S 332

A.D. 863 (Birenefeld). (1) Æthelberht, king of Wessex and Kent, to Æthelred, minister; grant of 9 sulungs (aratra) at Mersham, Kent, in return for 400 mancuses of gold. Latin with bounds. (2) Eadwald to St Augustine's, Canterbury; grant of land at Willesborough, Kent. English.

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

MSS: Canterbury, D. & C., Chart. Ant. M. 14 (Red Book no. 10; s. ix med.; OS Facs., i. 10; Smyth 1995, pl. 19, in part)

Printed: K 288; Thorpe, pp. 121-3; B 507; Earle, pp. 133-6; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 2, no. 29.

Comments: Sweet, OET, pp. 439-40 (no. 30); Stenton 1955, p. 40 n. 2, on poor latinity; Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 216-20, on place-names; Parsons 1939, p. 23 n., cited; Stenton 1970, p. 94 and n. 1, original; Witney 1976, pp. 260-1, on swine-pastures; Brooks 1984, pp. 360-1 n. 70, 9th-century, scribe also wrote S 316, 328, 344, 1195-7; Campbell 1989, pp. 30-1, on counter-payment; Keynes 1994/2, p. 1132 n. 6, original; Kelly, St Augustine's, p. xxxii, on estate history, cf. CSA 6 (S 1651a); Smyth 1995, p. 378; Lapidge 1996, p. 451, on latinity.

Notes: Eadwald's endorsement was added by a different scribe, probably in the later 9th century.

Endorsements:
Merseham
Rex Ethelbert dedit Merseham Ethelredo ministro suo
Latine

(1.) + In nomine trino divino regi regnanti in perpetuum domino Deo hsabaoth cui patent cuncta penetralia cordis et corporis terrestria simul et celestia nec non super ethera regnans in sedibus altis ima et alta omnia sua dicione gubernans cujus amore et eternis premiis + ego Eðelbearht rex occidentalium Saxonum nec non et Cantuariorum dabo et concedo meo fideli ministro et principi meo Eðelredo aliquam partem terre juris mei hoc est . viiii . aratra in illa loco hubi nominatur Mersaham in sempiternum hereditatem sibi abendum et possidendum feliciterque in dies ejus perfruendum et post dies ejus cuicumque hei heredi placuerit derelinquendum liberam per omnia habeat potestatem cum campis silvis pratis pascuis aquis venationibus pascuis porcorum simulque mariscis et cum omnibus utilitatibus rite ac recte ad eandem terram pertinentibus hoc feci pro ejus humili hoboedientia simulque pro ejus placavili atque conpetenti pecunia quam ab eo accepi hoc est .cccc. mancusas auri purissimi hanc autem terram supranominatam et Mersaham + ego Eðelbearht rex ab omni servitute regali operis intus et foris magnis ac modicis notis et ignotis perenniter liveravo nisi his tantum tribus causis hoc est expeditione et arcis munitione pontisque constructione et illud foras 're'ddat quot sivi intus faciendi appetat hec autem terra prenominata his notissimis terminibus circumcingitur a meritie et ab occidente stur usque blacanriðe ab aquilone et ab oriente Eadwealdes bocland to bradeburnan estque una semis aratra ab oriente sture q jacet at confinium usque Garulfi regis ministri to Mersaham 7 meda be eastan ee sue ðer mid riahte to ðem lande limpað unamque salis coquinariam hoc est . i . sealternsteall 7 ðer cota to in illa loco ubi nominatur herewic et . iiii . carris transductionem in silba regis sex ebdomades a die pentecosten hubi alteri homines silbam cedunt hoc est in regis communione hec sunt pascua porcorum que nostra lingua Saxhonica denbera nominamus hoc est husneah . . . efreðingdenn herbedingdenn pafingdenn . . . widefingdenn bleccingdenn nec non . xx . statera casei of mersce ad Mersaham reddatur et xl agnos et xl vellera ovium et duorum dierum refectio vel xxx . argenteis hoc est semicum libra redimatur hsi quis vero heredum successorumque meorum regum principum ducum optimatum sive exactorum hanc meam donationem servare voluerit servetur ei desuper benedictio sempiterna hsi autem absit quod non optamus alicujus personis homo diabolica temeritate instigatus surrexerit qui hac meam donationem vel livertatem infringere vel minuere aut in aliut conbertere quam a nobis constitutum est temptaverit sciat se ante tribunal summi et eterni judicis rationem esse redditurum nisi ante digna hsatisque placabili factione Deo et hominibus emendare studuerit hacta est autem hec eadem donatio vel livertas in illa loco que vocitatur birenefeld anno dominice incarnations dccclxiii . indictione xi . his testibus consentientibus et signo sancte crucis Christi confirmantibus quorum hic nomina infra ac in scedula patefacta liquescunt .

+ Ego Eðelbearht rex hanc meam donationem vel livertatem cum vexillo sancte crucis Christi roboravi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Eðered dux consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Eðered filius regis consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Dryhtweald dux consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Mucel minister consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Heahmund pr' consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Heremod pr' consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Garulf minister consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Eastmund minister consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Uulfred minister consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Wigstan minister consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Ecgferð minister consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ealdred minister consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Sigenoð minister .
+ Ego Elfstan minister .
+ Ego Wighelm minister .
+ Ego Piahtred minister .
+ Item at stabilitatem huius suprascripte donationis vel livertatis + ego Ciolnoð gratia Dei archiepiscopus mea propria manu signum sancte crucis Christi inpressi.
+ Ego Deimund presbyter abbas consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Biarnulf presbyter abbas consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Eðelweard presbyter consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Noðheard presbyter consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Osmund presbyter consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Iab presbyter consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Wighelm presbyter consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Tida presbyter consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Biarnheah archidiaconus consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Osulf archidiaconus consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Ealhstan consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Sigefreð archdiaconus consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Diarweald subdiaconus consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Sefreð subdiaconus consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Osmund consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Dudda consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Beagmund consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Osweald consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Lulla consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Oba consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Lulla consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Hunfreð consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Lulla consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Eadulf consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Osbearht consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Wealdhelm consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Ealdhere consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Diara consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Garulf consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Elric consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Dudda consensi 7 subscripsi .
+ Ego Eðelwulf consensi 7 subscripsi .

(2.) Ic Eadwald sello 7 forgeofu þis lond et wifeles berge Agustines higum into hiora beode minre sawle to are 7 to leedome 7 iow fer godes lufe bidde þet ge hit minre sawle nyt gedeo 7 me hit for gode leanie eow to elmessum amen .