A letter from Constance of Hungary (1235, February 12)

Translated letter:

Constance, by the grace of God queen of the Bohemians, greetings to all the faithful of Christ who will see this writing in true salvation. Let the present age of men as well as the future that will come in Christ know that we have conferred on the hospital of the monastery of St. Francis in Prague of lady Agnes, our beloved and illustrious daughter, all the heredity which we bought from the brothers of the hospital of St. Mary of the house of Teutonic Knights for the good of our soul, namely the towns: Hloubetin with all the villages appertaining to it, that is Humenec, Hnidosice and also the town of Borotice with all the villages appertaining to it, that is Zupanovice, Drazetice, and the church of St. Peter with the court and town Ribinic with its appurtenances. We have handed over said towns to said hospital with all the fields, woods, waters, heredities, men, and all other things appertaining to them to be possessed by perpetual right, except that we wish to be the lady [authority in control] of its fruits until the end of our life, so that we might do with them what seems appropriate to us according to God. So that this donation to the hospital may remain valid, stable, and undisturbed in perpetuity, we have had it confirmed by the force of our seal. Witnesses to this act are: Stephen Kersiz, Slava judge of Brecizlav, Nimirus of Posna, Jesuthbor Witoviz, Bun Sdizlaviz, Ninco marshal, Wiceto judge of Pribizlaus, Wseborius of Lesonice, Ruth son of Radost, Demetrius of Dolany, Milota son of Jarognev, Pelei and Wlaken sons of Vol, Qwalec son of Kwaliz, Sudomir of Zeravice, Wizlas son of Woizlai, Peter son of Kwalo. Also chaplains of the court: Cois of Slavicin, Predwoi of Neradice, Lambert layman of Lukov, Bartholomew layman in Kunowice, Bertold parishioner in Budejovice, Absalon layman in Bzenec, and several others. Dated at Brno in the year of the lord 1235, the day before the ides of February. We, Wenceslas, fourth king of Bohemia, have had the seal of our highness affixed to confirm and reinforce the donation, all the aforesaid which our mother conferred on the hospital of the monastery of St. Francis of our beloved sister Agnes.

Original letter:

Constantia, dei gratia Bohemorum regina, omnibus Christi fidelibus presens scriptum inspecturis in vero salutari salutem. Noverit tam presens hominum etas, quam in Christo succesura posteritas, quod nos hospitali claustri sancti Francisci in Praga domine Agnetis, dilecte filie nostre illustris, pro remedio anime nostre omnem hereditatem, quam emimus a fratribus hospitali sancte Marie domus Theuthonicorum, contulimus, videlicet villas: Glupetin cum omnibus villulis ad eam pertinentibus, scilicet Humenenche, Nidoscitz nec non et villam Borotiz cum omnibus villulis ad ipsam pertinentibus, scilicet Supenowizt, Drahtesicz et ecclesiam sancti Petri cum curia et villa Ribinic cum suis pertinentiis. Supradictas villas tradidimus hospitali predicto cum omnibus agris, silvis, aquis, hereditatibus, hominibus et omnibus aliis rebus ad ipsas pertinentibus iure perpetuo possidendas, hoc salvo quod domina fructuum esse volumus usque ad terminum vite nostre, ut possimus de eis facere, quod nobis secundum deum videbitur expedire. Ut autem hec donatio imperpetuum hospitali rata ac firma inconcussaque permaneat, nost[ri si]gilli munimine fecimus roborari. Huius rei testes sunt: Stephanus Kersiz, Slava iudex Brecizlavensis, Nimirus de Posna, Jesuthbor Witouiz, Bun Sdizlaviz, Ninco marsalcus, Wiceto iudex Pribizlavensis, Wseborius de Lesoniz, Ruth filius Radoste, Demetrius de Dolan, Milota filius Jarognev, Pelei et Wlaken filii Volis, Qwalec filius Kwaliz, Sudomir de Seraviz, Wizlaus filius Woizlai, Petrus filius Kwalonis. Item capellani curie: Cois de Slavetin, Predwoi de Neporadiz, Lambertus plebanus de Lukov, Bartholomeus plebanus in Cunowiz, Bertoldus parrochianus in Budwiz, Absalon plebanus in Bizence et alii quam plures. Datum Brunne anno Domini MCCXXXV, pridie idus februarii. Nos autem Ventizlaus, rex IIII Bohemorum, omnia predicta, que contulit mater nostra hospitali claustri sancti Francisci dilecte sororis nostre Agnetis, sigillo nostre celsitudinis fecimus insigniri confirmantes et roborantes donationem predictam.

Historical context:

The queen gives the posessions which she bought from the Hospitallers to St. Francis of Prague, the house of her daughter Agnes, reserving the fruits to herself for her lifetime.

Printed source:

Codex Diplomaticus et Epistolarius Regni Bohemiae, ed. Gustavus Friederich (Prague: 1942), 3.1.121-23, ep.103.

Date:

1235, February 12