A letter from Arnalt Mascaron (1201)

Translated letter:

I the man by name Arnald Mascaron, by order of you Bernard, count of Comminges, swear to Matilda and Petronilla, daughters of you, Bernard, count of Comminges and of the countess Marie, daughter of Sir William, lord of Montpelliers, that after the days of you, Bernard abovenamed count, I am their faithful man and will keep and guard their life and members, without deceit and without fraud; and Murel, and all that pertains to it, and the whole seignory of Murel and all its land and offices, whether castles, or towns, or lands, or the offices of Saves and all its land and offices, whether castles or towns or men or women or seignories which you, Bernard, count of Comminges have in the bishopric of Toulouse, which you now have, or should have, or will have in the future. And in this I will be a faithful man and helper to them, or to other daughters, if there are more from you, said count and the said countess, saving the inheritance and the dower rights [esposalici] of said countess in the castle of Murel. All this as is written above, without deception and without fraud, I shall carry out in good faith by these holy Gospels. However, it should be known that if there is a son of said count and said countess, or sons, to that or to those I shall give an oath and fidelity in good faith and without deception, and I shall keep it to them and to their heirs. However if there are no loyal heirs from them, I would hold it to the daughters and to their heirs.

Original letter:

Eu hom, per nom Arnalt Mascaron, per mendamen de te Bernart comte de Comenge, jur a Mathelz et a Peironella, fillas de te Bernart comte de Comenge et de la comtessa Maria, filla d'en Guillelm, sennor de Monpeslier, que seguentrels dias de te Bernart comte sobredig, fizels om lur sia, et lur vida et lur membra lur gar et lur salve, a mon poder, sens gien e sens engari; et Murel, e tot lo pertenemen. e tota la sennoria de Murel, e tota la terra, e tota la honor, sion castels, sion vilas, sion terras, sion honors de Saves, e tota la terra e tota la honor, sion castels, sion vilas, sion homes, sion femenas, sion sennorias que tu Bernart corns de Comenge as en l'avesquat de Tolzan, que ara i as ni aver i deus, ni adenant i auras. E d'aizo serai fizels e ajudaire ad ellas, o a mais fillas, si mais n'i avia de te sobredig comte e de la sobredicha comtessa, salva la heretat e I'esposalici que la sobredicha comtessa a el castel de Murel. Tot aisi con es sobrescrig, sens gien e sens engan o attendrai per bona fe, per aquestz sanz Euvangelis. Pero a saber es que, si fil i avia del sobredig comte e de la sobredicha comtessa, o fils, ad aquel, o ad aquels, faria sagrament e fezeltat per bona fe, e sens engan, et ad els o tenria, et a lur heres. Pero si menesfallia d'els sens lials heres, tenria o ad aquestas, et a lur heres.

Historical context:

This oath was sworn to the daughters of Marie and Bernard of Comminges, but since the daughters were very young, we assume the oath was for the benefit of their mothers, should her husband die. This oath is in a romance language.

Printed source:

Liber Instrumentorum Memorialium Cartulaire des Guillems de Montpellier (Montpellier: La Societe Archeologique de Montpelliers, 1884), 365-66, doc.210.

Date:

1201