Note 5.4

The Chartulary of the Priory of Saint Peter at Sele (edited by L F Salzman, Cambridge, 1923) translates a charter in which Philip de Braose confirmed his father's gifts to Saint Florent Abbey. The charter is notable for recording Philip's journey to Jerusalem and Salzman therefore dated it 1096, although it is clearly retrospective and refers to Philip's return. Salzman's version has been taken from a later version with additions copied into a confirmation charter by Philip's son William. This is explained by H E Salter in Facsimiles of Early Charters in Oxford Muniment Rooms (Oxford, 1929). Click here to see Salter's reproduction of Philip's original charter. Doubt has been cast on whether this "Jerusalem Charter" refers to the First Crusade at all. The charter from Salzman reads: Philip de Braiosa, when he was setting out for Jerusalem, confirmed his father's gift, which his father, William de Braiosa, made to God and the church of Saint Florent, namely, the church of the holy martyrs Gervase and Prothase at Braiosa, and the church of Saint Peter of Sela and of Saint Nicholas of Brambria, with the churches, tithes and other rents belonging to the above-named churches, and [rights] in woodland, open country and waters. But the church of Scapuleia he exchanged with the monks of Saint Florent for the church of Wassingetona; from which church of Scapuleia the monks had yearly 4s and all the tithe of the demesne. On his return from Jerusalem, Philip graciously gave and confirmed the church of Saint Mary of the port [de Haura] of Sorham as it rightly belonged to the said monks. This grant of Philip's was allowed by his wife Aanor and William his son on 4 January. Witnesses - Silvester the monk, Roger the monk, Robert the monk, another Robert who was then prior of Sele, Robert the chaplain, Oliver who then drew up this charter, Richard de Harecur[t], Robert le Sauvage, Simon le Conte, William de Pointel, Hugh de Cumbes, Bucei, Thomas Tailebos, William son of Aschetil, Oliver de Sacco, Adam de Chernella and others. William, Philip's son who allowed the grant, was unlikely to have been born by 1096-1100 since he lived until 1191-2. J H Round (also H E Salter) believed this charter to refer to a later pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and not to the First Crusade. A later notification by Seffrid I, Bishop of Chichester from 1125-1147, describes it as having taken place "in my time". Yet Philip's absence on the First Crusade is indicated in the records of other events during the years 1097 to 1100. Most significantly, in 1099 William Rufus gave judgement at Lillebonne against Philip de Braose in favour of Fécamp Abbey. Philip de Braose was not present although he resumed the dispute in person during 1103. Philip may have received news of his father's death while he was at Radnor. Monks representing Saint Florent visited him there, when he evidently overcame his earlier reluctance to confirm his father's gifts to the abbey. In fact he later increased the family's gifts. Philip granted his orchards, a vineyard and other lands near the Priory of Sele at Upper Beeding during a visit to the Saint Florent Priory of Monmouth. This is recorded in a notification, also retrospective, shown in Calendar of Documents Preserved in France, Illustrative of the History of Great Britain and Ireland (edited by J H Round, London 1899), page 401, number 1120: Notification that Philip de Braiosa, for the benefit of his father's and mother's souls and his own, granted to St. Florent and his monks the whole endowment, which his father William had given them in Normandy and in England; and this grant he made at Raddenoa, to Wihenoc and Gilbert the monks, in the presence of William son of Baderon and Ralf de Gornay, telling William that if he, Philip, wanted to repudiate this grant, William should prove that he had made it. Afterwards, wishing to increase his endowment, he gave them, in [their] monastery of the see of Hereford, his orchards (virgulta) and vineyard and other lands near the monastery of Bedinges. Hujus doni sunt isti testes: Willelmus filius Baderonis, et Paganus frater ejus, et Willelmus forasterius, et Radulfus de Pena Burga et Robertus filius Bernardi, et Radulfus de Gornay et Gislebertus de Cleopeban. The Liber Albus of Maine and Loire (folio 119), J H Round's source, adds a narrative after this charter: "Post haec contigit prenominatum Philippum mare transire, Picavirique adeuntem apud cenobium Salmurense hospitari". (After this it took upon the aforesaid Philip to cross the sea going to Poitou to receive hospitality at the abbey of Saumur.) The story continues of how William of Dol, Abbot of Saint Florent, encouraged Philip to confirm his gifts again on the altar at Saumur, by oath, using a dagger. This is the same method that was forced upon him by his father at the consecration of the Priory of Saint Gervais in Briouze. His unwillingness then is presumably the reason why the monks at Saumur wanted him to repeat his oath in their presence. These events were dated 1096 by J H Round. William of Dol was Abbot of Saint Florent from June 28, 1070 to June 20, 1118. The Liber Albus may therefore document events following after the death of Philip's father: a confirmation of the family grants at Radnor; further gifts to Saint Florent made at Monmouth in preparation for the Crusade and a stopover at Saumur on the way to Poitou, perhaps to join up with a contingent travelling to the Holy Land. Philip's return by September 1100, if indeed he attended the First Crusade, is indicated in a letter from Archbishop Anselm to him and other lords of Deheubarth. Anselm himself had just arrived in England (see J E Lloyd's History of Wales, Volume II (London, 1911), page 403, note 13). It may be relevant that William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou departed for the Holy Land in 1101. He had attempted to reach an agreement to mortgage all his domains to William Rufus in return for money to finance the venture. This fell through with the sudden death of Rufus in 1100 and William IX's campaign was delayed. (See C, Warren Hollister, Monarchy, Magnates and Institutions in the Anglo-Norman World (1986), Chapter 3, "The Strange Death of William Rufus", page 67.) Philip de Braose's journey to Poitou might therefore have taken place in 1101 to join William IX. In this case Philip's return is indicated by his presence at the court case of 1103. This leaves no explanation as to why Philip did not attend court in 1099. The Norman charters of Saint Florent Abbey are collected in Chartres Normandes de l'Abbaye de Saint Florent, edited by P Marchegay.

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