhice. The continoation of the Chronicle is also the work of a oontem-
porary, and gives a very interesting account of the r^gns of Bichaxd IL and
Henry IV. It is believed to be the earliest authority for the statement that the
latter monarch died in the Jemsalem Chamber at Westminster.

10. Memorials of Henrt the Seventh : Bernardi Andrea Tholosatis
Vita Regis Henrici Septimi ; necnon alia qundam ad eundem Begem
spectantia. Edited by Jaxes Gaibdner, Esq. 1858.

The contents of this Tolnme are— (1) a life of Henry YIL, by his poet
laureate and historiographer, Bernard Andr^, of Tonloose, with some composi-
tions in verse, of which he is supposed to have been the anUior ; (2) the jonrnala
of Roger Machado during certain embassies on which he was sent by Henry VIL
to Spain and Brittany, the first of which had reference to the marriage of die
King's son, Arthur, with Catharine of Anagon; (3) two curioos reports by
envoys sent to Spain in the year 1505 touching the succession to the Crown
of Castile, and a project of marria^ between Henry VII. and the Queen of
Naples ; and (4) an account of Philip of Castile's reception in England in 1506.
O^er documents of interest in connexion with the period are given in an ^^w&dix.

11. Memorials oy Hexrtthe Fifth. I. — ^Yita Henrici Qninti, Roberto
Redmanno auctore. IL^Versus Rhythmici in landem Regis Henrici
Quinti. III. — Elmhami Liber Metricus de Henrico Y* Edited by
Charles A. Cole, Esq. 1858.

This volume contains three treatises which more or less illustrate the history of
the reign of Henry V., viz.: A Life by Robert Redman ; a Ifetrical Chronide b^
Thomas Elmham, prior of Lenton, a contemporary auUior ; Versus Rhythmici,
written apparently by a monk of Westminster Abbey, who was also a contempo-
rary of Henxy V. lliese works are printed for the first time.

12. MuNiuENTA GiLDHALLA LoNDONiENsis ; Liber Albns, Liber Cns-
tumarum, et Liber Horn, in archivis Gildhalls asservati. Vol. L,
Liber Albus. Vol. II. (in Two Parts), Liber Custmnanim. VoL IIL,
Translation of the Anglo-Norman Passages in Liber* Albus, Glossaries^
Appendices, and Index. Edited by Hekrt Thomas Rilbt, Esq., M. A.,
Barrister-at-Law. 185d-1862.

The manuscript of the Liber AlbuSy compiled by John Carpenter, Common
Clerk of tiie City of London in the year 1419, a Itfge folio volume, is pre-
served in the Record Room of the City of London. It gives an aeconnt of
the laws, regulations, and inBtitutions of that City in the twelfth, thiiteenth»
fonrteenth, and early part of the fifteenth centories.

The Liber Custumarum was compiled probably by various hands in the early
part of the fourteenth centnry daring the reign of Edward n. The mannscx^nt,
a folio volume, is also preserved in the Record Room of the City of London,
though some portion in its original state, borrowed firom the City in the reun
of Queen Elisabeth and never returned, forms part of the Cottonian 1(&
Claudius P. n. in the British Museum. It also gives an account of the lawi,
regulations, and institutions of the City of London in the twelfth, thirtfwith, and
early part of the fourteenth centuries.

18. Chronica Johakkis de Oxbnedes. Edited by Sir Henbt Ellis,
K.H. 1859.

Although iSboB Chronicle tells of the arrival of Hengist and Horsa in En^and
in the year 449, yet it substantially begins with the reign of Khig Alfted, and

comw down to the year 1292, where it ends abruptly. The history is particti.
larly yaloable for notices of events in the eastern portions of the kingdom,
which are not. to be elsewhere obtained, and some curions facts are mentioned
relatiye to the floods in that part of Enghind, which are confirmed in the Fries-
land Chronicle of Anthony Heinrich, pastor of the Island of Mohr.

14. A Collection op Political Poems and Songs relating to English
History, from the Accession of Edward III. to the Reign of
Henry VIII. Vols. I. and II. Edited by Thomas Wright Esq
M.A. 1859-1861. ^''

These Poems are perhaps the most interesting of all the historical writings of
the period, though they cannot be relied on for acenracy of statement. They
are yarions in character ; some are upon religions subjects, some may be called
satires, and some give no more than a court scandal ; but as a whole they pre-
sent a very fair picture of society, and of the reUtions of the diflferent classes
to one another. The period comprised is in itself interesting, and brings us,
through the decline of the feudal system, to the beginning of our modem
history. The songs in old English are of considerable yalue to the philologist

15. The " Opus Tertium," "Opus Minus," &c., of Roger Bacon. Edited
by J. S. Brewer, M.A., Professor of English Literature, King's
College, London. 1859.

This is the celebrated treatise — ^never before printed — so frequently referred
to by the great philosopher in his works. It contains the fullest details we
possess of the life and labours of Hoger Bacon : also a fragment by the same
author, supposed to be unique, the " Compendium Studii Theotoyia,^*

16. Bartholom^i de Cotton, Monachi Norwicensis, Historia An-

QLICANA ; 449-1298 : necnon ejusdem Liber de Archiepiscopis et
Episcopis Angliae. Edited by Henry Richards Luard, M.A., Fellow
and Assistant Tutor of Trinity College, Cambridge. 1859.

The author, a monk of Norwich, has here given us a Chronicle of England
from the arrival of the Saxons in 449 to the year 1298, in or about which year
it appears that he died. The latter portion of this history (the whole of the
reign of Edward I. more especially) is of great value, as the writer was con-
temporary with the events which he records. An Appendix contains several
illustrative documents connected with the previous narrative.

17. Brut t Tywtsogion ; or, The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales.
Edited by the Rev. John Williams ab Ithel, M.A. 1860.

This work, also known as " The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales," has
heen attributed to Caradoc of Llancarvan, who flourished about the middle of
the twelfth centuiy. It is written in the ancient Welsh language, begins with
the abdication and death of Caedwala at Rome, in the year 681, and continues
the history down to the subjugation of Wales by Edward I., about the year 1282.

18. A Collection op Royal and Historical Letters during the

Beign op Henry IV. 1399-1404. Edited by the Rev. F. C. Hin-
GBSTON, M.A., of Exeter College, Oxford. 1860.

This Yolume, like all the others in the series contaming a miscellaneous selec-
tion of letters, is yaluable on account of the light it throws upon biographical
history, and the familiar -view it presents of characters, manners, and events.
The period requires much elucidation ; to which it will materially contribute.

19. The Repressor op over much Blaming op the Clergy. By
Reginald Pecock, sometime Bishop of Chichester. Vols.' I, and II,
Edited by Churchill Babington, B.D., Fellow of St. John's Collegre*
Cambridge. 1860. * '

The " Eepressor " may be considered the earliest piece of good theological dis-
quisition of which our English prose literature can boost. The author was bom

aDoat the end of the fourteenth centnrj, oonseoimted Bishop of St Anph In
the year 1444, and translated to the see of Chichester in 1450. While ]ffishop of
St AAiph, he sealoosly defended his brother prelates from the attacks of those
who censured the bishops for thdr neglect of dutj. He maintuned that it iris no
part of a bishop's functions to appear in the pulpit, and that his time might be
more profitably spent, and his dignity better mamtained, in the perfonnance of
works of a higher character. Amon^ those who thou^ differently were the
Lollards, and against their general doctnnes the '' Repressor " is directed. Peoo^
took up a position midway between that of the Boman Church and that of the
modem Ajigtican Church ; but his work is interesting chiefly because it giveB a
full account of the views of the LoUards and of the ary^nments by which they were
supported, and because it assists us to ascertain the state of feeling whi<^ ulti-
mately led to the Reformation. Apart from religious matters, the fight thrown upon
contemporaneous history is very small, but the " Repressor " has great Talne
for the philologist, as it tells us what were the characteristics of the language in
use among the cultivated Englishmen of the fifteenth century. Feoock, though
an opponent of the Lollards, showed a certain spirit of toleration, for which he
received, towards the end of his life, the usual medinval reward — ^persecution.

20. Annales Cambrl«. Edited by the Rev. John Williahs ab Ithel,

M.A. 1860.

These annals, which are in Latin, commence in the year 447, and come down
to the year 1288. The earlier portion appears to be taken from an Irish Qironicle,
which was also used by Tigemach, and by the compUer of the Annals of Ulater.
During its first century it contains scarcely anytlung relating to Britain, the
earliest direct concurrence with Bnglish history is relative to the mission of
Augustine. Its notices throughout though brief, are valuable. Hie annals
were probably written at St. Davids, by Blegewryd, Archdeacon of Llandaff,
the most learned man in his day in all Cymru.

21. The Works op Giraldus Cambrensis. Vols. I., II., Ill,, and IV.
Edited by J. S. Brewer, M. A., Professor of English Literature, King's
College, London. Vols. V. and VI, Edited by the Rev. Jambs F.
DiMOCK, M.A., Rector* of Barnburgh, Yorkshire. 1861-1873.

These volumes contain the historical works of Gerald du Barry, who lived
in the reigns of Henry XL, Richard I., and John, and attempted to re-estahlish
the independence of Wales by restoring the see of St Davids to its ancient
primacy. His works are of a very miscellaneous nature, both in prose and
verse, and are remarkable chiefly for the racy and original anecdotes which
they contain relating to contemporaries. He is the only Welsh writer of any
importance who has contributed so much to the mediseval literature of this
country, or assumed, in consequence of his nationality, so free and independent
a tone. His frequent travels in Italy, in France, in Ireland, and in Wales, gave
him opportunities for observation which did not generally fall to the lot of medisBval
writers in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and of these observations Giraldoa
has made due use. Only extracts from these treatises have been printed before,
and almost all of them are taken from unique manuscripts.

The Topographia Hibemica (in Vol. V.) is the result of Giraldus' two visits to
Ireland. The first in the year 1 188, the second in 1 165-6, when he accompanied
Prince John into that country. Curious as this treatise is, Mr. Dimock is of
opinion that it ought not to be accepted as sober truthihl history, for Giraldoa
himself states that truth was not his main object, and that he compiled the work
for the purpose of sounding the pruses of^ Henry the Second. Elsewhere, how-
ever, he declares that he had stated notlung in the Topographia of the truth of
which he was not well assured, either by his own eyesight or by the testimony,
with all diligence elicited, of the most trustworthy and authentic men in the
pountry ; that though he did not put just the same full £uth in their reports as
in what he had himself seen, yet, as they only^ related what they had themselves
seen, he could not but believe such credible witnesses. A veiy interesting portion
of this treatise is devoted to the animals of Ireland. It shows that he was a very
accurate and acute observer, and his descriptions are given in a way that a
scientific naturalist of the present day could hardly improve upon. The Expng.
natio Hibemica was written about the year 1188 and may be regarded rather

as a great epic than a sober relation of acts oconrring' in his own dajs. No
one can peruse it without coming to the conclusion that it is rather a' poetical
fiction than a prosaic truthful history.
Vol, VL contains the Itineiarium Eambris et Descriptio EambrisB.

22. Letters and Papers illustrative of the Wars op the English
IN France during the Reign of Henry the Sixth, SIing op Eng-
land. Vol. L, and Vol. 11. (in Two Parts). Edited hy the Bev. Joseph
Stevenson, M. A., of University College, Dnrham, and Vicar of Leigbton
Buzzard. 1861-1864.

The letters and papers contained in these yolumes are derived chiefly from
originals or contemporary copies extant in the Biblioth^que Imp&riale, and the
I)ep6t des Archives, in Paris. They illustrate the line of policy adopted by
John Duke of Bedford and his successors during their government of Normandy,
and such other provinces of France as had been acquired by Henry V. We
may here trace, step by step, the gradual declension of the Bnglish power, nntU
we are prepared to read of its final overthrow.

23. The Anolo-Saxon Chboniole, according to the several Original

Authorities. Vol. I., Original Texts. Vol. II., Translation. Edited

and translated hy Benjamin Thorpe, Esq., Member of the Boyal

Academy of Sciences at Munich, and of the Society of Netherlandish

Literature at Leyden. 1861.

This Chronicle, extending from the earliest history of Britain to the year
1154, is jastly the boast of England ; for no other nation can produce any history,
written in its own vernacular, at all approaching it, either in antiquity, truthful-
ness, or extent, the historical books of the Bible alone excepted. There are at
present six independent manuscripts of the Saxon Chronicle, ending in different
years, and written in different parts of the country. In this edition, the text
of each manuscript is printed in columns on the same page, so that the student
may see at a glance the various changes which occur m orthography, whether
arising from locality or age.

24. Letters and Papers illustrative of the Reions of Hichard III.

AND Henry YII. Vols. I. and 11. Edited hy James Gairdner, Esq.

1861-1863.

The Papers are derived from MSS. in the Public Record Office, the British
Museum, and other repositories. The period to which they refer is anusually
destitute of chronicles and other sources of historical information, so that the
light obtained from these documents is of special importance. The principal
contents of the volumes are some diplomatic Papers of Richard HI. ; correspon-
dence between Henry VII. and Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain ; documents
relating to Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk; and a portion of the corre-
spondence of James IV. of Scotland.

25. Letters of Bishop Grosseteste, illustrative of the Social Condition

of his Time. Edited hy Henry Richards Luard, M.A., Fellow and

Assistant Tutor of Trinity College, Cambridge. 1861.

The Letters of Robert Grosseteste (131 in number) are here collected from TBrious
sources, and a large portion of them is printed for the first time. They range in
date from about 1210 to 1253, and relate to various matters connected not only
with the political history of England during the reign of Henry III., but wida
its ecclesiastical condition. They refer especially to the diocese of Lincoln, of
which Grosseteste was bishop.

26. Descriptive Catalogue' of Manuscripts relating to the History
OP Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. L (in Two Parts) ; Anterior
to the Norman Livasion. Vol. 11.; 1066-1200. VoLIIL; 1200-1327.
By Sir Thomas Dukfus Hardy, D.C.L,, Deputy Keeper of the Public
Records. 1862-1871.

The object of this work is to publish notices of all known sources of British
history, both printed and ud printed, in one continued sequence. The materials,
when historical (as distinguished from biographica]), are arranged under the
year in which the latest event is recorded in the chronicle or history, and not

under the period in whicli its author, real or aapposed, flourished. Biogiaphitf
are enumerated under the year in which the person commemorated died, and not
under the year in which the life was written. This arrangement has tvo
advantages ; the matmals for any given period may he seen at a glance ; and
if the reader knows the time when an author wrote, and the number of yean
that had elapsed between the date of the events and the time the writer floansbed,
he will generally be enabled to form a fair estimate of the comparative value of
the narrative itself. A brief analysis of each work has been added when deserving
it, in which the original portions are distinguished from those which are moe
compilations. When possible, the sources are indicated from which such com-
pilations have been derived. A biographical sketch of the author of each piece
has been added, and a brief notice has also been given of such British anthon as
have written on historical subjects.

27. ROTAL AND OTHER HISTORICAL LETTERS ILLUSTRATIVE OP THE ReIGK

OF Henry IIL Vol. I., 1216-1235. Vol. H., 1236-1272. Selected
and edited by the Rev. W. W. Shirlet, D.D., Regius Professor in
Ecclesiastical Historj, and Canon of Christ Chnrch, Oxford. 1862*

1866.

The letters contained in these volumes are derived chiefly from the andent
correspondence formerly in the Tower of London, and now in the Public Record
Office. They illustrate the political history of England during the growth of
its liberties, and throw considerable light upon the personal hiatoiy of Simon de
Montfort The afiairs of France form the subject of many of them, especiailj
in regard to the province of Gascouy. The entire collection consists of nearly
700 documents, the greater portion of which is printed for the first time.

28. Chronica Monasterh S. Albanl — 1. TnoMiE Walsingham Histobia
Anglicana ; Vol. I., 1272-1381 ; VoL II., 1381-1422. 2. WniEun
RisHANGER Chronica et Annales, 1269-1307. 3. Johannis dk
Trokelowe et Henrici de Blanefokde Chronica bt Ankales,
1259-1296 ; 1307-1324 ; 1392-1406. 4. Gesta Abbatum Monasterh
S. Albani, a TnoiiA Walsingham, regnante Ricardo Secunbo,
EJUSDEH EccLESLE Prjecentore, cohpilata ; Vol. I., 793-1290:
Vol. II., 1290-1349 : Vol. III., 1349-1411. 6. Johannis Amundesham,
MoNACHi Monaster!! S. Albani, ut videtur, Annales ; Vols. I.
and n. 6. Registra quorundah Abbatum Monasterii S. ALRAia,
QUI s^culo xv™> floruere ; Vol. I., Registrum Abbatl£ Johansis
Whethamstede, Abbatis Monasterh Sancti Albani, iterue
suscEPTiE; Roberto Blakeney, Capellano, quondam adscriptum:
VoL II., Registra Johannis Whethamstede, Willelmi Albon, et
WiLLELMi Walingfordb, Abbatum Monasterii Sancti Albani, clh
Appendice, continente quasdam Epistolas, a Johanne Whetham-
stede Conscriptas. Edited by Henry Thomas Riley, Esq., M.A.,
Cambridge and Oxford ; and of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law.
1863-1873.

In the first two volumes is a history of England, from the death of Heniy
m. to the death of Henry V., written by Tliomas Walsin^iam, Precentor of
St. Albans and prior of the cell of Wymundham, belonging to that abbey.
It is printed from MS. VII. in the Arundel Collection in the College of Arms,
London, a manuscript of the fifteenth century, collated with MS. 18 £. IX. in the
King's Library in the British Museum, and MS. VIL in the Parker Collection
of Manuscripts at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

In the third volume is a Chronicle of English History, attribuWd to William
Rishanger, monk of Saint Albans, who lived in the reign of Edward L,
printed from the Cottonian Manuscript, Faustina B. IX. (of the fourteenth
century) in the British Museum, collated with MS. 14 C. VII. (fols. 219-
231) in the King's Library, British Museum, and the Cottonian Manuscript,
Claudias E. III., fols. 306--331 : Also an account of transactions attending Uie
award of the kingdom of Scotland to John BaUiol by Edward I., 1291-1292,
from MS. Cotton. Claudius 1). VI., attributed to William Rishanger above
mentioned, but on no sufficient ground: A short Chronicle of English History,

from 1292 to 1300, by an unknown hand, from MS. Cotton. Qaadius D. VI. :
A short Chronicle trom 1297 to 1307, Willelmi liishanger Gesta Edwardi
Primi Regis Anglise, from MS. 14 C. I. in the Koyal Library, and MS. Cotton.
Claadiufi D. VI., yriih an addition of Annales Re^om AngliaB, probably by the
same hand: A fra^ent of a Chronicle of Engbsh History, 1299, 1300, from
MS. Cotton. Claudius D. VI. : A fr-agment of a Chronicle of English History,
1295 to 1300, from MS. Cotton. Claudius D. VI. : and a fragment of a Chronicle
of English History, 1285 to 1307, from MS. 14 C. I. in the Royal Library.

In the fourth volume is a Chronicle of English History, by an anonymous
writer, 1259 to 1296, from MS. Cotton. Oaudius D. VI. : Annals of Edward II.,
1307 to 1323, by John de Trokelowe a monk of St. Albans, from MS. Cotton.
Claudius D. VI. : A continuation of Trokelowe's Annals, 1323, 1324, by
Henricus de Blaneforde, from MS. Cotton. Claudius D. VI. : A full Chronicle
of English History, by an anonymous writer of St Albans, 1392 to 1406, from
MS. VII. in the Library of Corpus Christ! College, Cambridge ; and an account
of the bene&ctors of St. Albans, written in the early part of the .fifteenth
century, from MS. VL in the same Library.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh volumes contain a history of the Abbots cf
St. Albans, and of the fortunes and vicissitudes of the house, from 793 to 1411,
mainly compiled by Thomas Walsingham, Precentor of the Abbey in the reign
of Richard II. ; from MS. Cotton. Claudius E. IV., in the British Museum ;
with a Continuation, from the closing pa^ of the Parker MS. No. VII., in the
Library of Corpus Christi College, Cambndge.

The eighth and ninth volumes, in continuation of the Annals, contain a
Chronicle, probably written by John Amundesham, a monk of St Albans.

The tenUi and eleventh volumes relate especially to the acts and proceedings
of Abbots Whethamstede, Albon, and WaUingford, and may be considered as a
memorial of the chief historical and domestic events occurring duriug those
periods.

29. Chronicon Abbatijb Eyeshahensis, Auctobibus Dominico Priobe
Eyeshami^ et Thoha de Marleberge Abbate, a Fundatione ad
AK9X7M 1213, UNA CUM CoNTiNUATiONE AD Annum 1418. Edited by
the Rev. W. D. Macrat, M.A., Bodleian Library, Oxford. 1863.

The Chronicle of Evesham illustrates the history of that important monastery
from its foundation by Egwin, about 690, to the year 1418. Its chief feature is
an autobiography, which makes us acquainted with the inner daily life of a
great abbey, such as but rarely has been recorded. Interspersed are many
notices of general, personal, and local history which will be read with much
interest. This work exists in a single MS., and is for the first time printed.

SO. BiCARDI DE CiRENCESTRIA SpECULUM HiSTORIALE DB GeSTIS BeGUU

Anglic. Vol. I., 447-871. VoL IL, 872-1066. EdUed by JohnE.B,
Mayor, M.A., Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 1863-1869.

The compiler, Richard of Cirencester, was a monk of Westminster, 1355*
1400. In 1891 he obtiuned a licence to make a pilgrimage to Rome. His
history, in four books, extends from 447 to 1066. He announces his intention
of continuing it, but there is no evidence that he completed any more. This
chronicle gives many charters in favour of Westminster Abbey, and a very Aiil
account of the lives and miracles of the saints, especially of Edward the Cour
fessor, whose reign occupies the fourth book. A treatise, on the Coronation, by
William of Sudbury, a monk of Westminster, fills book iiL c. S. It was on this
author that C J. Bertram fathered his forgery, De Situ Brittania, in 1747.

31, Tear Books of the Bbign of Edward the First. Years 20-21,
21-22, 80-31, and 32-33. Edited and translated by Alfred Johk
HoRWOOD, Esq., of the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-Law. 1863-1873.

The volumes known as the " Year Books " contain reports in Nonnan-French
of cases argued and decided in the Courts of Common Iaw. They may be con-
sidered to a great extent as the ** lex non scripta " of England, and have been held
in the highest veneration by the ancient sages of the law, and were received by
them as the repositories of the first recoxded judgments and dicta of the great

31575. L L

legal luminaries of past ages. They are also worthy of the atteDtion of the
general reader on accoant of the historical information and the notices of public
and priyate persons which they contain, as well as the light which thej- throw
on ancient manners and customs.

32. Narratives op the Expulsion of the English from Nobmahdt,

1449.1450. — ^Robertus Blondelli de Reductione Normannia : Le Re-
couvrement de Normendie, par Berry, H6raalt du B07 : Conferences
between the Ambassadors of France and England. Edited^fram MSS,
in the Imperial Library at Paris, by the Bey. Joseph Stbyenson,
M.A., of University College, Durham. 1863.

This 'volome contains the narrative of an eye-witness who details with coo-
siderable power and minuteness the circnmstances which attended the final ex-
pulsion of the Bnglish firom Normandy in the year 1450. The histoiy commences
with the infringement of the trace by the csptore of Foog^res, and ends with
the hattle of Formigny and the embarkation of the Dake of Somerset The
whole period embraced is less than two years.

33. HiSTORiA ET Cartularium Monasterh S. Petri Gloucbstria. VoIb.

L, n., and IIL Edited by W. H. Hart, Esq., F.S.A., Membre oorre-
spondant de la Soci6t6 des Aniiquaires de Normandie. 1863-1867.

This work consists of two parts, the History and the Cartalary of the Mooastery
of St. Peter, Gloiicester. The history furnishes an account of the monastery
from its fimndation, in the year 681, to the early part of the reign of Richard IL,
together with a calendar of donations and henefhotions. It treats principally of
the affiurs of the monastery, but occasionally matters of general history sre
introduced. Its authorship has generally been assigned to Walter Frouoester,
the twentieth abbot, but without any foundation.

34. Alexandri Negkah de Natitris Reruh libri duo ; with Neokam's
Poem, De Laudibus Dtvinm Sapientijb. Edited by Thomas Wright,
Esq., MA. 1863.

Neckam was a man who deroted hhnself to science, such as it was m the
twelfth century. In the '* De Naturis Berum "are to be found what may be
called the rudiments of many sciences mixed up with much error and ignoraooe.
Neckam was not thought iniallible, eyen by his oontemporaiies, for Boger Bacon
remarks of him, ** this Alexander in many things wrote what was true and aseAiI :
" but he neither can nor ought by lust title to be reckoned among authorities."
Neckam, howeyer, had sufficient mdependenoe of thougjht to differ from •ome
of the schoolmen who in his time considered themselyes the only judges of litert-
ture. He had his own yiews in morals, and in ^ying us a glimpse id Aem, is
well as of his other opinions, he throws much light upon the inan]ioi% eastoins»
and general tone of thought preyalent in the twelr^ century. The poem entitled
** De Laudibus Diyinss SapientisB " appears to be a metrical paraphrase or
abridgment of the ** De Naturis Berum." It is written in tiie elegiac metre ;
and though there are many lines which yiolate classical rules, it is, as a whole,
aboye the ordinary standard of mediscyal Latin.

35, Lbechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England; being
a Collection of Documents illustrating the History of Science in this
Country before the Normiui Conquest. Vols. I., IL, and ILL Colieeted
and edited by the Rev. T. Oswald Cogkatne, M.A., of St. John's
College, Cambridge. 1864-1866.

This work illustrates not only the history of science, but the history of soper-
stition. Ill addition to the information bearing directly upon Uie medical skin
and medical faith of the times, there are many passages which incidentaUy throir
light upon the general mode of life and ordinary diet The volumes are interestiQg
not only in their scientific, but also in their social aspect The manuscripti from
which tiiey have been printed are yaluable to the Anglo-Saxon scholar for the
iUustratiims they affi>rd of Anglo-Saxon orthography.

36. Annates Monastici. Vol. I. :— Annales de Margan, 1066-1232 ;

Annaled de Theokesberia, 1066-1263 ; Annales de Burton, 1004-1263.
Vol. II. : — ^Annales Monasterii de Wintonia, 519-1277; Annales Mo-
nasterii de Waverleia, 1-1291. Vol. III. : — ^Annales Frioratus de
Dunstaplia, 1-1297 ; Annales Monasterii de Bermundeseia, 1042^
1432. Vol. IV. : — Annales Monasterii de Oseneia, 1016-1347; Chroni-
con Yulgo dictum Ghronicon Thomte Wjkes, 1066-1289 ; Annales
Frioratus de Wigomia, 1-1377. Vol. V. : — ^Indexand Glossary. Edited
by Henrt Richabds Luard, M.A., Fellow and Assistant Tutor of
Trinity College, and Registrary of the University, Cambridge. 1864-
1869.

The present collection of Monastic Annals embraces all the more important
chronicles compiled in religions houses in England during the thirteenth
centory. These distinct works are ten in number. -The extreme period
which they embrace ranges from the year 1 to 1432, although they refer more
especially to the reigns of John, Henry III., and Edward L Some of these narrar-
tives have already appeared in print, but others are printed for the first time.

37. Magna Vita S. Hugonis Episcopi Lincolnibnsis. From Manuscripts
in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and the Imperial Libi-ary, Paris. Edited
hy the Rev. James F. Dimook, M.A., Rector of Barnburgh, Yorkshire,
1864.

This work contains a number of very curious and interesting incidents, and,
being the work of a contemporary, is very valuable, not only as a truthfia]
biography of a celebrated ecclesiastic, but as the work of a man, who, from per*
sonal knowledge, gives notices of passing events, as well as of individuals who
were then takmg active part in public affidrs. The author, in all probability,
was Adam Abbot of Evesham. He was domestic chaplain and private confessor
of Bishop Hugh, and in these capacities was admitted to the closest intimacy.
Bishop Hugh was Prior of Witham for 11 years before he became Bishop of
lincohi. His consecration took place on the 21st September 1186 ; he died on
the 16th of November 1200 ; and was canonized in 1220.

38. Chronicles and Meuobials of the Reign op Richaiid the Fiest.
'Vol. I. : — Itinerabium Peregrinobum et Gesta Regis Rioardi.
Vol. n. : — ^EpiSTOL-ffl Cantuarienses ; the Letters of the Prior and
Convent of Christ Church, Canterbuiy; 1187 to 1199. Edited hy
William Stubbs, M.A., Vicar of Navestock, Essex, and Lambeti^
Lihrarian. 1864-1865.

The authorship of the Chronicle in YoL I., hitherto ascribed to Geoffirey
Yinesanf, is now more correctly ascribed to Richard, Canon of the Holy Trinity
of London. The narrative extends from 1187 to 1199 ; but its chief interest
consists in the minute and authentic narrative which it furnishes of the exploits
of Richard I., from his departure from England in December 1189 to his death
in 1199. The author states in his prologue that ho was an eye-witness of much
.that he records ; and various incidental circumstances which occur in the course
of the narrative confirm this assertion.

The letters in Vol. XL, written between 1187 and 1199, are of value as
furnishing authentic materials for the history of the ecclesiastica] condition of
England during the reign of Richard I. They had their origin in a dispute which
arose from the attempts of Baldwin and Hubert, archbishops of Canterbury, to
found a college of secular canons, a project which gave great umbrage to the
monks of Canterbury, who saw in it a design to supplant them in their function
of metropolitan chapter. These letters are printed, for the first time, from a MS.
belonging to the archiepiscopal library at Lambeth.

39. Becveil DBS Cboniques et anchieknes Istobibs de la Gbant Bbe-

TAIGNE A FBE8ENT NOlOiE EnGLBTEBBE, par JeHAN DB WaUBIN. Vol. I.,

LL 2

Albina to 688, Vol. 11., 1399-1422. Edited by WiLLiiJi Hardt, Esq.,
F.S.A. 1864r-1868.

40. A Collection op the Chbokicles and ancient Histories of Great
Britain, now called England, by John de Wavrin. Albina to 688.
(Translation of the preceding Vol. I.) Edited and translated by
William Hardt, Esq., F.S,A. 1864.

This curious chronicle extends from the fiibolous period of history down to the
retom of Edward IV. to England in the year 1471, after the second depoation of
Henry VL The manascript from which the text of the work is taken is pre-
served in the Imperial Library at Paris, and is believed to be the only complete
and nearly contemporary copy in existence. The work, as originally boond,
was comprised in six volumes, since rebound in morocco in 12 volumes, folio
maximo, vellum, and is illustrated with exquisite miniatures, vignettes, and initial
letters. It was written towards the end of the fifteenth century, having been
expressly executed for Louis de Bruges, Seigneur de la Gruthuyse and Earl of
Wmchester, from whose cabinet it passed into the library of Louis XII. at Blots.

41. PoLTCHRONicoN II ANULPHi HiG DEN, With Trevisa's Translation. Vols. I.
and II. Edited by Churchill Babington, B.D., Senior Fellow of
St. John's College, Cambridge. Vols. III. and IV. Edited by the
Rev. Joseph Rawson Lumby, M.A., late Fellow of Magdalene College,
Cambridge. 1865-1872.

This is one of the many medieval chronicles which assume the character of a
history of the world. It begins with the creation, and is brought down to the
author's own time, the reign of Edward III. Prefixed to the historical portion, is
a chapter devoted to geography, in which is given a description of every known
land. To say that the Folychronicon was written in the fourteenth century is to
say that it is not free from inaccuracies. It has, however, a value apart fh>m its
intrinsic merits. It enables us to form a very fi&ir estimate of the knowledge of
history and geography which well-informed readers of the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries possessed, for it was then the standard work on general history.

The two English translations, which are printed with the original Latin, afford
interesting Illustrations of the gradual change of our language, for one was made
in the fourteenth century, the other in the fifteenth. The differences between
Trevisa's version and that of the unknown writer are often considerable.

42. Lb Livers de Reis db Brittanie e Le Livere de Rbis de
Engletere. Edited by John Glover, M.A., Vicar of Brading, Isle of
Wight, formerly Librarian of Trinity College, Cambrid<je. 1865.

These two treatises, though they cannot rank as independent narrmtiTes, are
nevertheless valuable as careful abstracts of previous historians, especially "Le
Livere de Reis de Engletere." Some various readings are given ^dueh are
interesting to the philologist as instances of semi-Saxonized French.

It is supposed that Peter of Ickham must have been the author, but no ceitun
conclusion on that point hat been arrived at.

43. Chronica Monasterii de Mblsa, ab Anno 1160 usque ad Ankux

1406. Vols. L, IL, and III. Edited by Edward Augustus Bond, Esq.,
Assistant Keeper of the Manuscripts, and Egerton Librarian, British
Museum. 1 866-1 86S.

The Abbey of Meaux was a Cistercian house, and the work of its abbot is both
curious and valuable. It is a faithful and often minute record of the establishment
of a religious community, of its progress in forming an ample revenue, of its
struggles to maintain its acquisitions, and of its relations to the gOTcming
institutions of the country. In addition to the private affairs of the monastery,
some light is thrown upon the public events of the time, which are howerer kept
^tinct, and appear at the end of the history of each abbot's administration. The
text has been printed from what is said to be the autograph of the original
compiler, Thomas de Burton, the nineteenth abbot

44. Matth^i Parisiensis Historia Anglorum, sive, ut vulgo dicitur,
HiSTORiA Minor. Vols. I., II., and III. 1067-1263. Edited by Sir
Frederic IVIadden, K.H., Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts^
British Museum, 1866-1869.

The exact date at which this work was written is, according to the chronicler*
1250. The history is of considerable valae as an illustration of the period daring
which the author lived, and contains a good summary of the events which followed
the Conquest. This minor chronicle is, however, based on another work (alao
written by Matthew Paris) giving fuller details, which has been called the
'* Historia Major." The chronicle here published, nevertheless, gives some
information not to be found in the greater history.

45. Liber Monastbrii de Htda : a Chronicle and Chartulakt of

Hyde Abbet, Winchester, 455-1023. Edited^ from a Manuscript in
the Library of t/ie Earl of Macclesfield^ by Edward Edwards, Esq.
1866.

The "Book of Hyde " is a compilation flrom much earlier sources, which are
usually indicated witii considerable care and precision. In many cases, however*
the Hyde chronicler appears to correct, to qualify, or to amplify — either from
tradition or from sources of information not now discoverable — ^the statements,
which, in substance, he adopts. He also mentions, and frequently quotes from
writers whose works are either entirely lost or at present known only by fragments.

There is to be found, in the <*Book of Hyde," much information relating to the
reign of King Alfired which is not known to exist elsewhere. The volume
contains some curious specimens of Anglo-Saxon and Medissval English.

46. Chronigon Scotorum : a Chronicle of Irish Affairs, from the
Earliest Times to 1135 ; with a Supplement, containing the Events
from 1 141 to 1 150. Edited, with a Translation, by William Maunsbll
Hennesst, Esq., M.R.I.A. 1866.

There is, in this volume, a legendary account of the peopling of Ireland and of
the adventures which befell the various heroes who are said to have been con-
nected with Irish history. The details are, however, very meagre both for tiiiis
period and for the time when history becomes more authentic. The plan adopted
in the chronicle gives the appearance of an accuracy to which the earlier portions
of the work cannot have any claim. The succession of events is marked, year by
year, from a.m. 1599 to a.d. 1150. The principal events narrated in the later
portion of the work are, the invasions of foreigners, and the wan of the Irish
among themselves. The text has been printed from a MS. preserved in the
library of Trinity College, Dublin, written partly in latin, partly in Irish.

47. The Chronicle op Pierre de Langtoft, in French Verse, from
THE earliest Period TO THE Death OF Edward I. Vols. I. and II.
Edited by Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A. 1866-1868.

It is probable that ^erre de Langtoft was a canon of Bridlington, in Yorkshire^
and that he lived in the reign of Edward I., and during a portion of the reign of
Edward U. This chronicle is divided into three partb; in the first is an
abridgment of Geofflrey of Monmouth's ** Historia Britonum," m the second, a
history of the Anglo-Saxon and Norman kings, down to the death of Henry III.,
and in the third a history of the reign of Edward I. The principal object of the
work was apparently to show ue justice of Edward's Scottish wars. The
language is singularly corrupt, and a curious specimen of the French of Yorkshire.

48. The War op the Gaedhil with the Gaill, or. The Invasions, of

Ireland by the Danes and other Norsemen. Edited, with a

Translation, by Jamsb Henthorn Todd, D.D., Senior Fellow of

Trinity College, and Regius Professor of Hebrew in the Universitj,

Dublin. 1867.

The work in its present fonn, in the editor's opinion, is a comparatively modem
version of an undoubtedly ancient originaL That it was compiled from contem*
porary materials hai been proved by coriouf incidental evidence. It is stated in

the account given of the battle of Clontaxf that the fall tide in Dublin Bay on tlia
day of tile battle (23 April 1014) coincided with sanriBe ; and that the retnnung
tide in the evening aided considerably in the defeat of the Danes. The ikct hai
been yerified by astronomical calcnlations, and the inference is that the anthor of
the chronicle, if not himself an eye-witness, mnst have deiiyed his in^onnatioo
ftom those who were eye-witnesses. The contents of the work are saffidentlj
described in its title. The story is told after the manner of the Scandhiayian
Sagas, with poems and fragments of poems introduced Into the prose nairatiye.

49. Gesta Regis Henrici Sscundi Benedicti Abbatis. The Obbokiclr
OF THE Reigns of Henry n. and Richard L, 1169-1192; known
under the name of Benedict of Peterborough. Vols. L and IL
Edited by William Stubbs, M.A., Regius Professor of Modem EUb-
tory, OxK>rd, and Lambeth Librarian. 1867.

This chronicle of the reigns of Henry II. and Blchard L, known commonly
under the name of Benedict of Peterborough, is one of the best existing speei-
mens of a class of historical compositions of the first importance to the stodent.

50. MUNIHENTA ACADEMICA, OR, DOCUMENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF AOADBMICAI.

Life and Studies at Oxford (in Two Parts). Edited by the Rev.
Henry Anstey, M.A., Vicar of St. Wendron, Cornwall, and latelj
Vice-Principal of St. Mary Hall, Oxford. 1868.

This work will supply materials for a History of Academical Life and Stndies
in the Uniyersity of Chabrd during the ISth, 14th, and 15th centuries.

51. Chronica Magistri Rogeri de Houedene. Vols. L, II., in., and IV.

Edited by William Stubbs, M.A., Regius Pi*ofessor of Modem History,

and Fellow of Oriel CoUege, Oxford. 1868-1871.

This work has long been justly celebrated, but not thoroughly understood until
Mr. Stubbs' edition. The earlier portion, extending £rom 732 to 1148, appears
to be a copy of a compilation made in Northumbria about 1161, to whi^
Hoveden added little. From 1148 to 1169—41 Tery valuable portion of Una
work the matter is derived from another source, to which Hoveden ^ypears to
have supplied little, and not always judiciously. From 1170 to 1192 ia the
portion which corresponds with tiie Chronicle known undor the name of
Benedict of Peterborough (see No. 49) ; but it is not a copy, being sometimes
an abridgment, at others a paraphrase; occasionally the two works entirely
agree ; showing that both writers had^access to the same materials, but dealt
with them differently. From 1192 to 1201 may be said to be wholly Hoveden'a
work : it is extremely valuable, and an authority of the first importance.

52* WlLLELMI MaLMESBIBIENSIS MoNACHI de GeSTIS FONTIFIGUli AnGLO-

RUM LiBRi Quinque. Edited^ from William of Mcdm€sbury*s AtUo"
graph MS., by N. E. S. A. Hamilton, Esq., of the Department of
Manuscripts, British Museum. 1870.

William of Malmesbur^s '' Gesta Fontificum " is the principal foundation of
English Ecclesiastical Biography, down to the year 1122. The mannseript
which has been followed in this Edition is supposed by Mr. Hamilton to be ihe
author's autograph, containing his latest additions and amendments.

53, HiSTOiuc AND Municipal Documents op Ireland, from the Arghiybs
OP THE CiTT OF DuBLiN, &c 1172-1320. Edited by Jobjx T. Gilbert,
Esq., F.S.A., Secretary of the Fublic Record Office of Ireland. 1870.

A collection of original documents, elucidating mainly the history and condition
of the municipal, middle, and trading classes under or in relation with die
rule of England in Ireland, — ^a subject hitherto in almost total obscurity.
Extending over the first hundred and fifty years of the Anglo-Norman
settlement, the series includes charters, municipal laws and regulations, rolls of
names of citizens and members of merchant-guilds, lists of commodities with
thdr rates, correspondence, illustrations of rdations between ecclesiastics and
laity ; together witii many documents exhibiting the state of Ireland during the
presence there of the Scots under Bobert and Edward Bmoe.

54. The Annals of Loch Ci. A Chronicle of Irish Affairs, frox

1014 to 1590. Vols. I. and II. Edited, with a TramlaHotiy by

WiLLiAH MAtiNSELL HsNNESST, Esq., M.B.I.A 1871.

The original of this chronicle has passed under yarions names. The title of
" Annals of Loch C4 " was given to it by Professor 0*Can^, on the gronnd that
it was transcribed for Brian Mac Dermot, an Irish chieftain, who resided on an
island in Loch C^, in the county of Roscommon. It adds much to the materials
for the civil and ecclesiastical history of IreUund ; and contains many curious
references to English and foreign a£Gedrs, not noticed in any other chronicle.

56. MONUMENTA JURIDICA. ThE BlACK BoOK OF THE AdUIRALTT, WITH

Appendices. Vols. I. and II. Edited by Sir Traters Twiss, Q.C,

D.C.L. 1871-1873.

This book contains the ancient ordinances and laws relating to the navy
and was probably compiled for the use of the Lord High Admiral of England.
Selden cidls it the '^ jewel of the Admiralty Records." Pryune ascribes to the
Black Book the same authority in the Admiralty as the Black and Red Books
have in the Court of Exchequer, and most English writers on maritime law
reeognixe its importance.

^, Memorials of the Reign of Hsnrt YI. : — Official Correspondence

OF Thomas Bektnton, Secretary to Henrt VI., and Bishop

OF Bath and Wells. Edited^ from a MS, in the Archiepiscopal

Library at Lambeth, with an Appendix of Illustrative Documefits, by the

Eev. George Williams, B.D., Vicar of Ringwood, late Fellow of King's

College, Cambridge. Vols.* I. and II. 1872.

'Hiese curious vohunes, which are of a very miscellaneous character, were, in
all probability, compiled under the immediate direction of Bekynton, and com-
menced before he had attained to the dignity of the Episcopate. They contain
many of the Bishop's own letters, and sereral written by him in the Eling's
name. Besides these, there are letters sent to himself while he was the Royal
Secretary, as well as others addressed to the King. This work will elucidate
some obscure points in the history of the nation during the first half of the
fifteenth century.

57. Matthjei Parisibnsis, Monachi Sancti Albani, Chronica Majora.

Vol. I. The Creation to A.D. 1066. Edited by Henrt Richards

Lttard, M.A., Fellow of Trini^ College^ Registraiy of the University,

and Vicar of Great St. Maiys, Cambridge. 1872.

This volume contains the first portion of the " Chronica Majora " of Matthew
Paris, one of the most yaluable and frequently consulted of all the ancient
English Chronicles. It is now published for uie first time. The editions by
Archbishop Parker, and William Wats, severally commence at the Norman
Conquest.

68. Memoriale Fratris Walteri de Coventria. — The Historical

Collections of Walter op Coventry. Vols. I. and 11. Edited, from

the MS. in the Library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, by

William Stubbs, M.A., Regius Professor of Modem History, and Fellow

of Oriel College, Oxford. 1872-1873.

This work, now printed in full for the first time, has long been a degidetatum
by Historical Scholars. The first portion, however, is not of much importance,
being only a compilation from earlier writers. The part relating to the first
quarter of the thirteenth century is the most valuable and interesting.

59. The Anglo-Latin Satirical Poets and Epigrammatists of the

Twelfth Century. Vols. I. and II. Now first collected and edited

by Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A., Corresponding Member of the National

Institute of France (Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres). 1872.

The Poeme contained in these volumes haye long been known and appreciated
as the best satires of the age in which their authors flomished, and were deservedly
popular during the 13th and Uth centuries.

60. Matebials for a Histort of the Reign of Kekrt YII., fbox

ORIGINAL Documents preserved in the Pcblio Record Officb.
Vol. I. Edited by the Rev. William Campbell, M.A., one of Her
Majesty's Inspectors of Schools. 1873.

This Yolame is valaable as illastrating the acts and proceedings of Ilenry YII.
on ascending the throne, and shadows out the policy he afterwards adopted.

61. Historical Papers and Letters from the Northern Registers.
Edited by jABfES Raine, M.A., Canon of York, and Secretary of the
Sartees Society. 1873.

The documents in this volume illustrate, for the most part, the general historj
of the north of England, particularly in its relation to Scotland.

62. Registrum Palatinum Dunelmensb. The Register of Richard de
Kellawe, Lord Palatine and Bishop of Durham ; 1311-1316. Vol. L
Edited by Sir Thomas Duffus Hardt, D.C.L., Deputy Keeper of the
Public Records. 1873.

Bishop Kelfawe's Renter contains the proceedings of his prelacy, hoth lay
and ecclesiastical, and is the earliest Register of the Palatinate of Durham.

In the Press.

A Collection of Sagas and other Historical Documents relating to
the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on the British Isles.
Vols. L and 11. Edited by George Webbb Dasent, Esq., D.C.L. Oxoiu

Boll of the Privy Council op Ireland, 16 Richard II. Edited by the
Rev. James Graves, A.B., Treasurer of St. Canice, Ireland.

The Works of Giraldus Cambrensis. Yol. YII. Edited by the Bev.
James F. Dimock, M.A., Rector of Bamburgh, Yorkshire.

Chronicon Radulphi Abbatis Coggeshalensis Majtts; and, Chronicok
TERRiB S^NCTiE ET DB Captis A Saladino Hierosolymis. EdUed
by the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, M.A., of University College, Dnrham.

Chronicle of Robert of Brunne. Edited by Frederick James Fus-
NiVALL, Esq., M.A., of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Barrister-at-Law.

Matthjsi Parisibnbis, Monachi Sancti ALBAm, Chronica Majora.
Vol. n. Edited by Henry Richards Luard, M.A., Fellow of Trinity
College, Hegistrary of the University, and Vicar of Great St Mary's^
Cambridge.

PoLYCHRONiooN Ranulphi Higden, with Trcvisa's Translation. VoL V.
Edited by the Rev. Joseph Rawson Lumby, B.D., Lite Fellow of
Magdalene College, Cambridge.

History of the Reigns of Edward the Third and Richard the Second ;
£rom a Manuscript in the British Museum, by an Anonymous Writer.
Edited by Edward Maunde Thompson, Esq., of the British MoseuiiL

Registrum Palatinum Dunelmense. The Register of Richard de Kellawe,
Lord Palatine and Bishop of Durham ; 1311-1316. VoL II. Edited
by Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy, D.C.L., Deputy Keeper of the Public
Records. •

Life of Thomas Becket ; from an Icelandic Saga, with an English Translation.
Edited and translated by M. EiKfKR Magn^'SSON, Under-Librarian of the
Public Library, Cambridge.

Lives of Abchbishop Dukstan. Edited by William Stubbs, M.A., Regius
Professor of Modern History, and Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford.

In Progress, v

The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester. Edited by William
Aldis Wright, Esq., M.A.

Descriptivb Catalogue of Manuscripts relating to the History of
Great Britain and Leielanb. Vol. IV. ; 1327, &c. By Sir Teomas
DuFFUS Hardy, D.CX., Deputy Keeper of the Public Records*

Corpus Historicum Eboracknse. Chronica Pontificuh Ecolesle Eboraci
AUCTORE Thoua Stubbs Dominigano ; and other Documents relating to
the Primacy of York. Edited by the Rev. James Raine, M.A., Canon
of York, and late Fellow of the University, Durham.

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This important and unique survey of the greater portion of England* la the
oldest and most valuable record in the national archives. It was commenced
about the year 1084 and finished in 1086. Its compilation was deteimined upon
at Gloucester by William the Conqueror, in ooimcil, in order that he might
know what was due to him, in the way of tax, from his subjects, and that each
at the same time might know what he had to pay. It was compiled as much
for their protection as for the benefit of the sovereign. The nobility and people
had been grievously distressed at the time by the kmg bringing over large num-
bers of French and Bretons, and quartering them on his subjects, ** each accord-
'* ing to the measure of his land," for the purpose of resisting the invasion of
Cnut, King of Denmark, which was apprehended. The commissioners appointed
to make the survey were to inquire the name of each place ; who held it in the
time of King Edward the Confessor ; the present possessor ; how many hides
were in the manor $ how many ploughs were in demesne ; how many homagers ;
how many villeins ; how many cottars ; how many serving men; how many free
tenants ; how many tenants in soccage ; how mudi wood, meadow, and pasture ;
the number of mills and fish-ponds ; what had been added or taken away from
the place ; what was the gross value in the time of Edward the Confessor ; the
present v^ue ; and how much each free man or soe^man had, and whether any
advance could be made in the value. Thus could be ascertained who held the
estate in the time of Kinj? Edward ; who then held it ; its value in the time of
the late king ; and its value as it stood at the formation of the survey. So
minute was the survey, that the writer of the contemporary portion of the Saxon
Chronicle records, wi^ some asperity — ^^ So very narrowly he caused it to be
*< traced out, that there was not a single lude, nor one virgate of land, nor even*
'* it is shame to tell, though it seemed to him no shame to do, an ox, nor a cow,
^ nor a swine was left, that was not set down."

Domesday Survey is in two parts or volumes. The first, in folio, contuns the
counties of Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Cambridge, Chester and Lancaster, Cam-
wall, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Gloucester, Hants, Hereford, Herts, Huntingdon ,
Kent, Xicicester and Rutland, Lincoln, Middlesex, Northampton, Nottingham,
Oxford, Salop, Somerset, Stafford, Surrey, Sussex, Warwick, Wilts, Worcester,
and York. The second volume, in quarto, contains the counties of Essex,
Norfolk, and Suffolk.

Domesday Book was printed verhaiim et Uteratm during the last century, in
consequence of an address of the House of Lords to King George IIL in 1767.
It was not, however, commenced until 1773, and was completed early in 1783.
In 1860, Her Mijesty's Government, with the concurrence of the Master of the
BoUs, determined to apply the art of photozincography to the production of a
fac-simile of Domesday Book, under the superintendence of Colonel Sir Henry
James, R.E., Director of the Ordnance Survey, Southampton. The &c-sim]le was
completed in 1868.

*7or some reason left unexplained, many parts were left nnsurveyed ; Northumberland, Cumberland,
Westmoreland, and Durham, are not doscnbed in the surve^r ; nor does Lancashire appear under its
Droper name : but Furness, and the northern ^)art of Lancashire^ as well as the south of Westmorelaad,
witna part or Cumberland, are included within the West Biding of Yorkshire. That part of Lancaahiro
which liin between the Bioble and Mersey, and which at the time of the surrey comprehended MS
manors, is joined to Cheshire. Part of Rutland is described in the counties of Northampton and T^mfiftht

Fao-sihiles of Nationax Manuscripts, from William the Conquebob to
Queen Anne, selected under the direction of the Master of the Rolls,
and Fhotozincographed, bj Command of Her Majesty, bj Colonel Sm
ELbnrt James, B.E., Director of the Ordnance Survey. Price, each
Fart, with translations and notes, double foolscap folio, 16^.

Part L (William the Conqueror to Henry VII.). 1865.
Part IL (Henry VIIL and Edward VI.). 1866.
Part ni. (Mary and Elizabeth). 1867.
Part IV. (James I. to Anne). 1868.

The first Fart extends from William the Conqueror to Henry vil., and contains
antographs of the kings of England, as well as of many other iUnstrions per-
sonages £unons in history, and some interesting charters, letters patent, and
state papers. The second Part, for the reigns of Henry VIIL and Edward VI.,
consists principally of holograph letters and autographs of kings, princes, states-
men, and other persons of great historical interest, who lived during those
reigns. The third Part contains similar documents for the reigns of Mfuy and
Elkabeth, including a signed bill of Lady Jane Grey. The fourth Fart con-
cludes the series, and comprises a number of documents taken fix>m the originals
belonging to the Constable of the Tower of London ; also sereral records illus-
trative of the Gunpowder Plot, and a woodcut containing portraits of Mary Queen
of Scots and James VL, circulated by their adherents in England, 15S0-8.

Public Record Office,
Septemher 1873.

/'^^<

This book should be returned to
the Idbrary on or before the last date
stamped below.

A fine of five cents a day is incurred
by retaining it beyond the specified
time.

Please return promptly.

'^'■i^)'^^l^R

NOV 2- 62 H

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