A letter to Edward I

Translated letter:

To the very high and very noble prince, our very dear nephew, Edward, by the grace of God king of England, Marguerite, by that same grace queen of France, greetings and true love.  Dear nephew, the countess of Lleicester entreated us and asked that we entreat you to have pity on her and her will, and asked us also that we entreat for Amaury, her son the cleric, that you have pity on him and do right by him and render him your favor.  And since we promised her that we would do it, we entreat you for ... things, and we entreat you also that you would act and command that the need that involves the will of said lady ... and delivered as right, usage, and custom of the country might give.  And ... as to the cleric, that there be honor and good, so much that God, and I, may be grateful to you, and that you cannot be blamed.  And of these things, ... your will ..., if it please you, the Monday before the feast of St. Denis.

Original letter:

Marguerite to Edward:  A très haut et très noble prince, nostre très chier neveu, Edouard, par la grace de Dieu roy d’Engleterre, Marguerite, par cele meisme grace roine de France, salut et vrai amour.  Chiers niés, la Contesse de Leycestre nous pria et requist à sa fin que nous vous preisons que vous eussiez pitie de li et de son testament, et nous requist ausi que nous preisons de Amauri, son fil clerc, que vous eussiez pitiè de li et que vous li feissiez droit et rendissiez vostre grace.  Et pour ce que nous li promeismes que nous le ferions, nous vous priames de ....choses, et vous en prions encores que vous vuilliez fere et commander que la besogne qui touche le testament à la dite dame ... et délivrée tant comme droiz, et li us, et la costume du pais pourront doner.  Et d...de la ... au clerc, et ... que heneurs et boen soit, et tant que Diex vous en sache gré et nous et bones ...fetes en tant que vous non puissiez estre blasmez.  Et de ces choses, s’il vous plai ... vostre volonté ... le lundi devant la feste saint Denys.  

Historical context:

Marguerite had been involved in negotiations with her brother-in-law Henry III over the fate of Simon Montfort and his wife, Eleanor, Henry's sister, after Simon's rebellion.  Simon and their son Henry were killed in battle against Henry's forces, two other sons were in exile.  Marguerite here asks  Edward to be merciful to the remaining son, Amaury, a cleric.

Manuscript source:

Tower of London collection of royal letters, #1125.  

Printed source:

Letters of royal and illustrious ladies of great britain from the commencement of the twelfth century to the close of the reign of Queen Mary, ed. MAE Green (London:  H. Colburn, 1846), 1.57-58, #10. 

Date: