A letter from Alix of Vergy (1223)

Translated letter:

I, Alix, duchess of Burgundy, make known to all that the lord my brother William has given in perpetuity and kindly granted to his men living in Mirebeau this freedom, that they can freely and absolutely possess dwellings and homes [etc. as in his charter]:

“I William of Vergy, seneschal of Burgundy, make known to all who will see the present letters that I have given in perpetuity and benignly conceded to my my living at Mirebeau this freedom.

That they will be able to possess dwellings and homes freely, and all the acquisitions already made and that they will make, paying the customary charge of which each tenant family owes me or [one] at my command fifteen sous a year, not all at once but on two dates.

And they will not be able to sell their homes and dwelling to soldiers, men of arms and lords or the like.

If by chance some of my men for some reason left Mirebeau and wished to live elsewhere, they could freely and without penalty possess all the goods and acquisitions they had at Mirebeau at the place they will live, could sell them or give them to whom they pleased, provided it was to my men and not to others as specified above.

If my said men wish to give as alms their houses, dwellings, and revenues, it will be permitted but those to whom the alms are given of said houses and dwellings can possess them for a year and a day, after which they will sell them to my said men, if any wished to buy them.

If any of my men should be captured for my debt and held prisoner, I am held to buy him back with my own goods and pay his ransom similar to what he would pay if he had to ransom himself. And similarly I am held to restore to him what was taken from him, paying it from my charge. And I do not oppose this. And the carts and carriages will be ransomed by my said men to the people and goods to which I shall not do nor permit to be done any violence, and I will not have them seized without judgment.

If anyone has cut, taken, and carried off wood from our public woods, they will not be able to be taken in the field or meadow, unless it is the same place where said wood was cut.

The sale of public wines will begin on the feast day of St. John the Baptist and will end six weeks later.

If by chance – let it not be – I or anyone of my family should injure my said men, we will be held to amend those injuries within forty days.

If I or my heirs wish – let it not be – to retract or contest this agreement and freedom, Hugh, venerable bishop of Langres, has promised at my request to my said men his patent letters saying that they can constrain me or my heirs by ecclesiastic censure to the observation of the present liberty.

Which, that it be firmly maintained, I William and Clemence my wife and Hugh my son and all the inhabitants of Mirebeau, have sworn to maintain it in perpetuity. And that it be assured and stable, I have appended my seal to the present writing. Enacted in the year of grace one thousand two hundred twenty three.”

Which, that it may be firmly maintained, I Alix, duchess of Burgundy, am bound to induce my brother to the observation and maintenance of this liberty. And that it be firm and assured, I have had my seal appended to the present writing. Enacted in the year of grace, one thousand two hundred twenty three.

Original letter:

Je, Alix, duchesse de Bourgongne, scavoir fais à tous, que Monseigneur mon frère Guillaume a perpétuellement donné, et bénignement concedé à ses hommes demeurans à Mirebel telle liberté, scavoir que librement et absolument ils pourront posseder demeurances et maisons, etc.

Je, Guillaume de Vergy, seneschal de Bourgongne, à tous ceux qui ces présentes lettres verront, sçavoir fais que j’ay perpétuellement donné et bénîgnement conceddé à mes hommes demeurans à Mirebel telle liberté.

Assavoir que librement et absolument, ils pourront posséder demeurances et maisons, et toutes acquisitions faites, et celles qu’ils pourront faire payans la cense accoustumée, de laquelle un chacun tenant famille me doibt ou à mon mandement quinze sols par an, non à une fois, mais à deulx termes.

Et ne pourront faire vendition de leurs maisons et demeurances aux soldats, gens d’armes et seigneurs, ou semblables.

Que si d’adventure quelques uns de mes hommes pour quelque cas fortuit s’en alloit de Mirebel, et qu’ils voullust demeurer autre part, il pourroit librement et sans aucune censé posséder dès le lieu où il demeureroit tous les biens et acquisitions qu’il auroit à Mirebel, les pourroit vendre ou donner à qui il luy plairoit, pourveu que ce soit à mes hommes, et non à d’autres, comme dit est devant.

Que si mesdits hommes veullent faire aumosne de leurs maisons, demeurances et revenus, il leur sera bien permis, mais en ceste sorte sçavoir que ceulx à qui on aura fait ausmonne des susdites maisons et demeurances, les pourront posséder l’espace d’ung an et jour, lequel temps expiré ils les vendront à mesdits hommes, si aucuns les veuillent acheter.

Que si quelques uns de mes hommes soit pour mon debt captif et détenu prisonnier, je suis tenu de le racheter de mon propre bien et payer sa rançon semblable à celle que luy mesme payeroit s’il se debvoit racheter. Et semblablement suis tenu de luy restituer ce que on luy aura osté, lui rendant de ma cense. Et à ce je ne contredis Et seront rachetez par mesdits hommes et charrettes et chariots, aux personnes et biens desquels je ne feray ou permettray faire aucune violence, et ne les feray saisir sans jugement.

Que si quelqu’un a couppé, prins, et emporté bois de nos bois bannaulx, il ne pourra estre prins au champ ny ou prey, si ce n’est au mesme lieu où le dit bois aura esté couppé.

La vendition des vins bannaux commencera le jour de feste saint Jean Baptiste, et finira six sepmaines après.

Que si d’adventure (ce qui n’advienne), moy ou quelques uns de ma famille, fait injures à mesdits hommes, nous serons tenus dans le temps de quarante jours amander icelles injures.

Sy moy ou mes héritiers se veullent (ce qui n’advienne) retracter ou desdire de ceste paxion et liberté, Hugues, vénérable évesque de Langres, a mes prières a octroyé à mesdits hommes ses lettres patantes, contenans qu’iceulx me pourront ou mes héritiers contraindre par censure ecclésiastiques à l’observation de la présente liberté. Laquelle, affin qu’elle soit fermement entretenue je Guillaume et Clémence ma femme, et Hugues mon fils, et tous les habitans de Mirebel, avons juré de l’entretenir perpétuellement. Et affin qu’il soit assuré et estable, j’ay apposé au présent escript mon scel. Fait l’an de grace mil deux cens vingt trois.

Laquelle, afin qu’elle soit fermement entretenue, je Alix, duchesse de Bourgongne, suis tenue à induire mondit frère à l’observation de ceste liberté, et l’y maintenir. Et afin qu’il soit ferme et asseuré, j’ay fait mettre mon scel au présent escript. Fait l’an de grâce mil deux cents vingt trois.

Historical context:

The duchess attests that William of Vergy, her brother, senechal of Burgundy and lord of Mirebeau, agreed to a charter of freeing by mortmain of her men, for which she gives surety for the execution of the clauses contained within it. The document includes William’s charter, and the whole is extant only in a French copy, which is translated here. The original was lost with other municipal documents in the sack of Mirebeau. William had inherited Mirebeau and Autrey from his father, and he became seneschal of Burgundy in 1219. [Originally, Alix’s charter repeated the terms of William's; here his is copied within hers.]

Printed source:

Joseph Garnier, Chartes de Communes et d'affranchisements en Bourgogne (Dijon: Rabutat, 1867-77). 1.580-82, #263.

Date:

1223