A letter from Matilda of Tuscany, countess of Tuscany, duchess of Lorraine (1080, March 26)

Translated letter:

While lady Matilda, marchioness and duchess and Giselbert, bishop of Toscolano sat in judgment in God’s name in the county of Tuscania in the palace within the castle which is called the city of Corneto, and sitting with them Arderic, Lambert and Hugh, judges, Nordilo and Alo, advocates, Gualfred, count, Pagano of Corsena, Norman of Bisienzo and Bernard of Laluza, Gezo of Cordelano, Azo of Gezo, Roland Dosimer, Robert of Saltenano, Hubert, count, Marchisel, viscount; there in their presence came the abbot Berard of holy Mary of Farfa together with Sarraceno, his advocate, and he made a claim regarding the church of St. Peter located near the castle of Corneto, against Lupo and his fellows and against the provost of the said church of St. Peter, who unjustly asserted it was theirs. To this claim the aforesaid Lupo and his fellows and the aforesaid provost made response in this way, that the parents of the aforesaid Lupo and his fellows built the aforesaid church of St. Peter on their own estate and subsequently granted it by charter to the monastery of Saints Cosmas and Damian, for healing of their souls. The abbot of this monastery held the church for some time, but they said that he had abandoned the aforesaid church, and on account of that abandonment and (their) possession of long duration they wished to claim it themselves. When they had heard this and examined at length the argument between the advocates of each party, the aforesaid judges decided that the aforesaid abbot of St. Cosmas could not abandon the church nor should the aforesaid Lupo or his fellows or the provost claim it themselves by any stipulation of time. Moreover, they advised, because the aforesaid abbot of Farfa by command of lord pope Alexander had acquired from the said abbot of St. Cosmas every right, what was known to belong to the monastery of St. Cosmas, he should have the aforesaid church of St. Peter. When these things had been accomplished, the abovenoted abbot of Farfa with Sarraceno, his advocate, requested of the aforesaid lady Matilda that for God and healing of her soul she enact her protection over the abbot and his advocate and over the church of St. Peter and the property belonging to the same church. Then the aforesaid lady Matilda, marchioness and duchess, enacted protection over the aforesaid abbot of Farfa and his advocate and his successors and over the aforesaid church of St. Peter and the property belonging to it, so that no person great or small should presume to disturb or trouble in any way or deprive the aforesaid abbot of Farfa or his successors of the aforesaid church of St. Peter and the properties belonging to it and likewise regarding the church of St. Mary of Mignone and the properties belonging to it. Whoever will presume to do this, let him know that he will pay two thousand golden bezants (coins), half to the aforesaid church of Farfa and half to the public share. Moreover, I, Arderic, notary of the sacred palace, have written by the command of lady Matilda, marchioness and duchess, and by the advice of the judges and advocates. In the year of the incarnation of our lord Jesus Christ 1080, seventh kalends of April, third indiction. + [I] Matilda by the grace of God, if she is anything, signed below. (S) I, Arderic, judge, was present and signed below. (S) I, Alo, judge, was present and signed below. (S) I, Hugh, judge, was present and signed below. (S) [I] Lambert, judge of the sacred palace, was present and signed below.1

Original letter:

Dum in dei nomine in comitatu Tuscanensi in iudicio in palatio intus castellum, quod nominatur civitas de Corgnito, residerent domina Matilda marchionissa atque ducatrix et Giselbertus Tusculanensis episcopus, residentibus cum eis Arderico, Lamberto et Hugone iudicibus, Nordilo et Alo causidicis, Gualfredo comite, Pagano de Corsena, Normanno de Bisienzo et Bernardo de Laluza, Gezone de Cordelano, Azone de Gezo, Rolando Dosimero, Roberto de Saltenano, Huberto comite, Marchisello vicecomite, ibique in eorum presentia venit abbas B(erardus) sancte Mar(ie) de Pharpha una cum Sarraceno advocato suo et proclamavit de ecclesia sancti Petri sita iuxta castellum de Corgnito adversus Luponem eiusque consortes et adversus prepositum iam dicte ecclesie sancti Petri, qui eam sibi iniuste contendebant. Cui proclamationi predictus Lupo et sui consortes et iam dictus prepositus huiusmodi responsionem fecerunt, quod parentes prefati Luponis et suorum consortium predictam ecclesiam sancti Petri in proprio construxerunt alodio et postea eam concesserunt monasterio sanctorum Cosme et Damiani per cartulam pro remedio animarum suarum. Cuius monasterii abbas ipsam ecclesiam per aliquantum tempus detinuit, sed dixerunt eum predictam ecclesiam refutasse, et propter illam refutationem et longinqui temporis possessionem se defendere volebant. Quo audito et lite diu inter advocatos utriusque partis examinata, prefati iudices hanc sententiam dederunt, quod prefatus abbas sancti Cosme non potuit ipsam ecclesiam refutare neque predictus Lupo vel eius consortes vel prepositus per temporis ullam prescriptionem se defendere possent. Insuper laudaverunt, quia predictus abbas de Pharpha acquisierat precepto domini Alexandri pape a iam dicto abbate sancti Cosme omne ius, quod monasterio sancti Cosme pertinere videbatur, sepedictam ecclesiam sancti Petri habere deberet. His peractis suprascriptus abbas de Pharpha cum Sarraceno advocato suo petiit a predicta domina Matilda, ut propter deum et anime sue remedium mitteret bannum suum super ipsum abbatem et suum advocatum et super ecclesiam sancti Petri et res ad eandem ecclesiam pertinentes. Tunc predicta domina Matilda marchionissa atque ducatrix misit bannum supra prefatum abbatem de Pharpha suumque advocatum et eius successores et supra predictam ecclesiam sancti Petri atque res ad ipsam pertinentes, ut nulla magna parvaque persona predictum abbatem de Pharpha vel eius successores de prefata ecclesia sancti Petri seu rebus ad eam pertinentibus et similiter de ecclesia sancte Marie de Minione et rebus ad eam pertinentibus disvestire vel aliquo modo molestare aut inquietare presumat. Qui vero hoc facere presumpserit, sciat se compositurum duo milia bisantios aureos, medietatem supradicte ecclesie de Pharpha et medietatem parti publice. Quidem et ego Ardericus notarius sacri palatii ex iussione domine Matilde marchionisse atque ducatricis et iudicum et causidicorum admonitione scripsi. Anno ab incarnatione domini nostri Iesu Christi millesimo LXXX0, VII k. apri(lis), indictione III. + Matilda dei gratia, si quid est, subscripsi. (S.) Ego Ardericus iudex interfui et subscripsi. (S.) Ego Alo iudex interfui et subscripsi. (S.) Ego Hugo iudex interfui et subscripsi. (S.) Lambertus iudex sacri palatii interfui et subscripsi.

Historical context:

The countess judged a dispute over possession between the abbot of Farfa and the provost of the church of St. Peter.

Scholarly notes:

1 Ashleigh imus provided this translation.

Printed source:

Die Urkunden und Briefe der Markgräfin Mathilde von Tuszien, ed. Elke Goez and Werner Goez (Hanover: Hahnsche Buchhandlung, 1998), 109-11, Ep.30.

Date:

1080, March 26