A letter from Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1245, March)

Translated letter:

[Walter, dean, and the whole chapter of the church of blessed Mary at Tournai, to all who will view the present letters, greeting in the Lord. We have examined the letters patent of the renowned woman Margaret, countess of Flanders, sealed by her seal, in these words:] Margaret, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, to all who will view the present letters, greeting in the Lord. May all of you know that, with the executors of our renowned and dearest sister Joan, of pious memory, formerly countess of Flanders and Hainaut, we have allotted and allot, where noted below, 3,500 pounds in the currency of Flanders, to be paid for her restitutions and for alms to be made, as is contained more fully in her will. On the [countess's] brevia(1) namely of the larder of Bruges 150 pounds. On the brevia of John of Lijsele 100 pounds. On the brevia of lord Baldwin of Leroie 250 pounds. On the brevia of the larder of Bergues 50 pounds. On the brevia of Loker 100 pounds. On the brevia of the granary of Bailleul 200 pounds. On the granary of Diksmuide 50 pounds. On the brevia of Busere 50 pounds. On the brevia of the larder of Veurne 100 pounds. On the brevia of the exchequer of Veurne 250 pounds. On the brevia of the rents of Veurne 50 pounds. On the great brevia of Bruges 250 pounds. On the rights of notaries of Flanders 150 pounds. On the brevia of the vachery of Veurne 50 pounds. On the granary of Ghent 250 pounds. On the granary of St. Omer 150 pounds. On the granary of Ypern 200 pounds. On the brevia of the treasury of Bruges 50 pounds. On the brevia of the provost of Halluin 50 pounds. On the voudremont(2) of Bergues 50 pounds. On the revenue of the wood of Bailleul 100 pounds. On the lease of Gravelines 100 pounds. On the lease of Hulst 100 pounds. On the lease of Male 100 pounds. On the lease of Aardenburg [in Zeeland] 50 pounds. On the lease of TerDuinen 50 pounds. On the lease of Rupelmonde 150 pounds. On the granary of Bourbourg 50 pounds. On the brevia of Diksmuide 100 pounds. On the granary of Cassel 150 pounds. On the granary of Lille 50 pounds. Moreover we allot the aforesaid revenues or proceeds to be received freely and peacefully by the aforesaid executors until according to their judgment and command all restitutions of our renowned and dearest sister will have been completely fulfilled and until the other bequests, namely 10 thousand pounds, will have been paid in full. However we are bound to preserve for them the aforesaid revenues and proceeds at our expense. And if anything should be lacking from the sum of 3,500 pounds, we must supply [it] to them at their request. Moreover to our receiver general in Flanders or our receivers, whoever they may be at the time, we command that they oblige themselves by oath to the aforesaid executors for the aforesaid revenues or proceeds that must be paid to them, as expressed above, and that they pay them to no one at all except to them or by their command. And if by chance they should pay them to another or others, they will nonetheless be required to pay those revenues or proceeds in full to the executors. And we promise for ourselves and our successors in the future to require our receivers, whoever they will be at the time, to oblige themselves to the aforesaid executors in the aforesaid way. Nonetheless we wish for greater security, and command to all our special officials, both feudal and others, whoever they will be at the time, who specifically have or will have to pay, receive or procure the aforesaid revenues or proceeds, that they oblige themselves, with faith pledged and oath taken, to the aforesaid executors, when they will have been requested by them, for the aforesaid revenues or proceeds to be rendered to them or by their command, each for his or her own part, and that they render these to no one at all except to the executors themselves or by their command, not even to our receiver general unless it be by the will of the executors themselves. And if by chance they should pay to another or others, they themselves nonetheless should be bound to the aforesaid executors themselves for the aforesaid revenues or proceeds to be paid in full. And we oblige ourselves and our [possessions] and all our successors in the future to this and all the aforesaid things that must be done, to be observed inviolably. Moreover we wish and command that our receivers, both general and private, be satisfied with the letters and command of the aforesaid executors, namely three or two of them in those which they pay to them, such that it should not be necessary for the aforesaid executors to show our letters or (those) of our successors as proof of payment made to the receivers or payers themselves of the aforesaid revenues or proceeds. Moreover we promise and oblige ourselves and our successors in the future that at the simple command of the aforesaid executors we will alter the aforesaid allotment of 3,500 pounds [if needed] and we will allot that at their simple command, either in Flanders or in Hainaut, wherever the aforesaid executors will have chosen, according to the plan that is expressed above in the aforesaid allotment. And to this we oblige not only ourselves but also our successors in the future. Therefore so that all the aforesaid may have certainty in every way, we have caused the present document to be protected by the affixing of our seal. Enacted in the year of the Lord 1244[1245 new style], in the month of February. [We therefore in strength and memory of the aforesaid at the request of renowned lady Margaret, countess of Flanders, have delivered the present letters protected by the affixing of our seals. Dated in the year of the Lord 1244, in the month of March.](2)

Original letter:

[Walterus, decanus, totumque capitulum ecclesie beate Marie Tornacensis, universis presentes litteras inspecturis in Domino salutem. Patentes litteras illustris mulieris Margarete, comitisse Flandriae, sigillo ipsius sigillatas, inspeximus in hec verba:] Margareta, Flandrie et Haynonie comitissa, universis presentes litteras inspecturis salutem in Domino. Noverit universitas vestra, quod nos testamentariis illustris et karissime sororis nostre Johanne, pie memorie, quondam comitisse Flandrie et Haynonie, tria milia librarum et quingentas flandrensis monete ad restitutiones eius faciendas et elemosinas persolvendas, sicut in suo testamento plenius continetur, assignavimus et assignamus ubi inferius annotatur. Ad brevia videlicet de larderio de Brugis centum quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia Johannis de Liusieles centum libras. Ad brevia domini Balduini de Leroie ducentas quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia de larderio de Bergis quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia de Locres centum libras. Ad brevia de spicario de Balluel ducentas libras. Ad spicarium de Dikemue quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia de Busere quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia de larderio de Furnis centum libras. Ad brevia de leskiekier de Furnis ducentas quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia de censu de Furnis quinquaginta libras. Ad magna brevia de Brugis ducentas quinquaginta libras. Ad jura notaris Flandrie centum quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia de le vakerie de Furnis quinquaginta libras. Ad spicarium de Gandavo ducentas quinquaginta libras. Ad spicarium de sancto Audomaro centum quinquaginta libras. Ad spicarium de Ypra ducentas libras. Ad brevia camere de Brugis quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia prepositi de Haluin quinquaginta libras. Ad voudremont de Bergis quinquaginta libras. Ad redditus nemoris de Balluel centum libras. Ad acensam de Gravelinghes centum libras. Ad acensam de Hulst centum libras. Ad acensam de Male centum libras. Ad acensam de Rodenbourc quinquaginta libras. Ad acensam de Dunis quinquaginta libras. Ad acensam de Ruplemonde centum quinquaginta libras. Ad spicarium de Borbourc quinquaginta libras. Ad brevia de Dikemue centum libras. Ad spicarium de Casleto centum quinquaginta libras. Ad spicarium de Insula quinquaginta libras. Predictos autem redditus vel proventus assignamus percipiendos libire et pacifice a testamentariis predictis donec secundum judicium et dictum ipsorum omnes restitutiones illustris et karissime sororis nostre complete fuerint totaliter et donec legata alia, videlicet decem milia librarum, fuerint integraliter persoluta. Predictos autem redditus vel proventus tenemur eis nostris sumptibus conservare. Et si aliquid deficeret de summa trium milium librarum et quingentarum, debemus eis supplere ad dictum ipsorum. Receptori autem nostro generali in Flandria sive receptoribus nostris, quicumque pro tempore fuerint, precipimus quatinus prefatis testamentariis per fidem interpositam se obligent ad reddendos eis prefatos redditus vel proventus sicut superius est expressum et quod nulli omnino eos solvant nisi ipsis vel mandato ipsorum. Et si forte eos solverent alii vel aliis, ipsi nichilominus tenerentur eisdem in predictis redditibus vel proventibus plenarie persolvendis. Et nos obligamus nos et successores nostras in posterum ad hoc quod tales habebimus receptores nostras, quicumque pro tempore fuerint, quod predicto modo se predictis testamentariis obligabunt. Nichilominus ad majorem securitatem volumus et precipimus omnibus ministris nostris specialibus, tam feodatis, quam aliis, quicumque pro tempore fuerint, qui prefatos redditus vel proventus specialiter habent vel habebunt solvere, recipere seu procurare, quatinus predictis testamentariis, quando ab eis fuerint requisiti, fide interposita et sacramento prestito, obligent se ad reddendos eis vel mandato eorum predictos redditus vel proventus, quilibet pro parte sua, et quod nulli omnino reddent, nisi ipsis testamentariis vel mandato ipsorum, nec etiam generali receptori nostro, nisi de ipsorum testamentariorum fuerit voluntate. Et si forte solverent alii vel aliis, ipsi nichilominus tenerentur ipsis prefatis testamentariis in predictis redditibus vel proventibus totaliter persolvendis. Et nos obligamus nos et nostra et omnes nostros in posterum successores ad hoc et predicta omnia facienda inviolabiliter observari. Volumus insuper et precipimus quod receptores nostri, tam generales quam speciales, sint contenti litteris et mandato prefatorum testamentariorum, trium videlicet vel duorum ipsorum in eis que solvent eisdem, ita quod non oporteat predictos testamentarios litteras nostras vel successores nostrorum in fidem facte solutionis ipsis receptoribus vel solutoribus predictorum reddituum seu proventuum exhibere. Promittimus insuper et obligamus nos et nostros in posterum successores quod ad simplex dictum predictorum testamentariorum commutabimus predictum assignamentum trium milium librarum et quingentarum. Et assignabimus illa ad simplex dictum eorum, sive in Flandria sive in Haynonia, ubicumque elegerint predicti testamentarii, sub illa forma que in predicto assignamento superius est expressa. Et ad hoc non solum nos obligamus sed etiam nostros in posterum successores. Ut igitur predicta omnia omnimodam habeant firmitatem, presens scriptum fecimus sigilli nostri appensione muniri. Actum anno domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo quarto, mense Februario. [Nos igitur in robur et memoriam preditorum ad petitionem illustris domine Margarethe, comitisse Flandrie, presentes litteras tradidimus, sigillorum nostrorum appensione munitas. Datum anno domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo quarto, mense Martio.]

Historical context:

The countess’s letter, which details the allotment of various sums from her revenues to be paid according to her dead sister Joan’s will, is enclosed within a vidimus or authentic copy of the letter by Walter, dean of the cathedral of Tournai. Walter's words are set in brackets. Joan had specified in her will who the beneficiaries of these moneys would be, i.e. where the various donations should go, but not where all this money was supposed to come from, i.e. which parts of the huge financial administration of the county would generate those sums. To help the executors of the will, Margaret now explains which sources of [her] revenue she wants to exploit in order to execute the will and pay those 3,500 pounds. (Walter P. Simons).

Scholarly notes:

1 Brevia refers to an office or bureau at which the count(ess)’s domanial revenues from a certain district were centralized, documented, and then passed on to the central treasury of the county. Each district had several such bureaus that dealt with specific revenues from the count’s domains. The lardarium centralized revenues in kind, in this case animal produce; the spicarium revenue in wheat, the vaccarium revenue in dairy produce. At the brevia, the count’s monetary revenues from his/her domains were collected, for instance payments in rents from land, tolls, etc. Normally, the revenues centralized at the brevia were to be transferred to the county’s central treasury, but sometimes the count(ess) would assign part of the revenue in a district to particular purposes, for instance he/she would donate part of it for an annual income to a monastery in the area, or for an annual fee paid to a businessman in a nearby city for services performed, etc. (Walter P. Simons)
2. Voudremont designates a financial office of the counts in Bergues. The Voudremont of Bergues was a farm of the Flemish counts where, until the 12th century, various revenues in kind were collected, obviously related to animal feed. The name is derived from the Flemish word voedermoutor trough. Bergues[-Saint-Winnoc] as it is now called in French (it is now in France, département du Nord), was close to the French/Flemish language border. Flemish was the native language there (the place is called Sint-Winoksbergen in Flemish or Dutch) but French was spoken just a few miles south and west; French was also the language of most of the nobility in the area. Not understanding the meaning of the word, French-speakers transformed the name into the meaningless “Voudremont”. The clerk who wrote this document—probably a chaplain at the Tournai cathedral-was also unfamiliar with the original name and thus used the French term. It is possible that by the 13th century the revenues centralized there were no longer paid in animal feed but in species, which rendered the original name of the farm even more obscure to French-speakers. (Walter P. Simons)
3 The translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus and edited by Walter P. Simons.

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), 610-12, ep.79.

Date:

1245, March