Graziadeo, the bishop of Poreč, invests Henry of Pazin, the son of late Maynard of Pazin, with all the fiefs he and his heirs enjoyed from the Bishopric of Poreč, except those which Henry bought from Biaquin II of Momjan.
In nomine Dei eterni, amen.
Anno Eiusdem nativitatis millesimo trecentessimo decimo, indicione nona, die vigessimoquinto intrante octubri, presentibus providis viris dominis Dominico preposito Pissini, presbitero Prodençalle Marascusio ecclesie de Vallis, Ivano plebano Sancti Vincencii Parentine diocesis, presbitero Petro plebano Pissini superioris et aliis.
Nobilis vir dominus Henricus de Pissino filius condam domini Maynardi de Pissino miles coram venerabili in Christo patre domino fratre Graciadeo miseracione divina episcopo Parentino constitutus peciit instanter se pro se et suis heredibus legittimis investiri de omnibus et singulis feudis, villis, terris, nemoribus et piscariis, et omni iure feudorum que obtinet et possidet ac sui antecessores possederunt et obtinuerunt ab episcopis et ecclesia Parentina.
Qui dominus episcopus, audita peticione dicti domini Henrici militis, eundem presentem et recipientem, investivit de omnibus et singulis feudis, piscariis, et aliis omnibus que tenet et possidet idem dominus Henricus et tenuerunt et possederunt sui predecessores ab episcopis et ecclesia Parentina, salvo eidem domino episcopo iure feudorum, et quadam cognicione vendicionis feudorum que quidem idem dominus Henricus asserit se emisse a domino Biachino de Mimiano, cui vendicioni seu translaccioni feudorum dicti domini Biachini idem dominus episcopus ad presens non consensit, sed dixit expresse quod de huiusmodi vendicione et translaccione feudorum intendit et vult cognoscere et veritate cognita dictam feudorum cognicionem, vendicionem aut translaccionem decidere et finire iusticia mediante. Et hiis perfectis, statuit terminum eidem domino Henrico usque ad festum Nativitatis ad docendum de omni iure feudorum et ad dandum eidem vel suo vicario omnia feuda sua in suprascriptis.
Qui dominus Henricus iuravit coram dicto domino episcopo omnem fidelitatem et reverenciam sicut verus vassallus.
In cuius rei testimonium et fidem idem dominus episcopus iussit presens instrumentum sui sigilli pendentis munimine communiri.
(SN) Ego Nicolaus plebanus Umagi imperiali auctoritate publicus notarius et premissi domini episcopi vicarius generalis predictis interfui et rogatus scripsi.
(SP D)
The document records Bishop Graziadeo of Poreč’s investiture of noble knight Henry of Pazin – to be identified with Henry Heinzmann of Pazin, Carstmann’s brother and one of the leading ministerials of the House of Gorizia – with the feudal holdings previously held by his late father Maynard, while simultaneously addressing a contentious property dispute that threatened episcopal prerogatives.
The investiture follows standard protocol, with Henry formally requesting confirmation of “all fiefs, villages, lands, forests, and fisheries” held by his predecessors from the bishops and the church of Poreč. The comprehensive nature of this grant –encompassing agricultural lands, woodland resources, and fishing rights – confirms the substantial extent of the family’s power, standing, and the economic importance of this vassal relationship to the bishopric. As argued by Štih (cited above), albeit without explicit reference to this document, the ministerial House of Pazin, the most important and powerful service nobility of the counts of Gorizia in Istria, was at the very apex of their power precisely during this period.
However, the central drama of the document lies in the bishop’s explicit reservation regarding certain feudal properties that Henry claimed to have purchased from Biaquin of Momjan (most probably to be identified with Biaquin II of Momjan, active in the final quarter of the 13th century). Bishop Graziadeo’s careful language reveals the symbolic and legal complexities surrounding feudal alienation: he “did not consent to this sale or transfer of fiefs” and insisted on his right to investigate and adjudicate the matter. This reflects the fundamental principle that feudal properties could not be freely alienated without the lord’s consent, as they were held conditionally rather than in absolute ownership – a resignatio in favorem was lacking (for this practice, see, e.g., docs. 1293_GM and 1310_FP).