Previously we saw that Sir John Carpenter, knight from Berkhamstead outside of London, was the brother the wealthy merchant-pepperer Roger Carpenter. Sir John’s sister Agnes was an important part of the estate settlement of her Nephew Thomas, son of Rodger Carpenter. In the series of dispositions connected to the properties of Sir John Carpenter, a brother Thomas was named. This Thomas Carpenter must surely be the Thomas Carpenter named in the following: “Lease by Thomas, son of Henry Hauteyn, late pepperer, and Johanna his wife, to William de Holbeche, draper, of a certain tenement in the parish of St. Benedict Shorhog, situate near the tenements of Thomas Carpenter and John de Gisors; to hold the same for a term of ten years from Easter [1 April], 21 Edward III., at an annual rent of 10 marks. Witnesses, Rodger Carpenter, Thomas Holbeche, John de Coggeshale, Nicholas Guillem, William Peautrer, Richard “Monoye Coco,” and Peter de Tilneye. Dated Friday before the Annunciation B.M. [25 March], 21 Edward III. [A.D. 1346-7].” (Letter-Book F. p. 160) A year later the same tenements are discussed with the the wording “Situate near the tenements of Rodger Carpenter, John Gisors and William Curteys.” (p. 177) Thomas had evidently died and Rodger was now owner. The special interest in the above however, is in the mention of John de Gisors, as probable joint owner of property with Thomas and then Rodger Carpenter. John Gisors “the third” as he should properly be referred to, was mayor of London a total of seven times, and rightly he should have, because he was heir to one of the greatest merchant fortunes in English medieval history. Gisors was a nominal pepperer, and like others of his trade and ancestry, actively imported wines from Gascony in France. Every indication has it that the Gisors were Gascons themselves. Gisor’s grangfather, the first John Gisors, was the greatest wine importer of all time despite his nominal profession as a pepperer. He was a personal friend of King Henry III and his ships took the queen to Gascony 1252 (see Crawford, A History of the Vintner’s Company, pp. 42-47). This goes a long way to explain the “pepperer” designation for William and Rodger Carpenter. The “real money” was in the import and export of other commodities, and here wine. Likewise the Gascony connection here deepens the evidence and my suspicions of profound Carpenter ties to the area. At a later date I will introduce Elias Carpenter, the family business agent, or “factor” as they were called, in Gascony. I do not suggest here that the Carpenters originated in Gascony, but as you will later see, their dealings with the area were large scale. The Gisor–Carpenter association here also sheds light on the previously discussed connection of Sir John Carpenter of Berkhamstead with Sir John de Haveringg, the Seneschal of Gascony. Bruce E. Carpenter