Eighty acres and half a village, and also a marsh, 860 (altered to 790)
Campbell, no. 24. This is probably a copy of the extant tenth-century document, British Library, Cotton Charters, viii. 29.
Fraudulent charter. Campbell: ‘This is a crude forgery. The date was originally 860, and this suits the king and witnesses. But someone has learned (?from 14) the approximate date of Bishop Wærmund, and has altered the date to 790. Whoever altered the date no doubt knew that Æthelberht II of Kent was an eighth-century benefactor of Rochester, but he has still not made his date early enough for that king to be assumed to be the one involved.’
Transcription
134r (select folio number to open facsimile)
+ IN nomine domini nostri iesu christi saluatoris. Si ea
quę secundum decreta canonum ac statuta syno-
dalia salubriter definiuntur, quamuis sermo
solus ad testimonium sufficere possit, at tamen
ob incertam futurorum temporum conditionem fir-
missimis scripturarum indiciis et cautionum
cyrographis sunt roboranda. Quoniam quidem sepe
ex ignorantia, sepe quod est execrabilius ex impro-
bitate contingit ut denegatio rerum uere
et recte gestarum nascatur. Qua propter ego aeðel-
bearht rex occidentalium saxonum seu cantuua-
riorum uuaermundo episcopo trado terram iuris
mei id est xx. æcra, et unum uiculum dimidium
ciuitatis hrobi, et unum mariscum quę ad illum
pertinet, pro eius pecunia quam ab eo accepi, hoc est
xv. pund’, et xxx. mancuso, ut habeat et pos-
sideat, et cuicumque uoluerit illo uiuente seu
moriente ęternaliter tradendam concedo cum
omnibus ad eas rite pertinentibus in minimis
et in maximis notis et ignotis sine fine in
euum permaneat liuera. Si quis uero quod absit he-
redum successorumque meorum hanc nostram piam dona-
tionem immutare aliter uel minuere studue-
rit, sciat se in primis omnipotentis dei iram in-
currere, et uiuentem in hac uita benedictione
carere, et in nouissimo maledictione subia-
cere. Qui uero hęc augenda custodierit,
nichilque inrogarit aduersi, sit benedictus
a domino. Scripta est hęc cartula, anno dominicę
incarnationis dccxc. his testibus qui haec
consentientes subscripserunt, quorum hic nomi-
na infra tenentur asscripta.
+ Ego aeðelbearht rex hanc meam donationem
signo sanctę crucis christi roboraui et subscripsi.
+ Ego ciolnoð archiepiscopus consensi et subscripsi. + Ego
ealhstan episcopus consensi et subscripsi. + Ego Swiðhun
episcopus consensi et subscripsi. + Ego guðheard episcopus
consensi et subscripsi. + Ego dioruulf episcopus consensi
et subscripsi. + Ego æðelred filius regis. + Ego
ælfred filius regis. + Ego uullaf abbas. + Ego uuer-
ferð abbas. + Ego uulfhelm presbiter. + Ego uuer-
enberth minister. + Ego ceolmund minister.
+ Ego eannulf dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego
oric dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego uulfhere
dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego aetheluulf dux
consensi et subscripsi. + Ego humbearht dux consensi
et subscripsi. + Ego uullaf dux consensi et subscri-
psi. + Ego aldred dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego
æðelred dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego dryhtwald
dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego biorhtuulf dux
consensi et subscripsi. Diuisiones supradictę terrę.
Ðanne is >ðer< se leah ðe man ðæt lond mid friðe
haldan scæl. An east healfe sio ealde stræte,
an suð halfe horsum stide, an west halfe
biddanstiorf, an norð halfe pume lond.
Ðanne sind Diuisiones supradicti marisci.
ðæs londes gemæra an west healfe scipfli-
ot, an norð healfe meodowæge, an east hal-
fe liofwinne mearc, ðanne fram cioldry-
ðe londe west be ðare aldan stræte swæ sio
twoentig ęcra.
Translation
+ In the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If those things which according to the decrees of the canons and the statutes of the synods are defined, although speech alone may be sufficient for testimony, because of the uncertain condition of future times, they must be strengthened by the most reliable indications of scriptures and surety bonds. For indeed a fence from ignorance, a fence which is more execrable from impiety, occurs so that the denial of things truly and rightly done is born. For this reason I, Aeðelbearht, king of the Western Saxons, and of the Kentish, give to Bishop Waermund, the land of my right, that is, 20 acres, and one lane, half of the city of Hrobi, and one marsh which belongs to it, for his money which I received from him, this is 15 pounds, and 30 mancuso, that he may have and possess it, and to whomsoever he wills, living or dying, I grant that it may be given eternally, with all that properly pertains to them, in the least and in the greatest, known and unknown, to continue in his possession without end. If any one, who is absent from my heirs and successors, endeavors otherwise to alter or diminish this pious gift of ours, let him know that he will be the first to incur the wrath of Almighty God, and that the living will be deprived of the blessing of this life, and subject to the latest curse. He who shall keep this thing to be increased, and shall ask no question of what is brought against him, may he be blessed by the Lord. This letter was written in the year of the Lord’s incarnation 790. to these witnesses who have subscribed their consent to these things, whose names are here written below.
+ I, King Aedelbearht, confirmed and signed this donation of mine with the sign of the holy cross of Christ.
+ I, Archbishop Ciolnoð, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Bishop Ealhstan, agreed and subscribed.
I, Bishop Swiðhun, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Bishop Godheard, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Bishop Dioruulf, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Aedelred son of the king.
+ I Alfred the king's son.
+ I, Abbot Olaf.
+ I, Abbot Werferð.
+ I, Uulfhelm the presbyter.
+ I, Enberth the minister.
+ I, Ceolmund the minister.
+ I, Duke Eannulf, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Duke Oric, agreed and signed.
+ I, Duke Uulfhere agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Duke Aetheluulf, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Duke Humbearht, agreed and signed.
+ I, Duke Olaf, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Duke Aldred agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Duke Aedelred, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Duke Dryhtwald, agreed and subscribed.
+ I, Duke Biorhwulf, agreed and subscribed.
Divisions of the above-mentioned land:
Ðanne is >ðer< se leah ðe man ðæt lond mid friðe haldan scæl. An east healfe sio ealde stræte, an suð halfe horsum stide, an west halfe biddanstiorf, an norð halfe pume lond.
Divisions of the above-mentioned marsh:
Ðanne sind ðæs londes gemæra an west healfe scipfliot, an norð healfe meodowæge, an east halfe liofwinne mearc, ðanne fram cioldryðe londe west be ðare aldan stræte swæ sio twoentig ęcra.