A letter from Clement IV (1265)

Translated letter:

To his dearest daughter in Christ, the illustrious queen of England. We have not been able to send immediately our beloved son and notary Berard, whose presence is quite necessary to us, since we did not have an honorable cause for the mission after the legate was determined up to the present, and thus it seems to some that the same legate could be challenged in some way, especially since the apostolic see was little accustomed to send its notaries to far places without title of certain power, which could not be given to him, lest it seem to detract somewhat from the power of the other. Yet we are thinking and inquiring of a way by which with our honor and without offence to another the will of your serenity can be satisfied. Dated Perugia, 15th calends of November, in the first year.

Original letter:

Carissimae in Christo filiae reginae Franciae illustri. Excusat se quod ei non miserit Berardum notarium. Missionem dilecti filii magistri Berardi notarii nostri, cujus praesentia multum nobis est necessaria, subito facere non potuimus, cum nec honestam causam missionis hujus post legatum a latere destinatum haberemus ad praesens, sicque visum aliquibus, quod ex hoc posset idem aliquatenus provocari legatus, praesertim cum apostolica sedes suos ad remota notarios mittere minime consueverit, sine certae titulo potestatis, qui sibi dari non poterat, quin in aliquo videretur detractum alterius potestati. Cogitamus tamen, & viam inquirimus, per quam cum honore nostro, & sine alterius scandalo serenitatis tuae beneplacitum impleatur. Datum Perusii xv. calendas Novembris anno I. In eodem modo reginae Angliae.

Historical context:

The pope sent the same letter, excusing himself for not sending his notary to them, to Eleanor's older sister Marguerite, queen of France. The legate was Cardinal Ottobuono de Fieschi, brother-in-law of their uncle Thomas of Savoy, and he was engaged in trying to find a peaceful solution for the serious conflicts in England.

Printed source:

Thesaurus Novus Anecdotorum, ed. Edmund Martene, Ursin Durand, (Lutetiae Parisiorum: Sumptibus F. Delaulne et al., 1717), 2 p.213, ep.164.

Date:

1265