Archives Nationales de France series JJ 105 folio 282v number 559 (Himanis p. 567)
Charles etc. We make known etc. That on the part of Michiel Quarregne priest and mercenary chaplain living in Hasdin was explained to us that on the eve of Our Lady in mid-August last past or another specific day around there, the said exposant who took it upon himself to celebrate the divine service in this church and serve the parishioners, went into the said church with others to aid him in ringing none [the hours of the day in mid-afternoon]. And being in the said church he found one named Huet le Buef called Noiseux [annoying] son of Martin le Buef of Hesdin the which Noiseux pissed in the holy water of the said church and in the vessel where one washes, at which the said exposant was very shocked. And because of this the said exposant threw on the ground and scattered the vessel where the said holy water was in saying to the said Noiseux that for doing such things he could well be deported and that it was not the act of a good man nor of a good catholic since the good people and parishioners place it on their faces every day. The which Noiseux in persisting from bad to worse and after he saw the said seal scattered began once again to piss in another vessel or mortar where there was also holy water as was said before and in the said church where the said exposant also blamed him as above. And then this Noiseux said and responded very arrogantly to the said exposant that if he could lift the said mortar he would throw it at him and hit him in the head, for which the said exposant like one very indignant and angered went out of the said church and said to the said Noiseux that what he had done in the said church to have thus pissed in the said holy water was not the act of a good catholic and then the said Noiseux by means of some who were there took and headed a little behind and soon returned towards the said exposant who was still there in his ire and fury and by manner of derision this Noiseux said to him in joining hands Sire I cry you mercy and I know well that I have acted badly and when you are angry enough after you will calm yourself. And then the said exposant who with a hard manner saw him come to him in saying the words abovesaid this exposant who was completely naked of arms and without a cloak extended his arms in saying to the said Noiseux these words Noiseux what do you want of me I have neither knife nor sword said or read to those present that that which he does he does to conserve and protect the right of the church. The which Noiseux not content with these things abovesaid but in persevering from bad to worse approached very close to the said exposant in saying to him You have called me the son of a whore even though in truth he had not done anything and immediately the said Noiseux grabbed a big knife that he carried and gave the said exposant two blows to the head and elsewhere and wounded him such that he if he had not defended himself he would have killed him the which exposant to avoid the abovesaid fate and evil desire of the said Noiseux in repelling force by force after he was thus hit and wounded as is said, hit with a knife the said Noiseux such that suddenly death came to the person of the said Noiseux. For the which deed the said exposant was called on a certain day and by default of non appearance on the said day was banished from the said town and neighborhood of Hesdin also doubting that because of the said deed he would not be called to our court by our Prevôt of Monstereul or others of our officers where he would not in anything appear and that because he could not be banished from our realm also that for the fear of too rigorous justice and power of the friends of the said Noiseux he dared not appear at the Days that for this were assigned to him nor meet or do if on this is not granted by us our gracious remedy and pitiable supplication that for all time he had been of good life, renown, and honest conversation without ever before having been reproved for blame or reproach or other villainous misdeed and because the said Noiseux was the first aggressor as is said and considering also that the said Noiseux was and followed a dissolute life and of bad reputation that on this we would wish to impart our grace to him and the said deed abovesaid acquit, remit, and pardon. We certainly having considered these things abovesaid, having compassion and pity in this part of the said exposant for the deed abovesaid and all that which could come to him, we have acquitted, remitted, and pardoned and by the tenor of these present in the case abovesaid acquit, remit, and pardon by our special grace with all punishment and fine, corporal, criminal, and civil that for the occasion of the things abovesaid or any of them or their dependents could have been mistaken or offense against us. And we restore him to his good reputation and renown in the country and to his goods that will not be confiscated. Except and reserving to the party to pursue their rights civilly if it seems good to him that they be. Notwithstanding the said banishments and appeals and we impose on this perpetual silence on our procurer ~ So given in commandment by these present to our governor of Amiens and to all ~~~ our other justices and officers or to their lieutenants and to each one present and to come that the said supplicant by our present grace make and allow to enjoy and use peaceably without any contradiction or impediment and without molesting or impeding him in body or in goods however it be in any manner to the contrary. And if any of his goods for the case abovesaid were in any manner taken, picked up, seized, or arrested that without delay they be given to him. And so that this will be a firm and stable thing forevermore we have had placed our seal on these present. Except in other things our right and the other in everything. Given at Paris in the month of September the year of Grace 1374 and of our reign the 11th.
By the counsel being in Paris J. Boileane
Charles etc Savoir etc Que de la partie de Michiel quarregne prestre et chappellain mercenaire demourant hasdin nous aeste expose Que comme la veille notre en my aoust derrenier passee ou autre certain Jour environ ledit exposant qui sentremetoit de fere le service divin en icelle eglise et servir les paroissiens fust alez en la dite eglise avecques autres pour lui aidier a soner nonne Et lui estant en la dite eglise y trouva un appelle huet le buef dit noiseux fil de martin le buef de hesdin le quel noiseux pissoit en leaue benoite de la dite eglise et ou vessel ou en lavies don’t le dit exposant fu moult esbaiz Et pour ce le dit exposant mist par terre es Respandj le vessel ou la dite eaue benoite estoit en disant audit noiseux que de telles choses faire il se peust bien deporter et que ce nestoit pas fait de preudomme ne de bon catholique mesmement que les bonnes gens et paroissieus sen espargoient tous les Jours sur ce parmi leurs visaiges le quel noiseux en perseverant de mal en piz et apres ce que il vit la dite scelle Respandue de rechief commenca a pissier en un autre vessel ou moitier ou il y avoit eaue benoite pareillement comme ou devant dit et en ladite eglise don’t le dit exposant pareillement le blasma comme dessus Et lors ycellui noiseux dist et Respondj moult arrogamment audit exposant que sil eust peu lever le dit mortier il lui eust gete et dicellui donne parmj la teste don’t le dit exposant comme moult Indigne et courroucie yssy hors de la dite eglise et dit audit noiseux que cequil avoit fait en la dite eglise de ainsi avoir pissie en la dite eaue benoite nestoit pas fait de bon catholique et lors le dit noiseux par le moien daucuns qui la estoient prins se traist un pou arrieres et tantost Retourna par devers ledit exposant qui encores estoit en son yre et furent et par maniere de derision ycellui noiseux lui dist en Jognant les mains Sire Je vous crye mercy et say bien que Je ay meffait et quant vous vous seres asses courciez apres vous Rapaiseres vous et lors le dit exposant qui par dure maniere le vit venir alui en disant les paroles dessus dites icellui exposant qui estoit tout nu darmeures et sans mantel estandj ses bras en disant audit noiseux ces paroles noiseux que me voulez vous Je nay coutran ne espee dist ou lere aux assistons que ce que il faisoit il faisoit pour le droit le eglise conserver et garder le quel noiseux non contens des choses dessus dites mais en perseverant de mal en piz saproucha bien pres du dit exposant en lui disant vous mavez appelle filz de putain combien que en verite que il ne fu riens et tantost sacha le dit noiseux un grant coutel que il portoit et en fery deux coups en la teste et ailleurs le dit exposant et le navra telement que sil nese feust Revanchis il leust mis amort le quel exposant pour obvier au ~ fait dessus dit et male volente du dit noiseux et en Reppellant force a force apres ce que il fu ainsi feru et navre comme dit est fery dun coustel le dit noiseux telement et Incontinant que mort sen ensui en la personne dudit noiseux Pour le quel fait ledit exposant aeste appeller a certain journees et par deffaut de non comparoir aus dis Jours bannis de la dite ville et banlieue de hesdin Se doubte aussi que pour cause dudit fait il neust este appelle anos droiz par notre prevost de monstereul ou autres nos officiers ou il nest en Riens comparable et que par ce que il ne peust estre bannis de notre Royaume mesmement que pour la doubte de trop rigoreuse Justice et puissance des amis dudit noiseux il na ose comparoir aus Journeez qui sur ce lui on teste assigneez ne oncotre ne feroit se sur ce ne lui estoit pourvoir par nous de gracieux remede et piteable supplication comme de tout temps il ai teste de bonne vie renommee et conversacion honneste Sans ce que oncques mais feust reprins de blasme ou reprouche ou autre villain meffait et que ledit noiseux fu premier agresseur comme dit est considerant aussi que le dit noiseux estoit et menoit une vie dissolue et de malvaise renommee que sur ce lui vueill Impartir notre grace et le dit fait dessusdit quitte remette et pardoner Nous adecertes considerans les choses dessus dites aians compassion et pitie en ceste partie dudit exposant le fait dessusdit et tout ce qui sen peust estre ensui avons quicte remis et pardonne et par lateneur de ces presents ou cas dessusdit quittons remettons et pardonnons de notre grace especial avecques toute peine et amende corporelle criminele et civile que il pour occasion deschoses dessus dites ou aucunes dicelles ou leur dependens pourroit avoir mesprins ou offense envers nous. Et le restituons asa bonne fame et renommee au pais et ases biens qui ne seroient confisquez Sauf et reserve apartie apoursuir son droit civilement silui semble que bon soit. Non obstant lesdis bans et appeaulx et imposans sur ce silence perpetual anotre procureur ~ Si donnons en mandement par ces presents anotre Gouverneur damiens et atous ~~~ nos autres justiciers et officiers ou aleurs lieuxtenans et achascun presens et avenir que ledit suppliant de notre presente grace facent et laissent joir et user paisiblement sans aucun contredit ou empeschement et sans le molester ou empeschier en corps ou en biens comment que ce soi ten aucune manière au contraire Et saucuns de ses biens pour les cars dessus dites estoient en aucune manière prins levez saisiz ou arrestez que sans de lay il lui soient mis au deliver Et que ce soit ferme et estable atousiours mais avons fait mettre notre scel aces presents Sau fen autres choses notre droit et lautry en toutes. Donne a paris ou mois de semptembre lan de grace mil ccclx et quatorze Et de notre regne le xje
Par le conseil estant aParis J. boileane
Summary
Michiel Quarregne was a priest and mercenary chaplain in Hesdin who applied for a pardon for his crime against a local man named Huet le Buef, nicknamed Noiseux. As he was performing his normal duties of ringing the church bells, he found Noiseux inside. Upon seeing Michiel, Noiseux began urinating in a nearby holy water vessel.
Shocked by this action, Michiel threw the vessel onto the ground. He admonished Noiseux for this action, stating that this was not an act of a good man or a good Catholic. Noiseux then began to urinate in another holy water vessel, and Michiel repeated his claim. The two men then began a verbal altercation in which Michiel claimed that he did not have any weapons on his person at that time. Noiseux then revealed a knife that he was carrying and gave Michiel two nonfatal blows to the head. Michiel defended himself, then retaliated by grabbing the knife and fatally stabbing Noiseux.
Michiel did not appear when he was called to the town court to discuss Noiseux’s death, which caused him to be banished from the town. He claimed that he feared the influence of Noiseux’s friends and family if he had stayed in the town of Hesdin. Michiel then pleaded for an official, royal pardon, citing Noiseux's poor reputation and that he was the aggressor during the incident in the church. Michiel was granted a full pardon for his actions, restoring his reputation and any items that he had lost upon his banishment. Although Noiseux’s family and friends could still pursue civil claims, Michiel was granted protection from further punishment. The pardon was officially granted in Paris in September 1374.
Essays
VIOLENCE AND REPUTATION
Within the scope of medieval individuals requesting pardons for their crimes, Michiel’s story is not atypical. The chain of events that he lays out in his petition, the witnessing of a disturbance, verbal attacks to his character, then physical violence leading to death, played to his advantage. In their book Honor, Vengeance, and Social Trouble, Walter Prevenier and Peter Arnade explain how those reviewing pardon letters took verbal affronts to character into serious consideration when it came to determining if a pardon was deserved.
Reputation was also a major factor in the process of royal pardons. Michiel claimed that he feared retaliation from the late Noiseux’s family and friends, indicating that both they and Noiseux held some level of influence within the town of Hesdin. However, Noiseux’s reputation of bad behavior, hence his nickname of “annoying,” turned out to be a crucial point in the granting of Michiel’s royal pardon. F. R. P. Akehurst explains that legal cases like this one often came down to reputation in his essay “Good Name, Reputation, and Notoriety in French Customary Law.” Facets of public knowledge could turn into facts to be used in a legal capacity, highlighting the importance of good social standing.
Further reading: Akehurst, F. R. P., “Good Name, Reputation, and Notoriety in French Customary Law” in Fama: The Politics of Talk and Reputation edited by Thelma Fenster and Daniel Lord Smail. Cornell University Press, 2018.
Prevenier, Walter and Peter Arnade, Honor, Vengeance, and Social Trouble: Pardon Letters in the Burgundian Low Countries. Cornell University Press, 2015.
SELF-DEFENSE AND BEARING ARMS
Even though Michiel’s response to Noiseux’s actions in part led to his death, Michiel’s insistence that he was only defending himself from Noiseux’s violent advances played an important factor in the granting of his pardon. Claims of self-defense were taken very seriously in pardon letters.
It was relatively common for citizens, particularly men, to be armed with a small knife throughout daily life. This even extended to clergymen and priests. Lawrence Duggan explores this paradox in his book Arms Bearing and the Clergy in the History and Canon Law of Western Christianity, writing, “self-defense, although canonically culpable, was almost automatically excusable by law.” Even though Michiel was unarmed that day, killing Noiseux with Noiseux’s knife, he may have been pardoned even if he had been carrying a weapon.
Further reading: Duggan, Lawrence G., Arms Bearing and the Clergy in the History and Canon Law of Western Christianity. Boydell & Brewer Press, 2013.
Prevenier, Walter and Peter Arnade, Honor, Vengeance, and Social Trouble: Pardon Letters in the Burgundian Low Countries. Cornell University Press, 2015.
CHURCHES: HOLY WATER
Holy water has always been an integral part of the Christian denomination of Roman Catholicism. It is a symbol of purification, used in rituals including baptism and everyday practices like spiritual cleansing and protection from evil. In the Middle Ages, holy water vessels ranged in size depending on their location within the church. Some were small, holding only a few ounces of water, and attached to the wall, normally located near a door for a churchgoer to bless themselves before entering the main chapel. Others were much larger with a wide, deep basin and more centrally located, often mirroring the elaborate architecture of the building.
In the church in Hesdin, Noiseux urinated in one of these large, central holy water vessels. As a chaplain of the church, one of Michiel’s jobs was overseeing the church’s upkeep, explaining his reaction to seeing Noiseux urinating in the vessel. Given their symbolism as vessels of water blessed by God, Noiseux’s actions carried great weight within the realm of the Catholic church.
Further reading: Thomson, John A. F., The Western Church in the Middle Ages. Oxford University Press, 1998.
“A Handbook for Parish Priests (1385)” in Medieval Popular Religion 1000-1500: A Reader, edited by John Shinners, Broadview Press, 1997.