[1] Because we have proposed to speak with brevity concerning the deeds and genealogy of the lords of the county of Hainaut and of certain emperors of the Romans and of Constantinople, and of the kings of France, and of Jerusalem and Sicily and England, and also of many princes and other nobles along with the counts themselves, we wish to begin with Count Hermann, who possessed the county of Hainaut by hereditary right following several counts, along with his wife Countess Richilde, a most prudent and powerful woman. From there we can turn most clearly to Count Baldwin IV, an illustrious, courageous and prudent man, son of Count Baldwin III and Countess Yolende. Baldwin IV married Countess Alix, who is buried at Mons in the monastery of Blessed Waudru in the upper crypt of St John the Baptist. Indeed, Count Baldwin IV enlarged his county of Hainaut after much work, and finally he was buried at Mons in the monastery of Blessed Waudru in the upper choir. From there we can consider his son Baldwin V, first marquis of Namur, a most wise and powerful prince, who possessed Flanders for several years from the part of his wife Marguerite. When Baldwin V died, he was buried at Mons in the middle of the monastery of Blessed Waudru before the altar of Blessed James the apostle. From there we can discuss his successors.

[2] Therefore it should be known that Count Hermann, who was called the count of Mons (because Mons itself was the capital, is the capital, and always will be the capital of all of Hainaut), had Countess Richilde as his wife. He was a prudent man and powerful in strength, who, when the count of Valenciennes had died without an heir of his own body, claimed that county as property for himself and added the county of Valenciennes to the honour of the county of Hainaut and the castle of Mons, because of hereditary right, and because of sales made with certain noblemen who protested about that inheritance. Hermann and Richilde had a son and daughter, but the son was said to have been lame. Count Hermann, their father, died when these children were still in infancy.