Cnut’s Charter for Christ Church, Canterbury, 1023 AD

Concerns the granting of the port of Sandwich and related water rights to Christ Church, Canterbury. Transcription and translation of Textus Roffensis, 57v by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Latin, dating to 1023. No rubric, though there is a space left for one. A space is left for a display initial; or perhaps the initial has been completely obliterated by water damage. The arm of Saint Bartholomew apparently refers to a relic; also mentioned are a large cloak and Bartholomew’s gold crown.

Transcription

57v (select folio number to open facsimile)

_[C]NVD rex anglorum dedit aecclesiae
xpi brachium Sancti Bartholomei
apostoli cum magno pallio, et sui capitis
auream coronam, et portum de sandwic,
et omnes exitus eiusdem aquae ab utraque
parte fluminis, ita ut natante naui
in flumine cum plenum fuerit, quam
longius de naui potest securis paruula
super terram proici, debet a ministris
aecclesiae xpi rectitudo nauis accipi. Null-
usque,

Translation

See Translation Notes

Cnut, king of the English, has given to the church of Christ, the arm of St Bartholomew the apostle with a large cloak, and of the head, a gold crown, and the port of Sandwich, and all of the outlets of the same water from both sides of the river, so that when a ship is in the river and it is full, how far from the ship can a small anchor be thrown on the ground, officials of Christ Church must assess the tightness of the ship, but none.

Acknowledgements

With thanks for the notes of Dr Christopher Monk.