A letter from Hugo, count of Troyes and Philip, bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne (1100)

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and individual Trinity. I, Hugh, by the grace of God count of Troyes, with Philip, my brother, bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, and with my wife, wish to make known to all the present servants of Christ and their successors, that my father, count Thibaud, for the remedy of his soul and those of his wife and his children relieved the confessor of the holy mother of God virgin Mary and St. Loup and the canons serving there of all customs imposed by the town which is called Rouilly-Saint-Loup, and all the members adjacent to it, which its ministers were accustomed, justly or unjustly, to accept in said town and in its members, except for the hen currently bought for one penny (denario) and the salvament. Which act stipulates that on the second and sixth weekday (Monday and Friday) a mass will be celebrated by the canons of St. Loup in their church for the remedy of his soul and his wife's and their children's for all time, and also that every year on the feast of St. Andrew, each inhabitant dwelling normally in the town who has an ox or several cultivated lands (arantes), should pay the count of Troyes one suckling-pig or, as I shall say, two shillings. If they dwell, however, outside the property and do not have oxen, they may pay one suckling-pig or the aforesaid price of approximately two. This is so established that no minister of the count may come to said town and its members to take anything nor to render justice, nor make judgment, except those who accept the chicken and the salvament (price of protection) as specified. Nor may any minister of his accept anything in that property, nor enact any justice there. This I Hugh, count of Troyes, and my brother, Philip, bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, and my wife approve and lest any uncertainty or conflict arise about the remitted customs, we order these to be specified: All free men and free women and whoever, male or female, should come from other places into said town and its members in order to reside there, and their customs which the ministers of our fathers and ours were accustomed to receive either justly or unjustly in said town Rouilly-Saint-Loup and its adjacents members, in every way, or received in forest areas or fields or waters or meadows or servants or slaves (ancillis) or free dwelling there, or who lived there before and have since left, in any way, I say, I, Hugh, count of Troyes and my brother Philip, bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, and my wife remit to the holy mother of god, Mary, and Saint Loup and its canons, except for the hen currently bought with one penny and the salvament and the suckling-pig or its price, that is two shillings. If anyone should break this statute, let him be cursed and removed from all fellowship of Christians, like Dathan and Abiron, whom the earth swallowed up. Sign of count Hugo Sing of Philip, bishop of the city of Chalons-sur-Marne Sign of countess Constance.

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis. Ego Hugo, Dei gratia comes Trecasinus, cum Philippo, fratre meo, Catalaunensium episcopo, et cum uxore mea, notum volo fieri omnibus Xpisti [Christi] famulis presentibus eorumque successoribus, patrem meum, videlicet Teobaudum comitem, ob remedium animae suae et uxoris necnon et filiorum suorum sanctae Dei genitrici virgini Mariae et sancto Lupo confessori atque canonicis ipsi famulantibus perdonasse omnes consuetudines villae, quae vocatur Rulliaca, omniumque menbrorum ei adjacentium, quas ministri ipsius juste vel injuste solebant in eadem villa supradicta et in menbris ejus accipere, excepto salvamento et gallina presentialiter uno denario empta. Quod actum est eo tenore, ut in secunda et sexta feria a canonicis sancti Lupi in ecclesia ipsius pro remedio animae suae et uxoris atque filiorum suorum missa caelebretur omni tempore, et eo etiam tenore, ut omni anno in festivitate sancti Andreae unusquisque villanus, qui assidue in predicta villa manebit, habens unum bovem aut plures arantes, comiti Trecasino unam fresingam, ut ita dicam, aut duos solidos persolvat. Extra autem potestatem si qui manserint, et boves non habuerint, unam fresingam aut predictum precium inter duos persolvant. Hoc autem ita constitutum est, ut nullus comitis minister predictam villam et menbra ejus adeat ad aliquid capiendum, nec justificandum, aut judicandum, exceptis illis qui gallinam et salvamentum, sicut predictum est, accipient. Nec etiam quisquam ipsius minister in tota potestate illa aliquid accipiat, nec justitiam aliquam in ea faciat. Idem vero ego Hugo, comes Trecasinus, et frater meus Philippus, Catalaunensis episcopus, atque uxor mea approbamus, et, ne qua ambiguitas nec contentio de consuetudinibus perdonatis ulterius oriatur, sic ipsas distingui precipimus: Omnes liberos homines et liberas feminas, et quicumque vel quecumque ex aliis locis in villam supradictam et in menbra ejus causa morandi venerint, atque consuetudines eorum quas ministri nostrorum patrum, nostri etiam solebant accipere sive juste sive injuste in villa dicta Rulliaca et in menbris ipsi adjacentibus, omnino, sive acciperentur in locis silvestribus, sive in campestribus, sive in aquis, sive in pratis, sive in servis, sive in ancillis, sive in liberis ibi manentibus, vel cum prius ibi mansissent inde alio recedentibus, omnino, inquam, ego Hugo, comes Trecasinus, et frater meus Philippus, Catalaunensis episcopus, et uxor mea perdonamus sanctae Dei Genitrici Mariae et sancto Lupo et canonicis ipsius, excepta gallina presentialiter uno denario empta, et excepto salvamento et fresinga, vel precio ipsius, solidis scilicet duobus. Si quis autem hoc statutum infregerit, sit maledictus et ab omni consortio Xpistianorum submotus, sicut Dathan et Abiron, quos terra deglutivit. Signum comitis Hugonis: + Signum Philippi, episcopi Catalaunensis civitatis: + Signum cmitisse Constantiae: +

Historical context:

Manuscript source:

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 75, pp 407-408.

Date: