A letter from Adelaide/Aleid of Holland (1261, October 31)

Translated letter:

Adelaide, defender of Holland and Zeeland, formerly wife of lord John of Avesnes, to all who will view the present (letters) greeting and all goodwill. May all your society know that William of Steenhuis and Jacob his brother expressly renounced every tithe, both larger and smaller, which they held, with joined hand, from us and our nephew Floris in the parish of Poelgeest, in the presence of our men and the said Floris, and they publicly surrendered the said tithes into our hands, and on the part of us and our aforesaid nephew Floris, whose guardianship we bear, we concede and give to the church of blessed Adalbert of Hecmunde, all the aforesaid tithes, both larger and smaller, to be possessed freely as purely their own in perpetuity, while nonetheless the convent of said place should consider valid the exchange made by the abbot and certain monks of said place with the aforesaid William concerning said properties and certain other things (and the convent) will have caused (the exchange made) to be confirmed with its seal. In testimony of this deed we have caused the present letters to be validated by protection of our seal. Dated at Harenam Comitis in the year of the Lord 1261, on the vigil of All Saints.(1)

Original letter:

Aleydis uxor quondam domini Iohannis de Auennis, Hollandie et Zelandie tutrix, universis presencia visuris salutem et omne bonum. Noverit universitas vestra quod Wilhelmus de Steynhuys et Iacobus eius frater omni decime quam manu coniuncta tenebant a nobis et Florencio nepote nostro in parrochia de Poelgheest, tam maiori quam minori, coram hominibus nostris et dicti Florencii expresse renunciaverunt et dictam decimam in manus nostras publice resignaverunt, et nos omnem decimam predictam. tam maiorem quam minorem, ecclesie beati Adalberts de Hecmunde ex parte nostra et Florencii nepotis nostri predicti, cuius tutelam gerimus, concedimus et donamus, in purum proprium in perpetuum libere possidendum, dum tamen conventus dicti loci commutacionem factam ab abbate et quibusdam monachis dicti loci cum Wilhelmo predicto super dictis bonis et quibusdam aliis ratam habeat cum suo sigillo duxerit confirmandam. In cuius rei testimonium presentes litteras sigilli nostri munimine duximus roborandas. Datum apud Harenam Comitis anno Domini M° CC° sexagesimo primo, in vigilia Omnium sanctorum.

Historical context:

The countess consents to the donation to a church of tithes held from her, for herself and her nephew for whom she was regent.

Scholarly notes:

1 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.1269, 3.276-77.

Date:

1261, October 31