S 1450

(1) A.D. 951 (? for 959). King Edgar to the church of St Peter, Westminster; restoration of 5 hides (mansiunculae) on the north side of the river Thames between the Tyburn and the Fleet, Middx, with an additional grant of 5 hides at Blecceanham (Blechenham, lost, in Hendon). (2) A.D. 972 (Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey). King Edgar to St Peter's; grant of 6 hides (cassati) at Lohtheres leage (lost, in Hendon, Middx), purchased by Archbishop Dunstan from Edgar for 70 gold solidi and previously in the possession of Wulfmær. (3) A.D. 978. Dunstan, archbishop of Canterbury, purchases for thirty pounds a further 3 hides at Lotheres leage, previously held by Brihtferth, huntsman, and grants the estate to St Peter's, Westminster. (4) A.D. 986. King Æthelred to the church of Westminster; grant of 5 hides (mansiunculae) at Hampstead, Middx. Latin with bounds.

Archive: Westminster

MSS: 1. BL Stowe Ch. 32 (s. x2; OS Facs., iii. 33) [sections 2 and 3 only]
2. BL Stowe Ch. 33 (s. x2; OS Facs., iii. 34) [section 4 only]
3. London, Westminster Abbey, W.A.M. VI (s. xii; BA Facs. 36)
4. London, Westminster Abbey, Muniment Bk 11, 76rv (s. xiv) Printed: B 1290 ex MS 1; B 1351 ex MS 3 (sections 1 and 4 only).

Printed: B 1290 ex MS 1; B 1351 ex MS 3 (sections 1 and 4 only).

Comments: Hales 1890, on bounds; Napier and Stevenson, p. 85, dubious; Robinson 1911, p. 170, prints bounds in translation; Stevenson 1914, p. 702, late and clumsy fabrication; PN Middx, pp. 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 50, 56, 57, 63, 111, 113, 165, and pp. 219-21, bounds of Blecceanham, pp. 221-2, bounds of Hampstead; Gelling 1954, on bounds, with a map; Brooke and Keir 1975, p. 369, dubious; Gelling, ECTV, nos 228-9, spurious; BA Facs., p. 10, consolidated record of the endowment of Westminster in 10th century; Dumville 1994, p. 156 n. 125, p. 161, on script of MSS 1, 2.

Notes: This is a composite charter, apparently put together in the late tenth century from a series of separate records. MS 3 preserves the only full version of the text. MSS 1 and 2 appear to be portions cut from an earlier single-sheet version of the full text. It seems likely that S 670, which contains the text of section 1, has been cut from another tenth-century copy of the composite charter.

(1) + Anno ab incarnatione domini nostri Jhesu Christi dcccc . li . Ego Eadgar divina allubescente gratia rex et primicherius totius Albionis ruris quandam particulam quinis ab accolis estimatam mansiunculis ad æcclesiam beati Petri apostoli que sita est in nominatissima loco qui dicitur Westmynster , libenter admodum largitus sum eo tenore quatinus nemo nostrorum successorum hoc nostrum decretum sine ira omnipotentis Dei audeat violare . Hæc particula terræ priscis temporibus ad eandem perhibetur æcclesiam pertinere , sicut legitur in antiquo telligrapho libertatis , quam rex Offa illi monasterio dudum contulit , quando ecclesiis per universas regiones Anglorum recuperativa privilegia Wulfredo archiepiscopo hortante scribere jussit . Hanc eandem libertatem prefatæ æcclesiæ sancti Petri principis apostolorum , cui locus prædictus dedicatus ac consecratus mirabiliter ab antiquis temporibus Dei providentia ab ipso clavigero fuit confirmatus , Dunstano archiepiscopo concessi . quatiuus ab omni seculari servitute inperpetuum sit liber . Et ut ne quis presentium vel magis futurorum ambiget que sit illa libertas quam amabiliter et firmiter concedo omnimodis cuncta illius monasterii possessio , nullus sit umquam gravata honeribus , scilicet nec expeditionis nec pontis et archis edificamine , nec juris regalis fragmine nec furis apprehensione . Et ideo ut omnia simul comprehendam , nil debet exsolvi vel regis preposito vel episcopi , vel ducis , vel ullius hominis , sed omnia debita exsolvant jugiter qui in ipsa dominatione fuerint ad supradictum sanctum locum secundum quod ordinaverit abbas qui ipso prefuerit cenobio . Empta est enim hec donatio . cxx . aureis solidis in una armilla . Et hoc actum est coram idoneis testibus queque hiis cingitur territoriis . Ærest up of Temese , and lang Merfleotes to Pollene stocce . swa on Bulinga fenn . of tham fenne æfter thær ealdan dic to Cuforde . upp and lang Teoburnan to thære wide herestret, æfter there herestret to thære ealde stoccene sancte Andreas on Holeburne swa innan Lundane fenn , and lang fennes suth on Temese on middan streame . and lang streame be lande 7 be strande eft on Merfleote .

Terram autem quæ nominatur Blecceanham . v . mansiunculis estimatam rex prefatus Eadgar in servitium et usum prefate ecclesie sancti Petri fratrumque ibidem Deo servientium prout antiquitus destinabatur in perpetuam possesionem perstrinxit . Et his limitibus hæc pars telluris circumcingi videtur . Ærest æt Sandgæte thær tha threo marce to gædere gath , west thanon and lang Hemstedes mearce to Mærburnan . 7lang burnan to Wætlingan stræte , 7lang stræte into Bræingte, up 7 lang Bræg'en'te innan fihte burnan , of tham burnan to tham wogan æpsan , thanon to tham ældan hagtreowe , of tham treowe to tham thrim mærcum æt Sandgate .

Et hoc donum sub prefatorum contestatu testium peractum esse videtur , ejusdemque annalitatis cursu perfici videbatur . Acta est hæc donatio his testibus consentientibus quorum inferius nomina karraxari videntur .
+ Ego Eadgar rex hanc meam donationem signo crucis confirmavi .
+ Ego Dunstan archiepiscopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfstan episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Alfwold episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Athelwold episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Eadelm episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfstan episcopus consensi et subscripsi.
+ Ego Alfwold episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfhere dux consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Æthelwine dux consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Brihtnoth dux consensi et subscripsi .

(2) + Insuper ego Eadgar rex Anglorum libenti animo Deo omnipotenti et sancto Petro addidi ad prefatum monasterium partem terre . Sex cassatorum in loco qui dicitur Lohðeres leage quam tamen Dunstan archiepiscopus emit a me pretio . lxxta . solidorum auri obrixi Imperpetuam possessionem æcclesie sancti Petri . quam si dempserit aliquis vel abstulerit ab illa aecclesia . dampnetur a domino et auferatur in perpetuum nisi digna emendatione ante obitum suum coram Deo et hominibus satisfaciat . Et hoc donum firmatum est sub priorum testium corroboratione episcoporum . ducum . quorumcumque et fidelium . anno dominice incarnationis . dcccc . lxxiimo . in notissimo loco qui dicitur Cyngestun . obeunte viro qui dicebatur Wulmær sub cujus dominio in priore tempore . Hec ruris particula . esse . videbatur . Obeunte rege Eadgaro dum infelicissima nobis occurrerunt . tempora contigit quendam venatorem nomine Brihtferð et dominii sui dominum et terram suam trium cassatorum reliquisse in loco qui dicitur Loðeres leaga et sibi alium dominum elegisse . Et hoc actum est regno secundo accepti regni Ædwardi regis .

(3) Tunc Dunstan archiepiscopus probata pecunia . xxx . librarum . Hanc eandem terram sub testimonio idoneorum virorum ab Eadwardo rege in hereditatem emit sancto Petro ad locum qui dicitur Westmynster . Hanc que possessionem injuncxit ad alias o rex cassatas o quos prius emit ab Ædgaro rege eosque sub uno territorio prefato promulgavit monasterio . obsecrans in Christo Jhesu ut quicumque hanc institutionem inrumpere conetur totum mundum judicante Deo dampnetur . Et his limitibus hæc telluris pars circumgyrari videtur . Ærest of þam ealdan tunstealle on wæclinga stræt . Innan Ægces wer . æfter stan burnan on sulh . swa on yburnan . 7 lang yburnan oþ Iccenes ford 7 lang sihtre oþ þone hagan . 7 lang hagan to grendeles gatan æfter kincges mearce innan brægentan . of brægentan æfter merce innan tatan burnan . þanon oþ heandunes gemære on holan riwe . þanon on sulh . of sulh eft to þam ealdan tunstealle . Acta est autem hæc præfata emptio . anno dominicæ incarnationis . dcccclxxviii . sub testimonio æpiscoporum nostrorum .

(4) + Post namque diros rerum eventus cladigerasque et turbabiles infelicitates regionis Anglorum obeunte Eadgaro rege , a Deo disposito cursu accepit regnum filius ejus Athelredus , qui et ipse paternitatis ejus elymosynam prosequens ad prefatum ecclesie sancti , et in loco qui dicitur Westmynster penes Lundoniam , quinque mansiunculas largitus est . Et in jugem possessionem monasterio prefato addidisse videtur , partemque hanc in loco qui dicitur Hamstede his gyraminibus circumquaque pregyrari videmus . Ærest æt Sandgæte , swa east to bedegares sþicleage , thær suth to Deormodes wican , of Deormodes wican to medeman Hemstede . swa forth 7 lang hagan to risc leage , of risc leage west æfter mærce to tham bæruwe , of tham bærue west 7lang mærce to stangrave , of tham grave innan Wætlinga stræte , swa north 7 lang wætlinge stræte to mær burne , of mær burnan of east æfter mearce to sandgæte .

Hoc autem donum prerogative donationis anno dominice incarnationis dcccclxxxvi . his testibus consentientibus firmatum esse videtur . Et prout Dunstan antestis a suo domino Æthelredo promeruit rege quorum inferius nomina scribi videntur .
+ Ego Æthelredus rex dulci voce voluntatis presagmine in honore Dei hoc donum dedisse videbar .
+ Ego Dunstan indignis antestis ecclesie Christi consensi et gratulabundus hoc donum ad sanctum Petrum accepisse videbar .
+ Ego Oswald archiepiscopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfheah episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Æthelgar episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfric episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfstan episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Sigric episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Athulf episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfheah episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælscwic episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
Quicumque auferat aliquantulam partem hereditatis in hac cartula ab ecclesia sancti Petri que sita est in Westmynster , auferat omnipotens Deus ab illo inperpetuum sue misericordiam pietatis . Amen .