A letter from Matilda, empress

Translated letter:

To Louis, by the grace of God excellent king of the Franks and her natural lord, Matilda, empress and daughter of a king, [sends] greetings and loyal service with love. May your excellency recall that I have often asked you about the quarrel between you and my son, the king of England, but you have made no response which satisfies or informs me. Therefore I am sending Remigius/Rainald of St.Valery to implore your highness: do not delay, if it please you, to send me the details about the quarrel. For unless you do so, such may happen between you that I will not be able to amend; especially for the people you ought to rule and for the people of Jerusalem who are now desolate and terrified, it is useful and will be an honor to you to take pains so they have peace. Witnessed by Alduin, chaplain of Pratum.

Original letter:

Ludovico, Dei gratia Regi Francorum excellenti, et naturali domino suo, M. Imperatrix et Regis filia, salutem et fidum cum dilectione obsequium. Recolat excellentia vestra, quod saepe requisivi vos de verbo quod est inter vos et filium meum Regem Angliae; sed nullum inde responsum fecistis quod mihi sedeat, vel unde certa existam. Eapropter ad vos dirigo Remigium de Sancto-Valerio, vestram implorans altitudinem: quatinus per eumdem, si placeat, omnem certitudinem verbi mihi mandare non differatis. Nisi enim feceritis, tale quid contingere poterit inter vos, quod ego emendare non potero; et praesertim pro utroque populo quem regere debetis, et pro populo Jerusalem qui ad tempus est desolatus et perterritus, expedit et honor erit vobis, quod curam capiatis quod pacem haberet, et Audoin. capell. apud Pratum.

Historical context:

In the midst of ongoing territorial disputes between Henry II and Louis, a problem arose about sending contributions to the Holy Land from Henry’s French territories, Henry wanting to send them directly, Louis insisting they should go through him. W.L. Warren, Henry II, cites Stephen of Rouen’s report that Matilda and the count of Flanders advised Henry to allow Louis to save face after an embarassing raid on his arsenal, by destroying one of Henry’s towns, which was evacuated for the purpose, 106. Chibnall, The Empress Matilda, finds the story unlikely, but does admit that Matilda might have counseled leaving Louis some means of honorable retreat, 173.

Printed source:

HGF16 ep.427 p141