DEED OF GIFT TO THE MONASTERY OF ST SEBASTIAN

MS 590/49
MS Short Title DEED OF GIFT TO THE MONASTERY OF ST SEBASTIAN
Text DEED OF GIFT BY GUISCLAMUNDUS, PRESBITER, PONCIO AND BERGONNA TO THE MONASTERY OF ST SEBASTIAN OF LAND IN THE VALLEY OF BUCURANENSE AND IN THE REGION OF CERDANIENSE. ISSUED UNDER THE NOTARIAL MARK OF THE PRESBITER GODMARES, WITH MARKS OF THE PRINCIPALS, GUISCLAMUNDUS, PONCIO AND BERGONNA, AND OF THE WITNESSES, BELASCO, BELUS AND ALAMIRUS, WRITTEN ON THE 7 KALENDS OF NOVEMBER (26 OCT.) IN THE 12TH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF LUTHARIO, SON OF LUDOVICO
Description MS in Latin on vellum, County of Cerdanya, Pyrenean Catalonia, 26 October 965, 1 f., 7x29 cm, (5x28 cm), 10 long lines in a littera minuscula carolina documentaria media (Carolingian documentary script of medium quality), opening decorated penwork initial extended down the length of the left-hand margin, witnesses sign by penwork marks, penwork notarial mark of the presbiter Godmares. Annotated on the dorse in a 17th c. hand, with notes on contents.
Provenance 1. Notary Godmares, presbiter, the monastery of Sant Sebastià del Sull (965); 2. Swann Galleries, New York, 6.11.1986:30; 3. Bernard Rosenthal Collection, San Francisco, I/280 (1986-1989); 4. Bernard Quaritch Ltd., London.
Commentary The regnal date refers to the West-Frankish king Lothar, son of Louis IV (reigned 954-986). The beneficiary is a monastery of Sant Sebastià in the 'valle Bucuranense' which is a 10th c. designation for the vicinity of Broça, in the southern part of the county of Cerdanya. It is the obscure (and long defunct) Sant Sebastià del Sull, in the valley of the river Saldes, just west of Bagà between the counties of Cerdanya and Berguedà. Information thanks to Nathaniel L. Taylor, Ph.D.
Published

Discussed briefly and cited in: Manuel Riu, "El monestir de Sant Sebastià del Sull, al municipi de Saldes, i la seva rotonda," Urgellia* 6 (1983), 245-84, p. 251. Archiv für Diplomatik, Schriftgeshichte Siegel- und Wappenkunde, 49 Band 2003, pp. 49-80; Mark Mersiowsky: Katalanische Urkunden in privaten Sammlungen.

*Urgellia: anuari d'estudis historics dels antics comtats de Cerdanya, Urgell i Pallars, d'Andorra

Place of origin Spain
Dates 965 AD