A letter from viscount Pons and viscountess Ledgard

Translated letter:

In the name of God.  This is the agreement which was made between Raymond, count of Pallars, and the countess, his wife Valencia, [on one side] and Pons, viscount, and the viscountess Ledgard, his wife [on the other].  Said viscount and said viscountess, his wife, and Gerall put in pledge to said count and countess the castrum of Bellmont with its boundaries and appurtenances, except the fortification of Fezed, and except what pertains to that fortification, over this that when the war which they have with the count of Urgell is finished, either by order or by counsel or by any agreement, within 30 days after said count and countess warned them by themselves or through their messengers or messenger, the viscount and viscountess would amend it with the castrum of Ager and its appurtenances and boundaires from the authority which they claim there, or such counsel as may be acceptable and approved between the two sides.  And if said count of Urgell should die meanwhile or be captured for this, that correction or counsel would be made similarly; if said count or countess should die, it would be done similarly to the one of the two who remained alive and to their sons.  If, however, the viscount or viscountess should die, the one who remained and their son Gerall would do all this similarly; and if this whole correction or counsel, as written above, were not carried out and remained with the viscount or viscountess or their son, said castle of Bellmont would be forfeit into the power of said count and countess or their sons; and Gaucerand Eriman, who is now castellan there, would keep to them for that castle and give them power there, without deception.  And if said Gaucerand should die meanwhile, he would command to his castellans who held that castrum, that they retain it and not give power over it to any man until the viscount and viscountess send another castellan there who would similarly declare his faith and do what Gaucerand did, or send another castellan there within 30 days after the death of that castellan.  Which was done 3rd ides of December, 13th year of king Philip.  Sign+ of Pons, viscount. Sign+ of Ledgard, viscountess. Sign+ of Gerall, their son, we who ordered this to be written and signed it and asked it to be signed.  Sign+ of Mir Ricolf. Sign+ of Roger. Sign+ of Gaucerand. Sign+ of Bertran Ato. Arnau Acsi, unworthy priest, who wrote this agreement as asked, on the day and year above.

Original letter:

In nomine Domini. Hec est conveniencia que facta est inter Raimundum, comitem Paliarensem, et comitissam, uxorem eius Valenciam, et Poncium, vicecomitem, et Ledgardis, vicecomitissam, uxorem eius. Predictus, namque, vicecomes et iam dicta vicecomitissa, uxor eius, et Gerallus mittunt in pignore ad prefatum comitem et ad prefatam comitissam ipsum castrum de Belmonte cum suis terminis et pertinen­ciis, excepta fortitudine de Fezed et excepto hoc quod pertinet ad ipsam fortitudinem, super hoc ut, quando finita erit ipsa guerra quam habent cum comite de Urgello, aut per directum aut per consilium aut per aliquod concordamentum, intra xxx dies postquam prefatus comes postea et comitissa commonuerint eos per se ipsos aut per suos nuncios aut per nuncium, faciant eis directum vicecomes et vicecomitissa de castro de Ager et de pertinenciis suis et terminis et ex ipsis vocibus quas ibi proclamant, aut consilium tale ut inter ambas partes sit ac­ceptabile et laudabile. Et si prefatus comes de Urgello fuerit interea mortuus aut pro hoc captus, similiter sit factum ipsum directum aut ipsum consilium; si eciam fuerit mortuus aut praefatus comes aut iam dicta comitissa, similiter sit factum ad eum qui ex ambobus vivus remanserit et ad filios eorum. Si, autem, mortuus interea fuerit vice­comes prefatus aut vicecomitissa, ipse qui vivus remanserit et Gerallus, filius eorum, similiter faciant hoc totum; et, si hoc totum directum aut consilium, sicut superius est scriptum, non fuerit adimpletum et remanserit in ipso vicecomite aut in eam vicecomitissam aut in filio suo, incurrat postea prefatum castrum de Bellomonte in potestate prefati comitis et comitisse aut filiorum suorum; et Gaucerandus Erimanni, qui est modo inde castellanus, attendat ad eos de ipso castro et faciat eos inde potestativos, sine ullo engan. Et si Gaucerandus prefatus interea mortuus fuerit, mandet ad suos castellanos qui tenuerint ipsum castrum, ut tantum retineant illud et non donent potestatem inde ad ullum hominem donec vicecomes et vicecomitissa mittant alium castellanum ibi qui similiter hoc adfidet et faciat quod Gaucerandus inde facit, vel mittant ibi alium castellanum intra xxx dies post mortem ipsius castellani. Quod est factum III idus decembris xiii anno Philippi, regis. Sig+num Poncii, vicecomitis. Sig+num Ledgardis, vicecomitisse. Sig+num Geralli, filii sui, que hec scribere iussimus et firmavimus, firmarique rogavimus. Sig+num Mironi Ricolfi. Sig+num Rodegarii. Sig+num Gaucerandi. Sig+num Bertran Atoni. Arnallus Acsi, indignus sacer, qui hanc convenienciam scripsi rogatus et die et anno quo supra.

Historical context:

Agreement with viscount Pons and his wife, Valencia's sister, who pledge their castrum of Belmonte.  A castrum is an administrative district including a castle, a fortification. 

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior,  1.129-30, #128.  

Date: