S 237

A.D. 682. Centwine, king of the (West) Saxons, to Hæmgils, abbot of Glastonbury; grant of 23 hides (mansiones) near Quantock Wood and 3 hides (cassati) at Crycbeorh (probably Creechbarrow Hill, near Taunton), Somerset. Latin with bounds.

Archive: Glastonbury

MSS: 1. Marquess of Bath, Longleat, NMR 10586, pp. 128-9 (s. xvi)
2. Liber Terrarum, no. 8 (lost, cf. Abrams 1996, p. 31)

Printed: Dickinson 1882, pp. 90-1 ex MS 1; B 62 ex Dickinson 1882.

Comments: Davidson 1884, p. 7, no internal evidence of falsity; Stevenson 1904, p. lxxvii n. 1, spurious; Robinson 1921, p. 29 n. 5; Grundy, Somerset, pp. 51-4, bounds cover whole of West Monkton and western part of Creech St Michael; Grundy 1938, further notes on bounds; Finberg, ECW, no. 361, authentic basis; Finberg 1964, p. 99, cited; Finberg 1972, pp. 389-90, Crycbeorh is Creechbarrow; Scott 1981, pp. 90, 198 n. 82; Fleming 1985, pp. 252, 256, cited; Wormald 1985, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Edwards 1988, pp. 15-17, revised and interpolated version of apparently genuine early instrument, date 672 in B 62 is an error; Abrams 1991, p. 121, cited; Costen 1992, p. 41, on estate; Dumville 1992, p. 41 n. 56, cited; Abrams 1996, pp. 13-14, 31, 39, on MS sources, pp. 80-3, charter may not originally have referred to West Monkton, bounds presumably a later addition, pp. 99-100, on Crycbeorh, p. 231, on possible connection with S 248.

Carta Centwyny Regis de Cantucuudu nunc Westmonketon juxta Tantoniam .

+ Omnia que videntur temporalia sunt . que non videntur eterna sunt . Ideo parvis et vilibus rebus eterna et mansura jugiter mercanda sunt . Quapropter ego Centwini Saxonum rex pro remedio anime mee aliquam porcionem Hamegilso abbati ad supplementum vite regularis in monasterio Glastingabirg sub divini timoris instinctu humiliter largitus sum . hoc est viginti tres mansiones in loco juxta silvam famosam que dicitur Cantucuudu . habentes ad austrum fluvium qui dicitur Tan ; ad aquilonem vero silve prefate partem non modicam ad se trahens . usque ad vallem Helsdena deinde per rivulum unum usque ad vadum quod dicitur Wealaford . et sic in directione illius rivuli usque ad Tanis alveum . Habent vero ad occasum fontem qui dicitur Ealduuylle . deinde alterum fontem qui dicitur Acuuylle ; ab illo fonte ad locum qui dicitur Hægstaldescumb ; et per viam qui dicitur Hrycuueg . ab hac via ad rivulum qui appellatur Segbroc ; ab hoc rivulo vergit territorium ad zephirum ad alveum prefati fluminis Tan . In locum qui dicitur Horspol ; Et tres cassatos in australi parte amnis Tan ad insulam juxta collem qui dicitur brittannica lingua Cructan apud nos Crycbeorh . et hec pars telluris evidentissimis cingitur limitibus , habet enim ab austro Blacanbroc , ab aquilone Tan . Anno ab incarnatione domini nostri Jhesu Christi . dclxxii . Indictione . x . hoc prefatum donum . sic prefigimus ut immobile quamdiu christianitas vigeat in servicio Glæstingensis æcclesie permaneat . Siquis hanc donationis carticulam violenter invadere temptaverit . noverit proculdubio culpam sacrilegii se incurrisse . huiusque ligamine se constrictum donec divini examinis conspectui conpresentetur ni prius hoc inorme scelus detergendo emaculet ; et augeat omnipotens Deus hoc donum augenti vitam eternam per omnia secula seculorum . Amen .

+ Ego Hæddi episcopus consenciens signum sanctæ crucis impressi .
+ Signum manus Centuuini regis hanc munificentiam signo crucis perstringentis .
+ Ego Aldhelm hanc scedulam scripsi et subscripsi .