A letter from dean Richard and the chapter of Amiens (bet. 1200-1213?)

Translated letter:

To his most excellent lady, Ingeburg, by the grace of God illustrious queen of the French, Richard, dean of the Amiens church, and the whole chapter of that church, greetings and devoted service always with the honor that is owed. According as it is fitting for our smallness to accept the gift of your highness, we have received what was recently offered by you and accept it with multiple thanks. We have experienced indeed in you the munificence of royal blood with the devotion of the holy parents from whom you take your origin. We rejoice in this singly and together, that you wished to honor our church with such an honorable chasuble, which though it appears precious to all, yet the authority of the giver adds much to its value. Since therefore it is your honor to honor with a gift of such generosity our church, in which you received from the Lord the anointing of holy benediction and the crown of the kingdom, we receive the said gift devotedly to your honor, always glorious in our church through reverence of your name before others. For the rest, we wish it known to your highness that we and what is ours, as we can or have strength to do, will be expended in your service, and that, trusting in the protection of the blessed Virgin and our patron saint Firmin the martyr, we though unworthy do not cease praying for you that the Lord may hear your prayers and not abandon you in a bad time. Hearing also the good opinion of your holy conversation which like a precious unguent offered to the feet of the Saviour fills the whole kingdom of the French with a good odor, and which like gold tested in fire, the more severely it is examined in the furnace of tribulations, the more gloriously it shines, the more pure it emerges and rises, we promise you in the Lord, who will not abandon those who hope in him, that he will fulfil your desire in good things so your honor will advance from good to better, and that the Lord, the just judge, will grant you in the future what is fitting.

Original letter:

EXCELLENTISSIMAE dominae suae Ingeburgi, Dei gratia illustri Francorum Reginae, Ricardus Ambianensis ecclesiae decanus, et universum ejusdem ecclesiae capitulum, salutem et cum honore debito paratum semper et devotum obsequium. PROUT parvitatem nostram decet inurius excellentiae vestrae accipere, hoc quod a vobis oblatum nuper accepimus, multiplici prosequimur actione gratiarum ; in vobis siquidem experti tam regii sanguinis munificentiam , quam sanctorum devotionem patrum a quibus duxistis originem. In hoc plurimum gaudemus omnes et singuli, quod ecclesiam nostram honorare voluistis planeta satis honorabili , quae licet ex se cunctis appareat pretiosa, ad pretium tamen ejus multum adjicit auctoritas tribuentis. Cum igitur honor sit vester munere vestrae largitatis honorare nostram ecclesiam, in qua sacrae benedictionis unctionem et regni coronam suscepistis a Domino, ad honorem vestrum praedictum munus devote suscipimus, semper in ecclesia nostra ob reverentiam vestri nominis prae ceteris gloriosum. De caetero sublimitati vestrae notum esse volumus nos et nostra, et quidquid possumus aut valemus, vestris exposita fore servitiis, et quod, de patrocinio beatas Virginis et patroni nostri beati Firmini martyris confidentes, licet indigni, pro vobis orare non desistimus, ut exaudiat Dominus petitiones vestras, nec vos deserat in tempore malo. Audientes etiam sanctas vestrae conversationis opinionem bonam, quae, velut unguentum pretiosum oblatum pedibus Salvatoris, totum regnum Francorum bono replevit odore, et quae, velut aurum quod per ignem probatur, tanto gloriosius effulget quanto gravius examinata de fornace tribulationis purior egreditur et exsurgit, promittimus vobis in Domino, qui non deserit sperantes in se, quod ipse replebit in bonis desiderium vestrum, et sic honor vester de bono in melius proficiet, quod et id quod opportunum est in futuro vobis largietur Dominus justus judex.

Historical context:

The dean responds to the queen (Epistolae 434.html), thanking her for her gift and assuring her of the chapter’s prayers for her.

Printed source:

HGF 19, Epistolae Sancti Guillelmi Abbatis S. Thomae de Paracleto 23, p.323

Date:

bet. 1200-1213?