A Letter from Baldwin IV and Sibylla

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and individual trinity, of the father and son and holy spirit, amen.

Let it be known to all, future as well as present, that I, Baldwin, by the grace of God the sixth king in the holy city of Jerusalem, with the grant and consent of Guy, count of Jaffa and Ascalon, and Sibylla, my sister, their countess, I grant and confirm to God and the holy house of the Hospital of Jerusalem and to Roger, master of that house, and all your successors, brothers of that house in the present and future, a certain village, by name

Chola, situated in the territory of Mirabel, with all its lands, cultivated and uncultivated, and with all its appurtenances, which you bought from Hugo of Flanders, with the grant and consent of Baldwin, lord of Ramleh, for three thousand besants.  That you may hold the said village with all its appurtenances and lands, as we said above, freely and in peace and have it in perpetuity, and that this page of my grant and confirmation be held firm and undissoluble to you in eternity, I have ordered the present charter to be protected and strengthened by my seal.

This was done in the 1181st year from the incarnation of the lord, indiction 14.

Witnesses of this things are:  Reynald, lord of Sidon; Peter of Cresecca, castellan of Jerusalem; Simon of Bethlehem; Gerard Passerel; Raymond Babin; Anselm of Capitel; Robert of Picquigny; Peter Gerbert; Peter of St. Lazarus.  Brothers of the Hospital:  Peter Walter; brother Stephen; brother Sancho; brother Solomon; brother Arnold.

Given in Jerusalem by the hand of William, archbishop of Tyre and chancellor of the king, 4 ides of September.

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue trinitatis, patris et filii et spiritus sancti, amen.

Notum sit omnibus, tam futuris quam presentibus, quod ego Balduinus, per gratiam Dei in sancta civitate Jerusalem rex sextus, concessione et assensu Guidonis, Joppe et Ascalone comitis, et Sibille, sororis meae, eorumdem comitisse, concedo et confirmo Deo et sancte domui Hospitalis Jerusalem et Rogerio, ejusdem domus magistro, et successoribus tuis omnibus, fratribus ejusdem domus presentibus et futuris, quoddam casale, nomine Chola, in territorio Mirabelli situm, cum omnibus terris suis, cultis et incultis, et cum omnibus pertinentiis suis, quod ab Hugone Flandrensi, concessione et assensu Balduini, Ramatensis domini, pro tribus milibus bisantiis emistis. Ut igitur predictum casale cum omnibus pertinentiis suis et terris, sicut prediximus, libere et quiete teneatis et habeatis in perpetuum, et hujus concessionis et confirmationis mee pagina rata vobis teneatur in eternum et indissoluta, presentem cartam testibus subscriptis et sigillo meo muniri et corroborari precipi (sic).

Factum est hoc anno ab incarnatione domini mcl xxxi, indictione xiiii.

Hujus rei testes sunt: Renaldus, Sydonensis dominus; Petrus de Cresecca, castellanus Jerusalem; Simon de Betlehem; Girardus Passerel ; Raimundus Babin ; Anselmus de Capitel; Robertus de Pinquenni; Petrus Girberti; Petrus de Sancto Lazaro. Fratres Hospitalis:  Petrus Galterii; frater Stephanus; frater Sancho; frater Salomon; frater Arnaldus.

Data in Jerusalem, per manum Willelmi, Tyrensis archiepiscopi, regisque cancellarii, IIII idus septembris. 

Historical context:

Baldwin confirms the sale of the village of Chola for three thousand besants to the Hospital of St. John.

Printed source:

Delaville Le Roulx, Les Archives de l’ordre de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem à Malte (1883), 149-51, #57.  RRH #603.

Date: