S 1188

A.D. 805 x 810 (or 805 x 815). Oswulf, aldormonn, and Beornthryth, his wife, to Christ Church, Canterbury; grant of 20 sulungs at Stanhamstead (in Aldington), Kent, with confirmation by Archbishop Wulfred. English.

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

MSS: 1. BL Cotton Aug. ii. 79 (s. ix1; BM Facs., i. 15; Keller 1906, no. 1)
2. London, Lambeth Palace, 1212, pp. 406-7 (s. xiii)

Printed: K 226; Thorpe. pp. 459-62, with translation; Sweet, Reader, pp. 197-8; B 330; Sweet, OET, pp. 443-4 (no. 37); Sweet, Second Reader, pp. 208-10 (no. 21); Earle, pp. 79-81; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 128; Harmer, SEHD, pp. 1-2 (no. 1), with translation, pp. 39-40.

Comments: Harmer, SEHD, pp. 69-75; Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 109-11, on place-names; Campbell 1938, p. 144, copy of original, Kentish dialect; Parsons 1939, p. 14, genuine and contemporary; Sisam 1953, p. 154, cited; Sweet, Reader, p. 287; Hughes 1971, p. 60, on reference to psalter; Finberg 1972, p. 421, on food distribution; Brooks 1984, pp. 138, 361 n. 76; Crick 1988, pp. 252, 265-6, drafted and written in 840s; Fleming 1993, pp. 115-16; Keynes 1993/1, p. 116, on Oswulf; Keynes 1996, p. 54, on commemorative aspect.

Endorsements:
(1) in a nearly contemporary hand: Þis is gesetnes [O]sulf[es 7] Biarnðryðe.
(2) in a hand of s. xii, the date having been added later: Anno dcccvi Osulfus alderman dedit Stanhamstede ecclesie Christi tempore Wlfredi archiepiscopi. Anglice.

+ Ic Oswulf aldormonn mid Godes gæfe ond Beornðryð min gemecca sellað to Cantuarabyrg to Cristes cirican ðæt lond æt Stanhamstede, xx swuluncga, Gode allmehtgum 7 ðere halgon gesomnuncgæ, fore hyhte 7 fore aedleane ðæs aecan 7 ðæs towardon lifes 7 fore uncerra saula hela 7 uncerra bearna. Ond mid micelre eaðmodnisse biddað ðæt wit moten bion on ðem gemanon ðe ðaer Godes ðiowas siondan 7 ða menn ða ðaer hlafordas wæron 7 ðara monna ðe hiora lond to ðaere cirican saldon; ond ðættæ mon unce tide ymb tuælf monað mon geweorðiæ on godcundum godum 7 æc on aelmessan suæ mon hiora doeð.

Ic ðonne Uulfred mid Godes gaefe archiepiscopus ðas forecuaedenan word fulliae, 7 bebeode ðæt mon ymb tuælf monað hiora tid boega ðus geweorðiae to anes daeges to Osuulfes tide ge mid godcundum godum ge mid aelmessan ge aec mid higna suesendum. Ðonne bebeode ic ðaet mon ðas ðing selle ymb tuælf monað of Liminum, ðe ðis forecuaede'ne' lond to limpeð, of ðaem ilcan londe æt Stanhamstede: cxx huaetenra hlafa 7 xxx clenra 7 an hriðer dugunde 7 iiii scEp 7 tua flicca 7 v goes 7 x hennfuglas 7 x pund caeses, gif hit fuguldaeg sie -- gif hit ðonne festendæg sie, selle mon uuEge cæsa, 7 fisces 7 butran 7 aegera ðaet mon begeotan maege -- 7 xxx ombra godes uuelesces aloð, ðet limpeð to xv mittum, 7 mittan fulne huniges oðða tuEgen uuines, suE hwaeder suae mon ðonne begeotan maege. Ond of higna gemEnum godum ðaer aet ham, mon geselle cxx gesuflra hlafa to aelmessan for hiora saula suae mon aet hlaforda tidum doeð. Ond ðas forecuEdenan suEsenda all agefe mon ðEm reogolwarde 7 he brytniE swæ higum maest red sie 7 ðaem sawlum soelest. Aec mon ðaet weax agæfe to cirican?1 7 hiora sawlum nytt gedoe ðe hit man fore doeð. Aec ic bebeode minum aefterfylgendum ðe ðaet lond hEbben aet Burnan ðaet hiae simle ymb xii monað foran to ðære tide gegeorwien ten hund hlafa 7 swae feola sufla; 7 ðEt mon gedele to aelmessan aet ðere tide fore mine sawle 7 Osuulfes 7 Beornðryðe 'aet Cristes cirican'; 7 him se reogolweord on byrg gebeode foran to hwonne sio tid sie. Aec ic bidde higon ðette hie ðas godcundan god gedon aet ðere tide fore hiora sawlum: ðaet Eghwilc messepriost gesinge fore Osuulfes sawle twa messan, twa fore Beornðryðe sawle; 7 aeghwilc diacon arede twa passione fore his sawle, twa for hire; ond Eghwilc Godes ðiow gesinge twa fiftig fore his sawle, twa fore hire; ðaette ge fore uueorolde sien geblitsade mid ðem weoroldcundum godum 7 hiora saula mid ðem godcundum godum. Aec ic biddo higon ðaet ge me gemynen aet ðere tide mid suilce godcunde gode suilce iow cynlic ðynce, ic ðe ðas gesettnesse sette gehueder ge for higna lufon ge ðeara saula ðe haer beforan hiora namon awritene siondon. Valete in Domino.


I Oswulf, earl by God's grace, and Beornthryth my wife, give to Almighty God and to the holy congregation at Christ Church, Canterbury, the estate at Stanstead, amounting to twenty ploughlands, in the hope, and for the reward, of the eternal and future life, and for the salvation of our own souls and those of our children. And with great humility we pray that we may be in the fellowship of those who are God's servants there, and of those who have been lords there, and of those who have given their lands to the church; and that our anniversary may be celebrated every year with religious offices, and also with the distribution of alms, as theirs are.

Now I Wulfred, by God's grace archbishop, confirm these aforesaid words, and enjoin that the anniversary of them both be thus celebrated every year on one day, on Oswulf's anniversary, both with religious offices and with almsgiving and also with a banquet of the community. Moreover I command that the following things be paid annually from Lympne, to which the aforesaid estate belongs, [on behalf] of that same land at Stanstead: one hundred and twenty wheaten loaves, and thirty fine (?) loaves, one fullgrown bullock, four sheep, two flitches, five geese, ten hens, and ten pounds of cheese, if it be a ?flesh-day? -- if, however, it be a fast-day, they are to give a wey of cheese, and of fish, butter and eggs, as much as they can procure -- and thirty ?ambers? of good Welsh ale, which amounts to fifteen mittan, and a mitta full of honey, or two of wine, whichever they can get at the time. And from the common provisions of the community at the monastery itself, one hundred and twenty gesufl loaves are to be given as charity for the good of their souls, as is done at the anniversaries of lords. And all the above-mentioned provisions are to be given to the provost, and he is to distribute them as may be most advantageous to the brethren and most efficacious for the souls of Oswulf and Beornthryth. Furthermore, the wax is to be given for use in the church, in order that the souls of those for whose sake this is done may be benefited. Moreover, I enjoin on my successors who have the estate at Bourn, that they annually prepare beforehand, for the anniversary, one thousand loaves and as many sufla; and let these be distributed as doles at Christ Church on the anniversary, on behalf of my soul, and those of Oswulf and Beornthryth; and for the benefit of those [for whom this charity is intended], the provost is to proclaim in the city when the anniversary is to take place. Also, I pray the community that they perform the following religious offices at that time on behalf of their souls: that every priest sing two masses for Oswulf's soul and two for Beornthryth's; and ever deacon read two ?passions? for his soul and two for hers; and every servant of God sing two ?fifties? for his soul and two for hers; that ye may be blessed with worldly benefits in the sight of the world, just as their souls are blessed with the religious benefits. Also I pray the community that ye remember me on this anniversary with such divine service as may seem to you becoming -- I who have confirmed this agreement, both for love of the community and of the souls of those whose names are written above. Valete in Domino. Endorsed: This is the arrangement made by Oswulf and Beornthryth.