A.D. 741 (Lyminge). Æthelberht II, king of Kent, to the church of St Mary, Lyminge; grant of fishing rights in the river Limen, land around the oratorium of St Martin (? at New Romney), and pasture at Biscopes wic (The Wicks, Broomhill, Kent). Latin with bounds

Archive:

Canterbury, Christ Church (ex Lyminge)

MSS:

1. London, British Library, Cotton Augustus ii. 101 (s. viii; BM Facs., i. 8; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 192; Ward 1952, plate 1)
2. London, British Library, Stowe 853, ff. 3v-4r (s. xvii)

Printed:

K, 86; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 453 (no. 4); B, 160; Earle, pp. 34-6; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 37

Translated:

Jenkins, Lyminge, pp. 24-5

Comments:

Jenkins, Lyminge, pp. 25-9; BM Facs., iv, p. 7, contemporary; Sweet, OET, pp. 428-9 (no. 7); Earle, p. 34, above suspicion although year and indiction do not agree, correct date probably 740; Stevenson 1914, p. 703, contemporary; Wallenberg, KPN, pp. 37-8, on place-names; Ward 1931, on topography; Ward 1934b, p. 193, on Biscopeswic; Wright 1950, p. 388; Ward 1952; Sisam 1953, p. 3 n. 1, later forgery; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 192, poor copy, probably of late 8th century; Lowe 1935, pp. xiii-xiv, trustworthy; Scharer 1982, pp. 110-13, original but should be dated 750, perhaps confirmation of transaction of 741; Brooks 1984, p. 344 n. 52, authentic; Wormald 1985, p. 25, original or early copy; Brooks 1988, pp. 98-9, on topography; Kelly, St Augustine's, pp. lxxii-lxxxv passim, on Kentish formulation; Foot 2000, II. 112, 115; Thompson 2006, pp. 20 et passim, on script

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    • In nomine Domini Dei Saluatoris nostri Iesu Christi . Prouabilibus desideriis et petitionibus piis assensum semper praebere gloriosum constat esse et rectum et tum maxime cum eadem desideria et petitiones ad dilatandum et augendam uitam Christi sacerdotum eiusque seruorum respiciunt . Qua de re ego Aethilberht rex Cantuariorum pro remedio animae meae capturam piscium quod est in ostio fluminis cuius nomen est Limin aea et partem agri in qua situm est oratorium sancti Martini cum edibus piscatorum et extra eam quartam partem aratri circa eundem locum et alteram partem iuris mei ad pascendum .cl. iumentorum iuxta marisco qui dicitur Biscopes uuic usque ad silbam qui apellatur Ripp et at terminos Suthsaxoniae sicut olim habuit Romanus presbyter ad ecclesiam beatissimi birginis Mariae quod est in Limin iaeae libenter donaui atque dono . regimen habente eiusdem monasterii domno Cuthberhto archiepiscopo tunc temporis abbati . Uerum quia cauendum est ne hodiernam donationem nostram futuri temporis abnegare ualeat et in ambiguum deuocare presumptio . placuit mihi hanc paginem condere per quam non solum omnibus meis succes\s/oribus atque heredibus set etiam mihimet ipsi interdico ne aliter quam a me constitutum est ullo tempore quippiam agere audeant Quod si qui forte obseruare neglexerint et absque digna satisfactione presentis uitae inpleberint dies . sciat se omnipotentis Dei iram incurrere et a socitate sanctorum omnium segregatum . quoniam sanctissimam beatissimae uirginis Mariae locum deonestare conatus est . Qui uero haec augenda custodierint nihilque inrogarent aduersi . auribus percipiant uocem clementissimi iudicis inquientis ad pios . Uenite benedicti Patris mei percipite regnum quod uobis paratum est ab origine mundi. Actum in loco qui dicitur Limin iaee anno dominicae incarnationis .dccxli. indictione .iii. + Ego Aethilberhtus rex Cantiae hanc donationem a me factam propria manu signo sanctae crucis roboraui. + Ego Cuthberhtus gratia Dei archiepiscopus hanc piam donationem predicti regis consensi et subscripsi. + Signum manus Balthhardi + Signum manus Duunuuallan + Signum manus Aeðelhuni + Signum manus Aldberhti prefecti + Signum manus Dunuualhi pincerni + Signum manus Aethelnothi
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    • + In the name of the Lord God our Saviour Jesus Christ. It is agreed that it is glorious and right always to give assent to demonstrable needs and pious requests and especially when those same needs and requests are mindful of enlarging and increasing the life of the priests of Christ and His servants. Wherefore I, Æthelberht, king of the dwellers in Kent, for the salvation of my soul have freely given and give a fishery that is at the mouth of the river whose name is the River Lyminge and a portion of a field in which is located the oratory of St Martin with fish sheds and beside that a quarter of a sulung around the same place and another portion of my property for pasturing 150 head of cattle near the marsh that is called Bishopswic up to the wood that is called Ripp and to the boundaries of Surrey just as Romanus the priest once had it for the church of the blessed Virgin Mary that is in Lyminge, the lord Cuthbert, the archbishop (at that time abbot), having control of that same monastery. But because one must be on one’s guard lest the audacity of a future age should have the power to negate today’s gift of mine and bring it into doubt, it has pleased me to create this document through which I prohibit not only all my successors and heirs but also me myself from daring to do anything at any time other than what has been decided by me. If anyone should neglect to observe this and should complete the days of this present life without a worthy penance, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and be separated from the company of all the saints, since he has tried to dishonour the most holy place of the very blessed Virgin Mary. He who in truth might guard these thing by enlarging them and proposes nothing against them, may he hear with his ears the voice of the most merciful Judge saying to the pious, ‘Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ Executed in the place that is called Lyminge in the year of the Lord’s incarnation 741, in indiction 3. + I, Æthelberht, king of Kent, validated this donation made by me in my own hand with the mark of the holy cross. + I, Cuthbert, by the Grace of God archbishop [of Canterbury], agreed to and subscribed this pious [charter] of donation. + Mark of the hand of Baltheard. + Mark of the hand of Dunwalh. + Mark of the hand of Æthelhun. + Mark of the hand of Ealdberht, prefectus. + Mark of the hand of Dunwalh pincerna. + Mark of the hand of Æthelnoth.
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    • Endorsements: (1) s. ix: Limenea boec (2) s. xii: Ethelbertus rex dedit piscationem in limene et alia quedam ad ecclesiam sancte Marie de limenea . Latine + In nomine domini Dei salvatoris nostri Jhesu Christi . Provabilibus desideriis et petitionibus piis assensum semper præbere gloriosum constat esse et rectum et tum maxime cum eadem desideria et petitiones ad dilatandum et augendam vitam Christi sacerdotum ejusque servorum respiciunt . qua de re ego Æthilberht rex Cantuariorum pro remedio animæ meæ capturam piscium quod est in ostio fluminis cujus nomen est Limin æa et partem agri in qua situm est oratorium sancti Martini cum edibus piscatorum et extra eam quartam partem aratri circa eundem locum et alteram partem juris mei ad pascendum . cl . jumentorum juxta marisco qui dicitur biscopes uuic usque ad silbam qui appellatur Ripp et ad terminos Suthsaxoniæ sicut olim habuit Romanus presbyter ad ecclesiam beatissimi birginis Mariæ quod est in Liminiaeae libenter donavi atque dono regimen habente ejusdem monasterii domno Cuthberhto archiepiscopo tunc temporis abbati . Verum quia cavendum est ne hodiernam donationem nostram futuri temporis abnegare valeat et in ambiguum devocare presumptio , Placuit mihi hanc paginem condere per quam non solum omnibus meis successoribus atque heredibus set etiam mihimet ipsi interdico ne aliter quam a me constitutum est ullo tempore quippiam agere audeant quod si qui forte observare neglexerint et absque digna satisfactione presentis vitæ impleberint dies sciat se omnipotentis Dei iram incurrere et a socitate sanctorum omnium segregatum . Quoniam sanctissimam beatissimæ virginis Mariæ locum deonestare conatus est . Qui vero hæc augenda custodierint nihilque inrogarent adversi . auribus percipiant vocem clementissimi judicis inquientis ad pios . 'Venite benedicti patris mei percipite regnum quod vobis paratum est ab origine mundi'1 . Actum in loco qui dicitur liminiaee Anno dominicæ incarnationis . dccxli . Indictione iii . + Ego Æthilberhtus rex Cantiæ hanc donationem a me factam propria manu signo sanctæ crucis roboravi . + Ego Cuthberhtus gratia Dei archiepiscopus hanc piam donationem predicti regis consensi et subscripsi . + Signum manus Balthhardi . + Signum manus Æ∂elhuni . + Signum manus Dunuualhi pincerni . + Signum manus Duunuuallan . + Signum manus Aldberhti prefecti . + Signum manus Æthelnothi . 1 Matt. 25: 34.