1. Amongst the published documentary sources there will be noted a number of cartularies. Those relating to Fougères, Laval and Morbihan are cartularies artificially made up from disparate sources by their modern editors. The cartularies of Rays, Redon, Ste-Croix-de-Quimperlé and St-Georges-de-Rennes survive in the original. The oldest of these, the cartulary of St-Sauveur-de-Redon, now at the archives of the archbishopric of Rennes, presents particular problems to its users. It is essentially a manuscript of the mid-eleventh century containing transcripts of some 283 charters and notices for the periodc.800–924, to which further charters have been added at periods up to the mid-twelfth century. In its present form it contains 144 folios, but it is known from eighteenth-century transcripts and other sources that at least fifty folios have been lost. It has generally been considered that the copies of charters dating from the Carolingian period are of authentic originals, an assumption on which the most recent serious study of these texts is based (Tonnerre 1977b). But those charters relating to the eleventh and twelfth centuries present enormous problems for modern authorities for it is clear that during the compilation of the cartulary many texts were revised or edited, even if they were not inventedde novo.Guillotel (1971a) has devoted an appendix specifically to this subject of forged charters both in the Redon cartulary and in that of Ste-Croix-de-Quimperlé. His meticulous study reveals the need for extreme caution in using any material from the cartulary of Redon for this later period without other independent corroboration. When such evidence is cited in this paper, I have endeavoured to indicate the extent of its reliability. To a lesser degree, theChronique de Nantes(Merlet 1896), allegedly compiledc.1060, also seems to present similar problems since besides genuinely early material some passages are clearly derived from documents of a later period (Guillotel 1977b, 64–66). A new critical edition is a major desideratum. René Sanquer, in addition to his general article on mottes in Finistère (1977) has provided many more specific details on recent archaeological work in his annual survey for theBulletin de la société archéologique du Finistèresince 1966. Further reference to these is not made here. Nor is specific reference in the text made to an extremely valuable nineteenth-century work which provides engravings of many sites mentioned above. Because of destruction or subsequent development, this visual evidence is recommended especially for the appearance of individual sites and buildings: J. Taylor, Ch. Nodier and Alphons de Cailleux,Voyages pittoresques et rustiques dans l'ancienne France, Bretagne.2 vols., Paris: Firmin-Didot 1845–46 (new impression announced).
2. ACN Archives départementales des Côtes-du-Nord, St-Brieuc E 1067: letters of Jean, lord of Kerouzère, 16 January 1445
3. AIV Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Rennes I F 1535: accounts of the lordship of Vitré, 1310–84 1 F 1544: inventory of Frinaudour castle,c.1400 2 Er 269: letters of Francis I, 28 August 1445, and Pierre II, I December 1453 for Jean, lord of Kerouzère
4. ALA Archives départementales de la Loire-Atlantique, Nantes B 2–13: Chancery registers, 1462–91 B 2450: inquiry at Fougères, 1438 E 126, no. 9: contemporary copy of letters of John IV, 18 April 1383 E 117: Ducal household accounts, 1378 E 163, no. 19: letters of Jean, lord of Kerouzère, 2 January 1445 E 178: letters concerning the acquisition of Fougères, 1428 E 183, no. 12: letters of Geoffroy le Voyer, 4 December 1371 E 209. no. 12: letters of Rolland, viscount of Coëtmen, 22 November 1406 E 214–216: Accounts relating to the master of artillery
5. AM Archives départementales du Morbihan, Vannes E 2709: Accounts of François de Locquemenen, receiver of Largoët-en-Elven, 1493–96