A letter from Matilda

Translated letter:

W[illiam] by the grace of God archbishop of Reims, cardinal of the Roman Church entitled St. Sabina, legate of the Apostolic See, to all to whom these letters should come, greetings in the Lord.  Your whole community should know that our beloved queen M[athilda], countess of Flanders, with us present and hearing, promised Philip, illustrious king of the Franks, our nephew and lord, on oath, that she would not marry anyone except through him, when she would be separated from Odo, duke of Burgundy.  She granted moreover to the lord king that if she married without him, he could claim without betraying faith the fief which she holds from him; and the lord king will hold that or do with it whatever he wishes.  About the war of Lille the countess is to make peace with the approval of the lord king.  About events which occur in her whole land she will act with the approval of the king, except for her just rents; or if she held herself oppressed by this, she would do service to the lord king in his affairs as would be fitting.  About her dower, which she holds from the lord king, she could not sell it or take money in any manner from releasing it, except through the lord king.  She will have Peter of Douai and the castellan of Douai swear that, if she were to die or cross over into religion [withdraw from the world], the towers of Douai would return to the hands of the lord king for his redemption and for such right as he should have in them.  And if they do not wish to swear this, the lord king may demolish and destroy everything they have, nor can she make any claim against the lord king for that and the lord king may send others into those towers.  Similarly she will put L’Escluse into such hands that if while she holds it, she makes a fortress there, if she were to die or cross over into religion, the fortress would go back to the lord king for rendering to the rightful heir and redemption of the lord king, and for such right as he should have there.  Said countess will give to the lord king guarantors from the commune of Douai that she will hold these agreements.  And they swore to this, by her command, the castellan of Lille, Peter of Menilio, John of Biez, Eustach of Cantelon, Gochuin of St. Albo, R. de Ypres.  She will have Peter of Douai and the provost of Douai guarantee that if she does not hold these agreements, they would hold to the king’s side without betraying faith.  We, truly, at the request and prayers of said queen, undertake that if she does not hold these agreements, we will excommunicate her without appeal and put her land under interdict, and she may not send to Rome to break these agreements.  All these, she swore to the lord king to hold in good faith and confirmed with her seal, that they may be firm and unimpaired.  And we have had the present page written and strengthened by our seal for confirmation and witness of them.  Enacted at Pontoise, in the 1195th year of grace.  Given by the hand of Matthew our chancellor.

Original letter:

W. Dei gratia Remensis archiepiscopus, sancte Romane Ecclesie tituli Sancte Sabine cardinalis, Apostolice Sedis legatus, omnibus ad quos littere iste pervenerint in Domino salutem. — Noverit universitas vestra quod dilecta nostra M. regina, comitissa Flandrie, nobis presentibus et audientibus, Ph. illustri Francorum regi, nepoti et domino nos­tro, fide interposita promisit quod non nubet alicui nisi per eum, quando ab Odone duce Burgundie fuerit separata. — Concessit autem domino regi quod, si nuberet absque eo, ipse posset assignare, absque fidem mentiri, ad feodum quod ipsa tenet ab eo; et dominus rex id tenebit aut faciet exinde quodcumque volet. — De guerra de Insula pacem faciet comitissa ad laudem domini regis. — De casibus qui contingent in tota terra sua operabitur ad laudem domini regis, preterquam de justis redditibus suis; aut si teneret se de hoc gravatam, faceret domino regi servicium in negociis suis ita quod decens esset. — De dotalicio suo, quod tenet de domino rege, neque posset vendere neque pecuniam aliquo modo capere propter quam id dimitteret, nisi per dominum regem. — Faciet Petrum de Duaco et castellanum Duaci jurare quod, si moreretur vel transiret ad religionem, turres Duaci in manu domini regis redderentur pro suo rachato et pro tali jure quale in hiis debet habere. Et si nollent hoc jurare, dominus rex universa que habent posset diruere et destruere, nec ipsa posset exinde esse contra dominum regem in aliquo; et dominus rex posset in turribus illis alios mittere. — Similiter ipsa mittet l'Esclusam in tali manu quod si interim, dum eam tenuerit, fortericiam ibi faciet, si moreretur vel ad religionem transiret, domino regi fortericia redderetur pro reddendo recto heredi et rachato domini regis, et pro tali jure quale ibi debet habere. — Predicta comitissa dabit domino regi securitates de communi Duaci quod ipsa has conventiones tenebit. — Et hoc per mandatum suum affidaverunt castellanus Insule, Petrus de Mesnilio, Johannes de Biez, Eustachius de Cantelon, Gochuinus de Sancto Albo, R. de Ypra. — Hoc etiam faciet assecurare Petrum de Duaco et prepositum Duaci quod, si non teneret has conventiones, predicti se tenerent in partem domini regis absque fidem mentiri. — Nos vero, ad predicte regine petitionem et preces, manucepimus quod, si has conventiones non teneret, eam absque appellatione excommunicaremus et terram suam interdiceremus, nec ipsam mittet Romam propter has conventiones quassandas. — Hec omnia affidavit domino regi bona fide tenenda, et ut firma sint, et illibata, sigillo suo confirmavit. Et nos, ad eorumdem confirmationem et testimonium, presentem paginam scribi et sigillo nostro fecimus roborari. — Actum apud Pontem-Ysare, anno gracie millesimo centesimo nonagesimo quinto. Datum per manum Mathei cancellarii nostri.

Historical context:

Though this document comes from the archbishop of Reims, it is a record of an agreement the countess made with the king of France, which was “confirmed by her seal,” so I am including it here as a transcription of her agreement.  Called “queen” as the daughter of the King of Portugal, Matilda promises Philip she will not marry without his consent when her marriage with the duke of Burgundy is ended and she will not sell or mortgage any of her dower lands, which she holds from him, without his approval, all at forfeit of her holdings.

Printed source:

Layettes du Trésor des Chartes, 1.181, #428.

Date: