S 147

A.D. 777 x 779. Offa, king of Mercia, with Ealdred, subregulus of the Hwicce, to St Mary's Minster, Worcester; grant of 10 hides (mansiones) at Yate, Gloucs. Latin

Archive:

Worcester

MSS:

1. Lost Somers charter 3
2. London, British Library, Cotton Tiberius A. XIII, ff. 1-118, ff. 54v-55r (s. xi 1)
3. London, British Library, Cotton Vitellius C. IX, f. 130v (s. xvii; incomplete; from lost Somers charter 3)

Printed:

Smith, Bede, p. 766, ex MS 1; Hearne, Heming, pp. 114-16, ex MS 2; Hearne, Heming, p. 563, ex MS 3; K, 145, ex Smith and MS 2; B, 231, ex K, Smith and MS 2

Comments:

Wanley, Catalogus, p. 301 (no. 3), MS 1 a copy in a hand later than Offa's time; Stevenson 1914, p. 692 n. 16, doubtful or spurious; Stenton 1918, p. 445 n. 57, probably spurious (= Stenton 1970, p. 59 n. 3); Robinson 1919, p. 26, probably a forgery based on S 141; Finberg, ECWM, no. 37, suspicious features including anachronistic reference to St Mary's; Scharer 1982, pp. 244-5, spurious; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 153, forgery based on S 141, may include some authentic information; Whybra 1990, p. 44

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    Old Text

    • Geate. + In nomine domini nostri Jhesu Christi . qui cuncta sæcula jugiter pio moderamine regit . Constat ergo et incunctanter verum esse patet omina quæ hic humanis cernuntur visibus . Vana ad caduca transitoriaque fieri . atque ea quæ hominum oculis velantur semper mansura et sine fine stabiliter perdurare in sæcula . Unde et certissime notum est ex auctoritate testimoniorum sacrorum voluminum . Quod cum istis fugitivis mundanis rebus sempiterna mercare possint cælestia regna . Quapropter ego Offa , gratia gratuita Dei patris concedente Merciorum rex Majorum meorum imitans exemplum . Cogitavi ergo in corde meo quatenus ex his sceptris regalibus mundanis regni perceptis a conditore ac largitore omnium bonorum aliquid quamvis minus dignum pro remedio animæ meæ et pro adipiscenda præmia polorum in usus monasticæ liberalitatis æcclesiis donarem . Ideoque ego et Aldredus subregulus Huicciorum . In commune pro domino omnipotenti et in æterna salute animæ nostræ . terram bis quinas mansiones habentem . id est vicum qui nominatur aet Gete ad monasterium quod proprie nuncupatur aet Wigorna ceastre et ad æcclesiam beatæ Mariæ matris domini quæ ibi fundata est libenter in æcclesiasticam possessionem donantes concedimus eadem per omnia libertatis dicione in ejusdem æcclesiæ jure permanendam . qua eandem æcclesiam Æ∂elbaldus rex avo meo Eanulfo conscripsit . Id est ut in omnibus causis magnis et modicis libera et inconcussa permaneat usque in sæculum tamdiu fides Christiana. apud Anglos in Brittannia . maneat . Soluta sit ab omni vi regum et principum et subditorum ipsorum in summo Dei nomine præcipimus . Ut hæc munificentia nostra pro Christo concessa eo firmiore stabilimento perpetualiter permaneat testium et consentientium episcoporum abbatuum ac principum nostrorum signa et nomina in hac cartula testimonii infra perscriptas adnotare curavimus . + Ego Offa domino concedente rex Merciorum huic donationi nostræ pro majore firmitate vexillum crucis Christi propria manu inpressi . + Ego Aldredus Dei dono subregulus Huuicciorum hanc donationem nostram muniens signum salutiferæ crucis cunctis gentibus inpono . + Ego Eadberhtus Christo domino concedente episcopus . his dictis consensi et subscripsi . + Ego Berhthunus Deo et patre donante præsul his statutis consensi et subscripsi . + Ego Ceolulfus gratia Dei permittente antestes . his rebus consensi . + Ego Tilherus prædestinatione dante sacerdos his causis consensi . + Ego Aldberhtus domino tribuente ecclesiæ pontifex his donis consensi et subscripsi . + Signum manus Botuuini abbatis . + Signum manus Folcberhti abbatis . + Sigmum manus Brordani principis . + Signum manus Berhtwaldi principis . + Signum manus Esne principis . + Signum manus Eadbaldi principis . + Sigmum manus Eadbaldi principis . + Signum manus Brordan præfecti .