A letter from Bernard of Comminges (1199)

Translated letter:

Let it be known to all both present and future that I, Bernard, count of Comminges, give to you, Marie, my wife, as gift, five-hundred marks of pure silver to be possessed according to your will if you will survive me, and may you have those aforesaid five-hundred marks of pure silver, in addition the castle and also the town of Murel, and also all my rights pertaining there or that should pertain there in such way that you, Marie, my wife, should have and hold and use the aforesaid town and castle of Murel, both the men and women present and future, namely all my rights that I have there or should have in any way, and may you have the recovered aforesaid five-hundred marks of pure silver entirely according to your will. Thus I will keep and observe all this, for me and for my testament, without any deceit. So help me God and these four holy Gospels of God. Bernard Baron, who was then bailiff of Murel, and subsequently the upright men of Murel swore on the four Gospels that they would uphold and fulfill in good faith the donation to lady Mary, countess of Comminges, entirely, as said above, including Arnald Mascaron and Thomas of Dalbs, Bernard of Baneras, Stephen his brother, Vital Johannes, Sicard, Bernard who is called Gros, William Plavinola, Raymond of Samatan, William prior of St. Germerius, Bernard and Arnald both brothers called sons of Arnald, Pontius Engarran, B. and B. of Canencs, Ferrand and Pontius Gerald, Raymond William Delvia, Arnald Cobezels, Arnald Amelius Dervis, Bernard of Gardera and William, both brothers, Peter of Bermont, Raymond Medicus, Arnald of Basert, William his brother, William Ovelers, Pontius his brother, Vitalis Faber, John Faber, Basers, William of Vilambiz, B. Caldarers, Peter Negre, Arnald Lamera, Arnald of Tolis, William of Bailvila, William Vedellus, Arnald of Salas, Raymond Dox, Raymond Calderers, Amalius, Arnald Guitard, Peter Baraus, William Artus, Raymond Martin of Saisenels, William Balsas, B. Brunets, Raymond Lupus, Garaldus St. Marcel, William Vitalis, B. Hugh, William of St. Marcel, Hugh Johan, Jordan the priest, Peter Dempivila. Witnesses to this matter are Raymond, count of Toulouse, William of Montpellier, Vitalis of Monte Acuto, William of Mesoa, Peter of Lestan, Raymond Martin, who wrote this charter in the month of March, Tuesday, with Philip king of the Franks ruling, Raymond count of Toulouse, Fulcrand the bishop, in the year of the Lord’s incarnation 1199.1

Original letter:

Notum sit omnibus, tam presentibus quam futuris, quod ego Bernardus, comes Convenarum. dono tibi Marie, uxori mee, in dotem D marchas argenti fini, ad tuam voluntatem faciendam, si super me vixeris, et habeas illos D marchas predictos argenti fini supra castellum et super villam Murelli, et supra omnia jura mea ibi pertinencia, vel ibi pertinere debent, tali modo, quod tu Maria, uxor mea, habeas et teneas et explectes predictam villam et castellum de Murello, et homines et feminas, presentes et futuros, scilicet omnia mea jura, que ibi habeo, vel habere debeo ullo modo, usque habeas recuperatos predictos D marchas argenti fini ad totam tuam voluntatem. Totum hoc ita tenebo et observabo, per me et per meum ordinium , sine omni dolo. Sic me Deus adjuvet , et hec sancta IIIIor Dei Euvangelia. Bernardus Baron, qui tunc erat bajulus de Murello, et post juraverunt probi homines de Murello super IIIIor Euvangelia donationem domine Marie, comitisse Convenarum, quod totum, sicut prescriptum est, teneant et adimpleant pro bona fide, scilicet Arnaldus Mascaron et Tomas de Dalbs, et Bernardus de Baneras, et Stephanus frater ejus, et Vitalis Jhoannes, et Sicardus, et Bernardus qui vocatur Gros, et Guillelmus Plavinola, et Baimundus de Samatan, et Guillelmus prior Sancti Germerii, et Bernardus et Arnaldus ambo fratres filiis dictis Arnaldi, et Poncius Engarran, et B. et B. de Canencs, et Ferrandus et Poncius Geraldus, et Raimundus Guillelmus Delvia, et Arnaldus Cobezels, et Arnaldus Amelius Dervis, et Bernardus de la Gardera et Guillelmus, ambo fratres, et Petrus de Bermont, et Raimundus Medicus, et Arnaldus de Basert, et Guillelmus frater ejus, et Guillelmus Ovelers, et Poncius frater ejus, et Vitalis Faber, et Johannus Faber, et Basers, et Guillelmus de Vilambiz, et B. Caldarers, et Petrus Negre, et Arnaldus Lamera, et Arnaldus de Tolis, et Guillelmus de Baiolvila, et Guillelmus Vedellus, et Arnaldus de Salas, et Raimundus Dox, et Raimundus Calderers,et Amalius, et Arnaldus Guitardus, et Petrus Baraus, et Guillelmus Artus, et Raimundus Martinus de Saisenels, et Guillelmus Balsas, et B. Brunets, et Raimundus Lupus, et Garaldus Sancti Marcelli, et Guillelmus Vitalis, et B. Ugs, et Guillelmus de Sancto Marcello, et Ugs Jhoan, et Jordanus sacerdos, et Petrus Dempivila. Hujus rei sunt testes Raimundus, comes Tolose, et Guillelmus Montispessulani, et Vitalis de Monte acuto, et Guillelmus de Mesoa, et Petrus de Lestang, et Raimundus Martinus, qui cartam scripsit mense marchi, feria IIIa, rege regnante Philippo Francorum, Raimundo comite Tolose, Fulcrando episcopo, anno ab incarnatione Domini M° C° LXXXX0 VIIII0.

Historical context:

Charter of endowment which Bernard, count of Comminges, made to Marie, his wife, of the castle of Murel.

Scholarly notes:

1. This text and translation were provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Liber Instrumentorum Memorialium Cartulaire des Guillems de Montpellier (Montpellier: La Societe Archeologique de Montpellier, 1884), 357-58, doc.206.

Date:

1199