An oath of fidelity

Translated letter:

This is the agreement made between count Ramon and Ermengol, count of Urgell.  It agrees/stipulates that said Ermengol from this hour forward will make no accord or agreement or commitment, nor take on any friendship with Ramon, count of Cerdanya, nor with his wife or any of his children, nor with any man or men, women or woman for them nor in their prescribed place.  Said Ermengol, and no man men, women or women for him or by his advice or by his contrivance will make any of said agreements with said count of Cerdanya now with his wife or chilren nor from this hour forward retain them in any friendship without the advice and permission of Ramon, count of Barcelona, and countess Elisabeth his wife. And again, said count Ermengol agreed that he would help said count Ramon and Elisabeth his wife against said count of Cerdanya, without deception or artifice; and said Ermengol would give the best help he could.  And again said Ermengol agreed that he would be an aid to Ramon count of Barcelona and to his wife Elizabeth against all men about whom they admonished him without deception except said Ermengol’s own men that he would have by their authority or would do right to if he did not remain with them.  And for this said count Ermengol sent hostages to said count Ramon and said countess Elisabeth for 20,000 solidos, worth two hundred ounces of good gold and moreover he told them his faith/loyalty that he would hold and keep to said count Ramon and above mentioned Elisabeth, without deception.  And if said Ermengol had such men or women he could not and did not do right to he would give aid to said count Ramon and to said Elisabeth, without deception, of what he could not do right to them. And through all that is written above said count Ermengol sends to Ramon and said Elisabeth hostages in their power that he would so hold and keep what is written above, without deception.  And these are their names:  Richard Altemir for 4000 solidos worth eighty ounces of good gold in gold and silver and horses and mules and hauberks; and similarly Arnall Mir; and similarly Isarn Ramon of Kabovez; and similarly Hugh William; and Dalmacio Isarno for two thousand solidos worth 40 ounces of good gold; and similarly his brother Bernard.

Original letter:

Hec est conveniencia que est facta inter Remundum comitem et Ermengaudus, comite Urgellensi.  Convenit, namque, iam dictus Ermengaudus ad predictum Remundum quod de ista ora in antea non faciat nullum placitum nec nullum concordamentum nec nullam presonem nec apreendat nullam amiciciam cum Remundo, comite Cerdaniense, neque cum eius uxore, neque cum nullum de illorum infantibus, nec cum nullo omine vel omines, feminas vel feminam per illos neque in illorum loco de istos prescriptos.  Jam dictus Ermengaudus, nec cum omines, feminas vel femina per eum nec per eius consilium nec per eius ingenium cum iam dicto comite Cerdaniense nec cum uxore sua neque cum  illorum infantes non faciat nullum de istis suprascriptis placitis, nec de ista ora in antea non retineat eos in nulla amicicia sine consilio et solvimento Remundo, chomite Barchinonensi, et Elisabet chomitissa, uxore eius.  Et iterum, convenit iam dictus Ermengaudus chomes ad predictum Remundum comitem et ad Elisabet, iuxorem eius, quod adiuvet eis de iam dicto comite Cerdaniense, sine ullo engan et sine ullo ingenio; et ipsum adiutorium iam dictum faciat predictus Ermengaudus qualem meliorem potuerit.  Et iterum, convenit iam dictus Ermengaudus quod adiutor sit ad Remundum, comitem Barchinonensis, et ad Elisabet, uxorem eius, de omnes omines, unde eum comunuerint, sine illorum engan, exceptus suos omines de predicto Ermengaudo quod in directum eis abuerit et directum eis fecerit, si in eis non remanserit.  Et de hoc mittit ostaticos iam dictus Ermengaudus chomes ad iam dictum comitem Remundum et ad predictam Elisabet comitissa per XX milia solidos, valentes ducentas uncias auri boni, et insuper dicit eis suam fidem ut ita teneat et atendat ad predictum Remundum, comitem, et ad Elisabet suprascripta, sine illorum engan.  Et si tales omines abuerit iam dictus Ermengaudus sive feminas, unde directum non possit facere et non fecerit, adiutor fiat ad Remundum, comitem iam dictum, et ad Elisabet supradictam, sine illorum engan de ipsos, unde directum non possit eis facere.  Et per ista omnia suprascripta mittit Ermengaudus, chomes iam dictus, ad Remundum et ad Elisabet suprascripta obsides in eorum potestate quod ita teneat et attendat, sicut superius scriptum est, sine illorum engan.  Et hec sunt nomina eorum:  Richardus Altemir per IIIIor milia solidos valentes octuaginta uncias auri boni in auro et argento et kavallis et mulis et alsbergs; et Arnallus Miro similiter; et Isarnus Remundo de Kabovez similiter; et Ugo Guilelm similiter; et Dalmacio Isarno per duo milia solidos valentes XL uncias auri boni; et Bernardus, frater eius, similiter. 

Historical context:

Ermengol, count of Urgell, makes an agreement that he will not have anything to do with Ramon count of Cerdanya or his family without the advice and permission of Ramon, count of Barcelona, and Elizabeth, countess, his wife.  Since Elizabeth is named all the way through the document, I have taken it to be addressed to both. 

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior (LFM), ed. Francisco Miquel Rosell, (Barcelona, 1945), 1.141-42, #146.

Date: