S 24

A.D. 741 (Lyminge). Æthelberht II, king of Kent, to the church of St Mary, Lyminge; grant of fishing rights in the river Limen, land around the oratorium of St Martin (? at New Romney), and pasture at Biscopes wic (The Wicks, Broomhill, Kent). Latin.

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church (ex Lyminge)

MSS: 1. BL Cotton Aug. ii. 101 (s. viii; BM Facs., i. 8; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 192; Ward 1952, plate 1)
2. BL Stowe 853, 3v-4r (s. xvii)

Printed: K 86; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 453 (no. 4); B 160; Earle, pp. 34-6; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 37.

Translated: Jenkins, Lyminge, pp. 24-5.

Comments: Jenkins, Lyminge, pp. 25-9; Bond 1878, p. 7, contemporary; Sweet, OET, pp. 428-9 (no. 7); Earle, p. 34, above suspicion although year and indiction do not agree, correct date probably 740; Stevenson 1914, p. 703, contemporary; Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 37-8, on place-names; Ward 1931, on topography; Ward 1934/2, p. 193, on Biscopeswic; Lowe 1935, pp. xiii-xiv, trustworthy; Wright 1950, p. 388; Ward 1952; Sisam 1953, p. 3 n. 1, later forgery; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 192, poor copy, probably of late 8th century; Scharer 1982, pp. 110-13, original but should be dated 750, perhaps confirmation of transaction of 741; Brooks 1984, p. 344 n. 52, authentic; Wormald 1985, p. 25, original or early copy; Brooks 1988, pp. 98-9, on topography; Kelly, St Augustine's, pp. lxxii-lxxxv passim, on Kentish formulation; cf CCC 3 (S 1611), a version of S 24 with the names of donor and beneficiary altered.

Endorsements:
(1) s. ix: Limenea boec
(2) s. xii: Ethelbertus rex dedit piscationem in limene et alia quedam ad ecclesiam sancte Marie de limenea . Latine

+ In nomine domini Dei salvatoris nostri Jhesu Christi . Provabilibus desideriis et petitionibus piis assensum semper præbere gloriosum constat esse et rectum et tum maxime cum eadem desideria et petitiones ad dilatandum et augendam vitam Christi sacerdotum ejusque servorum respiciunt . qua de re ego Æthilberht rex Cantuariorum pro remedio animæ meæ capturam piscium quod est in ostio fluminis cujus nomen est Limin æa et partem agri in qua situm est oratorium sancti Martini cum edibus piscatorum et extra eam quartam partem aratri circa eundem locum et alteram partem juris mei ad pascendum . cl . jumentorum juxta marisco qui dicitur biscopes uuic usque ad silbam qui appellatur Ripp et ad terminos Suthsaxoniæ sicut olim habuit Romanus presbyter ad ecclesiam beatissimi birginis Mariæ quod est in Liminiaeae libenter donavi atque dono regimen habente ejusdem monasterii domno Cuthberhto archiepiscopo tunc temporis abbati . Verum quia cavendum est ne hodiernam donationem nostram futuri temporis abnegare valeat et in ambiguum devocare presumptio , Placuit mihi hanc paginem condere per quam non solum omnibus meis successoribus atque heredibus set etiam mihimet ipsi interdico ne aliter quam a me constitutum est ullo tempore quippiam agere audeant quod si qui forte observare neglexerint et absque digna satisfactione presentis vitæ impleberint dies sciat se omnipotentis Dei iram incurrere et a socitate sanctorum omnium segregatum . Quoniam sanctissimam beatissimæ virginis Mariæ locum deonestare conatus est . Qui vero hæc augenda custodierint nihilque inrogarent adversi . auribus percipiant vocem clementissimi judicis inquientis ad pios . 'Venite benedicti patris mei percipite regnum quod vobis paratum est ab origine mundi'1 . Actum in loco qui dicitur liminiaee Anno dominicæ incarnationis . dccxli . Indictione iii .

+ Ego Æthilberhtus rex Cantiæ hanc donationem a me factam propria manu signo sanctæ crucis roboravi .
+ Ego Cuthberhtus gratia Dei archiepiscopus hanc piam donationem predicti regis consensi et subscripsi .
+ Signum manus Balthhardi .
+ Signum manus Æðelhuni .
+ Signum manus Dunuualhi pincerni .
+ Signum manus Duunuuallan .
+ Signum manus Aldberhti prefecti .
+ Signum manus Æthelnothi .

1 Matt. 25: 34.