The Chambres des Comptes de Navarre, alias Cour des Comptes de NavarreBascle de Lagrèze (1851), p. 17 (in French) (English: Court of Auditors of Navarre), was formed in April 1624 during the reign of Louis XIII through the act of merging the Chambre des Comptes of Pau with the Chambre des Comptes of Nérac into one entity. In 1691, it was merged into the Parliament of Navarre and Béarn in Pau. The First President and the two Presidents, became Président à mortiers in the Parliament.

The Chambre des Comptes of PauLaussat (1871), p. 87 (in French) and the Chambre des Comptes of Nérac were created at the same time by Henry II of Navarre on 4 January 1527,Laussat (1871), p. 166 (in French)

Chambre des Comptes in Pau

The Chambre des Comptes in Pau was given responsibility for Lower Navarre, Béarn, the County of Foix and Bigorre, the Viscounties of Marsan, Turson, Gavardon and the Barony of Captieux, the Viscounties of Lautrec and Nébouzan, the Barony of After-Villemure, and the four valleys of the Aure.

It was reconfirmed and authorized by his successor, Antoine of Navarre, on 11 September 1560, who made at the same time a number of laws to set out the powers of the officers, not only for the Chambre des Comptes in Pau, but also for those of Nérac and Vendôme.

Among these laws were those that determined the number of officers that each one had to have, namely one President, five Counselors/Auditors, a Registrar, a Huissier and a Patrimonial Prosecutor (a "Procureur Patrimonial"); the jurisdiction and knowledge were set forth for all matters concerning the types of income and expense accounting, and the circumstances and dependencies, all the same, and with the same authority and justice that had belonged to the King himself.

By 28 October 1563, the number of huissiers had been increased to two.Laussat (1871), p. 130 (in French)

The number of counselors/auditors was increased to six with the addition of a position of Supernumerary on 28 October 1563, but the first such supernumerary was only installed in office on 3 January 1568.Laussat (1871), p. 131 (in French)

On 30 September 1569, the Queen Regnant Jeanne published new laws about religion with two main principles: the first being to suspend all officers who were not Huguenot and prohibit the Lieutenant General from enlisting Catholics, and the second being to seize the property and assets, ecclesiastical or secular, of those who disobeyed her and to sell them on public auction.Laussat (1871), p. 129 (in French) This latter is, in essence, the beginning of war in Béarn.

First Presidents First Presidents of the Chambres des Comptes of Pau (in chronological order):

+ Premier Présidents de la Chambre de Comptes of Pau (incomplete) Name Date Appointed Date Confirmed Date Assumed Office Date Departed Office Reason SourcesJacques de Foix, Bishop of Lescar François, Monsieur de Candale Louis d’Albret Monsignor the Bishop of Aure Mathieu Du Pac Mr. de Mende, Chancellor of Foix Bertrand d’Abbadie 1550Sieur de Salettes8 Dec 157026 Feb 15711558?Laussat (1871), p. 167 (in French)Pierre de Tisnés1560Guilhem d’Areau or Dareau1567before 8 Dec 1571death(Arnaud?) de La ForcadeArnaud de Tisnés24 Oct 1571 by commissionde La Motte11 Mar 1576Laussat (1871), p. 178 (in French)Arnaud de Tisnés23 Apr 1577 by letters patents2 Nov 1577deathJean de La Forcade4 or 14 Sep 158620 Oct 1586deathLaussat (1871), p. 163 (in French)SSLAP (1907), p. 67 (in French)Laussat (1871), p. 164 (in French)Pierre Dupont1590?de La Valade7 May 159120 Jul 1592Laussat (1871), p. 256 (in French)Charles Dupont1617Gratien Dupont1621Antoine Dupont (Anthonin de Pont)Pau C M 1646-1688, p. 50 (in French manuscript)1671

Procureur Patrimonial

+ Procureur Patrimonial de la Chambre de Comptes of Pau (incomplete) Name Date Appointed Date Confirmed Date Assumed Office Date Departed Office Reason SourcesOdet de Forbet before 1568Jacques de Forbet 7 Sep 1571

Prosecutor and Attorneys General

Martin Legros

Attorney General (following the separation of the positions):

N...Lamotte Guillaume Dareau Jean d'Esquille Pierre Garros, in 1571 Jean de Lendresse, 21 September 1583 Pierre Dupont, 31 October 1584 Charles Dupont, 31 October 1619

Chambre des Comptes in Nérac

In addition to the responsibility for the Duchy of Albret at the time it was formed, it was also responsible for the County of Armagnac and all of its dependent territories, the Pays d'Eaussan, the Seigneurie of Rivière-Basse, the County of Rodez, the four Castellans of Rouergue, the County of Périgord, and the Viscounty of Limoges.

First Presidents First Presidents of the Chambres des Comptes of Nérac (in chronological order):

+ Premier Présidents de la Chambre de Comptes of Nérac (incomplete) Name Date Appointed Date Confirmed Date Assumed Office Date Departed Office Reason SourcesJean Secondat, Seigneur de Roques before 1576AD64, E 2002Vénière 1624de Bayard 1645Jean de Doat 1646Antoine de Bayard 1680Jacques-Joseph de Doat, son of the aforementioned Jean 1691

Chambre des Comptes in Vendômes

Table Footnotes

Notes

References