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Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX
Letters XX to XXIX is in Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XX Eleanora Queen Dowager of England to her son Edward I
After 1279. Letter XX. Eleanora Queen-Dowager of England (age 56) to her son Edward I (age 39).
To the most noble prince and our dearest son, Edward, by God's grace king of England, lord of Ireland, and duke of Guienne, Eleanora, hoxnble nun of the order of Fontevraud of the convent of Amesbury, health and our blessing.
Sweetest son, our abbess of Fontevraud has prayed us that we would entreat the King of Sicily to guard and preserve the franchises of her house, which some people wish to damage. And, because we know well that he will do much more for your prayer than for ours, for you have better deserved it, we pray you, good son^ that for love of us you will request and especi-^ ally require this thing from him; and that he would command that the things which the abbess holds in his lordship may be in his protection and guard, and that neither she nor hers may be molested or grieved. Good son, if it please you, command that the billet be hastily delivered. We wish you health in the sweet Jesus, to whom we commend you.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXI Eleanora Queen Dowager of England to her son Edward I
After 1279. Letter XXI. Eleanora Queen-Dowager of England (age 56) to her son Edward I (age 39).
To the most noble prince and her very dear son, Edward, by God's grace king of England, lord of Ireland, and duke of Aquitaine, Eleanora, humble nun of the order of Fontevraud [Map], of the convent of Amesbury, wishes health and her blessing.
Sweetest son, we know well how great is the desire that a mother has to see her child when she has been long away from him, and that dame Margaret de Nevile (age 24), companion of Master John Painter Giffard (age 47), has not seen for a long time past her child, who is in the keeping of dame Margaret de Weyland, and has a great desire to see him. We pray you, sweetest son, that you will command and pray the aforesaid Margaret de Weyland, that she will suffer that the mother may have the solace of her child for some time, after her desire. Dearest son, we commend you to God. Given at Amesbury [Map], the 4th day of March.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXII Mary Daughter of Edward I a Nun at Amesbury to her Brother Edward II
1316. Letter XXII. Mary Daughter of Edward I (age 36), a Nun at Amesbury [Map] to her Brother Edward II (age 31).
To the very high and noble prince, her very dear lord and brother, my lord Edward, by the grace of God king of England, his sister Mary sends health and all manner of honour and reverence.
Very dear sire as a long time has passed since God did his will upon our prioress Dambert, we immediately after her death sent to our very dear cousin, the lady-abbess of Fontevraud, both on my part and on that of the convent, asking for a lady from this our convent, to wit, for the Lady Isabella, whom we understand to be well able and sufficient for the office, that she might be granted to us for our prioress. And we thought, dear sire, that she (the abbess) would have willingly granted us our request, for she is bound to do so since she was brought up and veiled amongst us, and so she should neither wish nor permit that the church should be so long without prelates; but as yet we have had no answer, only we understand from certain people that she intends to send us a prioress from beyond the sea there, and a prior by her counsel out there. And know, certainly, my very dear brother, that should she send any other than one belonging to our own convent, it would prove matter of discord in the convent, and of the destruction of the goods of the church, which I know well, sire, that you would not suffer willingly and wittingly; wherefore I pray you, dearest lord and brother, and require you, both for the love of me and' of our convent, which after God trust surely in you, that you would please to send word to my said lady-abbess, that she do not undertake to burden our church with any prioress out of the convent, nor with prior other than the one we have now, but that she would.
Text Missing.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXIII Isabella Capet Queen Consort England to her nephew John Plantagenet 1st Earl Cornwall
10 Oct 1316. Letter XXIII. Isabella of France Queen Consort England (age 21) to her nephew John of Eltham 1st Earl Cornwall.
Most dear and beloved nephew,.
We have well understood what you have sent us word by your letters; and, as to our estate, we give you to know that we are even in great trouble of heart, but, considering the condition we are in, we were in good health of body at the setting forth of these letters, which our Lord ever grant to you. Dearest nephew, we pray you that you will leave off all excuses, and come to the king our son in the best manner you can, and as he commands you more fully by his letters. For you well know, dearest nephew, if you come not, considering the necessity that now exists, it will be greatly talked of, and will be a great dishonour to you. Wherefore make an effort to come at this time as hastily as you can, and you know well, dearest nephew, that we shall ever be ready to counsel you as well as we can in all things that shall be to your honour and profit. Most dear and beloved nephew, our Lord have you in his keeping. Given at Nottingham [Map], the 10th day of October.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXIV Philippa of Hainault Queen of Edward III to Sir John de Edington her Attorney
14 May 1354. Letter XXIV. Philippa of Hainault Queen of Edward III (age 39) to Sir John de Edington her Attorney.
Philippa, by the grace of God queen of England, lady of Ireland, and duchess of Aquitaine, to our dear clerk Sir John de Edington, our attorney in the exchequer of our very dear lord the king, sends greeting.
We command you, that you cause all the writs which have been filed from the search lately made by Sir Richard de Cressevill to be postponed until the octaves of Easter next ensuing; to the end that, in the meantime, we and our council may be able to be advised which of the said writs are to be put in execution for our profit, and which of them are to cease to the relief of our people, to save our conscience. And we will that this letter be your warrant therefore.
Given under our privy seal, at Westminster [Map], the 14th day of May, in the year of the reign of our very dear lord the king of England the twenty-eighth.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXV Constance Wife of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster to the Chancellor of England
07 Aug 1372. 1372 the earliest date based on her marriage in 1371. Letter XXV. Constance (age 18), Wife of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, to the Chancellor of England.
From the Queen of Castile and Leon, Duchess of Lancaster.
Honoured sir.
We pray you lovingly that you will grant your letters for Friar Alvare, the bearer of these, to the prior of the friars-preachers of Oxford, that the said friar may be received there to be a student in the university of the said city, for love of me. And may our Lord ever have you, honoured sir, in his holy keeping.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXVI Annabella Queen of Scotland to King Richard II
01 Aug 1394. Letter XXVI. Annabella Queen of Scotland (age 44) to King Richard II (age 27).
To the most high and mighty prince Richard, by the grace of God king of England, our very dear cousin, Annabella, by the selfsame grace queen of Scotland sends health and greeting.
We give you hearty and entire thanks for your loving letters presented to as by oar well-beloved Donglas, herald-at-arms, from which we have learned to our great pleasure and comfort your good health and estate. And, dearest cousin, as touching the marriage-treaty to be made between some nearly allied to you by blood and some children of the king my lord and of us, be pleased to know that it is agreeable to the king (age 57) my said lord and to us, as he has signified to you by these letters. And in especial, that, although the said treaty could not be held on the third day of July last past for certain and reasonable causes contained in your letters sent to the king my aforesaid lord, you consented that the treaty should in like manner take place another day, namely, the first day of October next coming, which is agreeable to the king my aforesaid lord and to us; and we thank you heartily aud with good will, and affectionately pray you that you will continue the said treaty, and have the said day kept, for it is the will of my said lord the king and of us that as far as in us lies the said day should be kept without fail. And, dearest cousin, we affectionately require and entreat you that your highness will not be displeased that we have not sooner written to you; for we were lying in childbed of a male infant named James, of whom we are now well and graciously delivered, thanks to God and our Lady. And also, because, at the coming of your letters, the king my said lord was far away in the isles of his kingdom, we did not receive these letters sent to us on this matter till the last day of July last past. Most high and puissant prince, may the Holy Ghost ever keep you! Given under our signet, at the abbey of Dumfermline [Map], the first day of August.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXVII Joanna of Navarre afterwards Queen of Henry IV to King Richard II
15 Mar 1399. Letter XXVII. Joanna of Navarre (age 29) afterwards Queen of Henry IV to King Richard II (age 32).
My most dear and redoubted lord,.
I desire every day to be certified of your good estate, which our Lord grant that it may ever be as good as your heart desires and as I should wish it for myself. If it would please you to let me know of it, you would give me great rejoicings in my heart, for every time that I hear good news of you I am most perfectly glad at heart. And if to know tidings from this side would give you pleasure, when this was written my lord (age 31), I, and our children were together in good health of our persons, thanks to our Lord, who by his grace ever grant you the same. I pray you, my dearest and most redoubted lord, that it would ever please you to have the affairs of my said lord well recommended, as well in reference to the deliverance of his lands as other things, which lands in your hands are the cause why he sends his people promptly towards you. So may it please you hereupon to provide him with your gracious remedy, in such manner that he may enjoy his said lands peaceably; even as he and I have our perfect surety and trust in you more than in any other. And let me know your good pleasure, and I will accomplish it willingly and with a good heart to my power.
My dearest and most redoubted lord, I pray the Holy Spirit that he will have you in his holy keeping.
Written at Vannes, the 15th day of March. The Duchess of Bretagne.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXVIII Joanna of Navarre afterwards Queen of Henry IV to her future Husband Henry IV
15 Feb 1400. Letter XXVIII. Joanna of Navarre (age 30) afterwards Queen of Henry IV to her future Husband Henry IV (age 32).
My very dear and most honourable lord and cousin, Since I am desirous to hear of your good estate, which our Lord grant that it may ever be as good as your noble heart knows best how to desire, and, indeed, as I would wish it for myself, I pray you, my most dear and honoured lord and cousin, that it would please you very often to let me know the certainty of it, for the very great joy and gladness of my heart; for every time that I can hear good news of you, it rejoices my heart very greatly. And if of your courtesy you would hear the same from across here, thanks to you, at the writing of these presents I and my children were together in good health of our persons, thanks to God who grant yon the same, as Johanna of Bayalen, who is going over to you, can tell you more fully, whom please it yon to have recommended in the business on which she is going over. And if anything that I can do over here will give you pleasure, I pray you to let me know it, and I will accomplish it with a very good heart, according to my power.
My dearest and most honoured lord and cousin, I pray the Holy Spirit to have you in his holy keeping.
Written at Vannes, the 15th day of February. The Duchess of Bretagne.
Books, Letters of Royal And Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain Volume 1, Letters XX to XXIX, Letter XXIX The Prioress of Rowney to King Henry IV
12 Nov 1400. Letter XXIX. The Prioress of Rowney to King Henry IV (age 33).
To the most excellent prince and lord in Christy lord' Henry, by God's grace illustrous king of England and France, and lord of Ireland, his humble and devoted oratrice the prioress of Rowney sends the divine suffrages of prayers, with all sorts of reverence and honour;.
By the tenor of these presents I certify to your royal highness that the sister Joanna Adeleshey, a nun of the order of St. Benedict, and notoriously professed in the same house, wanders and roams abroad from country to country, in a secular habit despising her vow of obedience to the grievous danger of her soul, and manifest scandal of her order, and pernicious example of others. May it therefore please your royal excellency of your royal clemency, hitherto ever gracious, to extend the secular arm for the capture of the said Joanna, to be chastised according to the rule of her order in a ease of this kind, lest for want of due chastisement a plant given up to divine culture may thus perish. And may He who gives to all kings to reign preserve your royal majesty in prosperity. Given at Rbwney, the 12th day of November, a.d. 1400.