Charter of Manasses of Hierges
Crusader
Year
Summary
Text
In nomine sancte ---. Ego Albero dei gratia Leodiensis episcopus ratum duximus notificare tam futuris quam presentibus quasdam conuentiones que habite sunt coram me inter abbatem Broniensem Ebroinum et Manassem nobilem uirum de Hirge. Sunt autem hee. Cum idem Manasses ob amorem dei et remissionem peccatorum suorum dissoluisset ire Iherusalem uenit in presentiam nostram et quedam allodia sua que iacent in pago Hasbania scilicet Miele et Musin cum omni integritate et libertate sua cum ecclesia cum seruis et ancillis terris cultis et incultis campis molendinis siluis pratis pascuis aquis aquarum que decursibus tradidit in manu nostra ad usus abbatis et fratrum Broniensis ecclesie deo et sancto Petro inibi deseruientium hiis conuentionibus interpositis predictus abbas Ebroinus dedit eidem Manassi octoginta marchas eo rationis modo ut si in hac peregrinatione contigerit eum mori aut reuersus obierit absque ut uulgo dicitur legitimo corporis sui herede hec predicta allodia iure hereditario Broniensis ecclesia inperpetuum libere possideat quod si redierit et predicta allodia redimere uoluerit non plus quam quadraginta marchas Broniensi ecclesie reddet sic tamen ut si uxorem duxerit et legitimos corporis sui heredes ex ea habuerit tam ipse quam predicti legitimi corporis sui heredes in hac possessione sibi succedent si autem ex hiis predictis suis legitimis heredibus quandoque ut prediximus sine legitima corporis sui successione defecerit predicta Broniensis ecclesia per ipsam traditionem quam ego suscepi sine aliqua exactione uel contraditione recipiat possidenda in perpetuum post redemptionem uero si aliquis legitimorum heredum quamdiu uixerint aliqua uoluntate uel necessitate alteri ecclesie siue alicui homini secularium inuadiare uel uendere siue dare uoluerit non poterit sed supradicta traditio Broniensi ecclesie inconuulsa permanebit. Sub eisdem conuentionibus quibus Miele et Musin tradidit tradidit etiam allodium de Neurelesie pro salute parentum suorum inibi quiescentium ita ut quamdiu uixerit uel heredes legitimi sui corporis iure suo possidebunt si autem omnes defecerint Broniensis ecclesia sicut Miele et Musin libere possidebit ita sane ut sex monachi ibi deo seruituri et pro peccatis eius oraturi aggregentur quibus monachis de reditibus ipsius allodii et de aliis sufficientia uictus et uestitus procurabitur residua uero in usus fratrum Broniensium cedent. Per huiusmodi traditionem datis sepe dictis allodiis ius aduocationis in manu nostra posuit hac conditione interposita ut neque in secunda manu aliquando transferatur neque pro ea aliquid exigatur sed si aliquis quod absit uiolentiam uel dampnum inde Broniensi ecclesie fecerit episcopalis auctoritas in eum excommunicationis sue sententiam exerceat. Obtestor autem ego Albero dei gratia Leodiensis episcopus successores meos pro salute animarum suarum et per dei iuditium ut pauperi ecclesie hanc traditionem retineant sperantes a deo mercedem qui in iuditio dicturus est: quod minimis meis fecistis mihi fecistis. Huius rei testes fuerunt archidiaconi Iohannes Reinerus Elbertus alii que ex clero sancti Lamberti quamplures Renzo decanus Reimbaldus prepositus sancti Iohannis de Insula Nicholaus prepositus sancti Dyonisii Berengerus Fossensis prepositus Bruno de Duraz de liberis hominibus Lambertus comes Eustachius aduocatus Gozuinus de Falconis Monte Theodericus de Herlai Theodericus de Argentel et frater eius Wilelmus de Ceunaco Cono de Han Godescalcus de Morelmeis Iohannes de Leaz et Berengerus frater eius Godescalcus del Ruz et alii multi. Actum Leodii VI° kalendas martii anno ab incarnatione domini M° C° XL° indictione III-a regnante Conrado Romanorum rege secundo anno regni eius II°. Recognouit supradictam traditionem idem Manasses III-a dominica XL-e que eodem anno occurrit VI° idus martii in sepedicta Broniensi ecclesia glebas et ramos de singulis allodiis super altare sancti Petri quod maius est in eadem ecclesia ponens sibi si deo annuente quandoque reuerteretur uel suis legitimis successoribus in Hirge predicte traditionis denarrationem sine aliqua exactione nisi dei merito et oratione ecclesie retinens duos etiam seruos et duas ancillas pro respectu de Neurelesie tradens. Addidit etiam beato Petro post obitum suum dimidium piscationis sue de Han in perpetuum duobus diebus per singulas ebdomadas XL-e et sexta feria per tocius anni circulum duos etiam modios salis singulis annis de conductu nauium in usu monachorum de Neureleis. Huius testes fuerunt Iohannes de Fen canonicus sancti Lamberti Arnulfus decanus Godefridus de Arescot Theodericus de Fen Libertus de Bosires et Egidius filius eius Wedericus P-- et alii multi.
Translation
In the name of the Holy, etc. I Albero, by the grace of God bishop of Liège we were led to notify all those present and future of certain agreements that have been reached at my court between Abbot Ebroin of Brogne and Manasses, noble man of Hierges. They are these: Since Manasses, for the love of God and the remission of his sins, had resolved to go to Jerusalem, he came into our presence and gave over into our hands for the use of the abbot and the brothers of Brogne serving the church of God and Saint Peter there certain lands he possessed that lay in the territory of Hesbaye. These lands include Mielen and Muzin, with all their parts and by his own free will, with the church, with male and female serfs, lands cultivated and and uncultivated, fields, mills, woods, meadows, standing and running waters.
These agreements were introduced: the aforesaid Abbot Ebroin gave to Manasses 80 marks by his method of reckoning so that if he were to die on this pilgrimage or to die upon his return without what is vulgarly called a legitimate heir of his body, these aforesaid lands should be possessed freely and in perpetuity by hereditary right by the church of Brogne; because if he returned and he wished to redeem the aforesaid lands, he ought to give the church of Brogne not more than 40 marks, so that it he married a wife and had from her legitimate heirs, they should succeed him as the aforesaid legitimate heirs of his body in this possession. If however, such a time comes that one from among these aforesaid legitimate heirs should die without legitimate heir of his own by succession, the aforesaid church of Brogne should receive possession of it in perpetuity, by the very same agreement that I received, without any exactions or arguments. After its redemption, however, if any of the legitimate heirs so long as they will live by desire or by necessity wishes to pledge or sell or give it to any other church or any secular man, he is not able to do so but by the aforesaid agreement with the church of Brogne it will remain unmolested.
Below these agreements by which he gave over Mielen and Muzin, he gave over also the land he held at Niverlée for the good of his parents lying there thus, that while he the legitimate heirs of his body lived, they should possess it. If however all of them should die, the church o Brogne would possess it freely just as they possessed Mielen and Muzin, so that for this reason six monks would gather there to serve God and to pray for their sins. These monks would be cared for from the proceeds of these same lands and from others with a sufficiency of victuals and clothing, granting what is left over to the use of the brothers of Brogne. By this agreement with the handing over of the said lands, he placed the right of advocacy into our hands, introducing this condition: that neither would it ever be transferred into a second hand, nor does he ask anything in return for it; but if anyone, because he is away, should do violence or damage to the church of Brogne, he should by his episcopal authority effect his sentence of excommunication on him. I assert that I Albert, by the grace of God bishop of Liège and my successors for the good of their souls and by the judgment of God, that for the poor of the church they will uphold these agreements, hoping for mercy from God, who in judgment will say: “what you do for the least of mine you do for me.” On the part of the archdeacon, the witnesses to these matters were: John, Rainier, Elbert, and many others from among the priests of Saint Lambert; Renzo the deacon, Raimbald the provost of Saint John of Lille, Nicholas the provost of Saint Denis, Berengar provost of Fosse, Bruno of Duras. From among the free men: Count Lambert (of Montaigu and Clermont; Eustace the advocate; Gossuin of Fauquemont; Thierry of Éclaye; Thierry of Argenteau and his brother; William of Chiny; Conon of Ham; Godeschalk of Morialmé; John of Leez and Berengar his brother; Godeschalk of Ruz; and many others. Done at Liège, 6 Kalends of March [25 February] in the year from the Incarnation of the Lord 1140, in the third indiction, during the reign of Conrad III, king of the Romans, in the second year of his reign.
The same Manasses recognized this transfer of property on the third Sunday of Quarantana which in that same year occurred on 6 Ides of March [10 March], in the aforesaid church of Brogne, placing clods of earth and branches from each of the allods upon the altar of Saint Peter which is the major altar in that church and handing over, with regard to Niverlée, two male and two female serfs. Thus he upheld what had been said in the aforesaid agreement without any exaction unless, through the reward of God and the prayers of the monks, and with God’s favor, either he himself or his legitimate successors to Hierges were to return. He also added for blessed Peter, after his death, his half of the fishing rights at Ham in perpetuity, two days each week during Quarantana and Fridays during the whole year, and also two muids of salt each year from the profits of the boats that are in the service of the monks of Niverlée. These were the witnesses: John of Foy, canon of Saint Lambert; Arnulf the deacon, Godfrey of Aarschot, Thierry of Foy, Libertus [A Freedman?] of Bossiéres and Gilles his son, Wederik P. and many others.