A charter of investiture

Translated letter:

In the name of  the eternal lord god.  In the presence of Pagano of Corsina and Arderic, judge, of count Ubert, Alberic of Porciano and Ubert, judges, Lanfranc, Damingus and Bulecus of Nonantula, countess Matilda, doughter of marquis Boneface, invested the abbess of the monastery of San Sisto of Piacenza with Cortenuova, with all its revenues, which pertain to her from that court,  for all the revenues which that Matilda owes to that monastery for other things which she retains from said monastery, except oil and wax and two dwellings in Luzzara, which render wine for the sacrament and for ships which carry grain and wine from said court to the monastery.  By that agreement she granted the said court, if they led a common life, and on that condition that neither this abbess nor another might have license to alienate or give it by emphyteutic* or any other right; but shall always remain for the life of the nuns.  All of which, if they are not observed as is read above, then said things would revert to that Matilda or her heirs, as they were before.  The countess also promised to give 600 pounds to the monastery, if she meddled in said court or did harm and broke the investiture with ships.

This was done in the one-thousand seventy-sixth year from the incarnation of our lord Jesus Christ, on the sixth kalends of June, fourteenth indiction.  Enacted in Marengo, happily.

Sign of the hand of above-inscribed Matilda, who ordered all these above writings to be written.  Hildeband, notary, wrote them.

Original letter:

In nomine domini dei eterni.  Presentia Pagani Corsinensis et Arderici iudicis, Vberti comitis, Alberici de Porciano ac Uberti iudicis, Lanfranci, Damingi et Bulecum de Nonantula investivit Matilda comitissa, Bonefacii marchionis filia, abbatissam monasterii sancti Xisti de Placentia de Curtenova cum omnibus redditibus, que sibi de eadem curte pertinent, pro omnibus redditibus, quos ipsa Matilda ad eundem monasterium debet pro aliis rebus, quas ipsa a predicto monasterio detinet, excepto oleo et cera et duos mansos, qui sunt positi in Luciaria, qui reddunt vinum pro sacrificio, et navibus, que deferant granum et vinum de predicta curte ad monasterium.  Eo pacto supradictam concessit curtem, si communem vitam duxerint, ac ea conditione, ut nec ista abbatissa nec alia habeat licentiam alienandi nec potestatem enphiteotico iure vel alio quocumque [modo d]andi; set semper ad vitam monacharum permaneat.  Que omnia, si non observata fuerint, ut superius legitur, tunc predicte res in eandem Matildam vel eius heredibus revertantur, sicut antea fuit.  Comitissa autem promisit sex C libras dare monasterio, si de iam dicta curte se intromiserit aut molestiam fecerit et investituram predicto et de navibus fregerit.
Factum est hoc anno ab incarnatione domine nostri Iesu Christi millesimo septuagesimo sexto, sexto kl. iunii, indicione quartadecima.  Actum in loco Maringo, feliciter.
Signum manus suprascripte Matilde, que hec omnia suprascripta scribere iussit.
S.N.  Ideprandus notarius scripsit.

Historical context:

The countess invests the abbess of San Sisto with Cortenuova including its revenues with some exceptions.  Luzzara is on the river Po.  In a review of the Urkunden, Paolo Golinelli  raises doubts about the authenticity of this charter, which he suggests may be a resumé of an authentic act (CCM 45 [2002], 85-89).

Scholarly notes:

*  Emphyteusis is a right, susceptible of assignment and of descent, charged on productive real estate, the right being coupled with the enjoyment of the property on condition of taking care of the estate and paying taxes and sometimes a small rent (Wikipedia).

Printed source:

Die Urkunden und Briefe der Markgräfin Mathilde von Tuszien, ed. Elke Goez and Werner Goez, MGH (Hannover,:  Hahnsche Buchhandlung, 1998), #19, 80-81.

Date: