Sender
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Receiver
Public
Translated letter:
A[Eleanor], queen of England, duchess of Aquitaine and Normandy and countess of Anjou, to the archbishops, bishops, counts, barons, justices, provosts, bailiffs, ministers, and all the faithful of the king and those of all Aquitaine, greetings.
Know that I, for the salvation of my lord king and mine, and our sons' and my father and my ancestors, and for the redemption of our souls, [I] gave and granted and confirmed by the present charter to the lord God and the church of Blessed Mary of Fontevrault, and to its house of Subsididiis,* that whole land which Guillot Board acquired for himself in the territory of Belleville and intended to give to that church for a long time; which land the royal road that leads from Belleville to Chize divides and delimits. I have also granted to said house of Subsidiis, and to the brothers and sisters serving God there, the heating and usage in the woods of Argathum [now Benon] for their houses that they had at the time of my father and afterwards and as they ought to have. Therefore I order and firmly command that the church of Fontevrault and its house of Subsidiis, and the brothers and sisters serving there have and hold in perpetuity the aforenamed, in peace and honorably and with immunity, and I prohibit any bailiffs or provosts or any others carrying out any injury or abuse to them over that.
Witnessed by: P. of Angouleme, and P. of Perigueux, bishops; R. of Faia, then seneschal of Aquitaine, William Maingot, Geoffrey of Taunay, Saldebroil constable, Peter chaplain, Jordan cleric and notary; at St. John of Anjou.
Original letter:
A. regina Anglie et ducissa Aquitanie et Normannie et comitissa Andegavie, archiepiscopis, episcopis, comitibus, baronibus, justiciis, prepositis, ballivis, ministris et omnibus fidelibus regis et suis totius Aquitaniae, salutem.
Sciatis quod ego, pro salute domini mei regis et mea filiorumque nostrorum atque patris mei et antecessorum meorum, necnon pro remedio nostrarum animarum, dedi et concessi et presenti carta confirmavi domino Deo et aecclesiae Beatae Mariae de Fonte Ebraudi, atque domui suae de Subsidiis, totam terram illam quam Guillotus Boardi in territorio Belleville sibi adquisierat et eidem aecclesiae jam dudum donare disposuerat; quam videlicet terram illa via regia que ducit de Bella Villa ad Chesecum dividit et determinat. Concessi etiam domui predicte de Subsidiis, et fratribus atque sororibus ibidem Deo famulantibus, calfagium et usagium suum ad domos suas faciendas in bosco de Argathum, sicut habuerunt tempore patris mei ac postea et sicut debent habere. Quare mando et firmiter precipio quod aecclesia de Fonte Ebraudi et domus ejus de Subsidiis, et fratres atque sorores ibidem Deo servientes, habeant in perpetuum et teneant prenominata bene et in pace et honorifice et quiete, et prohibeo ne quis ballivorum vel prepositorum aut aliquorum aliorum aliquam inferat eis inde injuriam el contumeliam.
Testibus: P. Engolismensi, P. Petragoricensi episcopis; R. de Faia, tunc senescallo Aquitaniae, Willelmo Maingot, Gaufrido de Taunaio, Saldebroil constabulario, Petro capellano, Jordano clerico et notario; apud Sanctum Johannem Angeliacensem.
Historical context:
Eleanor confirms a gift of land made to Fontevrault by Guillot Board, and she bestows on the abbey the right to take wood from the Argathum part of the Benon forest for construction and heat.
Translation notes:
* Subsidiis is elsewhere called Sumsiz and Sossiz, according to Marchegay, BEC p19.328.
Printed source:
M. P. Marchegay, "Chartes de Fontevrault concernant l'Aunis et la Rochelle," 2nd series, BEC 19 (1857-58), 329.
Date:
by 1182
