A letter from Bertha of the Obertenghi (1028, July 1)

Translated letter:

In the name of the lord God and our savior Jesus Christ Conrad by God’s grace august emperor. In the second year of his empire with God propitious, kalends of July, eleventh indiction. We, in the name of God, Adelric, bishop of the holy church of Asti, and Oldric, who is Manfred, marquis, brothers, sons of the late Manfred, also marquis, and Bertha, by Christ’s mercy countess, spouse of the same lord marquis, and daughter of Otbert, of good memory, also marquis, have professed that we all live under Salic law, and with that spouse of mine …consenting to me, Bertha, countess, and confirming below, we wish to say the present to those present. How we have established through our testament concerning certain things of ours, the almighty lord, to whom all things visible and invisible are subject, as our heir, and in fear and love of him for his administration and in sacrifice for priests, for deacons, subdeacons, acolytes, in supplication and obedience so that they might improve from week to week, both for priests and deacons and for subdeacons and acolytes and their other offices, to be sacrificed to God, so that after their expended labor, they might have sustenance for restoring their bodies in the churches of the lord savior and holy Mary his mother and St. John the Baptist and forerunner of the lord. Know within this city of Turin where a canonry was constructed in honor of the aforesaid lord our savior, so that day and night for us and our ancestors and parents, brothers and sisters and relatives blood-relations and all the faithful living and deceased they might pour forth prayers to our creator, so that he from his mercy might eliminate our crimes and might make us sharers in eternal life with his saints. We know truly that Christ and the church are one person, what are of the church are of Christ and whatever things are offered to the church are offered to Christ. And in the holy scriptures is included according to the word of Christ (that) whoever has offered anything from his property to the lord or to his saints will received a hundred-fold in this world. Moreover what is better, he will possess eternal life. And therefore let it be known to all that concerning that thing we establish the aforesaid creator as our heir. Thus we command that always the fruit coming out of it and all that is owed to it be gathered for it in the barn of the same canonry, not combined with other fruit or debt belonging to the same canonry and thereby the priest, deacon, subdeacon, acolyte who will hold weekly duties and their servants will have it for their use and expense and restoration. And as they will improve from week to week thus they should have restoration. And that property is half of a court that is called Buriasco, which is of our right with the lord assisting, as plots, gardens, construction sites, arable lands, meadows and other things that will be found belonging to the same court, as much as is now governed and worked by men dwelling at the same court. Half of the whole is granted for expense, sustenance and other as above, both now and perpetually. That half is, by measure, between both plots and another [area] of vineyards with their grounds and arable lands and meadows, overall two thousand acres. Further, the remaining half of the same court we reserve in our power. But also we wish and surely confirm this through this our testament that in no way should that allowance endure for any person, not for a bishop nor provost nor for any canon or cleric or even for a layperson, except as read above for almighty God. And following that let it be as was confirmed above by us through this testament and will be added below, that is let that half of the same court with its appurtenances remain for the use and expense and restoration of the priests, deacons, subdeacons, acolytes as they will improve from week to week in the aforesaid canonries, to be sacrificed and administered to God. Thus for use and expense let them have those provisions weekly for other use or expense and let the profit that will come from the same half of the court be given or dispensed in that way. But if it will happen that any person great or small will presume to violate this our will and ordering as read above, we wish and through this testament confirm that then that half of the same court, as read above, should come continually into our power, of the above Adelric, bishop and Manfred, marquis and Bertha, countess, if we will all be alive, or two or one as long as one of us will be in this world. And after all of our departure (let it come) to one of our nearer relatives who will appear at that time not for ownership but for governing and defense, and let it remain in our or in their power as long as that person who has committed this willingly or unwillingly refuses to fulfill our will, as read above. And as said we hold from the present day and hour the same lord our creator we establish as heir, and according to law we make transfer and investiture to him by the little knife, knotted straw, glove and by a piece of earth and by branch of tree,1 making those persons, by their obedience on the part of the aforesaid canons, [the ones] to seek and gather produce or tax or what is owed as ordered for the use of the said canons, (to do) whatever they will both for the mercy of our soul as above, Adelric, bishop and Manfred, marquis, and Bertha, countess and for the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters and for all faithful living and deceased. And for all the above things to be fulfilled, as read above, in this testament we establish you God, omnipotent creator of all to be our heir. But the aforesaid canons of the same canonry, both those who are now present and those who will come in the future, should be our agents of faith in this cause. But we give and dispatch to you the most holy canonry, the property that was said above, for the use and expense of those canons as they will serve through weekly duties in the way that was declared above. And for those things to come that we cannot see we make obligation insofar as we can. But if, which we do not believe will occur, we, as above Adelric bishop and the spouses, God forbid, or any of our heirs or representatives of heirs or any person opposed will attempt at any time to go against this our testament or will seek to infringe it through any contrivance then let us bring against that party, against which we shall have brought suit, great penalty, that is twenty ounces of pure gold, forty pounds of silver and we will renew what we cannot vindicate. But let this present testament remain firm and stable for long duration and let it persist unshaken with stipulation supported. Moreover the aforesaid will be doubled as it will have improved or valued at that time in judgment in similar place, and by the honor of my priest, who is the above Adelric, bishop, may I not be allowed at any time to refuse what I willed but I promise to preserve inviolably what was drawn up and done once by me with stipulation supported, and we have embossed the parchment with ink from the earth, (and) we delivered this testament to Herenzo, notary and judge of the holy palace, to be written and we requested that he write, (and) we offered it to be strengthened by witnesses confirming below. Whence two testaments were written with one meaning. Enacted happily within this city of Turin. + Alric, bishop, by God’s grace signed. + This is the sign of the aforesaid lord Manfred, marquis, who requested that this testament be made and consented to his same spouse, Bertha, countess, as above. Sign + of the hand of the noted lady Bertha, countess, who requested that this testament be made, as above. Sign + of the hand of Gibertus, witness living under Roman law. Sign +++ by the hands of Liudonus and Pipinus and Bosonus, witnesses living under Salic law. Sign +++ by the hands of Oddo and Eimericus and Dominic, witnesses. + Ribaldus, judge of the holy palace, living under Roman law, as requested, I signed. I, Herenzo, as above, notary and judge of the holy palace, scribe, completed and gave this testament, subsequently delivered.2

Original letter:

In nomine domini Dei et saluatoris nostri Ihu Xpi Chunradus gratia dei imperator augustus. Anno imperii eius deo propicio secundo. kalendas iulias indictione undecima. Nos in dei nomine Adelricus sancte astensis ecclesie episcopus et odolricus qui et maginfredus marchio germanis filii quondam itemque maginfredi similique marchionis. Seu berta Christi misericordia cometissa conius eidem domini marchioni. et filia bone memorie autberti itemque marchionis qui professi sumus omnes lege uiuere salicha ipso namque iugale meo . . . bertani cometisse mihi consentiente et subter confirmante presentibus presens dicere uolumus. qualiter per testamentum nostrum de quasdam res nostras omnipotentem dominum cui omnia sunt subiecta uisibilia et inuisibilia. heres constituimus nostrum et in eius timore atque amore pro eius administratione et pro presbiteris sacrificatione pro diaconibus subdiaconibus acolitis suplicatione et obedicione ut sicut se mutauerint. de ebdomada in ebdomada. tam de presbiteris et diaconibus quam de subdiaconibus et acolitis ceterisque eorum ministris a deo sacrificandum. ut post eorum laborem sumptum uictum aliumque habeant ad reficientes suorum corpora, in basilicas domini saluatoris et sancte marie eiusque genitrix sanctique iohannis precursoris domini atque baptiste. scitas intra hanc urbem taurinensem ubi canica in honore prefati domini nostri saluatoris est constructa, ut die noctuque pro nobis et progenitoribus seu genitrices. fratribus ac sororibus seu parentibus et consanguineis nostris uiuis atque defunctis et omnibus fidelibus ad creatorem nostrum effundant preces ut ipse propter suam clementiam nostra deleat scelera et ad uitam eternam cum sanctis suis participes nos faciat. scimus ueraciter christum et ecclesiam unam esse personam, quae ecclesiae sunt, christi sunt quecumque ecclesie offeruntur Christo offeruntur. Et in sanctis scripturis insertum est iusta auctoris uocem. quisquis ad dominum uel in sanctis suis ex suis aliquid contulerit rebus, in hoc seculo centuplum accipiet. insuper quod melius est uitam possidebit eternam. Et ideo notum omnibus sit quia ipsa res unde prefatum creatorem nostrum heres constituimus. ita ordinamus. ut semper fructus et omnem debitum quod ex ea exierit per se sit in orreo eidem canonice collatum non comunicatum cum ceteris frugibus uel debitis eidem canonice pertinentis et inde presbiterum diaconum subdiaconum acolitum. qui ebdomada tenuerint eorumque seruientes de ea habeant usu et sumptu atque refectione. Et sicut se mutauerint pro ebdomada in ebdomada ita habeant refectionem. et est ipsa res medietate de corte una que buriades est uocata. auxiliante domino que est iuris nostra. sicut de sediminas. ortis. curtificiis. terris arabilis. pratis ceterisque rebus eiusdem cortis pertinentis inuentum fuerit. quantum nunc per homines eiusdem cortis habitantes est recta laborataque. super totum medietas in sumptum uictum aliudque que supra legitur concessum sit. tam nunc quam in perpetuum. quae est ipsa medietas per mensura iusta inter sediminas et aliquid de uites cum areis suarum seu terris arabilis et pratis super totum iugera duo milia. Reliqua namque dietas eiusdem cortis in nostra potestate reseruamus. Sed et hoc uolumus et firmiter per hunc nostrum testamentum confirmamus ut nullo modo permaneat ipsa ordinacio in ullius persone. neque de episcopo neque de preposito neque in ullo canonico uel clerico uel eciam in laico. nisi sicut super legitur in dei omnipotentis. et sequente eo fiat sicut a nobis per hunc testamentum super est confirmatum et hic subter fuerit adnexum. id est permaneat ipsa medietas eiusdem cortis cum sua pertinencia. in usu et sumptu seu refectione presbiterorum diaconorum subdiaconorum acolitis sicut per ebdomada in ebdomada se mutauerint prefatis canonicis a deo sacrificandum. et subministrandum. ita usu et sumptu habeant per ebdomada in alio usu uel sumptu ipsa uictualia uel fructus quod de eiusdem medietatis cortis exierit illo modo sit dispensatum uel datum, quod si contigerit. ut qualibet persona magna paruaque hanc nostram uoluntatem et ordinacionem que super legitur uiolare presumserit. uolumus et per hunc nostrum confirmamus testamentum. ut tunc continuo deueniat ipsa medietas eiusdem cortis que super legitur in nostra potestate eorum supra adelrici episcopi et maginfredi marchionis seu bertani cometisse si omnes uiui fuerimus. uel duo. aut unum. quamdiu in hoc seculo unus fuerit ex nobis. Et post nostrorum omnium decessum in unum de propinquioribus parentibus nostris qui tunc temporis aparuerit non in proprietate sed in gubernatione et defensione. et tamdiu in nostra uel in eorum persistat potestate quamdiu illa persona qui hoc perpetrauerit. uolente nolenteque nostram uoluntatem que super legitur implere dimittat. et sicut dictum habemus a presenti die et ora eundem dominum creatorem nostrum heredem constituimus. et iusta lege ad eum facimus tradationem et uestituram per cultellum fistucam nodatum. uuantonem. et per uuasonem terre atque per ramum arboris facientes illas personas. eorum per obedientia de parte prefatorum canonicorum ad inquirendum et excolendum frugum uel censum seu debitum fuerint ordinatas ad utilitate iamdictis canonicis quidquid uoluerint tam pro animae nostrae eorum supra adelrici pontifici et maginfredi marchionis. atque bertani cometisse. quam pro patribus et genitricibus fratribus sororibusque uiuis atque defunctis seu pro omnibus fidelibus mercede. Et de haec omnia quae super legitur adimplendi. tu deus omnipotens creator omnium constituimus. in hunc testamentum heredem esse nostrum. Iamdictis uero canonicis eidem canonice tam illis qui nunc sunt presentis quam futuris uenturi sunt, de hac causa sint nostris fidei commissariis. Tibi uero sanctissima canonica ea res quae supradicta est ad usum et sumptum eorum canonicorum sicut seruierint per ebdomada in eo modo qui superius declaratum est . damus atque legamus. et pro eo quod ea que uentura sunt uidere nequimus in quantum possumus obligationem facimus. Si quis uero quod futurum esse non credimus. si nos eorum supra adelrici episcopi et iugalium quod absit. aut ullus de heredibus hac pro heredibus nostris seu quislibet opposita persona contra hunc nostrum testamentum ire quandoque tentauerimus . aut eum pro quocumque ingenio infringere quesierimus tunc inferamus ad illam partem contra quam exinde litem intullerimus multa quae est poena auro obtimo uncias uiginti argenti ponderas quadraginta. et quod repecierimus uendicare non ualeamus. sed presens hunc testamentum diuturnis temporibus firmum stabilitumque permaneat atque persistat inconuulsum cum stipulacione subnixa Insuper iam dicta res in duplum sicut pro tempore fuerit meliorata. aut ualuerit sub extimacione in consimile loco, et pro honore sacerdotii mei qui supra adelrici episcopi nec mihi liceat ullo tempore nolle quod uolui sed quod a me semel factum uel conscriptum est inuiolabiliter conseruare promitto cum stipulacione subnixa et bergamena cum hactrementario de terra eleuauimus herenzoni notarii et iudici sacri palacii hunc testamentum tradauimus ad scribendum et ei scribere rogauimus in qua subter confirmantibus testibus obtulimus roborandum. Vnde duo testamenta in uno tenore scripti sunt. Actum infra hanc taurinensem ciuitatem feliciter. + Alricus gratia dei episcopus scripsit. + Hoc est signum iamdicti domini maginfredi marchioni qui hunc testamentum fieri rogauit et eidem coniuge sue bertani cometisse consensit ut supra. Signum + manus infrascripte domine bertani cometisse qui hunc testamentum fieri rogauit ut supra. Signum + manus girberti lege uiuente romana teste. Signum +++ manibus liudoni et pipini seu bosoni lege uiuentes salicha testes. Signum +++ manibus oddoni et eimerici seu dominici testes. + Ribaldus iudex sacri palacii legem uiuente romana rogatus scripsi. Ego qui supra herenzo notarius et iudex sacri palacii scriptor hunc testamentum post tradita compleui et dedi.

Historical context:

Countess Bertha makes a donation with the consent of her husband Oldric Manfred, and his brother, Alric, bishop of Asti, to the canonry of the churches of the Saviour, of St. Mary, and of St. John in Turin, of half of a court called Buriasco.

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:

Historiae Patriae Monumenta, (Augustae Taurinorum ex Officina Regia: 1853), Chartarum T.I, c.469-72, doc. 273

Date:

1028, July 1