Release from ducal control

Translated letter:

In the name of the lord Amen.  We Boleslaw, by the grace of God duke of Masovia, for the remission of our sins.  To the church of the Blessed Mother of the Lord, indeed the bishopric of Masovia, in all the towns/villages of the bishop and canons as well as abbots and other ecclesiastical persons, we confer this liberty/freedom.  Namely that all free men, those towns in Colentes, are not [to be] cited nor judged by our palatine or castellan or by any other judge, nor by us.  Also if three free man lived within the estate  of the church or mixed with peasants/serfs [those bound to the soil] or beside those living there, they will enjoy all and full freedom by which those bound to the land enjoy.  But if more than three survive free, they will not be judged by us as said above.  Always with three remaining free in whatever town.  And all those equally form a military expedition (prevod).  Dated in Villa Piantek, in a meeting.  Present [were] lord Duke Conrado, our father, and our mother.  At whose urging and will we have conferred these things.
Present also  Semowit and Siemomysł our brothers and noble men; palatines Mistuo (Mstivuy?) and BoGussa, butler Cesslaw.  And hunter Pribisslaw and treasurer Domavuycio, judge Nicholas, chancellor John, and Mrochecon, subchamberlain of our lord father.  Provost Predpelcon of Grodech and Mistiwio cleric and many others.  In the 1241st year of the lord, 14th kalends of February.

Original letter:

In nomine domini Amen.  Nos Bolezlaus, dei gracia Dux Mazouie, inremissionem (sic) peccatorum nostrorum.  Ecclesie Beate Matris Domini, immo Episcopatuj Mazoviensi, in villis omnibus tam Episcopi et Canonicorum quam Abbatum et aliarum Ecclesiasticarum personarum, hanc conferimus libertatem.  Videlicet vt omnes liberi homines, villas ipsas in Colentes, non Citentur non judicentur a palatino uel Castellano nostro, uel Ab Alio Aliquo judice, nec A nobis.  Item Si Tres Homines et infra liberi predium Ecclesie inhabitauerint aut Cum Asscripticijs mixti, Aut preter eos manentes, omni et plena gaudeant libertate qua gaudent asscripticij.  Quod si Plures a tribus suprafuerint liberi A nobis, sicut predictum est, non iudicabuntur.  Tribus semper liberis in qualibet villa permanentibus.  Et jlli omnes pariter prevod Militare Ducent.  Datum in Villa Piantek, in Colloquio, Presente domino Duce Conrado, patre nostro, et Matre nostra.  Quorum instancia et voluntate ista contulimus.  Presente eciam Semovito et Zememissio fratribus, et viris nobilibus:  Mistuone et BoGussa Palatinis et Cesslao pincerno.  Et pribisslao venatore et Domauuycione Thezaurario, Nicholao judice, Johanne Cancellario, et Mrochecone, subcameratio Domini Patris nostri.  Item Petro Cancellario fratris nostri Kazimiri, et Petro, preposito Scarbimiriensi.  Predpelcone preposito de Grodech et Mistiwio Clerico et aliis quamplurimis.  Anno domini MoCCoXoLI.   XIIIIo Kalendas februarjj.

Historical context:

Boleslaw, with his father Konrad and his mother Agafia present and urging him to the action, frees the peasants belonging to the bishopric of Płock from ducal judgement and from various forms of tribute.  I am grateful to Talia Zajac for alerting me to this document.

Printed source:

Archiwum Diecezjalne Kapitulnem w Płocku (Skarbiec katedralny, szafa II). Printed in: Codex diplomaticus Masoviae, vol. 1, ed. Korwin Kochanowski, no. 410, 487-488.

Date: