Catalogue description Charter

Transcription

Regnante in perpetuum domino nostro ihesu christo ac gubernante.

Ego oslac dux suth saxorum aliquam terre partem pro remedio anime meae venerabile ecclesie sancti pauli apostoli libenter concede id est duo nominibus earnaleach tieles ora cum omnibus ad eum pertinentib[us] reb[us] campis silvis. anno ab incarnatione domini 780. Factum est in loco q[ue] appellatur siolesaei +

+ Ego oslac hanc donationem propria manu subscripsi.

+ Ego gislhere ep[iscopu]s consensi et subscripsi + Ego ealduulf consensi et subscripsi + Ego aelbuuald consensi et subscripsi + Ego uuermund consensi et subscripsi + Ego beornnod consensi et subscripsi + Ego uuerfrid consensi et subscripsi + Ego uuiohstan consensi et subscripsi + Ego beffa consensi et subscripsi + Ego bealdheard consensi et subscripsi + Ego aedelmund consensi et subscripsi + Ego beornheard consensi et subscripsi + Ego beorhtnod consensi et subscripsi + sic et regalis omnis dignitas dicit si quis vero hoc decretum irritum facere ter[ranni] co [fr]etus po[tent]u viole[nter tempt] averit noverit se tremendo cunc[t]orum examine coram christo rationem redditurum et habere partem cum Iuda traditore domini in inferno inferior +

Endorsed: + Ego offa d[e]o donante rex mer[ciorum] + hanc supra dictam terram iuxta petitionem uuehthuni epis[copi] sud sax... conroboram sub scribo ac dominicae crucis inpressione confirmabo

+ Ego cynedryd regina consen[si] et subscrip[si]

+ Ego egcfrid rex mer[corum] consen[si] et subscrip[si]

Col. II + Ego brorda prefect[us] consen[si] et subscri[psi]

+ Ego unuuano epis[copus] consen[si] et subscripsi hoc rite peractum in loco quae nuncupatur Yrtlinga burg

Earnaleah et teleis ora

(Upside down)

Non amovit depraecationem ... et misericordiam suam a me

D[eu]s

Oslaci dux Suth Sax. R.R.

Translation

Our Lord Jesus Christ reigning and governing for ever. I, Oslac, leader of the South Saxons, for the redemption of my soul, gladly grant to the venerable church of St. Paul the Apostle a certain piece of land, with the two names Earneleach and Tielseora, with all things pertaining to it, fields and woods.

In the year after the Lord's Incarnation 780, this was done in the place which is called Siolesaei. I Oslac have signed this gift with my own hand.

I Gislhere, bishop, have agreed and signed. I Eadwulf have agreed and signed. I Aelbwald have agreed and signed. I Wermund have agreed and signed. I Beornnod have agreed and signed. I Werfrid have agreed and signed. I Wiohstan have agreed and signed. I Beffa have agreed and signed. I Bealdheard have agreed and signed. I Aedelmund have agreed and signed. I Beornheard have agreed and signed. I Beorhtnod have agreed and signed. And thus says all the royal dignity: if anyone, relying on tyrranous power shall attempt to invalidate this decree by force, let him know that he will have to render account before Christ at the terrible judgement of all men and take his place with Judas, betrayer of the Lord, in the lower Hell.

Endorsed: I Offa, by the gift of God, king of the Mercians, at the request of Wehthun, bishop of the South Saxons, will write my agreement to the above land and confirm it with the sign of the Lord's cross.

I Cynedryd the queen have agreed and signed. I Egcfrid king of the Mercians have agreed and signed. (Col. 2) I Brorda, prefect, have agreed and signed.

I Unwano, bishop, have agreed and signed.

This was lawfully done in the place which is called Yrtlingaburg.

Earnaleah et teleis ora.

(Upside down)

He did not take his prayer and pity away from me.

Oslac, leader of the South Saxons. R.R.

Interpretation

This charter is written in an extremely crude and heavy halfuncial script, which contrasts with the more practised miniscule of the endorsements.

It is possible that this piece of parchment was originally intended for use in a psalter. The ornamental "Deus" and the line "non amovit etc." suggest something of this sort. The confirmation can be dated to 787-796.

Professor H.L. Rogers considers this document to be almost certainly authentic, in spite of the unusual script. Certain of the proper names are given in variations which confirm the early date, and suggest a West Saxon origin for the document.

Refs: Liber B f. 18r (Ep. VI/1/2)

Barker - S.A.C. Vol. 86, pp. 96-98

Birch - Cartularium Saxonicum 237, 1334

Kemble - Codex Diplomaticus 1012

Dugdale - Monasticon (1846 ed.) vi 1163

Pierquin - Recueil général des chartes anglo saxonnes.

Les Saxons en Angleterre, 604-1061. pt. 3 No. 24

Pierre Chaplais - Journal of Society of Archivists Vol.3, pp. 315-336.