A letter from Aleid

Translated letter:

Aleid, wife of the late John of Avesnes, protectress of Holland and Zeeland, to all who will see the presents to know the truth.

Your whole community should know that with the prudence of our counsel, by the hand of our steward of North Holland (Noordholland), we have sold  to Nicholas, municipal official of Waddinxveen, to Woubert son of Christine,  to Gerard of Woude, to Werinmar and his associates, the keepers of the presents, seven villages of peat land, from which four and a half are located at the south end of Waddinxveen, and two and a half at the north end, and whichever village will have three furlongs in length and sixty rods in width, to be possessed by them and their heirs in pure ownership under the condition that at the census each year they pay four Dutch solidi on the feast of St. Martin for each village; that they pay the tithe for said village in the manner in which they pay tithes for their land in Waddinxveen which is now cultivated.  And through this they will be free from every other fee  and unjust extortion.   The acqueduct of said land will be open to them without opposition.

In witness of which we have had our seal placed on the present letter.  Witnesses of this our action are:  Th. lord of Teylingen, William lord of Brederode, Th. lord of Gouda, and several others.

This was enacted at Rijnsburg in the 1260th year of the Lord, on the morrow of St. Bartholomew the apostle, by the hand of Th. cleric.

Original letter:

Aleydis uxor quondam Iohannis de Auesnis, Hollandie et Zelandie tutrix, universis presentia visuris et noscere veritatem.

Noverit universitas vestra quod nos de providentia consilii nostri, per manum fidelis nostri Florekini ballivi nostri Northollandie, vendidimus Nicolao sculteto de Waddinxuene, Wouberto filio Cristine, Gherardo de Woude, Uerinmaro et sociis eorum, conservatoribus presentium, septem hovas veni, de quibus quator et dimidia sita sunt apud Sutende de Waddinxuene et due hove et dimidia apud Nortende de Waddinxuene, et quelibet hova habebit in longitudine tres vorlinghos et in latitudine sexaginta virghas, ipsis et heredibus suis in purum proprium possidendum sub tali conditione quod ad precariam singulis annis persolvent in festo beati Martini quatuor solidos Hollandensium de qualibet hova; decimam de dictis hovis persolvent eo modo quo decimas solvent de terra eorum de Waddinxuene que nunc culta est. Et per hoc libri erunt ab omni alia exactione et iniusta extortione. Aqueductus patebit eis sine contradictione de terra memorata.

In cuius rei testimonum presenti littere sigillum nostrum duximus apponendum. Huius  facti nostri testes sunt: Th. dominus de Teijlinghe, Willelmus dominus de Brederode, Th. dominus de Gouda, et alii quamplures.

Acta sunt hec apud Rensburch anno Domini M° CC° LX°, in crastino beati Bertolomei apostoli, per manum Th. clerici.

Historical context:

Aleid makes known her sale of villages of peat land and the terms of the sale.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch, 3.247-48, #1242

Date: