Early-Medieval-England.net

S 96

A.D. 757. Æthelbald, king of Mercia, to Eanberht, abbot; grant of 10 hides (cassati) near the wood called Toccan sceaga (Tockenham, Wilts.) and the tumulus called Reada beorg. Latin.

Archive: uncertain (possibly Malmesbury)

MSS: BL Cotton Ch. viii. 3 (? s. viii² or ix¹; BM Facs., iv. 3; Ch.L.A., iii. no. 193)

Printed: K 100; B 181; Earle, pp. 283-4, in part; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 44.

Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, 9th century; B 181 suggests Toccan sceaga is Tickenhurst, Kent; Stenton 1913, p. 23 n. 1, accepted as Æthelbald's last charter; Stenton 1918, p. 443, treats as authentic and discusses witness-list, rejects Birch's identification (= Stenton 1970, pp. 57-8); Robinson 1921, p. 37, original; Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 41-3, suggests connection with Tockenham, Wilts.; Darlington 1955, p. 5 n. 24, accepts Wallenberg's suggestion; Watkin 1956, p. 229, cited, Eanberht cannot have been abbot of Malmesbury; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 193, copy written c. 800; John 1966, p. 52, on royal style; Finberg, ECW, no. 189, authentic, agrees with Tockenham identification, Readabeorg is probably the tumulus on Waite Hill; Stenton 1971, pp. 204, 287, cited; Vollrath-Reichelt 1971, pp. 140-5; Bischoff 1976, p. 692, MS 1 later copy; Whitelock, EHD, p. 19, cited; Scharer 1982, pp. 182-4, authentic; Wormald 1985, p. 25, original or early copy; Edwards 1988, pp. 124-6, citing T.J. Brown, could be original; Scharer 1988, pp. 57, 60, 61, on royal style; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 225-8, charter is probably of Malmesbury provenance if not origin, discusses witness-list; Dumville 1992, p. 82, non-contemporary copy.

Endorsement: Reada beorg

. . . . . . [d]ubitanter conuenit de his q . . . . . . . . . . [c]ommunicando tribuere . m . . . . . . ibus tanto plura cotidie . . . . . . os f . . e ceter . . . a Deo constat accepisse .

[Quapro]pter ego Æthilbald rex non solum Mercensium . sed etiam in circuitu populorum quibus me divina dispensatio sine meritorum suffragio præesse voluit venerabili servo Dei Eanberhttæ abbati agrum . x . cassatorum in dominium Christi æcclesiæ pro redemptione animæ meæ . et pro expiatione facinorum meorum libenter concedens largior . est autem terra illa juxta silvam quam dicunt Toccan sceaga . habens in proximo tumulum qui habet nomen Reada beorg . quem etiam agrum cum silvis et prateis et omnibus ad eum pertinentibus commodis supranominato servo Dei . benigno animo concedo , si quis vero hanc donationem violare temptaverit . sciat se in tremendo examine totius mundi Deo universorum judici terribiliter rationem redditurum .

+ Ego Æthilbald rex propriam donationem pro Christo factam signo sacratissimæ crucis firmabo .
+ Ego Cynulf rex Uuest Saxsorum consensiens et subscribo .
+ Manus Hereuualdi episcopi .
+ Manus Milredi episcopi .
+ Manus Cyneheardi episcopi .
+ Manus Forthere .
+ Manus Heardberhti .
+ Manus Eadbaldi .
+ Manus Eadan .
+ Manus Uuadan .
+ Manus Ealhmundi .
+ Manus Cuutferthi .
+ Manus Ecgfrith .
+ Manus Scillingis .
+ Manus Æt'h'elricis .
+ Manus Eoppan .
+ Manus Uuigferthi .
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+ Manus Ceardici .
+ Manus . Tyccæan abbatis .
+ Manus Herecan . abbatis .
+ Manus Cyneberhti . abbatis .
+ Manus Bægloci . [a]bbatis .
+ Manus . Ecggan . [a]bbatis .