An oath of fidelity

Translated letter:

I Bernard son of the woman Matresind swear that from this hour forward I shall be faithful to you, Ramon, count, son of Sancha, countess, and to you Elizabeth, countess, without fraud and evil contrivance and without deceiving you.  I, said Bernard, shall not despoil said Ramon nor said Elizabeth, in their lives nor in the members that they have in their bodies, nor in the city of Barcelona, nor the county Barcelona, nor the county of Osona, nor the city of Manresa, nor the city of Girona, nor that county Girona, nor those castros or cliffs or hills, desert or populated, which are within said counties.  I, said Bernard, shall not take any of the above from you, said Ramon and you said Elizabeth, neither I nor a man or men, woman or women, by my counsel or my contrivance.  And I shall not refuse you that castle of the town of Maier  however often you ask for it, but will give you the power there.  And I said Bernard will be an aid to you to hold all the above, you said Ramon and you said Elizabeth, against all men or women who would take or take the above from you, said Ramon or you, said Elisabeth, for which you said Ramon or said Elizabeth might instruct me, either both or one of you, in the name of this oath, by yourselves or your messengers or messenger.  And I would not refuse to be reminded and give you that aid without deception.  And if you, said Ramon, should die, within the first 40 days that I said Bernard should learn that you are dead, I said Bernard with my own hands would commit myself to Berengar, your son, and take that fief that I hold through you, said Ramon, from his hand, and swear such oath as I have sworn to you.  All the above I shall hold or attend to from you, said Ramon and you, said Elisabeth, without deceiving you, unless you should absolve me by grace without force.

Original letter:

Iuro ego Bernardus, filius qui fui de Matresind, femina, quod de ista hora in antea fidelis ero ad te, Raimundo, comite, filius de Sancia, comitissa, et ad te Elisabet, comitissa, sine fraude et malo ingenio et sine vestra decepcione.  Ego Bernardus predictus no dezebre Raimundum iam dictum, nec iam dicta Elisabet, de illorum vita nec de illorum membra que in corpora illorum se tenent, neque de ipsa civitate de Barchinona, [neque] de ipso comitatu Barchinonense, neque de ipso comitatu de Ausona, neque de ipsa civitate de Minorisa, neque de ipsa civitate de Gerunda, neque de ipso comitatu Gerundense, neque de ipsos castros vel rochas sive pugos, eremos sive condirectos, qui infra suscriptos comitatos sunt.  Ego predictus Bernardus hec omnia suprascripta no no tolre a te, Raimundo iam dicto, et a te, supradicta Elisabet, ne t en tolre nec ego, nec homo vel homines, femina vel feminas, per meum consilium neque per meum ingenium.  Et ipsum castrum de villa de Maier no l vos devedare et per quantas vices lo m demandareds, poztadiu vos en fare.  Et ego Bernardus iam dictus adiutor ero ista omnia iam dicta a tener a te, iam dicto Raimundo, et a te, iam dicta Elisabet, contra cunctos homines vel feminas qui a te, Raimundo iam dicto, vel a te, Elisabet iam dicta, hec omnia iam dicta t o tolran o t en tolen, unde tu, iam dictus Raimundus, vel iam dicta Elisabet me comonrems, aut ambos aut unus ex vobis, per nomine de isto sacramento per vos ipsos vel per vostros missos vel missum.  Et comonir no m en vedare e l ai[u]torio sine engan vos en fare.  Et, si tu, iam dictus Raimundus, mortuus fueris, infra ipsos XL dies primos quod ego Bernardus iam dictus sciero quod mortuus sis, ego iam dictus Bernardus manibus meis propriis a Berengario, filio tuo, me chomandare et ipsum honorem quod per te, iam dicto Raimundo, teneo, per sa manum la prendre, et talem sacramentum l en iurare, sicut a te iurad [h]e.  Hec omnia suprascripta si o tenre et o atendre a te, iam dicto Raimundo, et a te, iam dicta Elisabet, sine vestro engan, nisi quantum vos me absolvreds per grado, sine forcie. 

Historical context:

Bernard swears fidelity for the castle of Maier, promising to cede it to the count or countess when requested and to swear the same oath to their future heir.  A castrum is an administrative unit with a castle at the center.

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior (LFM), ed. Francisco Miquel Rosell, (Barcelona, 1945), 1.309-10 #284.

Date: