A letter from William of Holland (1250, May 19)

Translated letter:

William by God’s grace ever venerable king of the Romans, to all who will view the present letters, his favor and all goodwill. May your whole society know that we, for certain damages inflicted and done by certain accomplices and abettors of ours, to certain men of Zeeland, accomplices and abettors of the noble lady Margaret countess of Flanders and of Hainaut, have promised and are bound to consign, either in Flanders or Hainaut or in Brabant or in Zeeland between Schelde and Hedinezie, payment of one thousand five hundred pounds in the money of Flanders, which payment the countess herself will receive wholly and continually every year until at the reasonable decision of the venerable lord father P. bishop of Alban, legate of the apostolic see, and of the countess herself, after legitimate inquest has been carried out by suitable men whom the said lord legate and the countess herself will have directed as assigned for this, and satisfaction will have been made fully to the countess herself concerning the said damages and the said allotment of the aforesaid lands will be made in some way or ways. For this allotment that must be kept we will give to her ten hostages from the land of Zeeland whom the countess herself will havedisposed to receive, nor will said countess be bound to free our brother Floris until we will have given to her the above-said ten hostages, and when we have given them to her, she will be bound to free our aforesaid brother; however the said countess will not have to return to us the said ten hostages until we ourselves will have given sufficient pledges of surety to the countess herself or we will have made satisfaction to the same (countess) fully concerning the above-said damages. Completed at Brussels in the year of the Lord 1250, 14 June, eighth indiction, in the second year of our reign.(1)

Original letter:

Willelmus Dei gratia Romanorum rex semper augustus universis presentes litteras inspecturis gratiam suam et omne bonum. Noverit universitas vestra quod nos pro quibusdam dampnis datis et factis a quibusdam nostris fautoribus et adiutoribus quibusdam hominibus de Zelandia, fautoribus et adiutoribus nobilis domine Margarete Flandrie et Hainonie comitisse, promisimus et tenemur assignare, vel in Flandria vel Hainonia vel in Brabantia seu in Zelandia inter Scaldam et Hedinezie, redditus mille quingentarum librarum Flandrensis monete, quos redditus ipsa comitissa integraliter et continue percipiet quolibet anno quousque iuxta rationabile dictum venerabilis patris domini P. Albanensis episcopi, apostolice sedis legati, et ipsius comitisse post legitimam inquisitionem factam per viros ydoneos quos ad hoc dicti dominus legatus et ipsa comitissa duxerint deputandos, de dictis dampnis ipsi comitisse plenarie fuerit satisfactum, et dicta assignatio fiet in aliqua vel in aliquibus predictarum terrarum. Pro quo etiam assignamento tenendo dabimus eidem decem obsides de terra Zelandie quos ipsa comitissa duxerit acceptandos, nec tenebitur dicta comitissa Florentium fratrem nostrum liberare donec decem obsides ipsi dederimus supradictos, et cum eos ipsi dederimus, fratrem nostrum predictum tenebitur liberare; dictos autem decem obsides dicta comitissa nobis reddere non debebit quousque fideiussores ipsi comitisse sufficientes ipsi dederimus vel eidem satisfecerimus de dampnis plenarie supradictis. Actum Bruxcelle anno Domini millesimo ducentesimo quinquagesimo, quartodecimo kl. iunii, indictione octava, regni nostri anno secundo.

Historical context:

William agrees to giving hostages to the countess until he has paid for the damages inflicted by his men on her men.

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), 2.518, ep.853.

Date:

1250, May 19