will of King Henry II
The Last Testament of King Henry II of England
King Henry II was born in Le Mans, the County of Maine,
on 4 March 1133 to Geoffrey the fair by his wife the Empress Matlida, daughter of King Henry I of
England. He succeded his father as Count of Anjou and Maine, and he was Duke of Normandy when he
married Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine and the former Queen of France on 18 May 1182. By her, he
was the father of three kings of England: Henry the Young King, Richard the Lionheart and John. His daughters were
Queens of Sicily and of Castile, two grandsons were Holy Roman Emperors, and a granddaughter was Queen of France. He died
in the chapel of his castle at Chinon in his County of Anjou on 6 July 1189. He was buried in the Abbey of
Fontevrault, where his body remained until the French Revolution, at which time his tomb was desecated.
The will is found at John Nicholas., editor, Collection of all the Wills, now known to be extant, of the Kings & Queens of England (reprint, New York: AMS Pr., no date), pgs. 7-10.
King Henry II
of England made a
testament at the manor of Richard of Ilchester, in Waltham, diocese of
Winchester, England, on 22 February 1182; (source: W.L.
Warren, Henry II, English Monarchs series (Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1973),
p. 559.) The transcript of his will and testament reads:
HENRICUS Dei gratia rex Angli�, Dux Normanni� et Aquitani�, Henrico regi, et Ricardo, et Galfrido, et Johanni
filiis suis; archiepiscopis, episcopis, abbatibus, archidiaconis, decanis, comitibus, baronibus, justiciariis,
vicecomitibus, ministris, & omnibus hominibus & fidelibus suis tam clericus quam laicis tocius terr�
su� citra mare & ultra, salutem. Notum vobis facio, quod apud Waltham, pr�sentibus episcopis R. Wintoniensi
et J. Norwicensi, & G. cancellario filio meo, et magiftro Waltero [de] Constantii archidiacono Oxon. et
Godesrido de Luci archidiacono de Derebi, & Ranulfo de Glanvilla, et Rogero filio Reimsridi, et Hugone de
Morewie, & Radulfo filio Stephani camerario, et Willelmo Rufo, feci divisam meam de quadam parte pecuni�
me� in hunc modum: domui militi� templi Jerusalem MMMMM marcas argenti, domui hospitali Jerusalem MMMMM marcas
argenti; et ad communem defensionem terr� Jerosolimitan� MMMMM marcas argenti, per manum magiftrorum templi et
hospitali Jerusalem & visum eorundem habendas; pr�ter pecuniam illam quam prius pr�dictis domibus templi
et hospitalis commiseram custodiendam; quam similiter dono ad defensionem ipsius terr� Jerosolimitan�, nisi
eam in vita mea repetere voluero; et aliis domious religiosis tocius Jerosolim�, et leprosis et inclusis et
heremitis ejusdem terr� MMMMM marcas argenti, dividendas per manum patriarch� Jerusalem, & visum episcoporum
terr� Jerosolim�, et magiftrorum templi et hospitalis; domibus religiosis Angli�, monachorum, canonicorum,
sanctimonialium, & leprosis, et inclusis, & heremitis ipsium terr� MMMMM marcas argenti, dividendas
per manum et visum R. archiepiscopi Cant. et R. Winton et B. Wigorn et G. Elyen et J. Norwic episcoporum, et
Ranulfi de Glanvilla justiciarii Angli�; domibus religiosis Normanni�, monachorum, canonicorum sanctimonialium,
et inclusis, et heremitis ejusdem terr� MMM marcas argenti, dividendas per manum et visum archepiscopi
Rothomagensis, et Baiocensis, et Abrincensis, et Sagiensis, et Ebroicensis episcoporum; domibus leprosorum
ipsius CCC marcas argenti per manum et visum pr�dictorum dividendas; monialibus Moretoni� C marcas argenti;
monialibus de Viliers extra Faleisiam C marcas argenti; domibus religiosis terr� comitis Andegavi� patris mei,
exceptis sanctimonialibus de ordine sontis Ebraldi, M marcas argentis per manus episcoporum Cenomannensis et
Andegavensis dividendas; ipsis autem sanctimonialibus Fontis Ebraldi, et domibus ipsius ordinis, MM marcas
argenti, dividendas per manum et visum abbatiss� Fontis Ebraldi; sanctimonialibus sancti Sulpicii Britanni�
C marcas argenti; domui et toti ordini Grandis Montis MMM narcas argenti; domui & toti ordini de Chartusa
MM marcas argenti; domui Cistertii et omnibus ipsius ordinis, exceptis domibus ejusdem ordinis qu� in terra
mea sunt quibus divisam meam feci, MM marcas argenti, dividendas per visum et manum abbatis Cistertii et
Clarevallis; domui Cluniaci M marcas argenti, pr�ter hoc quod eidem domui accommodavi, quod ei perdono nisi
in vita mea repetere voluero; domui Majoris Monasterii perdono M marcas argenti quas ei commodavi, nisi eas
in vita mea repetere voluero; santimonialibus de Maitilli C marcas argenti; domui de Pr�monstrato et toti
ordini, exceptis domibus ejusdem ordinis qu� in terra mea sunt, CC marcas argenti; domui de Arrodis et toti
ordini, exceptis domibus ejusdem ordinis terr� me�, C marcas argenti; ad maritandas pauperes et liberas s�minas
Angli� qu� carent auxilio, CCC marcas argenti, dividendas per manum et visum R. Wintoniensis, et B. Wigorn,
et G. Elyensis, et J. Norwicensis episcoporum, et Ranulfi de Glanvilla; ad maritandas pauperes et liberas
s�minas Normanni� qu� carent auxilio, C marcas argenti, dividendas per manum et visum Rothomagensis archepiscopi,
et Baiocensis et Abrincensis, et Sagiensis, et Ebroicensis episcoporum; ad maritandas [pauperes] et liberas
s�minas de terra comitis Andegavi� patris mea C marcas auri, per manum et visum Cenomannensis et Andegavensis
episcoporum dividendas. Hanc autem divisam feci impr�dicto loco anno incarnationis Domini MCLXXXII. Quam
vobis filiis meis per fidem quam mihi debetis et sacramentum quod mihi jurastis, pr�cipio ut sirmiter et
inviolabiliter teneri saciatris; et quod super eos qui ipsam secerint manum non apponatis; et quicunque
contra hoc venire presumpserit, indignationem et iram omnipotentis Dei, et maledictionem ipsius Dei et meam
incurrat. Vobis etiam archepiscopis et episcopis mando, ut per sacramentum quod mihi secistis, et fidem quam
Deo et mihi debetis, in synodis vertris sollempniter accensis candelis excommunicetis et excommunicare
saciatis omnes illos qui hanc divisam meam infringere pr�sumpserint; et sciatis quod dominus papa hanc
divisam meam scripto et sigillo suo confirmavit sub interminatione anathematis.
Ex
antiquo Cod. MS Feodorum militum Angli� penes Remem. Regis, fol. I. Habet hunc titulum five rubricam,
"Hoc est Testamentum illustrissimi Regis Henrici Secundi Angli�."
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