S 116

A.D. 780 (Brentford, Middx, 22 Sept.). Offa, king of Mercia, to St Peter's Minster, Bredon; grant of 5 hides (manentes) at Teddington, 10 hides (cassati) at Little Washbourne, 10 hides (mansiones) at Cutsdean, all in Gloucs., and 10 hides (manentes) at Bredons Norton, Worcs. Latin.

Archive: Worcester

MSS: 1. Lost original
2. BL Add. 46204v (s. xi)
3. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 11r-12r (s. xi1)
4. BL Cotton Vitell. C. ix, 130v (s. xvii; incomplete, ex 1)
5. Bodleian, Dodsworth 78, 33rv (s. xvii)

Printed: Mon. Angl., i. 122; Hearne, Heming, pp. 26, 456-7 ex Mon. Angl., p. 563 ex MS 4; K 140 ex MS 3; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 587 (no. 12) ex MS 3; B 236 ex K and MS 3; Stevenson 1911, pp. 202-3 ex Hearne and MS 2.

Comments: Stenton 1918, pp. 444-6, suspicious but some early features, may be authentic (= Stenton 1970, pp. 58-60); Robinson 1919, p. 27, of ill-repute; Grundy, Gloucs., pp. 232-4; PN Gloucs., i. 4, 13, ii. pp. xi, 8-9, 12, 46; John 1966, p. 52, probably genuine; Chaplais 1968, p. 325, on use of Bedan indiction (= 1973, p. 75); Finberg, ECWM, no. 42 (pp. 40-1, 95), authentic; Harrison 1973, p. 116, on indiction; Harrison 1976, p. 116, on dating clause; Scharer 1982, pp. 247-9, probably spurious; Hooke 1985, p. 84, queries Bredons Norton identification, estate may be in Gloucs., pp. 87, 230, cited; Hooke 1990, p. 31; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 153-4, 163, treats as authentic; Bassett 1996, p. 173, on assessment; cf. S 117, 118.

+ In nomine omnipotentis Dei et domini nostri Jhesu Christi qui vivit in secula . Amen . Ego Offa Dei gratia concedente rex Mercensium simulque in circuitu nationum sciens certe quod cuncta quæ humanis conspiciuntur oculis transitoria esse . et quæ conspici non possunt æterna fieri . et quod cum his transitoriis æterna mercari posse . Ideoque pro mea meorumque propinquorum perpetua animæ salute dabo terram septies quinos tributariorum jugera continentem ad monasterium quod nominatur Breodun in provincia Hwicciorum et ad æcclesiam beati Petri principes apostolorum quæ ibidem in loco sita est . quam Eanuulfus avus meus erexit ad laudem et gloriam Dei viventis in sæcula . Est autem rus præfatus in . iiii or . villulis separatum hoc est . Teottingtun qui situs est juxta rivulum quod nuncupatur Cærent . v . manentium . huic adjacet viculus qui nominatur aet Uuassanburnan qui habet ab oriente vadum qui dicitur Geolwaford . et ab occidente fontanum quod nominatur Gytingbroc . x . cassatorum ; tertius viculus est in monte quem nominant incola mons Huuicciorum aet Codesuuellan æque . x . mansionum ; et quartus viculus hoc est Norðtun . x . manentium juxta rivulum qui nuncupatur Tyrl ; ista ergo conditione firmiter atque stabiliter conposita quatinus ad monasterium ante nominatum terra illa et ad præfatam æcclesiam sancti Petri in jus æcclesiasticæ libertatis perdonabo liberata sit ab omni exactione regum et principum ac subditorum ipsorum tam in agrorum donationibus vel terrarum positionibus in omnipotentis Dei nomine præcipimus tamdiu fides Christiana in Brittannia perdurat sub domino ac potestate parentillæ meæ atque cognationi rite per successiones hæredum juste succedentium permaneat in perpetuum .

Conscripta est autem hæc donatio telluris a me et ab episcopo ac principibus meis quorum infra signa et nomina adnotabo . æt Brægentforda . ano incarnationis Christi . dcc o . lxxx o. indictione tertia . die quo passio sancti Mauricii a fidelibus cælebrati .

+ Ego Offa Dei dono rex hanc meam donationem signo sanctæ crucis munio .
+ Ego Cyneðryð Dei gratia regina Merciorum huic donationi regis consensi .
+ Ego Iohanberhtus archiepiscopus consensi .
+ Ego Eadberhtus episcopus consensi .
+ Ego Ceolwulfus episcopus consensi .
+ Ego Tilherus episcopus consensi .
+ Signum manus Brordan principis .
+ Signum manus Berhtuudi ducis .
+ Signum manus Eadbaldi principis .
+ Signum manus Eadbaldi ducis .