A letter from Alix of Vergy, duchess of Burgundy

Translated letter:

Alix, duchess of Burgundy, to her dearest faithful, Blanche, countess palatine of Troyes and her son Thibaut, greetings and the fullness of love.  You should know that the trouble that arose between me on one side and Ponce of Chaponnay on the other has been resolved in this way, namely that I received said Ponce as my man and faithful from his hands for one denarius in each bundle in the toll of Beaune to be possessed in perpetuity by him and his heirs, which the duke of Burgundy my lord and husband had given to Ponce and his heirs.  Moreover I swore to the said Ponce that I would not seize his person nor his wife or sons or daughters or anything of his, nor would anyone by my order, while that Ponce wished to be under my justice as my faithful in what he will owe.  And if, let it not be, another seized one of them, I would strive in good faith with all my ability to free him.  Moreover whatever he acquired in my land and whatever he would acquire I granted that he could do his will with it according to the custom of each place or [if] he had acquired something or would, and wished to transfer to someone, he can remain freely and absolutely as one of my faithful.  In witness of which thing I granted my letters to him, signed with my seal, and I ask that you give him your letters with our [safe]conduct according to the form of these letters in witness.  For I promise you that if any harm should come to you from that, I will indemnify you, and unless I do, I wish and grant that you would hold my pledge without guilt until I indemnified you.  Enacted in the year of the Lord 1219, in the month of June.

Original letter:

Alaydis ducissa Burgundie karissimis et fidelibus suis Blanche comitisse Trecensis palatine et Th(eobaldo) ejus filio, salutem, et amoris plenitudinem. Noveritis quod discordia que vertebatur inter me ex una parte, et Pontium de Chaponai ex altera pacificata est in hunc modum, scilicet quod ego dictum P(ontium) recepi in hominem et fidelem meum de manibus suis de uno denario in uno quoque trossello in pedagio Belne ab eodem et heredibus suis in perpe- tuum possidendo, quem dux Burgundie dominus et maritus meus dederat eidem P(ontio) et heredibus suis. Insuper juravi sepedicto Pontio quod personam suam nec uxorem suam nec filios suos vel filias nec res suas capiam nec alius de mandato meo, dum ipse Pontius voluerit se justiciare coram me tanquam fidelis meus de hoc quod debebit. Et si quod absit alius aliquem eorum caperet, ego laborarem bona fide et pro posse meo ad liberationem ipsius. Preterea quicquid acquisivit in terra mea et quicquid acquiret concessi ei quod inde voluntatem suam faciat se­cundum consuetudinem uniuscujusque loci vel ipse aliquid acquisivit vel aliquid acquiret, et unicumque voluerit potest se transferre et manere libere et absolute sicut unus de fidelibus suis meis. In cujus rei testimonium litteras meas sibi concessi, sigillo meo signatas, et rogo vos quod litteras vestras de conductu nos­tra juxta formam litterarum istarum in testimonium sibi tradatis. Promitto enim vobis quod si aliquid dampnum inde vobis evenerit, servabo vos indampnes, quod nisi facere, volo et concedo quod vos vadiaretis me sine mesfacere, donec vos servarem indampnes. Actum anno Domini M CC nonodecimo, mense junii.

Historical context:

The duchess informs the countess of the resolution of her dispute with Ponce of Chaponnay and asks her to grant him safe conduct

Printed source:

The Cartulary of Countess Blanche of Champagne, edited by Theodore Evergates, © The Medieval Academy of America 2010 (University of Toronto Press, 2009), 107-08, #87.  Reprinted with permission of the press.

Date: