A letter from Matthew Paris (1236-1245)

Translated letter:

I give to your safekeeping, this book which I have made for you, noble lady of high birth, Eleanor, rich queen of England, who are the flower of ladies in goods and honors; there is no man who does not love and prize your goodness, sense, and nobility; if it did not sound like flattery, I would willingly describe your qualities; but I enlose you in a brief saying; as is appropriate to me and as I dare, like a ruby among other jewels, you are a flower among other women; to you, a fountain of culture, I make this little present; as you love king Henry, your lord, cherish, I know well, and desire, and that love is to be prized, having a common will for good, what he who is loved wants she who is loved wants, so their company is good, what she wants, he wants; the cloth [Cicero]1 bears witness. For St. Edward I speak and tell it, whom king Henry loves, whom I now write about; it is right for you to love and cherish him for he was a king and saint, before he embraced you in love; he was the friend of the holy father/St. Peter; by his virtues and his prayer, he governs you and comforts you, and will open the gate of heaven to you; you are joined with his house; he has only you two the king and you, who are his wife, as one should know/if knowledge does not forbid he should not fail you, by right, if he sees no deception in you.

Original letter:

En vostre garantie met, Ke pur vus ai fait, cest livret, Noble dame de haute orine, Alianore riche reine D'Engletere, ki estes flurs De dames par bens e honurs; N'est homme ki ne vus eime e prise Vos buntez, sens, e franchise; Si dit n'en fuse losengers, Vos bens diroie volenters; Mais brefvement tut vus enclos; Cum il m'apent e dire le os, Cum charbucle est entre autres gemmes, Flur estes entre autres femmes; Ki funtaine es di afeitement, A vuz faz cest petit present; Kant ke eime reis Henris tes sires, Chéris, bein sai, e desires, E cel amur fait a preiser D'aver en beins commun voler, Ke vout amis, co voile amie, Dunc est bone la cumpainie, Ke veut amie, e amis voile; Tesmoine nus enporte toile. Pur Seint Aedward le di e cunt, Ki li rois Henris eime, dunt Vus escrif numéement, Amer e chérir vus apent, Kar il fu reis e seinz, prime K'en amur vus ad enbrace; Il fu li druguns Seint Pere; Par ses vertuz e sa preiére; Il vus guverne e vus cumforte, Uverir vus fra du cel la porte; Aunez de sa meisun Estes; n'a si vus deus nun, Le roi e vus, ki sa moiller Estes, sen deuet saver, Ne vus deit failir par dreit Puis ke feintise en vus ne veit.

Historical context:

The poet assures the queen he is translating the history of St. Edward from Latin to French without additions, falsehood, or deception. Eleanor's husband, Henry, was devoted to the royal saint, and Eleanor learned to share his devotion (Howell, 85).

Scholarly notes:

1. The new translation by Fenster and Wogan-Browne gives Cicero, often called Tully, for the French Toile, which seems a better reading. See The History of Saint Edward the King by Matthew Paris, trans. Thelma S. Fenster and Jocelyn Wogan-Browne, the French of England Translation Series, v.1 (Tempe: ACMRS, 2008), p.54, and note 15, p.117.

Printed source:

Lives of Edward the Confessor, ed. H.R. Luard, RBMAS 3 (London: Longman, 1858); La Estoire de Seint Aedward Le Rei attributed to Matthew Paris, ed. K.Y. Wallace, ANTS, 41, 1983.

Date:

1236-1245