A letter from Henry III (08/17/1243)

Translated letter:

The king to archbishops, etc., greeting. Know that we have granted and by this our charter confirmed, for us and our heirs, to our beloved queen Eleanor, daughter of the count of Provence, that she, as dower, if death should befall us, hold for all her life, the castle and borough of Gloucester, with the barton of Gloucester, and the cities of Worcester and Bath, the manors of Clive and Chiltham, the other manors which we assigned to her as dower in a previous charter being retained in the hands of our heirs. And in place of those manors, to be retained for the need of our heirs, we have assigned to her the whole county of Chester, with Newcastle under Lyne, and the advowson of the abbey of Rocester with all the appurtenances and rights pertaining to that county and that castle. For which we wish, etc. As witnesses, P., bishop of Hereford; Philip of Savoy, proctor of the church of Valence, John son of Geoffrey, Ralph son of Nicholas, Philip Basset, John Maunsel, Paulinus Peyvre, Robert de Mucegros, Nicholas of Bolevill, Walter de Luton, and others. Dated by our hand at Bordeaux, August 17.

Original letter:

Rex Archiepiscopis, &c. salutem. Sciatis nos concessisse, & hac Carta nostra confirmasse, pro nobis, & haeredibus nostris, dilectae Reginae nostrae Alienorae, filiae Comitis Provinciae, quod ipsa, nomine dotis, si de nobis humanitus contingat, habeat toto tempore vitae suae Castrum & Burgum de Gloucestria, cum Bertona Gloucestriae: Et Civitatibus Wigorniae & Bathon; & Maneriis de Clyne & de Chiltham; retentis in manu haeredum nostrorum aliis Maneriis, quae prius ei, cum praedictis Maneriis & Civitatibus, in dotem assignavimus per priorem Carta nostram. Et, loco eorumdem Maneriorum, ad opus haeredum nostrorum retentorum, assignavimus ei totum Comitatum Cestriae, cum novo Castro subtus Limam: Et advocatione Abbatiae de Roucestria, cum omnibus pertinentiis & libertatibus, ad eundem Comitatum & idem Castrum pertinentibus. Quare volumus, &c. Testibus, P. Hereford Episcopo, Philippo de Sauband Procuratore Ecclesiae Valent, Johanne filio Galfridi, Radulpho filio Nicholai. Philippo Basset, Johanne Maunsell, Paulino Penr. Roberto de Mucegros, Nicholao de Bolevill, Waltero de Luton, & aliis. Dat. per manum nostram apud Burdegaliam, 17 die Augusti.

Historical context:

The king records some changes in the terms of the queen's dower, in case of his death. The charter is addressed to archbishops and others. Among the witnesses is Philip of Savoy, the queen's uncle.

Printed source:

Rymer, Foedera, 1.1.147; the charter is summarized in the Calendar of the Patent Rolls for Henry III, 3.394.

Date:

08/17/1243