TermDefinition
Bailli

(baillivus, ballivus, baiulus, bajulus) The office holder in France with authority over a vast area of jurisdiction termed as a bailliage. For the Aquitaine-Gascony equivalent term but not with the same meaning, see bayle. The same Latin is used for the English bailiff, though the office was somewhat different.

Bailliage

(bailliva, bailliva, balliva) In northern France the area of jurisdiction of the official termed as bailli. For the Aquitaine-Gascony equivalent term but not with the same meaning, see Baylie. The same Latin term is used for bailiwick, the area of jurisdiction of the English official - the bailiff, and more generally the jurisdiction enjoyed by English officials.

Bayle

(baillivus, ballivus, baiulus, bajulus) The office holder in Aquitaine-Gascony with authority over an relatively small area of jurisdiction termed as a baylie. The term prévôt is often used in Aquitaine-Gascony as a synonym. The French equivalent term bailli does not have the same meaning as in northern France a bailli was the equivalent of a seneschal, i.e. a high officer with an authority over a vast area like a diocese. The same Latin word is used for the English bailiff, though the office was somewhat different.

Baylie

(bailliva, bailliva, balliva) In Aquitaine-Gascony the area of jurisdiction of the official termed as bayle. A baylie was often the same thing as a prévôté. The same Latin term is also used for bailiwick, the area of jurisdiction of the English official - the bailiff, and more generally the jurisdiction enjoyed by English officials, as well as the French 'baillie'.

Centenar

A leader of 100 men in a military contingent.

Constable of Bordeaux

Initially the keeper of the castle of Bordeaux, the constable of Bordeaux, after the seneschal of Gascony, was the most important of the English royal officers in the duchy. The constable was the main financial officer, appointed by the king, and was responsible for the payment of wages and fees, and the receipt of royal revenues from rents and taxes that pertained to the king. The constable was expected to account at the English exchequer on an annual basis, though not always in person. Other regional officers answered to the constable and were expected to account with the constable on a regular basis.

Consul

(consul) A member of the governing council in particular towns and places. It was the common term in use in eastern Aquitaine-Gascony and Languedoc. Not normally a term associated with towns in Britain. See also eschevin, jurat and syndic.

Controller

(Contrarotulator) The keeper of the counter-roll, an officer used to check the veracity of the main counting officials, and using sets of rolls to set against the main sequence of accounting rolls. The controller of Bordeaux wrote a counter-roll that was checked at Westminster with the roll of the constable of Bordeaux.

Count

(comes) A title of the nobility in France and Aquitaine-Gascony. A count had an authority over a county which covered most of the time an important area. The Latin form is the same as that for the English title 'earl', though they were not exactly equivalent.

Courser

Lighter than the destrier, the courser was a swift and strong horse ridden by knights and men-at-arms.

Damoiseau

(domicellus) A status equivalent to the English esquire.

Destrier

A large and expensive military horse for bearing the heaviest of armoured troops, usually of knightly rank. Also known as 'Great Horse', they were for use in battle and tournament. For everyday riding, knights rode palfreys.

Eschevin

(scabinus) An officer forming part of the governing council in particular towns and places. It was mainly used in north-west France (ex: Normandy). See also consul, jurat, and syndic.

Fors (Fori) A Gascon term (in Spain 'fueros') for customs or privileges.
Hackney

A lighter primary riding horse. As armies became increasingly mobile with greater numbers of men being mounted on horses, but fighting dismounted, such horses as hacknies became increasingly important.

Hobelar A military term for a light cavalryman or dragoon.
Jurat

(jurat) An officer forming part of the governing council in particular towns, Bordeaux being an important example in Aquitaine-Gascony. Not normally a term associated with towns in Britain. See also consul, eschevin and syndic.

Maltolt An unjust or illegal taxation.
Man-at-arms

(homines ad arma) A class of soldier, usually mounted. A substantial part of English armies consisted of this class, of troop, who were usually drawn from the gentry below the rank of knight.

Notary (Public)

(notarius publicus) A licenced individual able to draw up a wide range of documents, usually public documents. The office did not have a strong presence in countries such as England, but was prevalent in Aquitaine-Gascony. For further information, see Cheney, C.R., Notaries Public in England in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries (Oxford, 1972).

Official

(officialis) used almost exclusively for an ecclesiastical minister appointed by, and subordinate to a bishop. Occasionally used in a general reference to ministers.

Pariage (pariagium) A right of a lord to share in privileges or revenue, usually with the king.
Prévôt

(prepositus) An official in Aquitaine-Gascony and more generaly in France with jurisdiction over a prévôté. It was the equivalent of a Bayle.

Prévôté

(prepositura) In Aquitaine-Gascony and more generaly in France the area of jurisdiction of a prévôt. It was the equivalent of a Baylie.

Rouncey, Rouncy, Rounsey

An all-purpose horse used for a variety of roles, including riding, but could occasionally be used as a pack animal.

Seneschal

(senescallus) It shares with the English office of steward the same Latin form, but it named in Aquitaine-Gascony and more generally in southern France the high officer in charge of governing a seneschalcy of a size of one or several dioceses. The equivalent in northern France was the term of Bailli.

Seneschal of Gascony

The seneschal was the main royal officer responsible for representing the king of England's interests in the duchy, and for implementing royal orders. The office, though on occasion occupied by Gascon and French individuals, was more commonly filled by Englishmen in the first half of the fourteenth century. The seneschal was subordinated to royal lieutenants when they were appointed in the duchy. The seneschal often enjoyed a considerable amount of autonomy, and could appoint sub-ordinate officials when these weren't reserved to the king, and the other seneschals in the duchy of Aquitaine, such as those of Saintonge, Périgord, Agenais and Landes, as well as a whole range of other royal officers answered to the seneschal in the first instance. The seneschal also acted in a judicial capacity especially concerning appeals made to the king by his subjects in the duchy.

Serjeant-at-arms

(serviens ad arma) A royal officer usually in a legal capacity.

Serjeant, Foot 

(serviens ad pedem) A class of unmounted soldier.

Steward

(senescallus) Usually a household officer of a lord, though the office of 'steward of England' or 'Lord High Steward of England' was one of the major, hereditary, though largely ceremonial offices of the kingdom. The same Latin form is used in relation to the office of seneschal in France and Aquitaine-Gascony.

Toll (pedagium, péage) A sum levied on people and goods.
Syndic

(sindicus, syndicus) Member of the governing council in particular towns. See also consul, eschevin and jurat.

Sumpter A baggage horse.
Vicomte

(vicecomes) A title of the nobility in France and Aquitaine-Gascony. The vicomtes were at the origin deputies of counts, but they took their independence in the 11th century and they became as powerful as many counts and sometimes more (ex: the vicomtes of Béarn). The Latin form is the same as that for the English officer 'sheriff', though that officer bore no relation to this title of nobility.

Vintenar A leader of 20 men in a military contingent.
Writing-office

(scribania) An office held by clerks, and associated with particular towns and the courts of baylies. The officer was clearly responsible for providing scribal services to these towns and courts, though entries in the Gascon rolls suggest they were granted in return for past service, and were presumably executed by deputies.