A letter from Henry III (03/27/1224)

Translated letter:

The king to all who will see these letters, greetings. You/your community should all know that we have granted to our beloved and faithful H[ugh] count of La Marche and Angoulême and I[sabel], by the grace of God queen of England, our mother, and his wife, the tin-mine of Devon and the revenues of Ailesbury in exchange for the dower of said lady queen, our mother, in Normandy; and 200 marks in exchange for Niort to be paid annually through the hands of the Templars in La Rochelle in mid-Lent for sufferance of the dower of said queen, our mother. We have also granted them 3000 pounds Tournois for arrears from the time said count married said queen, our mother, which money they should receive through the hands of the Templars in La Rochelle on the feast of pentecost in the year of grace 1224. We also release to their holding the land which said count has in the island of Oleron in the county of Angoulême and the castle of Cognac. And said count and said queen, our mother, should hold all the aforesaid from this feast of Pentecost, which will be the year of grace 1224 for four full years. And for all the things of which said count and said queen, our mother, were seised on the feast of St. Andrew in the year of grace 1223, we shall not trouble them, but permit them to hold them in peace and quiet until said term. And if, let it not be so, the lady queen, our mother, should die within said term, said count will possess all the aforesaid on this side of the sea, except the exchange for Niort. And if said count, let it not be so, should die within the said term, said queen, our mother, will possess all the aforesaid in England and in Poitou and the exchange for Niort. Also said count swore on the holy gospels that he would serve us well and faithfully and strive for our advantage and honor and that of our people as he is able, legitimately until the said term, and he delivered to us his letters patent and those of his barons, namely Iter de Mainac, Emeric de Rupe, Geoffrey de Rancon, and William Maigno, about observing these firmly to our greater security. If it should happen that the king of France make war against said count, we shall give him sufficient and suitable aid, for his and our profit and honor. Also said count and the lady queen, our mother, postpone all their claims for the said term. We have also granted said count that in the meantime we will not suffer that any harm or injury be done to anything that belongs to him or to the lady queen, our mother, by us or ours, by our order or counsel, or even will, or that sentence of excommunications or interdict be pronounced against them or their lands until said term. We are bound also to request letters from the lord pope by which he compels those who would reneg on said pacts to observe them firmly, and we shall have letters on this from the lord pope and said count [will have] others of that form, to the greater firmness of each part. In witness the king at Westminster, 27th day of March, in the 8th year [of our reign], before the lord archbishop of Canterbury, and bishops E. of London, J. of Bath, S. (sic) of Salisbury, B. of Rochester, and J. of Ely, the justiciar H. de Burgo, W., count of Salisbury, count W[illiam] Marshall, count Warenne, W. count of Essex, count H. le Bigod, Robert son of Walter.

Original letter:

Rex universis has litteras inspecturis, salutem. Noverit universitas vestra nos concessisse dilecto et fideli nostro H. comiti Marchie et Ingolisme et I. Dei gracia regine Anglie, matri nostre, et uxori sue, stagnariam Devonie et redditus Ailesbirie pro escambio dotis dicte domine regine, matris nostre, de Normannia; et ducentas marcas pro escambio Niorti eisdem annuatim reddendas per manus Templariorum in Rupella in media quadragesima. Et hec omnia eis concessimus pro soffrancia dotis dicte regine, matris nostre. Item concessimus eis tria milia librarum Turonensis monete pro arreragiis a termino illo quo dictus comes dictam reginam, matrem nostram, desponsavit, quam pecuniam debent percipere per manus Templariorum in Rupella in festo Pentecostes quod erit anno gracie millesimo ducentesimo xxiiij. Item dimittimus eis tenere terram quam dictus comes habet in insula Oleronis nomine comitatus Engolisme et nomine castri Conniaci. Et hec omnia supradicta debent tenere dictus comes et dicta regina, mater nostra, ab hoc instanti festo Pentecostes quod erit anno gracie millesimo cc xxiiij usque ad quatuor annos completos. Et de omnibus rebus de quibus dictus comes et dicta regina, mater nostra, saisiti erant in festo beati Andree quod fuit anno gracie m cc xxiij, non faciemus eis molestiam, set permittemus eis tenere pacifice et quiete usque ad terminum supradictum. Et si forte, quod absit, domina regina, mater nostra, imfra predictum terminum decesserit, dictus comes possidebit omnia supradicta citra mare, excepto escambio de Niorto. Et si dictus comes, quod absit, imfra predictum terminum decesserit, supradicta regina, mater nostra, omnia supradicta possidebit tam in Anglia quam in Pictavia et escambium de Niorto. Item dictus comes super sacrosancta ewangelia juravit quod nobis bene et fideliter serviet et nostrum commodum et honorem et nostrorum pro posse suo procurabit legittime usque ad terminum supradictum, et litteras suas patentes et baronum suorum, videlicet, Iteri de Mainak, Emerici de Rupe, Galfridi de Rancon, et Willelmi Maingo, de hiis firmiter observandis ad majorem securitatem nobis tradidit. Si vero contigerit quod rex Francie guerram moveat contra predictum comitem, nos eidem faciemus sufficiens et competens auxilium, ita quod nobis et ipsi cederet profectui et honori. Item dictus comes et domina regina, mater nostra, ponunt in respectum omnes suas querelas quousque ad terminum supradictum. Item concessimus dicto comiti quod non sufferremus ut in aliquo quod ad ipsum pertineat, vel ad dominam reginam, matrem nostram, ex parte nostra vel a nostris dampnum interim eveniat vel gravamen, nec de mandato nostro vel consilio nostro, vel etiam voluntate, in ipsos vel in terras suas excommunicationis sentencia vel interdicti proferatur, usque ad terminum supradictum. Tenemur etiam perquirere litteras a domino papa per quas ille, qui a predictis pactis resilierit, compellatur ea firmiter observare, et super hoc nos habebimus litteras a domino papa, et dictus comes alias ejusdem forme, ad majorem utriusque partis firmitatem. Teste rege, apud Westmonasterium, xxvij die Marcii, anno etc. viij, coram domino Cantuariensi archiepiscopo, et E. Londoniensi, J. Bathoniensi, S. (sic) Sarresburiensi, B. Roffensi, et J. Elyensi episcopis, H. de Burgo, justiciario, W. comite Sarresburie, comite W. Marescallo, comite Warennie, W. comite Essexie, comite H. le Bigod, Roberto filio Walteri.

Historical context:

The record of a public letter of truce between Henry and Hugh, granting Hugh and Isabel certain properties for a fixed term of four years in exchange for the queen's dower in Normandy, and money in exchange for Niort. If either should die within the term set, the other will hold them for the term. The count is expected to protect Henry's interests during that time.

Printed source:

Patent Rolls of the Reign of Henry III, 1 A.D. 1216-1225 (London: Mackie, 1901), 431-32.

Date:

03/27/1224