Charta Qua Lonegisilus Monasteriolum A Se Conditum Ac Quidquid Acquisivit

APPENDIX. (Brequiguy, Diplom., vol. I) Charter by which Lonegisilus donates to Hadoindus, Bishop of Le Mans, and to his Church, the little monastery he founded in the vicus of Busiacus, as well as everything he has acquired or may acquire (Year 625) In the name of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit. It is fitting for every man to prepare for the day of his death with good works, lest the last day of his life find him unprepared, without the fruit of good work. Therefore, I, Lonegisilus, an unworthy priest, and, though not in deed, yet in will a monk, considering the case of human frailty, leaving behind the land of my native Alemannia and my noble and wealthy kinsmen, who compelled me to live in a worldly manner and bound me to the royal military service, and exercised me in arms, and drew me away from the service of Christ, and urged me to serve mortal gods; but, as I believe, by divine inspiration I rejected them, because they seemed vain to me, and I took care to join myself to the almighty God. I then began to seek out Christians, so that I might learn from them how I should act; instructed by them in letters and baptized, I became a Christian. Afterwards, I began to frequent the places of the saints and monasteries, and to seek places where I might build some small cell. Thus, with the Lord leading, I arrived in the territory of Le Mans, where I was kindly received by my lord Hadoindus.

I revealed my will to him, and disclosed how I had acted from my infancy. Encouraged by him, I began, with his aid and exhortation, to seek in that same pagus a place where I might establish a small cell for the winning of souls. On a certain day, however, I arrived at Busiacus, a canonical vicus, where I was received by the priests and the inhabitants of that place. When I disclosed my intention to them, they began to urge me to build a cell in that same place, because it is a populous locality, and much alms come there, and our people, loving God, would sufficiently provide for me, provided that I obtain the place from the bishop. They immediately gave me their inheritances and granted many possessions. When I reported this to my lord Hadoindus, he gave thanks to God, and ordained me a priest, and gave me the aforementioned vicus of Busiacus together with its remaining estates and appurtenances, on the condition, namely, that I be subject to the mother church of Le Mans, and that whatever I might acquire and attract from anywhere I should hand over to him, and that the aforesaid monastery, with all things pertaining to it, should belong to the aforesaid church, as it had previously been, together with everything I might be able to gain there, for all future times.

I willingly entrusted myself to his hands, and all the things which I was able to acquire, or might be able to acquire in the future, I have by this charter delegated perpetually for possession, either to him or to his successors, by the leave and permission or grant of the lord King Clothair, together with his missus, named Buccellinus, the count, I have legally handed over and confirmed. For from that lord of mine, Bishop Hadoindus, I received, from the property of his see of the church of Saint Mary and Saints Gervasius and Protasius, some part of the villa of Lucdunum, together with the aforesaid vicus of Buxidum, as well as other things which I begged of him, and many ecclesiastical ornaments, by which I was greatly enriched, for the completion of that same small monastery. Supported by his help and by workmen and masters, I merited to build the monastery there.

Later, however, I was accused and brought before King Chlothar; but the Lord, who always aids those who hope in him, himself helped me and turned that accusation into good, and I found, through his mercy, the favor of King Chlothar, and was enriched by him with many gifts, and he decreed that from the aforementioned little monastery silver should be paid each year, by which I might be able to complete it, and he granted me his protection; and thus returning, I handed over all those things through these documents to my aforementioned lord Hadoindus the bishop and his church to be held perpetually, and by the command and exhortation of the lord Chlothar, we handed over and confirm, namely in such a way that in future times monks, always living there according to the rule, under the authority of the pontiffs, should remain, that is to say, on the condition and pretext that the gift given to the pontiff, not in a judicial manner but in an ecclesiastical one, under full immunity, as has been possessed up to now by the known one, in the oratory of the right of Saint Peter, whose tooth from Rome, by the Lord's granting, I merited to find upon the body and upon the altar of the same Saint Peter, with the prince of the apostles himself revealing it, and to have it brought to my lord Hadoindus the bishop, which he himself commended to the Lord with his prayers, and solemnly placed in our aforementioned oratory; I return our aforementioned little monastery through this page of testament to my lord Hadoindus the bishop, and whatever I have acquired, or might be able to acquire in the future, in all things.

both movable and immovable property, I give and transfer into the right, power, and dominion of Saint Mary, mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, so that it may remain, with God protecting and assisting, under the governance of their rectors and pontiffs. Although it is not necessary to attach a penalty to deeds of transfer, yet for the sake of complete firmness we have decided to insert one. If anyone (which we do not believe will happen), whether we ourselves—which God forbid—or any of our heirs, or any person whatsoever, moved or misled by cunning, at any time should wish to challenge or act against this comprehensive charter of our transfer, which we have decreed to be made of our own free will for the sake of the name of the Lord and out of reverence for that holy place, or should prove to be a tergiversator, let him be anathema; and both the one who does it and the one who consents to doing it shall be anathema, and before the tribunal of Christ he shall render account to the aforementioned holy apostle; moreover, according to the penalty of the secular law, compelled by the treasury, he shall cause to be paid to the parties of that church or their rectors one hundred pounds of gold and two hundred weights of silver, and what he seeks he shall in no way be able to claim; but this present transfer and our will shall remain inviolate for all time, supported by stipulation. And so that this transfer may be held more firmly and preserved inviolably, we have signed it below with our own hands, and have decided to strengthen it with the signatures of other good men.

In the public market of Sagonna. Given on the eighth day before the Kalends of December, in the fifty-second year of the reign of King Clothar. I, Lonegisilus, unworthy priest and monk by will, have subscribed and requested to confirm this donation made by me. In the name of God, I, Medegiselus, archbishop of the city of Tours, a sinner, at the request of Lonegisilus, have subscribed. In the name of God, I, Magnobonus, a sinner, bishop, at the request of Lonegisilus, have subscribed. In the name of God, I, Abbo, by the mercy of Christ a bishop, have subscribed. The mark of Count Odilardus. The mark of Count Leobadus. The mark of Count Ratgaudus. I, Benedictus, abbot, have subscribed. I, Siagrius, abbot, have subscribed. I, Leutfridus, abbot, have subscribed. The mark of Leutramnus. The mark of Turingo. The mark of Teutbertus. The mark of Paternus. The mark of Bubo. The mark of Ibbolenus. Agatho Honoratus has subscribed. Gheirinus, at the request of my lord King Clothar, has subscribed. Guntinus Honoratus has subscribed. I, Ibbo, notary, have subscribed, read through, and noted the day and year.

II. Charter by which Lonegisilus received from the church of Le Mans, to be held by usufructuary right, the little monastery founded by him in the place called Busia(??)o and donated to that church (Year 625). To the lord, holy and venerable apostolic see, Hadoindus, bishop of Le Mans, together with the holy congregation dwelling in that city, I, Lonegisilus, unworthy priest and monk by will, come as a suppliant to you.

Since it was my request, and your will decreed, that the little monastery which is built in honor of Saint Peter, and is situated in the territory of holy Mary Mother of God and of the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, mother and senior church of the city of Le Mans, in the district of Le Mans, in the place called Busiacus, a canonical village, which I, Lonegisilus, once by your generosity merited to receive, and with your help to rebuild through your benefice under a usufructuary arrangement for the term of my life, with all things pertaining or belonging to it, you permitted me to hold, and I agreed to pay annually, to the mother church of the city, and to its bishops and rectors, that is, for the lighting of the church, four major pounds of wax, and six pounds and two treantes of oil, and for the use of the bishop one cambutta and one pellicia, and half a pound of silver of public coinage, and for the use of the canons two modii of wine for making charity; and if I should appear negligent or tardy regarding that payment, I shall give surety therefor, and I shall not lose that little monastery during my lifetime; and I shall have no authority to sell, give, or alienate it anywhere, except that it shall remain under the right and power and dominion of holy Mary and the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, or of their bishops and rectors. And after my death also.

With the Lord leading, after my departure from this light, without any objection from that judge or contradiction from our heirs, you, or your rectors and successors, shall cause the aforesaid little monastery, with all its integrity and the things belonging or pertaining to it, to be recalled into your power or dominion. And so that these precariae, written in a single tenor—one to be deposited in the treasury of the city church, and the other which I, Lonegesilus, have received from you—may remain firm and stable for all time. Done in the city of Cenomannum, publicly. Given on the Kalends of December, in the 52nd year of the reign of King Clotharius. I, Hadoindus, sinner, bishop, have subscribed this precaria made by me. I, Winomannus, unworthy abbot, have subscribed. I, Christianus, unworthy abbot, have subscribed. I, Bidilo, unworthy abbot, have subscribed. I, Benedictus, unworthy archdeacon, have subscribed. I, Innocens, unworthy archpriest, have subscribed. I, Berto, unworthy priest, have subscribed. I, Winegaudus, unworthy priest, have subscribed. I, Ratgaudus, unworthy priest, have subscribed. I, Brichius, unworthy priest, have subscribed. I, Wallisius, unworthy deacon, have subscribed. I, Aldabertus, unworthy deacon, have subscribed. The mark of Hartgaudus. The mark of Requisitus. The mark of Sigemarus. The mark of Walandus. The mark of Sigebodus. The mark of Sigefredus. I, Walefredus, deacon, at the request of my lord Hadoindus, bishop, have written and subscribed this precaria.

III. Charter of Chlothar II, King of the Franks, by which he confirms the gift of the little monastery conferred by Lonegisilus upon the Church of Le Mans, and the cession of the same little monastery made by that Church to Lonegisilus, under the law of usufruct (year 627). Chlothar, King of the Franks, illustrious man. If we both grant the petitions of the servants of God or of good men which have been reported to our ears, and bring them to effect, we trust that this pertains to us for the reward of eternal salvation and for stability in the name of God.

Therefore, the illustrious man, Lord Lonegisilus, by a direct petition asserting the clemency of our kingdom, made known to us that some days ago, in the land of holy Mary and the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, of the mother and senior church of the city of Le Mans, together with the consent of Hadoindus, bishop of the city of Le Mans, and his congregation, he built or rebuilt a certain little monastery, with the aforementioned bishop consenting and also providing no small assistance, in honor of Saint Peter, and improved it with the silver which we had given him; and after he came there, and by the generosity of the aforementioned bishop held it, as is contained in their instruments and precariae, the properties and slaves which were conveyed to that same little monastery by good and God-fearing men, both in the district of Le Mans and in other districts and territories, with all their appurtenances or appendages, with everything unclaimed, he conveyed and assigned to the aforementioned mother and city church, which is in honor of holy Mary and the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, and to the aforementioned Lord Hadoindus, bishop, who at present seems to preside there as guardian and rector, those same properties by our permission, and through our license and authority, by his own instruments.

He likewise sought our Highness, that we might cause it to be more fully confirmed by our authority; to whose petitions we gladly gave assent, and confirmed them in all things. For we command and decree that, just as the aforementioned Lonegisilus, priest and monk, has built that little monastery in that land of holy Mary and the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, together with the lands, houses, buildings, serfs, vineyards, woods, meadows, pastures, waters and watercourses, mills, livestock, monies, movable and immovable goods, and whatever other benefices, which he has transferred and assigned to that house of God by his own instruments, and whatever in our times and in future times shall be conveyed to that same place, and which at present is seen to be possessed or held there in due order, so also henceforth, upon inspection of that charter of donation and precarial acceptance, we by this decree more fully confirm, in the name of God, the little monastery named above, with all its integrity, to that aforesaid house of holy Mary and the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, that it may prosper for our times and for future times, by the most firm right, unto increase. And that this decree may be held more firmly and be preserved in all things, we have decreed to strengthen it below with the subscriptions of our hand and to seal it with our seal. I, Clotharius, king of the Franks, have subscribed. I, Adogrimus, by order presented and subscribed. Given on the eighth day which the month of January made.

In the fifty-third year of our reign, at our palace of Compiègne, in the name of God, happily. Amen. IV. Charter by which Romaricus founds a monastery of maidens, near the Castle of Avendus (in the year 620). In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Since the world, placed in evil, impiously attempts to break the lawful donations of the faithful, therefore reason demands that we also take care to confirm reasonably those things which have been given for the increase of churches. Let it be known, therefore, to the whole body of all Catholics, both present and future, that I, Romaricus, Count of Avendus, seeing men of virtue bearing the stigmata of the poor Jesus in voluntary poverty on their own bodies, and dwelling in deserted and thorny places, so that by holy penance they might preach to all ages the bitterness and harshness of the cross, celebrated throughout the world; according to my desire, I prepared for them a place on Mount Rombech, near my castle, on a mountain sufficiently wooded and rugged, not far from the bank of the river Moselle, so that where formerly the roaring and howling of wild beasts frequently sounded in the ears of men, there afterwards in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles the giving of thanks and the voice of praise might more frequently resound in the ears of angels; and that wooded mountain became a dwelling place for these holy women, who, by their knowledge and eagerness, dwell in the heavens.

For with thorns and briars uprooted, I built there a monastery of nuns of the Benedictine order, in honor of the most holy Trinity and the most blessed Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, and the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints. Which monastery, indeed, took its name appropriate to the character of the place: it is called Mons Sanctus. Then, with the common consent of my people, I gathered a congregation of holy nuns, to whom I granted the aforesaid monastery, with Abbess Gertrude, my firstborn daughter, and her sister Clara, my daughter, and the other nuns, so that they may serve God securely and freely, and without fear for earthly goods. I give and grant freely and purely, because I desire to serve God, my entire patrimony, namely the whole county of Avendun, to be held in the same manner, form, authority, and property as my father and I held it. This gift was made on the fourth day before the Nones of March, in the year 620 from the Incarnation of the Lord, with Clothar, the glorious king of the Franks, reigning. The witnesses are: Arnoald, bishop of Metz; Dodo, bishop of Toul; Paul, bishop of Verdun; Arnulf, my kinsman, duke of Mosellanica Austrasia; Brunulf, count of Templacum; Waubert, duke of Lower Austrasia, count of Salm.

And so that no one may ever dare rashly to challenge this alms, or to inflict any injury upon the nuns serving God in this place, I have confirmed it by the authority of my seal and of the aforementioned king, bishops, dukes, and counts.