The testament of Caesarius

Translated letter:

Peace to the church of Arles.  Caesarius, bishop, to the priests and deacons, to the holy and venerable abbess Caesaria, whom the lord set over our monastery through my smallness, and to the whole congregation which the lord placed there by his grace, eternal salvation in the lord god.
Since ecclesiastical piety in orderly fashion by custom expends the wealth of its generosity on pilgrims and the destitute, how much more when there is opportunity or necessity should it bestow something on saints and those fearing god, to further extend the pious bowels of its mercy?  And therefore by this letter, which we have strengthened with the subscription of our hand, to which we add the day and consul, I have with god’s dispensation made this my testament, and written with my own hand, and confirmed by pretorial and civil right, for the succession of codicils.
I, Caesarius, sinner, when I shall have paid the debt of human flesh, wish and order that the whole monastery of St. John of Arles which I founded, be my heir and canonically under the power of the bishop of Arles; and let all others, male and female be exheirs/disinherited. What I shall have given to anyone by this my testament, I shall have bound or ordered to be given, so that it be given.   I leave my monastery as other coheir to the bishop of Arles; those whom I have ordered to be  free (male and female), let them all be free. 
Though I have had nothing in goods from my relatives, I blushed, not without shame, to venture on this my will:  that judgment compelled me that some religious persons and those fearing god ..... conferred something on my church from a feeling of piety.  And lest perhaps after my death some of my relatives, except for those things which I gave them as gifts, should presume to disturb what I gave the church, I wished to make this, my will:  in which will I want and order that none of my relatives should presume to seek anything from that monastery or the bishop of the church of Arles.
To my holy lord bishop, who will worthily have succeeded me, unworthy, let everything be in his power, if he orders and holds worthy, the easter vestments which were given to me, let them all serve him, along with the better rough/shaggy hooded cloak [casula] and the best tunic and thick cloak [gaunape] I will have left.  The rest of my vestments, indeed, except my cloak [birro] with ear-flap, clerks and laymen may divide with the grace and order of the lord bishop ordering and giving himself.  Those things which we conferred before as donations to the monastery,  I affirm; and if I conferred anything on anyone by letter or by a tag or by word with understanding of piety, I wish that to stand.  This also, I pray assiduously that the cell, which subdeacon Augustus of good memory had in the atrium of St. Stephen on the side to the right for those going as purveyors of the monastery, to keep their reputation, the lord bishop will deign to grant by perpetual right, so that successive purveyors of the monastery will have it for themselves.  And this I especially want, and I so pray the lord bishop, that the holy congregation have no other purveyors to the monastery or priest to the church of St. Mary, except one it has chosen for itself or asked to be arranged/ordained.
And if I may presume on your piety, lord bishop, if you should perhaps have [heard] importunate rumors from anyone against our monastery, I adjure  you by the Father and Son and Holy Spirit and by the fearful day of judgment, let the ancient enemy never prevail with you, that you would unjustly seek to distress your handmaidens, or permit anything to be taken from them which we have conferred on them, since with god favoring, not without care and justice, we have by right sold things of the church to certain lay people, only what was less useful and not fruitful to the church; so that what we granted to the holy souls that was of no use to god, with the consent and subscription of the holy brothers, should remain theirs by perpetual right.
And I adjure you, lady daughters, by the indivisible holy trinity and by the coming of our lord Jesus Christ, that you love the bishop who with god ordaining will worthily succeed me, unworthy, with pure mind and all the affection you seek through the lord, and do not distress him through disobedience:  we trust that with the mercy of god that is conferred on all priests ... religious, they act with chaste love so that they do not allow you to lack anything which is necessary to sustaining the body.
I ask you, holy bishop, again and again by divine grace ... all things, that you hold the monastery of holy virgins commended into greatest care and grant that their family be provided for with great piety; and if anyone should want to give you bad advice, answer with piety, that things which were done or given by counsel of a bishop not only should not be taken away but cannot be in any way.  And especially since this is by authority of an “urbican”* of the holy pope, so I might believe this from you my holy lord bishop.  Never could an evil report prevail with you so that against the just will of any bishop (antistetis) + the substance nearly doubled by my great zeal could  profit you.  Added to this that the merciful god by my smallness also  granted immunity of tribute outside and within the city and also in great part in the suburbs and the towns.
The small Ancharian field from which we gave a little part to the monastery, we kept + mostly: for we reserved more less one hundred aripens** of vineyard and fields of three hundred pecks (a third of a juger) and we conferred on said monastery from a hundred measures of land + which I planted, forty measures and of the old vineyad almost thirty aripens.  The little Gallicinian field ... Neoclesan, and the Gemellis field with swamps and marshes with all right and boundary, and the pasture in the Lapidean Field, and whatever else [there], and a field in Trifontio (Le Trébon) on the fortified Road, and whatever else there,  and the little fields, Ornedum, Martinatris, Silva, and Missianian, with everything that pertains to them in pastures and swanps, with all right and boundary, we have reserved to this holy church in their revenues.
Whence I adjure you, holy bishop, that if god almighty by the hand of those fearing him should give any more goods to the holy mother church and the monastery of holy virgins, your holy love will not separate one from the other.  If indeed, god does not suffer that the congregation there gathered should not exist or, later perhaps, be it not so, what was gathered should fail to exist, they would revert to mother church.  And this indeed I have written to satisfy my fear.  For let it not be, most pious bishop, that you would  be guilty unwittingly:  since, as I said above, divine piety granted that the immunity of the church would be given in all matters.
What we gave to the monastery with the consent of the brothers, I confirm by this my will.  To your handmaid, abbess Caesaria, who made it, I wish the larger cloak, which she made of gaunabe, be given.  To my lord priest Leo I wish the towel to be given.  To my lord bishop Cyprian I wish the cloak and better girdle be given.  Whatever we have conferred on my servant Brician, I confirm by this my testament.  Let my own girl Agritia freely serve the holy abbess Caesaria in the monastery; and the “veregariolas” (various things?) which I gave them or their relatives, I confirm.  I commend all my chamber/house servants to you, lord bishop, before god and his angels.

Original letter:

Pax ecclesiae Arelatensi. Caesarius episcopus presbiteris et diaconibus, sanctae ac venerabili Caesariae abbatissae, quam dominus per meam parvitatem in monasterio nostro praeposuit, ac universae congregationi, quam ibi dominus sua gratia collocaverit, in domino deo aeternam salutem.
Cum ecclesiastica pietas consuetudinis suae rem faciat ordinabiliter scilicet quo peregrinis et destitutis opem largitionis impendat, quanto magis cum oportunitas aut necessitas fuerit ut sanctis quibusque et deum timentibus aliqua largiatur, amplius debet pia misericordiae suae viscera dilatare? Et ideo iuxta hanc epistolam, quam manus nostrae subscriptione roboravimus, cuique diem et consulem subtus adiecimus, deo dispensante hoc testamentum meum condidi, vel manu mea propria conscripsi, atque iure pretorio vel iure civili et ad vicem codicillorum confirmavi.
Ego Caesarius peccator dum debitum humanae carnis reddidero, cunctum monasterium Arelatense sancti Iohannis, quod ego condidi, sub potestate Arelatensis pontificis canonice sit, heredemque meum esse volo ac iubeo ; ceteri ceteraeve exheredes sint totae. Quod cuique aut per hoc testamentum meum dedero, legavero, darive iussero, ut detur fiat. Ceterum autem Arelatensi episcopo coheredem meum monasterium relinquo; quos quasque liberos liberasve esse iussero, liberi liberaeve sint totae.   
Ego tamen cum nihil de parentum bonis habuerim, non sine verecundia testamentum meum hoc praesumere erubui : illa tamen me sententia compulit, quia aliquae personae religiosae et deum timentes .......      pietatis affectu aliquid ecclesiae meae contulerunt. Et ne forte post obitum meum aliqui de parentibus meis, exceptis his rebus quas illis pro eologiis donavi, inquietare praesumant cui praesum ecclesiam, ideo hanc voluntatem meam facere volui : in quam voluntatem volo ac iubeo ut nullus de parentibus meis apud ipsum monasterium vel pontificem Arelatensis ecclesiae, nisi id quod ego illis dedero, aliquid praesumant requirere.   
Sancto et domino meo pontifici, qui mihi indigno digne successerit, licet omnia in sua potestate sint, tamen si iubet et dignum ducit, vestimenta paschalia, quae mihi data sunt, omnia illi serviant, simul cum casula villosa meliore et tunica vel gaunape quod melius dimisero. Reliqua vero vestimenta mea excepto birro auricularii mei tam clerici quam laici cum gratia et ordinatione domini episcopi sibi ipso iubente immo donante dividant. Ea vero quae monasterio ante per donationem contulimus + affirmo; et si cui aliquid per epistolam aut per pitacium aut verbo pietatis intuitu contuli, valere volo. Hoc etiam assuete precor, quatenus cellam, quam bonae memoriae Augustus subdiaconus in atrio sancti Stephani euntibus parte dextra habuit, provisoribus monasterii propter custodiendam illorum famam domnus episcopus perpetuo dignetur iure concedere, ita ut eam sibi succedentes monasterii provisores habeant. Et hoc specialiter volo, et ita domne episcope precor, ut sive provisorem ad monasterium sive presbiterum ad basilicam sanctae Mariae nullum alium habeat congregatio sancta, nisi quem sibi ipsa elegerit vel petierit ordinari.   
Et licet de tua, domne pontifex, pietate praesumam, tamen ne forte contra monasterium nostrum aliquorum suggestiones importunas habeatis, adiuro vos per Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum et per tremendum diem iudicii, ne umquam apud vos praevaleat hostis antiquus, ut ancillas vestras iniuste contristari acquiescatis, aut aliquid illis auferri de his rebus quas eis contulimus permittatis : quia deo propitio non sine discretione vel iustitia quibuscumque secularibus iure directo res ecclesiae vendidimus, nisi hoc tantum quod ecclesiae minus utile et infructuosum est; ut quod animabus sanctis et deo vacantibus cum sanctorum fratrum consensu vel subscriptione tribuimus, perpetuo illis iure permaneat.
Et vos, domnae filiolae, per sanctam trinitatem inseparabilem et per domini nostri Iesu Christi adventum adiuro, ut pontifici qui mihi indigno ordinante deo successerit digne omni affectu sicut per dominum rogetis, ac pura mente diligatis, et per vestram inobedientiam ne contristetis : confidimus enim de dei misericordia, quod ita omnibus sacerdotibus .....           quod religiosis conlatum est casto amore impendant, ut nihil vobis, quod ad sustentandum corpusculum opus est, deesse permittant.   
Te iterum atque iterum, sancte pontifex, per gratiam divinam rogo... omnia, ut monasterium sanctarum virginum habeas in curam maximam commendatum, et familiam illarum cum grandi pietate concedas provideri; et si aliquis vobis sinistrum consilium dare voluerit, cum pietate respondete, quia res quae cum consilio episcopi factae sunt aut datae sunt, quia nec auferri non solum non debent sed omnino nec possunt. Et praecipue quia et hoc ipsi sancti papae urbicani sua auctoritate + ut hoc de te sancto et domno meo pontifice credam. Numquam enim apud te tantum praevalere poterit iniqua suggestio, ut contra iustam voluntatem qualiscumque antestitis + per meum studium substantia ad te multum profecerit, et prope duplicata sit. Additur et hoc, quod deus misericors per parvitatem meam etiam immunitatem tributorum tantum iuxta urbem et infra quam etiam in suburbanis et villis ex maxima parte concesserit.
Agellum igitur Ancharianum, unde parvam particulam monasterio dedimus, multa + servavimus : nam plus minus centum aripennos vineae et trecentorum modiorum campos reservavimus, et supradicto monasterio centum modiatas de terra + quae ego plantavi habent modiatas quadraginta, et de vetere vinea vix triginta aripennos contulimus. Agellum Gallicinianum ... Neocleanum, vel agellum Gemellis cum stagnis et paludibus cum omni iure vel terminio suo, et pastum in Campo Lapideo, vel si qua alia sunt, vel campum in Trifontio super Viam munitam, vel reliqua quaeque sunt, et agellum Ornedum, et agellum Martinatis, et agellum Silvam, et agellum Missianianum cum omnibus ad se pertinentibus pascuis paludibus cum omni iure et terminio suo sanctae huic ecclesiae reservavimus in stipendiis earum. 
Unde te, sancte pontifex, adiuro, ut, si deus omnipotens per manus se timentium sanctae matri ecclesiae et monasterio sanctarum virginum. aliquod maius bonum dederit, tua sancta dilectio unum ab altero non disiungat. Si vero, quod deus non patiatur, congregatio ibi aut congregata non fuerit, aut forte postea, quod absit, cum congregata fuerit, esse desierit, ad matrem ecclesiam revertantur. Et haec quidem ego, ut timori meo satisfacerem, scripsi. Nam absit ut de tua, piissime pontifex, inscientia inculperis : quia, ut supra iam dixi, pietas divina concessit, ut per meam humilitatem immunitas ecclesiae in tot capitibus daretur.   
Quod monasterio cum fratrum consensu dedimus, per hanc voluntatem meam confirmo. Ancillae vestrae Caesariae abbatissae, quem ipsa fecit, mantum maiorem, quem de gaunabe fecit, dari volo. Domno meo Leoni presbitero manutergium dari volo. Domno meo Cypriano episcopo mantum et cinctorium meliorem dari volo. Quicquid servo meo Briciano contulimus, per hoc testamentum meum confirmo. Agritia puella mea propria libentissime monasterio sanctae Caesariae abbatissae serviat; et veregariolas quas illis vel parentibus eorum dedi + confirmo. Omnes cubicularios meos tibi, domne episcope, coram deo et angelis eius commendo.

Historical context:

In an article on the will, "Le testament de S. Césaire d’Arles et la critique de M. Bruno Krusch,” Rev bened. 16 (1899), 97-112, Germain Morin refutes Kursch's argument about the authenticity of the text.  Although the original of the will is not extant, a copy of it was made in 992 for Guillaume I, count of Provence, and that was collated in 1718 before it was partly effaced.  Morin studied other texts and attempted to get as close to the 992 text as possible, in which he notes various favorite expressions of Caesarius.  He notes that Caesarius was attempting to protect the monastery by appealing to his successor's piety and playing down the various donations made to it.

Scholarly notes:

*   urbicanus is a rare word, apparently a local Gallican term, referring to papal documents abroad. 

** aripennus is an agricultural measure used in Spain and southern Gaul, according to Morin, editor of the text.

Printed source:

Sancti Caesarii episcopi Arelatensis Opera omnia, ed. G. Morin (Maretioli, 1942), v.2, 281-89.

Date: