A letter from Eleanor of Provence (05/06/1254)
Sender
Eleanor of ProvenceReceiver
bailiffs of castles and towns on the ThamesTranslated letter:
Mandate to all bailiffs of castles and towns on the Thames between Garing and London to permit the men of Warin son of Gerold, who is on the king’s service in Gascony, to take by the said water this time two shiploads of his corn from Garing to London. 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, 4.369; summary in English.(1)