S 235

A.D. 688 (Besingahearh). Cædwalla, king of the (West) Saxons, to Cedde, Cisi and Criswa (? Crispa); grant, for the foundation of a minster, of 60 hides (cassati) at Farnham, Surrey, including 10 at Binton and 2 at Churt, Surrey, and land at Cusanweoh. Latin.

Archive: Winchester, Old Minster

MSS: BL Add. 15350, 57v-58r (s. xii)

Printed: K 994; B 72; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 3, no. 9.

Translated: Whitelock, EHD, no. 58 (pp. 484-5); Manning 1970, p. 17.

Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 703, seems to be genuine; Stenton 1918, p. 438, no conclusive exception need be taken (= Stenton 1970, p. 53); PN Surrey, pp. 178, 181; Barker 1948, p. 116 and n. 5, spurious but based on genuine original; Chaplais 1969, pp. 541-2, on formulation (= 1973, p. 106); Hart 1970/1, p. 29 (no. 97), authentic; Manning 1970; Stenton 1970, pp. 288-9; Stenton 1971, pp. 70, 101-2, treats as authentic, p. 303, cited; Gelling 1973, p. 117; Harrison 1973/1, pp. 556-7, no trace of forgery but unexpected to see Wilfrid's subscription in a charter of 688; Whitelock 1975, p. 8, on Wilfrid's subscription; Cox 1976, pp. 17, 19, 21, 39, on place-names; Harrison 1976, pp. 70-1, seems to be authentic; Rumble 1976, p. 173, grant consisted of whole of later Farnham hundred; Sawyer 1976, p. 4, on estate; Whitelock 1976, p. 144, on some witnesses; Sawyer 1978, p. 43, on royal style, pp. 143-4, on estate; Gelling, ECTV, no. 312, authentic; Whitelock, EHD, p. 484, authentic, incarnation date may be addition; Scharer 1982, pp. 138-40, based on genuine charter, but corrupt and fabricated; Wormald 1985, pp. 9-10, probably drafted by Bishop Eorcenwald, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Edwards 1988, pp. 132-7, 163, basically authentic; Faith 1997, pp. 40, 104.

+ In nomine domini nostri Jhesu Christi salvatoris . Quotienscunque aliquid pro opere pietatis Christi membris impendimus nostræ animæ fore prodesse credimus quia sua illi reddimus non nostra largimur . Qua de re ego Ceadwal , dispensante domino rex Saxonum pro remedio animæ meæ terram vobis ad construendum monasterium in postestate confero cujus vocabulum est Fernham , in cassatos . lx . id est Cedde Cisi Criswanq[ue] . quorum . x . in Bintungom . ii . in Cert . ceteros autem propriis locis et nominibus adsignantur . hoc est . Cusanweoh . Cum omnibus ad se pertinentibus . campis . silvis . pratis . pascuis . piscariis . fluminibus . fontanis . libertam a me habeatis licentiam donandi commutandi , et in arbitrio vestro sit posita . Numquam ego heredesque mei ullo tempore contra hanc donationis cartulam venire temptaverit . Quod si quis superba præsumpserit inruptione infringere aut minuere per tyrannidem hanc a me actam donationem sit separatus ab omni societate Christiana ; manentem vero in sua nichilominus firmitate . Actum in loco cujus vocabulum est Be singa hearh . Anno ab incarnatione domini nostri Jhesu Christi . dc.lxxxviii . indictione . i .

Signum manus Cenwal regis et donatoris .
Ego Wilfridus episcopus hanc donationem subscripsi .
Ego Herconwaldus episcopus ejusdem donationis subscripsi .
Ego Hedda episcopus donationem a rege factam subscripsi .
Ego Aldelmus indignus abbas hoc cyrographum subscripsi .
Ego Hugon abbas .
Ego Eadbertus abbas.
Ego Wadda presbyter .
Ego Guda presbyter .
Ego Buda presbyter .
Ego Bicca presbyter .
Ego Welisc presbyter .
Signum manus Wuddan .
Signum manus Headdan .
Signum manus Eadbert .
Signum manus Coænes .
Signum manus Rewes .
Signum manus Teodan .
Signum manus Oswine .
Signum manus Snoccan .
Signum manus Moccan .