List of grants to Rochester Cathedral from the foundation to Henry I, recorded c.1123

List of grants to St Andrew’s Church at Rochester, from the time of the foundation by King Æthelberht to Henry I, 604-1100. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 177r-178r by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Folio

Transcription

Translation (see Translation Notes)

177r (select folio number to open facsimile)

ANno ab incarnatione domini Sexientesi-

In the year of our Lord's Incarnation

mo. Rex Athelbertus fundaunt eccle-

six hundred, King Athelbert founded

siam sancti andree apostoli roffensi et dedit ei. Preste-

the church of St. Andrew the Apostle of Rochester and dedicated it.

feld . et omniem terram que est a meduwaie usque

Priestfields, and all the land which is from the Medway to

ad orientalem postam cantaur in australi perte

the east part of Kent in the south

et alias terras extra murum ciuitatis uersus

and all the land outside the walls…

pertem aquilonalem.

pertaining to aquilonalem.

Anno ab incarnatione domini septingesimo . xxx . viii .

In the year of our Lord's incarnation xxx viii.

Eadbertus Rex cantie dedit ecclesie sancti andree

Eadbert King of Kent gave to the church of St. Andrew

Stokes. Et anno ab incarnatione domini. Septin-

Stoke. And in the year of the Lord's incarnation.

gentisimo . lxiiii . Offa rex mertiorum et Sige-

Seven hundredth lxiiii Offa, king of the Mertians, and

redus rex cantie dederuit Frendesberiam.

Sigeredus, king of Cante, surrendered Frindsbury.

Esclingham et Wicham. Item rex offa et

Esclingham and Wicham. Also the king Offa and

Ecbertus dederunt bromheie. Item rex offa

Ecbertus gave bromhei. Again the king

dedit Trottescliue. Et Ck enulfus[?]

gave Trottescliue a shot. And Ck enulfus [?]

rex merciorum dedit Borchstalle.

the king gave goods to Borstal.

Anno ab incarnatione domini. Octingensimo . xxxviii .

A year from the Lord's incarnation. Eighteenth xxxviii

Ecbertus Rex Westsaxonum et Cantuariorum

Ecbert, King of the West Saxons and Canterbury,

dedit eccliae sancti magnas libertates

gave great liberties

et ista maneria. hallinges et Snodilande.

and these manors to the holy church, Halling and Snodland.

Athelwlfus rex filius Egberti regis. dedit

King Athelwulf, son of King Egbert, gave

Cuckelestane. et holenberghe.

Cucclestone, and Hollingbourne.

Eadmundus rex anglorum dedit Mallinges.

Edmund, king of the English, gave Malling.

Quidam potensis[?] nomine Brichricus cum

A certain power [?] named Brichricus and his

177v

uxore sue Ciffwicha dederunt. Dantuna.

wife gave Ciffwicha. Denton,

et langefeld. falchenham et darente. quod

and Langefeld, Falchenham and

manerium quomodo ad archiepiscopatum

the manor

peruenerit ignoratur. Et Eadgarus rex

And Eadgar, king

anglorum dedit Bromlega. Athelredus

of the English, gave Bromleg. Athelred,

rex anglorum dedit Wldeham et litlebroc

king of the English, gave Wldeham and litlebroc

Stantune et hiltune. Scil’ . xv . mansas ter-

to Stantune and Hiltune. 15 shillings, mansa

rarum. Et Willelmus primus rex anglorum

of land. And William the first king of the English

reddidit has terras Roffensi ecclesie a principibus

restored these lands to the Church of Roffen, which had been

in iuste ablatas. Stokes uidelicet et Dennintu-

justly taken away by the princes. Stokes will see both

na et Falchenham. Preterea inter cetera bona

Dennington and Falkenham. Moreover, among the other great goods

magna que eidem ecclesie in uita sue fecit

which he did to the same church during his life,

imminente articulo mortis sue. centum

at the imminent moment of his death. He gave him a hundred

libras ei dedit et tunicam propriam regale,

pounds, and a royal coat,

et cornu eburneum. et alia plura ornamen-

and an ivory horn. and many other

ta. Et Willelmi Rex filius eisdem. dedit lam-

ornaments. And King William the son of the same. He gave

theham et hedenham ad uictum monachorum

Lamtheham and Hedenham to the slaughter of the monks

qui quide’ concessit libertates quas ecclesia

who had granted the liberties which the Church of

Roffensis huc usque obtinuit . et sua carta con-

Rochester had hitherto obtained. and by his charter

firmauit omnium perdictorum dona. Et No-

he confirmed the gifts of all the lost. And the

bilissimus Rex henricus multa bona contu-

most noble King Henry brought many goods.

lit. Scilicet ecclesias de boxle. de Gillefford.

Of course the churches of the Boxley. of Gillefford.

derenteford. Suttune. cum capellis de Wil-

Derenteford. Suttune with the chapels of

mintune et de kingesdune. Item ecclesias de

Wilmintune and Kingsdune. Also the churches

178r

chiselherste et de Wlewich. Item decimas

of Chiselherst and Wlewich. Likewise, the tithes

de strodes . et de chealkes. et alia multa.

of Strood. and of chealkes. and many other things.

Ælfwine grants a half burgage pertinent to Borstal

Ælfwine grants a half burgage to the monks at St Andrew’s, Rochester, pertinent to Borstal. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis folio 200r by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Transcription

200r (select folio number to open facsimile)

Similiter et Ælfuuinus filius dirgiuę dedit
dimidiam hagam pertinentem ad borchstel-
lam monachis sancti andreę, et ideo impe-
trauit in articulo mortis pannos mo-
nachicos, et totum seruitium ab eis sicu-
ti pro fratre.

Translation

Similarly, Ælfwine the son of Dirgue gave half a haga pertaining to Borstal to the monks of Saint Andrew, and therefore he obtained in the moment of his death cloths of the monks, and the whole service from them as for a brother.

Godric, son of Ælwine, gives a half burgage of the king’s land

Godric, son of Ælwine, brother of Ælric the priest, gives a half burgage of the king’s land to the monks at St Andrew’s, Rochester. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 200r by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Transcription

200r (select folio number to open facsimile)

Godricus filius æluuini frater etlrici
presbiteri dedit et ipse similiter dimidiam
hagam de terra regis pertinentem ad prępo-
situram ipsius, pro eo quod monachi sancti andreę
iuxta petitionem suam dederunt ei
pannos monachiles in articulo mortis
suę, et totum seruitium fecerunt pro eo sicuti
pro fratre et benefactore. De qua terra debent
monachi dare praeposito regis de gabla
xv. denarios in tercia feria pascę primae
septimanę, et sex ad festiuitatem sancti
petri mense augusto.

Translation

Godric, son of Ælwine, gave to the brother Etlric the priest, likewise and similarly gave half a haga of the King’s land belonging to his prefecture, because the monks of Saint Andrew, according to his request, gave him monastic cloths at the moment of his death, and did the whole service in his place as his brother and benefactor. On which land the monks ought to be the prefect of the king concerning gabla 15 pennies on the third Friday of the first week of September, and six at the feast of Saint Peter in the month of August.

Ernulf of Chelsfield confirms the gift of Pivindene and Godriscesdune

Ernulf de Chielsfelda (i.e. Chelsfield) confirms the gift of Pivindene and Godriscesdune, owned by ‘his man’ Ernulf de Strodes (i.e. Strood), to St Andrew’s and the monks at Rochester, with the consent of his wife Agnes and his sons, 1143. Transcription and translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 230v by Jacob Scott (pending review).

The hand is later than the original scribe’s. This gift was made with the proviso that Ernulf de Strodes’ son enter the monastic community at Rochester. The first person addressed in the document is Ascelin, Bishop of Rochester from 1142-1148.

Transcription

230v (select folio number to open facsimile)

Domino ascelino Rofensi episcopo . et Radulfo castellano . et omnibus civibus
Roucestrie . toti, que hundred de scamele. Ernulfus de chiel-
esfelda salutem. Notum uobis sit quod ego ernulfus et Agnes uxor
mea . et Symon primogenitus et heres meus . et helyas cle-
ricus et hugo miles filii mei . donationem quam ernulfus de Stro-
des homo meus sancto andree et monachis de rouecestria pro
filio suo in ecclesia rofensi ad monachatum suscepto dedit . par-
tem scilicet terre sue . que piuindene uocator . et terram illam quam
in suo dominico habebat in alio loco qui uocator Godricesdune .
liberam ab omni seruicio et quietam ęterno iure monachis eisdem
possidendam concessimus . Quod si predictus ernulfus uel aliquis
heredum aut successorum eius a solito quod michi de feudo suo
debet seruicio defecerit : a relique quam de me tenet ter-
ra exigeter . elemosina autem ab omni exactione et querela et ca-
lumnia libera permaneat . Et hanc quidem concessionem pro salute anime
mee . et uxoris . et liberorum . et patris . et matris mee . bono et deuo
to animo feci . et signo sancte crucis . + proprioque signaui
sigillo. Cuius rei testes sunt Syuuardus presbiter Symon. Hu-
go. Elyas . filii ernulfi . et Agnes uxor sua . Samson frater . Ricar-
dus nepos domini . Adalulfus miles. Willelmi dapifer. Ernulfus
dispensator. Haimo brito. Ernulfus clericus . Rainaldus secretarius
Ricardus de clouilla . Elfuuinus catere. Rodbertus filius bunde. Go-
defridus nepos goislani . Robertus cognatus clementis monachi .
et alii multi. Anno ab incarnatione domini . m . c . xl . iii . hec…

Translation

To Lord Ascelin, Bishop of Rochester, and Ralph of the Castle and to all the citizens of Rochester, to all that hundred of Scamele[?]. Salutations to Ernulf of Chielsfeld. It is well known that I Ernulf and Agnes my wife, and Simon the first-born and heir-apparent, and Helias the cleric and Hugo Miles my son, the donation which my man Ernulf of Strood gave to Saint Andrew and to the monks of Rochester for his son in the church of Rochester when he was accepted into monasticism, part of his land, called Pivindene, and that land which he had in his lordship in another place called Godricesdune. We have granted to the same monks the freedom from all service and eternal rest. But if the aforesaid Ernulf or any heirs or successors fails in the usual service which he owes to me of his fee: from the remainder that he holds of me by demand. Let the alms of others be free from all exactions and complaints and slanders. And this concession is made for the sake of my soul, and wife, and children, and my father and my mother. I did it with good and god, and with the sign of the holy cross. I signed it with my seal. To this the king's witnesses are the presbyters Symon of Syward, Hugo Elyas, son of Ernulf, and Agnes his wife, Samson his brother, Richard, the lord's nephew, Adalulf Miles, William the servant, Ernulf the steward, Hamo Brito, Ernulf the cleric, Rainald the secretary.

Richard de Clovilla, Elfwin the cook, Robert son of Bunde. Godfrey, nephew of Goislan, Robert a relative of Clement the monk, and many others. A year from the Lord's incarnation 1143. This…

Goldwine, priest of Rochester, grants a half burgage pertinent to Frindsbury

Goldwine, priest of Rochester, grants to the Church of St Andrew’s, Rochester, a half burgage pertinent to Frindsbury. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folios 199v-200r by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Transcription

199v (select folio number to open facsimile)

_Golduuinus presbiter de rouecestra dedit
ęcclesię sancti andreę dimidiam hagam in roue-
cestra, pertinentem ad freondesberiam. Pro quo

200r

beneficio monachi sancti andreę iuxta pe-
titionem suam. >feceruit ibidem filium suum
monachum. Que terra reddit<

Translation

Goldwine, priest of Rochester, gave to the church of Saint Andrew half a haga in Rochester pertaining to Frindsbury, for the kindness of the monks of Saint Andrew’s, according to his request >he gave his son to be a monk there. That land’s rent […]<

Henry de Port grants financial gifts to the almshouse

Henry de Port grants financial gifts to the almshouse at St Andrew’s, Rochester, 1108. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 198v by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Transcription

198v (select folio number to open facsimile)

De earhetha, et de halilei. Notum sit omnibus tam posteris quam pręsentibus
quod ego henricus de port anno ab incarna-
tione domini millesimo centesimo viii. indi-
ctione prima concedente uxore mea hathe-
uuis et filio meo hugone imperpetuum ut
elemosinam donaui deo et fratribus in ęcclesia
roffensi quę est constructa in honore sancti
andreę apostoli seruientibus xx. solidos de red-
ditione mea de earhethea et decimam totam
de halegele, de qua quidem prędictus sanctus dimi-
diam partem habuerat, cęteram uero pro amore Ra-
dulfi episcopi ut praedictum est supra taxato tempo-
re donaui. Hoc autem pro animabus tam predeces-
sorum quam successorum meorum donaui, et ex hoc
beneficium ipsius loci animę meę in fine ut
monacho concessum fuerit. Terminus uero dena-
riorum est in natiuitate domini, decimę autem
in augusto. Teste Hugone filio fulconis,
herberto de cænt, Ansfrido clerico, Ra-
dulfo clerico, Hosberno de mæruurthe.

Translation

Concerning Earith and concerning Halgel[?]:

Let it be known to all, both to posterity and to those present, that I, Henry de Port, in the year from the incarnation of our lord 1108, in the first indiction granted with my wife Hathewis and my son Hugo for ever as alms. I gave to God and the brothers in the church of Rochester, which was built in honor of the service of Saint Andrew the Apostle. Twenty shillings from my payment from Earith and the tithe of the whole of Halgel[?], of which the aforesaid saint had one-half part, the rest however, for the love of Radulf the bishop, as was given above, at the time assessed. And this I have given for the souls of both my predecessors and my successors, and from this the benefit of that place was granted at the end of my soul as a monk. The time of payment is at the birth of the Lord, and the tithe in August. Witnessed by Hugo the son of Fulco, Herbert of Kent, Ansfrid the priest, Ralph the priest, Hosbern of Mæruurthe[?].

The church at Rethavelda in Sussex

William II confirms Gilbert of Tunbridge’s gift of the church at Rethavelda (Sussex) to St Andrew’s, Rochester. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 182v by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Transcription

182v (select folio number to open facsimile)

De rethrauelda. Willelmus rex anglorum, episcopo de suthsexa,
et uicecomiti, et cęteris baronibus suis
francigenis et anglis, salutem. Sciatis me
concessisse et confirmasse donum Gisleberti
de tonebrige quod dedit ęcclesię sancti andreę
de rouecestra, scilicet ęcclesiam de rethrauel-
da, et quicquid ad illam pertinet, siue in decimis,
siue in uenationibus, uel in aliis quibuslibet
rebus, testimonio Rogeri bigot, et haimonis uicecomitis,
apud uuentoniam.

Translation

Concerning Rethavelda:

William, King of the English, to the bishop of Sussex, and the sheriff, and to his other barons French and English, greetings. Know that I have granted and confirmed the gift of Gilbert of Tonbridge which he gave to the Church of Saint Andrew of Rochester, the very same church of Rethavelda, and whatever pertains to it, whether in tithes, or in hunting, or in any other circumstance, by the testimony of Roger Bigot, and Hamo the sheriff at Wenton.

The Church of St Felicity, Walton (Suffolk)

William II confirms Roger Bigot’s gift of the Church of St Felicity, Walton (Suffolk), to St Andrew’s, Rochester. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 182r-182v by Jacob Scott (pending review).

St Felicity’s later became a cell of Rochester, and may have housed a small collection of books (Richards, Texts and Their Traditions, p. 58).

Transcription

182r (select folio number to open facsimile)

De Waletuna; WILLELMVS rex anglorum, episcopo de
suthfulca, et uicecomiti, et aliis
baronibus suis francigenis et anglis,

182v

salutem. Sciatis me concessisse et confirmas-
se donum Rogerii bigot quod dedit ęcclesię
sancti andreę de rouecestra, scilicet ęcclesiam
sancti felicis de waletuna, cum decimis et omnibus
aliis rebus quę ad illam pertinent, testimonio
eudonis dapiferi, apud wentoniam.

Translation

Concerning Walton:

William, King of the English, to the bishop of Suffolk, and the sheriff, and my other French and English barons, greetings. Know that I have granted and confirmed the gift of Roger Bigot, which he gave to the church of Saint Andrew of Rochester, namely, the Church of Saint Felicity of Walton, with tithes and all other things which pertain to it, by the testimony of Eudon the servant, at Wenton.

Grant by Godwin of half his abode

Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 192v by Jacob Scott.

Transcription

192v (select folio number to open facsimile)

Goduuinus filius edith dedit dimidiam man-
sam suam ęcclesię sancti andreę et monachis pro
filio suo ibidem facto monacho pertinentem
ad borcstelle. Testibus, Golduuino presbitero, Eaduui-
no fot, Gudredo filio diringi, et multis aliis.

Translation

Godwin son of Edith gave half his abode to the church of Saint Andrew and the monks, for his son having been a monk there, pertaining to Borstal. Witnessed by: Goldwin the presbyter, Edwin Fot, Gudred son of Diring, and many others.

The Church at Dartford

King William confirms his steward Haimo’s gift of the church at Dartford to St Andrew’s, Rochester. Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 181v by Jacob Scott. Commentary and notes by Dr Christopher Monk.

This charter was not copied by the main Textus Roffensis scribe, who was writing around 1123, but was added on a replacement folio sometime later in the twelfth century, possibly around 1170. It may not be a copy of an authentic charter.

It concerns the grant of the Church at Dartford, 15 miles from Rochester in the north-west corner of Kent. Domesday book shows that the church was held by the Bishop of Rochester in 1086.¹ The bishop at that time was Gundulf, who was also the prior of the community of monks at St Andrew’s, Rochester.

According to the charter, the gift was made by Haimo Dapifer (died. c.1100), the sheriff of Kent (1077 until his death), royal steward of both William I (‘the Conqueror’, reigned 1066-1087) and his son William II (‘Rufus’, reigned 1087-1100). It is unclear which King William is (purportedly) doing the granting in this charter.²

It is important to note that in the 1170s a dispute arose between the monks of St Andrew’s and their bishop, Walter, who was not also the prior of the community, as Gundulf had been. Bishop Walter gave the church to Roger, his nephew, but the monks claimed it had been granted to them in proprios usus, ‘for their own use’ (Flight, p. 219, n. 7). As Gundulf was both bishop and prior, this seems quite a reasonable claim: documents in Textus Roffensis demonstrate that the livelihood of his brothers was of utmost importance to Gundulf. Since Domesday confirms the bishop held the church, he as monk would have benefitted from the income generated from it, and so would have his fellow monks.

As things turned out, Roger retained the church but acknowledged that it was held from the monks (Flight, p. 219, n. 7, and p. 259, Appendix 3, no. 108).³ It is quite possible this Textus copy of a charter, transcribed and translated below, was fabricated and inserted around the time of the dispute in order to support the claim of the brethren. Sadly, for the monks, the church at Dartford continued to be a bone of contention with another of their bishops, Gilbert (Flight, p. 219 and p. 231, incl. n. 23).

Transcription

181v (select folio number to open facsimile)

De ęcclesia de tarenteford Willelmus dei gratia rex anglorum.
fidelibus suis francis et anglis salutem.
Sciatis me concessise eam donationem
quam haimo dapifer meus fecit ęcclesię quę
est in tarenteford manerio meo . et filii
ipsius haimonis . Rodbertus . et haimo .
me pręsente concesserunt eandem patris
sui donationem . Testes . Rodbertus
comes mellen .⁴ Rodbertus comes
de moritolio⁵ . et alii multi;

Translation

Concerning the Church of Dartford:

William, by the grace of God King of the English, to his faithful, French and English, greetings. Know that I have granted that gift which Haimo my steward has made of the church which is in my manor at Dartford, and the sons of Haimo himself, Robert⁶ and Haimo, in my presence conceded⁷ the aforesaid gift of their father. Witnesses, Robert, Count of Meulan⁸ Robert, Count of Mortain,⁹ and many others.

Cited Works

Colin Flight, The Bishops and Monks of Rochester 1076-1214 (Maidstone: Kent Archaeological Society, 1997).

Footnotes

1 Dartford | Domesday Book (opendomesday.org)

2 British History Online states it was William I: Parishes: Dartford | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk)

3 In Appendix 3, Flight lists a document (no. 108) which relates the settling of the Dartford church dispute by the bishop of Winchester and Baldwin, abbot of Ford, dating this document to c. 1170-c1180; he notes the document is not extant but is mentioned in the fourteenth-century Registrum temporalium.

4 Punctus mark added. There is an erasure at this point in the manuscript.

5 A scribal error for ‘moritonio’, Mortain.

6 Aka, Robert fitz Haimo (or, Fitzhamon), died 1107; he is a character in the Haddenham narrative, for which see Bishop Gundulf builds Rochester Castle for the king in return for the manor of Haddenham, c.1108-c.1114 AD — Rochester Cathedral.

7 Or ‘granted’. The sense here is that the two sons relinquish any claim to the church of Dartford.

8 Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, Count of Meulan (c. 1040/1050-1118), a powerful Norman nobleman.

9 Robert, Count of Mortain, 2nd Earl of Cornwall (c. 1031-c.1095), half-brother (on their mother’s side) of William I, a great landholder in England.

Godric of the Delce grants an annual tithing

Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 192v by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Transcription

195r (select folio number to open facsimile)

Godricus de delcsa accepit sotietatem
nostram. Et ideo concessit nobis singulis
annis decimam de annona sua.

Translation

Godric of the Delce has received our society, and so he has given us a single tenth of his produce every year.

William I grants liberties from the time of Edward

William I grants to the church of St Andrew’s in the city of Rochester liberties from the time of King Edward (the Confessor). Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folios 174v-175r by Jacob Scott (pending review).

Transcription

174v (select folio number to open facsimile)

Concessio uuillelmi magni regis;

175r

Vvillelmus dei gratia rex anglorum, haimoni
dapifero et omnibus suis teignis in episcopatu
rofensi salutem. Mando et praecipio, ut eas con-
suetudines quas ęcclesia sancti andreę rofen-
sis ciuitatis habuit in terris uestris seu in
annona, seu in porcis, uel aliis rebus tempo-
re eduuardi regis, habeat, et uos exol-
uatis.

Translation

William, by the grace of God king of the English, to Haimo the steward and all his theigns in the bishopric of Rochester, greetings. I command you to have those customs which the church of Saint Andrew in the City of Rochester, had in your lands, or in corn, or in pigs, or other things in the time of King Edward, let him have it and you will be paid the price.

Agreement with Stephan Bidel concerning tithing

Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 232r by Jacob Scott (pending review).

The script is a later hand than the primary scribe of Textus Roffensis.

Transcription

232r (select folio number to open facsimile)

Ita conuenit inter nos et Donom Stephanus Bidel de decima de
Ifeld . got nos habebimus diminidium frumntum . et ettiam partem ordei . et auene .
Ipse uol de auena . de pisis . de fabis . et uescis : nil perapiet .solidos nos totum.

Translation

So it was agreed between us and the donor Stephen Bidel on the tithing of Ifield. We are to receive half of the grain, and also part of the barley, and oats. He wants the wheat, peas, beans, and feed: nothing will pass one shilling from us in total.

Agreement between Bishop Gundulf and Gilbert concerning land belonging to St Andrew’s, 1086-1088

An agreement, made in the presence of Lanfranc, between Gundulf and Gilbert concerning land held by Gilbert belonging to St Andrew’s Church (1086-1088). Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, folio 175r by Jacob Scott.

Transcription

175r (select folio number to open facsimile)

De conuentione inter gundulfum et gislebertum;
Hęc est conuentio quę facta est cantuarię
in presentia domni archiepiscopi lanfranci, atque
eo precipiente scripta, inter gundulfum episcopum,
et gislebertum de tunebrigge. Iudicio ipsius
domni archiepiscopi debet gislebertus unoquoque
anno dare .L. solidos domno episcopo gundulfo
pro terra sancti andreę quam ipse gislebertus habet,
quo adusque dabit ei tantum de alia terra
sua unde habeat per singulos annos l. solidos,
uel ualens. Testante eodem archiepiscopo lanfran-
co, et episcopo Willelmo de dunhelma, et abbate
Gisleberto westmonasterii, et abbate paulo
sancti albani, et haimone uicecomite de cantor-
beria, et bertranno de uirduno, et maxima
parte de familia ipsius domni archiepiscopi.

Translation

Concerning the agreement between Gundulf and Gilbert:

This is the agreement which was made at Canterbury in the presence of lord Archbishop Lanfranc, and written by that order, between Bishop Gundulf and Gilbert of Tunbridge. At the judgment of the lord archbishop himself, Gilbert must each year give 50 shillings to the lord Bishop Gundulf for the land of Saint Andrew, which Gilbert himself has, until he will give him that land from which he has to pay every year 50 shillings, or of that value. The same Archbishop Lanfranc, and Bishop William of Dunhelm, and Abbot Gislebert of Westminster, and Abbot Paul of Saint Albans, and Haimo, sheriff of Canterbury, and Bertranno of Verdun[?], and for the largest part of the family of the lord archbishop himself.

Sulungs of the manor of the monks and bishop c.1235

Sulungs of the manor of the monks and bishop c.1235

September 7, 2022

Translation from Latin of Custumale Roffense, folios 10r-10v by Jacob Scott (pending review).

A sulung is a measurement of land used during the medieval period in the area of Kent. The term originates from the Anglo-Saxon period but obviously continues into the later medieval period. A sulung was approximately twice the size of a hide, the typical land measurement used elsewhere in England. The modern equivalent to a sulung is about 60 acres. Dictionary of Medieval Terms, ‘sulong’.

Transcription

10r (select folio number to open facsimile)

De sullingis ist maniorum monachorum et episcopi Roffensis. Suthfliet defendit se pro V sulingis cum dimidium
sulingii de Pole. Hoc manerium est in hundredo de
Hakestane. Denuit defendit se pro sulingis. Frendesberi
defendit se pro septem sulingis. Cum uno sulingis de Bromhethe,
et cum dimimdium sulingis de Heselingeham, et dimidium sulingis
de Wicham, et cum Adam pincerna et Grenestrete dimidium
sulingum Thorindini, dimidium sulingum. Stanes defendit
se pro II squatuor. Longefeld pro uno. Faucheham defendit se pro
duobus sulingis. Hec maneria sunt in hundredo de Hacstane.
Brumlega defendit pro tribus sulingis, et hoc idem est maneri-
um est ipse hundredus Mallinges defendit se pro sulingo et
dimidio. Rotesclive defendit se pro uno sulingo. Snodilande
defendit se pro tribus sulungis.
Hec maneria sunt in hundredo

10v

de Lanerkefeld. Hallinge defendit se pro duobus sulingis
et dimidium. Coclestane defendit se pro duobus sulingis.
Hec maneria sunt in hundredo de Schamele. Borestalle
defendit se pro sulingo et dimidio. Wldham defedendit
se pro tribus sulingis cum sullino de parua Wldham.
Et dimidio sullino Robertus nepotis. Stokes defendit se
pro tribus sulingis et dimidium cum terra hugonis.

Translation

Concerning the Sulungs of the manor of the monks and Bishop of Rochester:

Southfleet is assessed at 5 sulungs with half a sulung from Pole.

This manor is in the hundred of Hakestane.

Nuuit is assessed at one sulung.

Frindsbury is assessed at seven sulungs.

With one shilling of Bromhethe, and with half a shilling of Heslingeham, and half a shilling of Wicham, and with Adam the butler and Greenstreet half a sulungs of Thorindin, half a shilling.

Stanes is assessed at 2 sulungs. Longefeld for one. Faucheham is assessed at 2 sulungs.

These are the manors in the hundred of Hacstane.

Brumlega is assessed at for three sulungs, and this same manor in the same hundred Mallinges is assessed at one shilling and a half.

Rotescliff is assessed at for one sulung. Snodilande is assessed at three sulungs.

These manors are in the hundred of Lanerkefeld.

Halling is assessed at two and a half sulungs.

Coclestane is assessed at two sulungs.

These manors are in the hundred of Schamele.

Borstal is assessed at one shilling and a half.

Wouldham is assessed at three sulung with a short sulung from Wouldham. And a half-sulung to his nephew Robert.

Stokes is assessed at three and a half sulung with the land of Hugo.

The manor at Haddenham, 1088 AD

William II grants the manor at Haddenham, held by Archbishop Lanfranc, to the church of St Andrew, Rochester, and its monastic community; 213r, Lanfranc sanctions this grant, 1088.¹ Transcription and translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, ff. 212r-213r by Jacob Scott. Edited with additional notes by Dr Christopher Monk.

Introduction

Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury (r. 1070-1089), held the manor of Haddenham in Buckinghamshire when King William I (r. 1066-1087),² the father of King William II (r. 1087-1100),³ granted it to him around the time Lanfranc became archbishop. Haddenham is recorded in Domesday Book as held by Lanfranc in 1086.⁴

Subsequent to this, Lanfranc granted Haddenham for the living of the monks of St Andrew’s Priory (see Sharpe, p. 364). William II confirmed the grant to the Rochester monks in the summer of 1088 (Sharpe, p. 365); this is the charter transcribed and translated below. Haddenham was the most valuable manor held by the monks.

The witness list of the charter is, as Richard Sharpe points out, quite remarkable. Written in the Norman style, it begins with the king and Lanfranc and includes Thomas, archbishop of York (r. 1070-1100); five other bishops;⁵ an abbot;⁶ the king’s brother Henry (the future Henry I);⁷ Philip, son of the Count of Flanders;⁸ Alan, Count of Rennes;⁹ three earls;¹⁰ and seven other important laymen (Sharpe, p. 365).¹¹

This charter relates directly to the narrative record on folios 173r-174v of Textus Roffensis, which is a re-telling by one of the monks of St Andrew’s Priory of the background story that led to William II’s grant. In short, Lanfranc requested, along with Bishop Gundulf of Rochester, that the new king confirm Lanfranc’s gift to the monks and, moreover, that he change the terms of his father’s original grant. The original had only allowed for Haddenham to be held by Lanfranc whilst the archbishop was alive. Now it was to become a perpetual grant, meaning the monks would hold Haddenham forever. The king agreed, but in return Gundulf had to build for him a new stone castle at Rochester.

You can read a fuller account of this along with the transcription and translation of the Haddenham narrative here .

Lanfranc’s sanction document, 123r

This document was appended to William II’s grant of Haddenham on a replacement folio. It is not in the hand of the principal Textus scribe, though it is quite similar and of the same period. Replacing the original folio also meant that the second half of the witness list had to be recopied.

The replacement of the folio may initially rouse suspicion, but it seems quite likely that there was nothing more iniquitous than an initial oversight on the part of the principal scribe, or that his exemplar at the time did not include Lanfranc’s sanction. Once its omission was evident, therefore, it made complete sense to incorporate it, even if that did mean replacing a page.

Even though other surviving acts of William II do not have sanctions like this, there is nothing inherently controversial in its contents. Moreover, as Sharpe points out, Lanfranc’s sanction of the king’s confirmation may be authenticated by comparison with the equally unique confirmation of Henry I for Rochester with its sanctions by both Archbishop Anselm and Gundulf. The latter survives as an original, complete with seals of the king, the archbishop, and the bishop (Sharpe, p. 365, note 5). As Sharpe observes, we may conjecture that the original act of William II likewise bore the seals of both king and archbishop (Sharpe, p. 365).

Anathema and grammar

Charters quite often contain an anathema, a warning of the consequences to one who contravenes the charter’s directives. Though William II’s grant does not include such, Lanfranc’s sanction does. In the anathema he not only declares that the judgement of the traitor Judas shall befall any who flout the king’s grant, but that he will personally excommunicate them.

At this point, the future perfect tense is used for the series of verbs relating to all those who may in the future take away or attempt to take away the manor of Haddenham from the church of St Andrew, Rochester, and who may receive and retain it. The future perfect tense is used in charters and deeds to describe a time in the future when the document will be read.¹² By contrast, Lanfranc’s statement concerning his excommunicating of such theoretical persons is in the present tense. This juxtaposition of different tenses conveys the idea that Lanfranc’s illustrious spiritual presence would continue even after his death. He would, in effect, be still present to excommunicate the offenders!

Transcription

212r (select folio number to open facsimile)

De Hedenham; VVILLELMVS rex anglorum, archiepiscopis,
episcopis, abbatibus, comitibus, cęterisque
omnibus baronibus suis regni anglorum
salutem. Notum uobis omnibus esse uolo, quod
ego uuillelmus dei gratia rex anglorum filius

212v

uuillelmi regis anglorum concedo ęcclesię
rofensi sancti andreę apostoli ad uictum mona-
chorum manerium quod uocatur hedenham
quod situm est in comitatu de bokingeham
quod tenuit lanfrancus archiepiscopus de patre
meo et de me, quod donat eidem rofensi ęc-
clesię pro salute animę patris mei et ma-
tris meae, et pro salute animae meae et animae
suę. Et ideo eius rogatu et amore hoc do-
num suum praedictę ęcclesię concedo et regali
auctoritate propria manu confirmo, ita
quiete tenendum iure perpetuo, sicut praedi-
ctus archiepiscopus de patre meo et de me illud
quiete tenuit usque in pręsentem diem.
+ Signum Willelmi regis anglorum. + Signum
lanfranci cantuariensis archiepiscopi. + Signum
thomę eboracensis archiepiscopi. + Signum Re-
migii lincoliensis episcopi. + Signum Walcelini
uuentoniensis episcopi. + Signum mauricii lun-
doniensis episcopi. + Signum osmundi serberien-
sis episcopi. + Signum Rodberti herefordensis episcopi.
+ Signum Baldeuuini abbatis sancti eadmundi.
+ Signum henrici fratris regis. + Signum philip-
pi filii rodberti comitis flandrię. + Signum

213r

Alani comitis. + Signum hugonis comi-
tis. + Signum heinrici comitis. +
Signum Willelmi comitis. + Signum
eudonis dapifer. + Signum Rogerii bi-
gotis. + Signum Goffridi de magna
uilla. + Signum Rodberta filii haimo-
nis. + Signum hugonis de monte for-
ti. + Signum Gisleberta de tonebrig-
ge. + Signum hugonis de bello cam-
po. +; Confirmatio Lanfranci archiepiscopi. Ego Lanfrancus non meis meritis sed
gratia dei archiepiscopus, hoc donum
meum quod regia auctoritate confir-
matum est confirmo, et auctoritate
dei omnipotentis et omnium sanctorum
excommunico omnes illos qui prędictum
manerium de prędicta ęcclesia uel abstule-
rint, uel auferre temptauerint, uel abla-
tum ab aliis cognita ueritate receperint
uel retinuerint. Ęterna pęna cum
iuda proditore sit eis, nisi ad satisfacti-
onem uenerint.

Translation

Concerning Haddenham:

William, King of the English, to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, and all the rest of his barons of the kingdom of the English. Greetings. I want it to be known to you all that I, William, by God’s grace, King of the English, son of William, King of the English, do grant to the church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Rochester, for the living of the monks, the manor which is called Haddenham, which is situated in the county of Buckingham, which is held by Lanfranc, the archbishop of both my father and me, and which he now gives to the same church of Rochester for the salvation of the souls of my father and my mother, and for the salvation of my soul and his soul. And therefore, at his request and through love, this gift of his to the aforesaid church I grant, and with royal authority by means of my own hand I confirm it, thus to be held peacefully by right forever, just as the aforesaid archbishop of my father and of me has peacefully held it to this present day.

+ The sign of William, King of the English.

+ The sign of Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury.

+ The sign of Thomas, Archbishop of York.

+ The sign of Remigius, Bishop of Lincoln.

The sign of Walkelin, Bishop of Winchester.

+ The sign of Maurice, Bishop of London.

The sign of Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury.

+ The sign of Robert, Bishop of Hereford.

+ The sign of Baldwin, Abbot of Saint Edmunds,

+ The sign of Henry, brother of the king.

+ The sign of Phillip, brother of Robert, Count of Flanders.

+ The sign of Count Alan.

+ The sign of Earl Hugh.

+ The sign of Earl Henry.

+ The sign of Earl William.

+ The sign of Eudo Dapifer.

+ The sign of Roger Bigod.

+ The sign of Geoffrey de Magnaville.

+ The sign of Robert fitz Haimo.

+ The sign of Hugh de Montfort.

+ The sign of Gilbert of Tonbridge

The sign of Hugh de Beauchamp.

+ [and others].

The confirmation of Archbishop Lanfranc:

I, Lanfranc, not by my own merits but by the grace of God, Archbishop; this gift of mine, which was by royal authority confirmed, I confirm; and by the authority of God Almighty and all the saints I excommunicate all those who will have either taken away¹³ the aforesaid manor from the aforesaid church or attempted to take it away, or received what was taken away and, knowing the truth, retained it. Eternal punishment with Judas the traitor is for them, unless to repentance they come.

Cited work

Sharpe, Richard, ‘Doing Business with William Rufus: The Haddenham Narrative’, in Textus Roffensis: Law, Language, and Libraries in Early Medieval England, ed. Bruce O’Brien and Barbara Bombi (Brepols, 2015).

Footnotes

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1 Our grateful thanks to Elise Fleming for proofreading the English text; any mistakes remain our own.

2 Aka ‘the Conqueror’.

3 Aka William Rufus.

4 See Haddenham | Domesday Book (opendomesday.org)

5 These five are Remigius de Fécamp, bishop of Lincoln (r. 1067-1092); Walkelin, bishop of Winchester (r. 1070-1098); Maurice, bishop of London (r. 1085-1107); Osmund, bishop of Salisbury (r. 1078-1099); and Robert, bishop of Hereford (r. before 1079-1095).

6 Baldwin, abbot of St Edmunds (1065-1097/98).

7 Henry I, r.1100-1135.

8 Evidently, Philip of Loo, son of Robert the Frisian, Count of Flanders from 1071 to 1093.

9 Alan II, Count of Rennes (r. 1084-1112), also known as Alan Fergant; he was also Alan IV, Duke of Brittany (r.1072-1112).

10 These three are Hugh d’Avranches, Earl of Chester from 1071 to 1101; Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick from 1088 to 1102, and who is recorded as one of the two negotiators of the king in the Haddenham narrative document (see below); and William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey from 1088 to 1101 and 1103-1138. It seems unlikely that William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey is meant, as he was mortally wounded in the Easter of 1088, though he evidently did not die until 24 June 1088 (see Sharpe, pp. 375-76).

11 These seven are Eudo Dapifer (d. 1120); Roger Bigod of Norfolk (d. 1107); Geoffrey de Magnaville, aka Geoffrey de Mandeville (d. c.1100), constable of the Tower of London; Robert fitz Haimo, or Fitzhamon (d. 1107), one of the king’s negotiators in the Haddenham narrative document (see below); Hugh de Montfort (d. c.1088); Gilbert of Tunbridge, aka Gilbert de Clare (d. c.1115); and Hugh de Beauchamp (d. after 1101), the sheriff of Buckinghamshire.

12 See The National Archives online: Lesson 4 - Future perfect tense - Latin (nationalarchives.gov.uk) [accessed 25 August 2022].

13 ‘will have either taken away’, translating ‘uel abstulerint’ of the following lines.

Fishings rights in the Thames, c.1103-1107

Henry I grants protection of fishing rights in the Thames to Rochester, c.1103-1107. Transcription and translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, f. 187r by Jacob Scott. Edited with additional notes by Dr Christopher Monk.

Transcription

187r (select folio number to open facsimile)

de niuue uuere; _Henricus rex anglorum, haimoni dapifero,
et Hugoni de bocham, salutem. Prohibeo ne pisca-
tores pescant in tamisia ante piscaturam
de rouecestra de niuuera. Et si ul-
terius inueniuntur piscantes, sint michi forisfa-
cti. Teste Waldrico cancellario, apud Westmoster.

Translation

Concerning the new weir:

Henry, King of the English, to Hamo Dapifer,¹ and Hugo of Bockham, greetings. I prohibit fishermen from fishing in the Thames in advance of the fishing from Rochester’s new weir.² And if they are found to be fishing beyond, they shall pay a fine to me. Witnessed by Waldric the Chancellor,³ at Westminster.

Footnotes

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1 Dapifer, meaning ‘steward', indicative of royal office. Hamo Dapifer must here refer to the son of the better known Hamo Dapifer who held royal office under both William I (r. 1066-87) and William II (r. 1087-1100), but who died in 1100. The son succeeded his father as sheriff of Kent.

2 The prohibition is against fisherman fishing upstream of the Rochester weir.

3 Waldric was the eight Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper of England, from 1103 to 1107, providing us with a date for this charter.

Henry I confirms Geoffrey Talbot's gift, c.1100-1109

Henry I confirms Geoffrey Talbot’s gift to St Andrew’s, Rochester, and Bishop Gundulf, Transcription and translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, ff. 187r-187v by Jacob Scott. Edited with additional notes by Dr Christopher Monk.

Transcription

187r (select folio number to open facsimile)

de litle uuroteham. Henricus rex anglorum, Anselmo archiepiscopo,

187v

et haimoni uicecomiti, et omnibus baronibus suis
francigenis et anglis de chent, salutem. Sciatis
me concessisse donum illud quod gausfridus
talebot dedit ȩcclesiȩ Sancti Andreȩ et episcopo Gun-
dulfo de rouecestra pro anima sua, scilicet me
dietatem parui broteham.¹ Testibus, anselmo archiepiscopo,
et Roberto episcopo lincoliȩ, et Roberto comite de mel-
lent, et Roberto filio haimonis.

Translation

Concerning Little Wrotham:

Henry, King of the English, to Archbishop Anselm and Sheriff Hamo, and to all his barons, Frenchmen and Englishmen of Kent, greetings. Know that I have granted that gift which Geoffrey Talbot gave to the church of St Andrew and Bishop Gundulf of Rochester for his soul, namely, half of Little Wrotham. Witnessed by: Archbishop Anselm, and Robert, bishop of Lincoln, and Robert, Count of Meulan,² and Robert Fitzhamon.

Footnotes

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1 Variant spelling of ‘Wroteham’. See Judith Glover, The Place Names of Kent, p. 213.

2 Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, Count of Meulan (c.1040/50-1118).

Rochester Cathedral Foundation Charter, 604 CE*

King Æthelberht¹ grants land in Rochester to the church of St Andrew, Textus Roffensis, ff. 119r–119v Translated from Latin and Old English by Dr Christopher Monk. Date: likely after 1066.²

Transcription

119r (select folio number to open facsimile)

_INcipiunt⁸ priuilegia aecclesię sancti⁹
Andreae Hrofensis concessa a tempore Ęthil-
berhti regis, qui fide Christiana a beato Au-
gustino suscepta, eandem ęcclesiam con-
strui fecit.¹⁰
_REGNANTE¹¹
IN PERPETVVM DOMINO
nostro Iesu Christo saluatore,
mense Aprilio, sub die
iiii kalendas Maias, indictione
vii ego Æthelberhtus¹² rex
filio meo Eadbaldo admo-
nitionem catholice fidei
optabilem. Nobis est¹³
aptum semper inquirere,
qualiter per loca sanctorum
pro animę remedio
uel stabilitate salutis nostrę aliquid de portione
terrę nostrę in subsidiis seruorum Dei deuotissi-
mam uoluntatem debeamus offerre. Ideoque tibi
Sancte Andrea tuęque ęcclesiae quę est constitu-
ta in ciuitate Hrofibreui ubi pręesse uidetur

119v

Iustus episcopus, trado aliquantulum telluris mei. hic est terminus mei doni.¹⁴ Fram Suðgeate
west andlanges wealles oð Norðlanan to
Stræte, ⁊ swa east fram St>aerte oð Dodding-
hyrnan ongean Bradgeat. Siquis uero au-
gere uoluerit hanc ipsam donationem, auge-
at illi Dominus dies bonos. Et si presumpserit
minuere aut contradicere, in conspectu
Dei sit damnatus et sanctorum eius hic et in ęterna
secula, nisi emendauerit ante eius transitum
quod inique gessit contra Christianitatem nostram. hoc cum consilio Laurentii episcopi et omnium princi-
pum meorum signo sanctę crucis confirmaui, eosque
iussi ut mecum idem facerent. AMEN.¹⁵

Translation

See Translation Notes

Here begin the privileges granted to the Church of Saint Andrew at Rochester, from the time of King Æthelberht who, having received the christian faith from the blessed Augustine, caused the same church to the built:

By our Lord Saviour Jesus Christ reigning perpetually, in the month of April, on the 4th day before the May calends [28th April],³ in the 7th year of the indiction [604],⁴ I King Æthelberht to my son Eadbald, a desired reminder of the Catholic faith. To us it is always proper to examine how, by means of holy places, for the remedy of the soul and the steadfastness of our salvation, we ought to offer, a most devout wish, something from the share of our land for the relief of the servants of God. And, therefore, to thee Saint Andrew and thy church, which is located in the city of Rochester and where Bishop Justus is seen to be head, I do hand over a small part of my land. Here is the boundary of my gift: from South Gate, west along the wall as far as North Lane, to Street,⁵ and so east from Street as far as Doddinghyrne⁶ opposite Broad Gate. If any man wishes to increase this very gift, may the Lord increase good days to him. And if he presumes to diminish or oppose it, may he be damned in the sight of God and his saints, here and on into the worlds everlasting, unless he repents that which he has done unjustly against our Christian faith.

This, in counsel with bishop Laurence and all my principal men,⁷ I have confirmed by the sign of the holy cross and have commanded them in order that they might with me accomplish the same. Amen.

Footnotes

1 King Æthelberht of Kent, often spelt Ethelbert, r. c.590–616.

2 This is a fraudulent document; see Nicholas Brooks, ‘Rochester, A.D. 400–1066’, in Medieval Art, Architecture and Archaeology at Rochester, ed. Tim Ayers and Tim Tatton-Brown (Maney, 2006), pp. 6–21, at pp. 8–10. The purported date is 28th April, 604 (see notes 3 and 4 below). 604 is the date for the foundation of Rochester Cathedral assigned by the monk-historian Bede: ‘In the year of our Lord 604 […] Augustine also consecrated Justus as bishop of a Kentish city which the English call Hrofescaestir [Rochester] after an early chieftain named Hrof. This lies nearly twenty-four miles west of Canterbury, and a church in honour of Saint Andrew the Apostle was built here by King Ethelbert’. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, trans. Leo Sherley-Price, revised R. E. Latham (Penguin, revised ed., 1990), pp. 107–08. The document, as it appears in Textus Roffensis (penned by the principal scribe about 1123), is a copy of an earlier forgery which was possibly written a few years after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The forger may have modelled the forgery on a much older charter, for it is skilfully crafted, but inserted the boundary clause to correspond exactly to land that was seized by William I to build Rochester Cathedral. Therefore, as Brook suggests, the cathedral would have been able to use this charter to claim compensation for their lost land.

3 ‘May calends’, i.e. the first of May; the fourth day before the May calends is therefore April 28th .

4 i.e. in the year 604. The indiction refers to cycles of 15-year periods related to the Roman fiscal year. The indiction year referred to here is that beginning September 597 through to September 598. The seventh year of this particular indiction runs therefore from September 603 to September 604. As the date already given is the 28th April, it follows that the year must be 604. For more information on indiction years, see: https://www.britannica.com/topic/indiction [accessed 30.04.2018].

5 The main thoroughfare at that time through the city, from Westgate to Eastgate, continuing on to Canterbury, and corresponding to the present-day (old) High Street in Rochester (not the bypass of the same name). See Tim TattonBrown, ‘The topography and buildings of Medieval Rochester’, in Medieval Art, Architecture and Archaeology at Rochester, ed. Ayers and Tatton-Brown, pp. 22-37, at p. 23, fig. 1. 6 ‘Dodda’s corner/horn’, located at the crossroads in the centre of Rochester. See Brook, ‘Rochester, A.D. 400–1066’, p. 10, and Fig. 1

6 ‘Dodda’s corner/horn’, located at the crossroads in the centre of Rochester. See Brook, ‘Rochester, A.D. 400–1066’, p. 10, and Fig. 1

7 Bishop Laurence, archbishop of Canterbury, c.604–619. He was part of the Gregorian mission sent to Kent to convert the English peoples and was, unusually, consecrated by his predecessor Augustine before the latter died.

8 A Latin annotation in a non-medieval hand appears above the rubric; it is not fully legible.

9 The bar of the letter ‘t’ is extended.

10 The bar of the letter ‘t’ is extended.

11 ‘REGNANTE…’. To the right, in the margin, there is a faint manicule (a pointing finger).

12 A later hand, probably early-modern, has underlined the date and the king’s name and made an annotation, perhaps in Latin, in the right margin; however, it is not fully legible.

13 The bar of the letter ‘t’ is extended.

14 A later hand has inserted an asterisk with a corresponding annotation in the left margin, translating into earlymodern English the boundary clause: ‘[…] from Southgate West & along […] wal[l]s to north lane to street. & so east from street to dodinghorn lane and then to brod gate.’ The last word of the boundary clause, ‘Brad[-]geat’, has also been underlined.

15 The letter ‘N’ is stretched.

Land for the cemetery of St Andrew’s Priory, 1115-1123

Goldwin ‘the Greek’ grants land to St Andrew’s, Rochester, for the expansion of the cemetery, between 1115–1123¹. Textus Roffensis, ff. 191v–192r. Translated from Latin by Dr Christopher Monk.

Transcription

191v (select folio number to open facsimile)

_Golduuinus cognomento Grecus dedit
ęcclesię Sancti Andreę et monachis pro filio
suo ibidem facto monacho duas hagas
terrę in Rouecestra pertinentes ad Fren-
desberiam, et partem terrę regis quę
est iuxta ipsas hagas. Pręter has autem

192r

hagas dedit et dimidiam hagam iuxta
cimiterium appendentem ad Borchstel-
lam, sed istam dimidiam hac conuenti-
one dedit, quod eam tenebit donec mo-
nachi alias hagas hinc et inde habeant
et domos auferant ad ampliandum ci-
miterium suum. Et tunc sine omni mora
uel contradictione tradet eam in manus
monachorum, uel ipse si uixerit, uel uxor
et filii eius si mortuus fuerit. Huius con-
uentionis testes sunt, Heruisus archidia-
conus, Radulfus clericus et Rodbertus filius eius,
Golduinus presbiter, Gelduinus et Rodbertus monetarii,
Gudredus filius Diringi, Stephanus filius Goduui-
ni, Vuiet filius Golduini, et alii multi.

Translation

See Translation Notes

Goldwin, of the surname Greek, gave to the church of Saint Andrew and the monks, in order for his son to become a monk at that very place, two hagas² of land in Rochester pertaining to Frindsbury,³ and part of the king’s land which is next to these hagas. Moreover, in addition to these hagas he gave a half haga next to the cemetery at Borstal;⁴ however, he gave that half to the monastery for it to hold until the monks have in all respects the other hagas and remove buildings to expand its cemetery.⁵ And thereupon without any delay or objection he delivered it into the hands of the monks, whether he himself, or his wife or sons, lives or dies. These are the witnesses of this agreement: Harvey the archdeacon, the cleric Ralf and his son Robert, Goldwin the priest, Geldwin and Robert the moneyers, Gudred son of Diring, Stephen son of Godwin, Guy⁶ son of Goldwin, and many others.

Footnotes

1 The date range corresponds to the time Harvey was archdeacon of Rochester, he being the first witness named; see W. H. St John Hope, ‘The architectural history of the cathedral church and monastery of St. Andrew at Rochester’, Archaeologia Cantiana, 24 (1900), pp. 1–85, at pp. 8–9: online here [accessed 03.04.18]. The original charter was copied into Textus Roffensis by the principal scribe around 1123.

2 Haga, a piece of enclosed land (often with a house and other buildings) within a town.

3 Frindsbury lies north of Rochester, across the Medway. Evidently, Goldwin had an estate there, but also town property in Rochester connected to that estate.

4 Borstal lies south of Rochester.

5 At this time there was an expansion of monastic buildings taking place and this encroached upon the existing cemetery within Rochester’s walls. The two hagas appear to have been given by Goldwin to compensate and allow for the cemetery to be expanded. The half haga of land in Borstal, which was outside of the city, was also given to ease the situation until the two hagas could have their buildings cleared. See St John Hope, ‘The architectural history of St Andrew’s’, p. 8.

6 The name is spelt Vuiet (Wiet) in the manuscript; this may be a variant of Wyat, which itself is a form of Guy.