A letter-will from Petronilla

Translated letter:

This is the sworn state/condition and legal publication of the last will of the noble queen of Aragon, Petronilla by name, declared in words [orally] whose order was enacted legally within 6 months before the priest and judge Miro.  We, namely master William and Ramon/Raymond Dalmau, priests, are the witnesses and jurors/swearers.  We testify, namely, swearing by the living and true God, three in persons and one in deity, over the altar of St. Felix, martyr, which was constructed in the church of the blessed martyrs Justin and Pastor, within the walls of the city of Barcelona, over whose sacrosanct altar we swear by our own hands these conditions which we saw and heard and were present at, when said testatrix held down by the illness of which she died, arranged by her words her last will about her honor and her possessions.  She granted to lord Ildefone/Alphonse, her son, king of Aragon, her whole kingdom of Aragon in its entirety.  She left her body to be buried in the see of Barcelona and ordered her household to wear whatever was appropriate to their position.  All this said testatrix ordered on the 3rd ides of October in the year 37 of the reign of Louis the younger.  After that, with the illness which held her growing worse, she went to the Lord on that day and year.  Therefore, we, said witnesses, faithfully corroborate and swearing confirm this last will of that testatrix as we saw and heard it to be true, at the prescribed altar before the priest and judge Miro and other witnesses, clerical and lay, with this addition, that all her debts and injuries be paid from her possessions.  These conditions were laid out on the 9th calends of November in the year fixed above.  Si+gn of master William, priest. Si+gn of Ramon/Raymond, priest.  We are the witnesses and swearers of this thing.  Si+gn of Peter of Ripoll.  Si+gn of William of Alfodio.  Si+gn of Ramon/Raymond, dean.  Si+gn of Peter Arbert Pons.  Si+gn of Burgetus.  Si+gn of Gerall of Fexa.  Si+gn of Miro, judge.  We who were present at this oath.  Si+gn of Peter of Corron, the younger, who wrote this on the day and year above.

Original letter:

Hec est sacramentalis conditio ac legalis publicatio ultime voluntatis nobilis regine Aragonensis, Petronille nomine, verbis tantummodo edite, cuius ordo infra VI menses coram sacerdote et iudice Mirone legaliter actus est.  Nos, scilicet, magister Guillelmus et Raimundus Dalmacii, presbiteri, testes et iuratores sumus.  Testificamur, namque, iurando per Deum vivum et verum, in personis trinum et in deitate unum, super altare Sancti Felicis, martiris, quod est constructum in ecclesia beatorum martirum Iusti et Pastoris, infra menia urbis Barchinone, supra cuius sacrosanctum altare has conditiones manibus propriis iuramus quia vidimus et audivimus et presentes adfuimus, quando iam dicta testatrix egritudine detenta unde obiit, suis verbis ordinavit suam ultimam voluntatem de honore suo et de rebus suis. Concessit domino Ildefonso, filio suo, regi Aragonensi, omne suum regnum Aragonis integriter.  Dimissit Barchinonensi sedi suum corpus ad sepeliendum, et mandavit familiam suam induere unumquemque secundum suum valorem.  Hoc totum ita ordinavit iam dicta testatrix III idus octobris anno XXXVII regni Ledoici, iunioris.  Deinde, ingravescente languore, quo detinebatur, migravit ad Dominum eodem die et anno.  Hanc, igitur, ipsius testatricis ultimam voluntatem nos prescripti testes, sicut vidimus et audivimus, in prescripto altari coram sacerdote et iudice Mirone et aliis testibus, clericis ac laicis, veram esse fideliter corroboramus et iurando confirmamus, hoc adiecto, ut omnia sua debita et malefacta de suis rebus solvantur.  Late conditiones VIIII kalendas novembris et anno prefixo.  Sig+num Raimundi, presbiteri.  Nos huius rei testes et iuratores sumus.  Sig+num Petri de Rivopulli.  Sig+num Guillelmi de Alfodio. Sig+num Raimundi, primicherii.  Sig+num Petri Arberti Poncii.  Sig+num Burgetus.  Sig+num Geralli de Fexa.  Sig+num Mironis, iudicis.  Nos qui huic sacramento presentes adfuimus.  Sig+num Petri de Corron, iunioris, qui hoc scripsit die et anno quo supra.

Historical context:

This is a record of the will the queen made orally on her death bed, attested by the witnesses who heard it from her.  It is noteworthy that the queen grants her son the kingdom of Aragon, well after he has inherited the title.

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior, ed. Francisco M. Rosell (Barcelona, 1945), 1.25, #18.

Date: