A letter of donation

Translated letter:

In the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.  I Baldwin, by the grace of God count of Flanders, son of Robert junior, for the remedy of the souls of my father and my other predecessors, gave a sheeprun at Slipa, next to Suthana, paying 52 pounds each year, to the church of the Holy mother of God, Mary, of Bourbourg, along with my mother the most glorious countess C[lementia], by her own hand, to be held by perpetual right, free and absolved of every toll; and I confirmed the gift before primates and men of my land.  So that what we did cannot ever be disturbed, weakened, or broken by any of my successors, we have ordered it recorded in letters, signed with the seal of our authority, and subscribed by the names of my primates and men, in confirmation.  Enacted at Furnis, in the 1116th year of  the lord, 8th [9th] indiction, 3rd ides of February, Friday.  These witnesses were present:  Theodore notary, William son of count Philip, Baldwin chamberlain, Foulf castellan of Bergen, Baldwin from Bailleul, Reinger seneschal, Henry of Cassel, Baldwin Botal, Sogir of Ypres, Bernold of Bourbourg, Godescalc of Gravelines, Reinbald Gast, Elias his brother.

Original letter:

In nomine Patris el Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Ego Baldwinus, Dei gratia Flandrensium comes, Rodberti junioris videlicet filius, pro remedio animarum patris mei ceterorumque predecessorum meorum, berqueriam unam apud Slipan, singulis annis LII libras persolventem, que juxta Suthana jacet, ecclesie Sancte Dei genitricis Marie de Broburch, una cum matre mea gloriosissima comitissa C., propria manu, jure perpetuo tenendam ab omni exactione liberam et absolutam dedi; donumque coram primatibus et viris terre mee confirmavi. Ut autem, quod fecimus, a nullo unquam successorum meorum possit inquietari, debilitari, cassari, litteris hoc precepimus annotari, nominibusque primatum et virorum meorum in confirmationem ipsius subscriptis, nostre auctoritatis sigillo signari. Actum est Furnis, anno Domini M°C°XVI, indictione VIII, III° idus februarii, feria VI. Astabant autem testes hii: Theodericus notarius, Willelmus Philippi comitis filius, Baldwinus camerarius, castellanus Bergensis Froulfus, Balduinus ex Baliul, Reingerus dapifer, Heinricus Cassellensis, Baldwinus Botal, Sogir Iprensis, Bernoldus de  Broburch, Godescalc de Gravenigga, Reinbaldus Gast, Elias frater ejus.

Historical context:

The count and his mother give a sheeprun to the abbey of Bourbourg, free of any exactions.  The editor notes an error in the dating, 8th indiction should be 9th.

Printed source:

F. Vercauteren, Actes des Comtes de Flandres, 1071-1128 (Brussels:  Palais des Academies 1938), #78, 175-76. 

Date: