A letter from Guillaume/William VII of Montpellier

Translated letter:

Since in the beginning of the world, etc.  Taught by these testimonies of God, I William, lord of Montpellier, taking you Matilda, sister of the duke of Burgundy to wife, I give and contribute to you that same Matilda, my beloved wife, in betrothal as donation towards marriage the castrum namely of Montferrier and the castrum of Pignan, and the forum or market of Montpellier of Peiron with its revenues, customary payments, and all its appurtenances, and the baths of Montpellier and the assaying of silver similarly with all its revenues and customary payments, and all its appurtenances, and two mills which you would most wish to choose and have  from those which I have or shall have in Le Palu and its territory with all their revenues and appurtenances and all my cultivated land in Arney.  All these by such principle and pact I give and grant to you in betrothal which you may have and hold and use, enjoy in the manner of wedlock for your life.  And so that this betrothal or dower be firmly observed and carefully guarded for you, William of Tortosa, my brother, swore on the holy Gospels of God that if or whenever anything is diminished or withdrawn by anyone of the things that are described above that are yours, then according to the choice of your will after he is notified by you or yours, he would be held hostage at Montpellier until the harm was made good to you or he would be your faithful ally thence.  And the same was sworn to you by Raymond Stephen of Cerviano and Elisiar, son of Gaucelin of Claret and Pons of Montlaur, and Raymond of Castres and William of Fabresan, Raymond of Montferrier, Bermund of Sommières, Ermengaud of Mercoirol, William of Sauteyrargues, William of Pignan and Raymond William of Pignan, Frotard, Peter William of St. Firmin, William of Aubeterre, Peter Gaucelin of Montauban (Monte-Albedone), Bernard of Castres, Raymond of Sorèze, Raymond of Sauvignac, Ermengaud of Loupian.  Besides those who swore thus as guarantors and sureties to you are viscount Raymond Trencavel and Bernard of Anduze, that what is said above for you to have and hold in peace and harm, if any harm should happen to you, they would have made good to you or each would pay you ten thousand Melgueil solidi.  This was done at Montpellier in the house or dwelling of St. Firmin, in the year 1156 from the Incarnation of the Lord, 5th kalends of March, in the presence of Raymond bishop of Maguelone, Bernard of Figareto, John, prior of St. Firmin, Bernard, elder of Anduze, G. prior of St. Giles and Engelric and Ralph, Cistercian monks and Bernard of Villei and Arnulph of Verargues, knights, and William Litteric, Arbrand, G. Urban, Berengar Lambert, William Peter and Durand, notaries, and many others.

In that space of time, when at the Puy of St. Mary … the said Matilda is given in marriage, in the presence of bishop lord Henry of Autun and bishop Godfrey of Langres, similarly [bishops] of Châlons-sur-Saône and Raymond of Maguelone, Bernard of Anduze, Hugh count of La Rouergue and viscount Bernard-Ato swore on the holy Gospels, and also Raymond Trencavel similarly, that this marriage dower or donation as sealed in this charter would remain firm; indeed if anyone should attempt to breach or diminish it, the faithful allies would be at the will of the lady, until the whole harm is restored/made good completely, whatever there was, or would pay 990 (XM) Melgueil solidos to you.  Lord William of Montpelliers swore there on the holy Gospels of God in the presence of said bishops and others who were there and with him Raymond of Murviel, Peter of Vérune, William of Montolieu (Monteolivo) and Arnald of Marojol that he would never repudiate her, whatever case of separation might intervene, until it is ended in the presence of the archbishop of Lyon by canonical agreement.  And he added there an increase in the said donation or dower cultivated land of Le Palu and the houses and what is contained in the north from the first embankment of the castrum of Le Palu to the second embankment, excepting free exit and entry, and at Montpellier he also added the Jews of Montpellier to that dower.  Moreover William Litteric, G. Urban, P., Lambert, Gerald Atbrand, G. Peter, G. Olric, Peregrin, John Birtulf, Bernard Isnell and Peter Bruno swore that this dower would be held and if anyone withdrew or diminished anything, they would be held hostage at Montferrier or at Le Palu until the harm was completely restored/made good.

Durant wrote [this] at the order of the lord.

Original letter:

Cum in mundi principio, &c. His Dei testimoniis eruditus, ego Guillelmus Montispessulani dominus, in Dei nomine ducens te Mathildem sororem ducis Burgundiae in uxorem, dono & mitto tibi eidem Mathildi dilectae uxori meae in sponsalicium seu donationem propter nuptias castrum scilicet de Monteferrario & castrum del Pinnano, & forum seu mercatum Montispessuli de Peiron cum reditibus, usaticis & omnibus suis pertinentiis & balnea Montispessulani & esmerum argenti cum suis similiter reditibus & usaticis & omnibus suis pertinentiis, & duo molendina quae tu eligere & habere magis volueris de illis quae habeo vel habebo in Palude & suo terminio cum omnibus suis reditibus & suis pertinentiis & totum meum laborivum de Arneir. Haec omnia tali tamen ratione & pacto tibi in sponsalitium dono & concedo quod habeas & teneas & utaris, fruaris more sponsalicii in vita tua tantum. Et ut hoc sponsalitium seu dotalicium firmius observetur & tutius tibi caveatur, juravit Guillelmus de Tortosa frater meus supra sancta Dei Evangelia ut si quandoque inde tibi aliquid imminutum vel detractum ab aliquo ex his quae supradicta sunt tibi fuerit, secundum electionem voluntatis tuae postquam a te vel tuis commonitus inde fuerit vel apud Montempessulanum donec damnum tibi restitueretur ostatgium teneret, vel fidelis coad­jutor existeret inde tibi. Et hoc idem tibi juraverunt Raimundus Stephani de Cerviano & Elisiarius filius Gaucelini de Clareto & Pontius de Montelauro & Raymundus de Castris & Guillelmus de Fabriciis, Raimundus de Monteferrario, Bermundtis de Someire, Ermengaudus de Mergorio, Guillelmus de Centrairanicis, Guillermus de Pinnano & Raymundus Guillermi de Pinnano, Frotardus, Petrus Guillermi de Sancto Firmino, Guillermus de Albaterra, Petrus Gaucelini de Monte-Albedone, Bernardus de Castriis, Raimun­dus de Soregio, Raimundus de Salvinaco, Ermengaudus de Lopiano. Et praeter hos qui sic juraverunt sunt tibi fidejussores & manulevatores Raimundus Trencavelli vicecomes & Bernardus de Andusia, ut quod supradictum est te quiete habere & tenere & damnum si quod inde tibi contigerit restitui faciant vel decem millia solidorum Melgoriensium quisque illorum tibi persolvat. Hoc autem factum est apud Montempessulanum, in domo seu stari Sancti Firmini, anno ab Incarnatione Domini MCLVI, V kalendas martii, sub praesentia Raimundi Magalonensis episcopi, Bernardi de Figareto, Joannis prioris Sancti Firmini, Bernardi de Andusia senioris, G. prioris Sancti AEgidii & Engelrici & Radulphi Cisterciensium monachorum & Bernardi de Villei & Arnulphi de Veiranicis militum & Guillermi Litterici, Atbrandi, G. Urbani, Berengarii Lamberti, Guillelmi Petri & Durandi notarii & aliorum multorum.

Sub eodem temporis spatio, cum apud Podium Sanctae Mariae    .... praedicta Mathildis nuptiis traderetur, sub praesentia domini Henrici Eduensis episcopi & Gofridi Lingonensis episcopi, similiter Cabillonensis atque Raymundi Magalonensis, Bernardus de Andusia, Ugo comes Ruthenensis & Bernardus-Atho vicecomes supra sancta Evangelia juraverunt & etiam Raymundus Trencavelli similiter, hoc sponsalitium seu donationem prout huic chartae traditum est firmiter permansurum; verumtamen si quis ad hoc frangendum vel diminuendum venire tentaverit, ad voluntatem dominae esse fideles coadjutores, do­nec universum damnum ex integro restituatur quidquid eorum extiterit vel XM solidorum Melgoriensium tibi persolvat. Dominus Guillelmus Montispessulani su­pra sancta Dei Evangelia juravit ibidem sub praesentia praedictorum episcoporum & aliorum qui ibi aderant & cum eo Raymundus de Murviel, Petrus de Veruna, Guillelmus de Monteolivo & Arnaldus de Marojol eam se numquam dimissurum, quaecumque causa sejunctionis intervenerit, donec in praesentia Lugdunensis archiepiscopi fine canonico terminetur, & adjecit ibidem ad augmentandam praedictam donationem seu sponsalitium laborivum de la Paludella  & domos & quod continetur ab Aquilone a primo vallo castri de Palude usque ad secundum vallum, salvo libero exitu & introitu, & apud Montempessulanum praeterea adjecit sibi in eo­dem sponsalitio Judaeos Montispessulani. Praeterea Guillelmus Litterici, G. Urbani, P. Lamberti, Giraldus Atbrandi, G. Petri, G. Olrici, Peregrinus, Joannes Birtulfi, Bernardus Isnelli & Petrus Bruno jurave­runt hoc sponsalitium esse tenendum , si quis inde quicquam detraxerit vel diminuerit, donec ex integro damnum sibi restituatur, ostaticum tenendum apud Montemferrarium vel apud Paludem.

Durantus scripsit mandato domini.

Historical context:

Contract of marriage betwn Gm VII, lord of Montpellier, and Mathilda of Burgundy. A castrum is the administrative district containing a fortified castle.

Printed source:

Histoire Générale de Languedoc, 5.1201-03, #614.

Date: