A.D. 925 (for 927 x 939). King Athelstan to St John's, Beverley; grant of privileges. English

Archive:

Beverley

MSS:

1. London, British Library, Cotton Charters iv. 18 (s. xvi)
2. London, British Library, Add. 61901, f. 69r-v (s. xiv ex.)
3. London, British Library, Harley 560, ff. 21r-22v (s. xvi/xvii)
4. London, British Library, Lansdowne 269, f. 97r-v (s. xvii)
5. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Dodsworth 9 (S.C. 4151), f. 22r (s. xvii; incomplete)
6. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Dodsworth 10 (S.C. 4152), ff. 43v-44v (s. xvii)
7. Oxford, University College, 82, p. 7 (s. xv 2; extract)

Printed:

Mon. Angl., i. 171-2; Oliver, Beverley, pp. 543-4; Poulson, Beverlac, i. 37-9; K, 359, ex Mon. Angl; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), ii. 129-30 (no. 3); Thorpe, pp. 180-2; B, 644, ex MS 4; B, 645, ex Mon. Angl; B, 1339, ex MS 1; Witty 1921, pp. 37-9

Comments:

Witty 1921, probably concocted in the early 14th century; Hart, ECNE, no. 120a, unlikely to have been authentic

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    • ˝at witen alle ˇat ever been, ˝at ˇis Chartre heren and seen; ˝at . I . ˇe kinge Ade'l'stan, Has yaten and given to seint Joh'n. Of Beuerlik ˇat sai I ˇow; Tol and Theam ˇat wit ye now. Sok and Sak' ouer al ˇat land; ˝at es giuen in to his hand, On euer ilk' kinges dai; Be it all free ˇan and ay. Be it almousend, be all fre, Wit ilk' man and eek' wit me. ˝at wil i (be him ˇat me scop), Bot til an Ercebiscop. And til ˇe seuen minstre Prestes; ˝at serues God ˇar saint Joh'n restes. ˝at give i God and saint Joh'n; Her befor you euerilkan; All my hest corn iueldeel, To uphald his ministre weel, ˝a four Threue (be heuen kinge), Of ilk a plowgh of Estriding'; If it swa betid or swa gaas, ˝at ani man her again taas; Be he baron, be he erle; Clark, Prest Person or Cherel; Na be he na ˇat ilk Gome, I will forso'o'ˇe ˇat he come, ˝at wit ye weel or and or, Til saint Joh'n mynstre dor; And ˇar i will (swo Crist me red), ˝at he bet his misded, Or he be cursed son on on; Wit al ˇat seruis saint Joh'n, Yif hit swa betid and swa es, ˝at ˇe man in mansing es, I sai yow ouer fourti daghes; Swilk' ˇan be sain Joh'n laghes, ˝at ˇe Chapitel of Beuerlik' Til ˇe Schirref of Euerwik', Send ˇair writ son on an, ˝at ˇis mansedman betan. ˝e Schirref ˇan say i ˇe, Wit outen ani writ oue me, Sal nimen him (swo Crist me red) And in to my prison lede; And hald him (ˇat is mi wilt) Til he bet his misgilt; If men reises newe Laghes, In ani oˇer kinges daghes; Be ˇay fromed be ˇai yemed; Wit ˇham of ˇe Minstre demed; ˝e mercy of ˇe misded; Gif i saint Joh'n, (swo Crist me red); Yif man be cald of limes or lif, Or men chalenges land in strif, Wit my bodlaik' wit writ of right; Y wil saint Joh'n haue ˇe might, ˝at man ˇar for noght fight in feeld, Now'ˇ'er wit staf no wit sheeld; Bot Twelue men wil I ˇat it telle, Swo sal it be swo heer ibelle. And he ˇat him swo wer ne may; Ouercomen be he euer and ay, Als he in feld war ouercomen, ˝e Crauantise of him be nomen. ˝at ˇat i God and saint Joh'n; Her befor iow euer ilkon, Yif man be founden slan, dronkend, Sterued on sain Johan rike, His aghen 'men' withouten swike, His aghen bailiffs make ˇe sight; Nan oˇer Coroner haue ˇe might; Swa mikel fredom giue i ye, Swa hert may think or eghe see; ˝at haue I thought and forbiseen I will ˇat ˇar euer been, Samening and mynstre lif, Last follik' wit outen strif'; God help alle ˇas ilk' men ˝at helpes to ˇe thowen, Amen. That witten all that euer beene That this charter hearen & seene That I the king Adelstan Has giuen and yatten to St John Of Beuerley that say I yow Toll, & Theam that witt ye now Soke and Sacke ouer all that land That is giuen into his hand On euer ilke kings day Be it all free thand and aye Be it almousend be it all free With ilke man and eke with mee That wilt be him that me scop But till an Arcebiscop And till the seauen minister priests That serues God, ther Saint John rests All my hest corne and meldrell Too vphold his Minister weell They fower threaue by Heauen kinge Of ilke a plough of Eastriddinge If it swa betide, or swa gaes That any man here againe saes Be he Baron, be he Earle Clarke, Priest Parson, or Cherle Na be he, na ˇatilk gome I will forsay that he come (That witt yee weell ore, and ore) Til Saint John Minster dore And ther I will, so Christ mee reed That he bet his misdeed Or he be cursed soone anon With all that serues St John If it swa betide and swa is That the man sings is (I say you) ouer forty daghes Whilke than be Saint John laghes That the chapitell of Beuerlike Till the Sheriffe of Euerwike Send ther writt soone anan That his manser man be tan The Sheriffe that say I yee Withouten any writt on mee Sall nemen him (swa Christ mee reed) And into my prison leed And hold him, that is my wilt Till he bet his misgilt. If men raises new laghes In any other kings daghes Be they formed be they yemed Witt hem of the mynster demed The mercy of the misdeed Giffe I Saint John, so Christ mee reed If man be calde of lyme or liffe Or men challenges land in strife With my God lake with writt of right I will Saint John haue the might That man therefore nought fight in feild Nowther with staffe no with sheild But twelue men will I that it tell Swa sall ther be swa here well And he that him so werne may Ouercomen be He euer and aye Als he in feild war ouercomen The Crauentise of him he iou men That hat I God and St John Gere before now euer ilke me If man be founden Dronken Sterued on St Johns Rike, His aghen men with outen whilke His aghen Baliffes makes the sight Nane other Coroner haue the might Swa michell freedome giffe I yee Swa harte may thinke or eghe can see That haue I thought and for by seene I will that ther euer beene Saynenynge and minister life Last for euer without strife God helpe all those ilke men That helps to the Thowen. Amen. ˝at witen alle ˇat ever been, ˝at ˇis charter heren and seen. ˝at I ˇe king Adelstan Has yaten and given to seint John Of Beverlike ˇat sai I ˇow; Tol and theam ˇat wit ye now, Sok and sake over al ˇat land ˇat es given into his hand, On ever ilke kinges dai, Be it all free ˇan and ay; Be it almousend, be all free Wit ilke man and eeke wit mee. ˝at wil i (be him ˇat me scop) Bot til an ercebiscop, And til ˇe seven minstre prestes ˇat serves God ther saint John restes. ˝at give i God and seint John, Her befor you ever ilkan. All my herst corn ineldeel To uphald his ministre weell. ˝a four threve (be heven kinge) Of ilka plough of estriding: If it swa betid, or swa gaas, ˝at ani man her again taas, Be he baron, be he erle, Clark, prest, parson, or cherel; Na be he na ˇat ilk Gome, I will forsaye ˇat he come (˝at wit ye weel or and or) Til saint John mynstre dor; And ˇar i will (swo Crist me red) ˝at he bet his misded, Or he be cursed son on on Wit al ˇat servis saint John. Yif hit swa betid and swa es, ˝at ˇe man in mansing es: I sai yow over sourti daghes (Swilke ˇan be sain John laghes) ˝at ˇe chapitel of Beverlike Til ˇe scirif of Everwike Send ˇair writ son onan, ˝at ˇis mansedman betan. ˝e scirref ˇan say i ˇe, Witouten any writ one me Sal minen him (swo Crist me red) And into my prison lede, And hald him (ˇat is mi wilt) Til he bet his misgilt. If men reises newe laghes In any oˇer kinges daghes, Be ˇay fromed, be ˇay yemed Wit ˇham of mynstre demed, ˝e mercy of ˇe misdeed, Gif i saint John, swo Crist me red, Yif man be cald of limes or lif, Or men chalenges land in strif Wit my bodlaik, wit writ of right, Y wil saint John have ˇe might. ˝at man ˇar for noght fight in feeld, Now ˇer wit staf no wit sheeld: Bot twelve men wil i ˇat it telle Swo sal it be swo heer ibelle. And he ˇat him swo werne may Overcomen be he ever and ay. Als he in feld war overcomen, ˝e cravantise of him be nomen. ˝at ˇat i God and saint John Her befor iow ever ilkon. If man be founden slan idrunkend, Sterved on sain John rike, His aghen men withouten swike His aghen bailiffs make ˇe fight, Nan oˇer coroner have ˇe might: Swa mikel fredom give i ye, Swa hert may think or eghe see. ˝at have I thought and forbiseen I will ˇat ˇer ever been Samening and mynstre lif Last follike witouten strif, God help alle thas ilk men ˝at helpes to ˇe thowen. Amen.