A letter from Eleanor of Provence (04/28/1254)
Sender
Eleanor of ProvenceReceiver
burgesses and good men of NorthamptonTranslated letter:
Signification to the burgesses and good men of Northampton of the royal assent to the election of Benedict Dod as their mayor. By the queen.Historical context:
When Henry III went to Gascony to deal with a rebellion, he appointed Eleanor to run the government with the counsel of his brother Richard of Cornwall (who was married to Eleanor’s sister Sanchia). The Patent Rolls record the actions she took in that position.Scholarly notes:
(1) After the first two volumes of the Patent Rolls published in Latin, the editors shifted to English translations, explaining that the "language tends gradually to become more formal and verbose."Printed source:
Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Henry III, 1247-58, 4.368; summary in English.(1)