Beaulieu CLIV

Created Tuesday 29 April 2014

1005x28, a notice recorded for the monk Bernard of the property that he has variously bought over the years to support and illuminate the oratory of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the monastery of Beaulieu. This includes a detailed description of its scheme of decoration, which was or is to be scenes from the life of Christ, who is first explained in lengthy theological terms, 'the only-born Son of God before time without a mother and truly the son of Man born in the world without a father, one entire God without confusion of substance but with unity of person'. (Why is this display necessary? Because of the episcopal audience, or the nicolaitism that audience is being asked to endorse?) The scheme intended comprises the Annunciation, Elisabeth feeling Jesus in Mary's womb, the Nativity, Jesus at Mary's breast, the Presentation in the Temple and the Adoration of the Magi (surely out of position!), and apparently that's it, perhaps because of the Marian focus pushing them towards parenthood? Having set a curse for those who mess with this, the document then lists the properties as follows.

• a demesne capmansio with an orchard, vines and lands given to Bernard by his father (unnamed!);
• two denariatas of vine bought from Rigald and his wife and their son Aldebrand;
• five denariatas of vine bought from Gerald (which, if this is the transaction in Beaulieu CXXXVIII, are at Domesac);
• three modiatas of vine at Plaignes, next to a vine bought from Gauzbert (which he is presumably keeping!);
• two denariatas close to the vine he bought from Benoît;
• four denariatas given him by his brother Baseno at la Combe;
• a cottage at la Combe called le Verdier which he will hold for his life, with reversion to St-Pierre de Beaulieu (so how is that supporting the oratory then? The dependence of the place on St-Pierre is more or less established by this, which helps explain why this is in their archive);
• a manse at la Combe given Bernard by his other brother Gauzbert, also to be held by Bernard for life with reversion to St-Pierre and currently inhabited by one Riquilda;
• and a manse at Caumon bought by Bernard from the monks of Solignac.