Johanneta Aymara, a sex worker, drew up this inventory of the brothel she managed because she was about to set out on a pilgrimage to the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Le Puy. Shortly before departure, pilgrims often left their goods in the power of a trusted friend or relative, using a legal contract known as a "comanda." Comanda contracts were most commonly used for commercial investments, but they could also serve the needs of pilgrims as well, since they gave the temporary holder the ability to manage the goods for a profit. Upon the return of the pilgrim, the trusted friend would then restore the goods to the owner. Johanneta shared her house and assets with her concubinous partner, Johannetus Raynaudi, described in the record as her "amicus." The management of the goods listed in this inventory, however, was assigned to their servant, Anthonius Soquini, possibly because Johannetus was intending to go on pilgrimage as well. As suggested by the number of beds (four), this inventory describes a working brothel. The presence of spits, other cooking implements, tablewares, and twenty-seven amphorae indicates that Johanneta offered good food to her clients. Noteworthy is a retable (an image or a shrine) depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary. The witness list consisted of two associates of Marseille's "sub-vicar," an officer who can be considered the city's chief-of-police. One expects that they were among Johanneta's trusted clients.


Edited by Daniel Lord Smail, with contributions by Susan McDonough.
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