Free access of a ship into London, 734 AD

King Æthelbald of Mercia allows the free access of a ship into London to St Andrew’s Rochester, 734 AD; Berhtwulf of Mercia confirms this, c.845 AD. Translation of Textus Roffensis, folios 120v-122r by Jacob Scott (pending review).

This is likely a copy of the extant ninth-century document, British Library, Cotton Charter, xvii. The text begins with a red display initial ‘I’ and is marked by a large, black cross in left margin. The confirmation of Berhtwulf begins on folio 121v.

Transcription

120v (select folio number to open facsimile)

+IN nomine Quomodo alduulfus petierit confirmari hanc donationem.
domini dei summi. Ego alduulfus episco-
pus in primis penitus ignoraui quod a doro-
uernensis ęcclesiae pręsuli et rege, hac kar-
tula confirmata esse debuisset, postea agno-
ui et tam diligenter postulaui ab archiepiscopo
nothelmo et rege aethilberhto pręsidente
meo largitore eadberhto ut ipsi manu sua
hanc donationem corroborassent, et sic in metro-
politano urbe perfecte compleuerunt. Actum
mense aprillo, indictione vi. anno ab incarnatio-
ne christi dcc xxxviii. + Ego nothelmus
gratia dei archiepiscopus testis consentiens subscri-
psi kanonice. + Ego aethilberhtus rex pre-
fatam donationem signo sanctę crucis confirmaui.
+ Ego Beornheard testis subscripsi. + Signum
manus, tunan. + Signum manus balthardi.
+ Signum manus eanberhti.

De unius nauis libertate;
+IN nomine domini dei saluatoris nostri iesu christi. Si ea-
quę quisque pro recipienda a deo mercede hominibus

121r

uerbo suo largitur et donat, stabilia iugiter
potuissent durare superuacaneum uideretur
ut litteris narrarentur ac fulcirentur. Sed
dum ad probanda donata ad conuincendumque
uolentem donata infringere nichil prorsus
robustius esse uideretur quam donationis
manibus auctorum ac testium roborate non in-
merito plurimi petunt, utque eis conlata
dinoscuntur paginaliter confirmentur.
Quorum postulationibus tanto libentius tantoque
promptius consensus prebendus est quanto et il-
lis qui precatores sunt, utilior res secundum hoc
uisibile seculum nunc impertitur. Et illis qui con-
cessores existunt, pro impertito opere pietatis
uberior fructus secundum inuisibile postmodum
tribuetur. Quam ob rem ego ethilbaldus rex
merciorum praesentibus litteris indico me dedis-
se pro anima mea alduulfo episcopo ęcclesięque bea-
ti andreę apostoli quam gubernat, unius nauis
siue illa proprie ipsius siue cuiuslibet alte-
rius hominis sit, incensum id est uectigal, michi
et antecessoribus meis iure regio in portu lun-
donię usque hactenus competentem, quemadmo-
dum mansuetudinem nostram rogauit. Quae

121v

donatio ut in perpetuum firma et stabilis sit, ita
ut nullus eam regum uel optimatum uel telo-
niariorum uel etiam iuniorum quilibet ipsorum in
parte aut in toto in irritum presumat aut
possit adducere manu proprio signo sanctę cru-
cis subter in hac pagina faciam, testesque ut sub-
scribant petam. Quisquis igitur id quod pro anima mea
donaui aut donatum est illibatum permanere
permiserit, habeat communionem beatam cum pre-
sente christi ęcclesia atque futura. Si quis autem non
permiserit, separetur a societate non solum sanctorum
hominum sed etiam angelorum, manente hac dona-
tione nostra nihilominus in sua firmitate.
Actum mense septembrio die, indictione ii. anno
regni nostri xvii. + Ego ęthilbald rex sub-
scripsi. + Ego danihel episcopus subscripsi. + Si-
gnum manus oba. + Signum manus sigibed.
>confirmatio beorhtuulfi regis merciorum.<
Hoc etiam iterum confirmatum est a beorhtuulfo
regi merciorum in uico regali uuerburgeuuic.
Ego berhtuulf rex merciorum hanc meam dona-
tionem et predecessoris mei aethilbaldi regis
cum signo sanctę crucis confirmaui his testibus
consentientibus et quorum nomina hic conti-
nentur, ad indulgentiam delictorum meorum

122r

atque predecessoris mei aethilbaldi regis Si quis
autem successorum meorum regum aut principum
aut teloniariorum hanc donationem nostram in-
fringere uel minuere uoluerit sciat se sepa-
ratum a congregatione omnium sanctorum in tremen-
di die iudicii nisi prius digne emendauerit,
amen. + Ego berhtuulf rex merciorum sub-
scripsi. + Ego ceolnoð archiepiscopus subscripsi.
+ Ego seðrið regina subscripsi. + Ego celred
episcopus subscripsi. + Ego tatnoth episcopus subscrip-
si. + Ego hunberth dux subscripsi. + Ego
mucel dux subscripsi. + Ego hunstan dux
subscripsi.

Translation

How Alduulf asks for this donation to be confirmed.

+ In the name of the Lord supreme God, I, Bishop Alduulf, did not know at first that the church at Rochester, I took it and the king, this charter should have been confirmed, afterward I recognized and requested so carefully from Archbishop Nothelmo and King Ethelbert, my presiding officer, that they themselves had by their own hand corroborated this donation, and thus in the metropolitan city completed it perfectly. Enacted in the month of April, sixth indiction, in the year from the incarnation of Christ 838.

+ I, Nothelmed by the grace of God, archbishop, consenting to be a witness, signed canonically.

+ I, Ethelberht, have confirmed the aforesaid donation with the sign of the holy cross.

+ I, Beornheard, subscribed.

+ Sign of the hand of Tunan.

+ Sign of the hand of Baldhard.

+ Sign of the hand Eanberht.

Concerning the freedom of one ship:

+ In the name of the Lord God our Savior Jesus Christ. If those things which each man bestows and grants to men by his word he bestows and gives, though stable and could have continued to endure, it seemed unnecessary to tell the story and support it in writing. But as long as he is willing to infringe on the gifts to prove the facts and to prove the gift, nothing at all would seem to be more robust than to confirm the donation at the hands of the authors and witnesses, and that, when combined with them, they are known to be confirmed by page.

The more willingly and the more willing the consent to be given to those who are prayers, a more useful thing is now bestowed on this visible world. And to those who exist as concessions, for the work of piety imparted, a more fruitful fruit will be afterwards distributed according to the invisible. Wherefore I, Ethelbald, King of the Mercians, in the present letter, declare that I had given for my life to Alduulf, bishop of the church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the one he commands, one ship whether that be the property of himself or of any other person, that is a tribute to him and to my ancestors in the port of London competent up to this point, just as he requested our peace. This gift may be permanent and stable, so that none of the kings, nobles, or customers, or even any of the juniors, either of them in part or in whole, may presume to be void or be able to bring with my own hand the sign of the holy cross under this page, and request witnesses to sign. Whoever, therefore, permits what I have given for my life, or has been given, shall remain unaltered, let him have blessed communion with the present and future church of Christ. But if any one does not permit, let him be separated from the society of not only the holy men but also of the angels, while this gift of ours remains in its steadfastness.

Enacted in September, second indiction, in the 17th year of my reign.

+ I, King Æthelbald, subscribed.

+ I, Bishop Daniel, subscribed.

+ Signed by the hand of Oba.

+ Signed by the hand of Sigibed.

Confirmation by Beorhtwulf, king of Mercia:

This also was again confirmed by Beorhtuulf, King of the Mercians, in the royal village of Werburg.

I, Berhtulf, king of the Mercians, confirmed this gift of mine and of my predecessor, king Ethilbald, with the sign of the holy cross, with the consent of these witnesses, and whose names are included here, for the forgiveness of my sins and of my predecessor, King Ethelbald. But if any one of my successors, kings, princes, or any persons this gift of ours is infringed or diminished, let him know that he was separated from the congregation of all the saints on that terrible day of judgment, unless he had first amended it worthily, amen.

+ I, Berhtuulf, king of the Mercians, subscribed.

+ I, Ceolnod, archbishop, signed.

+ I, Queen Sedrid, subscribed.

+ I, Bishop Celred subscribed.

+ I, Bishop Tatnoth, subscribed.

I, Duke Hunberth, subscribed.

I, Duke Mucel, subscribed.

I, Duke Hunstan, subscribed.