A village and two yokes of land in Rochester, 765
King Ecgberht II of Kent grants to Bishop Eardwulf (of Rochester) a village and two yokes of land in Rochester (765), confirmed by King Heaberht of Kent and Offa of Mercia. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folios 126v-127v by Jacob Scott (pending review).
Campbell, no. 7. The text begins with a green display initial ‘I’ and is marked by a large, black cross in the left margin. The confirmation of Heaberht begins on 127v. The text for the confirmation is marked in the left margin by a small, black cross, indicating the king’s signature. The confirmation of Offa follows, and is marked by a large, black cross in the left margin.
Transcription
126v (select folio number to open facsimile)
+ IN nomine
summi saluatoris et domini nostri qui ubique dispo-
nit omnia, ego ecgberhtus rex cantię, tibi
eardulfo meo fidelissimo ministro atque episcopo,
tuae peticioni assensum prębui cum consensu
scilicet uenerandi archiepiscopi genberhti qui
>michi< in omnibus carus est, necnon et principum meorum
trado terram intra castelli moenia supra
nominati id est hrofiscestri unum uiculum
cum duobus iugeribus adiacentem plateę quę est
terminus a meridie huius terrę quam tibi modo
in presenti possidendam habendamque, et cuicumque
uolueris te uiuente seu moriente dare ęter-
naliter perdono. Si quis autem hanc donationem
meam inuido maliuoloque infringere tempta-
uerit animo, sit separatus in hoc seculo a parti-
cipatione corporis et sanguinis domini nostri iesu
christi, et in futuro a coetu omnium sanctorum segregatus
nisi antea suam pręsumptionem digna satisfacti-
one correxerit. Manentem hanc kartulam in
sua semper stabilitate, suprascriptam donationem
meam signo sanctę crucis christi confirmare cu-
rabo, et alios religiosos uiros ut et ipsum
agerent adhibui quorum nomina cum signa-
culis dominicę crucis intra tenentur. Actum
anno dominicę incarnationis dcclxv. + Ego
egcberhtus rex cantię, hanc donationem meam
signo sanctę crucis roborare curabo. + Ego
gengberhtus gratia dei archiepiscopus, consensi et
subscripsi. + Ego badenoð episcopus consensi et sub-
scripsi. + Signum manus uban. + Signum manus
udan. + Signum manus aldhun. + Signum manus
uuilheri. + Signum manus uualhardi. + Signum
manus tymbel. + Signum manus coenberhti. + Si-
gnum manus balhhardi. + Signum manus aethelno-
di. Confirmatio heaberhti regis cantię.
+ Ego heaberhtus rex cantię >testis< consensi et subscripsi.
+ Ego aldberhtus abbas subscripsi. + Signum manus
esni. + Signum manus badohardi. + Signum ma-
nus tidheah. + Signum manus baldhordi. + Signum
manus eadberhti. + Signum manus hetraedi.
+ Signum manus beornulfi. + Signum manus heara.
Confirmatio offae regis merciorum.
+ Ego offa rex merciorum ad peticionem earduulfi
episcopi hanc donationem in monasterio quod appel-
latus est medyhaemstede pręsidente abbate
botuuino meo manu atque impressione sanctę
crucis christi corroboraui, et licentiam dedi ha-
bendi seu tradendi cuicunque uoluisset.
+ Ego botuuine abbas consensi et subscripsi.
Translation
+ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every man who lives according to God, and hopes and desires to be rewarded by God, must cheerfully offer his assent to pious prayers. For it is certain that the more easily one can achieve those things which he shall demand from God, the more readily he himself has rightly granted the demands of men.
About which I, Sigared, King of Kent, to you venerable Eardulf, Bishop, that you have carefully asked for some piece of land of my right, that is, as of one and a half an acre in the city of Rochester, to possess it eternally for the growth of your monastery.
This small piece of land lies at the north end of your monastery's gate and reaches as far as the northern wall of the aforesaid city within the lands which you previously from the east and west possessed, and therefore this is suitable for you because it was lying in the middle. If any one should at any time attempt to come up against this gift of mine with an envious and malevolent mind, let him be in the present separated from the communion of the holy church of Christ, and in the future separated from the fellowship of all the saints.
I validated this charter remaining in its firmness with the sign of the Lord's Cross, and summoned competent witnesses to do the same. Act in the 15th indiction In the year of our Lord's incarnation 762.
+ I, Sigared, King of Kent, have validated this gift with the sign of the holy cross.
+ I, Eadberht, King of Kent, consenting, confirmed it with my own hand.
+ I, Archbishop Bregouine, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Abbot Aldhuun have subscribed.
+ Sign of the hand Swithuun.
+ Sign of the hand of Ethilhuun.
+ Sign of hand of Esni.
+ Sign of the hand of Egbald
+ Sign of the hand of Wighaað.
+ Sign of the hand of Bunan.
+ Sign of the hand of Heabeorht.
+ Sign of the hand of Tiidheah.