A letter from Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1246, December 15)

Translated letter:

I, Margaret countess of Flanders and of Hainaut make known to all both present and future that the religious men beloved in Christ, the abbot and convent of Dunis, of the Cistercian order, have humbly beseeched me to deign to confirm possessions with the areas of jurisidiction and inspected equipment of their church, liberties and all other property which they acquired from my ancestors as well as from other faithful ones through donation, purchase or any just title, including those things that they possess that are not mentioned in the present document. I, inclined to their requests, sent on my behalf to the said church of Dunis two discreet and literate men, Egidius/Giles prefect of Saint Peter of Duacens and master Jacob called Futchelare, canons of Saint Donatius in Bruge, so that they would inspect the areas of jurisdiction and equipment of the church itself and diligently inquire concerning the possessions and all other property acquired by it, whether obtained with or without documents. From the truthful report of these men I have learned for certain that the possessions and many other properties granted to the said church, were sold and transferred by other just title to the church itself some time ago and were confirmed both by my ancestors and other faithful ones. Therefore it is established that the areas of jurisdiction and equipment of my said ancestors and other faithful which, with the possessions, freedoms and their other properties the aforesaid church of Dunis has thus far held, are not to be cancelled, abolished or in any way vitiated by me; I on the salvation of my soul and of my ancestors, confirm all these things and I determine certainly and firmly to make perpetually lasting my consent for adding to those things possessions which the said church possesses at present, whether contained among their equipment or not, for inserting into this document: the place itself in which the abbey is situated - - -. Moreover with the possessions and freedoms and other rights, whatever the said monastery of Dunis aquired from the counts of Holland and from the nobles of Zeeland or from other faithful in Zeeland by just title, I, above-mentioned lady of the land of Zeeland add my consent and confirm all for the said monastery. In the present document I confirm all these things that have been mentioned above with the liberties, areas of jurisdiction and whatever other properties that the aforesaid church of Dunis possesses at present; but I understand that through this I confer no temporal jurisdiction over secular men residing on the land of the church itself. Therefore in testimony of this confirmation and conferral, I have for the said church caused the present document to be strengthened by protection of my seal. All the above-mentioned judgments were pronounced by the above-named two men publicly in the monastery of Dunis in the above-said year of the Lord’s incarnation 1245 in the month of December. But this document was granted and sealed publicly at Valenciennes in the year of the Lord’s incarnation 1246, on 18 January, in the time of my widowhood.(1)

Original letter:

Ego Margareta Flandrie et Haynoie comitissa notum facio universis tam presentibus quam futuris quod dilecti in Christo viri religiosi abbas et conventus de Dunis, Cisterciensis ordinis, michi humiliter supplicarunt ut privilegiis et instrumentis ecclesie eorum inspectis possessiones, libertates et alia bona universa, que a predecessoribus meis necnon et ab aliis fidelibus per donationem, emptionem sive alio iusto titulo acquisierunt, cum hiis etiam que sine scripto in presenti possident, dignarer confirmare. Ego vero eorum precibus inclinata duos viros discretos et litteratos, Egidium prepositum Sancti Petri Duacensis'et magistrum Iacobum dictum Futchelare, canonicos Sancti Donatiani in Brugis, destinavi ex parte mea ad dictam ecclesiam de Dunis ut privilegia et instrumenta ipsius ecclesie inspicerent et de possessionibus et aliis bonis ab ea acquisitis, sive in scripto sive sine scripto possessis, inquirerent diligenter, ex quorum virorum veridica relatione pro certo cognovi quod possessiones et alia bona plurima dicte ecclesie concessa, vendita et alio iusto titulo in ipsam ecclesiam dudum sunt translata et a predecessoribus meis et aliis fidelibus confirmata. Dictorum igitur predecessorum meorum et aliorum fidelium privilegia et instrumenta que de possessionibus, libertatibus et aliis bonis suis pre dicta ecclesia de Dunis hactenus habuit, quia non cancellata, non abolita nec in aliqua parte viciata michi esse constat, ego ob remedium anime mee et predecessorum meorum universa confirmo et consensum meum eis adhibendo rata et firma in perpetuum permanere decerno, possessiones quas in presenti possidet dicta ecclesia, sive in instrumentis contentas sive non, huic scripto inserendo: locum ipsum in quo abbatia sita est ____ . Preterea possessionibus et libertatibus et aliis iuribus, quecumque dictum monasterium de Dunis a comitibus Hollandie et nobilibus Zelandie vel ab aliis fidelibus in Zelandia iusto titulo acquisivit, ego superior domina terre Zelandie consensum meum adhibeo et omnia dicto monasterio confirmo.____. Hec autem omnia que premissa sunt cum libertatibus, privilegiis et aliis quibuscumque bonis que in presenti possidet prefata ecclesia de Dunis, presenti pagina confirmo; sed nullam iurisdictionem temporalem in hominibus secularibus super terras ipsius ecclesie manentibus per hoc me conferre intelligo. In huius igitur confirmationis et collationis testimonium presentem paginam sepedicte ecclesie contuli sigilli mei munimine roboratam. Acta sunt autem prefata omnia per prenominatos duos viros publice in monasterio de Dunis supradicto anno ab incarnatione Domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo quinto, mense decembri. Data est vero et sigillata publice hec pagina apud Valencienes anno ab incarnatione eiusdem Domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo sexto, octavodecimo kalendas ianuarii, tempore viduitatis mee.

Historical context:

The countess confirms the possessions and historic rights of the convent, according to the report of the agents she had sent to investigate.

Scholarly notes:

1 This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch (Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoo, 1970), 2.328-29, ep.699.

Date:

1246, December 15