A letter from Innocent IV (1243)

Translated letter:

Innocent, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his dearest daughter in Christ, the illustrious queen of the English, greetings and apostolic blessing. We attend your person with that prerogative of special grace that we willingly agree to your prayers, especially those which contain the work of piety in them, as much as we can with God and our honor. Thus inclined to the prayers of your devotion, we grant you by the authority of the presents that whenever it happens that you turn aside for your devotion to any monasteries of the Cistercians and other religious [orders] of the kingdom of England, it is permitted to you to enter their oratories and cloisters with ten good and honest women for prayer; notwithstanding any custom or statute confirmed by the apostolic see or other valid [document]. It is permitted to no man whatsoever to violate this page of our concession, nor to contradict it with rash boldness; Anyone who presumes to attempt this should know that he will incur the indignation of almighty God and his blessed apostles Peter and Paul. Dated the Lateran, 7th kalends of May, in the first year of our pontificate. With a lead seal hanging from silk threads of gold and red color.

Original letter:

Innocentius Episcopus, servus servorum Dei, carissimae in Christo filiae, Reginae Anglorum illustri, salutem, & Apostolicam benedictionem. Illa personam tuam praerogativa prosequimur gratiae specialis, quod preces tuas, praeseretim quae in se opus continent pietatis, libenter admittimus, quantum cum Deo, & nostra possumus honestate. Tuae itaque devotionis precibus inclinati, praesentium tibi auctoritate concedimus, ut, cum interdum, causa devotionis, ad nonnulla Cisterciensium, & aliorum religiosorum Monasteria Regni Angliae divertere Te contingat, liceat tibi, cum decem bonis & honestis mulieribus, orationis causa, oratoria & claustra ingredi eorundem; consuetudine aliqua, vel statuto confirmato per sedem Apostolicam, seu firmitate alia non obstante. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostrae concessionis infringere, vel ei ausu temerario contraire; Siquis autem hoc attemptare praesumpserit, indignationem omnipotentis Dei, & beatorum Petri & Pauli, Apostolorum ejus, se noverit incursurum. Dat. Lateran septimo Kalend. Maii, Pontificatus nostri anno primo. Plumbeo sigillo pendente a filis sericis flavi rubeique coloris.

Historical context:

The pope grants Eleanor the right to enter the oratory and cloister of any religious house in England with ten of her ladies to pray.

Printed source:

Rymer, Foedera, 1.417 (1.1.147)

Date:

1243