A letter from Amato, son of Ermengard

Translated letter:

I, Amato, son of the late woman Ermengard, swear that from this hour forward I shall be faithful to you countess Almodis, daughter of countess Amelia, without fraud or evil artifice or any deception, to my knowledge.  And I, said Amato, from this hour forward shall not deceive/deprive you, said countess Almodis, of your life or your members that are held in your body, nor of those cities, nor those counties, nor those bishoprics, nor those abbacies, nor those towns or castles, cliffs or hills, developed or undeveloped, nor of those lands nor of those parias[1] which count Raymond, my lord, son of the late countess Sancia, gave you, said countess Almodis, in past time or will give from this hour forward or owed[2] or entrust in his life or at his death, in whatever way.  And I said Amato shall not take all the aforesaid from you, said countess Almodis, nor take any of it, not I, nor a man or men, woman or women, by my counsel or my artifice.  And I, said Amato, will be an aid to you, said countess Almodis, to hold and have and defend all the aforesaid against all men or man, women or woman, who took or would take all the aforesaid or any of it, for which you, countess Almodis, called on me, said Amato, by name or in the name of this oath, by yourself or through your messengers or messenger, and that messenger will not meet delay there.  And I said Amato will not refuse to be called on and will provide said help without deception, to my knowledge.  And I said Amato will not refuse to you, said Almodis, power over that town which is called Cervaria, nor those towns of Cleran, or Solterra, nor Malavela, nor Begur, nor Serras (?) every time you, said countess ask me, said Amato, for power over said town by yourself or your messengers or messenger, I will give the power to you, without deception, and those men you order me to.  And if there were any who would refuse that power to you over said towns, I shall not have peace or association with them or with him who would do this to your harm until you have recovered them.  And as is written above, so I said Amato will hold and keep this without deception, to my knowledge, unless and as far as you, Almodis, said countess, release me by willing spirit, without force, in the sight and hearing of two or three of your men, who similarly release me when you release me, Amato.  By God and these his saints.

Original letter:

Iuro ego Amatus, filius qui fuisti Ermengardis, femine, quod de ista hora in antea fidelis ero tibi Almodis, comitisse, filia qui es Amelie, comitisse, sine fraude et sine malo ingenio et sine ulla decepcione, me sciente. Et ego predictus Amatus de ista hora in antea non dezebre te, Almodem, comitissam suprascriptam, de tua vita neque de tuis membris que in corpore tuo se tenent, neque de ipsas civitates, neque de ipsos comitatus, neque de ipsos episcopatus, neque de ipsas abatias, neque de ipsos castros aut castellos, rochas aut puios, condirectos vel discondirectos, neque de ipsas terras, neque de ipsas parias quas Raimundus comes, senior meus, filius qui fuit Sancie, comitisse, tibi, Almodis, comitissa suprascripta, transacto tempore, dedit aut de ista hora in antea dederit aut dubitaverit aut comendaverit in vita sua sive ad (h)obitum suum, qualicumque modo hoc <fecerit>. Et ego Amatus predictus ista omnia suprascripta vel prenominata no la tolre ad te, Almodem, comitissam suprascriptam, ne te n tolre nec ego, neque homo neque homines, nec femina nec feminas, per meum consilium neque per meum ingenium. Et ego Amatus predictus adiutor ero ista omnia suprascripta ad tenere et ad habere et defendere ad te, Almodem, comitissam suprascriptam, contra cunctos homines vel hominem, feminas vel feminam, qui ad te, Almodis suprascripta, tulerit aut tollere voluerit ista omnia suprascripta aut de his omnibus suprascriptis, unde tu, Almodis comitissa, me, Amatum suprascriptum, comonueris per nomen aut in nomine de isto Sacramento per te ipsam aut per tuos missos vel missum, et ipse missus regardum non habebit ibi. Et ego predictus Amatus comonir no me n devedare et predictum adiutorium sine tuo engan lo fare, me sciente. Et ego predictus Amatus non vetabo tibi, predicte Almodis, potestatem de ipso castro quod dicitur Cervaria, neque de ipso castro de Cleran, neque de ipso castro quod dicitur Solterra, neque de ipso castro quod dicunt Malavela, neque de ipso castro quod dicunt Begur, neque de ipso castro de <Serras ?> per omnes illas vices, quando tu predicta comitissa requisieris ad me, predictum Amatum, potestatem de predicto castro per te ipsam aut per tuos missos vel missum, potestativa te n fare, sine tuo engan, et ipsos homnes cui tu mihi mandaberis. Et si esset ullus qui devetasset tibi potestatem de predictis castris, non habebo finem nec societatem cum illis vel cum illo qui hoc fecerint vel fecerit ad ullum tuum dapnum usquequo recuperatos eos habuisses. Et sicut superius scriptum est, ego predictus Amatus si o tenre et o atenre sine tuo engan, me sciente, exceptus quantum tu, Almodis, comitissa predicta, me absolveris tuo grato animo, sine forcia, cum duobus aut tribus de tuis hominibus videntibus et audientibus hoc quando tu me absolveris, qui eciam tecum similiter inde absolvant me, predictum Amatum. Per Deum et hos sanctos suos.

Historical context:

Oath that Amato took to the countess for the towns of Cervaria, Clerano, Solterra, and Malavella, and for other castles.

Scholarly notes:

Printed source:

LFM 1.471-72, #448.  

Date: