S 125
A.D. 786 (Chelsea, Middx). Offa, king of Mercia, to Ealdbeorht, minister, and his sister, Selethryth, abbess; grant of 15 sulungs (aratra) at Ickham, Palmstead and Ruckinge, Kent, with swine-pastures, woodland and other appurtenances, including an urban tenement (vicus) at Curringtun in Canterbury. Latin with English.
Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church
MSS: 1. BL Stowe Ch. 6 (s. xi?; OS Facs., iii. 6)
2. BL Stowe 853, 19rv (s. xvii)
3. BL Stowe 1085, 109v (s. xviii)
Printed: B 248.
Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 696 n. 36, cited with reference to immunity; Stenton 1918, p. 444 n. 50, on royal style (= Stenton 1970, p. 58 n. 2); Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 61-9, on place-names; Wright 1950, p. 392, in 11th-century hand, but witnesses on dorse are in early 9th-century hand; John 1960, p. 51, on legal background; Stenton 1971, p. 527, cited with reference to Curringtun; Finberg 1972, pp. 403 n., 459, on tenurial background; Witney 1976, p. 274, on swine-pastures; Sawyer 1978, p. 211, cited with reference to Curringtun; Scharer 1982, pp. 263-4, fabricated from S 123 and 39; Brooks 1984, p. 27, on Curringtun; Abels 1988, p. 24; Cubitt 1995, pp. 269-70.
Notes: Witnesses on dorse not written in 9th century.
Endorsement:
Offa Rex dedit Sileðrithe abatisse . Jecham . perhamstede . hrocig . 7 quædam alia . . latine .
+ In nomine domini nostri Jhesu Christi . Ipsoque in perpetuum regnante . Anno dominicæ incarnationis . d . cc . lxxxvi . Ego Offa rex Merciorum tibi Ealdberhto ministro meo atque sorori tuæ Seleðryðe abbadisse trado terram . xv . aratrorum in provincia Cantiæ in his post nominatis locis . id est Iocham et Peorhamstede . et in loco qui dicitur Hroching . cum appalibus quæ pater ejus habebat . mid ðæm denbærum in limen wero wealdo . 7 in burh waro uualdo . 7 in boc holte . 7 in blean . 7 in hara ðum. c. foðra uuido. 7 tuegra uuegna gang uuintres sumeres . 7 in boc holte timber geweorc . 7 uuidigunge . atque vicum qui dicitur curringtun . in urbe qui dicitur dorovernensi . in aquilone parte venalis loci . cum omnibus ad eam rite pertinentibus rebus atque unius hominis piscatum in ðæm pusting were . 7 ins sealterna steallas ðær bi uban . 7 in blean uuidiung ðær to . hanc condicionem vobis concedo cum omnibus ad eas rite pertinentibus rebus Cum campis . silvis . pratis . pascuis intra antiquis terminibus et extra . Sicut pater tuus habebat quando eas plenissime in sua ditione possidebat . Ut quam diu vita vobis comes fuerit . et conversati fueritis in hac vita . Omnia vestre potestati subiciuntur . Absque omni regali exactione adque tributo . vel operatione uniuscujusque sexus . Post obitum vestrum vero relinquendi cuicumque volueritis . , .
Si quis vero quod omnino absit . successorum meorum regum . vel principum . hanc prefatam donationem ausus infringere temerario præsumpserit . sit in presenti a participatione corporis et sanguinis Christi . et in ultimo examine segregatus a c'o'etu omnium sanctorum . Nisi ante ea reatum suæ . presumptionis digna satisfactione emendaverit . Hanc autem cartulam in sua stabilitate permanentem ; Ego ipse propria manu signo sanctæ crucis Christi consentiente atque adsidente . Iaenberto archiepiscopo nostro roborare curavi . Et ut ipse id ageret et ceteri consentientes religiososa testes adhibui . quorum nomina infra c'h'araxata sunt .
Actum autem in synodali conventu in loco ubi nominatur Celchyð .
+ Ego Offa rex Mertiorum propria manu signo sanctæ crucis roboravi .
+ Ego Iaenberht gratia Dei archiepiscopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Hygebearht episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Cioluulfus episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Eadred episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ethilmod episcopus subscripsi et consensi .
+ Ego Cynebr'i'yht episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Cyneðryð regina subscripsi .
+ Ego Æcgfrið subcripsi .
+ Signu manu Brorda principes sub'.
+ Ego Æðered episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Uunwano episcopus subscrips
+ Ego Ælhheard episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Wærmund episcopus subscripsi .
+ Signu manu Berhtuwaldi principis .
+ Signu manu Eadbealdi principis .
+ Signu manu Æthelheardi principis .