A letter from Raymond and Hodierna

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and individual Trinity of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, amen.

I Raymond, count of Tripoli (Tripolitan count) by the grace of God, and my spouse/wife Hodierna, by that same grace countess of Tripoli, daughter of the king of Jerusalem [we] wish it known to the sons of holy mother church, present and future, to be held and to retained in memory in this charter that, induced by the requests of lord William, by divine grace patriarch of Jerusalem, coming back from Antioch, and his [suffragan] bishops Fulcher, archbishop of Tyre and Robert, archbishop of Nazarus, and Bernard, bishop of Sidon, and many others, we give and grant to the church of the Holy Sepulchre of the Lord and the brothers serving and who will serve the Lord in it liberty in our port of Tripoli to bring in, send out,  carry thence all things that might be necessary to their use, peacefully and without any [charge].  And for the remediation of our souls and of our relatives’ we confirm to them by perpetual right all those gifts, in villages as well as lands and vineyards and olive groves and serfs and other possessions, which lord Raymond, count of St. Giles, and William of Jordan, his nephew, and count Bernard and count Pons, my father, and other barons or people of the land gave to the church of the Lord’s Sepulchre and the canons of that place, we grant all and approve and confirm by our seal, and St. George.  Witnesses of this gift are:  Gerald, bishop of Tripoli; John, canon; Master Gilbert; Rainier, constable; Peter of Podo Laurentii; William of Rainoard; Goscelin of Cavomonte; William Porcelleti; Saxo; Pons of Syria; Gerald Isnelli; Brunellus, butler; Raymond Lamberti; Pons Giraldi; Stephen, monk; Otran, chancellor of the count, who dictated/drew up this charter.

This privilege was done in the 1140th year from the incarnation of the lord, in the month of January, third indiction.

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, amen.

Ego Raimundus, Dei gratia Tripolitanus comes, et Hodierna coniunx mea, eadem gratia Tripolis comitissa, regis Iherusalem filia, filiis sancte matris ecclesie, presentibus et futuris, notum volumus haberi et memoriter in hac carta retineri quod domni Willelmi, divina gratia Iherosolymorum patriarche, ab Antiochia revertentis, ac suffraganeorum ipsius, Fulcherii, Tyrensis archiepiscopi, et Roberti, Nazareni archiepiscopi, ac Bernardi, Sydoniensis episcopi, aliorumque multorum petitionibus inducti, ecclesie Sancti Sepulcri Domini et fratribus in ea Domino servientibus et servituris libertatem in portu nostro Tripolis afferendi, eiciendi, deferendi inde omnia, que usibus suis necessaria fuerint, quiete et absque ulla [exactione] damus atque concedimus. Et pro remedio animarum nostrarum ac parentum nostrorum eisdem iure perpetuo confirmamus omnia illa dona, tam in casalibus quam in terris et vineis et olivetis et villanis ceterisque possessionibus, que dominus Raimundus, comes Sancti Egidii, et Willelmus lordani, nepos eius, et Bernardus comes atque Pontius comes, pater meus, aliique barones seu terrarii fideliter dederunt ecclesie Dominici Sepulcri et canonicis eiusdem loci, cuncta concedimus, laudamus atque sigillo nostro firmamus, necnon Sanctum Georgium. Huius autem doni existunt testes :

Giraldus, episcopus Tripolis. Iohannes, canonicus. Magister Gillebertus. Rainerius, constabularius. Petrus de Podo Laurentii. Willelmus Rainoardi. Gauscelinus de Cavomonte. Saxo. Pontius de Sura. Geraldus Isnelli. Brunellus, dapifer. Raymundus Lamberti. Pontius Giraldi. Stephanus, monacus. Otrannus, cancellarius comitis, qui hanc cartam dictavit.

Hoc privilegium factum est anno ab incarnatione Domini mcxl , mense ianuarii, indictione iii.

Historical context:

The count and countess grant the church freedom from any tolls on whatever they bring into or send out from the port of Tripoli.

Printed source:

Cartulaire de l’eglise du Saint Sepulcre de Jerusalem, ed Eugene de Roziere (Paris:  L’Imprimerie Nationale, 1849), 184-85, #93.  

Date: