A letter from Ermengol, Count of Urgell

Translated letter:

In the name of Christ.  I, Ermengol, by the grace of God count and marquis, together with my spouse Constancia, are the sellers to you Arnau, and your wife Arsenda, buyers.  By this document of our sale, we sell you that castrum of Lordano, which is in the county of Urgell; and it came to me, Ermengol, from my father and to me, said Constancia, through my tenth.  And it abuts all these:  on the east the territory of Taravaldo, on the south of Chovezedo, on the west, the territory of Conques, and on the north the territory of Abbelia.  Whatever these abutments enclose, we sell you said castrum with its allods, cultivated and uncultivated lands, vineyards, vines, meadows, pastures, woods, barren lands, waters, viaducts and reducts of waters, everything and whatever in everything a man can name that the said castrum holds today, whole and complete, with its exits and reentries, for the price of two thousand solidos in equivalent things/value, and that is manifest. All the aforesaid indeed, we hand over from our right to your domain and power as your own most fully without any reservation, on that condition namely that you and your posterity hold it in subjection to us and our posterity.  Which, if we or any man might attempt to oppose this document of sale to breach it, he could not prevail, but must pay you double with every improvement; and henceforth this document should remain always undisturbed.  Enacted on the 2nd kalends of February in the 2nd year of king Henry.  Ermengol, by the grace of God count [autograph sign].  Sign+ of Constance, we who had this document made and asked witnesses to sign it.  Sign+ of Pons Miro.  Sign+ of Atinard.  Sign+ of Compagno Baldomar.  Seniofred, priest, sacristan.  + Arnald, judge.  Seniofred, deacon, who wrote this charter of sale as asked on the day and year above.

Original letter:

In Christi nomine. Ego Ermengaudus, gracia Dei comes et marchio, simul cum coniuge mea Constancia vinditores sumus tibi, Arnaldo, et uxori tue Arsendis, emptores. Per hanc scriptura vindicionis nostre vindimus vobis ipsum chastrum de Lordano, qui est in comitatu Orgello; et advenit ad me, Ermengaudo, de genitori meo et ad me, supradicta Constancia, per meum decimum. Et afrontat supradicta hec omnia: a parte orientis in termino de Taravaldo, et de meridie in Chovezedo, de occiduo in terminio de Chonchas, a parte, vero, circi in termino de Abbelia. Quantum infra istas afrontaciones includunt, sic vindimus vobis ipsum chastrum suprascriptum cum suis alaudibus, terras cultas vel incultas, vineas, vinealis, pratis, pascuis, silvis, garricis, aquis, aquarum vieductibus vel reductibus, omnia et in omnibus quicquid dici vel nominari potest homo, quantum supradictum chastrum hodie tenet, totum ab integrum, cum exiis et regressiis earum, propter precium solidos duo milia in res valentem, et est manifestum. Quem, vero, predicta hec omnia de nostro iure in vestro tradimus dominio et potestate ad vestrum plenissimum proprium sine ulla reservacione, in ea videlicet racione, ut teneatis vos et posterita vestra in subdicione nostra et posterita nostra. Quod, si nos aut aliquis homo qui contra hanc ista scriptura vindicionis venerit pro inrumpendum, non hoc valeat vindicare, sed componat vobis in duplo cum omnia sua inmelioracione; et in antea ista scriptura semper maneat incomvulsa. (H)actum est hoc II kalendas februarii anno II Enrici, regis. Ermengaudus, gracia Dei chomes [firma autografa]. Sig+num Constancia, qui ista scriptura fecimus et testes firmare rogavimus. Sig+num Poncio Miro. Sig+num Atinardo. Sig+num Compagno Baldomar. Seniofredus, sacerdos, sacri custus. + Arnaldus, iudex. Seniofredus, levita, qui ista carta vindicionis rogatus scripsit et die et anno quod supra.

Historical context:

The charter records the sale of the castrum of Lordano to the viscount and viscountess.  A castrum is an administrative district including a castle and a fortification.

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior, 121, #121.  

Date: