



By the Rev. J. BE. Jackson. 63 
years, still remains in the Tower of London, of which a small 
portion only has been printed in the Fodera. Her letters are 
principally written in Norman French, which was almost the 
native language of this Provencal Queen.” 
1. Eleanora Queeen Dowager of England to her son, Edward I. 
«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, humble nun of 
the order of Fonteyrand of the convent of Amesbury, health and our blessing. 
Sweetest son, our Abbess of Fontevrand 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 especially 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 eee delivered. We wish you health i in the sweet 
Jesus, to whom we commend you.” 
2. The same to the same. (Original Letter No. 1106, Tower 
of London. French). 
‘¢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 Fontevrand, 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, companion of Master John Giffard, 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 the 4th day of 
March.” 
The Queen Dowager died 1291 or 1292. King Edward I. came 
back from Scotland to give her a sumptuous funeral. Her body 
was buried at Ambresbury, but her heart in the church of the 
Friars Minors, London.! 





1 Leaving for a moment the history of Amesbury monastery, the casual men- 
tion of this Queen’s name brings to memory that of a mysterious and remark- 
able person to whom she owed her elevation to the throne of England, but 
: ‘about whom one would wish that something more could be discovered. The 
Queen (as already stated) was one of the daughters of Raymond Berenger, (or 
