A letter from the abbey of Holy Trinity

Translated letter:

Let it be known to all present and future people that Matilda, countess of Vendôme, has done much harm to this place in her time; for she forbad the men of Ville-Dieu from taking tribute in Gâtines; also lest they send their flocks to graze in that forest up to Easter, she forbad for our utility, as she said, that our pasturage would be the same; the boundaries of our lands, since she had nothing in them, except this that if they were cut down, she should take payment, she ordered cut down against right and custom.  When the lord Geoffrey, abbot of this place, angered by so many misdeeds, aided by ecclesiastical justice resisted her, those evils growing worse than before, long endured the most serious disturbances from her; but yet, God castigating her with healthful scourging, struck her with bodily infirmity for former evils, particularly those which she had committed against this place, she repented and whatever she had unjustly prohibited to our men, she granted.  Moreover, for the harms which she had done to our place and for the thousand masses which the lord abbot Geoffrey had the monks sing for her soul, she asked her husband Geoffrey, count of Vendôme, that from Gâtines which he had given her as dower, he would give over to Holy Trinity and the brothers living in that place [land] to be cultivated, or dwelt in by guests.  The count, hearing this prayer, for his own soul and the soul of his father and mother and afore-mentioned wife, and for the souls of his sons and all his relatives, granted the said wood, with the advice of his barons who were present there, to be held in perpetuity by the monastery.  These [people] saw this:  Bartholomew son of Geoffrey Pagan, Jeremiah of Turre, Archembald provost, Hilgod Bacellus, Ingelbald chaplain, and many others.  Enacted at Blois, in the tower of the count, in the year 1119 from the incarnation of the Lord.

Original letter:

Notum sit omnibus presentibus et futuris hominibus quod Mahildis, Vindocinensis comitissa, multas huic loco suo tempore fecit molestias; prohibuit namque ne nostri homines de Villa-Dei tanum in Guastina caperent; item ne in eadem foresta pecudes suas ad pascendum usque ad pascha mitterent, interdixit, nostrae, sicut dicebat, utilitatis gratia, quod pasnagium nostrum sicut ipsius esset; metas terrarum nostrarum, cum in eis nichil haberet, praeter hoc quod si preciderentur, vindictam sumere deberet, contra jus et consuetudinem, succidere precepit. Cum tot et tantis ejus malefactis domnus Goffridus, hujus loci abbas, irritatus, ecclesiastica suffultus justitiae ei resisteret, illa mala pejora prioribus cumulante, diu gravissimas ab ea sustinuit infestationes: sed tandem, Deo eam salubri verbere castigante, corporis infirmitate percussa, de praeteritis malis, illis maxime quas contra hunc locum fecerat, penituit, et quicquid injuste nostris hominibus prohibuerat, concessit. Denique, pro damnis quae nostro loco fecerat et pro mille missis quas domnus Goffridus abbas, pro ejus anima, a monachis suis cantari fecit, rogavit Goffridum maritum suum, Vindocinensem comitem, ut de Guastina quam illi in dotem dederat, Sanctae-Trinitati et fratribus in loco manentibus ad excolendum, vel hospitibiis ad manendum, tradendum donaret. Comes autem ejus deprecationem exaudiens, pro sua ipsius anima et anima patris sui et matris suae et praedictae uxoris suae, et pro animabus fîliorum suorum et omnium parentum suorum, predictum boscum, consilio baronum suorum qui ibi aderant, monasterio perpetualiter habendum concessit. Hoc viderunt isti : Bartholomeus filius Goffredi Pagani, Hieremias de Turre, Archembaldus prepositus, Hilgodus Bacellus, Ingelbaldus capellanus, et alii multi. Actum Blesis, in turre comitis, anno ab incarnatione Domini M C XVIIII. 

Historical context:

Though the letter is not directly addressed to the countess, it records the settlement of a dispute between her and the abbey over the use of some of her dower land in Gâtines, so it seems likely that a copy of the agreement would have been sent to her.   Suffering from what would be a fatal illness, she acceded to the abbot's demands in exchange for a promise of masses said for her soul and apparently asked her husband to give them some of the land.  The abbot seems to have been a litigious sort, see Kimberlyt LoPrete, Adela of Blois (Dublin:  Four Courts Press, 2007), 267-68.

Printed source:

Charles Métais, Cartulaire de l’abbaye cardinale de la Trinité de Vendôme, 4 v. (Paris:  Picard, 1893-1904), 2.207-08, #433.

Date: