The risks of guaranteeing censals, the Montjoi de Dalt farm and its relationship with the Pòlit farm (Vilamaniscle)

In the eighteenth century, the Montjoi and els Arbres farmhouses and estates belonged to the Romanyach i Pomés family, but because of a lack of heirs the properties were acquired by Josep Berta Filló for 5000 pounds, which he paid as a quarta trebel·liànica (traditional Catalan inheritance duty). He contracted a debt in order to pay this amount, with the father of his wife, Maria Heras from the Pòlit de Vilamaniscle estate, acting as guarantor. Two censals (consignative census) were drawn up, one in favour of the community of priests at the Palamós parish church and the other in favour of the Augustinian convent in the same town. This article will use correspondence and public and private records found at the Pòlit farmhouse1 to study this example of contracting debt in which family solidarity made the acquisition of two properties possible, despite the obvious risks the transaction posed to the guarantor.