A letter from Henry III (1261)

Translated letter:

5, 135, dated 1261, Jan.7: Whereas divers questions controversy and complaints have been had between the king, and S[imon]. de Monteforti, earl of Leicester, and Eleanor his wife, the king's sister, and L[ouis] king of France, has asked the king touching the peace of the earl and countess, the king, wishing to accede to the prayers and wishes of the said king, submits himself on all such questions, controversies and plaints to his award or arbitrament and will accept whatever he shall say in the premises; and he empowers Ebulo de Montibus and William le Latymer to swear on the king's soul that he will observe the same. Vacated because otherwise below. By a like letter the king submits himself to the award or arbitrament of M. queen of France, and Peter le Chaumberleyn. Vacated because otherwise below. 5.145, 1261, March 14: Notification that in all disputes between the king and Simon de Muntfort, earl of Leicester, and Eleanor the king's sister, countess of Leicester, the king submits to the award of Louis, king of France, and promises to abide by it high and low, and grants that Louis may constrain him to abide by it. And if the said Louis desires it, each shall give one of his servants to certify of these matters. And if the said Louis will not take this award upon himself, the king is willing that he shall put in his place the queen of France, and Sir Peter le Chamberlanc in form aforesaid, and the king will abide by what they say. And if Louis will not neither, or the queen and Peter will not undertake it or do not agree, things shall remain as they are. And the powers of the said arbitrators shall endure until Michaelmas. But if the king of France, the king's lord, see fit, he shall have power to extend the term until St. Andrew, and if the award be not given by then, matters shall remain as they are. In testimony whereof the king and the count and the countess have set their seals to this. [French.] 5.169, dated 1261, July 20: Notification that upon all plaints and demands which the king has against Simon de Monte Forti, earl of Leicester and Eleanor, countess of Leicester, the king's sister, or they have against him until a week after Midsummer, 1261, the king submits to the award of Margaret, queen of France, and promises to observe what she shall award by that date. And she may consult if she will B. duke of Burgundy and Peter the chamberlain [of France] or others as she will. And she shall have power to provide that full security be given that her award be observed by both parties. [Foedera.]

Historical context:

During the disagreements that arose between the king and his brother-in-law, Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester, arising out of Simon's pushing the reforms of the Provisions of Oxford, various members of the family attempted to mediate, among them Richard of Cornwall, the king's brother, the queen, Eleanor, her sister, Marguerite, and Marguerite's husband, Louis. A series of letters dealing with Marguerite's involvement and fully accepting her arbitration if Louis turned it over to her, as he did, are summarized in English in the Calendar of Patent Rolls. [The originals were presumably in Latin, except where French is specified. The Calendar includes letters that were superseded by later versions.]

Printed source:

The Calendar of the Patent Rolls of the Reign of Henry III, 5 (1258-66), 135, 145, 169

Date:

1261