Medieval Sourcebook:
Theoderic, King of the Franks:
Grant of Tolls at Arras, 1036
An elaborate and classified toll list for the district of Arras was drawn up by the
order of King Theoderic for the use of the Monastery of St. Vaast, which was to receive
the revenues thus obtained. The duties imposed were of a specific and ad valorem type, and
were imposed at roads and bridges, in the market place, and on practically any type of
business transaction.
The customs and laws of thelony of Arras, which for remedy of his soul, and for the
souls of his predecessors and successors, Theoderic, King of France, bestowed in charity
on the church of Vaast, confessor of Christ, for the use of the brethren there serving
God.
All those owe thelony who live outside these boundaries, whether they pay dues to the
monastery of St. Vaast or not, namely, beyond the bridge of Biez, beyond Pont-a-Vendin,
beyond the bridge of Oignies, beyond the bridge of Sailly, beyond Denpree, beyond
Transloy, beyond Miralmont, beyond Petrosa which is near Monchy, beyond
Les-Escaminels-en-Ternois, beyond the water of Chocques, and all those who live within
those boundaries, both cleric and lay, who are merchants, owe thelony to St. Vaast, except
they pay dues to St. Vaast or to St. Mary of the city, whether they buy or sell.
From cloth and larger merchandise thelony:
From 20 solidi worth---4 denarii;
From 5 or 4 solidi worth---1 denarius;
From 1 mark worth---6 denarii;
from ,1 worth---4 denarii;
From 5 solidi worth---1 denarius;
From 4 solidi worth---1 denarius;
From 3 solidi worth---1 obole;
From 2 solidi worth---1 obole.
Of Fish
From a sturgeon---4 denarii
From a porpoise---2 denarii
From a salmon---1 denarius
From a pound of sardines---2 denarii
From a small cartload of herrings, or plaice, or mackerel---1 denarius
If the cart be loaded with fish---4 denarii for the cart and one for the ship, i.e.---5
denarii
A cartload of hake only---4 denarii
A centenum of mussels---4 denarii
A centenum of pieces of lean whale flesh---4 denarii
One slice of whale---1 denarius
Of Different Things
All stalls on which victuals are sold in the market owe every Saturday, or for the
place for selling merchandise---1 obole
For a small cartload of grain---2 denarii
For a small cartload of all fruits---2 denarii
For a small cartload of boards---2 denarii
For a small cartload of charcoal---2 denarii
For a small cartload of wooden vessels---2 denarii
For a small cartload of salt for thelony---2 denarii
and for weighing it---1 denarius
For a large cartload of salt for thelony---4 denarii
and for weighing it---2 denarii
Once a year for a measure of salt---1 denarius
Whence we owe 2 muids of salt per annum to the Count.
A small cartload of wine---2 denarii
A large cartload of wine---9 denarii
If wine be bought or sold for equating, i.e., for proving it, the vender owes
for each tun---2 denarii
and the buyer owes for each tun---2 denarii
Of Beasts
For a horse---2 denarii
For a cow---1 denarius
For an ass---1 obole
For a sheep---1 obole
For a ram---1 obole
For a goat---1 obole
For a pig---1 obole
From a sow with sucklings---1 denarius
There are three things, which if anyone buy or sell them, will in no way be free from
thelony, whether they pay dues to St. Vaast or not, namely, gold, goats, and serfs, male
or female.
Of Butchers
For bacon---1 denarius
For fat---1 obole
For 5 solidi worth of salt meat which is taken to market---1 denarius
Of the Stalls in the Market
Stalls for linen cloth or woolen cloth, whether it is new or old, each month---1
denarius
Stalls for ropes, each month---1 denarius
Stalls for long and short knives, per annum---3 solidi
Stalls for wax, whether there be one or several, per annum---3 solidi
The stall of every smith on the feast of St. Remigius---4 denarii
For an iron point---1 obole
For a steel point---1 obole
The smith who sells pruning knives---one pruning knife per annum.
The smith who sells the iron part of the spade---one part a year
He who sells the hafts of the spades---one haft per annum.
He who sells spears---one spear per annum.
The stall of the pastry cook in the market, every Saturday, if he sells anything---1
obole
A centenum of lamb skins---4 denarii
Lamb fleece or woolen garments---1 denarius
Vair or small pieces of fur---4 denarii
Fur of cats or rabbits---2 denarii
Stag hide---1 denarius
Tanned leather---1 obole
New leather---1 obole
A bundle of hides---2 denarii
A measure of honey---4 denarii
An unmeasured quantity of oil---4 denarii
A measured quantity of oil---4 denarii
A measure of wheat---1 obole
A measure of fish---1 obole
A measure of fruit---1 obole
An iron or steel point---1 obole
Five solidi worth of wool---1 denarius
Five solidi worth of flax---1 denarius
Five solidi worth of salt meat---1 obole
A stall of ropes a month---1 obole
A stall of wax a month---1 obole
A large weight of wool, flax, fat, butter, English cheese, for thelony---3 denarii
For those who owe thelony---1 denarius for tax
For those who who do not owe theloney---1 obole for tax
A weight of Flemish cheese---2 denarii
For thelony and for tax from all---1 obole
From the bridge of Enard to the Walls of St. Mary's, St. Vaast has half the thelony and
the bishop half: within the domain of St. Mary's there is freedom from thelony. In all
other places in the vicinity, if any transaction takes place, the whole of the thelony
goes to St. Vaast.
But if any one conducts his business in another land, if the business be negotiated in
this city, or if the buyer negotiated in this city, or paid the price here, he will give
half the thelony.
St. Vaast is also able to take its thelony and to seize the merchandise of those who
are unwilling to pay the thelony in the city of Arras or outside, without writ and without
the aid of secular officers, and to pursue those who by stealth do not pay their thelony
as far as Douai, to Pont-a-Vendin, to La Bassee, to Bethune, to Hondain, to Saint-Pol, to
Currierum, to Albert, to Arrouisse, and to Lecluse, and those who are thus taken and
arrested for stealthily avoiding the thelony of St. Vaast, shall be expected to pay to St.
Vaast 60 solidi as emendation of the wrong, on condition that if he who has been arrested
should have come from the land of the Count, the Count should have half the forfeit.
But if they come from the land of St. Vaast all the forfeit should go to the monastery.
All those who pay dues to St. Vaast are free from thelony, and all who do not pay dues
shall pay thelony if they are merchants.
Whoever wishes to prove that he is on the tax list of St. Vaast ought to do so by oath
and by that of six men and women about his birth.
Source.
From: Gustave Fagniez, ed., Documents Relatifs à l'Histoire de l'1ndustrie et du
Commerce en France, (Paris: Alphonse Picard et Fils, 1898), Vol. I, pp. 57-60;
reprinted in Roy C. Cave & Herbert H. Coulson, A Source Book for Medieval Economic
History, (Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Co., 1936; reprint ed., New York: Biblo
& Tannen, 1965), pp. 404-408.
Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text has been modernized by
Prof. Arkenberg.
This text is part of the Internet
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© Paul Halsall, October 1998
[email protected]
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