A letter of reward

Translated letter:

Elizabeth by the grace of God the dowager queen of Hungary to all the faithful of Christ present and future who will see the present writing greetings in the savior of all.  Prudent circumspection of reginal deliberation and circumspect benevolence reminds and induces us to encounter with grateful spirit the loyalty and services given advantageously to us by anyone, answering them favorably with appropriate retribution for their deserts:  since while we offer favor and assent to the labors and honorable services of those, and give more readily with ready payment, we invite others to fuller works of loyalty by similar example.  Thus we wish to make manifest by the contents of the presents to the notice of your universality; that we noting the multiple loyalty and merits of services of our loyal noble man James son of Panyit of the Buzád family, Master of our stewards, not fearing to expose his person to the accidents of fortune in different expeditions of the kingdom for lord king Ladislaus, our dearest son, and us, for the honor of the royal and reginal crown, and in various needs of that same lord Ladislaus our dearest son still of tender age and us after the death of our lord king Stephen never leaving us, with the highest loyalty and devotion laudably and tirelessly gave and exhibited, not fearing to expose himself and his things to various kinds of dangers for that lord king Ladislaus our dearest son and for us; and especially in the shedding of his blood when he fought in the battle of the castros of Novák and Paka before the eyes of our majesty, laudably, suffering lethal and mortal wounds.  Wishing therefore to make some provision for him in recompense of his services and shedding of his blood, though he would be worthy of greater remuneration:  we have given, donated, and conferred a certain possession of ours called Csehi, situated in the county of Segesd, completely within our granting, with all its uses and all appurtenances, to that Master James and his heirs and successors of his heirs to be possessed in perpetuity and peace.  In memory and perpetual stability of which thing we have granted the present letters to him strengthened by the protection of our double seal.  Dated by the hand of Master Wrbazij, provost of the church of St. Peter of Pozsega, our faithful chancellor of our court in the thousand two hundred eightieth year (1280th) of the Lord.

Original letter:

Elizabeth Dei gracia maior regina Hungarie omnibus Christi fidelibus tam presentibus quam futuris presens scriptum inspecturis salutem in omnium saluatore.  Reginalis deliberacionis prouida circumspeccio et circunspecta benignitas nos ammonet et inducit, ut quorumlibet fidelitati et seruicijs commode nobis impensis gratanti animo occuramus, condigna retribucione meritis eorundem fauorabiliter respondentes:  quia dum eorum laboribus et honesti seruicijs fauorem prebemus et assensum, ceteros ad ampliora fidelitatis opera exemplo simili inuitamus, et de promptis reddimus prompciores.  Proinde vniuersitatis uestre noticie tenore presencium fieri volumus manifestum; quod nos attendentes multiplices fidelitates et seruiciorum merita fidelis nostri nobilis viri Jacobi filij Ponich de genere Buzad, Magistri Dapiferorum nostrorum, que domino nostro Regi Stephano consorti nostro karissimo inclite recordacionis, et domino Ladizlao Regi filio nostro karissimo, ac nobis, pro Regie Reginalisque Corone honore in diuersis Regni expedicionibus personam suam fortune casibus exponere non formidans, varijsque in  necessitatibus ipsius domini Ladizlai karissimi filij nostri adhuc in etate tenera existentis, et nostris, post obitum  domini nostri Regis Stephani nos nullatenus relinquendo, cum summa fidelitate et deuocione laudabiliter inpendit et exhibuit indefesse, se et sua varijs periculorum generibus pro ipso domino Ladizlao Rege karissimo filio nostro et pro nobis exponere non verendo; et specialiter in effusione sui sanguinis, quum in expugnacione castrorum de Nowak et de Paka coram  oculis Nostre Maiestatis laudabiliter dimicauit, letalia et mortalia sua uulnera subferendo.  Volentes igitur eidem in reconpensacionem seruiciorum suorum et effusionis sanguinis sui aliquam prouisionem facere, licet ampliori remuneracione dignus esset:  quandam possessionem nostram Chehy uocatam, in Comitatu Segusdiensi situatam, nostre per omnia collacioni pertinentem, cum omnibus utilitatibus suis et pertinencijs vniuersis dedimus, donauimus et contulimus ipsi Magistro Jacobo et suis heredibus heredumque suorum successoribus perpetuo et pacifice possidendam.  In cuius rei memoriam firmitatemque perpetuam presentes eidem concessimus litteras duplicis sigilli nostri munimine roboratas.  Datum per manus Magistri Wrbazij Prepositi Ecclesie Sancti Petri de Posaga aule nostre Cancellarij fidelis  nostri, anno Domini MoCCo octuagensimo. 

Historical context:

The dowager queen rewards the master of her stewards for his unstinting service to her deceased husband, to herself, and to her son, king Ladislas with land in her county of Segesd.  She had witnessed his wounding at the siege of Novák and Paka.  A castrum is an administrative unit with a castle at the center.

Printed source:

Árpádkori új okmánytár:  Codex diplomaticus Arpadianus continuatus, vols. I-XII, G. Wenzel ed. (Pest-Budapest: 1860-74), 12.301-2, #249, dated 1280.

Date: