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

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity, Amen. I, Alida[Adelaide], former wife of Jan van Avennes, now protectress of the lands of Holland and Zeeland, wish blessedness upon all Christian faithful who will see this. Since human frailty is more inclined towards forgetfulness of [what is] good than towards longing for eternal bliss, it is necessary to make permanent in writing that which has been done in good faith. Let it therefore be known to everyone that the abbess and the convent of the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary in Rijnsburg own some property and land in the parish of Noordwijk near Sytwinde, 9.5 morgen of land, as well as some land in the same vicinity named de Werf, which land has been bequeathed by Petronella of blessed memory, countess of Holland with all rights to alms which the countess had to that, and also some land called vronegers, located between the villages of Northe and Voorhout and also some land named De Gier located on the other side of the village of Lisse and Vlodorp, which land had in the past come from the two brothers Ougert and Arent, who had been lay brothers in Rijnsburg, and also some land named Lisekine, located partly in Lisse and partly in Litsebruck; these aforementioned lands had always been in peaceful possession of the abbess and the convent. It is such that we, taking into account the wellbeing of the aforementioned convent and taking the advice of wise men who have knowledge of these goods, decided with our council to do an exchange of these lands with the noble lord and knight Dirk of Teylingen, against all tithes, be they small or large, which he had in the parishes of Kercwerve and Rijnsburg, which tithes Dirk kept for us and had in use, under the title of a fief, so we have with our permission and consent transferred to the knight Dirk van Teylingen all these goods in lieu of the aforementioned tithes, which he received as fiefs and to which he took the oath of fealty, as is customary, with the exception of the moors named Hiltssbroic, which is located from Hillegom to Meyr, measuring eleven rods in width, which the abbess and the convent kept for their own use; against this the aforementioned Dirk van Teylingen transferred the tithes of Rijnsburg and Kercwerve to the abbess and the aforementioned convent; thus we have, keeping in mind the benefit of the convent and our salvation, given the same tithes and all rights therewith, and what in consequence of which may belong to us or our nephew, count Floris, or our descendants, to the church of the Holy Virgin Mary in Rijnsburg to the benefit of the abbess and the convent aforementioned. This gift has been made without any exceptions, with the understanding that the abbess and the convent will receive with all privileges the right of patronage of the church of Kercwerve, which right and privilege the aforementioned Dirk van Teylingen used to have; and the same Dirk van Teylingen will use aforementioned goods and lands which he will have received against his tithes with all rights such as he has received them from the aforementioned. The following noblewomen witnessed this exchange: E[lizabth], previously queen of Rome, Machteld, countess of Holland, Richardis, lady of Holland, and many noblemen such as the lord [Henry] of Voorne, W[illiam], lord of Brederode, and lord John Persyn. Dirk van Teylingen attached his seal hereunto, for perpetual security and we did likewise, as well as the gentlemen mentioned above.(1)

Original letter:

Jnden name der heylige ende ongedeylde Drivuldigheyt. Amen. Wensche ick Alida, in voortyden huysvrou van Jan van Auennes, nu beschermster der landen van Hollant ende Zeelant, alle Christen gelovigen die deezen zien zullen gelucksaligheyt. Aengesien der menschen cranckheyt meer tot vergetelheyt des goets js genegen dan tot lust der eeuwiger vrolycheyt, js daerom van noode t'geen wt goeder meyninge gedaen synde door de schriften eeuwelyck te maecken. Daerom sy een yder kennelyck dat de abdisse ende t'gemeen convent des kercx der salige maget Maria in Rynsbvrg sommige goederen ende landen hebben leggende inde parochie van Nortge ontrent de Sytwinde, 9 1/2 morgen lands, item oock mede daer ontrent sommige landen geheeten de Werf, welcke landen syn gegeuen geweest by saliger gedachtenis vrou Petronella grauinne van Hollant met alien regten die de grauinne daerop seggende hadde tot een aelmisse, item noch sommige landen genaemt vronegers leggende tusschen dorpen van Northe ende Voorhovt ende oock sommige landen geheeten de Ghier gelegen ouer t'dorp van Lis ende Vlodorp, welcke landen eertyts syn gecomen vande twee gebroeders Outgert ende Arent dewelcke conversen syn geweest in Rynsbvrg, noch daerenbouen eenige landen geheeten Lysekine leggende een deel in Lis ende een deel in Litsebrvck; deese voornamde landen heeft de abdisse ende t'gemeyn convent altyts vredelyck beseten. Tis nu sulcx dat wy, oogmercke nemende opden welstant des cloosters voomomt ende gebruyckende den raed van verstandige mannen die kennisse der seluer goederen waeren hebbende. hebben met onsen raed besloten een verwisselinge van de selue landen te doen metten edelen heer Dirck van Teylingen, ridder, voor alle de thienden, t'sy grof of smal, dewelcke hy hadde leggen inde prochye van Kercwerve ende Rynsbvrg, welcke thienden Dirck van ons plagte tehouden ende gebruycken onder den titel van leengoederen, soo hebben wy dan met ons octroy ende wille ende met onse handen ouergeleuert alle de selue goederen in handen van den ridder Dirck van Teylingen inde plaets der thienden voorschreuen, dewelcke hy als leengoederen ontfangende heeft daer van aen ons manschap ende eet van trouwigheyt gedaen naer behooren, wtgenomen vande veenen in brvick die geheeten werden Hildsbrovck, gelegen vanden busck van Hillegom tottet Meyr toe, synde elff roeden inde breete, dewelcke de abdisse ende t'gemeyn convent tot haer eygen gebruyck gehouden hebben; hier tegens heeft de voornomde Dirck van Teylingen ouergedraegen de thiende van Rynsbvrg ende Kercwerve voornomt aen de abdisse ende t'convent voornomt; soo hebben wy, lettende opt proufyt des cloosters ende op onse saligheyt de selue thienden met alle haer regten ende gevolgh d'welck ons of onsen neue graue Floris of onse naecomelingen soude mogen behooren gegeuen de kerck van de salige maget Marie in Rynsbvrg tot behouff vande abdisse ende t'convent voorseyt. Deese gifte is geschiet sonder eenige exceptie, met verstande dat de abdisse ende convent met alle vryheyt sullen ontfangen t'regt van patronaetschap des kercx van Kercwerve, welck reght ende vryheyt Dirck van Teylingen voorschreuen daer in plagte te hebben; ende de selue Dirck van Teylingen sal die voorgenomde goederen ende landen gebruycken die hy voor syne thienden ontfangen heeft met alien vollen regt alsoo als hy die van t'convent voornomt heeft becomen. Ouer deese wisselinge hebben gestaen de naervolgende edele vrouwen als E. in voorleden tyde Roomsch coninginne, Machtelt grauinne van Hollant, Richarde joffer van Hollant, ende veel edele mannen als den heer van Voorne, Simon van Haerlem, W. heer van Brederode, heer Jan Persyn. Tot eeuwiger vastigheyt heeft Dirck van Teylingen syn segel hier aen gedruckt ende wy onsen segel desgelycx, ende de heeren hierbouen genompt hebben dit mede besegelt. Datum op Sint Matthys Apostel dagh, den 14 february 1258.

Historical context:

The countess-regent donates to the abbey of Rijnsburg a number of tithes in Oegstgeest and Rijnsburg, which was held in loan by Dirk, knight and Lord of Teylingen, as well as the right of patronage of the church in Oegstgeest. Dirk had exchanged these tithes and patronage rights with the abbess and convent against properties in Noordwijk, between Noordwijk and Voorhout, in Lisse, Vlodorp and Elsbroek, which he had received from her in loan. This text, in its translated form, is almost identical to the Latin text of No. 1208 dated March 17, 1259 (Epistolae, 1164.html); the date corresponds to that of No. 1207. There is, however, no copy in the archives of the Abbey of Rijnsburg, and there is no textual connection to the 16th century translations of Nos. 1205 and 1208. Therefore it is a reasonable supposition that this no. 1206 has been put together afterwards, possibly during the times of Matthew van der Houve, through translation and assembly of components of the two mentioned records.[J.G.Kruisheer, editor of Oorkondenboek, 3]

Scholarly notes:

1 This translation was provided by Wijnie De Groot.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch (Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoo, 1970), ep.1206, 3.207-09.

Date:

1259, February 24