Writ of King Edward declaring that he confirms the gifts made by Earl Leofric and Godgifu (Godiva) to Abbot Leofwine and the brethren at Coventry minster. English and Latin versions

Archive:

Coventry

MSS:

1. London, British Library, Add. Ch. 28657 (s. xii; Birch 1889)
2. London, British Library, Add. 32100, f. 115v (s. xvi; Latin version)
3. London, British Library, Cotton Claudius A. VIII, f. 81r-v (s. xvi)
4. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Dugdale 13 (S.C. 6503), pp. 440-441 (s. xvii)
5. Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare Birthplace Library, Gregory Leiger-Book, pp. 25-26 (s. xiv; Latin version)

Printed and Translated:

Harmer, Writs, no. 45 (pp. 219-21), ex MSS 1, 2

Comments:

Harmer, Writs, pp. 214-18, 462-3, spurious; Lancaster 1954, pp. 113-14, 123-4, spurious; Bishop and Chaplais 1957, pp. xxii n. 1, xxiii n. 2, forged by the same hand as BL Add. Ch. 11205; Davis 1971, esp. pp. 543-4, probably forged in Stephen's reign; Hart, ECNE, no. 77, spurious; BA Facs., p. 11, on scribe of MS 1; Hooke 1999, pp. 105-6; Foot 2000, II. 71

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    Old Text

    • Eadward kyngc gret ædsiæ arcebiscop 7 ealle mine biscopes abbudes 7 eorles ˇeignes 7 scirgerefan 7 ealle mine holden freondlice. ælce mannum gebyre∂ swy∂e rihte ure drihten God luuien 7 hehlice weor∂ien 7 geornlice Godes lagum 7 anrædlice filgean 7 ælmesdæden georne befellen ˇurh hwan ˇæt he of synbænden hine selfne mote alynian. For uræ Drihten on larspelle ˇuss cwe∂, Gestryna∂ eow syluum mid ælmesdædum madme hord on heofonan and wunnungæ mid ænglum. For hwilcæ neodlicum ˇingan icc kyˇe eow eallum ˇæt icc ann mid fulre unne ˇæt ˇa ilcæ gyue ˇæ Leofric eorl 7 Godgyue habbe∂ gegiuen Criste 7 his leoue moder 7 Leofwine abbyde 7 ˇam gebro∂ran innan ˇam munstre æt Couæntree for hiere saule to helpe on lande 7 on loga, on golde 7 on seolfre, on madmen 7 on o∂re eallum ˇingum swa full 7 swa for∂ swa hit heom sylfan on handen stod 7 swa hie ˇer mide ˇæne ilcan mynster wur∂lice habbe∂ gegoded swa icc hit festlice getyˇie. 7 icc ann heom eft ealswa for minre saule ˇæt hie habben ˇer to fullne freodom saca 7 socna, toll 7 team, hamsocne, forsteall, blodwite, fihtwite, weardwite 7 mundbryce. Nu willic henenfor∂ ˇæt hit sye a muneca wunungc/ and standen hieo on Godes gri∂e 7 Sancte Marian 7 on minre æfter Sancte Benedictes regel on ˇære abbuden wealdunge. 7 icc nelle nateshwon geˇafian ˇæt ænig mann ætbrede o∂∂e geutige heora gyue 7 heora ælmessæ o∂∂e ˇæt ˇær ænig mann ænigne onstyngc habbe on ænigum ˇingum o∂∂e on ænigum timan buton se abbud 7 ˇa gebro∂ran to ˇæs mynstres neodan. 7 hwa sæ ˇas elmessæ mid ænige gode geece ece him Drihten heofona blissan. 7 hwa se hieo ætbrede o∂∂e ˇane mynster on ænigum ˇingum on ænigen timan awersie stande he on Godes ungri∂e 7 his leoue moder 7 minre. God eow ealle gehealde.