A letter from Ermessind, daughter of Guidenell

Translated letter:

I, Ermessind, daughter of the late woman, Guidenell, swear to you, lady Almodis, countess, daughter of the woman Amelia, that from this hour forwards, while I am alive, I shall be faithful to you by direct faith, as a faithful woman should be to her lord, without fraud and evil artifice, and any deception.  And I, said Ermessind swear that that town of Begur and all the building that is in it and will be in the future and that town of Palaz and all the building that is in it and will be in the future, with or without wrongdoing, I shall not refuse to you, said countess Almodis, nor shall a man or men, woman or women, refuse said towns with said buildings to you by my counsel or by my artifice.  And as many times as you, said countess, request from me, said Ermessind, said towns with said buildings by yourself or by your messenger or messengers, I said Ermessind will give power over said towns with said buildings without deception to you or those men whom you command me to.  And when you, said countess, request said towns from me, said Ermessind, by yourself or by your messenger or messengers, I said Ermessind will not refuse, nor flee, nor refuse to be seen by you, said Almodis, nor or by your messenger or messengers; and this your messenger or messengers will not meet delay there.  And I said Ermessind will make such arrangment with those men who are in said towns or will be in the future, that when you, said countess, by yourself or by your messenger or messengers request power over said towns and said buildings, those said men, who will be in said towns, will give power over said towns to you or to those men you have sent, without deception.  I, said Ermessind, will hold and keep all the above-written faithfully to you, said Almodis, countess, by direct faith without deception, by God and these saints, except what you, said Almodis, release me, said Ermessind, from by willing spirit, without force.

Original letter:

Iuro ego Ermessindis, filia que fui Guidenellis, femine, tibi, domne Almodis, comitisse, filia qui es Amelia, femina, quia de ista ora et deincebs, dum viva fuero, fidelis ero tibi per directam fidem, sicut fidelis femina debet esse suo seniori, sine fraude et malo ingenio et sine ulla tua decepcione. Et ego predicta Ermessindis iuro quia ipsum castrum de Begur et ipsum edificium totum quod in eo est et fuerit in venturo tem­pore et ipsum castrum de Palaz et ipsum edificium totum quod in eo est et fuerit in futuro tempore, ab forfeit nec sine forsfeit, no ls te devedare tibi, predicte Almodis, comitissa, nec homo nec homines, nec femina nec feminas, predictos castros cum predictis edificiis no ls te devedaran per meum consilium nec per meum ingenium. Et per quantas vices tu, predicta comitissa, requisieris a me, iam dicte Ermessindis, predictos castros cum predictis edificiis per te ipsa aut per tuum nuncium aut nuncios, ego predicta Ermessindis de predictis castris cum iam dictis edificiis potestativa te n fare sine tuo engan te ipsa aut illos homines de quibus mihi mandaveris. Et quando tu, predicta comitissa, requisieris predictos castros a me, iam dicta Ermessindis, per te ipsa aut per tuum nuncium nel nuncios, ego predicta Ermessindis non desvadire, ne non desfugere, ne veder no me n desvedare nec ad te, predicta Almodis, nec ad tuos missos vel missum; et iste tuus nuncius aut nuncii reguardum ibi non abebunt. Et ego predicta Ermessindis tale stabilimentum faciam cum illis hominibus qui in predictis castris sunt aut fuerint in ven­ture tempore, ut, quando tu, predicta comitissa, per te ipsa aut per tuum nuncium vel nuncios requisieris potestatem de predictis castris et de pre­dictis (h)edificiis, illi predicti homines qui in predictis castris fuerint, donent tibi potestatem de predictis castris aut illis hominibus quos misseris, sine tuo engan. Ego predicte Ermessindis hec omnia superius scripta si la tenre et la atendre fideliter tibi, predicte Almodi, per directam fidem sine tuo engan, per Deum et istos sanctos, excepto hoc quod tu, predicta Almodis, mihi, predicta Ermessindis, absolveris, tuo grato animo, sine forcia. 

Historical context:

Oath taken by Ermessind to the countess for the towns of Begur and Palaz.

Printed source:

LFM 1.509-10, #478.

Date: