A letter from Marguerite of Provence (1265)

Translated letter:

Marguerite, by the grace of God queen of France, to her dearest brother Henry, by the grace of God illustrious king of England, greetings and affection of sincere love. We received your highness's letters and looked at them carefully. What we understood from them about your health made us rejoice not a little, indeed we are very happy; that you ask by your grace more certainty about our state, we are very grateful. However on what you ask us, that we hasten to send you our dearest sister, the queen of England, we explain to your excellency that, though we desire not a little to be in her society, and especially in such a happy state which, by divine authority, we now experience, since we fear that you might contract matrimony with another lady, because of that long delay, we shall take care to hasten her coming to you with all due speed; and since we know the countess of Gloucester is interested in your affairs, we shall not have good patience until we know that our said sister is in your company. Dated Paris, on Monday after the feast of St. Remigius.

Original letter:

Margarita, Dei gratia, Francie regina, karissimo fratri suo, Henrico, Dei gratia regi Anglie illustri, salutem et sincere dilectionis affectum. Celsitudinis vestre litteras recepimus, et inspeximus diligenter. De sanitate vestra intellecta per easdem gaudemus non modicum, laetamur etiam: super eo quod de statu nostro reddi, vestri gratia, petitis certiores, vobis assurgimus ad merita gratiarum. Super hoc autem quod nos rogastis ut karissimam sororem nostram, reginam Anglie, ad vos accedere festinaremus, significamus excellentie vestre quod, licet in societate ipsius interesse non modicum cupiamus, et precipue in tam jocundo statu quem, divino auctore, temperavimus, quia timemus ne cum alia Domina, propter ipsius longuam moram, matrimonium contrahatis, adventum ipsius ad vos, cum omni celeritate qua poterimus, curabimus festinare; et quandiu sciamus comitissam Glounecestrensem in vestris rebus interesse, bonam patienciam non habebimus quousque predictam sororem nostram in societate vestra noverimus interesse. Datum Parisius die lune post festum beati Remigii.

Historical context:

The date given in the edition is 1235, but Margaret Howell argues persuasively against it, suggesting 1265, when Eleanor was in France during the captivity of her husband and son, Eleanor of Provence (Oxford: Blackwell, 1998), 231-32. Marguerite responds to her brother-in-law in a playful tone. The woman she refers to as a possible second wife for him is the wealthy widow, Maud de Lacy.

Printed source:

Lettres de Rois, Reines et Autres Personnages des Cours de France et D'Angleterre, ed. M. Champollion-Figeac (Paris: Imprimerie Royale, 1839), 1.42-43, ep.34

Date:

1265