The Gatehouse website record of a petition for a grant of murage for Bordeaux dated ?1373

Bordeaux petitioned for a grant of murage in ?1373.

Wording

Petitioners: Mayor jurors and commonalty of Bordeaux.
Addressees: King.
Places mentioned: Bordeaux, {France}; Agenais, {Guyenne, France}; Basaidos (Bazadais, Bazas), {Guyenne, France}; River Dordogne, {France}; St Macaire, {Guyenne, France}; Reula (La Reole), {Guyenne, France}; Bordeaux, {Guyenne, France}; Bayonne, {Gascony, France}; Gironde, {Guyenne, France}.
Other people mentioned: William Welcumbe, king's notary of Aquitaine, and burgess of Bordeaux.
Nature of request: {Petition in 15 parts:}
1) The mayor, jurors and commonalty request that it be granted that no wine that is of the country which at the present time of war are the king's enemies is able to come to or go from the city of Bordeaux by sea or land and in peace, war or truce until Christmas, it having already been granted to them that none should come or go until Martinmas.
2) They request that they are granted that they are able to take from all {? ships} coming from the Agenais and the Bazadais and from the Dordogne and all other places that during the war are enemies and rebels for each ton 4s. of good Tournois, and from all other vessels and all other merchandises 3 d Bordelais in whatsoever manner that they come, by sea and land, and in peace, war or truce.
3) They request that for the repair of the city in the time of war that they are able to levy from all people and on all merchandises in the town or being charge and unloaded in the city 3d. from sellers and 3d from buyers.
4) They request that they are able to bring wines bought outside of the city to the city free of the custom paid to the castle as they have for their own wines.
5) They request that they are able to have their own wines free of customs at the castle.
6) They request that they be quit of the £3 that they have to pay for all their merchandises when they come to England as those of the town of Bayonne are.
7) They request that the king remit and grant the pledges taken by the king's officers from each ship and boat in the city.
8) {Entry badly faded but seems to concern strangers and foreigners being obliged to make contracts with the burgess and inhabitants}.
9) {Entry badly faded but concerns the goods and chattels of those coming to the city and dying intestate}.
10) {Entry badly faded but seems to concern high and low justice being ? granted to the mayor between the sea and the Gironde}.
11) {Faded and in parts illegible:} They request that is granted that the 'padnens', places and . . . are able to be given . . . and conermed without impeachment.
12) They request that they are able to appoint and remove the money-changers in the city.
13) They request that the seneschal of Gascony and other officers be commanded not to trouble them concerning their ancient customs and privileges.
14) Request concerning cartularies that they of ancient are accustomed to make and which have legal validity as Welcumbe has purchased the right that he can enquire of and receive charters of freight of the ships to the great damage of the petitioners, and they request that all notaries of the city . . . are able to enquire of and receive such charters.
15) The request the return and pardon of the forfeits and trespasses made to the king concerning the ordinances of moneyers.
16) They request confirmation of their customs, usages, privileges and liberties.

Endorsement

Endorsement: {On face:}1) The king wishes this concerning the wines of rebels and enemies during their rebellion
2) The king wishes this during their rebellion.
3) The king wishes it for two years on merchandise above the value of £1.
4) {None}.
5) {None}.
6) {None}.
7) {None}.
8) {None}.
9) The king wishes . . . pertains to him.
10) Let it be enquired of and certified.
11) Let them explain this.
12) Let it be enquired of and right done to them.
13) Let it be enquired of.
14) The king wishes it, but that he be a sufficient burgess residing within the vill.
15) The king wishes it for the time past.
16) The king wishes it for those granted by him and his progenitors.{On dorse:}The petitions of Bordeaux.
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Gascon Roll
15 March 1373. Westminster. For the mayor, jurats and community of Bordeaux.
Order to Thomas de Felton, seneschal of the king's lordship of Aquitaine, and Robert de Wikeford, doctor of both laws, constable of the king's castle of Bordeaux, to examine the matters contained in the petition of the mayor, jurats and community of Bordeaux, as the king has no knowledge of the truth of the matter. The petitioners have claimed that previously, in order to pay for necessary repairs to the walls, battlements and turrets of their city, and other charges, they were granted a subsidy, payable by those bringing merchandise or wine produced in the king's town of Saint-Macaire to Bordeaux for unloading or sale, or for any other reason, at the rate of 2s.bon.t.parv. for each tun and 2d.maille.bord. per pound for other merchandise. Now, the said mayor, jurats and commonalty are again hurt and damaged by the king's rebels in those parts, from the River Garonne above the city, from within the city, towards the sea and from the River Dordogne, and therefore have requested that, to relieve their great damage and hurt, the king grant them permission to take and levy a tax of 4s.bon.t.parv. per tun on all the wine sold in Bordeaux which comes from the lands of the Agenais and Bazadais, from the River Dordogne and all other places which are of the king's enemies and rebels in this present war, or remain on the side of the French, and 2d. ob. per pound on all other goods and merchandise brought into the city in all other vessels, by land or sea, in times of peace and war, or of truce. By the advice of the king's council, they should inspect these privileges, and if the petition is true, then they should extend the privileges accordingly, for as long as the petitioners remain in the king's obedience, and while the lands and places concerned continue in their rebellion. They are also to send letters on the king's behalf on this matter to all the places in their jurisdiction for the period of the aforesaid rebellion.
By petition delivered and signed before the council. {For the petition to which this is seemingly a response, see SC 8/229/11407}

Details of the murage grant which resulted from this petition can be seen at this link.

Primary Sources

National Archive SC 8/229/11407 online
Carte, T. (ed), 1743, Catalogue des rolles Gascons, Normans et Francois Vol. 1 p. 160
C 61/86 Gascon Roll for the 47th year of the reign of Edward III Membrane 4.46 online

Comments

The petition is dated to 1373 as many of the requests appear to be answered in entries in the Gascon Roll for that year (Carte, vol. I, p.160). (National Archive)

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