Medieval Sourcebook:
Port of Arles: The Navigation Code, 1150
The river port of Arles had a flourishing commerce in the twelfth century and
developed a number of customs affecting seagoing trade.
C.105. Concerning fishermen near the river: Also we decree that any
fisherman who lives near the river for the sake of fishing shall be expected to swear once
a year in the court at Arles, that he will help any vessel belonging to a man of Arles
which shall go out or come in to the river if it be exposed to danger. And if it should
happen that the vessel or vessels suffer wreck, which God forbid, he shall likewise be
expected to save the vessel and its cargo, and for every pound they save they shall have
twelve denarii and they shall take only two solidi for their labor from foreigners.
C.122. What customs and ancient tolls are written in the book of the Commune: Also we decree that the mayors of Arles shall be expected to make a return or to have
written in the book of the commune by a public notary of Arles all the customs and ancient
tolls which have customarily been received at the bank of the river Rhone at Arles, so
that everything may be learned and known; and we decree that the mayors of Arles or their
court shall be expected to make inquiry as to the truth about the tolls and customs
through charters and suitable witnesses, according to due forms of law.
C.133. Concerning laden ships: Also we decree that if a laden ship should
come up the Rhone and should wish to moor at any wharf on the river bank of Arles, then
the men of that ship may remove on their own authority, and moor elsewhere, without
contradiction, any empty ship which may be without a cargo at any wharf on the river bank
at Arles, and may moor their laden ship in the harbor in the place of the ship without the
cargo; and that any one may draw water on empty ships without any molestation from him
whose ship it is; and whoever prohibits this shall be fined two solidi of which the city
takes half and the accuser half. Under the appellation "ships" we wish the word
"vessel" to be included.
C.l40. Concerning ships which go on voyages: Also we decree that the mayors
of Arles shall be expected to exact and to take from those who have a ship or ships in
Arles or its district, for the purpose of taking travellers beyond the sea, faithful and
suitable men or suitable pledges, that the master of the ship or ships will transport the
travellers or cause them to be transported just as the master of the ship agreed with
those travellers in good faith, and this shall be done for every ship; and that the
mariners of those ships shall carry the travellers and faithfully look after their goods;
and for every ship they shall show or cause to be shown one cross-bow made from the best
cornel wood from the lathes of Arles on the return of the ship. But if the ship or ships
do not return in the customary way, the mayors shall take from the bondsmen or pledges as
much as will buy one cross-bow made from the best cornel wood from the lathes of Arles.
And we decree that no master
of a ship or other person for him may have, nor ought to have, a bench in Arles nor
should he place one there or in the district; and as far as this statute is concerned we
understand the district of Arles to be everything from Arles to the port of Bouc and
including that port; and if a citizen of Arles shall have a ship or ships ready to
transport or carry travellers he shall have precedence over foreigners in loading his ship
with travellers in Arles or in the district of Arles, and no merchant may take any
traveller for his victuals.
C.144. Concerning Vessels: Also we decree that, if any vessel be in the
river and be moored to a post or stay at Le Gras on account of a contrary wind, the mates
of those vessels shall be expected to send their small boats with mariners to help any
vessel which may wish to enter the river. And whatever mariners are unwilling to go at the
command of the mates shall be fined twenty solidi for each offense; and we decree that
this shall be the law for all sea ports within the territory of Arles.
Source.
From: M. Gustave Fagniez, ed., Documents Relatifs à l'Histoire de l'Industrie et du
Commerce en France, (Brussels: A. Picard et Fils, 1898), Vol. I, pp. 75-77, 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.
153-155.
Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text has been modernized by
Prof. Arkenberg.
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© Paul Halsall, September 1998
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