Dublin Core
Title
Sara, widow of Davi of Cabestany: Perpignan, 1286
Subject
Sara, widow of Davi of Cabestany
Description
Sara married Davi of Cabestany, a major moneylender of Perpignan, and together seem to have had three sons: Mosee, Bonsenyor, and Profet. Davi predeceased her.
In her will, she leaves nothing to her sons, since ostensibly they had already been taken care of in their father's will. Instead, in addition to some bequests to relatives and friends, she leaves nearly her entire estate to charity: specifically, to the education of poor Jewish children and to the dowries of poor Jewish girls. Nevertheless, the education of Jewish children in the region is expressly meant to also support the studies of her potential descendants. She funds this through the revenue from real estate she owns, houses that had been given to her by her father.
She leaves 500 sous to her minor nephews (the three sons of her brother) with the condition that the money be loaned at interest during the brother's lifetime, and that the interest go to her brother (with the principal ostensibly going to the nephews upon their father's death).
Sara names God her universal heir, which practically means that the remainder of her estate should be given to poor Jewish girls' dowries.
Seven Christians are witnesses to the will.
In her will, she leaves nothing to her sons, since ostensibly they had already been taken care of in their father's will. Instead, in addition to some bequests to relatives and friends, she leaves nearly her entire estate to charity: specifically, to the education of poor Jewish children and to the dowries of poor Jewish girls. Nevertheless, the education of Jewish children in the region is expressly meant to also support the studies of her potential descendants. She funds this through the revenue from real estate she owns, houses that had been given to her by her father.
She leaves 500 sous to her minor nephews (the three sons of her brother) with the condition that the money be loaned at interest during the brother's lifetime, and that the interest go to her brother (with the principal ostensibly going to the nephews upon their father's death).
Sara names God her universal heir, which practically means that the remainder of her estate should be given to poor Jewish girls' dowries.
Seven Christians are witnesses to the will.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Quia nullus etc. [in carne positus evadere potest] ego Sara uxor condam Davini de Capitestagno habitatoris Perpiniani, in meo bono sensu etc. hoc meum facio testamentum in quo etc. in primis facio manumissores meos scilicet Profaytum Davini de Capitestagno et Durandum de Malgorio habitatorem de Bitterris; quibus dono etc. In primis dimito amore Dei pro anima mea. quasdam domos meas contiguas que sunt in civitate Narbone in fusteyria que fuerunt Mayrii de Malgorio patris mei condam; ita quod ipsi mei manumissores et post eorum mor tem secratarii alyame judeorum de Biterris et quidam alius judeus de genero meo, teneant semper et percipiant redditus et proentiones [sic: praeemptiones] dictarum domorum; et de eis semper quolibet anno in perpetuum doceri faciant infantes judeos pauperes de schientia ebraica quoscumque voluerint, tam de Biterris quam de villa Perpiniani, quam aliunde, et specialiter de genero meo et dicti mariti mei si aliqui extituerint prout eis visum fuerit fore faciendum iuxta eorum arbitrium.
Item dimitto amore Dei pro anima mea LX sol. Melg. qui mihi debentur de proentibus dictarum domorum et amplius CCCXL sol. Melg. de quibus per dictos meos ma numissores emantur libri judaici; quos libros ipsi et post eorum mortem predicti secratarii de Biterris et predictus quidam alius judeus de genero meo teneant semper et in eisdem libris doceri faciant predictos infantes judeos pauperes quos mando facere doceri de scientia ebraica de predic tis proentibus et redditibus dictarum domorum ut superius continetur. Item dimitto amore Dei pro anima mea duos libros meos judaicos in quibus continentur V libri legis Moysi. Ita quod fiat de eis et fieri mando et volo illud idem quod mando fieri de predictis libris quos mando emi per dictos meos manumissores ut superius continentur. Item dimitto Juceffo et Cresques et Salamoni nepotibus meis filiis Davini de Malgorio fratris mei equis portionibus D sol. Melg. bonos sub hoc pacto quod pre dicti mei manumissores teneant et mutuent eos ad usuras in tota vita dicti fratris mei et totum lucrum quod fient cum eis quolibet anno in vita dicti fratris mei dent et tradant dicto fratri meo pro suis voluntatibus faciendis; et post mortem dicti fratris mei dent et restituant predictos D sol. Melg. in denariis vel in debitis inde factis si Deus eos servaverit pre dictis nepotibus meis. Et quod inde credantur dicti mei manumissores plano suo verbo absolue testibus et juramento. Item dimitto Sime sorori mee uxori Salamonis de Saverdia CC sol. Melg. bonos. Item dimitto Blanche filie Abrae de Magalas ad opus sui maritamenti XX sol. Melg. In omnibus vero aliis bonis meis quecumque sint et unacumque instituo mihi heredem universalem dominum Deum meum amore cuius solvetis et exceptis prius de bonis meis legatis meis predictis residua bona mea dentur et distribuantur amore Dei ad pauperes judeas maritandas per dictum Profaytum Davi de Capitestagno et Mosse Davini de Capites tagno fratrem eius. Et dono eisdem manumissoribus meis liberam potes tatem petendi. Exigendi et recipiendi ad eorum notician omnia bona mea. Et de eis solvendi legatam mean predictam et complendi ordinacio nem mean superius contentam. Que omnia predicta legata volo quam solvantur de bonis meis per dictos meos manumissores infra medium annum post finem meum. hec est mea extrema voluntas etc. Testes rogati P. de Opido et G. Coste macellarii ambo et P. de Braya bracerius et Sanxo de Villalonga et Domingo de Valentia et Bn. de Corniliano ganterius et P. Querubi.
[Transcribed in Emery, Jews of Perpignan, 187-188 (no. 137); first section revised in Winer, Women, Wealth, and Community, 189 n.8]
Quia nullus etc. [in carne positus evadere potest] ego Sara uxor condam Davini de Capitestagno habitatoris Perpiniani, in meo bono sensu etc. hoc meum facio testamentum in quo etc. in primis facio manumissores meos scilicet Profaytum Davini de Capitestagno et Durandum de Malgorio habitatorem de Bitterris; quibus dono etc. In primis dimito amore Dei pro anima mea. quasdam domos meas contiguas que sunt in civitate Narbone in fusteyria que fuerunt Mayrii de Malgorio patris mei condam; ita quod ipsi mei manumissores et post eorum mor tem secratarii alyame judeorum de Biterris et quidam alius judeus de genero meo, teneant semper et percipiant redditus et proentiones [sic: praeemptiones] dictarum domorum; et de eis semper quolibet anno in perpetuum doceri faciant infantes judeos pauperes de schientia ebraica quoscumque voluerint, tam de Biterris quam de villa Perpiniani, quam aliunde, et specialiter de genero meo et dicti mariti mei si aliqui extituerint prout eis visum fuerit fore faciendum iuxta eorum arbitrium.
Item dimitto amore Dei pro anima mea LX sol. Melg. qui mihi debentur de proentibus dictarum domorum et amplius CCCXL sol. Melg. de quibus per dictos meos ma numissores emantur libri judaici; quos libros ipsi et post eorum mortem predicti secratarii de Biterris et predictus quidam alius judeus de genero meo teneant semper et in eisdem libris doceri faciant predictos infantes judeos pauperes quos mando facere doceri de scientia ebraica de predic tis proentibus et redditibus dictarum domorum ut superius continetur. Item dimitto amore Dei pro anima mea duos libros meos judaicos in quibus continentur V libri legis Moysi. Ita quod fiat de eis et fieri mando et volo illud idem quod mando fieri de predictis libris quos mando emi per dictos meos manumissores ut superius continentur. Item dimitto Juceffo et Cresques et Salamoni nepotibus meis filiis Davini de Malgorio fratris mei equis portionibus D sol. Melg. bonos sub hoc pacto quod pre dicti mei manumissores teneant et mutuent eos ad usuras in tota vita dicti fratris mei et totum lucrum quod fient cum eis quolibet anno in vita dicti fratris mei dent et tradant dicto fratri meo pro suis voluntatibus faciendis; et post mortem dicti fratris mei dent et restituant predictos D sol. Melg. in denariis vel in debitis inde factis si Deus eos servaverit pre dictis nepotibus meis. Et quod inde credantur dicti mei manumissores plano suo verbo absolue testibus et juramento. Item dimitto Sime sorori mee uxori Salamonis de Saverdia CC sol. Melg. bonos. Item dimitto Blanche filie Abrae de Magalas ad opus sui maritamenti XX sol. Melg. In omnibus vero aliis bonis meis quecumque sint et unacumque instituo mihi heredem universalem dominum Deum meum amore cuius solvetis et exceptis prius de bonis meis legatis meis predictis residua bona mea dentur et distribuantur amore Dei ad pauperes judeas maritandas per dictum Profaytum Davi de Capitestagno et Mosse Davini de Capites tagno fratrem eius. Et dono eisdem manumissoribus meis liberam potes tatem petendi. Exigendi et recipiendi ad eorum notician omnia bona mea. Et de eis solvendi legatam mean predictam et complendi ordinacio nem mean superius contentam. Que omnia predicta legata volo quam solvantur de bonis meis per dictos meos manumissores infra medium annum post finem meum. hec est mea extrema voluntas etc. Testes rogati P. de Opido et G. Coste macellarii ambo et P. de Braya bracerius et Sanxo de Villalonga et Domingo de Valentia et Bn. de Corniliano ganterius et P. Querubi.
[Transcribed in Emery, Jews of Perpignan, 187-188 (no. 137); first section revised in Winer, Women, Wealth, and Community, 189 n.8]
Creator
Perpignan
Date
24 September 1286
Source
Archives départementales des Pyrénées-Orientales
Archives départementales des Pyrénées-Orientales, Fonds de notaires, series E, reg. 17, f. 43v-44.
See: Emery, Jews of Perpignan, esp. 187-188.
See: Burns, Jews in the Notarial Culture, 87-90.
See: Winer, Women, Wealth, and Community, ch, 4, esp. 78, 189 (n.8).
See: Klein, "Splitting Heirs..."
See: Burns, Jews in the Notarial Culture, 87-90.
See: Winer, Women, Wealth, and Community, ch, 4, esp. 78, 189 (n.8).
See: Klein, "Splitting Heirs..."
Language
Latin
Coverage
Spain
France
Contributor
Rena Lauer
Rebecca Lynn Winer