A letter from Eleanor of Provence (1282)

Translated letter:

Eleanor, by the grace of God, Queen of England, to the King our son, greetings and our blessing. Because John of Brittany, our son, is in a foreign land and his affairs are commended to us as his mother and you as his lord; all the more that sir John of Maure, his seneschal in England, must go abroad quickly to hear news from his lord; we pray and request that you grant that sir Nicholas of Stapleton may attend to his matters in this country and send to him by letter that he should do so; for he will not do it without your special command; and therefore we entreat you, so that he can, that you make it [publicly] known. And if it please you, give him the power by your letter to be prepared and have prepared all the complaints, just as you granted to sir Dreu to do; And hold sir John of Maure excused that he does not take leave of you at his departure; for he could not because of his haste. We commend you to God. Dated at Lutgershall, October 8th.

Original letter:

Alianor, par la grace de Dieu, Roine d'Engleterre, au Roi nostre filz, saluz & nostre bonoizon. Por ce que Jehan de Bretagne, nostre filz, est en Estrange pais, & a nos, com a mere, & a vous, com a Seignur, ait fes besoignes recommandez; & de tant plus ke nostre Sire Jehan de Maurre, son Seneschall en Engleterre, doit haitivement aler la Doure por oir certains noveles de son Seignur; Voz prions, & requerons que voz voillez granter, que mon Sire Nichol de Stapleton peusse entendre a ses bosoignes en cest pays, & voillez maunder a li par vestre lettre que il i entende; kar il ne le f'rait pas saunz vestre commandement especial; & por ce vous en prioms, que il porra bien, oveque les voz, feire les sones. Et, si vos plest, dones li poair, par vestre lettre, de estre Atorne, & de fere Atorne, ou toz plaiz, en la menere que vos le grantastes a Sire Dieu de fere; Et aiez excuse Sire Johan de Maurre de ce que il ne prent conge de vous a son partir; kar il ne le poait faire por la haste que il fut. A Dieu vous commandons. Donees a Letergetse le 8 jor d'Octobr.

Historical context:

Eleanor asks her son to grant temporary power to a representative of her son-in-law, John of Brittany, while the official seneschal goes to meet his lord.

Printed source:

Rymer, Foedera, 1.2.211 (3rd ed.).

Date:

1282