A letter of donation

Translated letter:

I Clementia, by the grace of God countess of Flanders, to all the faithfull, in perpetuity.  Be it known to all present and future that Robert, count of Flanders, and I, Clementia, his wife, for the remedy of our souls, built a certain church at Faumont and gave this church, for the use of the nuns serving God there, tithes from new land which will have increased from now to eternity; and from old land the tithe of linen which my lord R[obert], count, gave for my use, we granted to said church, and similarly granted twelve hectars of new land.  Then, after count Robert, my husband of good memory died, with the consent and granting of my son, count Baldwin and of count Charles who reigned after him, and of count Thierry/Theodore, we granted to it all that said church [had] obtained with the witness of our barons whose names are subscribed; S[ign] of William, nephew of the count; S. of Iwan of Ghent; S. of Henry of Bourbourg; S. of Roger, castellan of Insula; S. of Robert his son; S. of Baldwin, seneschal of Henin; S. of Daniel of Tenremonde; S. of Hugo of Aqua; S. of Oliver of Bunduis; S. of Thibaut of Vitriac; S. of Baldwin, castellan of Lens; S.  of Goswin of New Church; S. of Stephen, seneschal; S. of Almoric of Landas; S. of Walter, castellan of Douai; S. of Robert, provost; S. of Godfrey of Balmeis. 

And in the presence of the aforesaid it was determined that it would be legal/permitted for me to give from my land and possessions for the love of God.  Moreover, the land which Walter of Rache, castellan of Douai, obtained with the land of Alno, he gave to me and I gave it over freely without any opposition and the consent of the aforesaid Walter, to the church to possess.  Indeed they, namely Walter, Lietald, Stephen and John, his brothers, hold this land from the church.  We also granted one hectar of land of Manier and the land of a certain woman, Angligene, to the church.  We also wish it to be known to all that Robert Galgau, my vassal (serviens) gave up to me, without any opposition, three hectars of his land and two villeins/customary tenants which he held from me in fief, and he, healthy and active of body, asked me that we give that land and those tenants to the church on the condition that from then on that church would have on the feast of St. Remigius six sous (solidi) and on the Nativity of the Lord three sous and three capons, and three penny-worth of bread.  Which, as said Hubert asked me, I established, in the presence of these:  Stephen, seneschal; Walter, castellan; Gerard and Godino, his brothers; Alamric of Landas; Stephen, his brother. Roger.

Let it also be known to all the faithful that Imbert gave the tithe of twelves hectars of land which he had in fief from lady Elisende, castellan, with the consent of her and her son, Godfrey, castellan, and moreover of lady Clementia, countess, to said church to be possessed in perpetual right.  Amalric also bestowed the tithe of six hectars of land which he held from lord Godfrey, castellan, with his consent and that of lady C[lementia] countess, to the oftmentioned church for the salvation of the soul of his brother Ledbert.  At the same time, Simon of Humengges became the man of the abbess and promised fidelity to the church swearing that he would serve it all the time of his life.  Heimeric, cleric, granted to the oftmentioned church the houses which he had built and the wood he possessed in the land of St. Mary of Casletul, with the approval of his wife Manisinde. Of which thing these witnesses are subscribed:  Hugo, seneschal, his brotherd Gerard, Stephen, Anselm; Godfrey, castellan; lady Elisende; Walter, her son; Gerard of Champs; Seggo; Godin; Stephen and Amalric of Landas; Roger of Helme; Walter, his brother; Hugo Gallus of Costices; Jordan of Champs; Thomas and Rambald, his brothers; Walter, villein/tenant; Nicholas of Hally; Odo and his son, John.

Original letter:

Ego Clementia, Dei gratia Flandrensium comitissa, omnibus fidelibus, imperpetuum. Notum sit omnibus tam presentibus quam futuris quod Robertus, comes Flandrensis, et ego Clementia, eius uxor, pro remedio animarum nostrarum ecclesiam quamdam apud Falmontem constituimus, dedimus atque huic ecclesie ad usus monialium ibidem Deo servientium decimas de nova terra que a modo usque in sempiternum succreverit, et de veteri terra decimam lini, quam dominus meus R(obertus), comes, ad usus meos dederat, predicte ecclesie concessimus, et de nova terra duodecim bonarios similiter concessimus. Deinde, defuncto comite Roberto bone memorie viro, assensu et concessione filii mei, comitis Balduini et Caroli, comitis, qui post eum regnavit, et comitis Theodorici, omnia que predicta ecclesia obtinuit, testimonio baronum nostrorum eidem concessimus, quorum nomina subscribuntur:  S. Wilelmi, nepotis comitis; S. Iwani de Gant; S. Henrici de Broburc; S. Rogeri, castellani de Insula; S. Roberti, filii eius; S. Balduini, dapiferi de Henin; S. Danielis de Tenremonde; S. Hugonis de Aqua; S. Oliveri de Bunduis; S. Tebaldo de Vitriaco; S. Balduini, castellani de Lens; S. Goscewini de Nova Ecclesia; S. Stephani, dapiferi; S. Almorici de Landast; S. Walteri, castellani de Duaco; S. Roberti, prepositi; S. Godefridi de Balmeis. Et in presentia predictorum diffinitum fuit quod de terra et de bonis meis pro amore Dei michi licitum esset dare. Preterea terram quamdam quam Galterus de Rasca, castellanus de Duaco, obtinebat cum terra de Alno, michi reddidit et eam libere sine aliqua contradictione, assensu predicti Galteri, ecclesie possidendam tradidi. Hanc vero terram tenent de ecclesia scilicet Galterus, et Lietaldus et Stephanus et Iohannes, fratres eius. Unum quoque bonarium de terra Manieri, et terram cuiusdam mulieris Angligene, ecclesie concessimus. Volumus etiam ut notum sit omnibus quod Robertus Galgau, serviens meus, tres bonarios de terra sua et duos hospites quos de me in feodo tenebat, michi absque ulla contradictione reddidit, et ipse sanus et alacer corpore, me rogavit ut illam terram et illos hospites tali condicione ecclesie daremus ut inde in festo sancii Remigii sex solidos, et in Natali Domini très solidos et très capones, et tres denariatas panis eadem ecclesia haberet. Quod, sicut predictus Hubertus me rogavit, constitui, hiis astantibus: Stephano, dapifero; Gaitero, castellano; Gerardo et Godino, fratribus suis; Amalrico de Landast; Stephano, fratri suo; Rogero. Innotescat itidem omnibus fidelibus quod Imbertus decimam duodecim bonariorum terre que habebat in feodo de domina Elissenda, castellana, eius assensu et filii sui, Godefridi, castellani, et insuper domine Clementie, comitisse, predicte ecclesie perpetuo iure possidendam donavit. Amalricus etiam decimam sex bonariorum terre quam de domino Godefrido, castellano, tenebat, assensu eius et domine C(lementie) comitisse, sepedicte ecclesie pro salute anime fratris sui Ledberti possidendam tribuit. Simul etiam Simon de Humengges homo abbatisse effectus est, et fidelitatem ecclesie cum iureiurando omni tempore vite sue servaturum promisit. Heimericus, clericus, domos quas edificaverat, et nemus quod possidebat in terra sancte Marie Casletuli, uxore sua Manisinde favente, sepiusdicte ecclesie concessit. Cuius rei viri testes subscribuntur: Hugo, dapifer, et fratres eius Gerardus, Stephanus, Anselmus; Godefridus, castellanus; domina Elisendis; Walterus, filius eius; Gerardus de Campis; Seggo; Godinus; Stephanus et Amalricus de Landast; Rodgerus de Helemeis; Walterus, frater eius; Hugo Gallus de Costices; Iordains de Campis; Thomas et Reinbaldus, fratres eius; Walterus, villicus; Nicolaus de Halli; Odo et filius eius, Iohannes.

Historical context:

The countess recalls gifts she and her deceased husband made to Faumont when they founded it and adds new gifts which she made with the consent of Robert’s three successor counts and which some of her vassals made with her consent. Adair suggests that Clementia focused on Faumont late in her life because Bourbourg was difficult for her to get to after she lost her coastal towns, 282.

Printed source:

Un cartulaire de l’abbaye de Notre Dame de Bourbourg, ed. Ignace de Coussemaker (Lille:  Cucoulombier, 1882-91),1.34-35, #39. 

Date: