Sender
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Receiver
Public
Translated letter:
Eleanor, by the grace of God queen of England, duchess of Normandy and Aquitaine, countess of Anjou, to the archbishop of Bordeaux, the bishops, abbots, counts, vicounts, provosts, and other bailiffs, and faithful of all Aquitaine, greetings.
Know that I, with the assent and will of my lord Henry, king of England, and Richard, Geoffrey and John, my sons, have given and confirmed by this my present charter, to the abbey of Fontevrault and the nuns serving God there, the rent of one hundred pounds, in perpetual alms, from the provosture of Poitiers and the vineyard of Benon, particularly what is received from Marcilly. I made this donation and alms for the salvation of the soul of my lord king and the salvation of my soul and and of my son Richard and my other sons and my daughters and my ancestors. I command also that said nuns receive half of the prescribed alms, that is a thousand sous, freely and without any trouble annually with immunity from the vineyard of Benon, namely what is received at Marcilly on the winter feast of St. Martin, and the other half, a thousand sous from the provosture of Poitiers at the said time, through the hands of the count's ministers who will collect them annually from the vineyard and the corn toll. Therefore I wish and firmly order that said abbey of Fontevrault and the nuns serving God in it have the said rent of a hundred pounds in free and perpetual alms, and receive it annually in peace, freely, and with immunity, fully, completely, and honorably, as is determined in this my charter.
With these as witness: Geoffrey of Taunay, Ralph of Taunay, Chalon of Rochefort, Herveus of Marolles (?Marulio), Robert of Montmirail, seneschal of Poitou, John of Resse, Renmon of Resse, Peter son of Guido, Emeric son of Ivo, Stephen seneschal of Anjou, Hugo vicount of Chateaudun, Hugo of Treissi [sic], Thomas Bardulf, Roger elemosinary of the lord king, Josbert of Presigne, Herveus provost of Montbason; at Alencon.
Original letter:
Alienor, Dei gratia regina Anglie, ducissa Normannie et Aquitanie, comitissa Andegavie, archiepiscopo Burdegalensi, episcopis, abbatibus, comitibus, baronibus, vicecomitibus, prepositis et aliis baillivis et fidelibus suis tocius Aquitanie, salutem.
Sciatis me, assensu et voluntate domini mei Henrici, regis Anglie, et Ricardi, Galfridi et Johannis, filiorum meorum, dedisse et presenti carta mea confirmasse abbacie Fontis Ebraudi et monialibus ibidem Deo servientibus redditum centum librarum, in perpetuam elemosinam, in prepositura Pictavis, et in vineiam de Banaon, in ea precipue que recipitur apud Marcileium. Hanc donacionem et elemosinam feci pro salute anime domini mei regis, et pro salute anime mee et Ricardi filii mei et aliorum filiorum meorum et filiarum mearum et predecessorum meorum. Precipio itaque quod prefate moniales medietatem prescripte elemosine, scilicet mille solidos, libere et sine omni disturbatione quiete annuatim percipiant in vineia de Banaun, in ea videlicet que recipitur apud Marcileium in festo beati Martini hyemalis, et aliam mediatatem, scilicet mille solidos in prepositura Pictavensi predicto termino, per manus ministrorum comitis qui vineiam, et minagium annuatim sunt recepturi. Quare volo et firmiter precipio quod memorata abbacia Fontis Ebraudi et moniales in ea Deo servientes predictum redditum centum librarum habeant in libera et perpetua elemosina, et annuatim percipiant bene et in pace, libere, et quiete, integre et plenarie et honorifice, sicut in hac carta mea determinatum est.
Hiis testibus: Gaufrido de Taunay, Radulfo de Taunay, Chalone de Rocaforti, Herveo de Marulio, Roberto de Monte Mirallo, senescallo Pictavensi, Johanne de Resse, Renmone de Resse, Petro filio Guidonis, Emerico filio Ivonis, Stephano senescallo Andegavensi, Hugone vicecomite de Castroduni, Hugone de Treissi [sic], Thoma Bardulfi, Rogerio elemosinario domini regis, Josberto de Precigne, Herveo preposito de Montbason; apud Alencon.
Historical context:
Eleanor, with the consent of her husband and sons, endows the abbey of Fontevrault and the nuns with a hundred pounds a year for the souls of her relatives and herself from the provostial office and the vineyard of Benon. She also orders that the nuns get half of it, 1000 shillings, from the vineyard and the other half from the provosture through the count's ministers. Marchegay dates the charter around 1185 because it does not name among Elenaor's sons, Henry, who had died earlier.
Printed source:
M. P.Marchegay, "Chartes de Fontevraud concernant l'Aunis et la Rochelle," BEC 19 (1857-8), 2nd s, 330-31.
Date:
c.1185
