The last will and testament of a woman from Trieste calling herself "Maru, the handmaiden of God" (Maru ancilla Dei).
In nomine domini nostri Iesu Christi, imperatore domino Hlothario a Deo coronato pacifico magno imperii anno XXX, Hlodowi filio eius anno VI, die XXVI mense aprile per indictionem X et acto vero Tergeste.
Ego itaque Maru ancilla Dei dum iaccere in egritudinem, cogitans pro remedio anime meę ubi omnes ambulaturi sumus in die tremendi iudicii in bona commemoracionem et sanam habens mente integroque consilio, a presentem die facio carta de hereditatem de parentibus meis.
Volo ut sint vobis domno Luponi abbatia a parte sancte Marie seperb virginis, que avocatur ad Sextum de alivasc numero cestas XXXXXV in scuras.
Et si quis contra ista carta testamenti post meum transitum – si frater meus Iohannes aut neptes aut nepotes aut unus quisque de parentibus meis aut summissas personas – voluerit repliquared, aut causacione facere voluerit, ut componat libra auroe vobis domno Luponi abbati ad parte ecclesie semper virginis Marie seu ad successoribus vestris; et habeat anathema da Patrem et Filiof et Spiritu Sancto et currat in ira Dei omnipotentis et in laqueo diaboli; et peccatum meum supra se recipeat.
Et cartula ista testamenti a me Maru ancilla Dei facta firmag permeaneat.
Die et anni et imperatoribus indictione suprascripta.
Feliciter.
Acto vero Tergeste.
(S) Signum manus ancilli Dei Maru qui ista carta testamenti fieri rogavi.
(S) Signum manus Iohanni tribunis germanus eius cui relictum est testis.
(S) Signum manus Petro nepoti suo cui relictum est [testis].
(S) Signum manus Iohanni de Petro tribuni testis.
(S) Signum manus Iohannacini de Aquelina locisalvoris testis.
(S) Signum manus Martino Cabrisiano locisalvoris testis.
(S) Signum manus Leonide Claudio testis.
(S) Signum manus Tanculo vigarii testis.
(S) Signum manus Stefano vigarii testis.
(S) Ego Benedictus presbiter rogatus a Maru acilla Dei et a Iohanne germano suo in hanc testamenti cartula manu mea propria subscribi.h
(SN) Ego Dominicus clericus tabelio huius sancte Tergestine ecclesie rogatus et petitus ab Maru ancilla Dei, qui ista carta testamenti fieri rogavi, propria manu mea scripsi et subscripsi et conplivi et absolvi.
a) ex abati corr. A. b) sic A. c) sic A: pro olivas. d) sic A. e) sic A. f) add. sup. l. A. g) facta firma] add. sup. l. A. h) Ego Benedictus—propria subscripsi] al. man. add. A.
This testament is the oldest surviving private document from Istria and Trieste; it is also the oldest original document of the Archivio di Stato di Venezia. See the video presentation of the document here.
The elements of the datatio chronica in the protocol of the charter do not concur with each other: the 10th indiction and the 30th year of Lothair I's reign as king of Italy both coincide with the year 847; the 6th year of King Louis II's reign, however, gives 849.
The problem can be solved by presupposing a scribal error whereby "VI" was written instead of "IV" or "IIII". The fourth year of King Louis II's reign would indeed concur with all the other dating elements. Be that as it may, two out of three elements point to 847 which is why this year should be preferred over 849.
Image by Archivio di Stato di Venezia, formerly available online at their official web pages, but lost following the update to the new interface.
The digital facsimile remains under the exclusive copyright of Archivio di Stato di Venezia.