A letter from Bernard, son of Faith (1157, March 21)

Translated letter:

From this hour forward, I Bernard, son of Faith a faithful [liege] woman, shall be to Ermengard viscountess of Narbonne who was daughter of the woman Ermengard, by direct faith without any deception, as a man should be to his lady to whom he has been entrusted with his own hands. By these holy things of the saints, knowingly, I the abovewritten Bernard from this hour forward shall not wrong Ermengard my above-written lady with this castrum which they call Durban, etc.

Original letter:

De ista hora in antea, ego Bernardus filius Fidae foeminae fidelis ero ad Ermengardem vicecomitissam Narbonae quae fuit filia Ermengardis foeminae per directam fidem sine ullo inganno, sicut homo debet esse ad suam dominam, cui propriis manibus est commendatus. Me sciente per ista sancta sanctorum, de ista hora in antea ego Bernardus suprascriptus NON DECEBREI Ermengardem dominam meam suprascriptam de ipso castro quem dicunt DURBAN, &c.

Historical context:

Oath of fidelity to Ermengard from Bernard, who is connected with the castrum of Durban. Could he be one of the sons of William of Durban involved in the agreement between Ermengard and William? The phrase "I shall not wrong" is given in Provencal "non decebrai." A castrum is an administrative unit with a castle at the center.

Printed source:

Devic and Vaissette, Histoire Generale de Languedoc (Toulouse: Privat, 1875) 5.1204, #615.2.

Date:

1157, March 21