Early-Medieval-England.net

S 1429

A.D. 736 x 737. Decree of a synod under Archbishop Nothhelm concerning the succession of a monastery (at Withington, Gloucs.) built on 20 hides (cassati) by the river Tillath (Coln) given for the purpose by Æthelred, king of Mercia. Latin.

Archive: Worcester

MSS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 25rv (s. xi¹)

Printed: Mon. Angl., i. 121; Hearne, Heming, pp. 464-6; K 82; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 585-6 (no. 8); Thorpe, pp. 23-4; Essays, pp. 309-10, with translation; HS, pp. 337-8; B 156; Earle, pp. 31-2; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 34; Pierquin, Conciles, pp. 244-5.

Translated: Whitelock, EHD, no. 68 (pp. 494-5).

Comments: HS, p. 338; Turner 1916, p. xxxiii, citing Stevenson, genuine; John 1960, p. 47, on legal background; Whitelock 1960-1, p. 1010; Finberg 1964, pp. 21-2; John 1966, pp. 85-6, on legal background; Finberg, ECWM, no. 21, authentic; Lapidge 1975, pp. 815-16; Whitelock, EHD, p. 494; Keynes 1980, p. 34 n. 59, cited with reference to legal background; Wormald 1985, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Wormald 1988, no. 1; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 130-4; Cubitt 1995, pp. 41, 80, 265, authentic; Bassett 1996, p. 166; cf. S 1255.

Wudiandun.
+ Gloriosissimus Mercensium rex Æthelred cum comite suo subregula Huicciorum Oshere . rogatus ab eo terram . xx . cassatorum juxta fluvium cui vocabulum est Tillath . duabus sanctimonialibus . Dunnan videlicet et ejus filiæ Bucgan ad construendum in ea monasterium in jus ecclesiasticum sub libera potestate pro venia facinorum suorum condonavit . propriæque manus subscriptione hanc eorum donationem firmavit . Præfata autem Dei famula Dunne constructum in prædicto agello monasterium cum agris suis necnon et cartulam descriptionis agri cui tunc sola ipsa præerat filiæ nimirum filiæ suæ in possessionem ad dominum migratura largita est . Sed quia hæc in parvula adhuc ætate erat posita cartulam conscripti agri necnon et omnem monasterii procurationem quo adusque illa ad maturiorem pervenisset ætatem matri illius maritatæ conservandam injunxit . Quæ cum cartulam reddi poposcisset illa reddere nolens . furtu hanc sublatam respondit . Quo tandem omni negotio ad sanctam sacerdotalis concilii synodum perlata decrevit . Omne venerabile concilium cum reverentissimo archiepiscopo Nothelmo hanc cartulam donationis vel regum vel supradictæ Dei famulæ Dunnan manifestissime describi . præfatæque abbatissæ Hrotuuari reddi ejusque possessionem monasterii firmissimam esse . damnato nimirum eo . atque anathematizato synodi sacratissimi decreto qui cartam illam subscriptionis agri primitivam vel per furta vel quolibet modo fraudulenter auferendo subripere præsumpsit . Atque hoc decernit sacra synodus ut post obitum ejus sicut ante statutum fuit a senioribus ejus ad episcopalem sedem castrum Uueogernensis liber hic cum terra reddatur .

+ Ego Nothelmus gratia Dei archiepiscopus canonice subscripsi .
+ Ego Daniel . episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Uuor episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Incguuald episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Uuilfrið episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Cuðberht episcopus subscripsi .

Kemble, Hearne, Dugdale, and Haddan and Stubbs, all add to this witness list four more bishops: Alduulf, Aluuine, Forthere, Hereuuald.