A letter from Henry III (02/12/1254)

Translated letter:

Mandate to the queen and R. earl of Cornwall, so as to save labour and expense to Henry, dean of Lincoln, to whose election as bishop of Lincoln the king has given his assent and signified the same to B. archbishop of Canterbury, upon confirmation thereof by the latter, to give seisin to the said Henry of the temporalities, first taking from him the oath of fealty. And if the king have sown the demesne lands of the bishopric, to let him have seisin of the lands so sown, after taking from him the cost laid out on the same lands.

Historical context:

When he left to deal with a rebellion in Gascony, Henry left the government of England in the hands of Eleanor, with the counsel of his brother, Richard of Cornwall.

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, 4.268.(1)

Date:

02/12/1254