The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Will of Aredius of Limoges and his mother Pelagia

The will of Aredius and Pelagia, written by the former in his own hand (manu propria scripsi), is dated 31 October in the eleventh year of the reign of King Sigibert (572). After the formal opening of the will, Aredius and Pelagia list their bequests of property: there are legacies to St Martialis of Limoges and to the poor, but the large majority of the property is to go to St Martin's at Tours, and to the monastery of Attanum (in the Limousin), which Aredius had founded. The will is addressed to Martin himself, who is asked through his otherworldly power (and through the agency of the provost of his basilica) to ensure the successful execution of Aredius and Pelagia's wishes.

Text divisions below follow the page numbering in the edition by Aubrun.

p. 412] Itaque te, sancte Martine Turonensis, iudicantes constituimus [al. indicantes heredem instituimus], ita ut per praepositum sanctae ordinationis tuae basilicae [...] quod vero tibi vel quidquid unicuique donavimus, aut quod fieri rogavimus, haec omnia potestate et sancta dominatione tua, post obitum nostrum ut fiat et permaneat supplicamus.
        Ideoque donamus tibi, sancte Martine, per huius testamenti paginam, medietatem Griciensis; aliam vero medietatem cum aedificiis, vel cum omni iure suo, ut Attano [al. Griciensis cum omni iure suo, aliam in Attano] consistentes monachi nostri in perpetuum te, sancte Martine, deffensante possideant; ea videlicet ratione, ut ad monasterium quem Domino inspirante et adiuvante nos fecimus, et monachos quos ibi Deus per nos peccatores, esse ordinavit, aut inantea Deus ordinare iusserit, id est, tam de ingenuis quam de servis nostris, tibi, domne Martine, fecimus, ordinandos commendamus: ita ut si exinde, quod absit, quisquam abstrahere de potestate vestra voluerit, quae tibi, sancte Martine, ad loca sancta, amore Christi, et in tuo honore vel sanctorum aedificata sunt, aliquo malo atque iniquo ingenio, quod Deus avertat, quem regendum gubernandumque dignus haberetur, absque procuratione sanctae vestrae basilicae ordinare aut subdere neglexerit, sit per virtutes tuas anathema.
        Portionem nostram de agro Siscianensi [al. Fisciacensi], hoc est, domus et oratorium cum reliquis aedificiis, agris, silvis, pratis, pascuis, et accolis [al. areolis], cum omni iure suo, sicut a nobis praesenti tempore possidetur, tua sancta basilica, domne Martine, atque sed et commendati monachi Attanenses, quos sub tuo patrocinio vivere sancimus, et qualiter Deum propitium habeatis, et mancipiola vobis ex ipso fundo Sisciacum [al. Fisciacum] tibi, domne Martine, atque tuis monachis condonavimus, quod est ad partem basilicae tuae, aratores III Parminium, Talasium, et Claudium, seu et reliqua mancipia nostra, vel quaecumque nobis debita servitute debentur, exceptis illis qui iam liberi sunt, Clara scilicet et Marcia; Ursacium cum uxore et filiis similiter tibi ad servitutem donamus, ea vero conditione, ut quaternos aripennos vinae colant.

‘Therefore we have established you, Saint Martin of Tours, by our judgement [other mss: ‘we have decided, nominating you as heir’], so that through the provost (praepositus) of the sacred order of your basilica [...] what we have donated to you and whatever to each [heir], and what we have requested to be done, we beg that after our death all these things should be done and should persist, by your power and holy lordship.
        We therefore donate to you, Saint Martin, through the page of this testament, half of the estate of Griciensis; the other half with its buildings, and everything belonging to it [other mss.: 'Griciensis with everything belonging to it, the other in Attanum'], that our monks established at Attanum may posses it in perpetuity, with you, St Martin, protecting them; for this reason: so that to the monastery which by God’s inspiration and help we established, and the monks whom, through us sinners, God ordained to be there, and God ordered [us] to establish therein; that is, we entrust to be governed as many from the freeborn as from our slaves, to you, Lord Martin, so that if in the future (may it not happen!), anyone wants to remove from your control what we have built for you, Saint Martin, at the holy places, through love of Christ and in your honour or that of the saints, [or] if someone of a bad and wicked nature (may God avert it!), who is held worthy of ruling and governing, irresponsibly neglects to manage or assist your holy basilica, may he be cursed through your powers.
        Our share of the estate of Siscianensis [or Fisciacensis], that is, the house and the oratory with the remaining buildings, fields, woods, meadows, pasture, and inhabitants [other mss.: 'gardens'], with full rights, just as it is possessed by us at the present time, [we give to] your holy basilica, Lord Martin, but also the commended monks of Attanum, whom we ordain to live under your protection and in whatever way you may make God propitious, also the slaves of the Siscian estate, we donate to you, Lord Martin, and to your monks, that is to the portion of your basilica, the three ploughmen Parminius, Talasius and Claudius, and our other slaves, and whatever they owe you in servitude, with the exception of those who are already free, Clara, that is, and Marcia; Ursacius with his wife and sons we similarly give in servitude to you, on this condition, that they grow four aripenni of vines.’

p. 413] Cellam quoque nostram in honore sancti Medardi dedicatam, qua sub Gaudomaro [al. Gundomaro] sita esse videtur, et vulgo Exidolium appellatur, cum omnibus suis pertinentiis, monachi Attanenses, te, domne Martine, defensante possideant ...

'Our cell also, dedicated in honour of St Medard, which is placed under Gaudomar [or Gundomor] and is called Exidolium in common speech, with all that pertains to it, may the monks of Attanum possess, with you, Lord Martin, protecting [them] …'

There follows a further list of properties left to Martin's church, or to the monks of Attanum to be protected by Martin: estates, vineyards, woods, fields and meadows, together with their mancipia [serfs], many of whom are listed by name. Some estates are left to the church of St Martialis (of Limoges) and his matricula (the list of poor supported by his church):

Similiter et dono Genuliacum (al. Gemiliacum) cum aedificiis, pratis, silvis, et pascuis, vel omni iure suo, sancto Martiali volumus esse donatum […] ut servientes sancto Martiali vel matriculae suae per sanctum heredem nostrum accipiant.

‘Similarly also, as a gift, Genulicaum [or Gemiliacum] with its buildings, fields, woods and pasture, with full rights, we want to be donated to Saint Martialis [... more properties are specified ...] so that the servants of Saint Martialis or his matricula may receive them through our holy heir.’

Houses in Limoges and the castrum of Issandonis are left to Martin and the monks of Attanum. More properties and individual serfs are left to Martin.

p. 415] Martin is to use his powers to defend named individuals whom Aredius and Pelagia have freed.

A section then deals with the disposal of precious objects and money:

Similiter in oratorio sancti Hilarii corona cum cruce argentea deaurata cum gemmis pretiosis [p. 416] plena reliquiis sanctorum domnorum, et suo ornatu, valentem ad aestimationem solidos C [...] item palla super altariolo sancti Hilarii linita auro et margaritis fabricata, valente solidos XXX, velola per ipsius oratorii parietes tria, oloserico ornata, valente solidos VIII [...]

'Similarly in the oratory of Saint Hilary, a crown with a silver cross, gilded with precious gems, full of the relics of the saints, and with its ornamentation valued at an estimate of 100 solidi [...] also the mantle on the altar of Saint Hilary, covered with gold and fashioned with pearls, to the value of 30 solidi, an ornamented hanging of whole silk for the three walls of the oratory, to the value of 8 solidi [...]'

Similar objects are listed in oratories of St Maximinus and St Julian, and all, including similar things in the oratory at the Siscianensis estate, are entrusted to two 'martyrarii' ('martyrium-men'):

Haec omnia et ornata sanctorum, vel quidquid super sepulchra nostra martyrii Attanensis sanctorum, id est Scipionem diaconem et Aventiolum, quos instituimus ipsis custodiendum et studendum ante sanctos, et domno nobis Nicetio diacono sancti Martini consignavimus, simul et de Sisciaco oratorio tribunalia duo valentia solidos IV, vela ad ostia III valentia solidos IV, turres, calices, pallas et coopertoria praedictis martyrariis ad custodiendum tradidimus.

'All these things, adornments of the saints, and whatever is above our graves in the martyrium of the saints at Attanum, we have handed into the care of the deacon Scipio and Aventiolus, whom we have appointed to guard and cherish these things before the saints, and whom we have consigned to [the supervision of] our lord Nicetius, deacon of St Martin's; we have also given to the care of the above-mentioned martyrarii two tribunalia (? raised seats) worth 4 solidi, 3 hangings for the doors worth 4 solidi, 'towers' (turres), chalices, mantles and covers.'

The will then lays down that a weekly mass be held in the oratory of St Hilary in Aredius' monastery, presumably in commemoration of him and Pelagia:

Nam et adhuc adiuramus praepositus sancti Martini et monachos nostros Attanenses, per corpus et sanguinem domini nostri Iesu Christi et merita omnium sanctorum, ut in oratorio sancti Hilarii, in cella mea, quinta feria, omni tempore maturius, matutina et missa sanctorum domnorum a monachis ibidem revocetur.

'We further charge the provost of St Martin and our monks of Attanum by the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and the merits of all the saints that in my cell in the oratory of St Hilary, on the fifth day, at a prompt time, matins and a mass of the holy saints should be repeated there by the monks.'

The will concludes by stating that any property of Aredius and Pelagia which is not mentioned in it should go to Saint Martin. It concludes:

Si quis autem contra hos testamentum nostrum venire voluerit, aut aliud quam quod deliberatione nostra ista geritur, ire tentaverit, et hic et in aeternum per virtutes sancti et beati domni Martini sit excommunicatus et anathematizatus, et veniat ei illa maledictio quam psalmus continet in Iudam Scariotis centesimus octavus.

'If anyone wishes to go against this our testament, or attempts to do other than that which is set down by this decision of ours, may he both here [on earth], and in eternity, be excommunicated and cursed by the powers of the holy and blessed Lord Martin, and may he fall under that curse which Psalm 108 has against Judas Iscariot.'

p. 417] The will is signed by Aredius and Pelagia, and by their witnesses.


Text: Aubrun 1981, 413-417.
Translation and summary: David Lambert and Bryan Ward-Perkins.

Service for the saint

Cult building - monastic
Oratory
Cult building - independent (church)
Altar
Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Distribution of alms

Unspecified relic

Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Women

Crosses
Precious material objects
Precious cloths

Source

Discussion

Bibliography