52

Rates set for customs duty on merchandise when it entered a space or was sold were not mere lists of products and numbers; the lists also reveal a multitude of facets on the practices of the town and its space. The “Customs of the Provostship of Caen” provides us with a good example of the richness of these texts. This paper focuses on what this particular document contributes to our understanding the urban space in the broader sense, including its area of influence. The first part describes the ways in which customs were levied based on a variety of principles. The relationships between the levy and the space (provostship, outskirts, and town) and time (centered on the market) in which the levy was being applied are then analyzed. The third part describes the exemptions, people, and spaces involved. Finally, related to these aspects, we examine the manner in which customs were levied.