Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

A.D. 843 x 863. Lufu, ancilla Dei, to Christ Chuch, Canterbury; grant of annual render from her estate at Mongeham, Kent. English.

 

Endorsements:
(1) in a contemporary hand: + Lufe þincggewrit.
(2) in a hand of s. xii: Luue mulier quedam dedit ecclesie Christi Munlingham tempore Celnoð archiepiscopi.
(3) in a hand of s. xii: ix anno dcccoxxxiio Luue mulier dedit familie ecclesie Christi Cantuariensi Munlingham tempore Chelnothi archiepiscopi.

+ Ic Lufa mid Godes gefe ancilla Dei wes soecende 7 smeagende ymb mine saulðearfe mid Ceolnoðes ærcebiscopes geðeahte 7 ðara hiona et Cristes cirican. Willa ic gesellan of ðem ærfe ðe me God forgef 7 mine friond to gefultemedan Elce gere lx ambra maltes 7 cl hlafa, l hwitehlafa, cxx elmeshlafes, an hriðer, an suin, iiii weðras, ii wEge spices 7 ceses, ðem higum to Cristes circcan for mine saule 7 minra frionda 7 mega ðe me to gode gefultemedan; 7 ðEt sie simle to adsumsio Scæ Marie ymb xii monað. End sue eihwelc mon swe ðis lond hebbe minra ærbenumena ðis agefe 7 mittan fulne huniges, x goes, xx henfuglas.

+ Ic Ceolnoð mid Godes gefe ercebiscop mid Cristes rode tacne ðis festnie 7 write.
+ Beagmund preost geðafie 7 mid write.
+ Beornfrið preost geðafie 7 mid write.
+ Wealhhere preost
+ Osmund preost
+ Deimund preost
+ Æðelwald diacon
+ Werbald diacon
+ Siferð diacon
+ Swiðberht diacon
+ Beornheah diacon
+ Æðelmund diacon
+ Wighelm diacon
+ Lubo
+

+ Ic Luba eaðmod Godes ðiwen ðas forecwedenan god 7 ðas elmessan gesette 7 gefestnie ob minem erfelande et Mundlingham ðem hiium to Cristes cirican. 7 ic bidde, 7 an Godes libgendes naman bebiade ðæm men ðe ðis land 7 ðis erbe hebbe et Mundlingham, ðet he ðas god forðleste oð wiaralde ende. Se man se ðis healdan wille 7 lesten ðet ic beboden hebbe an ðisem gewrite, se him seal'd' 7 gehealden sia hiabenlice b'l'edsung. Se his ferwerne oððe hit agele, se him seald 7 gehealden helle wite, bute he to fulre bote gecerran wille Gode 7 mannum.CURSE Uene ualete.

I Lufu, by God's grace ancilla Dei, have been enquiring and deliberating about the good of my soul, with the advice of Archbishop Ceolnoth and the community at Christ Church. I desire to give annually to the community at Christ Church, from the inheritance which God has given me, and my friends have helped me [to secure], sixty 'ambers' of malt, one hundred and fifty loaves, fifty white loaves, one hundred and twenty 'alms-loaves', a bullock, a pig, four sheep, and two weys of lard and cheese, on behalf of my soul and of the souls of my friends and relatives who generously helped me [to secure my property]; and let this always be given annually on the Feast of the Assumption. And in like manner, whosoever of my heirs shall hold this estate is to give these things, together with a mitta full of honey, ten geese and twenty hens.

I Ceolnoth, archbishop by God's grace, confirm this in writing with the sign of Christ's cross......

I Lufu, the humble handmaid of God, appoint and confirm the above-mentioned benefactions and offerings from my inheritance at Mongeham in favour of the community at Christ Church. And I pray, and in the name of the living God enjoin upon the man who has this land and property at Mongeham, to continue these benefactions until the end of the world. He who is willing to observe and perform what I have commanded in this document, to him be given and continued the blessing of heaven. He who refuses or neglects this, to him be given and continued the torment of hell, unless he be willing to have recourse to full compensation to God and to men. Uene ualete.

Endorsed: Lufu's deed.