A letter from William, king of the English ()

Translated letter:

William, by the grace of God king of the English, to queen Matilda, his dear spouse, perpetual health/greeting. I want you to know that I grant to St. Martin at Marmontier the church of Ste. Marie des Pieux and the lands that depend on it, free of all rents, as priest Hugh held them on the day of his death. Furthermore, I charge you to render, as is just, all the land in Normandy belonging to St. Martin, free and secure from all those who would wish to burden it, as well as from the demands of the foresters; above all forbid Hugolin de Cherbourg to meddle further with the affairs of this house.

Original letter:

Guillermus Dei gratia rex Anglorum, M. regine dilecte sue conjugi, perpetuam salutem. Notum tibi facio quod ecclesiam sancte Marie de Podiis et alodium quod ad eandem ecclesiam pertinet, concedo quietam ab omni consuetudine sancto Martino Majoris Monasterii, sicut Helgo presbyter tenebat die qua obiit. Mando enim tibi ut omnem terram Sancti Martini que infra Normanniam est solutam et quietam ab omnibus gravatoribus et forestariis, ut dignum est, facias, et precipue Helgolino de Cheroburgo precipe ne ulterius se intromittat inde.

Historical context:

William sends Matilda instructions for her administration in Normandy, to settle a dispute over a monastery's land and taxes. Matilda's intervention in favor of the monks was required at least one other time against Robert Bertrand (Couppey, 350). The existence of this letter was made known to me by Laura Gathagan, who gave me the reference and the text. She notes that questions have been raised about its authenticity, but that even if it is a forgery it is an early one and crafted to reflect the way William and Matilda communicated.

Printed source:

L. Couppey, "Encore Héauville! Supplément aux notes historiques sur le prieur, conventuel d'Héauville la Hague," Revue catholique de Normandie, X, 1900-01, p.348-49.