A letter from Adela, countess of Blois, Chartres, and Meaux (1100-1101)

Translated letter:

Predecessors of sharper memory more experienced in literary work commended monuments of things accomplished to the notice of their successors inspiring by this example lest they slothfully neglect something worthy of memory to future times. We, thinking to our and our successors' benefit, since while we know the beginning we do not know what the end may be, lest acts well and piously done be confounded by oblivion through time, let us take care to recall them in memory with virile writings. And since the church has flourished by the generosity of previous princes up to now, so in our time how the church of Molesme has advanced through Hugh, count of Troy, we think it necessary to subscribe. For the count of good character, weighing with how much benevolence his parents and brother of pious memory count Odo, on whose hereditary advice this was done/paid, favored said monastery and sustained it with the generosity of their possessions, and recognizing also that one receives mercy according to his work, [the count] began to deliberate what he might confer on said church that would be his eternal memorial. Finally, it became the desire of his family and his most noble wife, daughter of Philip king of the Franks, to give whatever was customarily possessed up to now in requisition/forced sale of salt of the castle of Bar-sur-Aube, which is located above the river Alba, and the revenues and rights from the salt commerce. Truly since the outcome of things is measured by prudence, said count, employing prudent counsel, having convoked certain persons of the church in the monastery of that Bar-sur-Aube, namely prior Adam, chamberlain Liscelinus, and also the almoner Hugh, in the presence of certain of his magnates by solemn grant gave it over through their hands to be held in perpetual right of the church. Indeed if anyone in the variety of later ministers, from the levity of princes, the verbosity of opponents, the efforts of the fraudulent, the violence of the rapacious, should attempt to obstruct this with solemn writing, he will be disproved by the sight and hearing, confused by the testimony, repulsed by the words of the many trustworthy witnesses whose names we have inserted below, so that the congregation may perpetually rejoice in the things well ordered for them. These witnesses are: Philip, bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, brother of the count [Hugh]; Dudo, vicelord; Gaufred, son of Otran; Guido Guannoni Rivi; Olric of Risnel; Evrard, vicecount, Gosbert Rufus; Rainerus; Milo, his brother; Gerard Delicatus; Paganus. Also Adela, countess and daughter of the king of the English, and her three sons, William, Thibaut, and Stephen granted the gift. Witnesses are: Gervase de Monte; Hugh of Liseio: Stephen, vicelord of Chartres; Heldierus, hostler (agaso) or marshal. This grant was made at Columbier on the second nones of April. Sign of countess Adela. Sign of William her son. Sign of Thibaut. Sign of Stephen, their brother.

Original letter:

Monumenta rerum gestarum priores labore litterario, quo peritiores, eo argutius memoriae commendaverunt, posterorum notitiae hoc exemplari inculcantes, ne si quid dignum memoria futuris emporibus succederet, ignaviter preterirent. Nos vero utilitati nostrae et succedentium providentes, dum, principio cognito, quia rerum finis sit, ignoremus, ne bene et pie acta oblivione transitiva confundantur, hec virilibus scriptis in memoriam revocare procuremus. Et quoniam liberalitate priorum principum viguit usquequoque et crevit ecclesia, quantum his quoque nostris temporibus per Hugonem, recensium comitem, Molismensis profecerit ecclesia, necessarium duximus subscribere. His enim bonae indolis comes, perpendens quanta predictum coenobium benignitate parentes sui et frater piae memoriae comes Odo, cujus hic hereditario fungebatur consulatu, foverint, et rerum suarum largitione interdum sustentaverint, recogitans etiam, quia quisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundum suum laborem, deliberare apud se cepit, quid prefatae aecclesiae quod aeternum suum memoriale esset, conferre valeret. Tandem suorum et nobilissime conjugis, regis Philippi Francorum filiae, devenit animo dare quicquid consuetudinarie in coemptione salis Barrensis oppidi, quod super Albam fluvium situm est, hactenus possederat, redditus quoque et justicias pro commertio salis factas. Verum quoniam exitus rerum prudentia metitur, prefatus comes, prudenti usus consilio, convocatis a se in eodem Barrensi Castro, quibusdam aecclesiae personis, priore scilicet Adam nomine, Liscelino, camerario, nec non et Hugone elemosinario, in presentia quorumdam magnatum suorum sollempni datione facta, per manus ipsorum aecclesiae jure perpetuo habendam contradicit. Sane si quispiam in posterum varietate ministrorum, levitate principum, verbositate obloquentium, molimine fraudulentum, violentia rapacium huic tam sollempni scripto obviare temptaverit, veridicorum quamplurium testium nomina subterinserimus, quorum visu et auditu refellitus, testimonia confusus, verbis repulsus, congregatio perpetuo gaudeat de bene ordinatis sibi rebus. Testes vero hi sunt: Philippus Catalaunensis episcopus, frater comitis hujus; Dudo, vicedominus; Gaufredus, filius Otranni; Wido Guannonii Rivi; Olricus de Risnello; Evrardus, vicecomes, Gosbertus Rufus; Rainerus; Milo, frater ejus; Gerardus Delicatus; Paganus. Idem quoque donum Adela, comitissa, regis Anglorum filia, et ejus tres filii Willelmus, Teothbaldus et Stephanus concesserunt. Inde testes sunt: Gervasius de Monte; Hugo de Liseio; Stephanus, Carnotensis vicedominus; Heldierus, agaso vel marescalcus. Haec autem concessio facta est apud Columbarium II nonas aprilis. Signum Adelaidis comitissae: +. Signum Willelmi, ejus filii: +. Signum Teothbaudi: +. Signum Stephani, eorum fratris: +.

Historical context:

This charter is cited by D'Arbois de Jubainville as "charte du comte Hugues", but it is signed not by him but by Adela and her sons, granting the gift. The charter seems to be her acknowledgment and approval of the gift.

Manuscript source:

Arch. de la Cote-d'Or, 1er Cart. de Molesme, p.18-19 .

Printed source:

Histoire des Ducs et des Comtes de Champagne, depuis le VIe s. jusqu'a la fin du XIe, H. D'Arbois de Jubainville (Paris: Aug. Aubry, 1861, v.3), document 77, p.410-11.

Date:

1100-1101