A letter from Adelaide/Aleid of Holland (1258, October 3)

Translated letter:

Adelaide, formerly wife of lord John of Avesnes, defender of Holland and Zeeland, to the toll-gatherers of Ammers and Mordresh, greeting and everything good. Wishing that our ancestors be judged according to deeds of piety, we consider valid and sure the concession that lord William of bright memory, Christian king of the Romans, our brother, is known to have made to the abbot and convent of St. Paul at Utrecht concerning the reduction of their shipping tolls, which they have in Holland through Ijssel and Lek(1), just as is contained more fully in the letters prepared for this of that king. Dated at Malestede in the year of the Lord 1258, Thursday after the feast of blessed Remigius.(2)

Original letter:

Aelidis, uxor quomdam domini Iohannis de Auennis, Hollandie et Zeelandie tutrix, theolonariis de Ammers et de Mordresh salutem et omne bonum. Volentes progenitores nostras in pietatis operibus mitari concessionem quam clare memorie dominus Wilhelmus, rex Romanorum cristianus, frater noster, abbati et conventui Sancti Pauli Traiecto super deducendis eorum redditibus quos habent in Hollandia per Yslam et Leccam fecisse dinoscitur, ratam habemus et firmam, prout in ipsius regis litteris super hoc confecti plenius continetur. Datum apud Malestede anno Domini millesimo ducentesimo quinquagesimo octavo, feria quinta post festum beati Remigii.

Historical context:

The countess confirms her brother’s concession to reduce shipping tolls of the convent of St. Paul at Utrecht.

Scholarly notes:

1 Ijssel is a branch of the Rhine delta that flows westward from Nieuwegein on the river Lek. 2 This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus. The reference to shipping tolls was supplied by Thomas Schmid of the Burgerbibliothek of Bern.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch (Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoo, 1970), ep.1196, 3.195.

Date:

1258, October 3