Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church (? ex Selsey)

A.D. 772 (15 August). Offa, king of the English, to Oswald, bishop; grant, for the foundation of a minster, of 8 hides (cassati) at Bexhill, Sussex, with reversion to the bishopric of Selsey. Latin with English bounds and a list of gavel-land appurtenant to Bexhill, namely, Barnhorne, Worsham, on Ibbanhyrste, Crowhurst, on Hricge, on Gyllingan, Foxham (lost, in Crowhurst), on Blacanbrocan (? Black Brooks in Westfield), and Icklesham, all in Sussex.

 

+ In nomine domini Dei salvatoris .INVOCATION

Omne quod secundum presens seculum agitur vix usque ad mortem sufficit . quod vero pro eterna vita agatur . eciam post mortem permanet in eternum . Idcirco intenta mentis providentia unicuique cogitandum considerandumque est . quatenus labentibus huius seculi possessionibus mansuras celestium promissionum diviciis obteneat .PROEM qua de re . Ego Offa Rex Anglorum pro remedio anime mee . et pro Dei amore aliquam partem terre Sudsex' . sicut ante promisi omnipotenti Deo venerando episcopo Osuualdo ad construendum in ea monasterium . basilicamque augendam , que divinis laudibus . et sanctorum honoribus servire videatur . inperpetuam attribuo possessionem . id est . viii . cassatos in loco qui appellatur . Bixlea . sicut meta prenotatum est .

Þis synd þaera . viii . hida land gemera . þaer in landes into baexwarena lande . Arast on cneohta treou . of cneohta treuue . suuae suð on laewe . swæ andlang strandes oð ongean . Codanclibe . Estewerd and suuæ þearupp on ða ealdan merc dic . suuæ norð to kæia weorðe . and suuæ to bænetinge riðe . 7 suuæ norð þurch . sceorta wida to þære mearc . becean . of ðære becean to noðingforda . of þam forða andlang uuæteres to stratt bræcge . of þaere brecge up andlang seohtran to bedanseaðe . of þam seaðe . suð andlang mearce eft to cneohta treouue .BOUNDS

+ Þonne syndon þa gauolland þas ut landes into bexlea . in hiis locis qui appellantur . hiis nominibus . On berna hornan . iii . hida .On wyrtlesham . i . On ibbanhyrste . i . On Croghyrste . viii . On hrigce . i . On gyllingan . ii . On fuccerham 7 and on blacanbrocan . i . On ikelesham . iii . cum totis ad eum pertinentibus . rebus . campis . silvis . pratis . piscuariis . Ut ex hac die supradicta terra in Dei ut dixi nomine per me donata . ab omni regali exaccione libera . et Deo serviencium utilitati mancipata jugiter permaneat . Ea tamen condicione ut post diem illius hec donatio reddatur ad episcopalem sedem . que dicitur Seleseig . BOUNDS

Si quis hanc donacionem a me attributam in maximo vel in modico aliquando imminuere ausus sit , sciat se in districto omnipotentis Dei judicio penam presumpcionis sue incurrere . et ob auditu malo non liberari .CURSE

Þis sint þa fangemerca to icoleshamme . to binguuellan æt clibe ut on ðone broc midne suæ on tattingsnad suæ ut on mor on þat Eadwining dæn oð Cantwara mearce . þanon wuest andlangæs beðles broces middesweardes .BOUNDS

Scripta est . hec cartula . Anno ab incarnacione domini nostri Jhesu Christi . dcc . lxxii . Indictione . x . mensis Augusti . die . xv .DATING CLAUSE

+ Ego Offa Rex Merciorum sicut michi a Deo regnante potestas concessa est . hanc donacionis cartulam propria manu subscribens confirmavi . et signum sanctæ crucis infixi .
+ Ego Ecberht Rex Cantuariorum consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Jaenberhtus gratia Dei archiepiscopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Cyneuulf Rex occidentalium Saxonum hanc donacionem consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Eadberhtus episcopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Osuualdus episcopus ea quæ michi data sunt subscripsi .
+ Ego Righeah episcopus consensi .
+ Ego Diora antistes subscripsi .
+ Ego Osuualdus dux Suðsax' consensi .
+ Ego Osmund dux confirmavi .
+ Ego Ælbuuald dux adquievi .
+ Ego Oslac dux consensi .

Et hii testes quoque ibi aderant , quorum nomina infra scripta sunt :

Botuuine abbas .
+ Eata .
+ Heabercht .
+ Brorda .
+ Berhtuuald .
+ Oesne .
+ Huithyse .
+ Baldræd .
+ Bryne .
+ Stidberht .
+ Cyne .
+ Ealdred .
+ Lulling .
+ Berht .
+ Byrnhere .
+ Tota .
+ Scira .
+ Æmele prefectus .

Omnes isti consensientes subscripserunt et confirmaverunt .

Þis synd þa land gemæro to byrna . hornan aerest op meoswille of ðam wille suþ on þone cumb . of þam cumbe up on hone lytland hæþ feld on pucan wylle . suuæ suð 7 east on ða ealdan rode andlang rode on þa ealdan mearce becan þe stent on east healfe þare rode . on þone deopon cumb on wiþig mere . of þam mere to fifwegan 7 swa suð to þare readan sihtran andlang riðe on wican glinde . swa suð be eastwardan more od ða hyrnan . swa east on iwedise . swa norð on þone woda . and swa east be ðam wuda . 7 swa suð to cyllan beorge . of ðam beorge to cyllan wylle . west andlang streames on þunorslege . 7 swa andlang stremes west abutan þane sealtan merse . 7 swa norð to blacan riðe . up andlang riðe to swinhamme . north andlang mores to siferþingc steorfan . 7 spa oð ðone norþran fulan ford . 7 swa up on þa ealden dic andlang dice . east , and eft on meoswylle .BOUNDS