A letter from Adelaide of Turin and Susa (1065, March 14)

Translated letter:

In the year of the incarnation of our lord Jesus Christ 1065, fourteenth day of the month of March, third indiction. To the bishopric of the holy church of Asti, where now lord Girelmus is seen to preside. I, Adelaide, countess, daughter of the late Manfred, marquis, who have professed from my birth … [Salic] law, as offerer and donor from the present day to the church of the holy mother of God and ever virgin Mary, seat of the bishop of Asti, said to those present. Whoever has conferred anything from his property on holy and venerable places will receive in this world a hundred-fold according to the word of Christ; moreover what is better is that he will possess eternal life. Therefore I, Adelaide, as above, countess, give and offer for reward and healing of my soul, from the present day, that is castles and chapels, plots and all things with those rights that belong to me through charter of sale on the part of Magnus and his sons, both within the castle of St. Stephen with a chapel built in honor of the aforesaid St. Stephen and within the castle of Canale with a chapel likewise built there in honor of St. Sylvester and with all things belonging to the aforesaid castles and chapels and all things in the valley of Bladinasca and in the villa of St. Michael with chapel and all appurtenances and in Vetroni and in Vezano with chapel of St. George with newly tilled-land (?equi in nouelle) in the godoni (?) laurel valley in Carcegnano, in the flat valley of beeches (?ceredallo ceretto) in Cuni et in Predarolo with the castle and with all things belonging to the castles and chapels, which together with all above are three hundred acres in size and by my faith with rights to the things in those places read above, and if more is found by similar just measure, read through this charter of donation and for reward of my soul, for the aforesaid bishopric or whomever the aforesaid bishopric will give (it), for the above-noted power, by proprietary right, as was said, both castles, chapels, grounds, and other vineyards, meadows, pastures, forests, stables and fisheries and marshes, cultivated and uncultivated, divided and undivided together with boundaries, borders, entries and exits of waters and channels of waters adjacent and belonging to their things with every right, and all things from all things as said above entirely, moreover with all my rights to those things named above, as read above, together with their entries and accesses and with superior and inferior things of those things as the size is read above, entirely, and from this day to the same church of the holy mother of God virgin Mary, I give and offer, from the present day for reward of my soul, moreover by small knife, knotted straw, glove and piece of earth and branch of tree(1) and I thereby have driven myself out, guaranteed, and have made myself absent on the part of the church of holy Mary, thereby from the present day for the aforesaid bishopric or whomever the aforesaid bishopric will give with proprietary name whatever they will want without any contradiction or reclamation by me and my heirs and representatives of heirs. But if, which I do not believe will occur, I, Adelaide, countess, God forbid, or any of my heirs or representatives of heirs or any person opposed will attempt at any time to go against this charter of donation or will seek to infringe it through any contrivance, then let us inflict on that party, against which we have thenceforth brought suit, great penalty, which is two hundred ounces of pure gold, four hundred pounds of silver, and we will renew what we cannot vindicate, but let this present charter of donation remain and endure firm for long duration, and this thing as read above, (will be) defended entirely from every man by me, Adelaide, countess, as above, together with my heirs and representatives of heirs for the aforesaid church of holy Mary or to whomever they will give (it). If we cannot defend it for the aforesaid church, and we seek to withdraw anything through any contrivance, then that donation (will be) twofold for the aforesaid church as according to circumstance it will be improved or they will value in judgment in similar places, and I, Benito, notary of the holy palace, embossed the parchment with ink from the earth, asked to write and delivered the document, confirming which, it was strengthened by witnesses below, enacted happily within the houses next to the church in the villa which is called Almesso. Sign by the hand of that Adelaide, countess, who requested that this charter of donation be made and to whom it was relinquished. Sign by the hands of Vitelmus, and Bruno viscount, and Henry father and son and Alricus and Benzoni, witnesses. Sign by the hands of Liudo and Amedeus, father and son, and Rodulfus, deputy, witnesses living under Salic law. I, as above, Benito, notary of the holy palace, writer of this contract of donation, completed, delivered, and handed it over.(2)

Original letter:

Hanno ab incarnatione domini nostri Ihu Xpi millesimo sexagesimo quinto quarto decimo die mensis madii indictione tertia. episcopio sancte astensis ecclesie. ubi da nunc dominus girelmus preesse uidetur. Ego addalasia cometissa filia quondam magifredis marchio. qui professa sum ex natione mea lege . . . ofertris et donatis a presenti die addecclesie sancte dei genetricis semperque uirginis marie sedis episcopo astense presens presentibus dixi quisquis in sanctis ac uenerabilibus locis ex suis aliquit contulerit rebus iusta octoris uocem in hoc seculo centuplum aciciperet (sic), insuper quod melius est uitam posidebit eternam. ideoque ego que supra addalasia cometissa dono et offero pro mercedem et remedium anime mee a presenti die it sunt castris et capellis sediminibus et omnibus rebus illis iuris mei qui mihi aduenit per cartam uendicionis ex parte magnus et filiis suis tam infra castro sancte stefani cum capella una edifficata in more predicti sancte stefani et infra castro canallis cum capella similiter una ibi edificata in onore sancte siluester et cum omnibus rebus ad predictis castris et capellis pertinentibus et omnibus rebus in uale bladinascha seu in uilla sancte Michaeli cum capella et cunctis pertinenciis siue in uetroni et in uezano cum capela sancte gerorgii equi in nouelle in ualle godoni loretto Carcegnano in ualle plana in Cuni ceredallo ceretto et in predarolo cum castro et cum omnibus rebus ad castros et capellas pertinentibus quis super totis in simul per mensura iusta iugeras trexcenti et fide mea iuris rebus in istis locis qui supra legitur plus inuentum fuerit quam ut supra mensura legitur per anc cartam offersionis et pro mercedem animee (anime mee) pras predicto episcopio aut cui pras predicto episcopio dederit pro suprascriptam potestatem proprietario iuri ut dictum est tam castris capellis sediminibus quamque ceteris uineis pratis paschuis siluis ac stelareis et piscinis ac palutibus coltis et incoltis diuisis et indiuisis una cum finibus terminibus insersionibus egresibus aquarum aquarumque ductibus cum omni iure adgacenciis et pertinenciis earum rerum omnia et ex omnibus ut supra dictum in integrum qui autem istis omnibus rebus iuris mei supra nominatis sunt ut supra legitur una cum insersiones et ingresoras earum seu cum superioribus et inferioribus earum rerum qualiter supra mensura legitur in integrum, ab ac die in eodem ecclesie sancte dei genetrix uirginis marie dono et offero a presenti die pro anima mea mercedem insuper per cultellum fistucum notatum uuantonem et uuasonem terre atque ramum arboris et me exinde foris expuli uuarpiui et absasito feci a parte ecclesie sancte marie abendum reliqui faciendum exinde a presenti die pras predicto episcopio aut cui pras predicto episcopio dederit proprietario nomine quicquit volueritis sine omni mea et eredum ac proeredumque meorum contradictione vel repetissione. si qui fuerit quod futurum esse non credo si ego ipsa adalasia cometissa quod absit aut ullus de eredibus ac pro eredibus meis seu quaslibet mea obposita persona contra anc cartam offersionis ire quandoque tentauerimus aut earn per quouis ingenium inrupereque uel infrangere quesierimus tunc inferamus ad illam partem contra que exinde litem intulerimus multa quod est pena auro optimo uncias duocenti argenti ponderas quatuorcenti et quod repecierimus et uindicare non ualeamus sed preses anc cartam offersionis diuturnis temporibus firma permanead atque persista et a me que supra addalasia cometissa una cum meos ac proeredes pras predicte ecclesie sancte marie aut cui dederis istas res qualiter supra legitur in integrum ab omni omine defensare. quod si defendere non potuerimus. pras predicte ecclesie exinde aliquit per quoduis ingenium subtraere quesierimus tunc in dublum pras predicte ecclesie ista offersionis qualiter pro tempore fuerint melioratas aut ualuerint sub estimacione in consimilibus locis et bergamena cum actramentario de terra elleuaui paginam benito notarius sacri palacii tradidit et scribere rogauit in qua subter confirma testibusque obtulit roborandum actum intus casa iusta ecclesie de uilla que dicitur almesso feliciter. Signum + manu ista addalasia cometissa que anc cartam offersionis fieri rogaui et eique relecta est. Signum ++++ manibus uuitelmus qui et bruno uice comes et enricus pater et filio seu alricus atque benzoni testes. Signum +++ manibus liudo et amedeo pater et filio seu rodulfus uicedominus isti uiuentes lege salicha testes. Ego qui supra Benito notarius sacri palacii scriptor huius cartule offersionis postradita compleui et dedi.

Historical context:

Countess Adelaide gives to the episcopal church of Asti castles and chapels that she had acquired from Magnus and his sons in St. Stephen, in Canale, and in other places.

Scholarly notes:

1. These are traditional symbolic objects handed over at the transfer of property. I am grateful to Adam Kosto for this explanation. 2. This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Historia Patriae Monumenta, edita iussu Regis Caroli Alberti, Chartarum Tomus I (Augustae Taurinorum e Regio Typographeo, 1836), c.609-11, doc.359.

Date:

1065, March 14