Early-Medieval-England.net

S 150

A.D. 796 (Chelsea, Middx). Ecgfrith, king of Mercia, to St Albans Abbey; grant of 10 hides (manentes) at Turville, Bucks. Latin.

Archive: St Albans

MSS: 1. Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale, 7965-73 (3723), 157r (s. xvii)
2. Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale, 7965-73 (3723), 170v (s. xvii)
3. BL Cotton Nero D. i, 149v (s. xiii)
4. BL Cotton Nero D. i, 153v (s. xiii)

Printed: Watts, Additamenta, pp. 239-40; Alford 1663, ii. 679; K 173; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), ii. 224 (no. 8); Luard, Additamenta, pp. 10-11; B 281; Baines 1981, p. 5.

Comments: PN Bucks., p. 196; Page, VCH Herts., iv. 368 n. 13, on location; Gelling, ECTV, no. 145, spurious; Baines 1981, on estate; Sawyer 1983, p. 292, on meeting-place; Keynes 1993, pp. 264, 269, on MSS 1 and 2, pp. 272-3, fabrication in part modelled on genuine charter of late 8th century; Cubitt 1995, pp. 275-6, spurious; cf. S 151.

Notes: The duplicate texts in the Brussels MS (not yet Printed) begin with different chrismons and were perhaps copied from separate pseudo-originals.

Therefeld.

+ Ego Ecgfridus gratia Dei rex Merciorum . Anno dominice incarnacionis septingentesimo nonagesimo sexto . indiccione quarta . primo vero anno regni nostri ; terram . x . manensium nomine Wyrefeld cum terminis suis . domino meo Jhesu Christo et ejus precioso martyri Albano . liberaliter ac eternaliter cum consensu ac testimonio optimatum meorum in jus monasteriale pro anima mea et parentum meorum devotissime tribuo . et libenter concedo . Sitque predicta terra ab omni terrene servitutis jugo semper aliena . atque eadem libertate sit libera . qua cetere terre monasteri[i] beati Albani conscripte atque concesse sunt . a glorioso Offani genitori meo .

Ego Ecgfridus rex hanc meam donacionem cum signo crucis confirmare curabo .
+ Ego Cynedryd regina consenci.
+ Ego Æþelheardus archiepiscopus consensi .
+ Ego Unwona episcopus .
+ Ego Weohþunus episcopus .
+ Ego Beonna abbas .
+ Ego Elfhun episcopus .
+ Ego Brorda dux .
+ Ego Uuigbertus dux.
+ Ego Uuicga dux .
+ Alhmundus dux .
+ Ego Cuþbertus dux .

+ Ego Eobing dux .
+ Ego Forthred abbas .
+ Ego Sighere filius Sig[heri .]
+ Ego Esne dux .
+ Ego Cydda dux .
+ Ego Winbertus dux .
+ Ego Heardbertus dux .
+ Ego Brorda dux .

Conscriptus est autem hic liber in loco qui dicitur Celchyð in sinodo publico .