A letter from Amice of Gael

Translated letter:

Be it known to all the children of the church of holy God that I, Amicia, countess of Leicester at the pleasure of God, with the consent of my lord Robert, count of Leicester, give and grant to to God, to blessed Mary of the house of God, to the ladies serving God there 36 solidos [coins] which I had in the Soke of Winburn in my ounces of gold.  I give this so that God may provide health and safety to my lord and our children.  And also for the salvation of all our relations and friends, and also for the souls of our fathers, mothers, and all our ancestors.  For which I wish and pray that the aforesaid servants of God hold this said alms well in peace, honorably and without trouble, as witnessed [by]:  Ernald of Bosco.  Robert of Creft.  Reginald of Bordinneio.  Gilbert of Vernet; Richard Mallore.  Adam of Ros. Roger of Granford.  Richard of Teverai.  William of Burdet.  Simon of Labelvoisinere.

Original letter:

Notum sit omnibus sancti dei ecclesie filiis, quia ego Amicia comitissa Leigrecestrie beneplacito dei assensu domini mei Roberti comitis Leigrecestrie dono concedo deo beate Marie de Casa dei dominabus ibi deo seruientibus xxxvi solidos quos habebam in Socha Winburnie in unciis meis auri.  Hoc autem dono ut deus sanitati incolumitati domini mei mee puerorum nostrorum sit prouisor.  Et eciam pro salute propinquiorum omnium amicorum nostrorum et eciam pro animabus patrum matrum nostrorum omnium antecessorum nostrorum.  Quare uolo et precor ut predicte famule dei hanc prefatam elemosinam bene in pace honorifice & quiete teneant testibus.  Ernaldo de Bosco. Roberto de Craf. [Creft] Reginaldo de Bordigni [Bordinneio]. Gileberto de Vernet. Ricardo Mallore. Ada [Adam] de Ros. Rogero de Cranford [Granford]. Ricardo de Teuerai [Teverai]. Willelmo de Bordigni [Burdet?]. Simone de labelueisinera.

Historical context:

Parsons dates the charter, based on handwriting and general appearance, probably little later than 1150.  She notes that the existence of a soke, and one rendering payments in ounces of gold in the middle of the twelfth century, “is an interesting fact.”  Soke is the privilege of holding court and administering justice in early English law.  Winborne is one of the lands gifted to Robert I, count of Meulan, father-in-law of Amicia, countess of Leicester, by Henry I.   There are some oddities in the language of the charter.

Printed source:

Doris M. Parsons, “Two Southern Sokes in the Twelfth Century,” EHR 32 (1917), 245-48.

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