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 the present (letters) greeting and knowledge of truth. We make known to all that we have conferred on the hospital which we founded in Riuo for the support of the poor there, right of patronage of the church and the church itself, to be possessed with all right by the hospital itself. Moreover we confer on the hospital itself 18 acres of land lying within the district of Matenesse which we have bought from different men with our own money. Moreover the said hospital has granted with our consent to the provost and convent of Koningsveld the parochial church itself to be served by a suitable man of those fellow canons, with receipt of the tithes formerly of lord Theodore, called Bokel, and of all incomes and all offerings brought in to the altar there, with offerings of the day of dedication completely reserved to the hospital itself in sign of dominion of the right of patronage. Also the aforesaid chaplain and hospital will be bound to the solemn observation of the anniversaries of our husband, our relatives and brothers and our children when it happens that we die, and to the continual memory of prayers and benefices … will have increased offerings belonging to the chaplain up to 40 pounds in currency of Holland or beyond, we wish that said provost and convent … should cause to serve mentioned church. But the aforesaid chaplain of the convent will be bound to attend to the profit, guidance, and improvement … of [?Koning]sveld but the provost himself nonetheless supremely. If however any newly-ploughed land or other tithe later with some right to the church … another should procure at their special expense or be conferred individually … endurance the present letter with our own seal and the seal of our son Florens … Dated in the year of the Lord 12[?7]6, Saturday before the Nativity of Blessed Virgin.(2)

Original letter:

Aleydis uxor quondam domini Iohannis de Auennis universis presentia visuris salutem et cognoscere veritatem. Notum facimus universis quod nos contulimus hospital[.] quod in Riuo fundavimus ad sustentationem pauperum ibidem, ius patronatus ecclesie et ipsam ecclesiam cum omni iure ab ipso hospitali possidendis. Preterea conferim[..]ipsi hospitali decem et octo iugera terrarum iacentia infra officium de Matenesse quas de propriis nostris denariis comparavimus hominibus de diversis. Insuper dictum hospitale contulit de nostro consensu preposito en conventui de Conincsvelt ipsam ecclesiam parrochialem per ipsorum concanonicum virum ydoneum deserviendam cum perceptione decimarum quondam domini Theoderici dicti Bokel et omnium proventuum ac omnium ibidem oblationum proventuumr ad altare, oblationibus diei dedicationis ipsi hospitali in signum dominii iuris patronatus integre reservatis. Tenebuntur etiam cappellanus et hospitale predicti ad observationem sollempnem anniversariorum mariti nostri, parentum et fratrum nostrorum ac filiorum nostrorum, cum diem claudere nos continget extremum, et ad continuam memoriam orationum et beneficiorum [...] oblationes cappellano competentes usque ad quadraginta libras Hollandensium vel ultra excreverint, volumus quod dictus prepositus et conventus [...] deservire faciant ecclesie memorate. Cappellanus vero conventus predictus tenebitur intendere profectui, regimini et correctioni [...] de [...]suelt, sed ipse tamen prepositus supreme. Si autem aliqua in posterum novalia vel alie decime quoquo iure ad ecclesiam [...] alter eorum specialibus suis sumptibus procuraret vel sibi specialiter conferretur contemplatione priv[...] inter se eg[...] percr[...] [...] firmitatem presentem litteram sigillo nostro proprio et sigillo Florentii filii nostri fec[...]ari. Datum anno Domini M° C° C° L[...] sexto, sabbato ante Nativitatem beate Virginis.

Historical context:

The countess confirms that she has given a church with all its revenues along with other land to a hospital which she founded for care of the poor. The chaplain and hospital are to observe the anniversaries of various relatives. The latter part of the text is full of lacunae.

Scholarly notes:

1 The rest of the passage is not sufficiently intact to translate. 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.1752, 3.870-71.

Date:

1276, September 5