ABSTRACT
During the thirteenth century the islands of Malta and Gozo were colonized from Sicily and Sicilian institutions were introduced. These included the notaries who drew up acts in the presence of judices and witnesses. In February 1398 Martino, King of Sicily, was carrying out a general reorganization of fiefs and other royal concessions, confirming old privileges and rewarding his supporters with confiscated lands, arrangements which included a number of new grants and confirmations on Malta and Gozo. The texts concerning Gumerin show the Crown's theoretical rights over lands of the royal curia on Malta, with the king granting properties or licences and seeking to maintain the conditions of service. On 23 January 1324 an act manumitting a slave at Malta was drawn up by Rogerius de Alammano, regius publicus notarius Insularum Malte et Gaudisii.
