CAEN, 1612 MARTIN (Richard, and RUETTE, Royal Notaries at Caen, Normandy)

Document Signed, in French with transcription and translation, their signatures with elaborate flourishes against forgery, in a neat and pleasing hand, a "Contract of Release", completing a transfer of houses and heritable property in Rouen Sexte to Elisabeth de Saint Simon, Dame de Sottevast, who, being in civil separation from her husband, Guillaume de Couvert, Sieur and Patron of Sottevast, Auderville, La Londe and Coulombs, appears before the notaries "in her own name and as protector and guardian of her children", Rouen Sexte being a sub-fief of Coulomb, between Caen and Bayeux, old summary in top left margin of side 1, vellum, 4 sides 10½" x 9½", Caen, 24th January first occurrences of names underlined in old blue pencil

In 1597-1600, the properties in Rouen Sexte had been 'engaged' (pledged or mortgaged) by their owner, Nicolas Costard, Sieur de La Motte, to Guillaume Bonnel, Sieur de La Carbonnière. Costard had retained certain interests in them (probably produce or services) but in 1602 sold these interests to Bonnel. Finally in 1608, Costard sold his properties in Rouen Sexte to Guillaume Plessart, Sieur de La Riboullerie, but they were still encumbered by Bonnel's remaining interests in them. By 1612, the properties had passed through two further hands, Jacques d'Orglandy, Sieur and Baron de Prétot, and Richard Mangon, Sieur du Bracqemesme. Dame Elisabeth 'recovered' them from Mangon as being sub-fiefs of Coulombs.
The present document records Dame Elisabeth's payment of 3,000 livres tournoises to Bonnel in order to extinguish his interests in the properties, which she acknowledges he had kept alive through all the later ownerships. The livre of 20 sols being a money of account only, Bonnel specified it should be paid in "pièces de 16 sols", (quart d'écu, a silver coin introduced in 1576). The Sieur de La Riboullerie, as the person who bought the estates from Bonnel while they were still encumbered in Bonnel's favour, is present to give his approval.
Dame Elisabeth buys back these interests "a droict de condition", that is, "by right of her legal status", a phrase often used when wives' or daughters' property is involved. No doubt if she had remained unseparated from her husband he would have appeared at the meeting to represent the Coulombs estates.
The document also recall two historic parishes in Caen. Bonnel lives in the parish of Notre Dame de Froide Rue, a short and narrow street in the centre of Caen, flanked by a fine old church, now called St Sauveur. The meeting is held at the house of Pierre Guérard, "Sieur de Manneville Guerard scize a la rue pemagnye [now Pémagnie] parroisse Saint Sauveur". This is St Sauveur du Marché, which goes back to the 11th century and still exists but was closed for worship in 1791. Its parishioners were transferred to the Rue Froide, taking the name of their church with them.

Item Date:  1612

Stock No:  54554      £325

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