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Lot 18

EDWARD IV
Document signed ("RE" at head), in Latin, licensing Alain de la Motte, Vice Admiral of Brittany ("Alani Delamtoe viceadmiralli Britannie"), his factors or deputies to convey for a period of one year on a certain ship called "Langevyne de Saint Malou" from the ports of Brittany eighty barrels or less of Gascon wines, Westminster, 1 December 1474

27 November 2018, 13:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

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EDWARD IV

Document signed ("RE" at head), in Latin, licensing Alain de la Motte, Vice Admiral of Brittany ("Alani Delamtoe viceadmiralli Britannie"), his factors or deputies to convey for a period of one year on a certain ship called "Langevyne de Saint Malou" from the ports of Brittany eighty barrels or less of Gascon wines, and other wines, goods and merchandises ("octoginta dolio[rum] vel infra vinis de Vasconia ac quibuscumq[ue] aliis vinis bonis & M[er]candisis carcatam"), with a master, mariners and ship's boys ("pagettis") needed for competently sailing the ship to England, as often as he shall please during the term of this licence, with freedom to load and unload at Calais without impediment, attack, molestation, arrest or hurt, provided always that customs and other monies due to the King are paid; dated memorandum at head of document recording that the licence was delivered to the Lord Chancellor to be enacted; with typed transcript and translation, on vellum, framed, light dust-staining, and traces of mounting on verso, but overall in attractive fresh condition, 335 x 140mm., Westminster, 1 December 1474

Footnotes

'EIGHTY BARRELS OF GASCON WINE' – Edward IV licences the import of wine into England. The province of Guienne and Gascony had been in English hands, following the marriage of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152, for three centuries, up until the fall of Bordeaux and its surrounding lands following the Battle of Castillon, the last of the Hundred Years War, in 1453. Up until then, practically all wine exports of the region had been destined for the English market; but thereafter, while the trade was not actually banned, such were the restrictions placed on English merchants that the wine trade fell increasingly into the hands of Flemish and other exporters (including the Scots); while the English turned their attentions to other wine-producing areas such as Spain and Portugal.

The recipient of this licence, Alain de la Motte, was Seigneur of Fontaines, Lieutenant of Saint-Malo and vice-admiral to the Duke of Brittany. Ten years earlier, following appeals by the exiled Queen Margaret to the Duke of Brittany, he had been placed in command in the fleet that set sail from Saint-Malo to support Lancastrian risings in Wales; although news of the Lancastrian defeats in England led to the expedition's cancellation.

Purchased at Sotheby's, 14 December 1976, lot 63, property of John Carlson Esq (as per saleroom notice), and by descent to the present owners.

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