Sender
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Receiver
seneschal of Poitiers and public
Translated letter:
Eleanor, queen of England and duchess of Aquitaine and Normandy, and countess of Anjou, to the seneschal of Poitou and all provosts, bailiffs, ministers, and all her faithful of la Rochelle and of all Aquitaine, greetings.
Know that I and my son Richard have given and granted and confirmed by the present charter, to God and the church and nuns of Fontevrault, Peter of Ruffec, peace from all military service and horse duty, tax, attendance, and every charge; and let all his own things be thoroughly immune from every custom, unless perhaps he paid for this in order to resell. And he will each year give said nuns a hundred Poitevin sous, to be paid annually on the feast of St. Hilary. And therefore I wish, order, and firmly command that those nuns have said peter immune as the charters of my lord king and mine witness; and I prohibit anyone of ours doing him injury or abuse.
Witnessed by: Ralph of Faye, then seneschal of Poitou, Fulco of Matha, Porteclie, William of Lonnaley, John of Epinal (?Espinat).
At Chinon.
Original letter:
A. regina Angliae et ducissa Aquitaniae et Normanniae, et comitissa Andegaviae, senescallo Pictavensi et omnibus praepositis, baillivis, ministris et fidelibus suis Rochellae et totius Aquitaniae, salutem.
Sciatis me filiumque meum Ricardum dedisse et concessisse, et praesenti carta confirmasse, Deo et ecclesiae et monialibus de Fonte Ebraldi Petrum de Roffeco, quietum omnino ab exercitu et equitatione, questa, praestito et omni exactione; et omnes suae propriae res ab omni consuetudine penitus sint quietae, nisi forte ad hoc emerit ut revendat. Et ipse per singulos annos dabit praedictis monialibus centum solidos pictavenses, festo beati Hilarii annuatim reddendos. Et ideo volo, mando et firmiter praecipio quod illae moniales habeant Petrum jam dictum ita quietum sicut cartae domini mei regis et mea testantur; et prohibeo ne quis nostrum faciat eis injuriam vel contumeliam.
Testibus: Radulfo de Faia, tunc senescallo Pictavensi, Fulcone de Mastacio, Porteclia, Willelmo de Lonnaleio, Johanne de Espinat.
Apud Chinon.
Historical context:
Eleanor declares to the seneschal of Poitiers and all officials and faithful of La Rochelle and Aquitaine that her son Richard has granted the service of Peter of Ruffec, a bourgeois of La Rochelle, to the church and monastery of Fontevrault, free of military duties and secular taxes, but owing an annual payment of 100 poitevin shillings to the nuns.
Printed source:
M. P.Marchegay, "Chartes de Fontevraud concernant l'Aunis et la Rochelle," BEC 19 (1857-8), p.135-36.
Date:
c.1179
