A letter from Henry III, king of England (1257)

Translated letter:

King Henry to his beloved mother [Viard, mother-in-law] Beatrice, countess marchioness of Provence and of the county of Forcalquier, greetings and sincere increase of love. You should know that we and our queen, your daughter, and our children, rejoice in physical health, which we sincerely desire to know [is true] about you as about us. Signifying to you that we are not a little distressed and disturbed by the injuries and anguish inflicted on you by the count of Provence, the brother of the king of France, over the lands and possessions which Raymond of blessed memory, once count of Provence, your husband, left you, all the more because it seems that said count of Provence who is connected to you by a bond equal to ours, ought to help rather than hurt you. Whence we would willingly offer a remedy, if we could; but since we, like other friends of yours, are occupied by various and urgent business at this time, it is fitting that we patiently accept the form of peace entered into between you and said count of Provence, for the present. And since we understood that according to the form of that peace you have to have our letters patent for ratification of said peace by the coming feast of the Purification for the castles which you hold in our name, which Raymond of blessed memory, once the count of Provence and your husband, and you, pledged to us for the loan of 4000 marks which you received from us, we, desiring your peace and advantage with filial affection, send our letters patent for the aforesaid ratification, beyond what is required, through our beloved knight Drogo of Barent. Earnestly requesting your love that you give security to that Drogo in our place which suffices to us for the aforesaid 4000 marks to be paid us, applying effective counsel towards making the full payment to us. For which we are closely obliged to you in thanks; and in those things which our said knight tells you on our part about the aforesaid business, you may trust without question, relaying to us through him your state and the pleasure of your will. Witness, the King at Merton, on the first day of January, [in the 41st year of the reign of Henry III].[summary in Patent Rolls: Notification to B. the countess of La Marche, marquise of Provence and countess of Forchalquier, that the king condoles with her over the weariness and distress caused her by the count of Provence, the French king's brother, about the lands of her sometime husband the count, which he would remedy if he could, but as he and her other friends are occupied with other urgent matters, she must bear it patiently for the present. And as he understands that according to the form of that peace she ought to obtain his letters patent under ratification of the peace by the Purification, for the castros which she holds in the king's name late of her husband Raymond, count of Provence, for a loan of 4000 marks which the king made to her, the king is sending to her his letters of ratification by his knight Drew de Barentin, requesting her to give him sufficient security for the payment of the said 4000 marks, and to give faith to what he says on the king's behalf.

Original letter:

Rex dilectae Matri suae B. Comitissae Marchionatus Provinciae, et Comitatus Forch. salutem et sincerae dilectionis augmentum. Sciatis quod nos, et Regina nostra, filia vestra, liberique nostri, incolumitate laetamur corporea, quod de vobis, tanquam de nobis ipsis, scire praecordialiter affectamus. Vobis significantes quod de taediis et angustiis, vobis per Comitem Provinciae, Fratrem Regis Franciae, illatis super terris et possessionibus, quae bonae memoriae Reymundus, quondam Comes Provinciae, maritus vester, vobis reliquit, fastiditi sumus non modicum et turbati; et eo magis quod videtur quod dictus Comes Provinciae, qui vobis pari foedere quo et nos, affigitur, vos potius juvare deberet, quam gravare. Unde libenter ad hoc apponeremus remedium si possemus; set, quia tam nos, quam alii amici vestri variis et urgentibus negotiis occupamur hiis diebus, oportet nos formam pacis, inter vos et dictum Comitem Provinciae initam, patienter ad praesens sustinere. Et cum intelleximus quod vos debetis, secundum formam pacis illius, litteras nostras patentes sub ratificatione pacis praedictae, circa instans Festum Purificationis impetrare pro Castris, quae nomine nostro tenetis, quae scilicet bonae memoriae Reymundus, quondam Comes Provinciae, et vir vester, et vos nobis, causa pignoris, obligastis pro quatuor millibus Marcarum, quae a nobis mutuo recepistis; Nos, quietem et utilitatem vestram filiali affectione desiderantes, litteras nostras patentes, super ratificatione praedicta, exhabundanti vobis mittimus per dilectum militem nostrum Drogonem de Barent. Dilectionem vestram rogantes attentius quatinus eidem Drogoni securitatem, quae nobis sufficiat de praedictis quatuor millibus Marcarum nobis reddendis, fieri faciatis vice nostra; circa plenam solutionem nobis inde faciendam consilium efficax apponentes. Pro quo vobis artius astringamur ad grates; et in hiis quae praefatus Miles noster vobis dicet, ex parte nostra, super negotio praedicto, ei fidem adhibeatis indubitatam; renunciantes nobis per eundem statum vestrum, et vestrae beneplacitum voluntatis. Teste ut supra [Rege apud Merton, primo die Januarii].

Historical context:

Henry writes to his mother-in-law in sympathy for her struggles with Charles, and confirming with letters patent the agreement made to repay him the money he had lent her and her husband for the castros they pledged. Within a month, Henry had made over the 4000 marks owed to him by Beatrice and Raymond to Beatrice's brother, Peter, count of Savoy (Rymer, 1.354, Viard, #11).  The castrum is an administrative unit with a castle at the center.

Printed source:

Rymer, Foedera, 1.2.23-24 (3rd ed.); a version in Viard, document #10, not complete and slightly different wording. The letter is summarized in the Patent Rolls, 4.584.

Date:

1257