S 123
A.D. 785 (Chelsea, Middx). Offa, king of Mercia, to Ealdbeorht, minister, and Selethryth, his sister; grant of 14 sulungs (aratra) at Ickham and Palmstead, Kent, with woodland in the Weald and other appurtenances. Latin.
Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church
MSS: 1. BL Stowe Ch. 5 (s. viii2 or s. ix1; OS Facs., iii. 5; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 222)
2. BL Stowe 853, 18r-19r (s. xvii)
3. BL Stowe 1085, 109r (s. xviii)
Printed: B 247.
Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 696 n. 36, cited, with reference to immunity; Stenton 1918, p. 444 n. 50, on royal style (= Stenton 1970, p. 58 n. 2); Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 61-9, 278-80, on place-names; Wright 1950, p. 392, early 9th-century copy; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 222, MS 1 contemporaneous, possibly original; Bruckner 1965, pp. 28, 40; Ch.L.A., iv, p. xviii, same scribe wrote S 155; Brooks 1971, p. 79, contemporary, cited with reference to immunity clause; Stenton 1971, p. 208, cited with reference to Offa and Kent; Witney 1976, p. 274, on swine-pastures; Scharer 1982, pp. 262-3, possibly original; Brooks 1984, pp. 184-5, on beneficiaries; Brooks 1988, p. 100, on topography; Fleming 1993, p. 117; Cubitt 1995, p. 269, on synodal aspects; Kelly, Selsey, p. 49, on script, possible copy.
Endorsements:
(1) Ycham.
(2) Offa Rex dedit Iocham et Perhamstede et quædam alia . Aldberhto et Seleðriðe sorori sue.
(3) Iucham.
+ In nomine unigeniti filii Dei regnantis in perpetuum . Quamvis sermo solus catholicorum ad testimonium rerum rite peractis sive peragendis fideliter sufficiat . tamen ob incertum futuri temporis eventum quoniam sæpe ex ignorantia sive etiam ex inprobitate contingit ut denegatio rerum vere gestarum nascatur .
Quapropter ego Offa rex Merciorum tibi Ealdbeorhto ministro meo atque Seleðryðe sororae tuae trado terram juris mei . xiiii . aratrorum in provinciae Cantuariorum in locis qui dicitur Iocc ham et Per ham stede et in saltu qui dicitur Andred ad porcos alendas in his locis dun ualing daenn sandhyrst suið helming daenn . et in silvis quae dicuntur bocholt et blea hean hrycgg et aliut inter torrentem heorat burnan et haganan treae et unius greges pastum juxta daening daennae et . l . be innan snade et ligna ad cedendum ad edificium seu ad conburendam sine contradictione similiterque silvam afundanter ad coquendum sal atque unius hominis piscatum in ðaem pusting uuerae et in haredum . c . plaustra onusti et duos carras ambulantes per totum annum . Hanc autem praedictam terram vobis concedo cum propriis terminibus cum campis silvis pratis pascuis et aquis . et omnibus ad eam rite pertinentibus rebus ut quam diu vita comes fuerit omnia vestræ potestate subiciantur . liber ab omni regali tributo et post obitum vero amborum daretis cuicumque hominum vobis placuerit cum supradicta libertate .
Si quis vero quod omnino absit successorum meorum regum vel principum hanc prefatam donationem ausu infringere temerario presumpserit sit separatus a participatione corporis et sanguinis Christi nisi ante ea reatum suæ presumptsionis digna satisfactione emendaverit . Hanc autem donationem multi religiosi testes subscripserunt quorum nomina infra caraxata adnotantur .
Actum anno dominicae incarnationis . dcclxxxv . in synodali conventu in loco ubi nominatur Celchyð .
+ Ego Offa rex Merciorum hanc donationem meam signo sanctae crucis Christi confirmavi .
+ Ego Iaenbeorhtus gratia Dei archiepiscopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Hygebeorht episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Ceoluulf episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Heardred episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Æthilmod episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Cynebeorht episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Haðored episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Unuuona episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Ealhheard episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Uuermund episcopus subscripsi .
+ Signum manus Cyneðryðe reginæ .
+ Signum manus Ecgfriði .
+ Signum manus Brordan ducis .
+ Signum manus Beorhtualdi ducis .
+ Signum manus Eadbaldi ducis .
+ Signum manus Æðelherdi ducis .