A letter from Blanche of Navarre, Countess of Champagne (1205)

Translated letter:

I Blanche, countess palatine of Troyes, make known to all present and future that when the abbot and monks of the monastery of Montiéramey were in my presence and I spoke about making the mills at Chaource, we agreed on both sides in this way: that for making the water run in the ditches around Chaource and in the mills there, they send as much as I. And they do not do this by custom, nor by the occasion of any fortalice, because the monks in the fortalice of the town are not constrained to send anything unless they wish to. For this reason, indeed, the monks pay the mentioned expenses, since from the water in the surrounding ditches, and in the mills, and in the fishing of all the water, they will have and receive as much of everything as I shall have and receive. So this may remain certain in the future, I wished the present letters to be made in witness to this thing, and I fixed the protection of my seal. Enacted at Troyes, in the one thousand two hundred fifth years of the incarnation, in the month of August. Given by the hand of Walter, chancellor, with the sign of John.

Original letter:

Ego Blancha, comitissa Trecensis palatina, notum facio omnibus tam presentibus quam futuris, quod, cum abbas et monachi monasterii Arremarensis in mea presentia constituti fuissent, et de faciendis apud Caorsiam molendinis loquuta essem, tandem in hoc simul ex utraque parte convenimus in hunc modum, quod in cursu aque faciendo per fossata, que sunt circa Caorsiam, et in molendinis ibidem faciendis tantum mittent quantum et ego. Et hoc non facient per consuetudinem vel occasione alicujus fortericie, quia monachi in fortericia ville aliquid mittere non tenentur, nisi voluerint. Hac siquidem causa ipsi monachi memoratas solvent expensas, quia et in aqua circa fossata, et in molendinis, et in piscaria totius aque in omnibus et per omnia tantum habebunt et accipient, quantum ego accipiam et habebo. Quod ut ratum permaneat in futurum, in hujus rei testimonium presentes litteras fieri volui, et sigilli mei munimine roboravi. Actum Trecis, anno incarnati verbi millesimo ducentesimo quinto, mense Augusto. Data per manum Galteri, cancellarii, nota Johnannis.

Historical context:

Blanche declares the agreement made between her and the abbot of Montiéramey, about the mills and the castle of Chaource.

Printed source:

Arbois de Jubainville, Voyage paléographique dans le Département de l’Aube (Paris: Durand, 1855) Archives Communales, 72-73

Date:

1205