A letter from Henry III, king of England (1252)

Translated letter:

The king to his beloved cousin B[lanche], illustrious queen of France, greetings. We have learned by frequent notification of our people from Gascony that the truces long established between the illustrious king of France and us are little observed, since on the part of said king many breaches have been made at the time of said truces, to amend which when you have often been requested by our people, you answered that you would do so as might be fitting. Truly, since nothing has been done up to now about the said amends, we ask your love attentively that you have those breaches amended, as you promised, fixing a certain day, if it please you, to made the amends through those by whom you will direct your mandate on this. We send also to you our beloved brother in Christ master Rocelin of the knights of the Temple in England, and our beloved clerk Henry of Wengham, that they may be present on the day set by you for this to see that amendments are made of the breaches on the part of the said king and similarly on our part. For we have ordered the scribes of that truce on our part to make the owed amends of the breaches made on our part without any delay. Signify to us therefore what you will have had done about this by your letters, if it please you. Testified as above. [By the King at York, 6th day of January.]

Original letter:

Rex dilectae consanguineae suae B[lanchiae] illustri reginae Franciae, salutem. Crebra nostratum de Wasconia didicimus insinuatione quod treugae pridem inter illustrem regem Franciae et nos firmatae minime sint observatae, quia ex parte regis praedicti plures sunt interceptiones factae tempore treugarum praedictarum, ad quas emendandas cum pluries fueritis a nostratibus requisitae, respondistis quod eas faceretis sicut deceret emendari. Verum cum nihil adhuc de praedictis emendis factum sit, dilectionem vestram rogamus attente quatenus interceptiones illas, sicut promisistis, emendari faciatis, praefigentes diem certum, si placet, ad emendas ipsas faciendas per eos quibus super hoc vestrum dirigetis mandatum. Mittimus etiam ad vos dilectum nobis in Christo fratrem Rocelinum magistrum militiae Templi in Anglia, et dilectum clericum nostrum Henricum de Wengham, ut intersint diei a vobis ad hoc statuto, ad videndas emendas interceptionum ex parte praedicti regis, et similiter ex parte nostra. Mandavimus enim dictatoribus ejusdem treugae de parte nostra, quod sine morae dispendio de interceptionibus ex parte nostra factis debitas faciant emendas. Quid igitur super hoc duxeritis faciendum nobis per literas vestras, si placet, significetis. Teste ut supra. [Rege apud Eborum, sexto die Januarii.]

Historical context:

Henry writes to the queen, his cousin, about breaches of the truce in Gascony which she has promised to amend but has not. He asks her to set a date for the amends to be made on the part of the French king, at which his representatives will be present to make amends for any breaches on his part.

Printed source:

Royal and other Historical Letters Illustrative of the Reign of Henry III, ed. W.W. Shirley, 2.69-70 #473.

Date:

1252