A letter from Richard I, king of England (1193)

Translated letter:

Richard, by the grace of God king of England, to his dearest mother Eleanor, by that same grace queen of England, greetings and the inviolable sincerity of filial love. We command/send to you both to convoke our justiciars, from London, Winchester, Lincoln, Rochester, and others bishops of the Canterbury church, suffragans you think should be summoned, with as much speed as you can, and also to go in person to the prior and monks at Canterbury, and with all zeal and diligence bring about the election of our dear and faithful one, the venerable H[ubert], bishop of Salisbury, as archbishop of Canterbury, as we made known to you earlier through our beloved and faithful William of St. Mary's [S. Mere l'Eglise], unless he has already been elected. We are certain that his promotion will be pleasing to God and very necessary to the defense of our kingdom and the preservation of peace and the hastening of our liberation. So we beg you, dearest mother, with all possible devotion, that as you love us, you carry this business to its conclusion with all possible speed. And if you have by chance received any mandate from us to the contrary, for the chancellor or the bishop of Bath, or for anyone else, we want you to know without any doubt that we nullify that and every charge to the contrary which will come to you from our chancellary about other things. Your love knows well enough that while we are held in custody, we have to yield to the prayers of great men and entreat for those whom we wish in no way to promote. Whatever we have written, or will write in future on foresaid business, our will is firm and immutable, that the bishop of Salisbury be promoted in the Canterbury church — it is him we want and no other. And if perhaps he is not yet elected or any chance intervenes, [God] forbid, that makes it impossible to elect him, we want and firmly order that the church of Canterbury should in no way be supplied with a pastor before our return to England. Other things having to do with the promotion of the said bishop of Salisbury our dear and faithful master John of Bridport will supply, in whom you may have undoubting faith in promoting this business. With me as witness at Wurms, 8th day of June.

Original letter:

Ricardus, Dei gratia, rex Angliae, etc., carissimae matri suae, Alienorae eadem gratia, reginae Angliae, salutem et filialis dilectionis inviolabilem sinceritatem. Mandamus vobis quod convocatis justitiariis nostris, et Londoniensi, et Wintoniensi, Lincolniensi, Rofensi, et aliis episcopis Cantuariensis eclesiae suffraganeis quos videritis evocandos, sub qua poteritis celeritate, in propria persona Cantuariam ad priorem et monachos, accedatis, et cum omni studio et diligentia efficiatis, quod carus et fidelis noster venerabilis H. Saresberiensis episcopus in Cantuariensem archiepiscopum eligatur, sicut vobis prius per dilectum et fidelem nostrum Willelmum de Sanctae Mariae ecclesia significavimus, nisi jam idem episcopus electus sit. Certissimum enim habemus, quod ipsius promotio Deo erit grata et regni nostri defensioni, et pacis conservationi, et liberationi nostrae accelerandae, valde necessaria. Unde vobis, mater carissima, supplicamus, cum qua possumus devotione, quatenus, sicut nos diligitis, hoc negotium cum qua poteritis festinantia ad effectum perducatis. Et si forte aliquod mandatum a nobis accepistis in contrarium, pro cancellario vel pro Bathoniensi episcopo, vel pro aliquo alio, proculdubio vos scire volumus quod illud cassamus, et omne mandatum quod de caetero de cancellaria nostra emanabit, in contrarium. Satis enim vestra novit dilectio, quod dum in custodia tenemur, oportet nos precibus magnorum virorum cedere, et pro quibusdam supplicare, quos nullatenus promovere vellemus. Quicquid autem scripserimus, aut in futurum scripturi fuerimus, super praedicto negotio, voluntas nostra est firma et immutabilis, quod episcopus Saresberiensis in Cantuariensem eeclesiam promoveatur, quia de illo hoc volumus et non alio; et si forte nondum electus est, vel aliquo casu interveniente, quod absit, non possit eligi, volumus et firmiter praecipimus, quod Cantuariensis ecclesia de pastore nullo modo ordinetur ante reditum nostrum in Angliam. Caetera quae ad praefati Saresberiensis episcopi spectant promotionem, supplebit carus et fidelis noster magister Johannes de Brideport, cui fidem super hoc negotio promovendo indubitatam habeatis. Teste me ipso apud Wermesiam, viii. die Junii.

Historical context:

Richard sends his mother a more urgent request for personal intervention to assure the election of his candidate as archbishop of Canterbury, and alludes to the pressure put on him in captivity to support the agenda of others.

Printed source:

Chronicles and Memorials of the Reign of Richard I, v.2, Epistolae Cantuarienses, ed. William Stubbs in series Regnum Britannicarum Medii Aevi Scriptores, Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages (London: Longman, Green, 1865), ep.403.

Date:

1193