A letter from Eleanor of Provence (1282)

Translated letter:

Eleanor, by the grace of God, queen of England, to our ... son the king, greetings and our blessing. You should know, our son, that Philip, count of Savoy, our uncle, has advised us by letter that my lord Otto, count of Burgundy, is renegging on agreements he made while his mother was alive and which he himself confirmed by his seal, by paine mise, and by oath. He asks our help and counsel in this, and also that we pray you to charge my lord John of ...ns.lly.. that together with the duke of Burgundy he get involved in what is needed as our uncle will show him, and do it quickly. And because, good, sweet son, we can not and should not fail him, for he has never failed us in our need, we wish to pray you as one who ... us and all our lineage, that you will say or send to our lord John, as we ask you. And we also pray you, on our part, that you send or speak the need particularly to my lord John, so that he ... can show it from you to the count of Burgundy and the duke and the count of Bar, so that they may understand that ... your heart is in it. And if it should happen that he did not wish to, let him understand that you would never fail your uncle, but rather that you would help him on all counts: and ... [if] you came from across the sea, and that if you were in need, he would be the first to act ... would know it. We pray you for this very strongly that when the count of Burgundy knows that you are with your uncle, he will make peace quickly and act better to the honor of our uncle. We commend you to God. Dated Gillingham, 26th day of August.

Original letter:

Alianor, par la grace de Dieu, reine d’Engleterre, à nostre....fils le roi, salut et nostre beneyzon. Sachés, nos fis, que Phelippe le conte de Savoie, nostre oncle, nos a mandé par sa lettre que mon sire Otes, conte de Borgogne, li vet contradisant covenances que il li fesoit tant que la contesse sa mère vivoit, et lesquel il meismes li confermoit et par son sell, et par paine mise, et par serment. De ceste chose nos prie-il aide et consail, et ausi que nos vos prioms que vos voillés charger à mon sire Jehan de ...ns.lly..que il ensemblement o le duc de Borgogne, se voille entremetre de la besogne solom ce que nostre oncle li monstrera, et que ce soit fet hastivement. Et par ce, beau dos fis, que nous ne poüms ne ne devons faillir à li, kar il ne failli mie à nos en nostre besong, nos vos voloms prier com celi qui......f.. de nos et de tot nostre lignage, que vos voillés ceste chose dire ou mander à nostre sire Jehan, en la manière que vos requieron. Et onkore vos prioms-nos outre, de la nostre part, que vos volés si espécialment mander ou dire la besogne à mon sire Jehan, ke il en.....la mostre de par vos au conte de Bourgogne, et au duk, et au conte de Bar, que il peussent entendre à....vostre quoer i est. Et si ensi estoit que il ne vousist pas et que il entendise que vous ne faudriés mie à vostre oncle, eins li aidriés en tos poins: et pensés comme il vos fu ami en vostre grant basogne d’Engleterre et au.......vos veniés d’outre mer, et que se vos aviès mestier, il seroit le premier qui se metroit par vo.........le sauroit. De ceste chose vos prions-nous si fort que quant le conte de Borgogne saura que vos estes por vostre oncle, il fra plus tost la pès et meilleur acord à l’honor de nostre oncle. A Dieu vos comandons. Donées à Gillingham, xxvj jor d’aust.

Historical context:

Eleanor writes on behalf of her uncle Philip, count of Savoy (1268-85), who had advised her during negotiations with Simon de Montfort and the papal legate. She asks Edward to intervene in his conflict with the count of Burgundy. The letter, which has several lacunae, is in French.

Printed source:

Lettres de Rois, Reines et Autres Personnages des Cours de France et D'Angleterre, ed. M. Champollion-Figeac (Paris: Imprimerie Royale, 1839), 1.306-07, ep. 240.

Date:

1282