A letter from Alix of Vergy (1228, December)

Translated letter:

I, Alix, duchess of Burgundy, make known to all who will look at the present letters, that at the I entreaties of brother Anselm, master of the house of Hospitality at Beaune, and with the consent of our council, we have given and conceded that on the Tuesday of each week there will be an oven in the town of the Hospitallers of Jerusalem which town is called Villedieu, near Mont Cenis, on the condition that half of the right and revenues of said fountain on said day go to said Hospitallers, the other half is ours and our heirs’ in perpetuity. So indeed said Hospitallers must have a man in their service controlling said oven and we similarly our man, so indeed we cannot claim any justice in that town, except on the day of the oven and because of the wardship namely from each dwelling one bichet(1) of oats and twelve pennies of annual rent to be paid annually. Present at this donation were Clarembald, lord of Chappes, and John, lord of Chateauneuf. That it remain firm in the future we have handed over to said Hospitallers letters strengthened by our seal. Enacted in this 1228th year of Grace, in the month of December.

Original letter:

Ego Alaydis, ducissa Burgundie, notum facimus universis presentes litteras inspecturis quod precibus fratris Anselmi, magistri domus Hospitalitatis Belnensis, et assensu nostri consilii, dedimus et concessimus fornum esse in die martis cujuslibet ebdomade in villa Hospitaliorum Jerosolimitanorum que villa dicitur Villedeu, prope Montcenis, tali tamen conditione quod medietas juris et reddituum dicti forni in dicto die est dictorum Hospitaliorum, altera vero medietas est nostra, et heredum nostrorum perpetue. Si quidem sepedicti Hospitales habere debent famulum suum dominantem super fornum dictum et nos similiter nostrum, si quidem in eadem villa non possumus reclamare aliquam justitiam, preter quam in die forni et propter gardiam videlicet de unoquoque manso, unum bichetum avene et duodecim denarios annui redditus annuatim solvendos. Affuerunt huic donationi Clarembaudus, dominus de Chapis et Johannes, dominus Castrinovi. Quod ut ratum permaneat in futurum dictis Hospitalariis litteras sigillo nostro tradidimus roboratas. Actum est hoc anno Gratie M° CC XX octavo, mense decembri.

Historical context:

The duchess with the consent of her council gives a shared right over an oven to the master of the Hospitallers (Templars), of Beaune.

Scholarly notes:

1. The bichet could be 20 to 40 litres.

Printed source:

E. Petit, Histoire Generale des Ducs de Bourgogne de la race Capétienne (Dijon: Darentiere, 1885-1905), 6v., 4.238-39, #1915.

Date:

1228, December