A letter from Adam Marsh

Translated letter:

To the excellent lady A., countess of Leicester, Brother Adam  [sends] greetings and the glory of rewards after the grace of merits.

So the renowned count, your husband, for the honor of God and the salvation of the church, for the faith of the lord king and advantage of the peoples, entrusted with magnificent power from the Saviour, magnificently took on the desperate business of very great danger, to save the land of Gascony for the said king, your brother, and his heirs, about which I hope without doubt that he is led to praiseworthy success from careful counsel of discreet discussions of your serenity, with divine help, and with all those joined to said count with faithful love, should gloriously rise in happy praise of the Divinity.  So that if by human thoughtlessness, even with praiseworthy intention, he entered into either pacts or treaties or contracts, less than should have been assured,  with immoderate expending of money, yet as seemed impelled by necessity, it will be up to you to direct him through most pious diligence  of benign circumspection,  having completely removed the struggles of irritating quarrels,  in the spirit of gentleness to negotiating cautiously about the rest through tranquillity of counsels.

About what you ordered, on brother Gregory, I shall speak, the Lord willing, in brief, when opportunity is granted me.  The blessed son of God, the lord of Lincoln is well.   May your illustrious children be well progressing from good to better.  The lady queen granted me that she would act with master Hugh of Mortuo Mari so that in time he would discharge master Ralph of Canterbury and lord William de la Hose in peace.  I do not know what will come of that.  May the most worthy integrity of your nobility be always well in Christ and the most blessed Virgin.  Lord John de la Haye will be better able to reveal the state of the lord king, the lady queen, prelates and magnates, clergy and people in the kingdom of England, to your lordship. 

Again, be well forever.

Original letter:

Excellenti dominae A., Comitissae Leycestriae, Frater Ada salutem, et post meritorum gratiam gloriam praemiorum.

 Si inclytus comes, vir vester, propter Dei honorem et ecclesias salutem, propter fidem domini regis et populorum utilitatem, virtute magnifica de Salvatore confisus, quasi desperatum praegrandis periculi negotium, ad salvandam memorato domino regi, fratri vestro, et haeredibus suis, terram Vasconiae, ex deliberato discretorum tractatuum consilio, per Divinum adjutorium, de quo spero indubitanter quod ad laudabilem perducetur consummationem, assumpsit magnifice, vestrae serenitati necnon et universis, memorato comiti fideli dilectione copulatis, in laetam Divinitatis laudem glorifice debent assurgere. Quod si per inconsiderationem humanam, tamen ex intentione laudabili, aut pactiones, aut foedera, aut contractus, minus quam oporteret assecuratus, cum immoderatiori pecuniarum effusione, tamen ut videtur rerum necessitate coactus inierit, vestrum erit per piissimam benignae circumspectionis industriam, penitus semotis irritantium rixarum contentionibus, in spiritu lenitatis ipsum ad cautius negotiandum de caetero per tranquillitatem consiliorum dirigere.

Super eo quod mandastis, de fratre Gregorio, loquar Domino propitio, in brevi, cum mihi concedetur opportunitas. Benedictus Dei Filius, valet dominus Lincolniae. Valent et inclyti liberi vestri jugiter de bono in melius proficientes. Concessit mihi domina regina quod ageret apud magistrum Hugonem de Mortuo Mari, ut ad tempus in pace dimittat magistrum Radulfum de Cantuaria et dominum Willielmum de la Hose. Quid inde fiet nescio. Valeat nobilitatis vestrae dignissima sinceritas in Christo semper et beatissima Virgine. Statum domini regis, dominae reginae, praelatorum et procerum, cleri et populi, in regno Angliae, dominus Johannes de la Haye dominationi vestrae melius insinuare valebit.

Iterum et in aeternum valeatis.

Historical context:

This time Adam encourages her to advise her husband carefully to avoid the wrong actions in his mission in Gascony.  Hugo of Mortuo Mari was an official to the archbishop of Canterbury and advisor to the bishop of Hereford, “very active in imposing tallies and exactions on the clergy,” ed. JS Brewer, who says John de la Haye did fealty for the lands held by his father Ralph in Lincolnshire.

Printed source:

Adae de Marisco Epistolae, ed. J. S. Brewer (London:  Longman, 1858), Monumenta Franciscana, 2.297-98, ep.161

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