Rochester Bridgework List in Textus Roffensis
Transcription
164v-165v Latin Bridgework list
164v (select folio number to open facsimile)
Haec descriptio demonstrat aperte unde
debeat pons de rouecestra restaurari quotiens
Primum eiusdem < fuerit fractus
ciuitatus episcopus incipit operari in orien-
tali brachio p'ma' pera' de terra. dein
de tres uirgatas plancas ponere. Et
tres suliuas. ideft tres magnas trabes
supponere. Et hoc faciet et borestealla.
Et de cuclestana. Et de freondesberia. Et de sto-
che. Postea sed'a pera peranet ad gillinge-
ham. et de catham. et un'a urrgat'a plancas
ponere. et iii. suliuas supponere. Dein-
de tertia pera pan et iteru ad episcopum cuu-
taas eisdem. et duas uirgatas et dunidea' plan-
cas ponere. et iii. er. suliuas supponere. et
hoc fiet de hallingis. et de trotescliud. et
de meallingis. et de fleotes. et de stanes.
et de pinindene. et de falceham. Postea quarta
pera peranet at regem et iii. et dimidiam
uirgata' plancas ponere. et iii.er. et suliuas
supponere. et hoc deb et fieri de et ilefforda.
et de toto illo lefto quod ad illu de manerium
panet. et de super montaneis. et de aclea. et de
smalalan de et de cusintun et de dudeslander et
de gisleardes lande, et de Wldeham, et de
burhham, et de aclesse, et de Stokenbury,
et de Loose, et de Linton, et de Lichebundesl
et de horsteda, et de fearnlega, et
de terstane, et de cealca, et de hænhersta,
et de hathdune. Deinde quinta pera est
archiepiscopi, iiii. or uirgatas plancas ponere,
et tres suliuas summittere, et hoc debet
fieri de Wroteham, et de mæidestana,
et de oteringaberiga, et de netlasteda,
et de duobus peccham, et de hæselholte, et
de mæreuurtha, et de lilleburna, et de
suuanatuna, et de offeham, et de dictune,
et de Westerham. Postea sexta pera de-
bet fieri de holingeburna et de toto
illo lesto quae ad hoc pertinet, iiii. or uirga-
tas plancas ponere, et tres suliuas sup-
ponere. Septimam et octauam peram de-
bent facere homines de hou, et quattuor
et dimidiam uirgatas plancas ponere, et
sex suliuas supponere. Deinde nona
pera quae ultima est in occidentali bra-
chio est iterum archiepiscopi, iiii. or uirgatas
plancas ponere, et tres suliuas summit-
tere, et haec deb et fieri de northfleta, et
de cliua, et de heahham, et de denituna,
et de meletuna, et ( ) de hludesduna, et
de meapeham, et de snodilanda, et de ber-
lingæs, et de pedlesuurthe, et de omnibus il-
lis hominibus qui manent in illa ualle.
Et sciendum est quod omnes illae suliuae quae
in ponte illo ponentur tantae grossitudi-
nis debent esse, ut bene possint sustine-
re omnia grauia pondera superiacentium
plancarum, et omnium desuper pertranseun-
tium rerum.
166v-167r Old English Bridgework list
Þis is þære bricce-geweorc on hrouecæstre.
her syndon genamad pa land pe man hi of
scael weorcan. Ærest paere burge biscop fehd
on pone earma to wercene pa land peran. 7 preo
gyrda to pillianre. 7 ·iii· sylla to lycanne.
Pret is of Borcstealle. 7 of Cucclestane. 7
of Frinondesbyrig. 7 of Stoce. þanne seo od-
er per gebyraþ to Gyllingeham. 7 to
caetham. 7 an gyrd to pillanne. 7 -iii· sylla
to leccenne. þonne seo bridde per ge-
byrad eft þam bioscope. 7 þridde healf
gyrd to þillianne, 7 iii· sylla to lecenne. of
Heallingan. 7 of Trotescliue. 7 of Meallingan.
7 of Fliote. 7 of Stane. 7 of Pinindene. 7 of
Falchenham. þonne is se feoroe perb pres
cinges. 7 fioroe healf gyrd to pillanne. 7 sylla
.jjj. to leccanne. of Ægelesforda. 7 of ellan pam
lrepe pe prer to lip. 7 of Ufanhylle. 7 of Aclea.
7 of pam smalanlande. 7 of Cusintune. 7 of Du-
deslande. 7 of Gislearde- slande. 7 of Wuldeham.
7 of Burhham. 7 of Æcclesse. [7 of Stokenbury, 7 of Loose,
7 of Linton, 7 of Lichebundesland,] 7 of Horstede. 7 of Fearn-
lege. 7 of Trerstane.d 7 of Cealce. 7 of Hennhyrste.e 7
of Edune. þonne is sy fifte per pres arcebiscopes
to
Wroteham. 7 to Mregpanstane. 7 to Wopringa-
byran. 7 to Netlestede. 7 to pam twam Pecc-
ham. 7 to Hreselholte. 7 to Mreranwyrpe. 7
to Lillanburnan. 7 to Swanatune. 7 to Offaham.
7 to Dictune. 7 to Westerham. 7 ·iiii· gyrda to
pyllanne. 7 ·iii· selle to leccanne; þonne is syo
syoxte per to Holinganbuman. 7 to eallan
pam lrepe. 7 ·iiii· gyrda to pelliene. 7 ·iii· sylla
to lecenne. Ponne is syo syouepe 7 syo eah-
tepe per to Howaran lande to wyrcenne. 7
fifte healf gyrd to pillanne. 7 ·vi· sylla to lyc-
canne. þonne is syo nigaþa per pres arcebi-
scopes. pret is syo land per ret prem west ende.
to Flyote. 7 to his Cliue. 7 to Hehham. 7 to Dene-
tune. 7 to Melantune. 7 to Hludesdune. 7 to
Meapeham. 7 to Snodilande. 7 to Berlingan.
7 to Peadeleswyrþe. 7 ealla pa drenewaru. 7 -iiii·
gyrdu to þilianne. 7 þryo sylle to leccanne.
Translation
This description shows clearly how the bridge of Rochester should be rebuilt whenever it is broken:
First the bishop undertakes to construct the eastern pier on the land side, and to plank three rods, and to set in place 3 beams: That is from Borstal, and from Cuxton, and from Frindsbury, and from Stoke.
Then the next pier pertains to Gillingham, and from Chatham: and one rod to plank and 3 beams to set.
Then the third pier pertains to the bishop once more; and two and a half rods to plank and 3 beams to set: from Halling, and from Trottiscliffe, and from Malling, and from [South]fleet, and from Stone, and from Pinden, and from
Then the fourth pier is the king's; and three and a half rods to plank and 3 beams to set: from Aylesford and all the lathe that lies thereto, and from Overhill[?], and from Oakleigh, and from the narrow estate, and from Cossington, and from Dowdes, and from Giselbhurst, and from Wouldham, and from Burham, and from Eccles, and from Stokenbury, and from Loose, and from Linton, and from Lichebundesl, and from Horsted, and from Farleigh, and from Teston, and from Chalk, and from Henhurst, and from Haven[?].
The fifth pier belongs to the archbishop, and three of Wrotham, and of Maidstone, and of Wateringbury, and of Nettlestead, and of the two Peckhams, and of Hadlow, and and of Mereworth, and of Leybourne, and of Swanton, and of Offham, and of Ditton, and of Westerham.
The sixth pier pertains to Hollingbourne and to all the lathes four rods to plank, and three supports.
The seventh and eighth pier pertains to the men at Hoo, and the fourth and fifth planks, and sixth support.
The the ninth pier, which is the lowest in the western side, is again to the archbishop, fourth or to lay down rods, and three shafts of wood, and this should be from Northfleet, and from Cliff, and from Higham, and from Denton, and from Milton, and from Luddesdowne, and from Meopham, and from Snodland, and from Birling, and from Paddlesworth, and all the inhabitants of the valley. And it should be known to all, that will be placed on that bridge must be so thick that it could well bear all the heavy weights of the fallen planks and all the things passing through it.