A Letter from Maria

Translated letter:

In the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, amen.

Let it be known to all, present as well as future, that I John by the grace of God tenth king of the Latins of Jerusalem and count of Brienne, and lady Maria, my wife, illustrious queen, grant and confirm to you, Santio, prior of the Lord’s Sepulchre, and to the whole chapter of that church, present and future, that garden [iardinum] which is near Acre, which you bought from William Pomaran, and the houses and land which are within the periphery of that garden, and everything that is part of the garden, as you bought it from said William Pomaran.  Moreover all the rights which we ought to have in that garden, we give and remit to you for the salvation of our souls and those of our ancestors.  We also grant and give to you that without any toll or opposition you may sell the fruit and grasses of said garden beyond our riding needs [equitaturas] freely through the city of Acre and possess that garden with its appurtenances peacefully and freely in perpetuity.  That this our grant, gift and confirmation may remain in force and undisturbed in eternity, we have ordered the present charter strengthened by our seal and the subscribed witnesses.  The witnesses of this thing are:  Walter of Montbeliart, constable of the kingdom of Jerusalem. Ralph Tiberias, seneschal of the king.  Jacob of Durnai, marshall of the king.  Aimar, lord of Caesarea.  Philip of Ibelin.  Guy of Montfort.  Garner Alemannus.  Roard, lord of Caifa.  Amion of Ays.  Thomas of Maugastel.  Daniel of Molembec.  Adam Coste.  This was done at Acre, in the 1211th year from the incarnation of the Lord, kalends of July, by the hand of Baldwin, notary.

Original letter:

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, amen.

Notum sit omnibus, tam presentibus quam futuris, quod ego Iohannes, per Dei gratiam Latinorum Ierusalem rex decimus et comes Brene, et domina Maria, uxor mea, illustris regina, concedimus et confirmamus tibi Santio, Dominici Sepulcri priori, et toti eiusdem ecclesie capitulo, presenti et futuro, iardinum illum, qui est prope Accon, quem emistis a Willelmo Pomaran[o], et domos et terram, que sunt in ambitu eius­dem iardini, et totum illud quod est de iardino, sicut illud emistis a predicto Willelmo Pomarano. Insuper omnia iura, que in eodem iar­dino habere debemus, pro salute animarum nostrarum et antecessorum nostrorum vobis damus atque remittimus. Concedimus etiam vobis et donamus ut absque omni exactione fructum et herbas predicti iardini super equitaturas nostras per civitatem Accon libere vendatis absque contradictione, et ipsum iardinum cum suis pertinentiis pacifice et libere in perpetuum possideatis. Ut autem hec nostra concessio, donatio et confirmatio rata in eternum et inconcussa permaneat, presentem cartam sigillo nostro et testibus subscriptis precepimus communiri. Huius rei testes sunt :

Gualterius de Montbeliart, regni Iherosolimitani conestabularius. Radulfus Tyberiadis, regis senescalcus. Iacobus de Durnai, regis marescalcus. Aimarus, dominus Cesaree. Philippus de Ybelino. Guido de Monfort. Garnerius Alemannus. Roardus, dominus Cayphas. Amion d'Ays. Thomas de Maugastel. Daniel de Molembec. Adam Coste.  Factum est hoc Accon, anno dominice incarnationis mccxi, kalendis iulii, [per manum] nota[rii] Balduini.

Historical context:

The king and queen grant the purchase of a "garden,"  an estate, to the church of the Holy Sepulchre, which the church had bought.

Printed source:

Cartulaire de l’eglise du Saint Sepulcre de Jerusalem (Eugene de Roziere (Paris, 1849), 268-69, #145.

Date: