A letter from Richard Altemir

Translated letter:

I, Richard Altemir, son of the late woman Ermengard, swear to you lord Raymond, count, son of the late countess Sancia, and lady Almodis, countess, daughter of the late countess Amelia, that from this hour forward I shall be faithful to you without fraud or evil trickery or any deception.  And I, said Richard, from this hour forward shall not deceive/deprive you, said count Raymond and countess Almodis, of your life or the members that are held in your bodies, nor of that city which is called Barcelona, nor of that county which is called Barcelona, nor of that bishopric of Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, nor of those towns or castles that are in said county or bishopric, nor of those cliffs or hills, cultivated or uncultivated, which are in said county or bishopric, nor of that city which is called Girona, nor of that county which is called Girona, nor of that bishopric of the sea of St. Mary of Girona, nor of those towns or castles, cliffs or hills, cultivated or uncultivated which are in said county or bishopric, nor of that city which is called Minorisa, nor of that county which is called Osona, nor of that bishopric of St. Peter of Osona, nor of those towns or castles  nor of those cliffs or hills, cultivated or uncultivated, which are in said county or bishopric, nor of that town which is called Cardona with its boundaries and appurtenances, nor of those towns Kamarasa and Cubels with their boundaries and appurtenances, nor of those towns Stopaniano and Cannelas with their boundaries and appurtenances, nor of that town Puirog with its boundaries and appurtenances, nor of those parias* of Spain which they have today agreed to give you or have agreed up to now, nor of that town that is called Cleran, nor of that town that is called Tamarit with their boundaries and appurtenances, nor of that town that is called Cervaria with its boundaries and appurtenances.  And I said Richard shall not refuse you power over that town which is called Tarrega, nor what pertains to said town, but I shall give that to you as many times as you ask for it through yourselves or your messengers or messenger, without deception, as long as you are alive and after your death, similarly said power over said town Tarrega with its appurtenances without deception to your son to whom you, said countess Almodis, shall have handed over said town of Tarrega by words or testament.  And I said Richard shall not take all the above written or named from you, count Raymond and countess Almodis, nor shall I take away, not I nor any man or men, woman or women, by my counsel or [by my counsel (sic)] or by my artifice.  And those castellans whom I said Richard will put in said town of Tarrega, or one I make by your counsel, he or they will swear fidelity to your will.  And if one of you dies, similarly I shall keep all this which is said above to the other who is [still] alive.  And I said Richard will be an aid to hold and have and defend all the above written for you, said count and countess, against all men or man, women or woman, who have taken or might wish to take all the above or from all the above, for which you, said count and countess or one of you, shall have called upon me by name or in the name of this oath by yourselves or by your messengers or messenger, and that messenger(s) will not meet delay there.  And I, said Richard, would not prevent the call upon me and would do said aid without deception.  As is written above, so I will hold and attend to it without deception, except as much as you, count Raymond and countess Almodis, or one of you, should release me by your gracious spirit, without force, in the sight of two or three of your men, who when you will release me, also release me, said Richard, with you.  By God and these holy things.

Original letter:

Iuro ego Ricardus Altimiri, filius qui fui Ermengardis, femine, quod de ista hora in antea fidelis ero vobis, domno Raimundo comiti, filius qui fuisti Sancie, comitisse, et domne Almodi, comitisse, filia que fuisti Amelae, comitisse, sine fraude et malo ingenio et ulla decepcione. Et ego predictus Ricardus de ista hora in antea non dezebre vos, predictos Raimundum comitem et Almodem comiitissam, de vestra vita neque de vestris membris que tenent se in corporibus vestris, neque de ipsa civitate que dicunt Barchinona, neque de ipso comitatu que dicunt Barchinonensis, neque de ipso episcopatu Sancte Crucis Santeque Eulalie, neque de ipsis castris vel castellis que in predicto comitatu nel episcopatu sunt, neque de ipsas rochas vel puios, condirectos vel discondirectos, que in predicto comitatu vel episcopatu sunt, neque de ipsa civitate que dicitur Gerunda, neque de ipso comitatu qui dicitur Gerundensis, neque de ipso episcopatu Sancte Marie Gerundensis sedis, neque de ipsos castros vel castellos, rochas vel puios, condirectos vel discondirectos que in predicto comitatu vel episcopatu sunt, neque de ipa civitate que dicitur Minorisa, neque de ipso comitatu qui dicitur Ausona, neque de ipso episcopatu Sancti Petri de Ausona, neque de ipsis castris vel castellis, rochas vel puios, condirectos vel discondirectos que in predicto comitatu vel episcopatu sunt, neque de ipso castro que dicitur Cardona cum eius terminis et pertinenciis, neque de ipsos castros Kamarasa et Cubels cum eorum terminis et pertinenciis, neque de ipsos castros Stupaniano et Cannelas cum eorum terminis et pertinenciis, neque de ipso castro Puirog cum suis terminis et pertinenciis, neque de ipsas parias de Ispania quas hodie sunt vobis conventas ad dare vel adhuc vobis conventate, neque de ipso castro quod dicitur Cleran, neque de ipso castro quod dicitur Tamarit cum eorum terminis et pertinenciis, neque de ipso castro quod dicitur Cervaria cum eius terminis et pertinenciis. Et ego Ricardus predictus non vetabo vobis potestatem de ipso castro quod dicitur Tarrega, neque hoc quod pertinet ad predictum castri sed dabo illam vobis per quantas vices requisieritis eam ad me per vos ipsos aut per vestros missos vel missum, sine vestro engan, quandiu vos vivi fueritis, et, post vestrum obitum, similiter predictam potestatem de iam dicto castro Tarrega cum suis pertinenciis, sine enganno, ipsi vestro filio cui tu, predicta Almodis comitissa, dimisseris iam dictum castrum de Tarrega verbis aut testamento. Et ego predictus Ricardus ista omnia suprascripta vel prenominata no la tolrei ad te, Raimundum comitem, et Almodi comitissam, ne vos en tolrei, nec ego nec homo neque homines, femina vel feminas per meum consilium nec per meum con­silium nec per meum ingenium. Et ego predictus Ricardus ipsos castellanos, quos misero in predicto castro [de] Tarrega vel ipsum fecero per vestrum consilium, et iurabit aut iurabunt vobis fidelitatem ad vestram voluntatem. Et si unus ex vobis obierit, similiter atendero hoc totum, quod supradictum est, altero qui vivus fuerit. Et ego predictus Ricardus adiutor ero ista omnia suprascripta ad tenere et habere et defendere ad vos, predictos comitem et comitissam, contra cunctos homines vel hominem, feminas vel feminam, qui ad vos, predictum comi­tem et comitissam, tulerint aut tollere voluerint omnia ista suprascripta aut de his omnibus suprascriptis, unde vos, predicti comes et comi­tissa, aut unus ex vobis, me, predictum Ricardum, comonueritis per nomen aut in nomine de isto sacramento per vos ipsos, aut per vestros missos vel missum, et ipse missus vel missum reguardum non habebunt ibi. Et ego, predictus Ricardus, comunir no me n devedare et predictum adiutorium sine engan lo fare. Sicut superius scriptum est, si o tenrei et o atendrei sine vestro enganno, exceptus quantum vos, Raimundum comitem, et Almodem, comitissam, aut unus ex vobis, me absolveritis vestro grato animo, sine forcia, cum duobus aut tribus de vestris hominibus videntibus hoc, quando me vos absolveritis, qui eciam vobiscum solvant me, predictum Ricardum. Per Deum et hec sancta.

Historical context:

Oath which Richard Atemir made to count and countess for the town of Tarrega.

Scholarly notes:

* parias are tributes between lords.  

Printed source:

LFM 1.181-83, # 172.  

Date: