A Letter from Guy of Lusignan and Sibylla

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and individual trinity, father and son and holy spirit, amen.

Be it known to all, present and future, that I, Guido, by the grace of God count of Jaffa and Ascalon, and lady Sibylla, my wife, countess of those cities, we grant, give and confirm to you Torgis and to your heirs those two measures [carrucatas] of land and that half of the houses which I, Guido, count of Jaffa and Ascalon, and lady Sibylla, my wife, bought in the village of Geschale from George Suriano, our scribe, son of Hariria, brother of David, scribe, and from his wife Saragia.  All of which you, Turgis [sic] bought from us for five hundred besants for yourself and your heirs, to hold freely by hereditary right and to possess peacefully in perpetuity.  That the authority of this our sale, gift, and confirmation continue for you and your heirs in force and indissoluble in eternity, we have strengthened the present page with our seal and the subscribed witnesses.

Witnesses of this thing are:  Joscelin of Semmosac, then castellan of Ascalon; Baldwin, his brother, Seignoreit, then viscount of Ascalon; Reynald of Mongisart; Reynald of Saisons; Gerard of Remille;1 Baldwin Magnus; Bertrand Caruana and his brother Guibert; Simon Batalle; William Tonsus; Secard, his brother; Henry of Beaugency; Bartholomew Renterius.

This was done in the 1183rd year from the incarnation of the lord, first indiction.

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue trinitatis, patris et filii et spiritus sancti, amen.

Notum sit omnibus, presentibus atque futuris, quod ego Guido, Dei gratia Joppes et Ascalonis comes, et domina Sibilla, sponsa mea, earumdem urbium comitissa, concedimus, donamus et confirmamus tibi Torgis et heredibus tuis illas duas carrucatas terre et illam medietatem domorum quas ego Gudo (sic), Joppes et Ascalonis comes, et domina Sibilla, sponsa mea, emimus in casale Geschale ab Georgio Suriano, scriba nostro, filio Haririe, fratre Davidis, scribe, et ab uxore sua Saragie.  Que omnia, o Turgis, emisti a nobis quingentis bisanciis tibi et heredibus tuis, hereditario jure libere habenda et quiete possidenda in perpetuum.  Ut autem hujus emptionis, donacionis et confirmacionis nostre auctoritas tibi [et heredibus t]uis rata perseveret in eternum et indissoluta, presentem paginam sigillo nostro et testibus subscriptis facimus immuniri.

Hujus itaque rei sunt testes:  Joscelinus de Somasac, tunc Ascalonis castellanus; Baldoinus, frater ejus; Seignoreit, tunc Ascalonis vicecomes; Rainaldus de Mongisart; Rainaldus de Saisons; Girardus de Remille; Baldoinus Magnus; Bertrandus Caruana et Guibertus, frater ejus; Simon Batalle; Guillelmus Tonsus; Secardus, frater ejus;   Henricus de Baugenceio; Bartolomeus Renterius.

Factum est hoc anno ab incarnatione domini Mo Co LXXXo IIIo, indictione prima.

Historical context:

Guido and Sibylla sell to a certain Torgis, two measures of land and half the homes in the village of Geschale, which they had previously bought.

Scholarly notes:

1.  The name is sometimes spelt Rumeilei, Rumminhi, Ruinhaco, or Raminni.

Printed source:

Delaville-Le Roulx, Joseph, Archives de la bibliotheque et le trésor de l’Ordre de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem à Malte (Paris:  Thorin, 1883), 153-54, #61.  RRH #627.

Date: