A letter from Ivo, bailiff of Ghent (1239, December)

Translated letter:

To the renowned Thomas, his lord, count of Flanders and Hainaut, and to his dearest lady, Joan, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, Ivo, bailiff of Ghent, greeting and every kind of faithfulness and subjection. May your excellency know that Godfrey of Merham, townsman of Ghent, in my presence and the presence of your people returned into your hands up to 60 measures of ancient land lying in the district of Hasnede in the parish of Wilemskerke within the dike and within the boundaries placed by your aldermen, and a certain land worth annually around three pounds and five shillings, lying in the parish of Heckerghem in the hamlet which is called Merham, and through the judgment of your people he surrendered it well and legitimately for the use of the nuns of the haven of blessed Mary of Ghent. And I executed the aforesaid faithfully according to the term of command, which I thenceforth received. Dated in the year of the Lord 1239, in the month of December.(1)

Original letter:

Illustri domino suo Th[omae], Flandrie et Haynonie comiti, et karissime domine sue J[ohanne], Flandrie et Haynonie comitisse, Ivo, ballivus Gandensis, salutem et omnimodam fidelitatem et subjectionem. Noverit excellentia vestra quod Godefridus de Merham, oppidanus Gandensis, usque ad sexaginta mensuras terre veteris, jacentes in officio de Hasnede in parrochia de Wilemskerke infra dicum et infra llimites positos per vestros scabinos, ac terram quamdam, valentem annuatim circiter tres libras et quinque solidos, jacentem in parrochia de Heckerghem in vico qui dicitur Merham, in presentia mea coram vestris hominibus in manus vestras reportavit et werpivit bene et legitime per judicium hominum vestrorum ad opus monialium de portu beate Marie Gandensis. Et predicta fideliter executus sum juxta formam mandati, quam inde suscepi. Datum anno Domini M°CC°XXX nono, mense Decembri.

Historical context:

The bailiff informs the count and countess of a transference of lands held in fief from them to the nuns of St. Mary.

Scholarly notes:

1 The 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), 585, ep.57.

Date:

1239, December