A letter from Blanche and Odo

Translated letter:

We, Odo duke of Burgundy, Blanche countess palatine of Troyes, Thibaut my son count of Champagne, and Hervé count of Nevers make known to all who will look into the present letters that we have sworn such an oath that will be firmly observed among us mutually, namely that if any men of ours should commit any injury or crime on whom it is our right to act and seize, in that court of which he is our man before others, that man of ours will be held before others by said oath to destroy and chase him from the land until he give satisfaction.  We are indeed held to destroy and chase him from the land, as was said, by that oath in good faith and without evil artifice, to give counsel and help from our people, from our goods, bodies and lands, until as was said he render satisfaction and amends  That this remain known and held firm, recorded by letters, we have had it strengthened by the protection of our seals.  Enacted at Troyes in the year of the Lord 1217, in the month of October.  

Original letter:

Nos Odo dux Burgundie, Blancha comitissa Trecensis palatina, Theob(aldus) filius meus comes Campanie, et Herveius comes Nivernensis. Notum facimus universis presentes litteras inspecturis, quod nos juramentum tale juravimus inter nos vicissim firmiter observandum, videlicet quod si aliquis hominum nostrorum aliquam injuriam vel aliquid forisfactum fecerit, de quo nobis jus facere et capere, in curia illius nostrum cujus homo esset ante alios, ille nos­trum cujus homo erit ante alios tenetur per predictum juramentum ipsum destruere et fugare de terra, donec ad merceiam illius venerit. Nos vero ad illum destruendum et fugandum de terra sicut predictum est tenemur per idem jura­mentum bona fide et sine malo ingenio consilium et auxilium apponere de nostris gentibus de nostris averiis de corporibus et de terris, donec sicut predic­tum est venerit ad merceiam et satisfactionem. Quod ut notum permaneat et ratum teneatur, litteris annotatum, sigillorum nostrorum fecimus munimine roborari. Actum Trecis anno Domini M CC septimodecimo, mense octobri.

Historical context:

An agreement made by the countess and her son with the duke of Burgundy and the count of Nevers to cooperate on ensuring satisfaction for crimes committed by their men.

Printed source:

The Cartulary of Countess Blanche of Champagne, edited by Theodore Evergates, © The Medieval Academy of America 2010 (University of Toronto Press, 2009), 267-68, #299.  Reprinted with permission of the press.

Date: