Mayor, jurats and community of Dax. King and council. The Mayor, jurats and community...

Petitioners

Mayor, jurats and community of Dax.

Addressees

King and council.

Nature of request

The Mayor, jurats and community of Dax state that in the past, many people appealed to the King of France from the Seneschal of Gascony concerning their city, and that to avoid this peril, they made an ordinance, which they presented to John de Ferrers, Seneschal of Gascony, who agreed to it. Since his passing, Assiu de Gailhard, regent of the Seneschalcy, has ordered them to receive William Arnold de Podenx as Prevot, Castellan and Mayor of Dax, and not to obey Arnold de Barberiis; but this is contrary to their customs and privileges, as he can show them no command from the king, whereas Arnold can. They are unsure what to do. They are also summoned to Perigeux, Paris and elsewhere by the Seneschals of Perigord and Quercy, and other commissaries of the King of France, and these people also demand that they testify to an inquisition in Dax. They state that they should only obey commands from the king or his Seneschal, sworn in in Gascony, and that they have sworn an oath and made an ordinance to this effect - with the exception of eight men, who have been expelled. They ask the King to grant them this ordinance, and to confirm their privileges, and put his seal to them.

Nature of endorsement

To their request that the ordinance made by them concerning the preservation of the royal laws and obeying only the king and his sworn Seneschal of Gascony should be confirmed: it will not be confirmed, but letters close are to be made to the Mayor, jurats and community of Dax that the king thanks them for the good will they have shown in preserving the royal laws, honour and estate, and asks them to behave as faithfully in future as they have hitherto.To the third, that they request confirmation of their liberties and privileges: it is not to be done, because they have not shown the originals, but the Seneschal of Gascony will be ordered to have the franchises, liberties, privileges and customs that they have hitherto used peacefully, reasonably and legitimately observed, always saving in all things the king's right and that of anyone else.To the second, that they ask which of the mayors to obey: it will be written to them in the first letters close that the first, until something else is ordained by the great men who should be sent to those parts. And the Seneschal will be written to with the same instructions, unless there is some just cause why he ought not to do this.To the fourth, that they ask to be warranted against the commissaries of the King of France who harass them, unjustly as they say: the Seneschal will be ordered to defend them as is reasonable in those things which the council thinks are to be done.

Places mentioned

Dax, [Gascony, France]

Duchy [of Guyenne (Aquitaine), France]

Perigueux, Perigord, [France]

Quercy, [France].

People mentioned

[Philip IV], King of France

Amaneu de la Bret (Albret)

John de Ferreres (Ferrers), Seneschal of Gascony

Assiu de Gailhard (Galard), regent of the Seneschalcy of Gascony

William Arnold (Guilhem Arnaut) de Podenx, knight

Arnold (Arnaut) de Barberiis, alias Arnold Ferrant

Arnold (Arnaut) Ferrant, alias Arnold de Barberiis

[Edward I], King of England.

For a transcript, see p.73 of PRO 31/7/96