A letter from Bertha of the Obertenghi (1029, May 12)

Translated letter:

In the year of the incarnation of our lord Jesus Christ 1029, twelfth day of the month of May, twelfth indiction. To the canonry of the Lord Saviour built within this city of Turin under the rule and power of the bishopric of the holy church of Turin, we Adelric, bishop of the holy church of Asti and Oldric, who is Manfred, marquis, brothers, sons of the late Manfred, also marquis, and Bertha, countess, spouses, daughter of late Obert, also marquis, have professed to live under Salic law. Moreover, with that spouse of mine consenting to me and confirming below the offerers and donor of that canonry, we, present, said to those present that whoever has conferred anything from his property onto holy and venerable places will receive a hundred-fold in this world according to the word of Christ. Moreover what is better is that he will possess eternal life. Therefore, we, as above, Adelric, bishop, and Manfred, marquis and Bertha, countess, wife, give and offer and through the present chart of offering confirm, by name, a hamlet that is called Santena to be held by the same canonry, with a castle in the same hamlet, once built with a chapel within the same castle, constructed in honor of St. Paul with houses, plots, arable lands, meadows, and other things located in the same piece of land and territory. Further, with the above-noted things and chapel of our right, as said above, together with accesses and rights of entry and with higher and lower things of those things completely from this day we give and offer to the same canonry of the Lord Savior and through the present charter of offering we confirm it to be possessed by it. Moreover, by the small knife, knotted straw, glove and piece of earth and branch of tree1 we make transfer and investiture to the party of that canonry, and we thereby have driven ourselves out, guaranteed and made ourselves absent and we relinquish (it) to be possessed in ownership by the party of the above-noted canonry, making thenceforth from the present day the party of the above-noted canonry or whomever the party of that canonry will give (it), with proprietary name by right (able to do) whatever you will without any contradiction or reclamation of us or our heirs or representatives of heirs. But if, which we do not believe will occur, we, as above, Adelric, bishop and Oldric, marquis, and Bertha, countess, 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 charter of offering or seek to infringe it through any contrivance then let us impose on that party against which we shall have brought suit thenceforth great penalty, that is a hundred ounces of pure gold, two-hundred pounds of silver and we will renew what we cannot vindicate. But let this present charter of offering remain firm for long duration and persist unshaken with stipulation supported. Further, we also oblige ourselves, as above Adelric, bishop and Oldric, marquis, and Bertha, countess, spouses, together with our heirs and representatives of heirs to defend from any man the above-noted offering (for) the party of that canonry or whomever the party of that canonry will give (it) completely but in the manner as is contained here below, that if thenceforth will appear any power (or) person great or small who will presume to remove the said property in whole or in part from the power of the canonry, or if the bishop or provost who exists now or will exist in time will give to anyone in the name of a benefice (something) from the part of the above-noted canonry and will not allow (them) to have (it) quietly and peacefully for the common use and expense of the canonry, then let the above-noted properties be in the power of our nearest relatives, of those above, Adelric, bishop and Oldric, marquis and Bertha, spouse, who will exist at the time, not for ownership but for governing and defense and who will permit the above-noted canonry to possess peacefully and quietly for the use and expense of the canons. Thenceforth if we cannot defend or we seek to withdraw anything, through any contrivance, (of) the said property (from) the part of that canonry, then we or our heirs or representatives of heirs should pay to the part of the canonry for those things double as will be improved or valued at that time in judgment in similar place, and in honor of my bishopric may I not be permitted at any time to refuse what I willed but I promise to preserve inviolably what has been drafted and done once by me with stipulation supported, (and) with right hand we have embossed this charter of offering and parchment with ink.2

Original letter:

Anno ab incarnatione Domini nostri Ihu Xpi millesimo uigesimo nono duodecimo die mensis madii indictione duodecima. Canonica Domini Saluatoris constructa intra hanc Taurinensem Ciuitatem sub regimine et potestate episcopio Sancte Taurinensis Ecclesie nos Adalricus episcopus Sancte Astensis Ecclesie et Odolricus qui et Maginfredus marchio iermanis filii quondam itemque Maginfredi simulque marchio sen Berta comitissa iugales filia condam Oberti simulque marchio qui professi sumus lege uiuere salica . ipso namque iugali meo mihi consensciente et suptus confirmante offertores et donatores ipsius canonice presentes presentibus diximus . quisquis in sanctis ac uenerabilibus locis ex suis aliquit contulerit rebus iuxta actoris uocem in hoc saeculo centuplum accipiet. insuper quod melius est uitam possidebit aeternam. Ideoque nos qui supra Adalricus Episcopus et Maginfredus marchio siue Berta comitissa iugale donamus et offerimus et per presentem cartam offerxtionis in eadem Canonica habendum confirmamus nominatiue uicum unum qui uocatur Sanctena cum castello in eodem uico quondam constructo cum Capella infra eodem castro constructa in honore sancti Pauli cum casis sediminibus terris arabilibus pratis ceterisque rebus in eodem fundo et territorio positis. que autem suprascriptis rebus et capella iuris nostri superius dictis una cum accesibus in ingressibus seu cum superioribus et inferioribus earum rerum in integrum ab hac die in eadem Canonica Domini Saluatoris donamus offerimus et per praesentem cartam offerxtionis in ea habendum confirmamus . Insuper per cultellum festucam nodatam uantonem et uasonem terrae atque ramum arboris pars ipsius Canonicae facimus traditionem et inuestituram et nos inde foris expulimus uarpimus et absentes fecimus et a parte suprascriptae Canonicae proprietate habendum relinquimus faciendum exinde a presenti die pars suprascriptae Canonicae aut cui pars ipsius Canonicae dederit iure proprietario nomine quidquid uolueritis sine omni nostra et heredum ac proheredum nostrorum contradictione uel repetitione. Si quis uero quod futurum esse non credimus si nos quorum supra adalricus episcopus et odolricus marchio seu Berta comitissa iugalibus quod abxit aut ullus de heredibus ac proheredibus nostris seu quilibet obposita persona contra hanc cartam offerxtionis ire quandoque temptauerimus . aut ea per quoduis ingenium infrangere quaesierimus tunc inferamus ad illam partem contra quam litem intullerit exinde multa quod est pena auro optimo uncias centum argenti pondera duocenti et quod repetierimus uendicare non ualeamus . sed praesens haec carta offerxtionis diuturnis temporibus firma permaneat atque persistat inconuulsa cum stipulatione subnixa. quidem et obligamus nos quorum supra adalricus episcopus et odolricus marchio seu Berta comitissa iugalibus una cum nostris haeredibus ac proheredibus pars ipsius Canonicae aut cui pars ipsius canonicae dederit suprascriptam offertionem in integrum ab omni homine defensare eo uero ordine qualiter hic suptus continetur quia si deinde apparuerit ulla potestas magna paruaque persona quae iamdictis rebus toti uel in partem de potestate ipsius Canonicae tolere praesumpserit uel si episcopus aut praepositus qui nunc est aut pro tempore fuerit in nomine beneficii de parte suprascriptae Canonicae alicui dederit et quiete seu pacifice in communi usu et sumptu Canonicae habere non permiserit tunc fiant suprascriptis rebus in potestate de propinquioribus nostris quorum supra adalricus episcopus et odolricus marchio seu Berta iugalibus qui pro tempore fuerint non in proprietate sed in gubernatione et defensione quousque supradicta Canonica ad usum et sumptum canonicorum quiete et pacifice habere permiserit. Deinde si defendere non potuerimus aut iam dictas res pars ipsius Canonicae per quouis ingenium aliquid subtrahere quaesierimus tunc componamus nos nostrisque haeredibus ac prohaeredibus pars ipsius Canonicae eisdem rebus in duplum sicut pro tempore fuerit meliorata aut ualuerit sub extimacione in consimili loco et pro honore episcopatus mei nec mihi liceat ullo tempore nolle quod uolui sed quod a me semel factum uel conscriptum est inuiolabiliter conseruare promitto cum stipulatione subnixa hanc cartam offerxionis et pergamena cum atramento dextra elleuauimus.

Historical context:

Countess Bertha, her husband Oldric Manfred, and his brother, bishop Aldric of Asti, donate the court of Santena to the canons of the Saviour.

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.

Manuscript source:

Da copia sincrona dell’Archivio della Metropolitana di Torino.

Printed source:

Historiae Patriae Monumenta, (Augustae Taurinorum ex Officina Regia: 1853), Chartarum T.I, c.477-79, doc.276.

Date:

1029, May 12