A letter from William Raymond, count of Cerdagne

Translated letter:

In the name of the Lord.  I, William Raymond, son of Adela, countess of Cerdagne, giver and determiner and vacator to you, lord Raymond, count of Barcelona, and lady Almodis, countess.  It is quite true and well known to many that I took as wife Adelaide, the daughter of the late Peter Raymond, count of Béziers, and [that] Rangard, countess, gave me all her right and all her authority, which said count Peter, her husband, gave and handed over to her in the city of Carcassonne and in the whole county and bishopric of Carcassonne and in Razès and in the whole county of Razès and in all its boundaries, in castles as well as in all other buildings and in all lands, mountainous and flat.  And said Rangard also gave me, with her said daughter, every right and all the authority which that Adelaide claimed and had and ought to have in the afore-mentioned city and the said counties and bishoprics and in all the above things and their appurtenances.  And I, said William, by this my document of donation and evacuation and determination, I give you and determine and the person of said Adelaide and every right and all authority which I have and ought to have through said countess Rangard and her daughter, said Adelaide, in all the above counties and bishoprics and abbeys and in all other things named above; and I hand over this whole into your dominion to have eternally to do what you will without any reservation and without any deception.  And I vacate voluntarily, as much from said persons as from all the said other things, and I determine that I shall never request or retain or have anything there, not I nor any man through me.  And I receive from you with willing spirit for this donation and for this determination and evacuation, four thousand Barcelona marks.  Therefore who might wish to disrupt this or take away in any manner, cannot do it in any way, but for the presumption alone he must pay this doublty to you, and afterwards this document will remain fim.  This was enacted on the vi kalends of January in the 8th year of the reign of king Philip.  Sign+ of William Raymond, [I] who ordered this document of donation and determination and evacuation to be made and signed it and asked witnesses to sign.  Sign+ of Raymond William, viscount.  Peter, priest, who wrote this and subscribed on the day and year noted above.

Original letter:

In nomine Domini. Ego, Guillelmus Raimundi, filius Adale, comitisse de Cerritania, donator et diffinitor et evacuator sum vobis, domno Raimundo, comiti Barcheone, et domne Adalmodi, comitisse. Satis est verum et multis bene cognitum, quia ego accepi uxorem Adalaidem, que fuit filia Petri Raimundi, comitis Biterrensis, et Rangardis, comitissa, dedit mihi omnem suum directum et omnes suas voces, quas predictus Petrus, comes, vir suus, dederat et dimiserat ei in civitate Carcassone et in toto comitatu et episcopatu Carcassone sive in Redes et in toto comitatu de Redes et in omnibus finibus eius, tam in castellis quam in omnibus aliis edificiis et in omnibus terris montuosis et planis. Et dedit mihi eciam prefata Rengardis, cum predicta filia sua, omne directum et omnes voces quas ipsa Adalaidis proclamabat et habebat et habere debebat in prelibata civitate et in supradictis comitatibus et episcopatibus sive in omnibus rebus supradictis et pertinenciis cunctis. Et ego, supradictus Guillelmus, per hanc meam donacionis et evacuacionis ac diffinicionis scripturam dono vobis ac diffinio et personam prefate Adalaidis et omne directum et omnes voces, quas per prefatam Rangardem, comitissam, et per filiam suam supradictam Adalaidem habeo et habere debeo in omnibus supradic­tis comitatibus et episcopatibus et abbaciis et in cunctis rebus aliis supranominatis ; et trado hoc totum in vestrum dominium eternaliter ad haben­dum et quod volueritis faciendum sine ulla reservacione et absque ullo vestro enganno. Et voluntarie sic me vacuo, tam ex predictis personis quam ex supradictis cunctis aliis rebus, atque diffinio, ut nunquam ibi aliquod requiram vel retineam nec habeam nec ego nec ullus homo per me. Et accipio a vobis pro hac donacione libenti animo et pro hac diffinicione et evacuacione quatuor millia mancusos Barchinonenses. Ideoque, qui hoc vobis voluerit disrumpere aut per quemcumque modum tollere, nullo modo possit facere, sed pro sola presumpcione in duplo hoc vobis totum componat, et postea hec scriptura firma permaneat. Actum est hoc vi kalendas ianuarii anno VIII regni Philippi regis. Sig+num Guillelmi Raimundi, qui hanc donacionis vel diffinicionis sive evacuacionis scripturam fieri iussi et firmavi et testes firmare rogavi.  Sig+num Raimundi Guillelmi vicecomitis.  Petrus, presbiter, qui hoc scripsit et subscripsit die annoque prenotato.

Historical context:

William Raymond, count of Cerdagne, gives his wife’s lands and his wife, Adelaide, Almodis’s niece, to the count and countess of Barcelona for 4000 Barcelona marks.  Cheyette (“The `Sale’,” 834-35) notes that Adelaide did not relinquish her claims until 1070 (see LFM #822), after which she dropped out of sight.  Cheyette’s article analyzes the complications of the various Carcassonne transactions.

Printed source:

LFM 2.298-99, #815.

Date: