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| (1) Gloriosissime atque clementissime domine domine Margarite divina providentia Romanorum regine et semper Auguste, G. de Batifolle Dei et adiuvalis Magnificentie gratia comitissa in Tuscia palatina, tam debite quam devote subiectionis officium ante pedes. | (1) To the most glorious and most clement Lady, the Lady Margaret, by Divine Providence Queen of the Romans and ever Augusta, G. di Battifolle, by the grace of God and of His allied Magnificence Countess Palatine in Tuscany, makes humble offering of her dutiful and devoted submission. | |
| (2) Gratissima regie Benignitatis epistola et meis oculis visa letanter et manibus fuit assumpta reverenter, ut decuit. Cumque significata per illam mentis aciem penetrando dulcescerent, adeo spiritus lectitantis fervore devotionis incaluit, ut nunquam possint superare oblivia nec memoria sine gaudio memorare. | (2) The most welcome letter of your Royal Benignity was beheld with joy by my eyes, and with becoming reverence was received into my hands. And when the purport thereof penetrated the recesses of my mind with its sweetness, my heart as I read glowed with so great fervour of devotion as oblivion can never extinguish, nor memory recall without delight. | |
| (3) Nam quanti vel qualis ego, ut ad enarrandum michi de sospitate consortis et sua, utinam diuturna!, coniunx fortissima Cesaris condescendat? Quippe tanti pondus honoris neque merita gratulantis neque dignitas postulabat; sed nec etiam inclinari humanorum graduum dedecuit apicem, unde, velut a vivo fonte, sancte civilitatis exempla debent inferioribus emanare. | (3) For who and what am I, that the most potent spouse of Caesar should condescend to inform me as to the well-being (which long may it endure!) of her Consort and of herself ? Verily the weight of so great an honour neither the deserts nor the dignity of her who greets you could look for. Yet was it not unseemly that the pinnacle of the ranks of human society should thus incline itself, since from hence, as from a living fountain, the exemplars of sacred civilization must be transmitted to those below. | |
| (4) Dignas itaque persolvere grates non opis est hominis; verum ab homine alienum esse non reor pro insufficiente supplemento Deum exorare quandoque. | (4) To return adequate thanks is beyond the power of man, but I deem it to be not unnatural for man sometimes to make prayer to God for help in his insufficiency. | |
| (5) Nunc ideo regni siderii iustis precibus atque piis aula pulsetur, et impetret supplicantis affectus quatenus mundi gubernator eternus condescensui tanto premia coequata retribuat, et ad auspitia Cesaris et Auguste dexteram gratie coadiutricis extendat; ut qui romani principatus imperio barbaras nationes et cives in mortalium tutamenta subegit, delirantis evi familiam sub triumphis et gloria sui Henrici reformet in melius. | (5) Now therefore let the court of the starry realm be assailed with just and holy prayers, and may the zeal of the suppliant obtain that the Eternal Ruler of the world may recompense so great a condescension with proportionate reward, and may stretch forth the right hand of His grace in furtherance of the hopes of Caesar and of Augusta; to the end that He, who for the safeguard of mankind brought under the Empire of the Roman Prince all peoples barbarian and civilized, may by the triumphs and glory of His servant Henry regenerate the human family of this crazy age. | |