A letter from Raymond Mir

Translated letter:

In the name of God.  This is the agreement made between Raymond, count of Pallars, and his wife Valencia, countess, and Raymond Mir of Orcau.  Said Raymond agreed to said count and countess that from this hour forward he would be in their homage and fidelity, as a man should to his better and solid* lord, and would not make or retain any other lord without the counsel and will of said count and countess, and that he would swear fidelity to them and an oath according to their will.  And also, said Raymond agreed to said count and countess that they would have and hold for all time that rule in the castrum of Orcau and in all its boundaries and appurtenances which his father ever had and ought to have from said count, except power over that said castrum.  And said count agreed to said Raymond that not he, nor his said wife, nor son, would seek power over said castrum and said count would swear his life and honor by oath to said Raymond.  And if they sought power over said castrum, that count or his cohort** or son would not give it to them, nor would said Raymond nor his wife, nor son, unless such were done to them that they did not wish or could not amend.  Similarly, said Raymond Mir agreed that he would hold and keep said agreement, he and his wife and their daughters, to those men or women whom said count and countess would determine and pass said castrum of Orcau on to, in the manner they agree they will do and keep to said count and countess.  And that count and countess and their son similarly hold and keep said agreement to his wife and the children of said Raymond, as they agree to do to him.  And if Raymond Mir should lose that rule over Cubeas, said count would make it up to him within 40 days.  And said Raymond agreed to them that from the next Easter on the count and countess would pledge their faith (de(e)sfidet?)  to the count and countess of Urgell until with the will of said count and countess they could not prolong it further.   This was done 2 nones of February in the 12th year of king Philip.  Sign+ of count Raymond. Sign+ of countess Valencia.  Sign+ of Raymond Mir, we who asked this agreement be written and signed it and had it signed by witnesses. Sign+ of Folk William.  Sign+ of Gerbert, viscount. Sign+ of Mir Dalmaz.  Sign+ of Arnau Onofred. Arnald, priest, wrote it on the day and year above+.

Original letter:

In Dei nomine. Hec est conveniencia que est facta inter Raimun­dum, comitem Paliarensem, et coniux eius Valencia, comitissa, et Rai­mundum Mironi de Orcallo. Convenit supradictus Raimundus ad iam dicto comite et comitisse predicta ut de ista hora in antea stet in eorum hominatico et fidelitatem, sicut homo debet facere ad suum meliorem et solidum seniorem, et non faciat neque retineat ullum alium seniorem sine consilio et voluntate de supradicto comite et comitissa, et quod iuret ad eos fidelitatem et sacramentum secundum illorum voluntatem. Et iterum, convenit supradictus Raimundus ad predicto comite et comitissa quod omni tempore habeant et teneant in ipso castro de Orcallo et in omnibus suis terminis et pertinenciis ipsam dominicaturam quod suus pater de supradicto comite unquam ibi habuit et habere debuit, exceptus potestatem de ipso castro predicto. Et supradictus comes con­venit ad iam dicto Raimundo ut neque ille ipse, neque eius coniux predicta nec filius, non requirant potestatem de supradicto castro, et iam dictus comes iuret per sacramentum ad predicto Raimundo suam vitam et suam honorem. Et si requisierint potestatem de supradicto castro, ipse comes aut comitiva aut filius eius non donent eam eis, neque predictus Raimundus, neque coniux eius, nec filius donent, si tale forefacturam eis fecerint quod emendare non volent aut posseant. Similiter, convenit supradictus Raimundus Mironi ut teneat et attendat supradicta conveniencia, tam ille quam eius coniux et filiabus earum, ad ipsos aut ad ipsas cui supradictus comes et comitissa dimiserint et dubitaverint supradicto castro Orcallo, eo modo sicut conveniunt quod faciant et attendant ad supradicto comite et comitissa. Et ipse comes et comitissa et eius filius similiter teneant et attendant supradicta conveniencia ad suam coniux et filios de supradicto Raimundo, sicut ei conveniunt facere. Et si perdiderit Raimundus Mironi ipsam indominicaturam de Cubeas, emendet eam ei predictus comes intra xxxx diebus. Et Raimundus su­pradictus convenit, de Pasca prima adveniente in antea de(e)sfidet comes et comitissa Urgellensis donec si cum voluntate de supradicto comite et comitissa amplius non potuerint elongare. Que esta facta II nonas februarii anno xn Philippi regis. Sig+num Reimundi comes. Sig+num Valencie comitisse. Sig+num Reimundi Mironi, qui hanc conveniencia scribere rogavimus et eam firmavimus et ad testibus firmare fecimus. Sig+num Folchonis Guilelmi. Sig+num Gerbertus, vicecomes. Sig+num Mironi Dalmazi. Sig+num Arnalli Onofred. Arnaldus sacer scripsit et die et anno que + supra.

Historical context:

Agreement between the count and countess of Pallars and Raymond Mir on the castrum of Orcau.  A castrum is an administrative district including a castle, a fortification.

Scholarly notes:

• Solid homage is the equivalent of liege homage, the principal obligation in a system of multiple homage, Kosto, 82, n.13.
• ** Text gives comitiva, which could perhaps be a variant spelling of comitissa, countess.

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior, 1.79-80, #65.

Date: