A letter from Marguerite of Provence (c.1270)

Translated letter:

To the most serene and her dearest brother Henry, by grace of God illustrious king of England, Marguerite, by that same grace queen of the French, greetings and affection of sincere love. We send to your highness to know about your state, asking your love that you send news back about it through the bearer of the presents. We also ask that you send us Henry, our dearest nephew, son of the king of Germany, who we understand has gotten sick, until he is fully cured of his illness, since he will be better with us than in foreign and unknown places where he might have to be alone.

Original letter:

Serenissimo et karissimo fratri suo Henrico, Dei gratia regi Anglie illustrissimo, Margareta, eadem gratia Francorum regina, salutem et sincere dilectionis affectum. Mittimus celsitudini vestre pro statu vestro sciendo, dilectionem vestram rogantes quatinus de illo nos velitis reddere certiores per presentium portitorem. Iterum vos rogamus quatinus Henricum, karissimum nepotem nostrum, filium regis Allemannie, nobis mittatis, quem aliquantulum intelleximus infirmari, quousque de infirmitate sua fuerit liberatus ad plenum, quia melius nobiscum erit quam in locis extraneis et ignotis ubi solum fortassis ipsum oporteret remanere.

Historical context:

The queen asks her brother-in-law to send her Henry of Almain, the son of his brother Richard and his first wife, perhaps to forestall his leaving on crusade until he recovered.

Printed source:

Lettres de Rois, Reines et Autres Personnages des Cours de France et D'Angleterre, ed. M. Champollion-Figeac (Paris: Imprimerie Royale, 1839), 1.154, ep.126

Date:

c.1270