Archives Nationales Séries JJ 169 folio 220v number 319, Himanis p. 458
Charles by the grace of God King of France ~ We make known to all present and to come We have received the humble supplication of the close friends and family of Jehan Petit, innkeeper living in Châlons burdened with a wife and four small children containing that on the Saturday the 21st day of the month of November last passed Adenet Jaquier called cask of wine, chicken-seller, came to lodge in the hostel of the said Jehan Petit as he had been accustomed to do when he came to the said town of Châlons and the said day after they had supped together he and his said host with many others in this hostel in great entertainment this Adenet said to the said Jehan Petit his hostel that he could do something for him such that he would sleep well and so this Jehan Petit said Wait! I will covery you well right away and immediately he went to search for a jaques [padded doublet] that he had, very heavy and strong, and he threw it for him on his bed to cover him and then the said Adenet went to say You see this is a very good jaques and strong and right away he disrobed and put on the said jaques and v because it closed with grapples or buckles of iron he did not know how to close it and then the said Jehan Petit closed it for him and when he had been clothed so he said that he had done very well by him and that he believed that it was very strong and that nothing could enter it and then this Jehan Petit responded to him that yes it was and because he believed that it was so and that it had been sold to him as such, not thinking to do any injury to the said Adenet, he grabbed a small knife for cutting bread and stabbed at the stomach of this jaques where he took it to be most strong and by act of fate he found one of the closures of this and such that he pierced it and hit the said Jacques just to blood. Of the which blow this Adenet 7 days after or thereabouts went from life to death. For the occasion of the said act this Jehan Petit, doubting the rigor of justice, absented himself from the country and would not dare to ever return if by us is not imparted to him our grace and mercy as the said supplicants say. In humbly supplicating us that, considering that the said deceased and Jehan Petit had always had and had great love together and affinity and had not before had any quarrel nor quarrelsome words between them but had departed from their said supper in good friendship and concord as is above said. And also that the said deceased on his death bed had said and confessed that he knew well that the said Jehan Petit his host had not given him the said blow for any malevolance that he had towards him, malice nor any wickedness and for this he had pardoned him and did not wish at all that in the case that he were to go from life to death that his close family and friends would take any pursuit against him nor demand anything from him as is apparent by letters made on this, we would wish to impart to him on this our said grace and mercy. Therefore we, considering these things and that the said Jehan Petit all his time in all other acts was and is of good life and renown without every having been accused nor convicted of any vilainous act, blame, or reproach, having pity and compassion of his said wife and children, wishing that mercy is preferred to the rigor of justice, to the said Jehan Petit in the case abovesaid have remitted, aquitted, and pardoned and by these present remit, acquit, and pardon by our full power, royal authority, and special grace the deed and act abovesaid with all penalty, fine, and offense corporal, criminal, and civil in which for occasion of this he could have incurred against us and justice with all appeals and banishments that for this could have followed and we have restored and restor him to his country, to his good reputation and renown and to his goods not confiscated. Satisfaction made to the party civilly only if it is not done. In imposing on this perpetual silence to our procureur and to all others. So given in commandment by these present to the bailli of Vermandois and to all our other justices and officers or to their lieutenants present and to come as appertains to him that by our present grace, remission, and authority they made, suffer, and allow the said Jehan Petit to enjoy and use fully and peaceably without for this give him or suffer him to be made or given in his body nor in his goods now nor in the time to come in any manner any disturbance or impediment but if his body or any of his goods not confiscated were for this taken, seized, or arrested, so give to him or have given to him immediately without delay in full deliverance and in the first state and obligation And so that this will be a firm and stable thing forever we have had placed our seal on these present Except in other things our right and to the other in everything ~ Given in Paris in the month of December the year of grace 1416 and of our reign the 37th
By the King at the relation
of the counsel ~ Freron ~
>Charles par la grace de dieu Roy de France ~ Savoir faisons atous presens et avenir Nous avons receue lumble supplicacion des amis charnelz de Jehan petit hostellier demourant a chaalons chargie de femme et de quatre petiz enfans contenant que le samedj xxje jour du mois de novembre derrenierement passe adenet jaquier dit queue de vin poulaillier se feust logie en lostel dudit Jehan petit ainsi quil avoit acoustume afaire quant il venoit en ladite ville de chaalons et cedit jour apres ce quilz eurent souppe ensemble lui et son dit hoste avec plusieurs autres en icelui hostel en grant esbatement icelui adenet dist audit Jehan petit son hostel quil lui poroit quil feist tant quil feust bien couchie et adont icelui Jehan petit dist acten Je te couvreray bien tantost et incontinent lui ala querir un Jaques quil avoit moult pesant et fort et le lui gecta sur son lit pour sen couvrir et lors ledit adenet va dire veez cy un moult bel Jaques et fort et tantost se despouille et vesti ledit Jaques et v pour ce quil fermoit acroches ou bouches de fer il ne le savoit fermer et lors ledit Jehan petit lui ferma et quant il leut ainsi vestu il dist quil lui estoit moult bien fait et quil creoit quil estoit moult fort et que riens ny pourroit entrer et adont icelui Jehan petit lui rendi que si estoit il et pour ce quil le croit tel estre et que pour tel lui avoit il este vendu non cuidant faire aucun mal audit adenet sacha un petit coutel atrancher pain et fery sur la poutrine dicelui Jaques ou il letindoit estre leplus fort et par cas daventure trouva lune des coustures dicelui et telement quil le persa et actaigny ledit jacques Jusques au sang duquel cop icelui adenet vij jours apres ou environ ala de vie atrespassement Pour occasion duquel cas icelui jehan petit doubtant rigueur de justice sest absente du pais et ny oseroit jamais retourner se par nous ne lui estoit impartie notre grace et misericorde sicomme lesdiz supplians dient En nous humblement supplier que attendu que lesdis deffunct et Jehan petit avoient tousiours eu et avoient grant amour ensemble et affinite et navoit en paravant aucune noyse ne paroles noyseuses entre eulx mais sestoient de partiz de leurdit soupper en bonne amour et concorde ainsi que dessus est dit Et aussi que ledit deffunct au lit de sa mort adit et confesse quil avoit bien que ledit Jehan petit son hoste ne lui avoit donne ledit cop pour aucune malveillance quil eust alui malice ne mauvaitie aucune et pour ce il le lui pardonnore et ne vouloit point que ou cas quil yroit de vie atrespassement que ses parens et amis enfeissent aucune poursuivre contre lui ne lui en demandassent aucune chose comme il appart par lettres sur ce faites Nous lui vueillons impartir sur ce notre dite grace et misericorde Pourquoy nous ces choses considerees et que ledit Jehan petit tout son temps en tous autres cas aeste et est de bonne vie et renommee sans oncques avoir este attaint ne convaincu daucun vilain cas blasme ne reprouche ayans pitie et compassion de sesdiz femme et enfans voulans misericorde estre preferee a rigueur de justice audit Jehan petit ou cas dessusdit avons remis quicte et pardonne et par ces presentes remettons quittons et partdonnons de notre plaine puissance auctorite Royal et grace especial le fait et cas dessusdit avec toute paine amende et offense corporelle criminele et civile en quoy pour occasion de ce il porroit estre encouru envers nous et Justice avec tous appeaulx et ban qui pour ce senferoient ensuiz et lavons restitue et restituons au pais asa bonne fame et renommee et ases biens non confisquez Satiffacion faite a partie civilement tant seulement se faite nest En imposant sur ce silence perpetuel anotre procureur et atous autres Si donnons en mandement par ces presentes au bailli de Vermendoys et atous nos autres justices et officiers ou aleur lieuxtenans presens et avenir sicomme alui appartendra que de notre presente grace remission et atroy facent seuffrent et laissent joir et user ledit jehan petit plainement et paisiblement sans pour ce lui donner ou souffroit estre fait ou donne en corps ne en biens oces ne ou temps avenir en aucune maniere aucun destourber ou empeschement mais se son corps ou aucuns de ses biens non confisquez estoient pour ce prins saisiz ou arrestez Si lui mettre ou facent mettre tantost sans delay a plaine delivrance et au premier estat et deu Et pour ce que ce soit chose ferme est estable atousiours nous avons fait mettre notre scel aces presentes Sauf en autres choses notre droit et lautruy en toutes ~ Donne a paris lou mois de decembre lan de grace mil cccc et seze Et de notre regne le xxxvije
Par le Roy ala Relacion
du conseil ~ Freron ~
Summary
Jehan Petit, innkeeper living in Châlons with his wife and four children, provided lodgings for Adenet Jaquier on the 21st of November, 1416. Adenet Jaquier was known for selling wine and chickens and came to the inn owned by Jehan Petit as he had done countless times before in his visits to Châlons. The day after the festival, they ate with many other people who were also staying at the inn. Adenet asked Jehan to help him sleep well, and Jehan said to wait and went to go find him a jacket to keep him warm, then threw it on his bed. This double-padded jacket was well-liked by Adenet, so much so that he immediately put on the jacket and Jehan closed the jacket for him since he did not know how to close the iron buckles on the front of the jacket. Adenet was very pleased with the jacket, calling it strong and saying that nothing could penetrate it. Jehan responded with Yes and that he believed so because that is what was told to him when he bought the jacket. Not thinking he would cause injury to his friend Adenet, Jehan grabbed a small knife used for cutting bread and thrust the knife into the stomach of the jacket. He believed the jacket to be strong enough to take a knife, but he hit Adenet through the jacket and blood began to flow. Seven days later, Adent succumbed to his wound. Because of this, Jehan left the country and asked the king for pardon. The king considered that Jehan was good friends with the deceased and prior to this event had no harsh words and Adenet was thankful for the meal that they shared prior as well as their documented friendship. Adenet had also written letters saying that if he did indeed die, no close family or friends would pursue Jehan nor demand anything from him as payment for his death. Therefore, the king agreed to pardon him in Paris in December 1416.
Essays
Châlons
Châlons is the city where the events from this letter take place. During the Medieval ages the English invaded this town on two separate occasions, however they were repelled by the town's folk during these attempts. The town was home to many festivals like the wine festival that the victim of the letter was in town for.
For further reading on the history of the town in the medieval ages visit the following article:
Lurie, Guy. “Citizenship in late medieval champagne: The towns of Châlons, Reims, and Troyes, 1417–circa 1435.” French Historical Studies, vol. 38, no. 3, 2015, pp. 365–390, https://doi.org/10.1215/00161071-2884627.
Festivals
Festivals were huge events in the Medieval Ages. People such as merchants and other professionals would come from all over France to attends these events. Some festivals such as the wine festival that occurs prior to the letter were attended not only by merchants but by wine makers across the country. People would travel and stay at inns just as the victim did in the letter. Most festivals celebrate holidays or certain times of the year such as Easter or the season of harvest.
Further reading
Cosman, Madeleine Pelner. 1981. Medieval Holidays and Festivals : A Calendar of Celebrations. New York: Scribner.
Jackets
The Jacket in this letter in meant to be a quilted jacket, also known as a Doublet, which is a thicker jacket that has a square stitching pattern in it. This type of jacket was mostly used as an object to keep warm either at night or during the winter. Most jackets of this type did not have iron buckles, however, most jackets had cloth buttons. Typically, these jackets were worn under clothing such as a hauberk or a cuirass to prevent bruising and chafing.
Further Reading
Thursfield, Sarah. 2001. The Medieval Tailor's Assistant : Making Common Garments, 1200-1500 1St Amer. ed. New York: Costume & Fashion Press.
Wine
Champagne was invented in this region of France also known as the Champagne region and acquired a great reputation around the region through the festivals. Wine, such as champagne, was provided by French cities during festivals and Catholic feast days. While drunkenness is a sin in the Christian religion, that did not stop people from drinking and drinking a lot during the Medieval period and drinking way more than people in the modern day. This was because the drinking water that they had access to was unclean.
Continue Reading:
Cartwright, Mark. “The History of Champagne.” World History Encyclopedia, https://www.worldhistory.org#organization, 7 Sept. 2023, www.worldhistory.org/article/1913/the-history-of-champagne/.
Montanari, Massimo. 2015. Medieval Tastes : Food, Cooking, and the Table. Translated by Beth Archer Brombert. Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History. New York: Columbia University Press. https://doi.org/10.7312/mont16786.