A letter from Joan of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1241, June 11)

Translated letter:

Joan, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, to Reiner, bailiff of Bruges, greeting and love. We command to you and wish purposefully that you cause to be observed by all the roads near the monastery of St. Andrew near Bruges extending toward Jabbekam and Veld, as they have been marked out by the abbot of the same place and you and our aldermen, with the mandate of the dearest lord and our husband Thomas, count of Flanders and Hainaut, and with the advice of upright men, for the convenience of said monastery, and that you make enclosed part of the cemetery of said place, as is contained more fully in the letters of the same lord and our husband, for completely deterring enemies and rebels, so that it may not be necessary for said abbot to bring back a complaint to us about you on account of your failure. Dated at Morienne, in the year of the Lord 1241, on the feast of blessed apostle Barnabas. Send back your letters (answer).(1)

Original letter:

Johanna, Flandrie et Hannonie comitissa, R[einero], ballivo Brugensi salutem et dilectionem. Mandabus [sic] tibi et finaliter volumus, quatenus vias iuxta monasterium Sancti Andree prope Brugis versus Jabbekam et Veld se extendentes, per abbatem eiusdem loci et te et homines scabinos nostros, de mandato karissimi domini et mariti nostri Thome, Flandrie et Hannonie comitis, necnon de consilio proborum virorum ad commodum dicti monasterii [to]taliter assignatas, ab universis facias observari, et partem cimiterii dicti loci, prout in literis eiusdem domini et mariti nostri plenius continetur, facias immurari, contradictores et rebelles [to]taliter coercendo, ne dictum abbatem oporteat pro defectu tuo de te ad nos queremoniam reportare. Datum in Morinis, anno Domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo primo, in festo beati Barnabe apostoli. Reddite litteras.

Historical context:

The counters orders her bailiff to make sure that the roads marked out for convenience of a monastery are observed and their cemetery secured.

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), 591, ep.64.

Date:

1241, June 11