A letter from Cecilia and Bernard Ato

Translated letter:

In the name of God.  I Bernard Ato, viscount of Béziers, and my wife Cecilia, we give you Gausfred, son of Guinard of Roussillon, with our daughter Ermengard, that fief which Raymund Basilis of Annecy (?Anniciano) has from us; and we give you that fief which Peter Raymond of  Coulommiers has from us; and we give you that fief which Imbert of Montadino has from us with his peers; and we give you that fief which the lord of Pontiano has from us; and we give you similarly everything and whatever we have and ought to have in the castle of Abeillan; and we give you similarly everything and whatever we have and ought to have in the castle of Mèze, and in all its boundaries; and by such agreement that I, the above Bernard Ato may have and hold all the above in my lifetime.  And if our daughter, the said Ermengard should die, we give you, said Gausfred, son of Guirard, all the above by the above agreements with another of our daughters whom you would marry.  And if I, Bernard Ato, should die without a male child, after my death and the death of Cecilia my wife, I give you, said Gausfred, with my daughter, whom you will have married, all that I have and ought to have in Béziers and in the whole bishopric of Béziers and in Agde and in the whole bishopric of Agde; and if I should not have another child, I give you all my rules wherever I might have them and ought to have them.  This charter was made on the 5th Ides of May in the year of the Lord 1110, in the rule of king Louis.  Sign of Bernard Ato, who gave and confirmed and asked witnesses to confirm all the above as said above.  Sign of Berengar Peter of Orle.  Sign of Raymund of Villare Novo.  Sign of Raymond Peter of Gorda.  Sign of William Calvet of Tresmals.  Sign of Peter Andrew of Perpignan.  Stephen of Sicfred wrote it. 

Original letter:

In Dei nomine.  Ego Bernardus Atonis, vicecomes Biterrensis, et uxor mea Cecilia donamus ad te, Gaufredum, filium de Guinardo de Rossilione, cum filia nostra Ermengardi ipsum fevum quem Raimundus Basilis de Anniciano habet de nobis; et donamus tibi ipsum fevum quem Petrus Raimundi de Columbariis habet de nobis; et donamus tibi ipsum fevum quem Imbertus de Montadino habet de nobis cum suis parieriis; et donamus tibi ipsum fevum quem domnus de Ponciano habet de nobis; et donamus tibi similiter totum quantumcumque habemus et habere debemus in castello de Mesoa et in totis eius terminis; et hoc per talem convenienciam, quod ego, Bernardus Atonis suprascriptus, habeam et teneam omnia supradicta in vita mea.  Et, si supradicta filia nostra Ermengardis mortua fuerit, donamus tibi, supradicto Gaufredo, filio de Guirardo, omnia supradicta per supradictas conveniencias cum alia una de filiabus nostris quam habueris ad uxorem.  Et si ego, Bernardus Atonis, mortuus fuero sine infante masculo, post mortem meam et post mortem de Cecilia, uxore mea, dono tibi, supradicto Gaufredo, cum ipsa mea filia, quam habueris ad uxorem, totum quantum habeo et habere debeo in Biterris et in toto Biterrense episcopatu et in Agatha et in toto Agathense episcopatu; et si non habuero alium infantem, dono tibi totas meas directuras ubicumque illas habeam et habere debeam.  Facta fuit hec carta V id. Madii et anno Dominico MCX, regnante rege Lodoico.  Sig+num Bernardi Atonis, qui omnia supradicta, sicut supra dictum est, donavi et firmavi et testes firmare rogavi.  Sig+num Raimundi de Villare Novo.  Sig+num Raimundi Petri de Gorda.  Sig+num Guillelmi Calveti de Tresmals.  Sig+num Petri Andree de Perpignano.  Stephanus Sicfredi scripsit.

Historical context:

This charter lists the dowry of fiefs given by Bernard Ato and Cecilia, to Gausfred, son of Guinard (or Gerard), count of Roussillon, with their daughter, Ermengard (also known as Trencavel).   The Histoire Générale de Languedoc notes that the couple were still quite young when they married and the marriage was not consummated for some time (volume 3, book 16, chapter 24).

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior, 2.269-70, #786.

Date: