Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/210

 Readings in European History The land given back by the church or monastery as a benefice or frecaria. the same possessions with all their improvements shall return to your part to be held forever. Should it accordingly be my fate to beget sons from a legitimate marriage, these shall hold the same possessions after my death, making the above- named payment, during the time of their lives. 1 If not, how- ever, these same possessions shall, after my death, without tergiversation of any kind, by right of your authority, revert to you, to be retained forever. If any one, however, which I do not believe will ever occur, if I myself or any other person shall wish to impeach the validity of this grant, in opposition to the truth, may his deceit in no way succeed. For his bold attempt let him pay to the aforesaid monastery double the amount which his dis- ordered rapacity has been prevented from abstracting; and, moreover, let him be liable to the royal authority for a pay- ment of gold equal to ; moreover, let the present charter remain inviolate with all that it contains, with the witnesses below. Done at, publicly, those who are noted below being present, together with the remaining innumerable multitude of people. In. the name of God, I, Abbot -, with our commis- sioned brethren. Since it is not unknown how you, , by the suggestion of divine exhortation, did grant to the monastery -, to the church which is known to' be con- structed in honor of St. -, where we, by God's author- ity, exercise our pastoral care, all your possessions which you appeared to have in the district named, in the vill named, which your father on his death bequeathed to you there, or which by your own labor you were able to gain there, or which as against your brother or against, a co-heir, a just division gave you, with courtyard and buildings, gar- dens and orchards, with various slaves, and such and such houses, meadows, woods, lands cultivated and uncultivated, and with all the dependencies and appurtenances belonging 1 Probably a choice was supposed to be made among these several almost identical provisions in regard to the rights of children.