A judgment

Translated letter:

Enacted in the name of God in the place and territory of Pappiana in the court under her control, while lady Matilda, marchioness and duchess, sat in judgment to hear and decide cases, those sitting and present with her [were] count Theoderic, viscount Hugo, judge Hubert, advocates Evard, Sigismund, and Cono, Morecto, notary Bernard, Ubald, [son] of the late Sifred, Rainier Malabranca, Lambert of the late Rolland, Hildebrand son of Paganus, Guido of the late Sigezo, judge Sigifred, provost William, Cadulo of the late Cantarus, and several others; coming into their presence there, Adam abbot of the monastery of San Vito with his advocate Bellomo.  They began to speak and to ask a favor to place a ban/constraint over himself and the things of the said church, which it has or might justly acquire in the future.  Then lady Matilda, when she heard these things, together with said viscount Hugo, by the staff which they held in their hands, placed the ban over said abbot and church and the things of said monastery, which it now holds or might thenceforth justly acquire, so that so that no great or small person would dare to deprive said abbot or church without legal judgment.  Which, if anyone should do, they should know they would have to pay a thousand gold besants, half to the public part/coffers and half to the said church or abbot who is there now or will be in the future.  And in this way the case was ended, whence we have ordered notice to be made for security and proof and shown to to that abbot Adam.  And I Rolland, notary of the lord king, wrote it by order of the above-inscribed lady Matilda in judgment and admonition.
In the onethousand seventyeighth year of the lord, fifth kalends of July, fifteenth indiction.

+ Matilda, what she is by the grace of God, I subscribed. 
+ Ugo, viscount, I was present.
(S) Hubert, judge of the lord emperor, I was present.
+ I, Everard, advocate, was present.
(S) Sigismund was present at all these writings.

Original letter:

Dum in dei nomine actum est in loco et finibus Papiana in curte donicata in iudicio residisse domina Matilda marchionissa et ducatrix at causas audiendas ac deliberandas, residentibus ac stantibus cum ea Teuderici comitis, Ugo vicecomes, Ubertus iudex, Evardus, Sesmundus, Cono causidices, Morecto, Bernardo notario, Ubaldo quondam Sifredi, Raineri Malabranca, Lamberti quondam Rollamdi, Ildebrandus filio Pagani, Vvido quondam Sichiti, Sifredus iudex, Vuilielmo castaldo, Cadulo quondam Cantari et reliquis plures, ibique in eorum veniens presentia Adam abbas de monasterio sancti Viti cum Bellomo avocato suo.    Ceperunt dicere ac mercedem petere banum ponere super se ac super res infrascripte ecclesie, quas habet vel imnamti iuste acquisieritis.  Tunc domina Matilta, cum talia audisset, insimul cum infrascripto Ugo vicecomes per fustem, quas in suorum detinuebant manibus, posuerunt banum super predictum abate vel prenominata ecclesia adque super res suprascripti monasterii, quas nunc detinet vel deinces iuste acquisierit, ut nulla magna parvave persone predicto abate vel prenominata ecclesia sine legale iudicio disvestire audeat.  Quod si quis fecerit, sciant se composituros mille bisantios aureos, medietatem parti publice et medietatem suprascripte ecclesie vel abate, qui nunc est vel pro tempore fuerit.  Et in eo modo finita est causa, unde anc notitia pro securitatem et factura ostensionem eidem Adami abati ostemdemdum fieri iuximus.  Quidem et ego Rollamdus notarius domini regis ex iuxione suprascripte domine Matilde iudicio et amonetione ascripsi.
Anni domini mille septuagesimo octavo, quinto kal. iulii, indictione quintadecima.

+ Matilda dei gratia quid est subscripsi.
+ Ugo vicecomes interfui.
(S) Vbertus iudex domni imperatoris interfui.
+ Ego Euerardus advocatus interfui.
(S) Sismundus scriptis interfuit omnibus istis.

Historical context:

This is the record of a judgment rendered by Matilda and the local lord which she had transcribed.  She traveled through her various territories, sitting in judgment as needed.  For the range and location of her extant diplomata, see Nash, Empress Adelheid and Countess Matilda, 169-75.  Pappiana is in Tuscany, just north of the Arno, southwest of Lucca.

Printed source:

Die Urkunden und Briefe der Markgräfin Mathilde von Tuszien, ed. Elke Goez and Werner Goez, MGH (Hannover,:  Hahnsche Buchhandlung, 1998), 85-87, #22. 

Date: