A letter from Eleanor of Provence (02/17/1254)

Translated letter:

Notification to all persons of Ireland that the king is sending brother Nicholas de Sancto Neoto, brother of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England, to Ireland, to expound to them, with J. son of Geoffrey, justiciary of Ireland, the state of the king and of the land of Gascony, and the perils imminent by the hostile coming of the king of Castile, who, trusting not in any right but in his power, proposes to take from the king the land of Gascony, and separate it from the realm of England, requesting them to do their utmost to assist him in so great peril with men and money. By the queen.

Historical context:

When Henry III went to Gascony to deal with a rebellion, he appointed Eleanor to run the government with the counsel of his brother Richard of Cornwall (who was married to Eleanor’s sister Sanchia). The Patent Rolls record the actions she took in that position.

Scholarly notes:

(1) After the first two volumes of the Patent Rolls published in Latin, the editors shifted to English translations, explaining that the "language tends gradually to become more formal and verbose."

Printed source:

Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Henry III, 1247-58, 4.364; summary in English.(1)

Date:

02/17/1254