A letter from Matilda of Tuscany, countess of Tuscany, duchess of Lorraine (1106, November-December)

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and indivisible trinity. Matilda, by God’s grace if she is anything, daughter of Boniface, marquis and duke. While in God’s name we were previously in Bavaria and were discussing our affairs with many of our faithful, it happened that lord Jerome, abbot of Pomposa came to us with certain of his fellow monks, complaining specifically that clerics of the church of St. Michael of Soliera on behalf of the same church had done injury to the monastery of St. Mary of Pomposa and unjustly and violently [seized] it for themselves. Believing their words, we supposed their complaint was just and reasonable and we had the aforesaid cloister put into possession of a third party of the aforesaid church, certainly not knowing that this dispute and controversy had come to the knowledge of lord Bernard, cardinal, priest of the holy Roman church at the time and of the vicar of the apostolic see throughout regions of Lombardy and borders of adjacent places, and subsequently, once the truth of the matter had been disclosed, and after justice was determined and aired the decision was made known. For it established that the abbot of the aforenamed cloister, with the counsel and consent of the bishop of Modena, unless he will remain with him, will ordain his clerics living canonically and communally there in the church of Soliera, in all things nonetheless saving canonical obedience and reverence for the church of Modena. Further, they should be chosen from the territory of the diocese of Modena, if the aforesaid abbot will be able to find them there and consider them worthy and suitable for the aforenamed church of Soliera. But if he cannot find and consider such ones there, then he may receive them from another church and they should be represented by the bishop of Modena and consecrated in this way, as said above, commonly and canonically in the aforesaid chapel. And therefore we wish it to be known to our faithful of Christ both present and future that, while we were at the castle of Carpi and with the authority of such a man there present together with the same bishop of Modena, we learned that the aforesaid dispute, as read above, had been decided according to truth, and so as the aforesaid lord cardinal of the holy Roman church and legate had defined and established, we likewise, in the presence of Ubald of Carpineto and Albert of Adegerio, Guido of Refutato, Aginulf and Sigefred of Candaceto and many others, praised, approved and thenceforth commanded that this be done happily for the memory of those to come. We established this together with the aforesaid venerable bishops above that, if when the abbot or prior or their brothers or legates of the aforesaid cloister will pass through that land, they should have lodging and charity and suitable reception in the aforenamed church of Soliera, but they should not dare to demand things other than what is defined and established, as above. But if some rash person will attempt to infringe at any time the determination of this decision and definition supported by our authority, he will incur our ill will and he will pay a penalty of one hundred pounds in the currency of Lucca, half for the fiscal judgment, and half to the aforesaid church of Soliera, with this document of our confirmation and proof yet remaining in its validity. + I, Bernard, by God’s grace bishop of the holy church of Parma, because, as read above, I decided with the lord Peter, venerable bishop of Pistoia, and with many others, I signed below on this document of confirmation. + I, Dodo, by God’s grace bishop of Modena, signed below with my hand. + I, Matilda, by God’s grace, if she is anything, signed below.1

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue trinitatis. Matildis dei gratia si quid est, filia Bonifa marchionis et d[ucis. Dum in] dei nomine olim apud Baioariam essemus et de negotiis nostris cum pluribus nostris fidelibus tractaremus, contigit donnum Hi[eronymum abbatem de Pom]posia cum quibusdam suis confratribus monachis ad nos venisse, conquerendo videlicet quod clerici ecclesie sancti Michaelis de So[leria da pa]rte eiusdem ecclesie monasterio sancte Marie de Pomposia iniuriam fecerant et iniuste ac violenter eam sibi abl[……] aut collatis. Eorum dictis credentes, querimoniam illorum iustam et rationabilem esse putavimus et predictum ceno[bium] in possessionem tertie partis prefate ecclesie mittere fecimus, ignorantes quidem hanc litem et controversiam ad noticiam domini Bernardi sancte Romane ecclesie tunc temporis presbiteri cardinalis et per partes Longobardie et adiacentium fines vicarii apostolice sedis pervenisse et post disceptatam et ventilatam iustitiam, rei veritate comperta, talem decisionem promulgasse. Statuit namque, ut abbas prenominati cenobii cum consilio et consensu Mutinens[is| episcopi, nisi per eum remanserit, suos clericos ordinet in ecclesia de Solario communiter et canonice ibi viventes, in omnibus tamen salva Mutinensis ecclesie reverentia atque canonica obedientia. Ipsi vero de Mutinensis diocesis territorio eligantur, si iam dictus abbas eos ibi poterit reperire et dignos et congruos prelibate ecclesie de Soleria habere. Quod si tales inde reperire et habere non poterit, tunc de alia ecclesia eos accipiat [et] Mutinensi episcopo represententur et sic modo, quo supradictum est, in prefata capella canonice et communiter [consecran]tur. Nos itaque, dum apud castellum de Carpo fueramus et ab auctoritate tanti viri eodem ibi presen[te una cum] Mutinensium episcopo predictam litem, qualiter supra legitur, decisam esse pro veritate cognovimus, notum fieri [volumus Christi] nostrisque fidelibus tam presentibus quam futuris, sicuti dominus predictus sancte Romane ecclesie cardinalis atque [lega]tus diffinierat atque statuerat, nos similiter in presentia Vbaldi de Carpineto et Alberti de Adegerio, Vuidonis Refutati, Aginulfi et Sigefredi de Candaceto et aliorumi plurium collaudasse, approbasse et exinde hoc fel[iciter] ad memoriam posterorum fieri precepisse. Hoc tamen una cum predictis venerabilibus episcopis insuper statuimus, ut, si quando abbas vel prior aut eorum confratres vel legati prefati cenobii per terram illam transient, in sepe nominata ecclesia de Soleria hospitium et caritativam atque competentem receptionem habeant neque aliud, nisi quod supra legitur, difinitum atque statutum ea requirere audeant. Quod si quis presumptor huius decisionis et definitionis statutum nostra auctoritate sufultum [aliq]uando infringere temptaverit, nostram malam voluntatem incurrat et poenam centum librarum Lucensium compon[at, mediet]atem fiscali iuditio, medietatem vero supradicte ecclesie de Soleria, hoc tamen scripto nostre corroboracionis et comprobationis in suo robore [manente]. + Ego Bernardus gratia dei sancte Parmensis ecclesie episcopus, quia, sicuti supra legitur, cum domino Petro venerabili Pistor[iensi episcopo et] quampluribus aliis diffinivi, in hac carta comprobationis subscripsi. + Ego Dodo dei gratia Mutinensis episcopus manu mea s[ubscripsi]. + Matilda dei gratia, si quid est, subscripsi.

Historical context:

The countess decided a conflict between the abbot of Pomposa and a church of Soliera, not knowing that a cardinal and legate had already decided the case. This is the record of the agreement she came to with them about the disposition of the case.

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), ep.97.

Date:

1106, November-December