S 108

A.D. 772 (15 August). Offa, king of the English, to Oswald, bishop; grant, for the foundation of a minster, of 8 hides (cassati) at Bexhill, Sussex, with reversion to the bishopric of Selsey. Latin with English bounds and a list of gavel-land appurtenant to Bexhill, namely, Barnhorne, Worsham, on Ibbanhyrste, Crowhurst, on Hricge, on Gyllingan, Foxham (lost, in Crowhurst), on Blacanbrocan (? Black Brooks in Westfield), and Icklesham, all in Sussex.

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church (? ex Selsey)

MSS: London, Lambeth Palace, 1212, pp. 387-8 (s. xiii)

Printed: B 208; Barker 1947, pp. 90-2, with translation,pp. 92-4; Kelly, Selsey, pp. 107-9.

Comments: Stenton 1918, p. 448 n. 67, spurious (= Stenton 1970, p. 62 n. 2); Barker 1947, pp. 94-5; Dulley 1966, p. 26, on topography; Brooks 1971, p. 80 n. 4, of uncertain authority; Stenton 1971, p. 208 n. 5, text partly rewritten but portion of witness-list seems authentic; Brandon 1974, pp. 78-80, on topography; Scharer 1982, p. 261, a fabrication perhaps based on some genuine material; Edwards 1988, pp. 267-72, interpolated but authentic basis; Gardiner 1989, on estate history; Faith 1997, p. 30 and map p. 31, pp. 40, 44, 105-6; Kelly, Selsey, p. xxx, on provenance, pp. lxxxi-iii, on witness-list, pp. 109-10, authentic basis, but bounds and list of gavel-land are certainly additions and perhaps also the reference to reversion.

+ In nomine domini Dei salvatoris .

Omne quod secundum presens seculum agitur vix usque ad mortem sufficit . quod vero pro eterna vita agatur . eciam post mortem permanet in eternum . Idcirco intenta mentis providentia unicuique cogitandum considerandumque est . quatenus labentibus huius seculi possessionibus mansuras celestium promissionum diviciis obteneat . qua de re . Ego Offa Rex Anglorum pro remedio anime mee . et pro Dei amore aliquam partem terre Sudsex' . sicut ante promisi omnipotenti Deo venerando episcopo Osuualdo ad construendum in ea monasterium . basilicamque augendam , que divinis laudibus . et sanctorum honoribus servire videatur . inperpetuam attribuo possessionem . id est . viii . cassatos in loco qui appellatur . Bixlea . sicut meta prenotatum est .

Þis synd þaera . viii . hida land gemera . þaer in landes into baexwarena lande . Arast on cneohta treou . of cneohta treuue . suuae suð on laewe . swæ andlang strandes oð ongean . Codanclibe . Estewerd and suuæ þearupp on ða ealdan merc dic . suuæ norð to kæia weorðe . and suuæ to bænetinge riðe . 7 suuæ norð þurch . sceorta wida to þære mearc . becean . of ðære becean to noðingforda . of þam forða andlang uuæteres to stratt bræcge . of þaere brecge up andlang seohtran to bedanseaðe . of þam seaðe . suð andlang mearce eft to cneohta treouue .

+ Þonne syndon þa gauolland þas ut landes into bexlea . in hiis locis qui appellantur . hiis nominibus . On berna hornan . iii . hida .On wyrtlesham . i . On ibbanhyrste . i . On Croghyrste . viii . On hrigce . i . On gyllingan . ii . On fuccerham 7 and on blacanbrocan . i . On ikelesham . iii . cum totis ad eum pertinentibus . rebus . campis . silvis . pratis . piscuariis . Ut ex hac die supradicta terra in Dei ut dixi nomine per me donata . ab omni regali exaccione libera . et Deo serviencium utilitati mancipata jugiter permaneat . Ea tamen condicione ut post diem illius hec donatio reddatur ad episcopalem sedem . que dicitur Seleseig .

Si quis hanc donacionem a me attributam in maximo vel in modico aliquando imminuere ausus sit , sciat se in districto omnipotentis Dei judicio penam presumpcionis sue incurrere . et ob auditu malo non liberari .

Þis sint þa fangemerca to icoleshamme . to binguuellan æt clibe ut on ðone broc midne suæ on tattingsnad suæ ut on mor on þat Eadwining dæn oð Cantwara mearce . þanon wuest andlangæs beðles broces middesweardes .

Scripta est . hec cartula . Anno ab incarnacione domini nostri Jhesu Christi . dcc . lxxii . Indictione . x . mensis Augusti . die . xv .

+ Ego Offa Rex Merciorum sicut michi a Deo regnante potestas concessa est . hanc donacionis cartulam propria manu subscribens confirmavi . et signum sanctæ crucis infixi .
+ Ego Ecberht Rex Cantuariorum consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Jaenberhtus gratia Dei archiepiscopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Cyneuulf Rex occidentalium Saxonum hanc donacionem consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Eadberhtus episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Osuualdus episcopus ea quæ michi data sunt subscripsi .
+ Ego Righeah episcopus consensi .
+ Ego Diora antistes subscripsi .
+ Ego Osuualdus dux Suðsax' consensi .
+ Ego Osmund dux confirmavi .
+ Ego Ælbuuald dux adquievi .
+ Ego Oslac dux consensi .

Et hii testes quoque ibi aderant , quorum nomina infra scripta sunt :

Botuuine abbas .
+ Eata .
+ Heabercht .
+ Brorda .
+ Berhtuuald .
+ Oesne .
+ Huithyse .
+ Baldræd .
+ Bryne .
+ Stidberht .

+ Cyne .
+ Ealdred .
+ Lulling .
+ Berht .
+ Byrnhere .
+ Tota .
+ Scira .
+ Æmele prefectus .

Omnes isti consensientes subscripserunt et confirmaverunt .

Þis synd þa land gemæro to byrna . hornan aerest op meoswille of ðam wille suþ on þone cumb . of þam cumbe up on hone lytland hæþ feld on pucan wylle . suuæ suð 7 east on ða ealdan rode andlang rode on þa ealdan mearce becan þe stent on east healfe þare rode . on þone deopon cumb on wiþig mere . of þam mere to fifwegan 7 swa suð to þare readan sihtran andlang riðe on wican glinde . swa suð be eastwardan more od ða hyrnan . swa east on iwedise . swa norð on þone woda . and swa east be ðam wuda . 7 swa suð to cyllan beorge . of ðam beorge to cyllan wylle . west andlang streames on þunorslege . 7 swa andlang stremes west abutan þane sealtan merse . 7 swa norð to blacan riðe . up andlang riðe to swinhamme . north andlang mores to siferþingc steorfan . 7 spa oð ðone norþran fulan ford . 7 swa up on þa ealden dic andlang dice . east , and eft on meoswylle .