A letter from Joan of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1215, October)

Translated letter:

[In the name of the holy and individual Trinity, F]ather and Son and Holy Spirit, amen. I, Joan, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, for fear and love of God and hope of eternal life and the salvation of my soul [and of my ancestors, at the request] of Lambert, formerly abbot of Waasten, having made use of the counsel of prudent men and of my men, I gave the court of Zoetendale located next to the [wood that is called Esch, to said] Lambert and his successors in pure alms freely and absolutely to be possessed in perpetuity for the service there of God and the glorious [Virgin his mother and to oserve] canonical life according to the rule of St. Augustine and according to the institution of the order of Arroasia.(1) Lest the donation be infringed in the future by [any of my successors or princes], or ministers, or violated, I strengthen it by the appending of my seal and the signatures of witnesses. Witnesses: lord [Cono, abbot of Echout, lord Fr]umald, abbot of Sinnabec, John and Walter, canons of Echout and the whole convent of St. Trudo, Walter of [Coutrai, my cleric and canon] of St. Pharalde in Gent, Gilbert of Burgela, Baldwin of Lobbes, Philip of Dergneau, my men and several others. [Dated at St. Trudo] near Bruges, in the month of October, in the year of the Lord’s Incarnation, 1215.

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis, Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, amen. Ego Johanna, Flandrie et Hainonie comitissa, ob timorem et amorem Dei et spem vite eterne et salutem anime mee [et predecessorum meorum, ad petitionem] Lamberti, quondam abbatis de Warnestun, usa consilio prudentum virorum et hominum meorum, dedi curiam Dulcis Vallis iuxta [nemus, quod Esch dicitur, sitam, dicto] Lamberto et successoribus eius in puram elemosinam libere et absolute in perpetuum possidendam ad serviendum ibidem Deo et gloriose [Virgini matri eius et ad observandam] canonicam vitam secundum regulam Sancti Augustini et secundum institutionem ordinis Arroasie. Ne ergo donatio in posterum ab [aliquo successorum meorum vel princi]pum, seu ministrorum aut infringatur, aut violetur, sigilli mei appensione et testium subscriptione corroboro. Testes : dominus [Cono, abbas de Echout, dominus Fr]umaldus, abbas de Sinnabecca, Johannes et Walterus, canonici de Echout et totus conventus Sancti Trudonis, Waletrus de [Curtraco, clericus meus et canonicus] Sancte Pharaildis in Gandavo, Gilbertus de Burgela, Balduinus de Lobis, Philippus de Dereniau, homines mei et alii quam plures. Datum apud Sanctum Trud]onem juxta Brugis, mense Octobri, anno ab Incarnatione Domini millesimo ducentesimo quinto decimo.

Historical context:

The countess gives a building in perpetuity to abbot Lambert for an Augustinian house. There are some lacunae in the document.

Scholarly notes:

1 The Arroasian order was one of the important 12th century congregations of canons regular of St. Augustine.

Printed source:

Johanna van Constantinopel, Gravin van Vlaanderen en Henegouwen, ed. Theo Luykx, Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schoone Kunsten van Belgie, Klasse der Letteren, VIII.5 (1946), 534-35, ep.3.

Date:

1215, October