The Gascon Rolls Project

C 61/106 23 Richard II (1399)

The roll is short and consists of only four membranes. With the regnal year beginning on 22 June 1399, and the reign coming to an abrupt end with Richard II's 'resignation' on 29 September 1399, the shortness of the roll is no surprise. The actual contents of the roll run from 25 June 1399 until 16 September 1399, so running well into the period of Richard's captivity after his surrender at Conway to the earl of Northumberland on 15 August 1399, and his handing over to Henry Bolingbroke soon thereafter. There is one isolated entry from 11 October 1399, so eleven days into the reign of Henry IV. ¹

Because of the shortness of the roll, the contents are limited. There are several letters of protection and attorney, but most of these relate to John Trailly, kt, the mayor of Bordeaux, and John Beaufort, marquis of Dorset, the king's lieutenant, and those accompanying them to Aquitaine. ²

There are also a small number of entries relating to justice in the duchy. The first of these was a commitment to John Beaufort to do justice to Arnaut-Guilhem de Marsan who had complained that one Pey de Marsan had dispossessed him not only of his lands and inheritance, but appropriating members of his household and his servants. ³ Two orders addressed to the mayor or vicar, échevins, jurats, hundred peers and community of Bayonne, were to address the problems of Pélegrin Duviella, burgess of Bayonne, and Pey de Contis, merchant and burgess of Bayonne. Duviella was in dispute with other elements of the city, and had been imprisoned and his goods and properties seized, whilst Contis, clearly a supporter of Duviella, had been expelled from the city. The mayor or vicar and the others were ordered to restore both of them without challenge. ⁴

The roll is in fact dominated by grants. One grant rewarded the loyalty of Bayonne with a grant of a subsidy of 4 d. in the pound from all foreign merchandise brought to the city to the governor, échevins, jurats, hundred peers and community of Bayonne. But the remainder of the grants, confirmations and inspeximus relate to Nonpar I de Caumont, esquire. Several of them were inspeximus , all of which confirmed grants, confirmations and an appointment made by John of Gaunt, when he was duke of Aquitaine. The first was a confirmation of grants by Edward III of Laparade and the castle of Tombeboeuf. ⁵ The second was a grant of various lands including Damazan, Villefranche-du-Queyran, and the lordship of Lagruère. ⁶ The third was an inspeximus of Gaunt confirming a gift by Richard II of various lands including the castle and town of Caumont-sur-Garonne, and a moiety of Gontaud-de-Nogaret which Nonpar I de Caumont had captured from the French. ⁷ The final inspeximus was a confirmation of Caumont's appointment as seneschal of Agenais, with orders to permit him to hold the office, and for his pay. ⁸ Clearly Caumont was a favoured Gascon noble, who had spent many years fighting the French, and capturing places and castles for the Anglo-Gascon cause, which he was permitted to keep. Caumont was in England in 1399 to 1400, and since all of the inspeximus date to September 1399, the confirmations were apparently made as a gesture by Bolingbroke's regime to win over an Anglo-Gascon loyalist after Richard II returned to London on 2 September, and shortly before his deposition. Caumont returned to Aquitaine in 1400 with a retinue. ⁹

Simon J. Harris.

1.: For a detailed discussion of the final months of Richard II's reign, his deposition and death, see Saul, N., Richard II (London, 1997), esp. Ch. 16 'Deposition and Death, 1399-1400', pp. 405-434.
2.: entry 4 , entry 5 , entry 5.1 & entry 5.2 .
3.: entry 8 .
4.: entry 10 & entry 11 .
5.: entry 12 .
6.: entry 17 .
7.: entry 18 .
8.: entry 19 , entry 20 & entry 21 .
9.: CPR 1399-1401 , p. 271.

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The 23rd Year.

For General Attorney.

1: 25 June 1399 . Westm' Westminster .

Letters of general attorney in England, for one year, for John Trailly, kt , mayor of Burdeg' Bordeaux , who is staying in Aquitaine, nominating Hervy John Hervey and John Warde, clerk , alternately.

Attested by Edmund, duke of York , keeper of England .

2: 11 October 1399 .

John de Burton, clerk , now deceased, received the attorneys on 11 October 1393, when [ John Trailly ] returned to England.

3: 25 June 1399 . Westm' Westminster .

Letters of general attorney in England, for one year, for Oke John Oak , who has a licence to go to Aquitaine in the company of John [Beaufort], marquis of Dorset , king's lieutenant there, nominating Nicholas Usk, esquire , and Henry Merston, clerk , alternately.

John Rome, clerk , received the attorneys until [John Oak] returned to England.

4: 26 June 1399 . Westm' Westminster . Of protection.

Letters of protection, with clause volumus , for one year, for John Trailly, kt , mayor of Burdeg' Bordeaux , who is staying in Aquitaine, in the king's service, regarding the safe custody of Bordeaux.

Attested by the keeper [of England] .

By bill of p.s.

For protection.

25 June 1399 . Westm' Westminster .

Letters of protection, with clause volumus , for one year, for Luteman John Lutman , who is staying in Aquitaine, in the king's service, in the company of John [Beaufort], marquis of Dorset , king's lieutenant there.

Attested by the keeper [of England]

By bill of p.s.

The following have similar letters of protection for the same duration:

5.1: 2 July 1399 . Westm' Westminster .

John Devereux, kt .

Attested by the keeper [of England] .

By bill etc.

5.2: 6 July 1399 . Westm' Westminster .

John Noble, citizen of London .

Attested by the keeper [of England] .

By bill etc.

6: 3 July 1399 . Westm' Westminster . For general attorney.

Letters of general attorney in England, for one year, for John Devereux, kt , who is going to Aquitaine in the king's service, nominating John Virgo and William Penford , alternately.

Attested by the keeper [of England] .

John Frank, clerk , received the attorneys by licence of Thomas Stanley, clerk .

7: 6 July 1399 . Westm' Westminster . For the governor and others, and the community of Bayonne.

Grant to the governor, échevins, jurats, hundred peers and community of Baion' Bayonne , in support of the great charges and expenses which they have sustained for the king's honour and the rights of the city, of a subsidy of 4 d. in the pound from all foreign merchandise brought to the city, just as on other occasions was accustomed to be done.

Attested by the keeper [of England] .

8

22 July 1399 . Walyngford' Wallingford . For Arnaut-Guilhem de Marsan, kt.

Commitment to John [Beaufort], marquis of Dorset , king's lieutenant in Aquitaine , the constable of Bordeaux, the seneschals of the Landes and Agenais, and their lieutenants, of full [power] to summon all the parties or their proctors, before them, hear their arguments, allegations and the answers to Marsano Arnaut-Guilhem de Marsan , upon the privations and spoliations of the lands, fees, rents, houses, possessions, animals, property, goods and other things, and do full and speedy justice, according to the laws, fors and customs. And it is ordered to them to diligently attend to this, ceasing all frauds. The king further orders to all officers, ministers and subjects of the king that they obey and be intendant on them in connection with this matter.

Arnaut-Guilhem has complained that he was in possession of the lands, fees and rents which his father, the late Marsano Pey [II] de Marsan, kt , ¹ held at the time of his decease in the district of Mont Galhard Montgaillard in their just boundaries, left to him in the will of his father as his inheritance of the lands, namely: the Mauregart caverie ( caveraria ) of Mauregard , ² with the lands of Laubergador and Lucapet which about Pey's lands; and the lands called Larroy and Gaulin in the district and baylie of Montgaillard; of the lands called Capiteonis ; and one caverie commonly called Marrey next to Pey's lands, and one Proffe, de caverie called Prous ; four houses within Montgaillard and two outside; 200 sheep, fourteen oxen, 30 cows and 80 draught animals and five vineyards in Montgaillard, all of which he had in his possession for so long that it was sufficient for him to claim just possession according to local law. However, one Marsano Pey de Marsan , ³ whatever his motive, on his own authority or recklessness, by trickery and fraud took everything away, by driving Arnaut-Guilhem out from Montgaillard where all his possessions were situated, seizing all his goods, members of his household and servants, appropriating them all and keeping them from the time he seized them till now. Arnaut-Guilhem requests a remedy, and the king wishes to agree to this. ⁴

1.: co-lord of Marsan and lord of Montgaillard .
2.: A caverie was a small lordship in the Landes under the authority of another lordship with high jurisdiction. The Gascon word caver means "knight".
3.: A relative of Arnaut-Guilhem, distinct from his father.
4.: For a subsequent order on the same matter, see entry in C 61/107 .

9

26 July 1399 . Walyngford' Wallingford . For Pey d’Arzet.

Order to the constable of Bordeaux to pay to Darrezet Pey d’Arzet , the arrears of the 20 l.st. annuity which the king granted him on the 8 March last, from that date, and the same sum each year thereafter for his life, from the Borc castellany of the town of Bourg , and upon the customs on cooking pots ( olle terree ) and firewood ( teda ) that are received [in Burdegal' Bordeaux ], and also on the profits of Lengon' Langon , saving only the king's prerogatives, according to the tenor of the king's letters; receiving from d'Arzet his letters of acquittance, by which the constable will have due allowance in his accounts at the exchequer in England. ¹

1.: For the original grant, see entry in C 61/105 . For related entries, see entry in C 61/107 , entry in C 61/108 and entry in C 61/108 .

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10

14 September 1399 . The in palacio regis apud Westm' palace of Westminster . For Pélegrin Duviella.

Order to the mayor or vicar, échevins, jurats, hundred peers and community of Baion' Bayonne , under pain of forfeiture of all that they can forfeit to the king, that they are to deliver Doubilare Pélegrin Duviella, burgess of Baion' Bayonne from prison, and to permit him to live in the city just as he did before the disputes there; and also to deliver all his lands, tenements, goods and chattels to him regardless of the reason for which they were seized, without delay; so that Pélegrin has no reason to make complaints to the king because of their failure to act. The king has been informed that the mayor and others, because of the late disputes in the city, have acted presumptuously and wrongfully and without reasonable cause and process imprisoned Pélegrin, and seized his lands, tenements, goods and chattels. As a consequence of this they have denied his rights to live in the city and to have the free disposition of his goods, to the great depression and ruin of his status, and the king does not wish to tolerate this illegal action. ¹

By C.

1.: For related entries, see entry in C 61/103 , entry in C 61/103 , entry in C 61/103 , entry 11 and entry in C 61/107 .

11

Same as above For Pey de Contis.

Order to the same , under pain of forfeiture of all that they can forfeit to the king, that they are to receive back into the city Pey de Contis, merchant and burgess of Bayonne , and other faithful subjects of the city, whom they expelled, and to deliver Doubilare Pélegrin Duviella , burgess of Bayonne from prison, and to permit them to live in the city just as they did before the disputes there; and also to deliver all their lands, tenements, goods and chattels to them regardless of the reason for which they were seized, without delay; so that Pey and the others have no reason to make complaints to the king because of their failure to act. The king has been informed that the mayor and others, because of the late disputes in the city, have acted presumptuously and wrongfully and without reasonable cause and process expelled Pey and the others from the city, and unjustly imprisoned Pélegrin, and moreover have seized their lands, tenements, goods and chattels. As a consequence of this they have denied them their rights to live in the city and to have the free disposition of his goods, to the great depression and ruin of their status, and the king does not wish to tolerate this illegal action. ¹

By C.

1.: For related entries, see entry in C 61/103 , entry in C 61/103 , entry in C 61/103 , entry in C 61/104 , entry in C 61/104 , entry 10 and entry in C 61/107 .

12

14 September 1399 . The in palacio nostro apud Westm' palace of Westminster . For a confirmation for Caumont. ¹

Inspeximus under the great seal, of letters patent of John, late duke of Lancaster, in these words:

1395 . Burdeaux Bordeaux .

Confirmation by John [of Gaunt], son of the king of England, duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster , earl of Lincoln , Derby and Leicester , steward of England , under his seal, to Nonpar [I] de Caumont, esquire , of all gifts made by the king and by the duke, in consideration of the great losses suffered by Caumont by reason of the last war, and also considering the many services done by him and his company in the war to the king and the duke, at his own expense, and continues to do, and also at the request of Caumont, and in compensation for all of this; and of the grant of the king, by his letters patent, of Chasteau Seigneur , otherwise known as la Parada Laparade , in the seneschalcy of Agenais, with all its appurtenances, profits and jurisdictions; and of the Combabot castle of Tombeboeuf in the seneschalcy of Agenais, conquered by Caumont in accordance with the grant of Edward [III] , the duke's father, and of the duke's brother the prince, ² in the last war, that those who make conquests in Guyenne by arms may keep them.

The duke, wishing to show greater favour grants to Caumont the Chasteau Seigneur , otherwise known as Laparade, and the castle of Tombeboeuf, for him and his heirs and successors. And furthermore the duke grants to him, that should the war break out again, that Caumont may keep any conquests that he makes from the king's rebels, with all their appurtenances, rights, lordships, jurisdictions and emoluments. Caumont is to have, hold, use, exploit and possess the places of Laparade, Tombeboeuf and the conquests for the term of his life, saving only to the king and the duke, the sovereignty, homages and oaths of fealty which are accustomed to be done for these places and conquests.

The duke orders to his seneschals, bayles, mayors, prévôts, serjeants and ministers of the duchy of Aquitaine, that having viewed these letters, they are to put Caumont or his proctor in possession of the above named places, and of the conquests with all their apputenances, rights, lordships, jurisdictions and emoluments, and defend him in the same, and they are to permit him to use and enjoy the same, revoking all other grants made by the king, duke or their progenitors and ancestors. It is further ordered to all bayles, consuls, inhabitants and other people that they are to obey Caumont and make oaths of fealty, and do homage.

The king accepts, approves and ratifies the grant.

By K.

1.: A note in the margin states ' extractus '.
2.: Edward of Woodstock .

For Nonpar, lord of Caumont.

16 September 1399 . The in palacio nostro apud Westm' palace of Westminster . ¹

Grant, by the king's special grace under his great seal, to Nonpar [I], lord of Caumont of the place called Saubetat la Sauvetat[-du-Dropt] and the la Mans mill of Allemans[-du-Dropt] , for the term of his life with the redemptions and other appurtenances and profits which Maynwaryng William Mainwaring , lately had there by the king's grant.

By K.

1.: A note in the margin states ' extractus '.

14: Same as above

And it is ordered to the bayles of Portus Sancta Maria Port-Sainte-Marie and Castillions Castillonnès to put Nonpar [I] de Caumont in possession of the place of Saubetat la Sauvetat[-du-Dropt] and the la Mans mill of Allemans[-du-Dropt] .

Same as above

Grant, by the king's special grace, to Nonpar [I], lord of Caumont of the office of prévôt of the Umbraria Ombrière before the castle of Bordeaux, and also of what pertains to the king from the clamors ( clamores ) which are at Sanctus Elegius Saint-Éloi of Bordeaux, ¹ for his life in the manner that Gassie-Arnaut de Morlan held the prévôté, and Radulphus, Tuder Ralph Tudor lately had the clamors, by grants of the king. ²

By K.

1.: The town hall of Bordeaux.
2.: For a later confirmation, see entry in C 61/107 .

16: Same as above

And it is ordered to the constable of Bordeaux, or his lieutenant, to put Nonpar [I, lord of Caumont] in possession of the office [of prévôt of the Ombrière], and of the clamors.

By K.

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17

16 September 1399 . The in palacio nostro apud Westm' palace of Westminster . For a confirmation for Caumont. ¹

Inspeximus under the great seal, of letters patent of John, late duke of Lancaster, in these words:

4 April 1395 . Bourdeux Bordeaux .

Grant by John [of Gaunt], son of the king of England, duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster , earl of Lincoln , Derby and Leicester , steward of England , under his seal, to Nonpar [I] de Caumont, esquire , in consideration of the great trouble and losses that Nonpar has suffered in the last war, and also considering the many services done by him and his company in the war to the king and the duke, at his own expense, and continues to do, and also at the request of Caumont, and in compensation for all of the above, and with the intent that Nonpar holds the places of Château Comtal also called Damasan Damazan , Ville Franche de Cayran Villefranche-du-Queyran and the la Gruere lordship of Lagruère , together with the castle and town of Caumont[-sur-Garonne] , and a moiety of Gontaud[-de-Nogaret] , and the barony of Caumont , Montpolhan Montpouillan , Samason Samazan , Boglon Bouglon and la Bastide Chasteau Amoros Labastide-Castel-Amouroux , which he already has by the gift of the king and the duke, in the manner that Guilhem-Ramon, lord of Caumont ² held it, and John Chandos held it by gift of the prince, of the same places of Château Comtal also called Damazan, Villefranche-du-Queyran and the lordship of Lagruère, to Nonpar and his heirs, together with all their appurtenances, jurisdictions, lordships, full and shared jurisdictions, homages, dues, rents, revenues, tolls and other rights and emoluments, and that he hold, use and possess them in whatever way that he and his heirs and successors wish, reserving only to the king and duke sovereignty, homages and the accustomed oaths of fealty owed for those places and lordships, though they are now in the hands of the French. Guilhem-Ramon de Caumont, lord of Caumont, in his lifetime, held the castle and town and the barony, the which places have been given by the king and duke to Nonpar, together with Château Comtal also called Damazan, Villefranche-du-Queyran and the lordship of Lagruère.

The duke, wishing to show greater grace to Nonpar, grants to him that in times to come no custom of fouage, or any other charge will be imposed on those places unless it is freely agreed by the whole pays or two thirds of each estate. The duke also wishes that if Nonpar or his subjects and servants, have been despoiled or put out of their possessions they will be restored. The duke further promises that both Nonpar and his subjects and servants will hold both those places and all the privileges, liberties and customs which their progenitors and ancestors have held in the past. And if the duchy was divided by a treaty of peace or otherwise, Gaunt promises to Caumont, his subjects and servants that they will fall under the same single jurisdiction on which their predecessors depended. And if, thereafter, the English obtain these places by force of war or otherwise, Gaunt will maintain them in possession of them with due payment for their war expenses. The duke orders to his seneschals, mayors, bayles, prévôts, serjeants and ministers of the duchy of Aquitaine, that they are to put Caumont or his proctor in possession of the above named places, castles and barony, with all their appurtenances, rights, lordships, jurisdictions, complete and shared jurisdictions, homages, dues, rents, revenues, tolls and other rights and emoluments pertaining to them, in as far as they are able respecting the truce made between the king and his French adversary, and defend him in the same, and they are to permit him to use and enjoy the same, revoking all other prior grants made by the duke. It is further ordered to all bayles, consuls, inhabitants and other people of the places, castle and barony that they are to obey Caumont and make oaths of fealty, and do homage. ³

The king accepts, approves and ratifies the grant.

By K.

1.: A note in the margin states ' extractus '.
2.: Guilhem-Ramon de Caumont died in 1360 without heirs leaving his lordship in his will to Edward III.
3.: For a subsequent confirmation, see entry in C 61/107 .

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18

16 September 1399 . The in palacio nostro apud Westm' palace of Westminster . For a confirmation for Caumont. ¹

Inspeximus under the great seal, of letters patent of John, late duke of Lancaster, in these words:

1395 . Burdeaux Bordeaux .

Confirmation by John [of Gaunt], son of the king of England, duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster , earl of Lincoln , Derby and Leicester , steward of England , under his seal, to Nonpar [I] de Caumont, esquire , of the gift made to him by Richard [II] of the castle and town of Caumont[-sur-Garonne] , and a moiety of Gontaud[-de-Nogaret] , which Nonpar captured from the French, and also the barony of Caumont , Montpolhon Montpouillan , Samasan Samazan , Boglon Bouglon and Chasteau Amoros [Labastide-]Castel-Amouroux , which at the time of the original grant were in the hands of the French. The duke confirms this in consideration of the great trouble and losses that Nonpar has suffered in the last war, and also considering the many services done by him and his company in the war to the king and the duke, at his own expense, and continues to do, and also at the request of Caumont, and in compensation for all of the above.

The duke, wishing to show greater favour grants to Caumont the places, castles and barony, with all the appurtenances, jurisdictions, lordships, complete and shared jurisdictions, homages, dues, rents, revenues, tolls and other rights and emoluments pertaining to them. And furthermore the duke grants that he is to have, hold, use, exploit and possess the same for him and his heirs and successors, saving only to the king and the duke, the sovereignty, homages and oaths of fealty which are accustomed to be done for these places, castles and barony.

The duke orders to his seneschals, bayles, prévôts, serjeants, officers and ministers of the duchy of Aquitaine, that having viewed these letters, they are to put Caumont or his proctor in possession of the above named places, castles and barony, with all their appurtenances, rights, lordships, jurisdictions, complete and shared jurisdictions, homages, dues, rents, revenues, tolls and other rights and emoluments pertaining to them, in as far as they are able respecting the truce made between the king and his French adversary, and defend him in the same, and they are to permit him to use and enjoy the same, revoking all other prior grants made by the duke. It is further ordered to all bayles, consuls, inhabitants and other people of the places, castle and barony that they are to obey Caumont and make oaths of fealty, and do homage.

The king accepts, approves and ratifies the grant. ²

By K.

1.: A note in the margin states ' extractus '.
2.: For a later related confirmation, see entry in C 61/107 .

For a confirmation for Caumont.

19: 16 September 1399 . The in palacio nostro apud Westm' palace of Westminster .

Inspeximus under the great seal, of letters patent of John, late duke of Lancaster, in these words:

7 April 1395 . Burdeg' Bordeaux .

Appointment by John [of Gaunt], son of the king of England, duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster , earl of Derby , Lincoln , and Leicester , steward of England , under his seal, to Nonpar [I], lord of Caumont , as seneschal of Agenais, for his life, at the customary wages, and giving him full power to exercise the office. All of the duke's subjects are ordered to obey and be intendant on Nonpar in all matters that pertain to the office.

The king approves and ratifies the grant.

By K.

20: Same as above

And it is ordered to the constable of Bordeaux or his lieutenant, to permit Nonpar [I, lord of Caumont] , to hold the office [of seneschal of Agenais] with its customary wages, according to the tenor of the duke's letters and the king's confirmation.

By K.

21: Same as above

And it is ordered to the constable of Bordeaux to pay to Nonpar [I, lord of Caumont] , his wages for his office for his life from the issues and profits of the receipt of his office, according to the tenor of the duke's letters and the king's confirmation; receiving from Nonpar his letters of acquittance, and the constable will have due allowance in his account.

By K.