A letter from Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1259, July 4)

Translated letter:

We, Margaret, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, make known to all that we have given to Blanchard of Cach four pounds’ worth of annual and continuous revenue, in the money of Flanders, to be held by him and his heirs in fealty from us and our heirs, the counts of Flanders, to be received each year at the feast of saint Remigius at the beginning of October, from our toll for Dam, (we) desiring that the receiver of said toll, whoever it will be according to circumstances, should pay the said four pounds each year at the said term at Dam to said B and his heirs successively or to their messenger, moreover all the money coming forth from the said toll on the said day thenceforth should be transferred to the aforesaid sum for payment of the said fief except for allotments made there to lords Gerulf and Henry of Cach, knights, to which we and our heirs, the counts of Flanders, are bound; and it should be known that for the aforesaid the same B. has paid homage to us. In testimony of this deed we have caused the present letters to be sealed with our seal. We, Guido, count of Flanders, considering the aforesaid valid and pleasing have caused to be affixed to the present (letters) our seal with the seal of our dearest aforesaid mother. Granted in the year of the Lord 1259, Friday after octave of the Nativity of blessed John the Baptist.(1)

Original letter:

[N]os Marghareta Flandrie et Haynonie comitissa notum facimus universis quod nos Blanchardo de Cach dedimus quatuor libratas annui et perpetui redditus, monete Flandrensis, tenendas ab ipso et eius heredibus in feodum de nobis et de nostris heredibus, comitibus Flandrensibus, capiendas annis singulis in festo sancti Remigii in capite octobris ad theolonium nostrum de Dam, volentes quod receptor dicti theolonii qui pro tempore fuerit dictas quatuor libras annis singulis dicto termino apud Dam dicto B. et eius heredibus successive vel eorum nuncio persolvat, alioquin tota pecunia proveniens ex dicto theoloneo a dicta die inantea usque ad summam predictam in solutionem dicti feodi convertatur salvis assignamentis factis ibidem dominis Gerulpho et Henrico de Cach, militibus, ad quod nos et heredes nostros, comites Flandrie, obligamus; et sciendum quod pro predictis idem B. homagium nobis fecit. In cuius rei testimonium presentes litteras sigillo nostro fecimus sigillari. Nos vero Guido comes Flandrie predicta rata et grata habentes sigillum nostrum unacum sigillo karissime matris nostre predicte presentibus duximus apponendum. Datum anno Domini M° CC° quinquagesimo nono, die veneris post octavam Nativitatis beati Iohannis Baptiste.

Historical context:

The countess declares a payment to be made from a toll to a vassal as a fief for which he has done homage.

Scholarly notes:

1 The translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch (Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoo, 1970), 3.222-23, ep. 1218.

Date:

1259, July 4