Publication of the will of Guillem de Lluçà

May 18, 1170.

In the name of God. This is the record or publication of an oath of the last will of a certain deceased person by the name of Guillem de Lluçà done as required within the space of six months, in accordance with the Book of Judges, which we, the witnesses Bertran de Merola, Pere de Merles, Guillem de Sant Martí, swear under oath upon the altar of Sant Joan situated in the church of St. Peter of Vic, in the presence of Pere Berenguer, sacristan of Vic. We swear that we saw and heard the said deceased as he lay on his sick bed speaking plainly and with his memory intact, ordering the distribution of his possessions after his death. In the first place, he left to God and Santa Maria de Ripoll his body and soul, along with a horse and one-half the revenues in Quer for this year, saving the right of Saint Peter. To Saint Peter he left one-fourth part of the revenues of this year from the alod he holds of Saint Peter, and confirms the concession of legal claims made against Saint Peter of Vic and its chapter as contained in a signed charter, and he also left to Saint Peter the rights of hospitality (alberga) which he had in the manse of Hug de Lanars. To the Hospital of Jerusalem he left the manse of Roca near Torrezella, specifically one-half of the manse, the other going to Berenguer de Torrezella. He renounced the arbitrary exaction (questa) and plowing-service (iova) which he was accustomed to receive unjustly from the manse of Roca, so that no one else will receive them in his name. He left a horse valued at 100 sous which Pere de Lluçà owed him to be divided between the Hospital and the knights equally. The debt owed him by the abbot of Sant Martí he released in return for masses for his soul. He left 30 sous to Santa Maria de Lluçà and its prior which his executors are to hand over as instructed. He left the archbishop of Tarragona 3 morabetins for mass to be sung for his soul. He left all that he has in the manse of Sala de Cugulada to Sant Pere de Portella. He left the hauberk that he lent to Ramon de Guardia to the Hospital of Jerusalem. He left 5 sous to Sant Vicenç de Prat, 5 sous to Sant Pere de Torrezella, 5 to Santa Eulalia, 5 sous to Sant Pau de Pinós, 5 sous to Sant Andrea de Lanars, 5 sous to Sant Martí de Merles, 3 sous to Santa Maria de Guardia, 3 sous to Santa Maria de Merles, and 3 sous to Santa Maria de Pinós. And he left that castle of Quer with its rights to Gombal de Besora on condition that he consider himself compensated for his father's inheritance. If he does not wish to accede to this, he left it to his brother Bernat. Whichever of these two shall have the castle of Quer, let him also have the land of Sant Agustí and its knight, saving the concessions made to the churches as given above. Amd whichever of these two shall have the castle of Quer, let him perform those agreements that Guillem de Lluçà made with Pere de Lluçà.
And he left the castle of Merles with its territory of Pinós and his castle of Balsareny to Raimunda de Viver, his sister, during her lifetime. After her death he leaves it to her son Ramon, and if Ramon dies before his mother, he leaves it to whomever Raimunda names as her heir. And in return for that castle of Merles and territory of Pinós, let Raimunda perform those agreements that Guillem de Lluçà made with Pere de Lluçà, and let her hold Merles and Pinós from him, and hold Balsareny from the King of Barcelona (sic).
He leaves, moreover, his territory of Liza to Arsendis, his sister, and let her hold this from the bishop of Barcelona. And he who holds Quer should redeem this territory of Liza of the said Arsendis for 50 morabetins. He leaves 10 sous to the clergy of Gaià for his soul and 3 sous to Guillem de Pedros. And let all this be given out according to his orders by his executors.
And that half-right he has in the field that is next to the river he leaves to Sant Jaume de Frontenyà and this is done with the advice of Pere de Lluçà. And all debts that he owes, let them be paid by whoever holds the castle of Quer. And he ordered his executors to pay 15 sous to Bernat, presbiter of Tarradell from whom he unjustly seized them. Let them also return to the abbot of Sant Benet de Bages the land at Liza that he complained to me of. The protected land (sacraria) that lies within the sacred perimeter (sacrarium) of Sant Julià de Liza, an alod, he leaves to Sant Julà in dedication. And let his family (here probably meaning knights and other military dependents) be under the protection of those beneficiaries. And let Ponç de Balsareny remain in the power of his sister Raimunda and her son Ramon, and let them make him a knight. And he asked the lady of Besora and her nephews that for the love of God they have a priest during an entire year celebrate mass for his soul.
And after he had ordained without alteration all of these things, he departed this life on 4 nones of April. This record was made 15 kalends of June in the 33rd year of the reign of Louis the Younger. Signed Bernat de Merola. Signed Pere de Merles. Signed Guillem de Sant Martí, we who sign and witness under oath.

Translated by Paul Freedman, Vanderbilt University