A letter from the prior and subprior of Clairvaux

Translated letter:

To his dearest lady in Christ Blanche, illustrious countess palatine of Troyes, brother Stephen, prior, and brother W. subprior of Clairvaux [send] eternal greeting/salvation in the Lord.  Your excellence should know that we have seen with our own eyes the charter of the dowering of Elizabeth, lady of Châteauvillain, and have had it transcribed word for word, of which this is the text:

In the name of the holy and individual trinity.  I Hugo, lord of Broyes make known to the present and future that I have given my wife Elizabeth as her dower whatever I had in the honor of the valley of Baia and whatever pertains to me in the honor of Nigella and of Villenauxe and of Champigny-sur-Aube, and the whole land that pertains to me that is located at Ramerupt and below, except the castrum of Broyes, which is Simon of Commercy’s, and another land which is divided with that Simon and except what I have given to my daughter Emmeline.  In Burgundy I have given to that Elizabeth the castrum of Arc-en-Barrois and Cour-l’Evêque which is below, and whatever I have from upper Arc on the river of Anjon up to Chameroy with that town of Chameroy and the vineyard of Varancey.  And the knights of the fiefs that are located within this division that is made to Elizabeth, will hold from that said feof, and the men there will be hers.  Elizabeth will hold all these as dower as long as she lives in secular habit/life.  When she dies, however, all these will go to her heir.  My sons have approved these, Simon of Commercy and his heirs, and the younger Simon [of Châteauvillain] who will always be held to warrant this to his mother and that same Simon will do homage for the domain.  Witnesses of this thing are:  Henry, bishop of Orléans, count Robert, Odo of Champlitte, Simon of Broyes, Reric of Latrecey.  That this be held firm, I have strengthened it with the protection of my seal.  Enaced in this yar of the lord’s incarnation, 1197.

I Stephen, said prior of Clairvaux affirm that I have seen this charter and witness it with the affixing of my seal. 

Original letter:

Karissime in Christo domine sue Blanche illustri comitisse Trecensis palatine, frater S[tephanus] prior et frater W. subprior Clarevallis eternam in Domino salutem. Noverit excellentia vestra, quod nos cartam de dotalicio Helysabet domine Castrivillani oculo ad oculum perspeximus, et verbo ad verbum inscribi fecimus, cujus tenor talis est:

In nomine sancte et individue trinitatis. Ego H(ugo) Brecensis dominus. Notum facio presentibus et futuris, quod Elysabet uxor mee dedi in doaire quicquid habebam in honorem vallis Baie, et quicquid ad me pertinet in honorem de Nigella et de Vilenessa et de Champanni super Albam, et omnem terram que ad me pertinet que sita est a Ramerru et inferius excepto castro Brecarum, quod est Symonis de Commarceio, et alia terra que divisa est eidem Symoni, et excepto hoc quod dedi Emeline filie mee. In Burgundia vero dedi eisdem Elysabet castrum de Art et Curtesvesque que est inferius, et quicquid habeo ab Arc superius in riveria de Anjon usque ad Chamegoys cum ipsa villa de Chamegoys et vineam de Varanceio.  Milites quem quorum feoda sita sunt infra hanc divisionem que facta est eidem Helysabet, ab eadem prescripta feoda recipient, et inde homines sui erunt. Hec autem omnia tenebit Helysabet en duaire quamdiu in habitu vixerit seculari. Ea autem moriente, hec omnia ad heredem suum redibunt. Hec laudaverunt filii mei Symon de Commarceio et ejus heredes, et Symon junior que semper hoc matri sue tenetur garantire, et idem Symon dominis hominium faciet. Hujus rei testes sunt: Henricus Aurelianensis episcopus, comes Robertus, Odo Campan(iensis), Symon de Brecons, Rericus de Latreceio. Ut hoc autem ratum habeatur, sigilli mei munimine roboravi. Actum est hoc anno dominice Incarnationis MCLXXXXVII.

Ego S[tephanus] dictus prior Clarevallis talem cartam me vidisse fateor, et sigilli mei appensione protestor.

Historical context:

This letter is a vidimus and a record from the prior and subprior of a charter in which Hugo of Broyes dowers his wife with various lands, except what he has given to his second son and his daughter.   A castrum is an administrative unit with a castle at the center,

Printed source:

The Cartulary of Countess Blanche of Champagne, edited by Theodore Evergates, © The Medieval Academy of America 2010 (University of Toronto Press, 2009), 347-48, #393.  Reprinted with permission of the press.

Date: