A letter from Henry III (1242)
Sender
Henry IIIReceiver
Isabel of AngoulêmeTranslated letter:
The king to Isabel queen of England, countess of La Marche and Angoulême, [sends] greetings. We send you our beloved relative T, the treasurer of Touraine, asking you to give over to him the castrum of Mastac, as was agreed between us; granting us, if it please you, some brief time for the 500 marks we owe you for that castrum. But do not fail to hand over said castrum to him because we do not send you said money right now; since if you can not with ease grant us the brief time we ask, send to us for the said 500 marks and we shall send them to you immediately, provided that you give that castrum to said treasurer as was agreed between us. With me as witness, at Pons, 6th day of June, in the 26th year of our reign.
Original letter:
Rex, Isabelle regine Anglie, comitisse Marchiae et Engolismae, salutem. Mittimus ad vos dilectum consanguineum nostrum T. thesaurarium Turronensem, vos rogantes quatinus castrum de Mastac, sicut condictum fuit inter nos, reddi faciatis eidem; concedentes nobis, si placet, aliquem terminum brevem de quingentis marcis quas vobis debemus pro castro memorato. Nec aliquatenus omittatis quin ei castrum predictum liberare faciatis, eo quod predictam pecuniam vobis non mittimus ad presens; quia si commode non poteritis terminum, quem petimus brevem, nobis concedere, mittatis ad nos pro predictis quingentis marcis, et nos statim illas vobis mittemus, dummodo castrum illud reddideritis predicto thesaurario sicut inter nos est placitum. Teste me ipso, apud Pontem, VI die junii, anno regni XXVI.Historical context:
Henry asks his mother to give back the castle of Mastac, as they had agreed, requesting a short respite to pay her the 500 marks he owes for it, but he will pay immediately if she can not grant the respite. A castrum is an administrative unit with a fortification/castle at the center.