A letter from Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1246, December 16)

Translated letter:

In the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 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 Doesburg, of the Cistercian order, have humbly beseeched me to deign to confirm possessions with the areas of jurisdiction and inspected equipment of their church, liberties and other property belonging to the church itself. I, inclined to their requests, sent on my behalf to the said church two discreet and literate men, Egidius prefect of Saint Peter of Duacens and master Jacob Futchelare, canon 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, liberties and other property. Therefore the two said upright men, approaching the aforesaid place on my command, have found the areas of jurisdiction which are noted above not abolished, vitiated, or cancelled, but intact and sound: the area of jurisdiction of Philip count of Flanders and Vermandois, of good memory from 60 measures of land near Aardenburg - - -. I on the salvation of my soul and of my ancestors hold the same conferrals and sales of said church of Doesburg as firm deeds, by confirming to it the areas of jurisdiction and equipment granted on them and by determining them to have permanent force. For these things with the possessions and liberties and other rights, whatever the said church acquired justly from the counts of Holland and nobles of Zeeland or from other faithful in Zeeland, I as above-said lady add my consent and with the present deed I confirm the the instruments made on them on the present page. Also to this, because I have learned from the chosen above-named two men that the said church acquired several other properties from other faithful subjects in my dominion by just title according to the law of my land, the place namely in which the monastery itself is situated - - -; therefore I, with divine consideration, for the remission of my sins, adding my consent to this sort of acquisition on behalf of me and my heirs, confirm those same possessions and property of said church of Doesburg, supporting under my protection persons pertaining to it as well as the above-noted property; but this should be known that through all the above-said things that I confirm for the said church, I understand that I confer on it no temporal jurisdiction over secular men residing on the land of the church itself outside the courts pertaining to it, either in wrongdoings which according to circumstances occur in that place or will occur . Therefore so that this confirmation may be known to descendants and may last perpetually in future times of the said inviolable church of Doesburg, I have for the said church caused the present document to be strengthened by protection of my seal. All aforesaid judgments were pronounced by the above-named two men publicly in the monastery of Doesburg in the above-said year of the Lord’s incarnation 1245 in the month of December. However this document was granted and sealed publicly at Valenciennes in the year of the Lord’s incarnation 1246, 17 January in the time of my widowhood. (1)

Original letter:

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen. Ego Margareta Flandrie et Haynoie comitissa notum fatio universis tam presentibus quam futuris quod, cum dilecti in Christo viri religiosi abbas et conventus de Thosan, Cysterciensis ordinis, humiliter mihi supplicarent ut privilegiis et instrumentis ecclesie eorum inspectis possessiones, libertates et alia bona ad ipsam ecclesiam pertinentia dignarer confirmare, ego eorum precibus inclinata duos viros discretos et litteratos Egidium prepositum Sancti Petri Duacensis et magistrum Iacobum Fuchelare canonicum Sancti Donatiani in Brugis ex parte mea ad dictam ecclesiam destinavi ut privilegia et instrumenta ipsius ecclesie inspicerent et de possessionibus, libertatibus et bonis aliis inquirerent diligenter. Dicti ergo duo probi viri ad locum iamdictum de mandato meo accedentes privilegia que subscripta sunt non abolita, non vitiata, non cancellata sed integra et sana reppererunt: privilegium bone memorie Philippi comitis Flandrie et Viromandie de sexaginta mensuris mori prope Rodenburg____. Ego ob remedium anime mee et predecessorum meorum easdem collationes et venditiones sepedicte ecclesie de Thosan factas ratas habeo, privilegia et instrumenta super eis ipsi concessa confirmando et perpetuum robur habitura decernendo. Ad hec possessionibus et libertatibus et aliis iuribus, quecumque dicta ecclesia a comitibus Hollandie et nobilibus Zelandie vel ab aliis fidelibus in Zelandia iuste acquisierit, ego tamquam superior domina consensum meum adhibeo et instrumenta super eis facta presenti pagina confirmo. Ad hec etiam, quia percepi ab electis duobus viris predictis ecclesiam sepedictam alia bona nonnulla ab aliis fidelibus dominio meo subiectis iusto tytulo secundum legem terre mee acquisisse, locum videlicet in quo ipsum monasterium situm est___, iccirco ego divino intuitu, ob remissionem meorum peccaminum huiusmodi acquisitioni consensum meum pro me et heredibus meis adhibens easdem possessiones et bona dicte ecclesie de Thosan confirmo, personas ad ipsam spectantes necnon et bona prenotata sub mea suscipiens protectione; sed hoc sciendum est quod per omnia premissa que ecclesie sepedicte confirmo, nullam ipsi iurisdictionem temporalem conferre me intelligo in hominibus secularibus super terras ipsius ecclesie extra curtes ad ipsam pertinentes manentibus, vel in forefactis que pro tempore ibidem contingunt vel contingent. Ut igitur hec confirmatio posteris innotescat et futuris temporibus sepedicte ecclesie de Thosan inviolabilis perpetuo perseveret, presentem paginam dicte ecclesie contuli sigilli mei munimine roboratam. Acta sunt autem prefata omnia per prenominatos viros duos publice in monasterio de Thosan supradicto anno ab incarnatione Domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo quinto, mense decembri. Data est autem publice et sigillata hec pagina apud Ualencienes anno ab incarnatione eiusdem Domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo sexto, septimodecimo klas. ianuarii, tempore viduitatis mee.

Historical context:

The countess confirms the possessions and privileges of the convent of Doesburg.

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), 2.330-31, ep.701.

Date:

1246, December 16