This original spelling transcription was done by John O'Donnell.
Neville wrote a note on the back of the documents describing them, but there is no date:
A note of the impositions
raised by the french vpon
our marchants since the
yeere 1572
Page 1
Contraventions to the treaties by publique authority
1579In the yeere 1579. a new imposition was raised viz. vpon every Tonne of wine 9. shillinges, vpon every pack of lynnen cloth 18s. vpon a pack of Canvas 9s. vpon a ball of woade 3s.1581
In the yeere 1581. there was a new rate made of all sortes of marchandise whereby the king raised his Customes more then a third part viz. to 23. deniers vpon the ffranc which is very neere a full tenth part, whereas the Queene takes but 15d. vpon the pownd of straingers which is but a sixteenth part.1581
In the same yeere there was an imposition raised of ten vpon the hundred vpon Lyons threed, estammines and all sortes of skinnes.1582
In the yeere 1582. there was a greate imposition raised vpon all Cloathes and manifactures of wool as appeereth by the Edict bearing date the xxiijth of march the said yeere.1584
In the yeere 1584. vnder pretence of viewing the goodnes of the Cloathes that should be brought into the Realme there was a new office of Controllours and visitors of Cloath erected, and for their stipend an imposition raised of 2. sous vpon every peece of kersey and vpon every peece of cloath proporcionably.1586
In the yeere 1586. there was an imposition raised of one sous in the franc vpon all manifactures of lions threed hempe & tow; In the same yeere there was an imposition raised of a sous in the franc vpon all marchandises sold by strangers wch is the xxth part of the vallue.1594
In the yeere 1594. there was a greate imposition raised throughout all Normandy vpon promise that all other impositions should have bin abolished, but the English have bin since constrained to pay both new and old.1597
In the yeere 1597. the king raised an other greate imposition vpon divers sortes of marchandises that came into the Realme and yet paid in Rouen, Diep, Newhaven and Caen.1598
In the yeere 1598. there was an imposition raised of a Crowne vpon the Ton for every shippe that should arrive in any part of Normandy vpon pretence to set forth som shippes to beseege Nantes in Brittany which imposition was Continued after the D. de Mercure had mad[e] his Composition, and not laid downe till this last yeere, and is now revived againe wthin these two monethes both outward & homeward for the rembursemt of 60000. Crownes wch the k. borrowed of them of Rouen against this Iourney.Page 2
1570
In the yeere 1570. the Inhabitantes of Rouen pretending to have disbursed greate sommes of monny about the fortification of their Towne obtayned a grãnt to levy a greate imposition vpon divers sortes of forraine marchandise which beeing found excessiue was quallified by the parlament and reduced to this moderacõn that for every peece of English Cloath there should be paid 3s. for every peece of kersey 7 sous and a half, for every peece of bristow freese and manchester Cotton 7 sous and a half, for a hundred ells of welch Cotton 15. sous, and for every peece of pin whites 3 sous and 9. deniers.
1592
In the yeere 1592. the Eschevins of Caen in Normandy vnder pretence of fortyfying their towne obtayned a graunt of levy vpon the Burgesses and Inhabitantes of the towne for three yeeres the double of that they vsed to pay for the taille, so as yt exceeded not yeerely the som of 4000 Crownes. By Coullour whereof they have levied of the English marchantes, first an imposition called les menus aides, from wch the Burgesses them selves are free viz. vpon every ton of wine 20 sous vpon a last of hering white or red 40 sous, vpon a last of leather 40 sous and vpon all marchandise sold by the pownd or by the hundred 2. sous vpon a hundred. Secondly allthough the English had neither houses nor open shoppes in the Towne, but were lodged in Burgesses houses en Chambre garnie, yet they have inforced them to pay the taille and the double of yt viz. for a Ton of wine a Crowne, for all Cloathes and manifactures of wool, heringe, saltfish and all marchandise sold by the pownd or the hundred, and all mercery ware and of brasse mettall 2. sous vpon every Crowne according to the price that it is sold for. And lastly they have levied likewise an Increase of the taille vpon them viz: for a peece of kersey 2 sous & 6. deniers, for a last of hering 40 sous more, and for a Ton of wine 15. sous.
1600
In May this present yeere 1600. there past an arrest in the privy Counsaill Notwithstanding the opposition made therevnto by the Queenes Ambassadour to forbid the bringing in or sale of any Cloathes in that kingdom but either white or dyed in the wool. whereby the one half of our trade namely with dyed Clothes is absolutely cut of And the rest restrayned to such difficile and allmost impossible condicõns as will subiect our marchantes to continuall seasures, and other molestacions, and wery them in the end from trading thither. And is a direct Contravention to the treaties namely to that of Blois which the king professeth to hold in force.
Page 3
Those of Rouen have lately of their owne autorytie made an ordinance to forbid all strangers to buy or sell any marchandise to or of any other then Burgesses of the Towne, contrary to the libertie of trafic accorded by the treaties and injoyed ever by the English vntill this time which if yt be not remedied will soone breake of all our trade there.
Contraventions made by perticuler persons.
Since this kings comming to the Crowne all English shippes that came into the River of Bourdeaux were inforced by Mr. de Candelier neere Royan to pay fyve vpon the hundred for all that they carried to Bourdeaux, and two Crownes vpon a tonne of wine, or of any other marchandise they brought back, besides 4. crownes for the ancoring of every shippe there.
Mr. de Lussan at Blaie forced our marchantes to pay 3. Crownes vppon the hundred of all marchandise they Carried thither, and ten shillinges vpon a ton of wine, or any other marchandise they brought from thence besides 50s. for every vessel that passed by there.
Mr. d'Espernon exacted a Crowne vpon every ton of wine that came down that river,
At Bourdeaux besides the ancient impost for wines beeing but 13 sous & 4. deniers, the English were inforced to pay two Crownes vpon a tonne of wine.
In the River of Charents besides the ancient imposition there was nine Crownes exacted vpon a ton of wine.
About xiiij yeeres since was raised vpon every peece of kersey 5. sous vpon every peece of nos. dossen 5. sous, vpon every nos. Cotton 2 sous vpon every felin 2. sous, vppon every hundred of welch Cottons 15. sous which we pay to this day.
At Nantes. vpon a ton of wine ten Crownes sol. raised wthin these three yeeres. with like impositions vpon all other sortes of Commodities both inward & outward which we pay still.
Since the yeere 1580. whereas we paid but viij sous per cent, vpon Canvas, we pay now 42. sous 6. deniers, And whereas we paid upon lynnen Cloathes whited but 30 sous vpon the hundred, now we pay 4 francs 18. sous, & 4. deniers, and x. sous to the Towne of Rouen which wee never paid before.
Vpon all sortes of mercery is raised above a third penny, whereas we paid but 20 sous the hundred, now we pay 33 sous & 4. deniers vpon the hundred, and 10 sous vpon all paper the hundred weight;
And whereas we did pay but a sous vpon a peece of kersie and other Clothes, now we pay two sous vpon the peece. And so do the rest of the officers in the hall double that they tooke before.
