A letter from Bernard Amato

Translated letter:

In the name of the Lord.  I Bernard Amato and my sons Peter and William and Umbert approve and acknowledge that we gave our part of the castle of Montserré as allod to Bernard-Ato viscount and his wife Cecilia, viscountess, and their sons Roger and Raymond Trencavel, so that we sould be legal guarantors to them and that we would hold this from them in fief and would swear to them without deception.  And we approve and give this our said gift of the said part of the aforenamed castle of Montserré, with its boundaries, etc., to you Cecilia viscountess and your son Roger and his children by that same said agreement; and if Roger should depart without a child, it would remain to Raymond Trencavel your [sic] brother, so that we would be always faithful aids to you with Aymeri of Narbonne and all the viscounts of Narbonne.

Because of this gift described above I, the aforenamed Cecilia, viscountess and my sons Roger and Trencavel, approve and give you Bernard Amato and your aforenamed sons that gift which our [sic] said father Bernard Ato viscount gave to you, as is well  written in your charters, and we will be legal guarantors to you in that.  This charter was made in the year 1134 of the lord’s incarnation, 8th Ides of April, in the reign of Louis VII of France.  Sign of Bernard Amato and his sons, etc., who signed this charter with the said gift and asked the subscribed witnessess to sign it.  Sign of lady Cecilia, viscountess and her sons Roger and Trencavel who signed this charter with the said gift and asked the subscribed witnesses to sign it.  Witnesses of this are Bernard Pelapol and his brother Arnald and Count William and Nicholas and William Peter of Altpol and Umbert of Montadit and Aldemar of Conques and Guirard brother of Bernard Amato and Raymond Sicfred of Alaric and Peter of Albars.  William wrote at the order of Bernard Amato, etc.

Original letter:

In nomine Domini.  Ego Bernardus Amatus & filii mei Petrus & Guillelmus & Umbertus laudamus & recognoscimus quod dedimus nostram partem castelli de Monte-sereno per alodium Bernardo-Atoni vicecomiti & uxori ejus Caeciliae vicecomitissae & filiis eorum Rogerio & Raymundo Trencavello & ut simus eis inde legales guirenti & ut nos teneamus hoc de eis ad fevum & juremus eis sine inganno. Et nos istud praedictum donum nostrum scilicet praedictam partem praenominati castelli de Monte-sereno cum suis terminis, &c., laudamus & donamus tibi Caeciliae vicecomitissae & filio tuo Rogerio & infantibus ejus per eandem convenientiam praedictam; & si de te Rogerio desierit sine infante, remaneat Raymundo Trencavello fratri tuo, & ut omni tempore simus vobis fideles adjutores de Aymerico Narbonae & de omnibus vicecomitibus Narbonae.

Propter hoc suprascriptum donum ego praenominata Caecilia vicecomitissa & filii mei Rogerius & Trencavellus laudamus & donamus tibi Ber­nardo Amato & praenominatis filiis tuis ipsum donum quod praedictus pater noster Bernardus-Ato vicecomes dedit vobis, sicut melius in cartis vestris scriptum est, & erimus inde vobis legales guirenti. Facta carta ista anno mcxxxiv Incarnationis dominicae, viii idus aprilis, Franciae septimo regnante Lodoico rege. S. Bernardi Amati & filiorum ejus, &c., qui sic istam cartam cum praedicto dono firmaverunt & subscriptos testes eam firmare rogaverunt. S. dominae Caeciliae vicecomitissae & fi­liorum ejus Rogerii & Trencavelli qui sic istam cartam cum praedicto dono firma­verunt & subscriptos testes firmare eam rogaverunt. De hoc sunt testes Bernardus Pelapol & frater ejus Arnaldus & Guillelmus Comes & Nichola & Guillelmus Petri de Altpol & Umbertus de Montaditi & Ademarus de Conchas & Guirardus fra­ter Bernardi Amati & Raymundus Sicfredi de Alarico & Petrus de Albars. Guillelmus scripsit jussione Bernardi Amati, &c.

Historical context:

This letter records the affirmation by Bernard Amato and his sons to the countess and her sons, Roger and Raymond, of the gift to their family while her husband was alive, of Bernard Amato's part of a castle as an allod to be held from them, and of their continued support against Aymeri and the viscounts of Narbonne.  The countess and her sons acknowledge the arrangement.

Printed source:

Histoire Générale de Languedoc   5.1000-01, #526.1, CCCCXXXII.

Date: