S 128
A.D. 788 (Chelsea, Middx). Offa, king of Mercia, to Osberht, his minister, and Osberht's wife; grant of 1 sulung (aratrum) at Duningcland in the Eastry district, Kent. Latin.
Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church
MSS: Canterbury, D. & C., Chart. Ant. M 340 (Red Book, no. 2; s. viii2; OS Facs., i. 2; Ch.L.A., iv, no. 235)
Printed: K 153; B 254; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 77.
Translated: Stenton 1955, pp. 38-9 (lacks witnesses)
Comments: Sweet, OET, p. 433 (no. 18); Stevenson 1914, p. 696 n. 36, cited with reference to immunuty; Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 73-4, on place-names; Parsons 1939, p. 14, genuine and contemporary; Stenton 1955, pp. 38-9, original; Bruckner 1965, pp. 28, 40-1; Ch.L.A., iv, p. xviii, on script, no. 235, contemporaneous, probably original; Brooks 1971, p. 79, contemporary; Stenton 1971, pp. 306, 309, cited; Sawyer 1978, p. 143, cited; Scharer 1982, pp. 265-6, authentic; Brooks 1984, pp. 119, 350 n. 36, original, Canterbury formulation; Cubitt 1995, p. 272, contemporary; Faith 1997, p. 104, cited.
Endorsement:
Offa rex Merciorum . i aratrum . . . unningland
+ In nomine domini nostri Jhesu Christi . Ego Offa rex Merciorum tibi Osberhto ministro meo atque uxori tuæ et si contigerit ut vobis filius aut filia nati fuerint trado terram juris mei unius aratri in provincia Cantiæ in regione Eastrgena ubi nominatur Duningcland . Hanc autem terram ad hanc conditionem vobis concedo cum omnibus ad eam rite pertinentibus . . . . . propriis terminis cum campis pascuis pratis et cum omni tributo quod regibus antea debetur et quamdiu in hac vita vixeritis omnia vestræ subjegantur potestati . . . . . . . . . .
Hanc autem donationem meam atque conditionem multi religiosi testes subs . . . . . dali conventu in loco ubi . . . . natur Celchyð anno . . . . . . . . . dcclxxxviii .
+ Ego Offa rex Merc' hanc d . . . . . signo sanctæ . . . avi .
+ Ego Iaenberhtus gratia Dei . . . . arc . . . . . i et subscripsi .
+ Ego Hygeberht episcopus consensi .
+ Ego . . . . lf episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Heardraed episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Æthilmod episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Cyneberht episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Unuuano episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Uuaer . . . . . subscripsi .
+ Ego Hathor . . . . . . . . subscripsi .
+ Ego Ealgheard episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Ceolmund episcopus . . . . . . .
+ Signum manus . . . .
+ Signum manus . . . .
+ Signum manus . . . .
+ Signum manus . . . .
+ Signum manus . . . .