A letter from Alix of Vergy (1250, October)

Translated letter:

I, Alix, duchess, mother of the duke of Burgundy, and I, Arvier of Nuits, knight in the command of the said duke, make known to all who will see the present letters that as there was a disagreeement between the abbot and the convent of Saint-Etienne of Dijon on one side and Huot, young noble of Quetigny on the other, over a scaffold which that Huot had raised at Quetigny and a drawbridge and a moat which that same Huot had made, which things the abovenamed abbot and convent opposed and said he could not and should not make them. Finally, the parties brought these things to us in good will and we have agreed to the following statement that we wish the scaffold and the drawbrige and the moat be allowed to remain as they were when the suit began, except that he can close the scaffold and the house without a knight until the arrival of the Duke and when the Duke comes, or if he should not come back – let it not be so – the abbot and the convent will seek their right over the abovenamed things, and the Duke or his heirs who will be duke if he does not come back –which God prevent – decide by right according to the arguments and the charters the bovenamed abbot and the convent the abovenamed things should be taken down, they will be taken down and if the Duke himself sees that the said things should remain and that that Huot should have them and make more, he will have them and will have his will; moreover these things are done and devised with the agreement of the parties and that they be established, we have put our seals on the present letters. Enacted in the year of the incarnation of our Lord one thousand twohundred fifty in the month of October.

Original letter:

Je Alays, duchesse, mere lou due de Bourgongne, et je Arviers de Nuis, chevalier es commandemens lou duc devant dit, facons scavoir a tous cels qui verront cels presentes lectres que comme discorde fust entre l'abé et lou covent de Saint Estienne de Dijon d'une part et Huot, damoiseau, de Cutigné, d'autre part, sur un chaffaut que cil Huot aveit leve a Cuntigne[sic], et sur un pont levey, et sur lou fossé, que cil Huoz facent icy mesme, desqueles choses l’abé et covent desus nomè li aloient au contraire, et disoient que il ne les y povoit ne devoit faire. En la fin les parties se mistrent de ces choses sur nos par bone volenté, et nos par ascors avons dit notre dit en tele maniere que nos volons que li cheffaus et li ponz levez et li fossez soient en souffrance en tel estat comme il sony au jor que li mise fu faite, sauf ce que il puet lou cheffaut cloire, et cloire sa maison sans cheviller, jusque a la venue lou Duc, et ce quant li Dux sera venus, ou si il ne revenoit, que ja n’aveigne,l’abé et li covens requeroient lor droit de cels choses desus nommees, et li Dux ou ses hoirs que seront dux, se il ne revenoit, dont Dex l’en gart, venent par droit selonc les raisons et les chartes l’abé et lou covent desus nomé que les choses desus nomees doient estre abattues, l’on les abbatra, et se lou Duc meisme voit que les choses devant dites doient remaner, et que cil Huoz les doit avoir et plus faire, il les y aura et sa volente y sera; dou plus ces choses sont faites et devisees par l'escore des parties, sauves les chartres et les privileges et les raisons des parties, et que elles soient estables, avons mis en cestes presentes lettres nos seaus. Ce est fait en l'an de l’incarnation Nostre Seigneur mil deux cens et cinquante, ou mois d'outouvre.

Historical context:

Agreement brought about by the duchess between the church of Saint-Etienne of Dijon and Huot of Quetigny, young noble, over a drawbridge and moat. This document is in French.

Printed source:

E. Petit, Histoire Generale des Ducs de Bourgogne de la race Capétienne (Dijon: Darentiere, 1885-1905), 6v., 4.387-88, #2677.

Date:

1250, October