A letter from Ermengard of Narbonne, viscountess of Narbonne (1164, July)

Translated letter:

In the year of the Lord’s Incarnation, 1164. This is a charter of peace between Raymond Trencavel viscount of Beziers and Ermengard viscountess of Narbonne made about the silver and other mines which are now or will be found in the future at Sauguieres up to the castrum of Mourcairol and from the castrum of Mourcairol to the castrum of Poujol and from the castrum of Poujol to Montmaires and from the hill of Montmaires to Maurienne and from Maurienne to the castrum of Boussagnes and from the castrum of Booussagnes to Bedarieux and from Bedarieux to the town of Soumartre and from the town of Soumartre to Sauguieres. And all the silver or other mines which are now and will be found in the future within said boundaries or in the boundaries of said castles in whoever’s land or domination they may be or have been, Raymond Trencavel and viscountess Ermengard will have them together, namely so they accept half of the whole revenue which belongs to the lord and the other half the lord or lords in whose land the silver mines are or will have been or may be of the monastery of Villemagne or whatever other person. Purchases and sales of silver and rights to the silver mines found within said boundaries said Raymond Trencavel and viscountess Ermengard have together, unless the silver mines are or will have been in the fief of the monastery of Villemagne: in that case the monastery will have the third part of purchases and sales of silver and of rights to the silver mines and Raymond Trencavel a third and Ermengard the other third. The above written agreement I viscountess Ermengard of Narbonne approve and grant to you Raymond Trencavel and to Roger your son, and promise that I will observe it in good faith from this first feast of St. Michael for fifteen years; after the fifteen years are up neither I nor my heirs can seek anything or appeal by this agreement in the fief which we have or anyone has from you or through you or possesses within said boundaries. Similarly I Raymond Trencavel approve and grant the agreement written above to you Ermengard viscountess of Narbonne and your heir and I promise I will observe it in good faith from this first feast of St. Michael to the fifteenth [year]. When the fifteen years are up neither I nor my heirs can seek anything through this agreement or appeal it in the fief which we have or the monastery of Villemagne has or anyone has through you or from you or from the monastery or through the monastery, or possesses within the said boundaries. As it is written above, so I Ermengard viscountess of Narbonne will hold and observe it to you Raymond Trencavel and Roger your son in good faith and by these four holy Gospels. And I Raymond Trencavel, as it is written above, so I will hold and observe to you Ermengard viscountess of Narbonne and your heir by these four holy Gosptels. This charter was made in the month of July. Witnesses of this thing are Raymond of Salles and William of Caylar, Sicard of Isarn, Deodatus Walter, William of Peter of Brusca, Peter Raymond of Narbonne, Gerald of Salles, Geoffrey of Montredont, Hugh of Autignac, Raymond of Malafalgaria, William of Fraisse, Raymond of Castries, Peter of Raymond of Altpol. Gilbert wrote it.

Original letter:

IN nomine Domini. Anno ab Incarnatione ejusdem MCLXIV. Haec est carta de concordia inter Raymundum Trencavelli Biterris vicecomitem & Hermengaudam Narbonae vicecomitissam facta de argentariis & mineriis, quae modo sunt aut in antea fuerunt inventa a Saugueria usque ad castrum de MERCOIROL & a castro MERCOIROL usque ad castrum de POJOLS & a castro de POJOLS usque ad MONTMAIRES & a collo de MONTMAIRES usque ad Maurianum & a Mauriano usque ad castrum de BOCIAGAS & a castro de BOCIAGAS usque ad Bedeirias & de Bedeiriis usque ad villam de Samarde & a villa de Samarde usque ad Saugueria. Et omnes argentarias vel miniarias, quae modo sunt & in antea inventa fuerunt infra praedictos terminos vel in terminiis praedictorum castrorum, in cujuscumque solo vel dominatione sint vel fuerint, habeant simul Raymundus TRENCAVEL & Hermengarda vicecomitissa, ita scilicet ut ipsi accipiant medietatem totius redditus qui ad dominum spectat & aliam medietatem habeat dominus vel domini in cujus vel quorum solo argentariae sunt vel fuerint sive sint monasterii Villaemagnae vel cujuslibet alterius personae. Emptiones & venditiones argenti & forscapia argentariarum inventarum infra praedictos terminos habent simul Raymundus Trencavelli praedictus & Hermengarda vicecomitissa, nisi argentariae sint vel fuerint in honore monasterii Villaemagnae: in illo vero habeat monasterium tertiam partem emptionum & venditionum argenti & forscapiorum argentariarum, & Raymundus Trencavelli tertiam & Hermengarda aliam tertiam. Hanc concordiam superius scriptam ego Hermengarda vicecomitissa Narbonae laudo & concedo tibi Raymundo Trencavelli & Rogerio filio tuo, & me observaturam bona fide promitto ab hac prima festivitate sancti Michaelis usque ad XV annos; expletis autem quindecim nec ego nec haeres meus possimus aliquid quaerere vel appellare per hanc concordiam in honore, quem habemus vel aliquis a te vel per te habet vel possidet infra praedictos terminos. Similiter ego Raymundus Trencavelli hanc concordiam superius scriptam laudo & concedo tibi Ermengardae vicecomitissae Narbonae & haeredi tuo & me observaturum promitto bona fide ab hac prima festivitate sancti Michaelis usque ad quindecimam. Transactis autem quindecim annis, nec ego nec haeres meus possimus aliquid per hanc concordiam quaerere vel appellare in honore, quem habemus vel monasterium Villaemagnae habet vel aliquis per te vel a te vel a monasterio vel per monasterium habet vel possidet infra praedictos terminos. Sicut superius scriptum est, sic ego Ermengardis vicecomitissa Narbonae tenebo & observabo tibi Raimundo Trencavelli & Rogerio filio tuo bona fide & per haec sancta quatuor Evangelia. Et ego Raimundus Trencavelli, sicut superius scriptum est, sic tenebo & observabo tibi Hermengardi vicecomitissae Narbonae & haeredi tuo per haec sancta quatuor Evangelia. Facta carta ista in mense julii. Hujus rei testes sunt Raymundus DE SALAS & Guillelmus DE CASTLAR, Sicardus Isarni, Deodatus Gauterius, Guillelmus Petri de Brusca, Petrus Raimundi de Narbona, Geraldus DE SALAS, Gaufredus DE MONTREDONT, Ugo de Autrivaco, Raymundus de Malafalgaria, Guillelmus de Fraxino, Raymundus de Castris, Petrus Raymundi de Altopullo. Guibertus scripsit.

Historical context:

Agreement between Raymond-Trencavel, viscount of Beziers, and Ermengard, viscountess of Narhonne, on the silver mines in their domains. A castrum is an administrative unit with a castle at the center.

Printed source:

Devic and Vaissette, Histoire Generale de Languedoc (Toulouse: Privat, 1875) 5.1289-91, #661.

Date:

1164, July