RRR: Eleemosynary grant
1835
year: 1219
initiator: Barzella Merxadrus, a crusader from Bologna
text: 23 Dec. In the Christian army at Damietta. Barzella Merxadrus, a crusader from Bologna, makes a will while gravely ill. He leaves 5 besants to be spent on his funeral, burial and for Requiems by his executors, the dominus presbiter Egidius, his wife Guilletta and his uncle [barbanus] Rainaldinus Maldinarus. He leaves his arms and armour and his coat of mail with one arm plate and a hood to the Hospital of St Mary of the Germans, in the cemetery of which he wishes to be buried. He makes an eleemosynary grant of the following from his goods in the army as a subsidy to a man who is willing to remain in the army until next Michaelmas: 2 sacchi of biscuit, 2 modii of flour, 2 corbae of wine, a quarter of a mezzina of meat, a pair of breeches, a shirt and 6 besants for sharing bread and wine. He leaves 1 besant to the presbiter Egidius to sing Masses, 2 besants to Rainaldinus Maldinarus, 5 small imperial solidi to Corradinus de Ponteclo and 3 besants to his companions, to whom he leaves part of the tent and its furniture, to be shared with his wife Guiletta. They should assure her peaceful possession of her section of the tent and its furniture [massaratici] while she is in the army. He leaves 2 besants to Iacobus de Ulgiano notarius, 1 besant to the Leprosary of St Lazarus, 1 besant to the army’s common chest, 1 besant to the Templum Domini and 1 besant to the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. He makes a further eleemosynary grant of 5 besants to the presbiter Egidius for the repose of his soul. He makes his wife Guiletta heir to all his movable and immovable goods and rights in the army overseas and to his share in the spoil of Damietta. He makes his mother Berta and brother Blasius heirs to all his goods in Bologna. Witnesses: dominus presbiter Egidius de Sancta Tecla; dominus Tiburtinus Rainerii de Spiularia; Bolnisius nepos Bonbaroni; Bonbaronus Merzadrus; Rainaldinus Maldinarius; Corradinus; Ottonellus de Roffeno; Ubertellus de Coruaria; Zagni de Castro Episcopi; Iacobus de Ulzano quondam Othonis imperatoris notarius, who also wrote the deed.
23 Dec. In the Christian army at Damietta. Barzella Merxadrus, a crusader from Bologna, makes a will while gravely ill. He leaves 5 besants to be spent on his funeral, burial and for Requiems by his executors, the dominus presbiter Egidius, his wife Guilletta and his uncle [barbanus] Rainaldinus... more
sources: Mayer, ‘Bologna’, pp. 165-6