A letter from Marie of France, countess of Champagne and Troyes (1197)

Translated letter:

Marie, countess of Troyes, to all the clerics of Provins establishing new prebends, greetings and love. With the advice of William, my brother, lord archbishop of Reims, and my faithful people, and at the petition of the lord archbishop of Sens, on the proposal which you have made to construct your church and found prebends in it, I offer you my favor and assent, except for the right promised by you to me in that church, namely that I shall give half of the prebends and minor dignities, except only the diaconate, which is accustomed to be by common election of the chapter and must/ought to be assigned in other churches. You should know, also, that I take you and all the things of your church with the church itself under my protections and care/guard (tutela) and I bestow my counsel and help on you for the rest with full force. To all who shall confer benefices on your church I shall hold them pleasing and fully obedient, so that whatever benefice be conferred on that church I shall consider done especially to me.

Original letter:

Maria, Trecensis comitissa, omnibus clericis pruvinensibus novas prebendas fundaturis salutem et dilectionem. De consilio Willelmi, fratris mei, domini Remensis Archiepiscopi, et fidelium meorum, nec non ad petitionem domini Senonensis archiepiscopi, in proposito, quod de ecclesia vestra construenda et de fundandis prebendis in ea geritis, meum vobis favorem presto liberaliter et assensum, salvo tamen jure meo a vobis mihi in eadem promisso ecclesia, scilicet quod medietatem prebendarum et personatuum donabo, excepto solo decanatu, qui per communem capituli electionem solet et debet in ceteris ecclesiis assignari. Sciatis itaque, quod vos et universas res ecclesie vestre cum ipsa ecclesia in mea suscipio protectione et tutela et meum de cetero vobis impendo efficaciter concilium et juvamen. Universis etiam qui ecclesie vestre beneficia contulerint grata tenebor et admodum obnoxia, ita quod quidquid beneficii eidem ecclesie collatum fuerit michi factum specialiter reputabo.

Historical context:

The countess affirms certain rights of the church to be constructed at Provins, reserving others to herself. She recognizes the foundation of Notre-Dame-du-Val and takes the church under her protection. Evergates notes that the copy-house of this chapter produced the earliest extant manuscript of Chretien's romances c.1230.

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 167, p.482.

Date:

1197