A letter from the church of Soissons

Translated letter:

To his most illustrious lady Blanche, venerable countess palatine of Troyes.  Simon, provost, Guy, dean, and the whole chapter of the mother church of Soissons, greetings in the Saviour of all.  For the generostiy of your benefactions in amending the payments for the work of distribution of money to the poor clerics of our choir in services for the dead, giving not small thanks to you, we have established the highest retribution of your alms to you, the bestower.  Since one must truly act mercifully to one who gives mercy, we make you a sharer and a sister with us, for the grace of God, celebrating in our church day and night benefactions, prayers, and all divine service, in your life as well as after your death.  We shall have your death, when the time comes as God wills, and the death of count Thibaut of good memory, your late husband, inscribed in our martyrology and will celebrate the memory and anniversary of your souls every year in perpetuity.  That this remain firm and unchanging, we have had it confirmed by the protection of our seal.

Original letter:

Illustrissime domine Blanche venerabili comitisse Trecensis palatine. S(imon) prepositus, G(uiotus) decanus, totumque capitulum Suessionensis matris ecclesie, salutem in omnium Salvatore. De beneficiorum vestrorum largitione pro redditibus emendis ad opus distributionis nummorum pauperibus clericis chori nostri in obsequiis mortuorum, grates nobis/vobis* non modicas referentes, elemosine vestre retributionem summum vobis constituimus largitorem. Quia vero misericorditer est agendum cum eo qui facit misericordiam, benefactorum, orationum, et tocius divini obsequii, in ecclesia nostra nocte et die celebrandi, tam in vita quam post mortem vestram pro Dei gratiam nobiscum consortem vos facimus et sororem. Obitum autem vestrum cum tempus Deo volente advenerit, et ad presens obitum comitis Th(eobaldi) bone memorie quondam mariti vestri, in martyrologio nostro scribi et animarum vestrarum singulis annis in perpetuum memoriam et anniversarium faciemus. Quod ut firmum et stabile permaneat, sigilli nostri munimine fecimus confirmari. 

Historical context:

The church of Soissons thanks the countess for her generosity and announces the services it would perform in gratitude.

Scholarly notes:

*  Evergates told me that the cartulary reads nobis, but a copy (in CR8) made from the original document reads vobis, which he and I prefer.

Printed source:

The Cartulary of Countess Blanche of Champagne, edited by Theodore Evergates, © The Medieval Academy of America 2010 (University of Toronto Press, 2009), 119, #102.  Reprinted with permission of the press.

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