Fordham


IHSP

Medieval History


Selected Sources Full Text Sources Saints' Lives Law Texts Maps Medieval Films Search Help


Selected Sources Sections Studying History End of Rome Byzantium Islam Roman Church Early Germans Anglo-Saxons Celtic World Carolingians 10 C Collapse Economic Life Crusades Empire & Papacy France England Celtic States Nordic Europe Iberia Italy Eastern Europe Intellectual Life Medieval Church Jewish Life Social History Sex & Gender States & Society Renaissance Reformation Exploration
IHSP Credits

Cartulary of Saint Trond: Folcard of St. Trond:
Pledge of a Beer Tax, 1139


Not only could a tax become private property but it could be subject to purchase, sale, and pledge. This particular tax was presumably a market tax.

In the name of the Holy and Indivisible Trinity.

Be it known to both present and future generations that I, Folcard, by the grace of God Abbot of Saint-Trond, in order to bring an end to the striving and contention which was so frequent under my predecessor, Abbot Rudolph, concerning the tax on beer in this town, hereby proclaim, and, with the impression of my seal, confirm in favor of Reyner and his wife Engelrude and their heirs because of their truthfulness and justice-a thing well known to all-this grant of a tax which Reyner and his wife in the first place accepted in pledge from those who maintained that the tax was their inherited right. These were Reyner, Robert, and Hugh, and their children. This pledge was made in the presence of Dom Rudolph, the Abbot, for one hundred marks, to which he, Reyner, later added of his own will as much as they all thought the tax, and every right of inheritance which they claimed to have therein, was worth. And Reyner and his wife Engelrude and their children took it over in hereditary right from the hand of Rudolph, the Abbot, in the presence of the brethren, assessors, and vassals of the church. And let this charter remain valid and inviolable, just as was arranged by my predecessor and just as it has been renewed by us in the presence of the chapter, assessors, and vassals of the church, lawfully and by hereditary right, to Reyner and his wife Engelrude, and to their heirs.

In the year of the Incarnation of the Lord, 1139, etc.


Source:

C. Piot, ed., Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Trond, (Brussels: Academie Royale de Belgique, 1870), p. 39; 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. 368-369.

Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text has been modernized by Prof. Arkenberg.


This text is part of the Internet Medieval Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.

Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.

© Paul Halsall, October 1998
[email protected]

 



The Internet History Sourcebooks Project is located at the History Department of  Fordham University, New York. The Internet Medieval Sourcebook, and other medieval components of the project, are located at the Fordham University Center for Medieval Studies.The IHSP recognizes the contribution of Fordham University, the Fordham University History Department, and the Fordham Center for Medieval Studies in providing web space and server support for the project. The IHSP is a project independent of Fordham University.  Although the IHSP seeks to follow all applicable copyright law, Fordham University is not the institutional owner, and is not liable as the result of any legal action.

© Site Concept and Design: Paul Halsall created 26 Jan 1996: latest revision 11 March 2024 [CV]