S 1456
A.D. 995 x 1005. An account of the settlement of a dispute between Godwine, bishop of Rochester, and Leofwine, son of Ælfheah, concerning land at Snodland, Kent. English.
Archive: Rochester
MSS: 1. Maidstone, Kent Archives Office, DRc/R1 (Textus Roffensis), 155r-156v (s. xii1; facsimile)
2. Maidstone, Kent Archives Office, DRb/Ar2 (Liber Temporalium), 10v (s. xiv)
Printed: Hickes, Diss. Epist., p. 43; K 929; Thorpe, pp. 301-4, with translation; Essays, pp. 360-1, part only, with translation; Robertson, Charters, no. 69 (pp. 140-3), with translation; Campbell, Rochester, no. 37; Davies and Fouracre 1986, p. 265, ex Campbell.
Comments: Stevenson 1912, p. 5 and n. 14; Wallenberg, KPN, p. 330, on place-names; Harmer 1938, pp. 363-5; Robertson, Charters, pp. 384-5; Harmer, Writs, pp. 46-7, 541; Chaplais 1966/1, pp. 172, 173 (= 1973, pp. 56, 58); HRH, p. 236, probably genuine; Campbell, Rochester, pp. xx-xxi, on dispute, p. xxvii, genuine; Keynes 1980, p. 34 n. 59, p. 137 n. 185; Kennedy 1985, pp. 182, 186, on legal background; Wormald 1986, pp. 157-61, on dispute; Wormald 1988, no. 69; Keynes 1990, pp. 246, 250, cited; Kennedy 1995, pp. 172 n., 180 n., 182, on legal background; Flight 1996; Faith 1997, p. 157, cited.
Px Her cyð on ðysum gewrite hu Godwine biscop on Hrofeceastre . 7 Leofwine Ælfeages sunu wurðon gesybsumode ymbe þæt land æt Snoddinglande . on Cantwarabyrig .
Þa ða se biscop Godwine com to ðam biscopstole þurh hæse his cynehlafordes Æðelredes cynges æfter Ælfstanes forðsiþe biscopes þa gemetæ he on ðam mynstre þa ylcan swutelunga þe his foregenga hæfde . 7 þærmid on þæt land spæc . ongan ða to specenne on ðæt land . 7 elles for Godes ege ne dorste . oððæt seo spræc wearð þam cynge cuð . Þa ða him seo talu cuð wæs . þa sende he gewrit 7 his insegl to þam arcebisceope Ælfrice . 7 bead him þæt he 7 hys þegenas on East Cent . 7 on West Cent . hy onriht gesemdon . be ontale . 7 be oftale . Þa þæt wæs þæt se bisceop Godwine com to Cantwarabyrig to ðam arcebiscope . þa com ðider se scyresman Leofric . 7 mid him Ælfun abbod . 7 þegenas ægþer ge of?a East Cent ge of West Cent . eal seo duguð . 7 hy ðær þa spæce swa lange handledon . syððon se bisceop his swutelunge ge'e'owod hæfde . oþ hy ealle bædon þone biscop eaðmodlice . þæt he geunnan scolde þæt he moste mid bletsunga þæs landes brucan æt Snoddinglande his dæg . 7 se biscop þa þæs getiðode on ealra þæra witena þanc þe þær gesomnode wæran 7 he behet þæs truwan þæt land æfter his dæge unbesacen eode eft into þære stowe þe hit ut alæned wæs . 7 ageaf þa swutelunga þe he to þam lande hæfde þe ær of þære stowe geutod wæs . 7 þa hagan ealle þe he bewestan þære cyrcan hæfde into þære halgan stowe . 7 þises loces ærendracan wæran . Ælfun abbod 7 Wulfric abbod . 7 Leofric sciresman . 7 Siweard . 7 Wulfstan æt Sealtwuda . 7 Ælfelm Ordelmes sunu . Þonne is her seo gewitnes þe æt þisum loce wæs . þæt is ærest se arcebiscop Ælfric . 7 se biscop Goduuine . 7 Wulfric abbod . 7 Ælfun abbod . 7 Ælfnoð æt Orpedingtune . 7 se hired æt Cristes cyrcan . 7 se hired æt Sancte Augustine . 7 so burhwaru on Cantwarebyrig . 7 Leofric sciresman . 7 Lifing æt Meallingun . 7 Siweard . 7 Sired his broðor . 7 Leostan æt Mærseham . 7 Godwine Wulfeages sunu . 7 Wulstan æt Sealtwuda . 7 Wulfstan iunga . 7 Leoswine æt Dictune . 7 Leofric Ealdredes sunu . 7 Goda Wulfsiges sunu . 7 Ælfelm Ordelmes sunu . 7 Sidewine æt Pealleswyrðe . 7 Wærelm . 7 Æþelred portgerefa on byrig . 7 Guðwold . Gif hwa þis ðence to awendenne . 7 þas foreword to abrecenne . awende him God fram his ansyne on þam miclan dome . swa þæt he si ascyred fram heofena rices myrhðe . 7 sy eallum deoflum betæht into helle . Amen . a oft MS Robertson, Charters no. 69: Translation Px Here it is stated in this document how Godwine, bishop of Rochester, and Leofwine, Ælfheah's son, were reconciled at Canterbury about the estate at Snodland. When Bishop Godwine succeeded to the episcopal see, by the command of his royal lord King Æthelred, after the death of Bishop Ælfstan, he found in the cathedral the very deeds which his predecessor had had and with which he laid claim to the estate. Then he set about laying claim to the estate - and durst not do otherwise for the fear of God - until the suit became known to the king. When the claim was known to him, he sent a letter and his seal to Archbishop Ælfric, and gave orders that he and his thegns in East Kent and West Kent should settle the dispute between them justly, weighin both claim and counterclaim. The next stage was that Bishop Godwine came to Canterbury to the Archbishop, and thither came [also] Leofric the sheriff and with him Abbot Ælfhun and the thegns both of East Kent and West Kent - all the leading men - and there they dealt with the suit, after the bishop had produced his evidence, until finally they humbly prayed the bishop to allow Leofwine to enjoy the estate at Snodland with his blessing during his lifetime. And the bishop granted this to the gratification of all the councillors who were there assembled, and Leofwine gave his solemn assurance that after his death the estate should revert uncontested to the foundation from which it was leased, and gave up the deeds relating to the estate which he had and which had been alienated from the foundation, and all the messuages which he had west of the church to the holy foundation. And the negotiators of this settlement were Abbot Ælfhun and Abbot Wulfric and Leofric the sheriff and Siweard and Wulfstan of Saltwood and Ælfhelm, Ordhelm's son. And these are the witnesses who were present at this settlement, namely first Archbishop Ælfric and Bishop Godwine and Abbot Wulfric and Abbot Ælfhun and Ælfnoth of Orpington and the community at Christchurch and the community at St Augustine's and the citizens of Canterbury and Leofric the sheriff and Lyfing of Malling and Siweard and Sired his brother and Leofstan of Mersham and Godwine, Wulfheah's son, and Wulfstan of Saltwood and Wulfstan the Young and Leo[f]wine of Ditton and Leofric, Ealdred's son, and Goda, Wulfsige's son, and Ælfhelm, Ordelm's son, and Sidewine of Paddlesworth and Wærelm and Æthelred, the reeve of Canterbury, and Guthwold. If anyone attempts to alter this or break this agreement, God shall avert his countenance from his at the great Judgment, so that he shall be cut off from the bliss of the kingdom of heaven and delivered over to all the devils in hell. Amen.