A letter from Eleanor of Aquitaine (1199)
Sender
Eleanor of AquitaineReceiver
PublicTranslated letter:
Eleanor, by the grace of God humble queen of England, duchess of Normandy, of Aquitaine, and countess of Anjou, to the archbishops, bishops, counts, vicounts, barons, seneschals, provosts, justices, bailiffs, and all to whom in the future as well as the present, these letters should come, greetings. You should know that we have given, in pure and free and perpetual alms, and to have granted in perpetuity to God and the church of Fontevrault, for the use of the religious handmaids of Christ serving God there, for the salvation of the souls of the illustrious kings of England, namely lord Henry our husband, and lord Richard our son, and our own, our beloved and faithful man, Peter Foucher of Rochelle, and his heirs, to be free in perpetuity and immune from all taxes, collections, and charges, military service, horse duty, and all other customs and services that they were accustomed to do for the lord of Poitou in his country. We want, therefore, we order and establish that Peter Foucher and his heirs have their perpetual freedom, in full and in peace, as we have given it to them with free will and confirmed by this our present letter/charter; let no man damage or diminish the integrity of this liberty even a little, nor violate it in any way. If anyone should attempt to do so, let him incur danger to body and goods from the hand of the lord of Poitou, as if he had violated the very oratory of the holy church. That these alms of ours, justly and legally, and freely done, may remain undisturbed in the future, we have had this charter marked with the protection of our seal, for the force of perpetual authority. Dated at la Rochelle, in the year of the incarnate Word, 1199. Witnessed by: Peter Bertin, then seneschal of Poitou, Chalon of Rochefort, Launo Oger, William of Montmirail, then mayor in the commune of la Rochelle, Bernard of Ruffec, Sancio of Beaulieu, then provost of la Rochelle, David of Podio Liborelli, Isembert, then master of the students of Saintes, Gardrad, prior of St. Vivian, Nicholas, prior of St. Catherine, and many others.
Original letter:
Alienor, Dei gratia humilis regina Anglie, ducissa Normannie, Aquitanie et comitissa Andegavie, archiepiscopis, episcopis, comitibus, vicecomitibus, baronibus, senescallis, prepositis, justiciis, ballivis et universis, tam futuris quam presentibus, ad quoscumque littere iste pervenerint, salutem. Sciatis nos dedisse, in puram et liberam et perpetuam elemosinam, et in perpetuum concessisse Deo et ecclesie Fontis Ebraudi, ad servicium religiosarum ancillarum Christi ibidem Deo servientium, pro salute animarum illustrissimorum regum Anglie, videlicet domini Henrici, viri nostri, et domini Ricardi, filii nostri, et nostre, dilectum et fidelem hominem nostrum Petrum Fulcherium, de Rochela, et heredes ejus, liberos in perpetuum et immunes ab omnibus talliatis, questis et exactionibus, exercitibus, equitationibus et omnibus aliis consuetudinibus et serviciis que domino Pictavie in terra sua fieri consueverunt. Volumus igitur, precipimus et statuimus ut Petrus Fulcherius et heredes ejus libertatem suam perpetuam, plenariam et quietam habeant, sicut ipsis eam libera voluntate donavimus et presenti carta nostra confirmavimus; nec ulli hominum liceat libertatis istius integritatem aliquantulum ledere nec minuere nec in aliquo violare. Quod si quis attemptare presumerit, periculum corporis et rerum tantundem incurrat, in manu domini Pictavie, ac si ipsum sancte ecclesie oratorium violasset. Ut autem hec nostra elemosina, juste et licite et libere facta, maneat in posterum inconcussa, nos cartam istam, ad perpetue robur auctoritatis, sigilli nostri munimine fecimus insigniri. Datum apud Rochelam, anno incarnati Verbi MCXCIX. Testibus: Petro Bertino, tunc senescallo Pictavie, Chalone de Rocha Forti, Launo Ogerio, Willelmo de Montemirallo, tunc majore in communia de Rochela, Bernardo de Rofec, Sancio de Bello Loco, tunc preposito de Rochela, David de Podio Liborelli, Hysemberto, tunc magistro scolarum Xanctonis, Gardrado, priore Sancti Viviani, Nicholao, priore Sancte Katerine, et multis aliis.Historical context:
Eleanor grants the service of a bourgeois of La Rochelle, Peter Foucher, and his heirs to the church and nuns of Fontevrault for the salvation of the souls of Henry, Richard, and herself, free of military duty and other services to Poitiers. Eleanor had founded St. Catherine , a prioryt of Fontevrault in Aunis, in 1180.