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The latin text below was scanned and OCR’ed
from the edition of A. Lecoy de la Marche, Oeuvres complètes
de Suger.... Paris, 1867 (Societé de l’histoire de la
France, vol. 139, pp. 151-209); it has been compared and collated
with the recent edition of Françoise Gasparri, Suger. Oeuvres,
tome I. Paris: Les Belles Lettres (Les classiques de l’histoire de
France au moyen age), 1996, pp. 54ff. |
| Introduction to the work
I. THE DOMAINS: 1 The castrum of Saint Denis 2 Tremblay 3 The Recovery of Argenteuil 4 The Vexin 5 Cormeilles-en-Parisis 6 Sannois 7 Franconville 8 Montigny 9 Cergy 10 Louveciennes 11 Vernouillet [THE BEAUCE] 12 Vaucresson 13 Yvelines: Mesnil-St-Denis & Dompierre 14 Guillerval |
15 Monnerville 16 Rouvray-Saint-Denis 17 Villaines 18 Toury 19 Poinville 20 Fains and Vergonville 21 Beaune 22 The Tithes of Barville 23 The Burg of Essonnes, now called Corbeil 24 The Priory of Champs 25 The Miracle of the Mute 26 The Woman with Dropsy 27 Mareuil [in Champagne] 28 Lorraine 29 Chaumont [-en-Vexin, arr. Beauvais] 30 Berneval [–le–Grand, near Dieppe] |
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This is why, as much for piety's sake as to grant their pious and reasonable request, without any desire for vainglory, not through the love of human praise, nor fleeting profit, but rather that, after our death, the church would not be deprived of any of its revenues by anyone's fraud and that the important improvements given by the great munificence of God during the course of our administration would not disappear in silence through the negligence of our successors, we have judged it proper, concerning the body of the church of the very holy martyrs Denis, Rusticius and Eleutherius—the church which has nourished us at her breast so tenderly [from infancy] up to old age—to write of the construction of the buildings and the increase of riches, each in its proper place; but we have also considered it proper and useful to describe the castrum [of St. Denis], i.e., its original placement, and the places round about, to let present and future generations know how its revenues were increased. |
Nos igitur tam devote quam devotis et rationabilibus eorum petitionibus assensum exhibentes, nullo inanis gloriæ appetitu, [p. 56] nullam laudis humanæ aut retributionis transitoriae exigendo retributionem, ne post decessum nostrum quacumque aut cujuscumque defraudatione redditibus ecclesia minuatur, ne copiosa quæ tempore amministrationis nostræ larga Dei munificentia contulit silentio malis successoribus depereant incrementa, sicut a corpore æcclesiæ beatissimorum martyrum dyonisii, Rustici et Eleutherii, quae nos quam dulcissime a mamilla usque in senectam fovit, de edificiorum institutione et thesaurorum augmentatione loco suo incipere dignum duximus, ita etiam a castello suo, videlicet prima ejus sede, et in vicinia circumquaque, de reddituum augmentatione tam præsentium quam futurorum notitiae significare honestum et utile proposuimus. |
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1.— [St.–Denis and its environs.]
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I
1. — [Ejusdem Castri] |
| It therefore appeared that the 10s. of
the Jew and the 10s. recently added represented an increase of 20s. per
week yearly. The rent due for the village (£20 to be paid on the Octave
of the feast of St. Denis) was now worth £20 or more, from which £8
in addition, and £8 more for the rent of a house which we built in
the butchers’ quarter through the purchase of another house and rented to
the butchers, £8 which we consigned to the nourishment of the sick
among the monks: the whole therefore worth £90. For the road tolls,
we usually got £20, though it was supposed to be £40(?). However,
we often collected 70; we would have had more, easily, if we had not excommunicated
those who stole and countenanced theft. |
Cum igitur constet factum de decem Judei et decem noviter augmentatis uniuscujusque anni hebdomade, viginti solidorum augmentum, quinquaginta duas libras efficiunt, de villa vero viginti. Census autem ejusdem villæ in octabis sancti Dionisii duodecim libras, qui modo constat viginti et plus; unde hujus rei inerementi libre octo, et octo de quadam domo quam constituens in macello, emptione cujusdam alterius domus usibus carnificum, fratrum infirmantium sustentationi contulimus. Sunt igitur quater viginti et decem. De pedagio vero viginti libras, cum prius essent quadraginta librarum. Nos autem inde sepe habuimus sexaginta et decem, cum multo plus, nisi rapinam et rapine [fautores] anathematizaremus, facile unoquoque anno habere possemus. |
| From the Lendit fair, which lord Louis
gave to father St. Denis, [we earn] 300s. free and clear, 35 from the stall
rents of the butchers in the Panetière square, which we gave
in alms to the monks at the festival of the holy apostle Peter and Paul,
10s. from our nephew, Girard, five from the house and five from the tonlieu
on the dye-plants (madder). From the property of William of Cornillon
which I had bought for £80 [we received] a rent of 15s. for three
houses, the other two being vacant. In the little manor house of the brothers,
in the free space, 70s. of annual rent was due from the new peasants [installed
there?]. |
De Indicto vero, quod dominus Ludovicus pater beato Dionisio dedit,
trecentos solidos quiete et pacifice, triginta quinque de censu stallorum
pistorum in pantera, quos in festo beatorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli
refectioni fratrum apposuimus; decem solidos de Girardo nepote meo, quinque
de domo sua, et quinque de theloneo garantiæ. De plateis domus Guillelmi
Corneilensis quam ego emi quater viginti libras, censum quindecim solidorum
de tribus mansionibus, reliquis duabus adhuc vacantibus. In curticula
fratrum in vacuo, de novis hospitibus sexaginta et decem solidos de annuo
censu. |
| From the manor house, outside the village, where no peasant
had ever lived, but which was guarded by our own sergeants, as well as another
contiguous manor house (recently built, thanks to the establishment of 80
or more peasants) which increased it to £20 per year. And, in this
same region (namely at St. Lucien) because our church had great need there,
we caused to be planted and cultivated there at great cost, a vineyard of
nearly 80 arpents area, it is said, from which we have added to the coffers
of the church £20 if it was well done: an important point as, too
often at many places—and even at Lagny—the lack of wine [vineyard?] meant
that the crosses, chalices and vestments had to be pawned. |
De curia, vero quæ extra villam est, cum nec [p. 60]
unus hospes umquam ibi mansisset sed a servientibus expensis propriis servaretur, tam in ea quam in alia nova eidem adjacente, quater viginti et eo amplius novis hospitibus positis, viginti librarura constat singulis armis augmentatum. Ubi etiam, scilicet apud Sanctum Lucianum, magno sumptu, quia ecclesia his valde indigebat, clausum vinearum fere quater viginti arpennorum, ut aiunt, plantando excoli fecimus. Cui ad maximum ecclesix commodum ipsas viginti libras, ut inde bene excolatur, instituimus; consulte quidem omma pro defectu vini, quia sepius cruces et calices et pallia multis in locis, et etiam Latiniaci, in vadimonio ponebantur. |
| The produce of the mills of this castle, which once normally
offered five mines per day to the refectory of the monks, today produces
eight, each day. This increase, carefully calculated each week, is the equivalent
of 39½ muids. In money, this means £146 10s. |
Molendinorum vero ejusdem castri talis est augmentatio quod, cum olim singulis diebus quinque minas frumenti fratrum refectorio reddere consuevissent, modo singulis diebus octo reddere non desistunt. Quorum inerementum de singulis ebdomadibus certa computatione deductum, quadraginta modios dimidio minus recipit. Denariorum vero incrementum septies viginti et sex libras et decem solidos constat. |
| We purchased for 1,000s. a house near the gate of Paris, on
the way to St. Merry, to be used as a lodging place for us and our horses
when the affairs of the realm kept us or our successors on the road. The
[house at the?] gate of Paris, once yielding £12, now gives us 50:
this is an increase of £38. |
Domum quæ superest portæe Parisiensi versus Sanctum
Medericum emimus mille solidis, quoniam, cura frequenter interessemus negociis
regni, nos et equos nostros, sed et successores nostros ibidem honestius
hospitari dignum duximus. De porta vero parisiensi, que solebat reddere
duodecim libras, quinquaginta nobis reddit: ubi incrementum est triginta
et octo librarum. |
| 2. — Tremblay.
The count of Dammartin oppressed this vill with numerous angarii, namely a taille of five muids of wheat which I had conceded to him [once?] in return for peace, and which he took over habitually, imposing on the béliers and right of hospitality several times per year in the vill at the expense of the villagers. For these reasons we reached an agreement with the count, reserving the whole vill in peace for ourselves, without any impositions or customs, in return for £10 paid to him from our treasury at the octave of the feast of St. Denis, as the price of his hominio. We restored the vill and caused to be built there, at its entry, a manor house with a new barn, to store the general champarts and the harvest from four carrucates, and, in another in the [same?] complex, the tithes from the land, straw being kept for our use in both. Where once we rarely saw, even with great attention, 90 muids
from
this land, we were able to receive from our mayor 190, not including the
seed corn nor the necessary feed for the oxen and cows, the cows themselves
and all the plowing gear; in exchange for this the peasants kept the revenue
from the oven.
We get our rents, tensamentum, and mortmains, forfeitures and the taille of our own: this increased the grain revenue by 90 muids. We caused to be built there a wall around the old manor house and a good strong house next to the church. Thanks to these fortifications our successors will be able, if they wish, to defend their property against all enemies.
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2. - De Trembliaco.
Cum eadem villa multis angariis a comite Domni Martini,
videlicet exactione talliæ, frumenti seilicet quinque modiorum quos
ei pro pace concesseram, cum
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| 3.—The recovery of
the abbey of Argenteuil.
When, as an adolescent student, I read the old charters in the archives recording the abbey’s possessions, as well as the books recording the immunities (due to the numerous abuses and frauds being perpetrated), I often came across the foundation charter of the monastery of Argenteuil by Hermenric and his wife Numma. It was written there that, in the time of king Pepin, this abbey belonged to St. Denis, but, due to a disadvantageous agreement, it was alienated during the time of Pepin’s son, Charlemagne. This emperor obtained from the abbot and brothers the right to install there one of his daughters, who had refused human marriage, as abbess of a convent. This was done on condition that, on her death, the abbey would return to us. But, due to the disturbances in the realm caused by the quarrels of the children of his son Louis the Pious, this contract was not fulfilled. Our predecessors had often studied the question, but without significant
results. This is why, in council with our brothers, we sent our messengers
to Rome with the old foundation and donation charters, and the confirmations
to the late Pope Honorius, asking him to examine our rights and reestablish
them canonically. Wise guardian of justice that he was he returned this
place to us, as much for the cause of justice as for the scandal caused
by the evil life which the nuns led there, and to restore religious order.
Moreover, King Louis, [son of] Philip, our dear lord and friend,
confirmed this restoration and, by the authority of the royal majesty,
issued a charter confirming all the regalian rights which he possessed
there. Whoever wishes to better understand the nature of this restoration
will find more details in these charters of the kings and the apostolic
privileges. Those who study this question will see the importance of this
abbey and its dependencies: Trappes, Elancourt, Chavenay, Bourdonné,
Chérisy, the land of Montmélian, of Bondy, of Montereau near
Melun, and other lands.
The old rents of Argenteuil, which did not belong to the abbey, amounted
to £20 because it was of old no more than £20, and now it amounts
to forty. In grain, we once received six muids, but today get fifteen.
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3. — De recuperatione Argentoilensis abbatiæ.
Cum etate docibili adolescentiæ meæ antiquas armarii possessionum revolverem cartas, et immunitatum biblos propter multorum calumniatorum improbitates frequentarem, crebro manibus occurrebat de cenobio Argentoilensi fundationis carta ab Hermenrico et conjuge ejus Numma, in qua continebatur quod a tempore Pipini regis beati Dyonisii abbatia extiterat. Sed quadam occasione contractus incommodi, in tempore Karoli Magni filii ejus, alienata fuerat. Prefatus enim imperator, ut quandam filiam suam matrimonium humanum recusantem ibidem abbatissam sanctimonialium constitueret, eo pacto ut post mortem ejus in usum ecelesiæ reverteretur, ab abbate et fratribus obtinuerat. Sed turbatione regni filiorum filii ejus, videlicet Ludovici Pii, altercatione, quoadusque supervixerat, perfici non potuit. Unde, cum antecessores nostri sepius super hoc laborantes parum profecissent, communicato cum fratribus nostris consilio, nuncios nostros et cartas antiquas fundationis et donationis et confirmationum privilegia bonæ memoriæ papæ Honorio Romam delegavimus, postulantes ut justitiam nostram canonico investigaret et restitueret scrutinio. Qui, ut erat vir consilii et justitiæ tutor, tam pro nostra justitia quam pro enormitate monacharum ibidem male viventium, eundem nobis locum cum appendiciis suis, ut reformaretur ibi religionis ordo, restituit. Rex vero Ludovicus [p. 66] Philippi, carissimus dominus et amicus noster, eandem restitutionem confirmavit, et quecumque regalia ibidem habebat, auctoritate regiæ majestatis ecclesiæ precepto firmavit. Cujus quidem recuperationis tenorem si quis plenius nosse voluerit, in cartis regum et privilegiis apostolicorum enueleatius poterit reperire. Cujus scilicet abbatiæ et appendiciorum ejus, quæ sunt Trappe, Herencurtis, Chaveniacus, Burdeniacus, Cerisiacus, et terra de Monte Meliano et Bunziaco, sive de Mosteriolo quod est prope Milidunum, et aliorum incrementum quanti constet, qui sapienter illa tractabunt pro magno prelati cognoscere poterunt. De antiquo censu Argentoili, qui ad abbatiam non pertinet,
incrementum est viginti librarum: quia, cum olim non haberemus nisi viginti
libras, modo XL redduntur. De annona prius sex modios, modo XV recipimus.
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| 4. — The Vexin.
The Vexin, between the Oise and the Epte, is, according to the immunities of the church, a fief belonging to St. Denis. When the king of France, Louis, [son of] Philip, was hurrying to counter the invasion of the realm by the roman emperor, he recognized in the plenary chapter of St. Denis that he held it from the saint and, if he hadn’t been king, would have done homage for it and its standard [the oriflamme]. We have, with the aid of God, been able to enlarge this lordship with the following acquisitions: we have obtained from the same king Louis the church of Cergy, and the liberty of the manor house. At the dedication of the church we have also received from his son Louis the viaturam of this villa and all of its revenues, save for wine and wheat, by royal gift, for the salvation of his soul and the protection of his person and of the realm. He also offered very piously to the holy martyrs his possessions at Cormeilles and Osny and all which he had at Trappes, except for the procuration rights. We have zelously protected these acquisitions from the rapacity of the mayors and sergeants, repulsing the abuses of dishonest “advocates,” incurring no small expense thereby. We have thus, with the aid of God, increased the cultivation of the land and the vineyards to the point that, while during the time of our predecessors the brothers were content to receive 5s. per day for the kitchen, they now receive, thanks to these efforts, five more per day and fourteen every fifth day of the week and on Saturday, for their pittance. Moreover, the surplus of this increase is generally more than 100 muids of grain: we have decided to apply it, after Easter, to our needs, to the churches, to the poor or whatever, because in the last months of the year it sometimes happens that the increase in the price of wheat makes it difficult for some short-sighted communities. The increase in money amounts to £140, 12s. per year. |
4. — De Vilcassino. Vilcassini siquidem, quod est inter Isaram et Ettam, nobilem comitatum, quem perhibent immunitates ecelesiæ proprium beati Dyonisii feodum, quem etiam rex Francorum Ludovicus Philippi, accelerans contra imperatorem romanum insurgentem in regnum Francorum, in pleno capitulo beati Dyonisii professus est se ab eo habere et jure signiferi, si rex non esset, hominium ei debere, hoc insequente incremento dominicaturam, Deo auxiliante, augmentari eleboravimus. [p. 68] Ecclesiam de Cergiaco et curiæ libertatem ab eodem rege Ludovico obtinuimus. A filio vero ejus Ludovico viaturam ejusdem villæ et omnes redditus ejus, preter vinum et avenam, in dedicatione ecelesiæ regia liberalitate pro remedio animæ ejus, personæ et regni protectione obtinuimus. Nec minus et quod in Cormeliis habebat et apud Œnitum, et quicquid Trappis habebat, preter hospitium, sanctis Martyribus devotissime contulit. Nos autem et de his et multis aliis incrementis, presertim continua sollicitudine et jugi providentia, terrie cultus et vinearum, majorum et servientium reprimendo rapacitatem, advocatorura etiam pravorum importunam refellendo infestationem, pro quo multa in novitate nostra militiæ usibus expendimus, illuc usque Deo annuente perduximus ut, cum temporibus antecessorum nostrorum fratres nostri ad opus coquinæ cotidie quinque solidos habere contenti fuissent, de superabundante incremento omni die alios quinque, et feria quinta atque sabbato quatuordecim pro toto, irrefragabiliter refectioni fratrum recipiant. Et quod adhuc his superest de incremento centum modios annonæ large consuevit excedere. Quod nos post Pascha usibus nostris, ecclesiis et pauperibus vel quibuscumque opportunitatibus erogandum censuimus. Extremis enim mensibus anni, aliquando carior annona congregationum improvidentiam punire solet. Incrementum denariorum centum et quatuordecini librarum et duodecim solidorum singulis annis consistit. |
| 5. — Cormeilles–en–Parisis.
At Cormeilles, in the region of Paris, the increase in the rents is £8: previously we had from it £12, now it is twenty. We formerly got ten or twelve muids of grain; now eighteen. 6. — At Sannois the rent increase is from 100s. to £4. 7. — At Franconville [we receive] 40s. of new increase and 40 of old, in addition to the fief. The tithes of our fief, which we bought from Pagan of Gisors, we have given to the marguilliers for the love of God, save for the tithes of our [vineyard?] close which we have kept for ourselves. 8. — Montigny.
9. — Cergy.
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5. — De Cormeliis Parisiensibus. De Cormeliis in pago Parisiensi, incrementum census octo librarum: cura prius haberemus duodecim libras, [p. 70] modo viginti. De annona decem aut duodecim modios habebamus, nunc decem et octo. 6. — Apud Centinodium quatuor libras de iner, mento novi census, et de veteri centum solidos. 7. — Apud Francorum Villam quadraginta solidos de novo incremento et quadraginta de veteri preter feodum. Decimam de feodo nostro, quam emimus a Pagano de Gisortio, et dedimus clericis matriculariis pro amore Dei, excepta decima clausi nostri quam nobis retinuimus. 8. — De Montiniaco.
9. — De Cergiaco.
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| 10. — Louveciennes.
At Louveciennes we have the custom—as did our predecessors—of affirming all our revenues, whether in rents or in grain or wine, amounting to £15 per year; but, after certain placita on the old manors, thanks to which we stopped the cultivators who confiscated the revenues of the vineyards, we have acquired about 100 muids of wine, not counting the annual rents in money and grain. |
10. — De Lovecenis. Apud Lovecenas, cum quicquid ibidem habebamus, tam censum quam annonam et vinum, pro quindecim libris tam nos quam antecessores nostri per annum dare consuevimus; post quædam placita de mansis antiquis, quibus rusticos vinearum cultores de retentione reddituum intercepimus, salvo annuo censu denariorum et annona, centum fere modios vini adquisivimus. |
| 11. — Vernouillet.
From Vernouillet, which was pawned 40 years ago, we receive £10 after interest, while before we got no more than 60s. The revenues which we possess in this place we have dedicated in their entirety to the care of sick brothers. 12. — Vaucresson.
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[p. 72] 11.— De Vernullello. De Vernullello, quod quadraginta annis sub vadimonio fuerat, decem libras data redemptione recipimus, cum non nisi sexaginta solidos ante haberemus. Cujus loci redditus ad nos pertinentes fratribus infirmis ex integro contulimus. 12. — De Valle Crisonis.
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| 13. — [Yvelines: Mesnil-St-Denis
& Dampierre].
The possessions of St. Denis which includes Le Mesnil–St–Denis, Dampierre
and other villas in the valley of the castrum called Chevreuse [were]
for a long time subject to three tailles: to the lord of the castrum
of
Chevreuse, to the lord of the castrum of Neauphle and to Simon of
Viltain, [and they were] almost completely ruined by their rapacity. Not
without great cost we freed them from these oppressive duties, only conceding
to these lords that which belonged to them as “advocates” there.
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13. — [Mesnile
Sancti Dyonisii et Domna Petra] Possessionem beati Dyonisii in qua continetur Mesnile Sancti Dyonisii et Domna Petra, et ceteræ villæ in valle castri quod dicitur Cabrosa, a multis retro temporibus tribus talliis expositam, videlicet domino castri Cabrosæ et domino castri Nielphe, et Simoni de Villa Aten, eorum rapacitate omnino fere destitutam, non sine magnis expensis ab hujusmodi oppressionibus emancipavimus; ea sola quæ ad eorum advocationem jure pertinent remittentes. Nec minus etiam venationem [p. 74] Ivelinæ, infra
metas terræ quam beato Dyonisio multis temporibus abstulerant, recuperavimus.
Et ne in posterum oblivioni traderetur, illuc exeuntes per continuam septimanam,
ascitis nobis approbatis amicis et hominibus nostris, videlicet comité
Ebroicensi Amalrico de Monte Forti, Symone de Nielpha, Ebrardo de Villa
Perosa, et aliis quam plurimis, in tentoriis demorantes, singulis diebus
totius ebdomadæ cervorum copiam ad Sanctum Dyonisium, non levitate
sed pro jure acclesiæ reparando transferri, et fratribus infirmis
et hospitibus in domo hospitali necnon et militibus per villam, ne deinceps
oblivioni traderetur, distribui fecimus. Domino vero Cabrosæ preter
antiquum feodum, videlicet advocationem terræ nostræ et meditatem
silvæ, de proprio singulis annis centum solidos damus tanquam feodato
nostro, ne reducat manum ad talliam vel terræ oppressionem. Quos
quidem centum solidos in eadem terra pro voluntate nostra absque contradictione
recolligere valemus.
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| 14. — [The Beauce: Guillerval]. Thus, in fear that the fruit of our labor might be brought to naught
for want of memory, we have committed the history of what we have done
in the Beauce to writing.
The first village of St. Denis, called Guillerval, near Saclas, given
with the latter to St. Denis by King Dagobert in the enumeration [in his
charter], was for a long time—or even from the beginning—in such a state
of disorder that there was nowhere left in the village where even the Abbot
might rest his head, nor any barn nor property of the lord. [The inhabitants]
paid only 25 small muids each year (which is to say no more than
four of our muids) in rent each year for the land which they cultivated,
together with half of the rent of their houses. For the love of our lords
the Holy Martyrs, we therefore bought for the church three carrucates of
land within this domain, which was the source of a forty–years war between
the noble and courageous man John of Étampes, son of Pagan, and
another man, a knight of Pithiviers. By paying a considerable sum to both
these men we acquired this land and ended this war between kinsmen and
friends, namely Baldwin of Corbeil and many others, and we confirmed this
with a charter.
On this new land, in the middle of the villa, and well watered
as it was, we built, at great cost, a wall and a good curia, and
a fortified house for the defense of the curia, and the barns and
whatever else was required there.
And, as insurance against the droughts which inflict this part of
the upper Beauce, we built a great pond (moat?) all round it, stocking
it with fish. We thus established there two carrucates—one on the old part
of the land and one one the new—and for this land we receive up to 50 muids
of
grain per year, considering that, since the peasants only paid the old
small sum which they had paid, we kept the champarts of the whole
land (except for that of the fief of the mayor), in exchange for which
he contributes to the silencing of the peasants’ grumblings and opposition
to the change of customs.
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[p. 74] 14. — [Belsa: Guillelvalis] Ne igitur laboris nostri fructus ex oblivione in irritum deducatur,
illa etiam quæ in Belsa auxiliante Deo augmentari eleboravimus, scripto
commendare curavimus.
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| 15. — Monnerville.
Near this place was another village of St. Denis called Monnerville, which had become even more miserable and reduced to poverty by the oppression of the castrum of Méréville—as though it were destroyed by Sarrasins—the lord of this place having abused the right of hospitality in this village as often and with whomever as he pleased, devouring the goods of the peasants, forcing them to transport his part of the harvest, taking his share of the woods two or three times per year from the carrucates of the village, and imposing as “customary” all sorts of intolerable taxes on the pigs, sheep, geese and chickens of the village. Since this village had lived for a long time under such oppression, it was almost already abandoned, and we decided to vigorously resist these oppressions. When we brought a case, he claimed to be exercising these customs by the hereditary right which came from his father [Viscount Guido of Étampes], grandfather [Hugo I Blavons of Le Puiset] and great-grandfather [Ebrard of Le Puiset]; but, with the aid of God and the council of our men and friends, Hugo, the lord of the castle, encouraged by his wife and sons, with the consent of King Louis [VII]—from whom he was said to hold them (?)—abandoned completely and forever all these customs in favor of St. Denis. Recognizing his error, he gave them up and took an oath renouncing them, as may be read in the charter of King Louis [Luchaire 139]. For our part, to retain his homage to our church, we conceded to him two muids (measure of Étampes) of grain, one of oats, one of wheat to be taken from our court [there] from the hands of one of our monks or from our servants. Thanks to this, liberated from this torment, this domain which had yielded for us 10 or 15 pounds now brought in 100 muids of Étampes per year, which means usually (according to the prevailing price of grain) 100 pounds. |
[p. 78] 15. — De Monarvilla. Succedit et alia prope illam beati Dyonisii villa quæ dicitur Monarvilla, villa omnium facta miserrima, quæ sub jugo castri Merevillæ conculcata non minus quam Sarracenorum depressione mendicabat; cum ejusdem castri dominus, quotienscunique vellet, in eadem hospicium cum quibuscumque vellet raperet, rusticorum bona pleno ore devoraret, talliani annone tempore messis pro consuetudine asportaret, lignaria sua bis aut ter in anno carrucarum villæ dispendio aggregaret, porcorum, agnorum, anserum, gallinarum, importabiles quasque molestias pro consuetudine tolleret. Quæ cum tanta oppressione per multa tempora in solitudinem fere jam redigeretur, audacter resistere et molestias hujusmodi ab hereditate sancta constanter exterminare elegimus. Cumque eum in causam traheremus et ipse sibi jure hereditario patris et avi atque at(t)avi consuetudines illas excusaret, ad hoc, auxilio Dei et hominum atque amicorum nostrorum consilio, res processit quod Hugo castri dominus, favore conjugis et filiorum, assensu domini regis Ludovici a quo se habere dicebat, beato Dyonisio inperpetuum omnes omnino consuetudines injustitiam suam recognoscendo relaxavit, remisit, manu propria jurejurando abjuravit, sicut plenius in carta domini regis Ludovici invenitur. Nos autem, ad ejus hominium ecclesiæ nostræ retinendum, duos stampenses modios annonæ, unum frumenti et alterum [p. 80] avenæ, in curia nostra per manum, monachi aut servientis nostri concessimus. Quo quidem predicta villa eruta tormento, cum prius vix nobis valeret decem aut quindecim libras, centum stampenses modios armonæ per singulos annos, qui sepius centum libras valent secundum precium annonæ, per manus ministrorum reddere nobis consuevit. |
| 16. — [Rouvray-Saint-Denis].
In the same way we undertook the restoration of the property called Rouvray, which had been destroyed by the oppressive angaria of the castle of Le Puiset. One day, after the destruction of this castle, Hugo, lord of Le Puiset, proposed to us that we jointly cultivate the cleared land, which had become deserted by the oppressions of the castle. We declined this proposal, despite the opinion of some who thought it would be advantageous to us, and instead undertook to do ourselves that which we did not wish to do with him, for the good of the church. In the reconstruction of this land we did not wish to be associated with its destroyer, who—like his ancestors—had imposed the same customs there as we have enumerated for Monnerville: the taxes on grains, pigs, sheep, lambs, geese, chickens, and wood with which he had stripped the land, following the example of his ancestors, and left it barren, totally useless for us as well as for himself. Thus, considering the sorry state of this land and the needs of our church, we caused to be built on this sterile land a courtyard and a tower over the entryway to repel thieves; we have there three carrucates. |
16. —[Rubridum]. Possessionem nichilominus quæ dicitur Rubridum, depressione angariarum castri Puteoli omnino destitutam, emendare elaborantes, cum quadam die Hugo dominus Puteoli post ruinara castri etiam nos super hoc convenisset ut incultam terram, depressione castri in solitudinem redactam, sub medietate lucri ego et ipse excoleremus, licet hoc quidam compendiosum approbarent recusavimus ; et quod cum eo noluimus, per nos efficere ad commodum ecelesiæ elaboravimus. Nec eum admiterre socium in restitutione terræ sustinuimus quem destructorem more antecessorum suorum gravissime persenseramus. Easdem enim consuetudines quas de Monarvilla enumeravimus, videlicet talliam annona, porcorum, ovium, agnorum, anserum, gallinarum, pullorum, lignorum, ab eadem terra more antecessorum suorum abripuerat, et ex hoc ipso tam nobis quam sibi infructuose jacentem omnino inutilem reddiderat. Nos igitur, miseriæ terræ et damno ecclesiæ nostræ condescendentes, in eadem sterili terra curtem ædificavimus, turrimque super portam ad repellendos raptores ereximus, tres carrucas ibidem posuimus. |
| 17 — [Villaines].
We restored the villa called Villaines and reorganized the parts of the land previously neglected, to the extent that we now receive from it £100 or £120 where previously there was only £20. For our part, we have, in recognition of the help of the holy martyrs, by a sealed charter pledged £80 per year towards the construction of their church [at St. Denis: pp. 28–30], until the work is done. We have also freed this land from the evil custom called the palagium, imposed by the viscount of Étampes. |
[p. 82] 17. — [Villana] Villam quæ Villana dicitur restituimus, incomposita terræ composuimus, usque adeo eam meliorando ut, cum vix consueverit viginti libras, singulis annis postea nobis centum libras sepius vero centum et viginti reddidit Nos vero sanctis Martyribus pro tantis beneficiis jure devoti, de eodem fructu laboris nostri edificationi ecclesiæ eorum singulis annis quater viginti libras, usque ad operis expletionem, carta et sigillo assignavimus Removimus etiam ab eadem, terra quandam consuetudinem malam vice comitis stampensis quæ palagium vocatur. |
| 18 — Toury.
Toury, the well–known villa of St. Denis, renowned above others, special place of St. Denis, [now] offering to pilgrims, merchants, and all travelers sustenance, rest and repose, [was then] so oppressed by the impossible angerii of the lords of Le Puiset that, until the late Abbot Adam sent me (though still a young man) there as provost to administer this land, it was almost abandoned by the peasants, due to the rapacity of the men of Le Puiset, “given as pasture land to the Ethiopians.” Even the very house of St. Denis [the church?] was not free from invasion by the Lord of the place or his henchmen, who committed whatever sacrilege they wished, devastating the neighboring villages by their frequent visits, forcing the peasants to transport to them the taxes on grains to the castle, first for himself, then for his seneschal, and even for his provost. Those who lived there were scarcely able to survive under such criminal oppression. While I lived there for almost two years, I saw these evils and was moved by a sweet compassion and by concern for our church. Not only we, but also all the other churches possessing land in this region were equally oppressed. For this reason we were decided to overthrow the impossible tyranny of this castle. It came about that, thanks to our efforts, Ivo, the venerable Bishop of Chartres, the chapter of St. Mary [of Chartres], the Abbot of St. Peter and the church of St. John-en-Vallée [of Chartres], the Bishop of Orléans, the church of St. Aignan, the Abbot of St. Benedict, and the Archbishop of Sens, each for his own good as well as for our own, came to King Louis and, tearfully told him of the devastation wreaked on our churches, the deplorable condition of the poor and orphaned, the loss of income by himself and his predecessors to the churches. Being a man of great nobility of spirit, full of piety, illustrious defender of churches, he promised to help us and confirmed by oath that he would not allow the churches or their properly to be destroyed by this vaurien. The full story of the remarkable deeds of this King in the history of his reign [which I have written?]. In this was was the castle of Le Puiset destroyed to its very foundations for the first time, as punishment for its crimes, and the lands of the Saints—our own as well as others—recovered their original liberty, after being in the war they prospered in the peace, the sterility which they suffered replaced by the fruits of cultivation. When, on the death of our late Abbot Adam, I was raised (although unworthy and absent) to the throne of this holy office, I renewed and increased my efforts in this provostship. In the courtyard, which I had reinforced with poteaux et de treillages, I had a fortified castrum with strong walls built and built a defensive tower above the principle gate. I had built there some fortified houses. I thus preserved intact the liberty of the whole village and even of the surrounding lands. Thus, it came to pass that, one day when I was on my way to Orléans with an armed entourage and encountered the King, being made aware that the provost of Le Puiset had backslid into his old ways, I was able to hold him captive and send him in chains and dishonored to St. Denis. However, while the property of churches must grow and prosper in peace and by the good administration of the clergy, we have admonished the peasants who live on these lands that we continue to possess over that place, by seigneurial right, including that of tithes, and we have established their rents in writing, so that they may not be forgotten. We estimate that, through our efforts at this place, the income from this provostship has increased from £20 to £80 per year. In addition, the increase [in the collection of] daily taxes was increased. Moreover, the advocationem for this land belonged, of old, to [the lord of] La Ferté–Bauduin [–Alais], who had cruelly oppressed it for a long time and from whom there was no appeal; but it happened that this advocatione was inherited by a young girl, the daughter of the daughter of Adam of Pithiviers. When we heard this, with the council of our friends, we looked around to see whom we could marry her to, at our cost. To end the troubles with this land and to stop the peasants of this land from being exposed to these habitual brutalities, we gave this young girl and the rights of advocate to a young man of our house. We offered, from the purse of St. Denis, £100 to the spouse, as well as to the father and mother of the young girl, with the approval of King Louis—from whom the advocacy of this place was held in fief—on the condtion that, for this money and for another £30 which we receive from the King, they and their sucessors would give up to us and our sucessors the office of advocate and the justice [rights] when we reclaimed them, and, if they they failed to do this, we would retain for ourselves the whole advocatus fief, with their consent and that of their kinsmen, as well as the approval of King Louis. As far as the fiefs which we bought with our own money to pay for two months’ guard duty at the castrum of Toury, we have taken care to innumerate them below. |
[p. 82] 18. — de Tauriaco. Tauriacus igitur, famosa beati Dyonisii villa, caput quidera aliarum et propria ac specialis sedes beati Dyonisii, peregrinis et mercatoribus seu quibuscumque viatoribus alimenta cibariorum in media strata, lassis etiam quietem quiete ministrans, intolerabilibus dominorum prefati castri Puteoli angariis usque adeo miserabiliter premebatur ut, cum, illuc temporibus antecessoris nostri bonæ memoriæ Adæ abbatis, ut præpositus terræ providerem, satis adhuc juvenis accessissem, jam colonis pene destituta langueret, rapacitati Puteolensium, data esca populis Ethiopum, omnino pateret. Nec enim ipsa domus propria beati Dyonisii seipsam aliquando tuebatur quin ipse dominus per satellites suos eam frangera, quæcumque reperta sacrilego spiritu asportaret, adjacentes villas frequentibus hospiciis confunderet, annone talliam sibi primum, deinde dapifero suo, deinde preposito suo, rusticorum vectiga- [p. 84] libus ad castrum, deferri cogeret. Vix qui aderant sub tam nefandæ oppressionis mole vivebant. Cum ergo fere per biennium ibidem demorando his et aliis malis, et humanæ compassionis doloribus, et ecclesiæ nostræ dispendio defatigarer, nec nos solum verum etiam onmes ecelesiæ quæ in partibus illis terram habentes eque premebantur, convenimus et ut jugum importabile et tyrannidem nequissimi castri evitare possemus, diligenti deliberatione contulimus. Hinc emersit quod labore nostro venerabilis episcopus Carnotensis Ivo pro parte sua, capitulum Beatæ Mariæ pro sua, abbas Sancti Petri pro sua, ecclesia Sancti Johannis de Valleta pro sua, episcopus Aurelianis pro sua, ecclesia Sancti Aniani pro sua, abbas Sancti Benedicti pro sua, archiepiscopus Senon[ens]is pro sua, et nos pro nostra gloriosum regem adivimus Ludovicum, ecclesiarum depopulationem, pauperum et orphanorum deplorationem, ecclesiarum eleemosinis antecessorum suorum et suis exheredationem lacrimabiliter exposuimus. Qui, ut erat vir nobilissimæ industriæ, plenus pietate, ecclesiarum illustris defensor, auxiliari spopondit, et quod ecclesias et ecclesiarum bona deinceps destrui a prefato nequam nullo modo pateretur, jurejurando firmavit. Quod quidem egregie factum, quo labore, quibus expensis, quam graviter expletum fuerit, in gestis prefati regis enucleatius invenitur. Destructo siquidem radicitus pro merito suæ iniquitatis Puteolo castro, terra sanctorum, tam nostra quam aliæ, pristinam adeptæ libertatem, quæ bello aruerant, [p. 86] pace floruerunt: sterilitate reposita foecunditatem cultæ reddiderunt. Cum autem post decessum antecessoris nostri bonæ memoriæ Adæ abbatis ad hujus sanctæ amministrationis sedem tam immeritus quam absens assumptus essem, pristinæ virtutis et laboris non immemor quia diutius in illa demoratus fueram prepositura, devotius ad hanc amplificandam accessi. In curte quam palo et vimine firmaram, castrum bene muratum erexi, turris propugnaculum principali portæ supererigi feci; domos aptas et propugnabiles constitui; libertatem villæ immo totius terræ intemeratam conservavi. Unde mihi aliquando contigit quod, cum Aurelianum cum militari manu post dominum regem festinarem, et prepositum Puteoli priora mala reciprocantem reperissem, turpiter captum tenui et ad Sanctum Dyonisium vinctum cum dedecore transmisi. Verum quia ecclesiarum bona industria prelatorum pace concrescere et confoveri debent, culturas nostras quas ibidem habebamus dominicas, retentis earumdem decimis, colonis qui ibidem inhabitarent censuales fecimus, quarum censum, ne oblivioni tradatur, scripto mandari precepimus. Et ut quanti constet nostro labore incrementum possessionis hujus æestimetur, de prepositura quæ non plus quam viginti libras valere solebat, quater viginti libras singulis annis habemus. Cæterarum vero consuetudinum cotidianus usus multo melioratus rerum incrementum facillime disserere poterit. Antiquam vero ejusdem terræ advocationem ad Firmitatem Balduini antiquitus pertingentem, qua terra ipsa immaniter longevitate temporum, premebatur, cum nulla alia refellendi succederet via, contigit advocationem illam ad quandam puellam, filiam filiæ Adæ Pigverensis, hereditario jure [p. 88] pertingere. Quo cognito, amicorum nostrorum consilio, multo sumptu eam pro voluntate nostra nuptui tradere quesivimus. Ad sedandas ergo terræ illius inquietudines, nolentes more solito indigenarum molestiis eam affligi, cuidam domestico nostro juveni puellam cum advocationibus dari fecimus; centum libras denariorum beati Dyonisii tam matrimonio quam patri et matri puellæ, favore domini regis Ludovici, de cujus feodo advocatio constabat, tali pacto contulimus ut pro pecunia ista et alia, videlicet triginta librarum quas dominus rex inde habuit, tam ipsi quam successores eorum nobis et successoribus nostris hominium et servitium, et justiciam, ubi eos submoneremus, exequerentur. Quod si ad hoc deficerent, totum advocationis feodum ac si proprium nostrum esset, eorum et parentum ipsorum concessione ac domini regis favore, donec nobis satisfacerent in plenitudine retinere liceret. Feodos vero quos ex fisco proprio emimus ad faciendas stationes singulis annis per duos menses in eodem castro Tauriaco, subter intitulare curavimus. |
| 19. — Poinville.
In the same way we bought the village of Poinville which Godfrey the Red held from his kinsman, Bernard of Ensonville, who held it in fief from us. |
19. — De Poionis Villa. Similiter et Poionis Villam, quam habebat Gaufredus Ruffus a cognato suo Berardo de Essenvilla, ut a nobis idem Berardus tanquam homo noster in feodo haberet, conduximus. |
| 20. — Fains
and Vergonville. We bought, at great price (about 50 silver marks) another property called Fains[–en–Dunois], together with Vergonville and other associated villages, from Galeran Of Breteuil, his wife, Judith, and his son, Evrard, a courageous man who died on the expedition to Jerusalem: purchase or restoration, because it was said that this property belonged of old to St. Denis by a gift of Hugo of St. Gaury; we gave [?] this money to the almshouse of St. Denis in hopes that we might obtain from the omnipotent God, in his mercy, the grace of a divine retribution, as it is said that “just as water extinguishes a fire, so do alms erase sins,” and for these alms more certain and eternal for the needs of the poor we had a charter of King Louis made up and preserved in the public archives. |
20. — De Feins et Vendrovillare. Aliam etiam possessionem quæ dicitur Feins et Vendrovillare, cum aliis pertinentibus villis, a Galeranno [p. 90] de Bretoilo et uxore ejus Juditha, et strenuo viro filio ejus Ebrardo qui in expeditione Hierosolymitana occubuit, multo sumptu fere centum quinquaginta marcarum argenti comparatam, sive restitutam. — dicebatur quippe quod beati Dyonisii antiquo tempore ex dono Huberti de Sancto Galarico extiterat—eleemosinæ beati Dyonisii contulimus, sperantes de Dei misericordia quod ea pauperibus at[t]ributa eleemosina divinæ retributionis beneficium nobis ab omnipotenti Deo misericorditer impetrabit. Dixit enim quod sicut aqua extinguit ignem, ita elemosina extinguit peccatum. Et ut in sempiternum necessitatibus pauperum firmius deserviat, precepto regis Ludovici, quod in archivis publicis repositum continetur, firmari fecimus. |
| 21. — [The Gâtinais]
— Beaune.
One of the finest possessions of St. Denis is certainly Beaune in
the Gâtinais, approximately four leagues in extent, very productive
in wheat and wine, marvelously fruitful as long as it was not disturbed
by the servants of either the King or ourselves. However, the excesses
of the procurators had rendered it deserted and it became worthless. Being
thus found in the hands of the Abbot because of an unpaid debt, the latter
rented it out in totality for £30 per year. At the beginning of our
tenure we found it almost abandoned and brought this state of affairs to
the attention of our lord the King, [p. 93]
|
21. — De Belna.
Sane inter alias una de melioribus beati Dyonisii possessionibus
in pago Guastinensi Belna dinoscitur, quæ etiam spatiosa fere quatuor
leugarum spatio, frumenti et vini opulentia ferax, quorumeumque fruc tuum
mirabiliter capax, si non vexetur a servientibus domini regis seu nostris,
omnibus bonis exuberat. Quæ, per incuriam procuratorum raro inculta
habitatore, ad tantam declinaverat inopiam ut, cum ad cameram calciamentorum
ecelesiæ hujus pertineret, nullomodo ea persolvere valeret. Inde
erat quod, cum in manu abbatis pro defectu debiti remaneret, singulis annis
servientibus ejusdem terræ pro triginta libris totaliter eam locabat.
Quam, cum dissipatam et pene in solitudinem redactam in novitate prælationis
nostræ reperissemus, karissimo domino nostro regi Francorum Ludovico,
cujus nobili-[p. 92]tati tam devote quam fideliter deservire satagebamus,
tantum ecclesiæ detrimentura exposuimus. Qui etiam in hac terra intolerabiles
et pene consumptivas consuetudines habebat, videlicet tres in anno procurationes,
unam de collecta rusticorum, sufficientem tam sibi quam suis amministrantium,
duas de propriis redditibus Sancti Dyonisii, qua calamitate terra penitus
consumebatur. Qui, ut erat eximiæ liberalitatis, ecclesiæ tantum
detrimentum et pauperum angarias miseratus, amoris et servicii nostri benivolus,
procurationem illam de dominicatura ecclesiæ et nobis imperpetuum,
relaxavit. Illam vero quæ fiebat de collecta rusticorum, octo librarum
debito singulis annis sub precepto regiæ majestatis firmavit. Cujus
exhilarati beneficio, usurpatas et alienatas tam a majore quam ab aliis
terras nobis retraximus; clausos vinearum, videlicet apud Sanctum Lupum,
a viginti annis aratris redditos replantari fecimus; alias vineas juxta
Belnam pene destructas restitui fecimus; alias a quodam homine nostro viginti
libris aurelianensis monetæ emimus; villas omnino rapinis exhospitatas
rehospitari fecimus.
|
| 22. — The tithes of
Barville. In addition we have restored, for the opus ecclesia, the tithes of Barville, which, for more than 100 years it is said, were possessed by some knights in return for two sous rent, and for which we have gained each year 20 or 30 muids of grain. And, as the modest manor house had fallen into ruin, we had it rebuilt, strong and elegant: I also decided to define our rights over this house and, one day receiving [there?] a divine sign which destroyed completely the bed in which I would have been lying had I been there, as well as the floor of the upper room, the barrels in the cellar and the casks of wine; witnessing such destruction it was clear that Divine Providence had sparred me. We built there an excellent barn and two ponds which yield great numbers of fish, and will continue to do so if cared for. ....revenues were raised from £ 30 to £ 200 [!].
|
22. — De decima de Barvilla. Inter alia decimam quandam de Barvilla, quam milites quidam a centum annis, sicut dicebant, sub censu duorum solidorum habebant, quæ nobis quotannis viginti aut triginta annonæ modiis valet, sive quæque perdita prout melius potuimus ad opus ecclesiæ retraximus. Cumque dominicæ domus satis vilissime ex toto corruissent, hoc potissimum ad bas quæ modo sunt facetæ et propugnabiles construendas excitavit: quod [p. 94] cum constituissem determinare causas nostras in eadem domo, una dierum nutu divino me absente, tam miserabiliter corruit ut etiani lectum in quo jacerem si adessem, et plancatum solarii, et tonnas inferioris promtuarii, et vasa vinaria omnino confregerit, et sub tanta ruina, quod divina propiciatio michi pepercerit, omnibus fidem fecerit. Granchiam peroptimam ibidem extruximus et stagna duo, quæ multa piscium copia multo tempore illuc adventantibus sufficientiam, si bene serventur, ministrabunt. Quæ quidem terra quantum auxilio Dei sit meliorata et de quanta miseria fuerit suscitata, certum constat augmentura quod, cum prius triginta libras, nunc sepius plus quam ducentas tantum persolvat.
|
| 23. — [Essonnes]
The burg of Essonnes, now [called] Corbeil.
|
23. — De Axone burgo, qui nunc est Corboilus. Axonem burgum quidem Sancti Dyonisii super fluvium Issonam antiqua regum liberalitate sanctis martyribus collatum, sicut in antiquis eorum cartis continetur, atrocitas cujusdam tyranni in castrum Corboilum transtulit, et unde sanctos martyres in terra inde se de celo exheredare elaboravit. |
| 24. — [Champs]
Of the cella built at the place called Champs.
However, there remained a chapel dedicated, it is said, to St. Mary (the smallest I have ever seen), half destroyed, in a place called Champs, with an old altar on which, having been long abandoned, a plant was growing which the sheep and goats often feed upon. In this place, according to numerous witnesses, often on Saturday, candles were often seen burning, as though to signify the holiness of the place. Attracted by this, the sick of the place as well as many other persons, came there seeking health and were healed. So, providentially, the place being frequented by folks from near and far, our late venerable brothers, Prior Herveus and Odo of Torcy, were sent there [at Notre–Dame–des–Champs, “dionysian priory of Essonnes”] to serve our Lord and his holy Mother and to restore this place to the divine cult. Thus, in a little time, such a great number of miracles occurred
as to cause universal admiration and veneration and make it the object
of generousity.
|
24. — [De Cella in loco qui dicitur Campis.]
Igitur post multa annorum curricula, fere ducentorum aut plus, cum mater ecclesia Axonæ, quæ parrochialis est Corboili, sola quasi statua eodem in loco remansisset, eam etiam episcopi parisienses ex emulatione ingenite monasterii libertatis beato Dyonisio abstulerunt, et ut hoc ipsum fortiter defenderetur, Cluniaco et Cluniaci membris, videlicet Sancto Martino de [p. 96] Campis et ecelesiæ de Gornaco contulerunt. Ipsi vero tyranni corboilensis castri in malitia sua congelati, tam miserabiliter omnia sibi subjugaverunt, ut vix quicquam reliqui preter vacuum terræ fundum dimiserint et in proprios usus, tanquam proprii essent juris, ausu sacrilego redegerint. Supererat et quædam capella in honore, ut ferebatur, beatæ
Mariæ, qua nullam conspicatus sum minorem, semiruta, in loco qui
dicitur Campis, in qua et antiquum altare, quod supra ex solitudine concretam
herbam oves et capræ frequenter depascebant. Ubi testimonio multorum
sepe in die sabbati, sanctitatem loci significantes, candelæ videbantur
ardere.
Quo facto excitati indigenæ infirmi, et post etiam alienigenæ multi illuc in spe sanitatis concurrebant, et sanabantur. Cum autem divino nutu locus ille a multis tam propinquis quam remotis frequentaretur, destinati sunt illuc fratres nostri venerabiles viri bonæ memoriæ Herveus prior et Odo Torcetensis, qui et Domino nostro et ejus beatæ Genitrici deservirent, locellumque illum divino cultui adaptare et exaltare operam darent. Ubi statim tanta miraculorum copia sub ammiratione omnium in brevi
effloruit, ut et ab omnibus amaretur, ab omnibus predicaretui et a quibus
augmentaretur. Multitudo siquidem languentium, et qui vexabantur a spiritibus
inmundis, nec non cecorum, claudorum et aridorum incommoditas ibidem deponebatur.
Quorum miraculorum, cum innumera operante beata Dei Genitrice locum celebrem
personarent, duo inpresentiarum quæ visu aut auditu cognovimus, paginæ
præsenti ad honorem ejusdem loci accommodare curavimus.
|
| 25. — The
miracle of the mute.
There was a noble matron, a widow of many years, [who was] the mother of the Robert, venerable abbot of Corbie [1127–42], a monk of our house. As she was accustomed to visiting holy places, she came there with a young girl of 12 years who had never spoken. While she kept vigil with the girl in this little church one Saturday night, praying to God, when the brothers began the Te Deum, there appeared, it is said, to this little girl like an ecstatic dream, a glorious queen, beautiful as the moon, shining like the sun, dressed in royal garb, crowned with gold and precious jewels. She passed before her from the left corner of the altar to the right. When she called the little girl by her own name—“Lancendis”—the latter
responded, in a clear voice and an unusual accent: “My Lady.” This was
heard by the woman who was with her and many others. And from this moment
she was able to speak, as if she had spoken all her life.
|
25. — Miraculum de muta. [p. 98]
Erat quedam nobilis matrona, multis annis viduata, videlicet mater
venerabilis viri abbatis Corbeie Roberti monachi nostri; quæ, cum
loca sanctorum ob remedium animæ suæ frequentare consuevisset,
cum quadam puella jam duodenne, quæ nunquam fuerat locuta, illuc
devenit. Nocte vero sabbati in eadem ecelesiola cum ipsa muta pernoctans,
dura pro se et pro suis divinas solficitaret aures, ubi fratres inceperunt
Te Deum laudamus, visum est, sicut referebat, eidem puellæ quasi
in extasim raptæ quod quedam gloriosa regina pulchra ut luna, electa
ut sol, cicladibus regiis vestita, auro gemmisque pretiosis coronata, a
sinistro cornu altaris ad dextrum contendens, ante eam transibat.
|
| 26. — The woman with dropsy.
As we have promised, we think it appropriate to recount the story
of another miracle. A woman with dropsy, driven crazy by fear, was brought
by friends to St. Mary at this place.
Prostrate for several days before the alter, several people were
disgusted by her putrid and corrupt skin. She received no help and the
illness even deformed her face. Many people, both sick and well, started
saying that she should be chased from the little church.
But our venerable brothers preferred to allow her to stay, through
mercy, than to chase her away, though a lack of mercy. But one Sunday night
(it being especially at such times that the hand of God intervenes) the
woman was, contrary to her habit, sleeping, the glorious sovereign Virgin
Mary appeared....
Those who witnessed this—our brothers and others—....
The witnesses to this were stupified by the grandeur of the event
and gave fervent thanks to omnipotent God and his mother. They sang the
Te Deum and asked omnipotent God to continue, as he had begun, to honor
his mother in this place.
This is why, deciding by divine will, for the love of the Mother
of God, to honor and exalt this place which has been made so remarkable
by these and other miraculous and prodigious; and we have undertaken improvements
there.
On our own domains we fenced off (?) a field for a garden sufficient to supply the vegetables [for the community]. However, St. Denis possessed another [piece of land], poor and abandoned for a long time, which, thanks to some who come from neighboring villages, yielded a muid or less of grains and 2 or 3 setiers of nuts. We established there 3 carrucates in a new curia and a new barn. We placed there sheep and cows and the nourishment necessary for
them thanks to the abundant pastures and proper use of the land.
|
26. — De ydropica. Secundare dignum duximus et aliud, sicut promisimus, miraculum. Ydropica quædam tumida more [p. 100] pregnantis, nec minus pre dolore clamosa voce insanientis—premebatur enim humore aquatico intolerabiliter—manibus amicorum ad sanctam Mariam prefato loco portata est. Quæ, cum per multos dies ante sanctum altare delituisset, ipso suæ putredinis et corrupti elementi fetore adventantes multos reiciebat. Cumque jam nulla spes succederet sanitatis—tumor enim et sanies ipsam etiam faciem jam fere in informitatem confuderat—murmurabant multi tam sani quam infirmi, suppliciter postulantes ut ab eadem ecclesiola exponeretur. Verum fratres nostri venerandi viri maluerunt sustinere misericordes ejus ingratam presentiam, quam inmisericordes absentiam. Contigit igitur quadam nocte dominica—in his enim potissimum divina manus operabatur—illam hydropicam, quod non consueverat, obdormisse; cum subito gloriosa imperatrix Virgo Maria invisibiliter ad uterum humore refluo exhaustum, tam gracile quam nitidum cito restituit. Videres, et qui aderant tam fratres nostri quam alii multi viderunt tantam effusi humoris et decursi flegmatis in terra abundantiam, ut cum, scutellis et situlis et ollis illa asportare statim oporteret. Quanto autem qui aderant ob rei magnitudinem stupuerunt, tanto devotius laudes ommpotenti Deo et ejus Genetrici reddiderunt. Te Deum laudamus deplorando cantaverunt, et ut Deus omnipotens sicut inceperat honorem Genitricis suæ ibidem continuaret suppliciter efflagitaverunt. His igitur et aliis miraculorum et prodigiorum signis prefatum, locum insignem, divina dispositione, ob amorem Dei Genitricis honorare et exaltare amplectentes, edificatum iri instanter incepimus; et ut conventus [p. 102] fratrum ibidem Deo deserviret duodecim fratres cum priore suo constituimus, claustrum, refectorium, dormitorium ceterasque officinas regulares extraximus. Ecclesiam ornamentis, sacerdotalibus indumentis, palliis et palliorum cappis decenter adaptavimus. Textus duos, videlicet antiquum textum cotidianum et gradalem Karoli imperatoris, a matre ecclesia illuc defferi fecimus. Bibliothecam honestam tribus voluminibus posuimus. Nec minus circa victualia fratrum solliciti, duits carrucas in propria terra prope locum locavimus. Clausura vinearum aptum magnæ abbatiæ et bene valentem eis plantavimus, vinearum copiam multis modis adquisivimus. Torcularia quatuor penes se, in proprio fere quater viginti modios vini valentia, absque sumptu aliquo, ipsi loco edificavimus, usque adeo de copia eis providentes ut quandoque ducentos quinquaginta, quandoque trecentos modios vini large recipiant. Prata etiam sufficienter in propriis cespitibus circumfodi fecimus; hortos satis habiles pulmentorum seminibus satis fecimus. Erat autem quædam altera beati Dyonisii a multis jam temporibus destituta et in solitudinem redacta, uno etiam carens cultore, quæ forsitan a vicinis villis alieno cultore annonæ modium aut minus reddere consueverant, aut duos aut tres de nucibus sextarios, in qua tres carrucas in curia nova et granchiam novam eis instituimus. Oves et vaccas, et nutrituram ad opus eorum propter pascuorum ubertatem et terrarum emendationem ibidem locavimus. Aliam etiam, beati Dyonisii possessionem prope Brunetum ex qua sepe decem modios annonæ et vini fere decem, et fenum pabulo jumentorum recipiunt, de proprio obligavimus. De molendino etiam a saxaginta fere annis perdito, quic–[p. 104]quid recuperavimus eis dimisimus, ea tamen conditione ut in sequenti die festi beati Dyonisii viginti solidos refectorio, beati Dyonisii persolvant. In eadem etiam villa centum solidos inter censum et talliam habent. Corboilo vero in circuitu sui decerri et septem libras de proprio censu, preter alios redditus et venditionum et nundinarum, et aliarum consuetudinum, nec non molendinum et furnum, et octo modios avenæ cum gallinis, et prebendam integram Sancti Exuperii. |
| 27. — Mareuil [in Champagne].
In the pagus of Meaux, the villa called Mareuil suffered greatly from a right of way tax imposed by Ansold of Cornillon which extended alomost up to the very houses of the villa. Neither the peasants nor anyone else could leave the place without risk of being set upon by the servants of Ansold who collected this tax and brought to his court and forced to pay for leaving the villa. This is why we gave Ansold 1,000s for the peace of the villa when he gave up this right to us when he went on the expedition to Jerusalem; and, so that this right might remain in the property of St. Denis, we caused this to be confirmed by the hand of Bishop Manasses of Meaux and his church, as well as by the seal of Count Theobald, with the consent of his wife and son. As he admitted, he held this right unjustly. |
27. — De Marogilo. In pago Meldensi villa quæ dicitur Marogilum, occasione cujusdam viaturæ quam Ansoldus de Cornello fere usque ad ipsas villæ domus possidebat, gravissime infestabatur, cum nec agricolæ nec alii quilibet villani exire tuto auderent, quin occasionibus multis viaturæ a servientibus, Ansoldi raperentur et ad curiam ejus intercepti ducerentur, nec minus de pecoribus villam exeuntibus redimerentur. Nos ergo mille solidos pro pace ejusdem villæ, ut eandem nobis diniitteret viaturam, ei in Hiero[so]limitanara expeditionem proficiscenti donavimus, et ut beati Dyonisii deinceps constaret, per manum episcopi Meldensis Manasse et ecclesiæ ejusdem, nec non et sigillo comitis Theobaldi, annuente ejus uxore et filio, nobis firmari fecimus. Eam enim, sicut confessus est, injuste occupaverat. |
| 28. — [Lorraine].
Desiring to make known to our successors a certain exchange, just in case, with the aid of God, it might one day be better exploited, we have taken care to write it down. When the noble realm of France was raised to the status of a monarchy, the church of St. Denis benefited, thanks to the generosity of the kings, from the gifts of great and multiple possessions over the whole tetrarchic real, viz., in Italy, Lorraine, France and Aquitaine. However, while the unity was preserved, the disputes among the sons corrumpted and diminished it. This is why St. Denis abandoned Arlange, Ebersing, Salonnnes and many other possessions, and also lost villla in the pagus of Metz (namely the castrum of Guemines, Blidestroff and Cochelingen). To reclaime them we have often asked the Pope, as much because of the injustice of those who took over these possessions as the fact that they died in a very bad state, without confession. As an exchange [the count of Marimont] gave to St. Denis the place called La Celle, with all its appurtenances as enumerated in the charter of Emperor Louis, and we have placed there some of our brothers to serve God and in hopes of regaining [more] in the future. |
28. — Commutationis etiam cujusdam formam successoribus nostris innotescere cupientes, si forte Dei auxilio hoc ipsum in melius aliquando posset immutari, intitulare curavimus. Dum nobile regnum Francorum in statu monarchiæ consisteret, circumquaque sicut se regia potestas extendebat, per totam regni tetrarchiam, [p. 106] videlicet in Italia, Lotharingia, Francia, Aquitania, ecclesia beati Dyonisii magnis multisque possessionibus liberalitate regum abundabat. Verum quod unitas illibatum conservabat, filialis divisio et corrumpere
et diminuere elaboravit. Hinc est quod beatus Dyonisius Hecelingas, Herbertingas
et Salonam, et quamplures alias possessiones amittens, villas etiam quie
in pago Metensi existunt, videlicet castrum Gomundas, Blistetot et Cochilingas,
perdidit.
|
| 29. — Chaumont[–en–Vexin,
arr. Beauvais]
We have also worked to obtain the church of St. Peter in the castrum
of Chaumont, as well as the abbey when the prebends come free upon the
death of the canons, thanks to Archbishop Hugo of Rouen [1130–64] and King
Louis [VII, cf. Luchaire 167, 168 (1146)]. We established there 12 brothers
with a 13th as prior, to exalt this church and for the propogation of the
divine cult, and, thanks to God, we have had the church and cemetery consecrated
by the venerable Archbishop.
We have confirmed to the brothers who serve God there, as they have no vineyards, an annual donation of 20 muids of wine from the tithes which we have from the King at Cergy [near Pontoise; Dufour 163 (1120); Luchaire 289] and half of the tithe which we acquired at Ableiges [near Pontoise/Vigny]. |
29. — De Calvo Monte.
Ecclesiam quoque Sancti Petri in castro Calvo Monte sitam,
tam abbatiam quam ipsas canonicas, canonicis decedentibus tam a Rotomagensi
archiepiscopo Hugone quam a domino rege Francorum Ludovico obtinere elaboravimus,
necnon et duodecim fratres cum tredecimo priore, ad exaltationem ejusdem
ecclesiæ et divini cultus propagatione[m], reverenter locavimus;
et eandem ecclesiam ab eodem reverendo archiepiscopo consecrari et ante
eam cymiterium benedici, Deo annuente, obtinuimus. Quæ siquidem nova
quasi nobile membrum capiti suo ecclesiæ beati Dyonisii copulata,
[p. 108] quanto transeuntibus successoribus nostris a Vilcassino ad Normanniam,
vel etiam pro conservatione reliquarum possessionum in eodem pago demorantibus
apta sive idonea existit, tanto de propriis ut de acquisitis eam locupletare
tanquam novam plantam et confovere jure decertabit. Fratribus vero ibidem
Deo deservientibus, quia vineis egent, de decimis quas nobis dedit rex
Ludovieus apud Cergiacum unoquoque anno viginti modios vini, et de decima
quam nos acquisivimus apud Ablegiacum medietatem confirmavimus.
|
| 30. — Berneval [–le–Grand,
near Dieppe]. In the possession called Berneval, on the littoral of the Norman sea, I also received from my predecessor the charge of a provostship. From the time of the very valiant King Henry [I], when I was still
quite young, I had liberated it at, great effort, from the oppression of
numerous royal officers called graffiones. At the beginning of our term
of office we re–united to our church the parrish churches which the priest
Roger and his brother Godfrey had taken over by hereditary right and which
we gave prenamently, with their revenues, to the treasurer for the renovation
and augmentation of the ornaments of the church.
|
30. — De Bernevalle.
In ea autem quæ dicitur Bernevallis possessione, super Normannici
littus maris, in qua etiam primam alicujus preposituræ ab antecessore
meo suscepi obedientiam, quam etiam in tempore strenuissimi regis Henrici,
adhuc satis juvenis, ab oppressione exactorum regiorum quos dicunt graffiones,
multo labore multisque placitis emancipaveram, parrochiales ecclesias,
quas Rogerius presbyter et frater ejus Gaufredus hereditario jure sibi
vendicabant, ad dominicaturam ecclesiæ in novitate prelationis nostræ
retraximus, easque et redditus earum thesaurario ad renovandas et augmentandas
ecclesiæ hujus palliaturas, in sempiternum contulimus. Et quia fere
nullos redditus ad hoc supplendum habebat, aliam quandam villam in partibus
istis quæ dicitur Quadraria nuper ædificata, adjunximus. Et
hæc quidem quatuor marcas, ecclesiæ vero septem libras, si
tamen meliorari non poterit, persolvit. Redditus vero alios consuetudinarios
prefatæ villæ Bernevallis, tam in censibus quam in aliis, fere
usque ad quindecim libras, sicut credimus, augmentari fecimus. Consuetudinem
[p. 110] autem quam vulgo dicunt aquariam, quanique in tempore bonæ
memoriæ antecessoris nostri a preposito nostro qui eam occupaverat,
excutere adjuvimus, festivo piissimi regis Dagoberti anniversario refectioni
fratrum assignavimus.
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| II. 1. II. — On the Ornaments of the Church [An English translation of this text by Professor David Burr is available
through Paul Halsall's Medieval Sourcebook: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/sugar.html
|
II. 1. — De ecclesiæ ornatu. |