A letter from Joan of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1243, May)

Translated letter:

Joan, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, to all who will view the present letters, eternal greeting in the Lord. We make known to all your society that we have well and legitimately sold to our beloved religious men, the abbot, and convent of St. Bavo in Ghent all land or uncultivated land, whatever quarter-acres it may contain, at Papinglo, so that the lord abbot and convent may possess peacefully and quietly without any remeasuring or challenge, perpetually. We have also conceded in good faith, so that the said abbot and convent might be able to do their will freely concerning the whole aforesaid land with all things unquestioned by us, namely for making hedges, aqueducts, vineyards, mills, any fisheries and manors and for receiving guests and even for selling or leasing all or part of said land to any others. And we will retain in all the said land no right for ourselves beyond high jurisdiction and one penny of annual rent for every quarter-acre, to be paid to us every year at the feast of St. Bavo at our brevia(1) at Ghent. Moreover the number of quarter-acres concerning which the rent must be paid, is 40 of uncultivated land and 54 from Papinglo; nor do we wish that through this number any injustice be produced for those things that are named above. We promise further in good faith to the said abbot and convent to fully quit the said land towards the lord of Gavere, Busere, and Festar, all by right, if they will have reclaimed anything on said land, and to guarantee for those same ones against any claimants and wrongdoers and to preserve [it] immune in all respects. In testimony of this deed we have caused the present letters to be written and strengthened by protection of our seal. Dated at Lille in the year of the Lord 1243, in the month of May.(2)

Original letter:

Johanna, Flandrie et Hainonie comitissa, universis presentes litteras inspecturis eternam in Domino salutem. Universitati vestre notum facimus nos bene et legitime vendidisse dilectis nostris viris religiosis abbati et conventui sancti Bavonis in Gandavo totam terram sive wastinam, quecumque bonaria contingat, apud Papinglo, ut sine remensuratione et calumpnia qualibet perpetuo dominus abbas et conventus possideant pacifice et quiete. Concedimus etiam bona fide, ut dicti abbas et conventus de totali predicta terra suam libere in omnibus nobis irrequisitis possint facere voluntatem, scilicet sepes, aqueductus, vinaria, molendina, qualescumque piscarias mansiones faciendo et hospites recipiendo et etiam dictam te totam vel partem aliis quibuslibet vendendo vel locando. Et in totali dicta terra nichil juris nobis retinemus preter altam justiciam et unum denarium annui census pro quolibet bonario, singulis annis in festo sancti Bavonis ad brevia nostra Gandavo nobis solvendum. Numerus autem bonariorum de quibus census est solvendus, hic est de wastina et de Papinglo quadraginta quinquaginta quatuor; nec per hunc numerum volumus hiis que premissa sunt ullium prejudicium generari. Promittimus insuper bona fide dictis abbati et conventui dictam terram erga dominum de Gavere, Busere et Festar, omnes de jure, si quid in dicta terra reclamaverint, penitus quitare et erga quoscumque impetitores et injuriantes eisdem warandizare et indempnes per omnia conservare. In cujus rei testimonium presentes litteras scribi fecimus et sigilli nostri munimine roborari. Datum Insulis, anno Domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo tercio, mense Mayo.

Historical context:

The countess declares a sale of land to the abbot and convent of St. Bavo, with the rights pertaining to it, but retaining her right to high jurisdiction and token rent.

Scholarly notes:

1 According to Du Cange, one of the many senses of “brevis/e” is a sort of district, or seigneurie, under the “breve” or jurisdiction of a lord, a kind of fief or holding. 2 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), 601-02, ep.74.

Date:

1243, May