A letter from Joan of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1223, June 7)

Translated letter:

I Joan, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, to all faithful of Christ who will view the present letters, greeting in the Lord. I wish to make known to all your society that Giles Berthout, judge(1) of Houdenborg and Catherine, his wife, have sold 17 measures of land lying at Houdenborg before the gate of the monastery of Saint Peter near Silingha in the eastern part, which they held from me in fealty, to the said church of Saint Peter for 102.5 Flemish marks. But because such sale as the fief of the ruling lady could not be firm and stable without my will and consent and could not transfer to the said church of Saint Peter except through my hands, the said Giles Berthout and Catherine, his wife, have renounced the said land with free and voluntary will into my hands. But I, having considered equity, for the salvation of my soul and of my kin, have transferred to the abovesaid church of Saint Peter the aforesaid land as pure and perpetual alms and I have granted it to be possessed by perpetual and hereditary right, such that, nonetheless, if it should happen that any people reside on that land, I will have jurisdiction over them as over my other people. And so that the aforesaid gift solemnly made may not be revoked as invalid by them or their heirs or Eustace, chamberlain of Flanders and Gerald his brother, who added consent to the aforesaid gift as is contained in their letters patent, I have strengthened the present letters with the impression of my seal and with the recording below of the witnesses who were present. Signature of Eustace, chamberlain of Flanders, s. Ghiselbertus of Sotenghem, s. Baldwin of Prat, knight; s. Walter of Courtrai, protonotary of Flanders, s. Reinfin of Sclipis. Done in the year of the Lord 1223, Tuesday within Pentecost.(2)

Original letter:

Ego Johanna, Flandrie et Hainoie comitissa, universis Christi fidelibus presentes litteras inspecturis in Domino salutem. Universitati vestre notum fieri volo quod Egidius Berthout, scoutete de Houdenb[org], et Katerina, uxor eius, decem et septem mensuras terre, jacentis apud Houdenborg ante portam monasterii Sancti Petri juxta Silingha in parte orientali, quas de me tenebant in feodum dicte ecclesie Sancti Petri pro centum et duabus marcis et dimidia flandrensibus vendiderunt. Quia vero talis venditio sine consensu et voluntate mea stabilis et firma utpote domine feodi esse non poterat et ad dictam ecclesiam Sancti Petri nisi per manus meas transire non valebat, dictus Egidius Berthout et Katerina, uxor eius, dictam terram libera et spontanea voluntate in manus meas resignaverunt. Ego vero, equitate considerata pro salute anime mee et parentum meorum, sepedicte ecclesie Sancti Petri predictam terram in puram et perpetuam elemosinam tradidi et perpetuo ac hereditario jure concessi possidendam, ita tamen quod si aliquos homines manere contigerit super terram illam, jurisdictionem habebo super illos sicut super alios homines meos. Et ne ab ipsis vel heredibus suis vel Eustacio, Fland[rie] camerario et Gerardo fratre suo, qui predicte donationi consensum adhibuerunt sicut in litteris ipsorum patentibus continetur, predicta donatio solempniter facta inirritum valeat revocari, presentes litteras sigilli mei inpressione et testium, qui interfuerunt, subnotatione munivi. Signum Eustaci, Fland[rie] camerarii, s. Ghiselberti de Sotenghem, s. Balduini de Prat militum; s. Walteri de Curtraco, Fland[rie] prothonotarii, s. Reinfini de Sclipis. Actum anno Domini millesimo ducentesimo vigesimo tercio, feria tercia infra Pentecosthen.

Historical context:

The countess confirms the relinquishing of lands held in fief from her by a judge and his wife who had wished to sell the land to a church, which she then transferred to the church.

Scholarly notes:

1 According to Du Cange, a “scultetus” may be praetor, prefect, balliff or judge of a town. Many of the examples provided suggest judge as common meaning. 2 This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

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), 550, ep.20.

Date:

1223, June 7