S 156
A.D. 799 (17 July). King Coenwulf and his wife Cynegyth to Christ Church, Canterbury; grant of 4 sulungs (aratra) at Giddinge and Wootton, Kent. Latin with bounds.
Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church
MSS: 1. BL Cotton Aug. ii. 96 (s. x or xi; BM Facs., iv. 7)
2. Canterbury, D. & C., Reg. A, 138v-139r (s. xiii)
3. Canterbury, D. & C., Reg. E, 40v-41r (s. xiii)
4. BL Stowe 853, 8rv (s. xvii)
Printed: K 177 and vol. iii, p. 387; Thorpe, pp. 44-5; B 296.
Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, MS 1 10th- or 11th-century; Robinson 1919, p. 28, untrustworthy; Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 14-15, 88, on place-names; Levison 1946, pp. 230, 249 n. 3, text is unreliable and seems to be a conflation of S 1610 and 15; Wright 1950, pp. 389-90, MS 1 is a palimpsest in an 11th-century hand; Chaplais 1968, p. 316 n. 8, 335-6, spurious, MS 1 perhaps 11th-century, discusses relationship with S 15 (= 1973, p. 64 n. 8, 86-7); Harrison 1976, p. 118; Scharer 1982 pp. 87-9, probably forged in early ninth century, discusses relationship with S 15, 160; Brooks 1984, pp. 102-3, spurious, may have been modelled on lost 7th-century charter covering same estates; Wormald 1985, p. 25, unreliable later copy, possibly genuine elements; Kelly, St Augustine's, pp. 155-7, spurious, probably modelled on S 15.
Endorsements (s. xii):
'Cenulf rex . merciorum 'tempore' Theodori archiepiscopi . gedding and Wedetun . iiii . aratra', 'Kenulfus Rex dedit gedding et Wdetun Athelardo Archiepiscopo et familie . Anno dccc o.', 'latine . iiii .' - Athelardo Archiepiscopo and the date are a later addition.
+ In nomine domini Dei salvatoris nostri Jhesu Christi ego Cenulf rex una cum conjuge mea Cenegiða regina referentes gratias largitori bonorum domino Jhesu Christo qui dilatavit terminos nostros juxta paternam antiquitatem in commune pertractavimus aliquam partem terre nobis conlate ad vicem rependere ne ingrati Dei beneficiis videremur largitori nostro qua de re a presenti die et tempore tibi pastori et familie eclesie Christi Deoque dicte terram juris nostri que sita est in provintie Cantie que quondam apellata est Geddingc 7 Wudu tun aratrorum . iiii . contulimus in perpetuum posidendam et cum omnibus ad eandem pertinentibus pratis campis silvis pascuis et quicquit ad supradictam terram pertinet a quattuor partibus horientis occidentis aquilonis et meridie tuo husui et familie tue et remisionem delictis nostris ditionique subiciatis teneatis posideatis donetis commutetis venundetis vel quicquit exinde facere volueritis liberam abeatis potestatem successoresque vestri defendant in perpetuum numquam me eredesque mei contra hanc cartulam descriptionis nostre aliquando esse venturus ad cujus cumulum etiam confirmationis cispitem ujus supradicta terra super sanctam altare salvatoris posui et propria manu pro ignorantia literarum signum sancte crucis in ac cartula expressi set et Cenegiða idem fecit principesque mei ut pari modo propriis manibus facerent rogavi quorum nomina supter adnexa sunt si quis quod apsit contra anc cartulam a me factam ego eredes mei contraire presumserint noverint se a participatione corporis et sanguinis domini Jhesu Christi esse alienos et a ceto fidelium segregandos hic et in eternum quam sepædictam cartulam scribendam dictavi et tibi pastor cui supra tradidi conservandam .
His vero notissimis terminibus circumgirata est in aquilone puplica stratus in oriente ita est in meridie terra sancta Eanswiðe in occidente dene tun . Actum est xvi . kalendus agusti indictione vii . anno regni nostri . iii .
Signum manus Cenulfi regis .
Signum manus Ðeodori episcopi .
Signum manus Adriani abati .
Ego Redun episcoupus.
Piot . dux . consensi .
Tiolf 'dux' . consensi .
Cenelm filii regis .
Biornhard minist'e'r .
Eaheard diaconus .