The Correspondence of Perchta and Anéžka of Rožmberk ca. 1448–1488

Summary

• 1. Anéžka and Perchta of Rožmberk write to their brother Henry of Rožmberk that they look forward to his return and describe their contact with animals in the yard of their castle.

  Early February, sometime in the 1440s, Český Krumlov

  Czech AČ, no. 3

  Let this letter be given to the noble lord Lord Henry of Rožmberk, our dear brother.

  We send you our prayers, noble lord, dear brother, and we thank Your Grace very much for the greetings in the packet, and especially for the welcome word that you are returning to us this Shrovetide. Yet everyone looks on the gloomy side [saying] that you will not come. Despite this, we continue to believe that you will not betray us, because if you don’t come, those greetings in the packet do not mean anything. And sister says that the big ox always milks the cows in the sick room, expecting you with milk. And we continue to ask you, for God’s sake, that you return to us at Carnival. Given in Krumlov the Monday after the feast of St. Dorothy [6 February] under the steps leading to the creamery.

  Anéžka and Perchta of Rožmberk.

• 2. Betrothal agreement between Ulrich of Rožmberk and John of Lichtenštejn for John to marry Perchta of Rožmberk. It followed Czech custom in which the husband gave one and a half times the amount of the bride’s dowry. The marriage was considered sealed once the couple had shared a bed on the first night.

  9 February 1449, Český Krumlov

  German Listář a listinář, 4, 9–11

  We, Ulrich of Rožmberk, acknowledge and make public with this letter that we have made an agreement with the noble lord, Lord John of Lichtenštejn of Mikulov, and have betrothed our daughter, the virgin Perchta, promising to give her as an honorable spouse to him, according to the law of the land of Bohemia. We shall give and want to give as lawful dowry for our daughter, the virgin Perchta, 60,000 good large groschen of Czech Prague coins or the equivalent in Hungarian or Rhine gulden or in good small pennies equal to the value of the aforesaid groschen at that time in the land of Bohemia or Austria.