A letter from Men of Samatano (1201)

Translated letter:

Let it be manifest to all both present and future who hear or read this charter that I, Raymond Marcaderius of Samatano, Peter of Simorra, Vitalis Verol, Raymond of Dalbs, the man Bono of Samatano, Bernard of Pompiaco, William Moresa, Bernard of Lambes, John of Francia, Arnald of Aulosa, Raymond Manaderius, Arnald of Lesa, William of Toulouse, Dominic, Peter William, Bernard of Montegausio, Bernard of Arasp, Sancius Pastell, Vitalis of Molino, William of Jumello, Peter of Lana, the man Bono of Saboneriis, Jordan Macellarius, Vitalis of Samatano, Dominic of Concord, Peter of Saboneriis, Peter of Fonte, Arnald of Carreriis, Vitalis of Monte Alto, William John, Garsia, Raymond of Casalbo, William of St. Leone, Vitalis of Porta, Bernard of Artia, William Manaderius, Vitalis Dazerius, Peter of Saint Anthony, Arnald of Dalbs, Michael Espaza, Peter of Salva Terra, Peter Claverius, Arnald Socius, Sancius Donatus, John of Capite Casalis, Dominic of Legmonte, Vitalis of Conilano, Bernard of Parada, William Embrinus, Peter of Casalibus, Peter of Faieto, Bernard Textor, Sicard Amelius, Sancius of Cadalbio, Arsin of Mirapice, Peter of Bona Fonte, Gormond of Dalbs, Bernard of Pompiaco, Vitalis of Aulosa, Willian of Vareriis, William Verol, Bernard Cartada, Martin of Saint Ciranis, William Arnald of Molnare, Vitalis of Fabrica, Bernard of Turre, Socius, Ademarus of Gavarredo, Vitalis of Comite, Bernard of Druleto, John of Nagenes, the man Bono of Casalbo, Raymond Gauterius, Arnald Embrin, Arnald of Saboneriis, Bernard of Agassaco, the man Bono of Cabrerius, William Arnald of Roca, Vitalis Piscator, Peter William Espelton, Raymond of Basel, William of Cadalbico, Michael of Insula, Arnald of Las Pas, Arnald of Simorra, Vitalis of Monte Alto, Arnald of Fenoleto, Bernard William Boca of Astaraco, Fortis of Monte Bardono, Tosetus Mercaderius, Fortis of Heremo, William Filiolus, Arnald William, William Bovarius, Peter Cabrerius, Paba of Saint Medardo, we, all the abovenamed from Samatano, by the mandate and command of lord Bernard, count of Comminges, having touched the sacrosanct Gospels, swear to you Matilda and Petronilla, daughters of the aforesaid lord count and of lady countess Marie, daughter of lord William of Montpellier, and your heirs that after the death of the abovesaid lord count, we will be and remain faithful to you, and we will guard and preserve your life and limb(s), as best we can, without any deceit or fraud and without any wicked contrivance, and Samatano and all pertaining to the town and burg of Samatano, and everything as much as the aforesaid lord count Bernard has, or should have now or will have in the future or anyone on behalf of him or from him, in Saves and in the episcopate of Toulouse, whether they be castles, towns, tolls, estates, men or women or their holdings, lands and offices, or whatever it may be, for all this entirely we swear to you, namely that we will be faithful men and assistants thenceforth to you, and in addition to daughters if more will issue from the abovesaid lord count and from the abovesaid lady Marie. Nonetheless, if the aforesaid lord Bernard, count, will have a son, or sons from the abovesaid lady countess Marie, we will enact this oath and faith to him or them in good faith, without any deceit and fraud, and we will uphold this for them and their heir, and in addition if more daughters will issue from the abovesaid lord count and from the abovesaid lady countess, Marie, daughter of William, lord of Montpellier. So help us God, and these four holy Gospels, in good faith and without any deceit or fraud, and without any wicked contrivance. Witnesses of all these oaths are Peter of Molnare, Ademarius, lay brother of the house of Gimont, Bruno of Toulouse, Raymond of Portello, called son of Peter the elder, who was present, Peter Arnald, public notary of Toulouse, who wrote this charter. Likewise Peter of Martiserra, William Arnald, William Raymond, William of Martiserra, Vitalis, the man Bono, William of Martiserra, [Vitalis, the man Bono, William of Martiserra]1, Dominic Arnald, Sancius of Claranis, John of Agassaco, Vitalis of Agassaco, Raymond of Agassaco, Vitalis of Pompiaco of Agassaco, Arnald of Forga of Agassaco, Bernard Scolanus of Cula, Garsia of Martiserra, William of Albinaco, Raymond of Binas, Sancius of Sermas, the boy Bono of Pujolibus, Aimericus of Pujolibus, Raymond of Pinu, all these enacted that same oath, which is writte above, and in the same manner. Witnesses of all these oaths of the men of Martiserra and Agassaco and of Culas are William Garsia of Palmeriis, Peter of Molnario, Peter of Forga, the chaplain of Montpensati, Bruno of Toulouse, Raymond of Portello, called son of Peter the elder who was present, Peter Arnald, public notary of Toulouse, who wrote all these things. This was enacted and thus granted on the sixth day of the beginning of December, Thursday, with Philip king of the Franks ruling, Raymond count of Toulouse, Raymond bishop elect, in the year 1201 from the Lord's incarnation.2

Original letter:

Manifestum sit universis, tarn presentibus quam futuris. hanc carlarn audientibus, vellegentibus, quod ego Raimundus Marcaderius de Samatano, et Petrus de Simorra, et Yitalis Yerollus, et Raimundus de Dalbs, et Bonus homo de Samatano, et Bernard us de Pompiaco, et Guillelmus Moresa, et Bernardus de Lambes, et Johannes de Francia, et Arnaldus de Aulosa, et Raimundus Manaderius, et Arnaldus de Lesa, et Guillelmus de Tolosa, et Dominicus, et Petrus Guillelmus, et Bernardus de Monte gausio, et Bernardus de Araspa, et Sancius Pastellus, et Yitalis de Molino, et Guillelmus de Jumello, et Petrus de Lana, et Bonus homo de Saboneriis, et Jordanus Macellarius, et Yitalis de Samatano, et Dominicus de Concordia, et Petrus de Saboneriis, et Petrus de Fonte, et Arnaldus de Carreriis, et Yitalis de Monte alto, et Guillelmus Johannes, et Garsia, et Raimundus de Casalbo, et Guillelmus de Sancto Leone, et Yitalis de Porta, et Bernardus de Artiga , et Guillelmus Manaderius , et Yitalis Dazerius, et Petrus de Sancto Antonio, et Arnaldus de Dalbs, et Michael Espaza, et Petrus de Salva terra, et Petrus Claverius, et Arnaldus Socius, et San¬cius Donatus, et Johannes de Capite casalis, et Dominicus de Leg monte, et Yitalis de Conilan), et Bernardus de Parada, et Guillelmus Embrinus, et Petrus de Casalibus, et Petrus de Faieto, et Bernardus Textor, et Sicardus Amelius, et Sancius de Cadalbico, et Arsinus de Mirapice, et Petrus de Bona fonte, et Gormondus de Dalbs , Bernardus de Pompiaco, et Yitalis de Aulosa, et Guillelmus de Yareriis, et Guillelmus Yerollus, et Bernardus Cartada, et Martinusde Sancto Ciranis, et Guillelmus Arnaldus de Molnare, et Yitalis de Fabrica, et Bernardus de Turre, et Socius, et Ademarus de Gavarredo, et Vitalis de Comite, et Bernardus de Druleto, et Johannes de Nagenes, et Bonus homo cle Casalbo, et Raimundus Gauterius, et Arnaldus Embrinus, et Arnaldus cle Saboneriis, et Bernardus de Agassaco, et Bonus homo Cabrerius, et Guillelmus Arnaldus de Roca, et Vitalis Piscator, et PetrusGuillelmus Espeltonus. et Raimundus de Basolis, et Petrus Ricardus, et Petrus Guillelmus Bretus, et Guillelmus de Baselis, et Guillelmus de Cadalbico, et Michael de Insula, et Arnaldus de las Pas, et Arnaldus de Simorra, et Yitalis de Monte alto, et Arnaldus de Fenoleto, et Bernardus Guillelmus Boca de Astaraco, et Fortis de Monte bardono, et Tosetus Mercaderius, et Fortis de Heremo, et Guillelmus Filiolus, et Arnaldus Guillelmus, et Guillelmus Bovarius, et Petrus Cabrerius, etPaba de Sancto Medardo, nos omnes supradicti de Samatano, mandato et jussu domini Bernardi, comitis Convenarum, tactis sacrosanctis Euvangeliis, juramus tibi Matelde et Petronille, filiabus predicti domini comitis et domine comitisse Marie, filie domini Guillelmi Montispessulani, et vestris heredibus, quatinus, post obitum domini supradicti comitis, fideles vobis permaneamus et erimus, et vitam et membram vestram custodiemus et salvabimus, nostro posse, absque omni dolo et fraude, et sineomni malo ingenio, et Samatanumet omnia pertinencia ville Samatani et burgi, et totum tantum quantum predictus dominus Bernardus comes habet, vel habere debet modo, vel in antea habebit ipse, vel aliquis pro eo et ex eo. in Saves et.in episcopatu Tolose, sive sint castra, vel villa, seu forcias, vel bovarias, vel homines, aut feminas, aut eorum tenencias, sive terras, vel honores, sive quicquid sit; totum ab integrum vobis juramus: ita scilicet ut fideles et coadjutores inde vobis erimus, et magis filiabus, si amplius exierint de supradicto domino comite et de supradicta domina Maria. Tamen, si predictus dominus Bernardus comes habuerit filium, vel filios de supradicta domina comitissa Maria, ad ilium, vel ad illos, facie- mus hoc sacramentum et fidelitatem bona fide, et remoto omni dolo et fraucle; et hoc eis tenebimus, et ad eorum heredem, et ad amplius, si amplius filie exierint a supradicto domino comite et a supradicta domina comitissa Maria, filia Guillelmi, domini" Montispessulani. Sic Deus nos adjuvet, et hec sanctainior Euvangelia, bona fide, et remoto omni dolo et fraude, et absque omni malo ingenio. Horum omnium sacramentorum testes sunt Petrus die Molnare, et Ade- marius, conversus domusGimontis, et Brunus de Tolosa, et Raimundus de Portello, filius dictus Petri majoris, qui fuit, et Petrus Arnaldus, publicus notarius Tolose, qui cartam istam scripsit. Item Petrus de Marti serra, et Guillelmus Arnaldus, et Guillelmus Raimundus, et Guillelmus de Marti serra, et Yitalis, et Bonus homo, et Guillelmus de Marti serra, et Yitalis, et Bonus homo, et Guillelmus de Marti serra. et Dominicus Arnaldus, et Sancius de Claranis, et Johannes de Agassaco, et Yitalis de Agassaco, et Raimundus de Agassaco, et Vitalis de Pompiacode Agassaco, et Arnaldus de Forga de Agassaco, Bernardus Scolanus de Cula, et Garsia de Marti serra, et Guillelmus deAlbinaco, et Raimundus deBinas, et Sancius de Sermas, et Bonus puer de Pujolibus, et Aimericus de Pujolibus, et Raimundus de Pinu, omnes isti fecerunt illud idem sacramentum, quod suprascriptum est, eteodemmodo. Horum sacramentorum hominum de Marti serra et Agassaco et de Culas, testes sunt Guillelmus Garsia de Palmeriis, et Petrus de Molnario, et Petrus de Forga. capellanus Montis pensati, et Brunus de Tolosa, et Bai- mundus de Portello, filius dictusPetri majoris qui fuit, et Petrus Arnaldus, publicus notarius Tolose, qui hec omnia scripsit. Hoc fuit factum et ita concessum vi° die introitu decembris, feria regnante Philippo rege Francorum, Baimundo Tolose comite, Raimundo electo episcopo, anno M° CC° I° ab incarnatione Domini.

Historical context:

Oath of fidelity taken by certain knights to Marie’s daughters, Matilda and Petronilla, regarding the town of Samatano in the event of their father’s death. Since the daughters were very young at this point, the oath must be to the benefit of their mother, Marie, should she be widowed. If sons are born from the marriage, the same oath will be taken to them.

Scholarly notes:

1. Some of the names appear to have been copied more than once. 2. The 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), 363-65, doc.209.

Date:

1201