A letter to the counts of Barcelona

Translated letter:

In the name of the Lord.  I, Arnau Mir and his [my] wife Arsenda are the sellers to you lord Raymond, count of Barcelona and lady Almodis, countess. By this document of our sale we sell you that castrum which is called Caserres, with all the furnishings of its buildings and with tithes and boundaries and appurtenances and its annexes (ediacenciis) and with lands and vineyards. ... All these came to us by donation of the king who gave them to us from the power of Saracens and all rights.  And all these are in the furthest ends of the marches beside Spain within the castrum of Falcs and the castrum of Stopaniano.  And they abut in the east the territory of Bellamonte and Fezed, and in the south the territory of Stopaniano, in the west also in the boundary of the castle of Pilzano, in the north again in the boundary of the castrum Benavarre and the castrum of Falcs.  As much as these abutments include and these boundaries surround, we sell to you as your own allod, as much as we have and ought to have in said castrum and in all its boundaries and appurtenances for a thousand ounces of gold which are 7 thousand mancusos of Barcelona money, which we have received from you as the price.  Thus by our right we hand over this whole as said and written above into your dominion to do as you will.  And any who might wish to disrupt this in any way for you could not prevail ....

Which was made on the 6tth kalends of August in the 7th year of the reign of king Philip.  Sign+ of Arnau Mir.  Sign+ of Arsenda, we who ordered this charter to be written and signed it and asked for it to be signed.    Sign+ of Gerall Alamann.   Sign+of William Bernard of Odena.  Sign+ of Raymond William, his son.  Sign+ of Sacar Salomon.  Sign+ of Raymond Mir of Acuta.  Sign+ of Raymond Raymond of Capolado.  Sign+ of Berengar Raymond, his brother.  Sign+ of Bernard Raymond of Camarasa.  Sign+ of Mir Isarn.  Sign+ of Hugo Arnau.  Sign+ of William Raymond of Callariis.  Sign+ of Arnau Bernard of Castelleto.  Sign+ of Rambal WIlliam of Montecatano.  Sign+ of Bernard Raymond of St. Menato.  Sign+ of Arbert Raymond.  Sign+ of Bernard Isarn of Rener.  Sign+ of Arbert Isarn.  Sign+ of Bernard Dalmau.  Sign+ of Dalmau of Bergedano.  Sign+ of Berengar Riculf of Castello Edrale.  Sign+ of Bernard Amato.  Sign+ of Gerall.  Sign+ of Bernard Trasvario.  Sign+ of Berengar Isarn.  Girbert Mir.  Peter, deacon, wrote this document of gift and underwrote it on the day and year noted with letters placed above line 6. 

Original letter:

"In nomine Domini. Ego Arnallus Mironis et uxor eius Arsindis venditores sumus vobis domno Raymundo, comiti Barchinonensi et domne Almodi, comitisse. Per hanc nostre vendicionis scripturam vendimus vobis ipsum castrum quod dicitur Castroserras cum omnibus edificiorum instrumentis et cum decimis et terminis et pertinenciis et ediacenciis et cum terris et vineis... Advenerunt quidem nobis hec omnia per largicionem Rei qui nobis dedit de potestate sarracenorum sive per omnes voces. Et sunt hec omnia in extremis finibus marchiarum iuxta Hispaniam intra castrum de Falcs et castrum de Stopaniano. Et habent affrontacionem ad oriente in termino de Bellamonte et Fezed, et de meridie in termino de Stopaniano, de occiduo eciam in termino de castello de Pilzano, de circio iterum in termino de castro Benavarre et de castro de Falcs. Quantum iste affrontaciones includunt et isti termini ambiunt, vendimus vobis ad vestrum proprium alodium quantum habemus et habere debemus in predicto castro et in omnibus terminis et pertinenciis eius propter mille uncias auri que sunt VII milia mancusos Barchinonensis monete, quas a vobis accipimus per precium.  Ideoque de nostro iure tradimus hoc totum, sicut superius est dictam et scriptum in vestrum dominium ad quod volueritis faciendum.  Et qui hoc vobis ullo modo voluerit dirrumpere non valeat facere…

Que est facta VI kalendas augusti anno VII regni Philippi Regis. Sig+num Arnalli Mironis. Sig+num Arsindis, qui hanc cartam scribere iussimus et firmavimus et firmari rogavimus. Sig+num Geralli Alamanni. Sig+num Guillermi Bernardi de Odena. Sig+num Raymundi Guillermi filii eius. Sig+num Sacarri Salomonis. Sig+num Raymundi Mironis de Acuta. Sig+num Raymundi Raymundi de Capolado. Sig+num Berengarii Raymundi fratris eius. Sig+num Bernardi Raymundi de Camarasa. Sig+num Mironis Isarni. Sig+num Ugonis Arnalli. Sig+num Guillermi Raymundi de Callariis. Sig+num Arnalli Bernardi de Castelleto. Sig+num Reamballi Guillermi de Montecatano. Sig+num Bernardi Raymundi de Sancto Menato. Sig+num Arberti Raymundi. Sig+num Bernardi Isarni de Rener. Sig+num Arberti Isarni. Sig+num Bernardi Dalmacii. Sig+num Dalmacii de Bergedano. Sig+num Berengarii Riculfi de Castello Edrale. Sig+num Bernardi Amati. Sig+num Gerallus. Sig+num Bernardi Trasuario. Sig+num Berengarii Isarni. Girbert Miro. Petrus, diaconus, huius scedulam largicionis rogatus scripsit et sub+scripsit die annoque prenotato cum litteris suprapositis in VI versu.

Historical context:

The viscounts sell a castle and its territory to the counts of Barcelona for 7000 Barcelona mancusos.  The text breaks off at the standard threat to anyone who might try to break the document.  A castrum is an administrative unit including a fortified castle.

Printed source:

Pedro Sanahuja, Historia de la Villa de Ager (Barcelona:  Editorial Seráfica, 1961), 338-39, #24.

Date: