A letter from Mathilde

Translated letter:

We, Mathilde countess of Holland, make known to all who will look over the present charter, in the present as well as future, that we have given to the religious congregation of Beguines in Gravenzande out of reverence for God and devotion to religion and also indulgence for our sins, the whole area which they have surrounded by their own labors and the used ditches and trees; we have added for the greater enlarging of said congregation and conferred that part of the land in which the house of Agatha, widow of Andrew son of Bokels is located, which land extends from the dike/moat of said beguines to the common dike/moat which is called “watheringhe,” to be possessed freely and perpetually by right of ownership.

That this donation remain firm and stable, we have prudently had the present letter protected by our seal and that of our beloved daughter Aleide of Hainaut.

Dated at Gravenzande in the 1266th year of the Lord, on the day of pope Calixtus.   

Original letter:

Nos Machtildis comitissa Hollandie notum facimus tam presentibus quam futuris presentem cartulam inspecturis, quod nos religiose congregationi beghinarum in Grauenzande cui ob reverentiam Dei ac religionis cultum necnon peccatorum nostrorum indulgentiam dedimus totam a[r]eam quam propriis laboribus et expensis fossis et arboribus cinxerunt,pro ma[i]ori ampliatione dicte congregationis addidimus et contulimus illam partem terre in qua sita est domus Aghate relicte Andree filli Bokels, que terra se extendit a fossato dictarum beginarum usque ad commune fossatum quod dicitur watheringhe, iure proprietatis libere ac perpetue possidendam.

Ut hec autem d[ona]tio rata et stabilis perseveret, presentem literam fecimus et sigillo nostro provide communiri.

Datum apud Grauenzande anno DominiM° CC° LX° VI°, in dieCalixti pape.

Historical context:

The countess records a gift of land to a congregation of Beguines.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch  3.455, #1426. 

Date: