A letter from Adelaide/Aleid of Holland (1259, February 24)

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity. Adelaide of Hainaut, defender of Holland, to all faithful of Christ who will view the present (letters), greeting everlasting in the Lord. Since the memory of men is fragile and declines with passing time, it is necessary that those things that deservedly should be commended to perpetual memory be brought to the notice of future (people) by testimony of letters. Thence it is that we declare by the present document to all your society that the abbess and convent of the church of the blessed Virgin Mary in Rijnsburg on one side, William named of Steenhuizen on the other, gathered in our presence, with diligent deliberation held concerning this, the abbess and convent now decided to make an exchange of certain lands, namely 10 vacant plots which are called coienvennen(1) and five-and-a-half acres of geestlandes lying between Poelgeest and Oegstgeest and seven coinvennen of embankments lying near Poelgeest as well as three measures which are called atmaden beyond the marsh of Poelgeest, (lands) belonging freely as their allod to the abbess and convent, for the tithes of the aforesaid William of Steenhuizen, both large and small, both in dry and in wet (land), which the same William is known to hold in the parish of Rijnsburg; moreover the said abbess and convent of the mentioned church freely and absolutely transferred to the aforesaid William, as was said, the aforewritten lands, which the same William received from that same one, with the aforenoted tithes surrendered first into the hands of the knight, Theodore[Dirk], lord of Teylingen, in place of tithes which he [William] first held from him Theodore in fealty, but the said lord Theodore of Teylingen conferred freely and with our consent and will the tithes thus surrendered to himself by William to the abbess and convent with no right reserved to those same tithes mentioned for him or his successors. Moreover, we, considering valid and welcome that which was done by the aforewritten abbess and convent, William of Steenhuizen as well as the lord of Teylingen in the aforesaid, under testimony of the renowned lady Elizabeth, formerly queen of the Romans, our mother Mathilde, countess of Holland, and our aunt Richardis, lady-in-waiting of Holland, whose seals are affixed to the present (letters), as well as under the seal and testimony of Theodore lord of Teylingen and of many trustworthy (people), we have caused (it) to be confirmed and strengthened by protection of our seal, reserving no right to the aforesaid tithes for us or our nephew or our successors. Dated in the year of the Lord 1258, on the day of the blessed apostle Matthew.(2)

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis. Aleidis de Hanonia tutrix Hollandie universis Christi fidelibus presentia visuris salutem in Domino sempiternam. Quoniam hominum memoria fragilis est ac tempore defluente collabitur, necessarium est ea que perpetue merito commendanda sunt memorie, ad futurorum noticiam littere testimonio deportari. Hinc est quod universitati vestre presenti scripto declaramus quod in nostra presentia constituti abbatissa et conventus ecclesie beate virginis Marie in Rinsburg ex una parte, Willelmus dictus de Steenhuse ex altera, deliberatione super hoc habita diligenti, abbatissa et conventus iam quarumdam terrarum, videlicet decem vaccarum vennorum qui dicuntur coienvennen et quinque et dimidii agrorum geestlandes inter Polegeest et Oestgeest iacentium et septem coienvennen aggeri de Polgeest adiacentium necnon et trium mensurarum que dicuntur atmaden ultra paludem de Polgeest, ad ipsos abbatissam et conventum tamquam suum allodium libere spectantium, pro decimis Willelmi de Steenhusen iamdicti, tam magnis quam minutis, tam in sicco quam in humido, quas idem Willelmus in parrochia de Rinsburg noscebatur habere, commutationem facere decreverunt; dicta quidem abbatissa et conventus ecclesie memorate terras prescriptas prefato Willelmo, prout dictum est, libere tradiderunt et absolute, quas idem Willelmus; resignatis prius in manus Th. militis, domini de Teylinge, decimis prenotatis loco decimarum quas prius ab ipso tenebat in feodum, recepit ab eodem, dictus vero dominus Th. de Teylinge decimas sibi sic a Willelmo resignatas, abbatisse et conventui de nostro consensu et voluntate libere contulit memoratis nullo iure sibi vel suis successoribus in eisdem decimis reservato. Nos autem quod a prescriptis abbatissa et conventu, Willelmo de Steenhuse necnon et domino de Teylinge factum est in premissis ratum habentes et gratum, sub testimonio illustris domine E. quondam Romanorum regine, M. comitisse Hollandie matris nostre, et R. domicelle Hollandie amite nostre, quarum sigilla presentibus sunt appensa, necnon sub sigillo et testimonio Th. domini de Teylinge et multorum fidedignorum duximus confirmandum ac sigilli nostri munimine roborandum, nullum ius nobis vel nepoti nostro seu nostris successoribus in predictis decimis reservantes. Datum anno Domini Mo CCo LVIIIo, in die beati Mathie apostoli.

Historical context:

The countess attests to the exchange of lands and tithes made between the abbess of the Virgin Mary in Rijnsburg and one of Dirk /Theodore of Teylingen’s men. Among the witnesses are Adele’s sister-in-law, Elisabeth wife of William II, her mother Mathilde, and her aunt Richardis.

Scholarly notes:

1 This is clearly a variation on “wendus,” perhaps co-plots. 2 This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch (Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoo, 1970), ep.1207, 3.209-10

Date:

1259, February 24