Notices
by
D. Joaquín Matas
Public notary,
Corresponding member of the
Agricultural, Scientific, and Literary Society of the
Eastern Pyrenees (France)
OLOT
Printing house and bookshop of Juan Bonet
1905
[...] and mud to grip the legs of the mules that bring charcoal.
Almost at the northern limit of the lordship’s territory lies the pass called den Roca, a striking place because of the extremely high precipices that form it. It seems—and so it is indicated—that, by a force of nature, an enormous rocky mountain split open to give narrow passage to the riverbank, leaving to the west an inaccessible crag on which the Castell s’Espasa (Castle of the Sword) was built, the rock serving as the castle’s base having that very shape. It can be climbed only with great difficulty, from the western side.
At its foot can be seen the ruins of a house, whose beam sockets are still visible in the rock; and on the other side of the castle there is a small area that can be cultivated. To the east stands an enormous, almost vertical rock face which, about fifty meters above the streambed, has the mouth of a large cave hollowed out inside the rock, which one enters by circling the mountain and making use of a dangerous ledge.
And tradition says that the castle s’Espasa, inhabited from very ancient times, had a convent of nuns at its foot, and that they kept their garden on the other side of the castle. Facing it was the cave still called del Bisbe (“of the Bishop”); when he said Mass, he rang a bell, the supports of which can still be seen at the cave entrance, and the nuns could hear it without leaving the house. This is quite believable, because the distance between one place and the other is very short, although to visit one another they would have needed to walk for a couple of hours.
Regarding the cave of the Bishop, my friend, the parish priest of Telaxá [uncertain reading], the Reverend José Puigdevall, assured me that he had seen a parchment recounting that a Bishop of Perpignan had been confined in that cave, and that he granted the church of Telaxá the right to reserve the Sacrament of the Eucharist, of which it had previously been deprived.
Grand and imposing is the spectacle of these mountains, with their impossible paths, their deafening echoes, and their blocks and rocks fallen from above, lying whitish like toppled giants at the bottom of the valley.
The inhabitants of the country, in order to carry their dead to the cemetery, are forced to hang the coffin from a pole which they bear on their shoulders, one at each end, and thus they overcome the path that leads them to sacred ground where they may lay them to rest.
Perhaps, in order better to mark the existence of this lordship, isolated or set apart within the County of Besalú, there stands on the eastern frontier, on the far side of the riverbank of Borró, a tower bearing that name, beside the royal road from Besalú to Olot, whose ruins are now overlooked by the great and single arch of a bridge on the new provincial road of Gerona, built nearby.
That tower was sold in 1350 because of the debts of its military owner, Sr. Vilaret, and was described as follows:
The house, stronghold, or fortress called Borró, together with the hill or knoll on which it is built, and with its ground, foundations, walls, doors, lintels, towers, fortifications, and munitions; [...] and the said mills and lands; [...] its entrances and exits, its trees, woods, pastures, and hunting and fishing preserves, etc., etc.
With long explanations that attribute great importance to it.
And on seeing the detailed account of its fisheries, mills, wells, roads, and enclosures, one must exclaim: how times have changed! For not only are the things so highly valued and carefully tended by our ancient Catalans going to disappear completely, but even the memory of their having existed. Let it serve as my excuse for recounting small matters that they deserve veneration, and the desire to inspire that feeling in others, because they form part of our homeland and of our[...]
The territory of the lordship consisted of the lands making up the farmsteads of Salas, Tortellá, Monteya, Gitarríu, Sadernas, and Entreperas.
Farmstead of Sant Andreu: it existed at least as early as 1395, and it was surrendered in favor of Rogert de Malart in 1414. It has disappeared.
Farmstead of Aspre: it already existed in 1384.
Farmstead of Ballúrs, now Ballús. It has disappeared.
Farmstead of Baníls: recorded already in 1385, and it took in the lands of the farmstead of Sant Andreu, on which there remained until recent times the chapel of Saint Andrew of l’Heura, whose patron saint was transferred to the parish church of Salas.
It was redeemed from servitudes from Gisperto de Malart in 1452, on payment of 3 sous annually at Christmas, while preserving the direct lordship for the castle. The redemption price was 100 gold florins of Aragon. In addition, they had to pay 7 sous for every man or woman who entered the house by marriage.
Joanot de Malart released it from every right owed to the castle for the farmstead of Sant Andreu, for 15 pounds and 4 sous, in 1545, except for one money-piece of annual quit-rent for the direct lordship.
Even so, in 1600, Jaime Baníls, beneficial lord of the farmstead and of that of Sant Andreu, acknowledged before Carlos de Alemany and Jerónima Juan de Malart, of the castle of Salas, that the inhabitants of those farmsteads were their bondmen; that they owed them oath and homage; and that for the evil customs[^1] they rendered 3 sous of quit-rent; for the evil customs of the farmstead of Sant Andreu, 2 sous; for all other rights of that same farmstead, 20 sous; for all other rights of the farmstead of Bañíls, 50 sous, which had been assigned to the benefice of Corpus Christi of Saint Vincent of Besalú and to that same beneficiary [...]
[...] the other third part for the lord of the castle of Salas, to whom no laudemium[^2] was owed, because he was a jurisdictional lord and such rights had by then been abolished.
On its lands are Codol Gros, Codol de la Font, and La Balma, boundary names of great antiquity.
Farmstead of Ceravosa de Sa, formerly Bautiná: it already existed in 1374. All the castle’s rights were reduced, leaving only 4 sous, by Ramón in 1376, and by Jacmeta and Gisperto de Malart in 1448.
Farmstead of Boigues or Puig de Sexá: it existed in 1316. In 1370, Ramón de Malart sold four yokes of oxen, eight man-days of labor, and four canadás, which belonged to him as lord of the Forcia of Sexá, for 20 Barcelona pounds. In 1432 the farmstead was renounced to Jacmeta de Malart, since its possession was useless and burdensome.
Farmstead of Boschs: it already existed in 1399, and in that year Roger de Malart redeemed it from censuses, tascas[^3], and every other right, though the price is not recorded. The deed was signed on the threshing floor of the said farmstead before Pedro Boxeda, notary of Salas, in favor of Margarita, wife of Juan Costa, its possessor.
Farmstead of Cabissó: it appears as early as 1300. Pedro de Cornellá exchanged and conveyed it to the chaplain of the chapel of Salas.
There is a tradition that on the lands of this farmstead an ox, tossing its head, and called Cabissó (“big-headed”), found the image of Saint Martin hidden there; and when they wished to carry it to the church, it refused to move from the lands of the said farmstead, now called Sabater, and so a church had to be built there, and it was called Saint Martin of Cabissó.
This agrees with the documentary evidence, according to which that village was formerly called Saint Martin of Cabissó and later of Salas.
Dulcia de Cabissó, who lived in 1300 and belonged to the castle, later came under the chaplain of the church of Salas. The farmstead of Cabissó disappeared centuries ago.
Farmstead of Caboch: it already existed in 1245, and Pedro and Ermesendis gave it to their daughter María in marriage to Pedro Serradell of Monteya, saving the rights of the lords of Salas: Inés de Cartellá and Ermesendis of Ampurias, Guillermo de Soler, and Bernardo Seguí. It no longer exists today. The husband brought 30 sous as dowry [interpretive reading].
Farmstead of Casáls: it already existed in 134[illegible], when Pedro de Cornellá redeemed it for Guillerma, daughter of Pedro Casáls of Sexá, and freed her from all lordship for the price of 4 sous and 8 dineros of terno.
Farmstead of Casadevall: it is recorded in 1365. It was attached to the old farmstead or forcia of Xexá, which gave its name to the hamlet. It paid 7 sous at Christmas for rights over men and women, representing all personal servitudes of men and women, that is, all the evil customs.
Farmstead of Casella: it existed in 1365 in the hamlet of Sexá or Xexá. The lord’s rights were sold and reduced by Ramón de Malart in 1370; and those remaining—namely 6 sous, 5 hens, 1 quarter-measure of wheat, and a half-measure of oats according to the measure of Besalú—were sold by Juan de Malart for 24 pounds in 1559.
Borda de Comba: recorded in 1296. It cannot be determined in which village it lay; but it clearly belonged to the lordship of Salas, since its owners, Lorenzo Pujolet and his wife Perpiñana, from the parish of San Vicéns de Pricipí, reserved it when giving it in marriage to their son Guillermo, who married Barcelona Comba of Gitarríu, from which it seems to have lain in Gitarríu.
Farmstead of Concas: recorded in 1342; and Ramón de Concas acknowledges before Roger de Malart that his farmstead belongs to him and that its mesada of Concas pertains to the Prior of Panissars, and that it rendered to the castle of Salas two half-measures of oats, one skin of wine at the vat, and to each [lord] fourteen eggs and one egg of batllía[^4]. It disappears in 1383. It no longer exists.
Farmstead of Costa: recorded in 1310 in the hamlet of Sexá. It was later sold, in 1370, to Pedro Boigues and attached to the farmstead of that name. It paid the castle tasca, one-third of the calcatura of bread grain[^5], tasca of wine, and 4 dineros of quit-rent at Christmas.
Farmstead of Cruanyas: it existed in 1339. It rendered two tascas of bread grain and wine. Its burdens were reduced by Jameta and Gisperto de Malart in 1448. To this farmstead were attached the ruins of the farmstead of Bautina.
Farmstead of Dalmau: it existed in 1516, and its owner was Rafael Dalmau.
Farmstead of Esplugas: it existed in 1342 in the hamlet of Sexá. Pedro Esplugas acknowledged himself to be a bondman in full, together with his offspring, of the lord of Salas, Pedro de Cornellá. Jameta, lady of Salas, exempted him from obligations of men and women for ten years, and afterward he was to pay for men, women, and servitudes (evil customs) 2 sous at Christmas and 3 sous if the owner had no children.
The owner, Juan, petitioned Magdalena Malart, lady of the castle, in 1535 to restore to him the farmstead of Cadavall, since it had been attached to the farmstead of Xixá or Sexá, which he had purchased, and he succeeded.
That farmstead was sold for 6000 Barcelona pounds in 1826, saving the lordship.
Farmstead of Fábrega: it existed in 1365.
Farmstead of Font: it existed in 1367. Ramón de Malart disputed it with the castle’s bailiff, who claimed it as his own. Roger Malart reduced the rights collected by the castle to 10 sous instead of the 50 it had paid in censuses. It is called stadium in 1433. Attached to it was the farmstead of Lladó, now disappeared. The farmstead of Font was sold in an execution proceeding before the Court of Salas and its judge Martirián Bonacasa for 412 Barcelona pounds, saving the lordship.
Farmstead of Frigola: it existed in 1376. Ramón de Malart reduced the rights affecting it in that year, as well as those affecting several other farmsteads of Salas and Tortellá.
Farmstead of Gironell: it existed in 1331. Established by Roger de Malart under annual censuses of 18 sous, half on Saint Peter’s day and half at Christmas; 5 sous at Christmas for the entry of men and women; and tasca on grain and wine harvests. Lands of this farmstead were charged to the benefice of the castle chapel.
Farmstead of Guixer: it existed in 1295. In 1600, Montserrat Guixer acknowledges before Carlos and Jerónima, lords of Salas, that for his farmstead he renders two half-measures of oats, one mallal of wine, one sou, and two hens.
Farmstead of Guixeras: it existed in 1411. In that year the veguer of Besalú imposed a fine of 15 sous on it, supposing that it belonged to the king; but Roger de Malart reclaimed it for the castle of Salas, since the judge ruled revoking the fine to the sound of a trumpet. It was sold in 1735 to Francisco Pujol for 1425 pounds, saving the lordship of the castle of Salas.
Farmstead of Humbert: in 1272, in the hamlet of Sexá. It rendered tasca of bread grain, wine, and olives; one-third of the calcatura of bread grain and 6 dineros of quit-rent at Christmas. It was established by Guillermo and later Poncio de Sexá, men-at-arms, with his wife Inés, for Arnaldo and Bernardo, in that year and in 1310. At that time it did not yet belong to the lordship of Salas, to which it later passed.
Farmstead of Jonquerol: it existed in 1345. In 1404 it was absolved and redeemed in the person of Inés, daughter of Pedro Jonquerol, who was a bondwoman of Roger de Malart, for the price of 2 sous and 8 dineros; and Jacmeta, widow of Malart, reduced all burdens to half tasca of bread grain and wine. Later it paid 20 sous for the entry of a man or woman by marriage. It lies in the hamlet of Sexá.
In 1543 it rendered solemn homage to Juan de Ma[illegible], through the hand of his brother Jerónimo, his attor[illegible].
It is said that a representative of this house killed the last lord of Salas, who claimed the so-called sixth evil custom or right of the first night with that man’s wife.
Farmstead of Lombert or Llombert: it existed in 1316, in the hamlet and then-lordship of Sexá. It was redeemed for 10 pounds by Ramón de Malart in 1373, in the persons of Miguel, his wife Inés, Bernardo, his son, and their offspring; but he reserved Arnaldo and Guillermo, his other sons, who remained unredeemed.
It rendered one hen of quit-rent on Saint Michael’s day, 2 sous and 5 dineros at Christmas, and tasca of bread grain, wine, olives, flax, hemp, and the like. It also rendered a quarter-measure of wheat to the castle chapel.
This lordship of Sexá passed by sale to the lordship of Salas, and besides many farmsteads and lands it had a hospital.
Farmstead of Lledó: it existed in 1548 and long before. It was attached to the farmstead of Font by Juan de Malart; it was restored by repurchase to Jerónima Juana de Malart, in 1592, and still existed in 1634. Its exact location is unknown.
Farmstead of Magencás: it existed in 1298. In that year it was redeemed by Pedro Coll, man-at-arms, its owner and lord, in favor of Beatriz, daughter of Ramón Magencás de Vall, and her offspring; price: 7 sous and 8 dineros. By 1367 it already belonged to the lordship of Salas.
Farmstead of Massán: in 1412, Roger defines for Beatriz, daughter of Ramón de Castlá, or for her brother Alfonso, and whoever else may have right, all the foriscapios[^6] that there might be. Today no memory remains of this farmstead.
[^1]: Evil customs (malos usos): feudal personal burdens and servitudes common in medieval Catalonia.
[^2]: Laudemium: a payment owed to the lord upon the transfer or sale of land held under seigneurial lordship.
[^3]: Tasca: a seigneurial due or rent, often paid in kind from the harvest.
[^4]: Batllía: probably a tribute or payment connected with the jurisdiction of the batlle (bailiff).
[^5]: Calcatura de pan: uncertain reading; probably a seigneurial charge or share connected with grain production or threshing.
[^6]: Foriscapio: a feudal right or penalty related to transfer, abandonment, or forfeiture of tenure.