A letter from Adelaide/Aleid of Holland (1276, September 5)

Translated letter:

Adelaide, formerly wife of lord John of Avesnes, to all who will view or hear the present (letters) greeting everlasting in the Lord. We wish to bring to the attention of everyone that we have established a perpetual chaplaincy in our hamlet at Riviere, and we allot for the support of the chaplain officiating there 10 pounds annually to be received in Soutenvene from our lanthura, of which five pounds will be received on the first market days at Delft, namely on the feast of blessed Odulf, and the other five pounds at the next subsequent market days of Valkenburg, namely at the feast of blessed Lambert. But with receipt of proceeds, the provost and convent of Koningsveld will cause this chaplaincy to be served, through their fellow canon, a capable man, who, with his vigils and hours, will be bound to say mass daily unless he is detained by legitimate impediment; and especially after Sunday vespers in the chapel itself he will sing vigils with nine readings and on Monday he will sing mass for the souls of our husband and our ancestors, namely relatives and brothers; also the same chaplain will observe the days of their anniversaries, of ours, and our children and the count of Holland, after it happens that we die, with memory of vigils and masses solemnly sung. Moreover if it should happen that the count of Holland in the future buys back the land of Zouteveen from us or our successors, we wish that the provost and convent of Koningsveld should receive 100 pounds in the currency of Holland from the money of the purchase, for annual revenues to be procured for the support of the aforesaid chaplain, who, also when it may happen that we or our successors are present, will have maintenance of our tables, but with our family/household chaplains also with us daily, as they will yield the other offerings of the altar in that place to us when we are present. In testimony of this deed we have caused the present letters to be validated by our seal and (by the seal) of our son Floris. Dated in the year of the Lord 1276, Saturday before the Nativity of the blessed Virgin.(1)

Original letter:

Aleydis uxor quondam domini Iohannis de Auennis ... universis presentia visuris vel audituris salutem in Domino sempiternam. Ad singulorum noticiam volumus pervenire quod nos statuimus perpetuam cappellaniam in castro nostro apud Riuum, et assignamus ad sustentationem cappellani ibidem deservientis decem libras annuatim percipiendas in Soutenvene de lanthura nostra, quarum quinque libre recipientur in primis nundinis apud Delf, videlicet in festo beati Odulfi, alie vero quinque libre ad nundinas Valkenborch proximo subsequentes, ad festum videlicet beati Lamberti. Hanc vero cappellaniam facient deserviri cum perceptione fructuum prepositus et conventus de Conincsvelt per suum concanonicum, virum ydoneum, qui cum vigiliis et horis suis tenebitur cotidie dicere missam nisi legitimo detineatur impedimento; et precipue post II dominicales vesperas in ipsa cappella vigilias cum novem lectionibus et secunda feria missam cantabit pro animabus mariti nostri et predecessorum nostrorum, scilicet parentum et fratrum; observabit etiam idem capellanus dies anniversariorum ipsorum, nostrorum et filiorum nostrorum et comitis Hollandie postquam diem claudere nos continget extremum cum memoria vigiliarum et missarum sollempniter psallendarum. Preterea si contingeret comitem Hollandie terram de Zoutenuene a nobis vel nostris successoribus in posterum redimere, volumus quod prepositus et conventus de Conincsvelt centum libras Hollandensium de pecunia redemptionis recipiant pro comparandis annuis redditibus ad sustentationem cappellani predicti, qui etiam cum nos vel successores nostras presentes esse contigerit mensarum nostrarum refectionem habebit, sed cappellanis nostris familiaribus et cotidie nobiscum existentibus sicut alias sic ibidem nobis presentibus cedent oblationes altaris. In cuius rei testimonium presentes litteras sigillo nostro et Florentii filii nostri fecimus roborari. Datum anno Domini M° CC° LXX sexto, sabbato ante Nativitatem beate Virginis.

Historical context:

The countess announces the establishment of a chaplaincy, specifies the sources and amounts of its revenue, and its duties, including masses for members of her family and herself after she dies.

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.1751, 3.869-70.

Date:

1276, September 5