A letter from Cecilia and Bernard Ato

Translated letter:

In the name etc.  I Bernard-Ato of Béziers, viscount, and my wife Cecilia and our sons Roger and Raymond, we all together give you William of Durban or whomever you might wish to release it to after the death of  William of Pignano and after the death of Laureta your sister if she should die without issue, the castle of Ornaisons, etc.  And this by such agreement that when said gift should come to you or yours you would do the fealty and homage for yourself and yours to us and ours which you owe us.  And we said givers give you, William of Durban, or whomever you might wish to release said gift without deceit as William of Pignano with his wife Laureta gave to us.  Similarly we give you at present that oath for the castle of Novellas which you may have and hold from us for you and yours, saving our fealty, etc.  Witnesses of this are Bernard Amelius of Montesereno, Elisiarius and William of Colnas, and Ermengall of Fabersano, and Bernard Hugo of Chilano and Vidian of Turribus.  Asked by the viscount for himself and his, Stephen Sicfred wrote this on the 3rd nones of May, in the year of the lord’s incarnation 1123, in the reign of king Louis.

Original letter:

In nomine, &c. Ego Bernardus-Atonis Biterrensis vicecomes & uxor mea Caecilia & filii nostri Rogerius & Ray­mundus, nos omnes insimul donamus tibi Guillelmo de Durban vel cui & quibus dimittere volueris post mortem Guillelmo de Pignano & post mortem Lauretae sororis tuae si mortua fuerit sine infante ipsum castellum de Ornazouns, &c. Et hoc per talem convenientiam, quod quando adveniet tibi vel tuis praedictum donum, facias tibi vel tuis inde nobis & nostris fidelitatem & hominiscum quod inde nobis facere debes. Et nos supradicti donatores donamus tibi, Guillelmus de Durban, vel tuis quibus dimittere volueris ipsum prae­dictum donum sine inganno, sicut donaverunt ad nobis Guillelmus de Pignano cum uxore sua Laureta. Similiter donamus tibi de praesenti ipsum sacramentum de castellum de Novellas quod habeas & teneas de nobis tibi vel tuis, salva nostra fidelitate, &c. De hoc sunt testes Bernardus Amelius de Montesereno, Helisiarius & Guillelmus de Colnas, & Ermengallus de Fabersano, & Bernardus Hugo de Chilano, & Vidianus de Turribus. A vicecomite pro se & suis rogatus Stephanus Sicfredi hoc scripsit III nonas maii, anno Domini ab Incarnatione MCXXIII, regnante Lodoico rege.

Historical context:

The letter records the gift of the castle of Ornaisons to William of Durban after the death of its present holder and his wife.

Printed source:

Histoire Générale de Languedoc,  5.908-11, #483.2, CCCXCV

Date: