A letter from Aleid

Translated letter:

We, Aleid, wife of the late lord John of Avesnes, to all who will look at the present letters, greetings and to know the truth.

We wish it to come to the notice of all that we give and assign to the nuns in Leusden because of the trouble and frequency of labors which they bear, to celebrate the anniversaries of our very beloved, of our dearest mother lady Mathilde late countess of Holland and of our most beloved lord and late husband, John of Avesnes of bright memory, and also ours after our death, so that they say a vigil on the next day after [the feast] of St. Thomas the apostle, before the birthday/nameday of our said most beloved mother, and on the day following they will celebrate the anniversary, on the day indeed of St. Thomas the apostle, after the birthday/nameday of our aforenamed late lord and beloved husband they will say the vigil of the anniversary, celebrating a mass for him on the following day; moreover as long as we happen to live they will celebrate a mass for us of the Holy Spirit every year with the suitable equivalent in priests, nuns, and monks; for which things we give and assign to said nuns 30 Holland solidos, from Hugo of Ruiven or his heirs or who collects his heredity from the hereditary debt in which he is held to us annually for the mill sold to him, to be received by them annually and perpetually on the feast of St. Andrew the apostle.

In witness of which, we have conferred the present letter strengthened by the protection of our seal as very full evidence.

Dated in the 1271st year of the Lord, on the Wednesday before the Palm branches (Palm Sunday).

Original letter:

Nos Aleydis uxor quondam domini Iohannis de Avennis universis praesentes literas inspecturis salutem et noscere veritatem.

Ad notitiam omnium volumus pervenire quod nos monialibus in Lausdunis propter infestationem et laborum quos sustinent frequentiam, pro anniversariis perdilectorum nostrorum karissimae matris nostrae dominae Mechtildis quondam comitissae Hollandiae necnon dilectissimi quondam domini nostri et mariti domini Iohannis de Avennis clarae memoriae et etiam nostro post mortem nostram faciendis, ita quod proxima die post Sancti Thomae apostoli ante Natalem memoratae matris nostrae perdilectae vigiliam dicent et die sequenti anniversarii diem celebrabunt, in die vero sancti Thomae apostoli post Natalem praenominati quondam domini nostri et perdilecti mariti anniversarii vigiliam dicent, die sequenti pro eodem missam celebrando; praeterea vivere quamdiu nos contigerit missam unam pro nobis quolibet anno de Sancto Spiritu celebrabunt cum aequipollentia quae convenit de presbyteris, monialibus et conversis; pro cuius rei causa dictis monialibus XXX solidos Hollandensium, ab Hugone de Ruvene vel suis heredibus vel qui suam hereditatem accipiet de hereditario debito in quo nobis annuatim tenetur pro molendino sibi vendito, eisdem damus et assignamus annuatim et perpetuo ad festum sancti Andreae apostoli recipiendos.

In cuius rei testimonium, ad evidentiam pleniorem dictis monialibus praesentem literam sigilli nostri munimine contulimus roboratum.

Datum anno Domini M CCLXX primo, feria quarta ante Ramos palmarum.

Historical context:

The countess announces a gift of money to the nuns in Leusden to say vigils and celebrate masses for her mother, her own late husband, and herself, to be paid by a man who owes her for the mill he bought.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch, 668-69, #1591

Date: