A letter from Adelaide of Turin and Susa (1075, July 23)

Translated letter:

In the year of the incarnation of our lord Jesus Christ 1075, tenth kalends of August, thirteenth indiction. To the monastery of holy Mary that was constructed in the village of Pinerolo in a place which is called St. Veramus where the lord Aginulf is seen to be ordained abbot, I, Adelaide, countess, daughter of late Manfred, marquis, who have professed to live under Salic law, offerer and donor, have spoken thus: 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, countess, as above, for reward and healing of my soul, give and offer from the present day to the said monastery of holy Mary that is, half of a dwelling together with all things belonging to that half, that lies in the village of Pinerolo and in its territory near the church of St. Martin, and the half was governed and worked by it ... by Sismond the priest and Manfred, freemen, and in addition half of a market that was built in the village of Pinerolo near the church of St. Donatus with toll and all right of return and devised tax to be rendered, and whatever of my right to that half of the abovesaid market seemed to belong to me, Adelaide, as noted above; moreover I give and offer for reward and healing of my soul, entirely from this day to the same monastery of holy Mary the abovesaid half of my right noted above to the dwelling together with access and entry and with its higher and lower things as read above, and I confirm the present charter of donation there. Moreover by the small knife, knotted straw, glove and piece of earth and branch of tree,(1) for the share of the aforesaid monastery thereby I make legitimate transfer and investiture and I thereby have driven myself out, guaranteed, and I have made myself absent from the share of that monastery and I relinquish (it) to be held by proprietary right, making (it) thereby from the present day a part of that monastery or of whomever that monastery will give (it), with proprietary right by name whatever they will 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 one-hundred ounces of pure gold, two-hundred pounds of silver, and we will renew what we cannot vindicate, but let this present charter of donation remain firm and stable and endure unshaken with stipulation supported, and I, Adelaide, countess, as above, together with my heirs and representatives of heirs, will defend from any man, entirely, the above-noted offering, as read above, for the party of that monastery or for whomever the party of that same monastery will give, which if we cannot defend or if we seek to withdraw anything for ourselves thereby from the party of that monastery, through any contrivance, then let us restore twofold the above-noted donation to the party of that monastery, as according to circumstance it will be improved or they will value by judgment in a similar places, and I have embossed the parchment with ink from the earth. Enacted happily within the village of Pinerolo. Sign by the hand of above-noted Adelaide, countess, who requested that this charter of donation be made, as above. Sign by the hand of William and Gandulf and Ribadus and also Ribaldus and Otto and Guido, Salic and Roman and Longobard witnesses. I, John, notary and judge, writer of this charter of donation, completed and gave it, subsequently delivered.(2)

Original letter:

Anno ab incarnacione domini nostri Ihu Xpi milleximo septuageximo quinto decimo kalendas augustus indictione terciadecima monesterio sancte marie que est constructum in uico pinariolo in loco qui dicitur sancti uerami ubi dominus Aginulfus abbas ordinatus esse uidetur ego adalascia cometissa filia quondam maginfredus marchio que professa sum uiuere lege salicha offertris et donatris propterea dixi quisquis in sanctis ac in uenerabilibus locis aliquit contulerit rebus iusta auctoris uocem in hoc seculo centuplum accipiet insuper quod melius est uitam possidebit eternam. Ideoque ego que supra Adalaxia cometissa dono et offero a presente die dicto monasterio sancte marie pro mercede et remedium anime mee oc est medietatem de manso uno cum omnibus rebus ad medietatem ipsam pertinentibus iacet in uico pinariolo uel in eius territorio prope ecclesia sancti martini et est rectum et laboratum medietatem de ipso . . . . . .per sismundo presbitero et maginfredi liberos omines. et insuper medietatem de mercato uno que est constructum in uico pinariolo circa ecclesia sancti donati cum telloneum et omnem reddibicionem et fictum censum reddendum uel qualecumque ius quod mihi suprascripta adalaxia medietatem de predicto mercato pertinere uidetur iuris mei in integrum que autem supradicti medietatem manso iuris mei superius dicti una cum accessione et ingresso seu cum superioribus et inferioribus suis qualiter superius legitur in integrum ab ac die in eodem monasterio sancte marie pro mercede et remedium anime mee dono et offero et presentem cartam offersionis ibidem confirmo. Insuper per cultellum fistucum notatum uuantonem et uuasonem terre atque ramum arboris ac parte predicto monasterio exinde legitimam facio tradicionem et uestituram et me exinde foris expulli uuarpiui et absente feci et ac parte ipsius monasterio ac proprietario iure habendum relinquo faciendum exinde a presenti die pars ipsius monasterii aut cui pars ipsius monasterii ant cui pars ipsius monasterio dederit iure proprietario nomine quicquit uoluerit sine omni mea et eredum ac pro eredumque contradicione uel repeticione . Si quis uero quod futurum esse non credo si ego ipsa Adalaxia cometissa quod absit aut ullus de eredibus ac proeredibus meis seu quislibet oppoxita persona contra hac carta offersionis ire quandoque temptauerimus aut eam per couis ingenium infrangere quesierimus tunc inferamus ad illam partem contra quam exinde litem intullerimus multa quod est pena auro obtimo uncias centum argenti pondera duocenti et quod repetierimus uindicare non ualeamus sed presens hec carta offersionis diuturnis temporibus firma et stabilis permaneat atque persistat inconuulsa cum stipulacione subnixa et me que supra Adalaxia cometissa una cum meis eredibus ac proheredibus ac parte ipsius monasterii aut cui pars ipsius monasterii dederit suprascripta offersio qualiter superius legitur in integrum ab omni omine defensare quot si defendere non potuerimus aut si uobis exinde a parte ipsius monasterii aliquid per couis ingenium subtraere quesierimus tunc in duplum suprascripta offersio ac parte ipsius monesterii restituamus sicut pro tempore fuerint melioratas aut ualuerint sub extimacione in consimilis locis et bergamena cum atramentario de terra eleuaui. Actum infra uico pinariolo feliciter. Signum + manu suprascripta Adalaxia cometissa que hec carta offersionis fieri rogaui ut supra. Signum ++++++ manu Vulielmo et Gandulfo seu Ribaldi et item Ribaldi atque Oddoni et Vuidoni salicos et romanos atque longobardos testes. Ego ioannes notarius et iudex scriptor huius carte offersionis post tradita compleui et dedi.

Historical context:

Countess Adelaide gives to the monastery of St. Mary of Pinerolo half of a dwelling and half of the market of Pinerolo.

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 Ashlegh Imus.

Printed source:

Historia Patriae Monumenta, edita iussu Regis Caroli Alberti, Chartarum Tomus I (Augustae Taurinorum e Regio Typographeo, 1836), c.645-47, doc.384.

Date:

1075, July 23