A Letter from Baldwin IV

Translated letter:

Let it be known to all, future as well as present, that I Baldwin, by the grace of God sixth king of the Latins in the holy city of Jerusalem, with the granting and consent of Baldwin, lord of Ramleh, and Balian his brother, and also his daughters Eschive and Stephanie, grant and confirm to you, lady Constance, sister of the king of France and countess of St. Giles, the secretarial function of your village, Bayt Daras, which George of Beziers sold you for two hundred fifty besants and granted you to have in perpetuity.  So that, therefore, this page of my grant may remain in force and undissolved for eternity, I have ordered the present paper to be protected and strengthened by my seal.  This was done in this 1177th year from the incarnation of the lord, eleventh[sic] indiction.  These are the witnesses:  William, archbishop of Tyre; princes Reginald, Joscelin of Semmosach, the castellan of Ascalon, Baldwin, his brother, William of Mont Gournay, Rohard of St. Abraham, Robert of Picquigny, Galfred of Tours.  Dated at Jerusalem, by the hand of lord William, the archbishop of Tyre and chancellor of the lord king.

Original letter:

Notum sit omnibus, tam futuris quam presentibus, quod ego Balduinus, per Dei gratiam in sancta civitate Jherusalem Latinorum rex sextus, concessione et assensu Balduini, Ramatensis domini, et Baliani, fratris sui, nec non et filiarum suarum Eschive et Stephan[ie], concedo et confirmo tibi domine Constancie, serori (sic) regis Francie et S. Egidii comitisse, scribanagium Bethduras, casalis tui, quod Georgius de Betheri tibi pro ducentis quinquaginta bisanciis vendidit et in perpetuum habere concessit. Ut igitur hujus mee concessionis pagina rata permaneat in eternum et indissoluta, presentem cartam testibus subscriptis et meo sigillo muniri et corroborari precepi. Factum est hoc anno ab incarnatione Domini m c lxx vii, indictione undecima. Isti sunt testes: Willelmus, Tyri archiepiscopus; princpes (sic) Reginaldus; Joscelini de Semmosach, Ascalonensis castellanus; Bulduinus, frater ejus; Willelmus de Mont Gorneit; Rohardus de S. Abraham; Robertus de Pinquigni; Gaufridus Turonensis. Datum Jherusalem, per manum domi­ni Willelmi, Tyrensis archiepiscopi, et domini regis cancellarii.

Historical context:

The king confirms the sale of the village to the countess and adds the sale of the secretarial function which was not included in the sale of the village.

Printed source:

Delaville Le Roulx, J., Cartulaire General de l’Ordre des Hospitaliers de S. Jean de Jerusalem 1100-1310 (Paris:  Leroux, 1894), #516.

Date: