A letter from Ermengard of Narbonne, viscountess of Narbonne (1196, April 30)

Translated letter:

(After a sentence of introduction about the necessity for each man and each woman to prepare him/herself for the moment of leaving the world definitively, almost illegible because of the poor condition of the document, the testamentary dispositions, strictly speaking, begin.) ... Ermengarde, "lady" of Narbonne, lying in my bed (of death), brought down by a very grave illness, still in possession of all my faculties, as well as speech ..., by reason of the multitude of my sins ... threatened with the punishments of hell... and wishing to attain the joys of paradise where God gives to each according to his merits, for this reason I establish my testament and I call upon five witnesses, who, as they promised me in an oath on the four Gospels, if it became necessary, would attest and certify that the dispositions below taken by me concerning my properties are (the very expression) of my true and last intentions.
First, I leave my body to be buried in the cemetery of the house of Sainte- Marie de Mas-Deu, and I give to the Militia of the Temple for the love of God and the salvation of my soul and of that of my parents my whole castrum of Albars, [today Albas] in freehold ("per allodium franchum et liberum") forever, with its entries and its exits, with the whole lordship that I have there and ought to have over the men and women and their whole progeny present and future, with the census, usages, and services, with the tallage and the profitable rights over the land, with the whole tenement of this castrum, that is, wood, copses, garrigues, pasturages, meadows, prairies, and with the stagnant and running water, with the canals and derivations, with the plains and the heights, and with all the dependencies and appurtenances to the best that can be understood and said for the usage of people.
And I give to the house of the Militia of the Temple of Perreires, my whole castrum de Corciano (Coursan) "'per allodium franchum et liberum'A forever, with its entries and its exits ... (as above)... And I give to the hospital of Saint-Jean-de Jerusalem my whole castrum of Periniano (Perignan)[today Fleury] "per allodium franchum et liberum" forever, with its entries and its exits ...(as above)... The abovesaid castrum of Periniano was given to me by P. Renard, miles of Periniano, to whom it belonged, under the condition that I hold it, that I would possess it and would profit from it during my lifetime and that at my death I would give it for the love of God and for the salvation of the soul of the said P. Renard and of my own to the house of the hospital of Jerusalem. All these donations that I Ermengarde, lady of Narbonne, make to the houses of religious orders, I approve and confirm them (laudo et confirmo) with full knowledge of the facts and of my own free will, in frank and freehold forever, as it was formulated above, with the men and women, the census and the taxes, with all things (in these places) that were due me and belonged to me, with the fields, the vineyards, the cultivated and uncultivated lands, the meadows, the pasturages, the garrigues, and the woods, and with all other "exactions," to the best that can be understood and said for the usage of people.
And I pray the count Pierre, by our lord Jesus Christ, as my good and dear son and my cherished nephew and friend, that for the love of the eternal king and for my own, he execute my abovesaid wishes concerning the donations that I have assigned above on my own honor (property). And I pray him for the love of God that the castella that I have given for (the salvation of) my soul to the houses of religious orders, he make certain that they get them, that they hold them, that they possess them, in enjoying peace for always in frank and freehold as it was stated above. And if he does this, may God almighty and merciful pardon him on my account for all the injuries, damages, violence, oppressions, vexations, privations, calamities, and all the evil things that I experienced because of him and his. And in addition I leave him and I abandon to him, and I cede to him, and I give him my whole other honor, and all lordship (dominatio) on the sea and on the land, including towns and castles, with the men and women, and with their entries and exits, and the fields and vineyards and the cultivated and uncultivated lands, and all things found there, to the best that can be understood and said for his use, freely and without contestation independent of my donation. In addition I pray him, for the love of God, that he cause to be destroyed that fortification (municionem) that Gaschet made in my field of Corciano and that the two condamina belong to the house of the Militia of the Temple of Perreires with the castrum of Corciano in freehold as it was formulated above.
And if he refuses to do these things for the love of God and of me, all my honor, cultivated and uncultivated, as I left it to him and gave it for the best, I leave it and give it and with all our things, I concede it to count Raimond [VI of Toulouse] to whom it should belong as completely as I had given it and left it to his father, [Raymond V of Toulouse] in totality and in a general manner with the exception of my donation, with the entries and exits, the jurisdictional competences and appurtenances and all that is found there for the best that can be understood and said by him or by one of his friends for his utility and that of his own.
This is my abovesaid last will that I wish to impose on my honor in perpetuity and I wish and I pray that it will be thus with my wish. Witnesses: Berenger Amic, miles who is with me and Raimond Amic his nephew, in the same fashion, is with me, Berenger de Palau, chaplain of Mas-Deu, and Raimond de Carcassonne, brothers of the Milita (of the Temple), and Vital Draper de Perpeniano (Perpignan). And this is manifested. Done the second of the Kalends of May (30 April) in the year of the Incarnation of the lord 1196. Sig + num of me Ermengarde, lady of Narbonne, who ordered that this will be redacted, have validated it and have asked the witnesses to validate it. Sig +++++na of us Berenger Amic, miles and of Raimond Amic his nephew, of Berenger de Palau chaplain of Mas-Deu and of Raimond de Carcassonne brothers of the Militia, and of Vital Draper of Perpignan, who all, by the command and at the prayer of the abovesaid domna Ermengarde of Narbonne, as we have physically sworn on the four Gospels, we approve and confirm this testament of the abovesaid domna Ermengarde.
In addition, I, domna Ermengarde of Narbonne, I pray and supplicate obstinately the count Pierre, dear son and cherished nephew and friend, that he himself acquit well and faithfully all my debts everywhere they will be claimed of him for the love of God and of mine, and that thus he remain possessor and lord (dominus) of my whole honor with the exception of my donation. And that this he do in order that my soul does not experience the punishments of hell by reason of my debts. Berenger, subdeacon, wrote this will, and requested and commanded by the abovesaid domna Ermengarde, has sworn corporally on the four Gospels, the day and the year indicated above, that all that is written above would be attested (by him) if that was necessary. Guilhem, cleric of the lord Master at Mas-Deu, has faithfully made this copy (translatum).

Original letter:

Cum humani generis temporis transposicione ultime... unum quamque hominem et feminam ita parare ne sine aliqua boni operis respectu de hoc seculo migrar... Ermengards domina de Narbona iacens in lectulo meo direta (?) nimia egritudine adhuc me plenam memoriam et loquelam... pecaminum meorum multitudinem... penasque inferni pertinescho et ad gaudia paradisi ubi dominus... reddere braluum (?) secundum suam laborem pervenire asidero. Ideo condo meum testamentum et ad voco V testes qui meam voluntatem quam inferius expresero super rebus meis si neccese fuerint probentur et veram et hultimam meam voluntatem esse testificentur sicut iure iurando super sancta IIIIor evangelia mihi promiserunt. Primum dimitto corpus meum ad sepeliendum in cimiterio beate Marie domus mansi Dei et dimito Militie templi per amore Dei et per salute anime mee et parentum meorum totum meum kastrum de Albars cum ingressibus et egressibus suis et cum omni dominacione quod ibi habeo et habere debeo in hominibus et in feminis et in omni proienie eorum presencia et futura cum senciis et usaticis et serviciis et ademprivis et terre meritis cum omni tenencia illius castri scilicet boschos et boscaticos et garigas et pascua et prata et pratalia et aquis et aqua stancia atque currencia et cum aqueductibus et reductibus et planis et montanis et cum omnibus ibi accidentibus et pertinentibus sicut melius ad usum hominum intelligi ac dici potest omni tempore per alodium franchum et liberum. Et dimitto domui milicie templi de Perrerres totum meum kastrum de Corciano cum ingressibus et egressibus suis et cum omni dominatione quod ibi habeo vel habere debeo in hominibus et in feminis et in omni proienie eorum presencia et futura et cum sensis et usaticis et serviciis et ademprivis et terre meritis et cum omni tenencia illius kastri scilicet boschos et boschaticos et garigas et pascua et prata et pratalia et aquis et aqualia stancia atque currencia et cum aqueductibus et reductibus et planis et montanis et cum omnibus accidentibus et pertinentibus ibi sicut melius ad husum hominum intelligi ac dici potest omni tempore per alodium franchum et liberum. Et dimito hospitali Ierosolimitano sancti Iohannis totum meum kastrum de Periniano cum ingressibus et egressibus suis et cum omni dominacione quod ibi habeo et habere debeo in hominibus et in feminis et in omni proienie eorum presencia et futura et cum sensis et usaticis et serviciis et ademprivis et terre meritis et cum omni tenencia illius castri scilicet boschos et boscatichos et garrigas et pascua et prata et pratalia et aquis et aqualia stancia atque currencia et cum aqueductibus et reductibus et planis ac montanis et cum omnibus accidentibus ibi pertinentibus sicut melius ad husum hominum intelligi ac dici potest per alodium franchum et liberum omni tempore. Istud castrum predictum de Periniano dedit mihi P. Renard miles de Perinano cuius erat sub tali condicione quod ego haberem et tenerem et possiderem et expletarem illud omni vita mea et post finem meam darem illud per amore Dei et per salute anime illius P. Renardi et mee domui hospitali Ierosolimitani. Totam hanc legacionem quam ego Ermengardis domina dc Narbona feci domibus religionum laudo et confirmo eis mea plena memoria et bona voluntate cum hominibus et feminis et sensis et usaticis cum omnibus mihi accidentibus et pertinentibus cum campis et vineis et heremis et condirectis et pratis et pascuis et garrigis et boschis et cum universis alliis ademprivis sicut melius ad husum hominum intelligi ac dici potest omni tempore per alodium franchum et liberum sicut superius resonat. Et rogo comitem Petrum per dominum Ihesum Christum sicut meum bonum et carum filium et sicut meum dilectum nepotem et amicum quatenus ipse per amore eterni regis et meo compleat meam predictam voluntatem de meo proprio honore sicut superius legavi et rogo illum per amore Dei quod castella quam ego dedi per anima mea domibus religionum faciat eis domibus habere et tenere et possidere et expletare in pace omni tempore per alodium franchum sicut superius dictum est. Et si hoc fecerit totum dampnum et malum et contrarietates et oppressiones et infestaciones et penurias et calamitates et omnia mala quod mihi advenerint ex parte sua vel suorum indulgeat ei ex parte mea omnipotens Deus et misericors, et in super dimitto et solvo et diffinio et dono ei totum alium meum honorem et totam dominacionem per mare et per terram scilicet villas et castella cum hominibus et feminis et cum ingressibus et egressibus suis et campos et vineas et erema et condirecta et cum omnibus in se habentibus sicut melius ad suam hutilitatem intelligi ac dici potest libere et quiete preter manumissionem meam. Et ad huc rogo illum pro amore Dei quod faciat diruere illam municionem quam Gaschet fecit in campum meum de Corciano et illas duas condeminas sint de domo milicie templi de Perrers cum castro de Corciano per alodium franchum sicut superius resonat. Et si hoc totum facere noluerit per amore Dei et meo totum meum honorem heremum et condirectum sicut melius ei superius dimiseram et donaveram dimitto et dono et omnibus nostris concedo comiti Raimundo cui pertinet et pertinere debet et sicut melius patri sui dedi atque dimissi preter legacione mea integriter ac generaliter cum ingressibus et egressibus suis et terminis et pertinenciis et cum omnibus in se habentibus sicut melius ab eo vel ab aliquo amicorum suorum intelligi ac dici potest ad suam hutilitatem et suorum. Hoc est mea hultima voluntas predicta quam super honorem meum in perpetuum valere volo et huius mee predicte voluntatis volo et rogo ut sint. Testes : Berengarius Amicus, miles, qui mecum est, et Raimundus Amicus nepos eius qui mecum similiter vadit, et Berengarius de Palacio capellanus mansi Dei et Raimundus de Carcasona fratres Milicie, et Vitale Draper de Perpeniano. Et est manifestum. Actum est hoc II Kalendas Maii anno Incarnacionis Domini M° C XC VI Sig + num Ermengardis domina de Narbona qui hoc testamentum fieri iussi laudavi firmavi testesque firmare rogavi. Sig + + + + + na Berengarii Amici militis et Raimundi Amici nepotis ejus et Berengarii de Palacio capellani mansi Dei et Raimundi de Carcasona fratrum Milicie et Vitale Draper de Perpeniano qui omnes, iussu et rogatu domne Ermengardis de Narbona predicte, sicut corporaliter iuravimus super sancta IIIIor evangelia, predicte domne Ermengardi hoc testamentum laudamus et firmamus. Aduch ego domna Ermengards de Narbona rogo et obnixe deprecor comitem Petrum meum dilectum filium et carum nepotem et amicum ut ipse bene ac fideliter persolvat debita mea omnia ubicumque ei requisita sint per amore Dei et meorum quare ipse remanet possessor et dominus tocius mei honoris preter legacione mea et hoc taliter faciat ut anima non senciat infernales penas pro debitorum meorum culpa. Berengarius subdiachonis scripsit hoc testamentum et rogatus atque iussus a predicta domna Ermengards iuravit hoc suprascriptum testificari si necesse erat corporaliter super sacro sancta IIIIor evangelia die et anno quo (seign manuel) supra. Guillelmus levita domini magistri in Manso Dei fideliter hoc translatum scripsit.(1)

Historical context:

Ermengard was forced out by her nephew, Peter of Lara, and dictated this will in exile at Sainte-Marie de Mas-Deu, in Trouillas, Pyrenees-Orientales.

Scholarly notes:

1 The transcription is taken from Jacqueline Caille, Medieval Narbonne, A City at the Heart of the Troubadour World, ed. and trans., Kathryn L. Reyerson (Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate, 2005), 38-42, based on a transcription made by J. Miret Y Sans. Dr. Caille translated it into French, and Prof. Reyerson into English. They both generously allowed me to use their texts here.

Manuscript source:

Archives de la Couronne d'Aragon, fonds du Grand Prieure de Catalogne de l'Ordre de l'Hopital, Armoire 28, parchemin 66. A castrum is an administrative unit with a castle at the center.

Printed source:

Jacqueline Caille, Medieval Narbonne, A City at the Heart of the Troubadour World, ed. and trans., Kathryn L. Reyerson (Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate, 2005), 38-46.

Date:

1196, April 30