Marston MS 241    Aix-en-Provence, 1263
Legal Document, in Latin, in roll format

[Heading:] In nomine domini. amen.  Cum multe questiones orte essent et 
oriri [s]perarentur inter illustrem dominum karolum filium regis 
[Francie, Andegavie]  provincie et forchalcherii comitem et marchionem 
provincie nomine suo. et nomine domine Beatricis uxoris eius eorundem 
comitatuum comitisse [et marchionisse] provincie ex 
una parte. fratrem ferandum de barratio commendatorem
hospitalis sancti johannis ierosolem in partibus cismarinis nomine d[icti]
hospitalis ex altera. que tales erant.  [text:] Petebat enim 
dominus comes predictus...et per eum dictum hospitale de dictis mille libris 
sicut de tribus millibus libris antedictis.  Actum aquis in prato palatii 
domini comitis predicti die veneris post festum beate marie magdalene anno 
domini.M.CC.lxij. in presentia et testimonio testium infrascriptorum...Et 
mei milonis de meldis publici notarii dicti domini comitis qui predictis 
omnibus interfui. et de mandato dictarum partium hanc cartam scripsi. 
et hoc meo signo signaui.  [III inserted] eiusdem tenoris. [siglum of 
notary followed by:] Et ego Gotfridus sitii publicus notarius in manuasca
et in aliis terris prioratus sancti egidii pro hospitali. et notarius 
in comitatibus provincie et forchalcherii pro domino karolo illustri 
comite. autenticum seu originale huius exempli vidi et diligenter legi 
et sicut in eo continetur de verbo ad verbum nichil addendo vel minuendo quod 
mutet intellectum.  ita et in hoc scripsi exemplo quod quidem 
originale erat bullatum et comunitum sigillo domini karoli illustrissimi comitis
provincie et forchalcherii et marchionis provincie. et sigillo domine Beatricis
illustrissime dictorum comitatuum comitisse uxoris eiusdem. et hoc feci de
mandato fratris Berengarii monachi preceptoris manuasce.  Anno domini.
M.CC.lxiij. xviij kalendas februarii. et sigillum meum apposui.

Copy dated on January 15, 1263, of an agreement made at Aix-en-Provence 
on July 28, 1262, between Charles I of Anjou and Feraud de Barras concerning 
respective rights of the Count and the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in the
area around Manosque.  The document therefore was issued the period between 
Charles I of Anjou's co-regency--along with his brother 
Alfonse of Poitiers--during the absence of King Louis IX of France (1252-1257)
and Charles' accession to the Kingdom of Sicily in 1265 (June 28).  Feraud 
de Barras was Commander of the Knights of St. John for 1259-1262, and this
agreement appears to be his last action in that office (cf. J. Delaville Le
Roulx, Les Hospitaliers en Terre Sainte et a Chypre [Paris, 1904] p. 415).
Among the witnesses cited are the troubadours Bertran d'Alamanon 
and Sordello.  Between the years 1252 and 1265, these two troubadours are 
witnesses to numerous documents as milites.  Sordello was also witness 
to two important treaties between Charles and the Comune of Genoa the week 
before on July 21 and 22, 1262, at Aix (M. Boni, Sordello, Le
poesie 
[Bologna, 1954] p. LXXXIX).  

The full text of the original agreement is found in the Cartulaire 
general de l'Ordre des hospitaliers de S. Jean de Jerusalem 1100-1310,
(J. Delaville Le Roulx, ed. [Paris, 1894]), v. 3, pp. 36-42 no. 3035.
Delaville reports that the sealed original is in Marseille (op.
cit. p. 36,
where he lists other copies) as does R. Sternfeld, Karl von Anjou als 
Graf der Provence (Historische  Untersuchungen Heft X [Berlin, 1888]) 
p. 166.  Marston MS 241 appears to be the earliest copy of this agreement; 
another copy not reported by Delaville is listed as 757 no. 7 of the 
Bibliotheque d'Aix (Catalogue general des manuscrits des bibliotheques 
publiques de France, v. XVI: Aix [Paris, 1894] p. 320).  

Parchment roll, composed of three membranes, measuring 1,455 x 201 mm. 
Text of the document covers most of the roll with little margin. 
Written in small gothic bookhand.  Surface much worn, with some loss of
text.  Unbound.

Early provenance unknown. Series of filing 
notes on reverse side, very rubbed. [In a 15th -century hand:]  
"Composatio [?] concordia et [? word] Inter dominum comitem provincie et 
forcalquerij et? Religionem sanctj Johannis."  [Below, 16th-century hand:] 
"par s? de comon? et par main...de? entre le comte de provence e la religion 
d'ospital de Jerusalem ou le sier? compte donne? a la d[ite?] religion toutz 
droitz de jury?...1262."   [Below, 17th- or early 18th-century hand:] 
"Thoard[?] Extraict de transaction Entre le Roy Charles d'Aniou compte de
provence et noble ferand de Barras commandeur de l'hospital 
de Sainct Jean de H. Jerusalem Juillet 1262.  ed.[?] Charles estoit frere 
de St Louis Roy de france."  Purchased from L. C. Witten in 1959 by 
Thomas E. Marston.

Bibliography: Faye and Bond, p. 92. no. 241

Barbara A. Shailor