Original Documents.
The following correspondence between Bishop Grandisson and the Courtenay family, in the early part of the fourteenth century, has been extracted from the registers of the See of Exeter, by my friends Dr. Oliver and Mr. Pitman Jones, of Exeter, to whose diligent researches among the diocesan and municipal records this Journal has already been indebted for original documents of considerable interest.
I am personally under great obligation to those gentlemen for their kindness in having made me, for many years, a participator in the results of their unremitted labours in the field of historical antiquity. If I have been able at any time to invite the attention and to gratify the curiosity of the Members of the Society by laying before them a few selections from the numerous extracts with which they have from time to time supplied me, I hope it will not be forgotten that it is to them, and not to myself, that the merit justly belongs.
The letters are printed from copies before me without any attempt on my part to exercise critical powers of emendation, or to clear up the few obscurities which will perhaps present themselves to the reader. I rather think that, if a translation were to accompany the letters, there are readers who would not look upon it as an imputation on their knowledge or sagacity. The early French has not many students in this country, even where a knowledge of it might be expected; and it may be stated confidently that there have been not a few eminent lawyers of my time, to whom the earlier Year Books of the law have been sealed volumes. I have, however, conformed to the usual practice, and left the reader to be his own interpreter. EDWARD SMIRKE.
I. Letter from the Bishop to Lord Hugo de Courtenay Earl of Devon, congratulating him on his safe return home in a storm from a visit to the Bishop:—
Grandisson's Regist. Vol. I. fol. 54.
"Salutz come a soun filz oue la benesoun de dieux e la nostra. Trechere Sire, nous sumus molt liee de queer que dieux vous aad sauve en la tempeste de hier et le prioms que il vous sauve a garde touz jours en sauvete. Et sachet, sire, que ceo estoyt molt contre nostre volunte que vous partistes de nostre houstiel.3 Par quoi, Sire, bon est de overer touz jours apres bon consail. Sire, tutes les foïtz que nous pouroms rien oyr tochaunt voz honeurs, nous le vous escriveroms, si vous prioms que vous le facet a nous quant vous pourez bonement. Sire, nostre seignour vous eït en sa garde."
