Medieval Sourcebook:
Charter of Privileges to the Butchers of Paris, 1182
The traffic in foodstuffs fell into the hands of a class of workers who occupied a
position midway between that of the local merchants of the better sort, and that of the
strictly regulated peddlers. The butchers were limited in their activities by their small
resources, and their further development was restricted by rigid regulations. Note that
the Paris butchers had a monopoly of trade, and that they also dealt in fish.
In the name of the Holy and Indivisible Trinity. Amen. Philip, by the grace of God,
King of the Franks. Be it known to all present and future generations that the butchers of
Paris came to our presence asking that we would grant and permit them to hold in peace
their ancient customs, just as our father and grandfather, Louis of good memory, and other
predecessors of ours---the Kings of France---had granted them. On the advice of those who
attended us we heard their petition, but, since those customs granted by our father were
not in a written charter, we have ordered them to be put into writing, and to be confirmed
with our seal. These are the customs:
1. The butchers of Paris can buy living and dead cattle, and whatever pertains
to their trade, freely without custom and without giving any pedagium within the
area of Paris, whencesoever they come, or whithersoever they are taken, if by chance it
should happen that they are being taken anywhere. Fish of the sea, and fish from fresh
water, they may likewise buy and sell.
2. No one can be a Paris butcher, nor shall other butchers have their rights,
namely, food and drink, unless they wish to concede them of their own will.
3. On the Octave of Christmas every butcher will give us annually twelve
denarii; on the Octaves of Easter and of St. Denis, thirteen denarii to him who holds it
in fief from us.
4. Every butcher shall owe an obole for stallage to our reeve for every Sunday
on which he cuts pork or beef, and every butcher owes every year to us, at the vintage,
one hautban of wine.
And in order that all these things may remain secure for ever, we have strengthened
this charter by the addition of our seal and signature. Done at Paris in the year of the
Incarnation of the Lord, 1182, in the fourth year of our reign. Witnesses, etc.
Source.
From: Gustave Fagniez, ed., Documents Relatifs a l'Histoire de l’Industrie et
du Commerce en France, (Paris: Alphonse Picard et Fils, 1898), Vol. I, p. 174,
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. 239-240.
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, September 1998
[email protected]
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