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A letter from Adalbert Ellemar

Sender

Adalbert Ellemar

Receiver

Almodis of La Marche
Raymond Berengar I

Translated letter:

I Adalbert Ellemar swear to you, lord Raymond, count and you, lady Almodis, countess, that from this hour forth, I shall be faithful to you by righteous faith without deception with that town that is called Gallano.  And I shall not refuse you, the aforesaid, power over said town after the death of William, bishop of Osona, if I, said Adalbert, should be alive or hold said town of Gallano or a man through me.  And I, said Adalbert, after the death of said bishop William, shall freely and solidly keep to you, said count and countess, said town of Gallano.  And I shall give you that power over said town without deception as many times as you ask for that power from me, said Adalbert, both or one of you by yourselves or through your messengers or messenger.  And I shall not refuse to be called upon and he or they who call upon me, said Adalbert, will not meet delay there.  If you, said Almodis, and Peter Raymond, son of said count, should survive said count Raymond, I said Adalbert will similarly extend to you, said countess Almodis, the prescribed power over said town of Gallano at that time that said count Raymond left you, said Almodis, that tutelage over said Peter Raymond, son of said count.  And from that time forward I, said Adalbert, shall similarly extend the prescribed power over said town to said Peter Raymond, if Peter should be alive.  If, indeed, that Peter Raymond were dead, I said Adalbert would similarly extend to you, said countess Almodis, and to Raymond, son of said count and of you, that power over said town for all time.  And if said Raymond, son of said count and of you were dead, I said Adalbert similarly would extend the prescribed power over said town to you, said Almodis, and to Berengar, the son of said count and of you.  If, indeed, all the sons of said count and of you were dead, I, said Adalbert would similarly extend to you, said Almodis, said power over said town for all time, while you are alive; and after your death, I the aforesaid would similarly extend the prescribed power over said town to that count who will hold Barcelona.  As is written above, I said Adalbert Ellemar shall so hold and extend, without deception, to you, said count and countess, after the death of said bishop William, except as you release me from it, by your gracious spirit without force.  By God and these holy things.

Original letter:

Iuro ego Adalbertus Ellemari vobis, domno Raimundo, comiti, et vobis, domne Almodi, comitisse, quod ab hora et deincebs fidelis ero vobis per directam fidem sine engan de ipso chastro quod dicitur Gallano. Et non vetabo vobis predictis potestatem de iam dicto chastro post mortem Guilielmi, Ausonensis episcopi, si ego predictus Adalbertus vivus fuero aut tenuero predictum castrum de Gallano vel homo per me. Et ego predictus Adalbertus, post mortem Guilielmi iam dicti episcopi, libere et solide attendam ad vos, predictos comitem et comitissam, cum iam dicto castro de Gallano. Et dabo vobis ipsam potestatem de iam dicto chastro sine vestro engan per quantas vices requisieritis ipsam potesta­tem ad me, predictum Adalbertum, vos ambo aut unus ex vobis per vos ipsos aut per missos vestros vel missum. Et comonir no me n devedare et ipse vel ipsi qui inde comonuerint me, predictum Adalbertum, non habebunt ibi reguardum. Si, vero, tu, predicta Almodis, et Petrus Raimundi, filius iam dicti comitis, supervixeritis comitem iam dictum Raimundum, ego predictus Adalbertus similiter attendam tibi, predicte Almodi comitisse, prescriptam potestatem de iam dicto castro de Gal­lano tanto tempore, quanto iam dictus Raimundus, comes, dimiserit tibi, predicte Almodi, ipsam baiuliam de predicto Petro Raimundi, filio iam dicti comitis. Et de illo tempore in antea ego predictus Adalbertus similiter attendam prescriptam potestatem de iam dicto castro ad iam dictum Petrum Raimundi, si vivus fuerit ipse Petrus. Si, vero, ipse Petrus Raimundi mortuus fuerit, ego predictus Adalbertus similiter atendam tibi, predicte Almodi comitisse, et Reimundo, filio iam dicti comitis, et tuo ipsam potestatem de iam dicto castro omni tempore. Et, si iam dictus Raimundus, filius iam dicti comitis, et tuus mortuus fuerit, ego predictus Adalbertus similiter atendam prescriptam potestatem de predicto castro tibi, predicte Almodi, et Berengario, filio iam dicti co­mitis et tuo. Si, vero, omnes filii predicti comitis et tui mortui fuerint, ego predictus Adalbertus similiter atendam tibi, predicte Almodi, iam dictam potestatem de predicto castro omni tempore, dum viva fueris; et post tuum obitum, ego predictus similiter atendam prescriptam potes­tatem de predicto chastro illi comiti qui tenuerit Barchinonam. Sicut superius scriptum est, ego predictus Adalbertus Ellemari si o tenre et o atenre sine engan ad vos, predictos comitem et comitissam, post mortem iam dicti Guilielmi episcopi, excepto quantum vos me inde absolveritis vestro grato animo, sine forcia. Per Deum et hec sancta.

Historical context:

Oath by Adalbert Ellemar to the count and countess for the town of Gallano, to take effect after the death of the bishop of Osona.  

Printed source:

LFM 1.190-91, #177.  

Date:

1053-71