Miscellaneous Jacob Scott Miscellaneous Jacob Scott

Henry I Coronation Charter

Henry I’s Coronation Charter is a notification to all the shires of England that King Henry has been crowned. In it, the new king promises to make a number of improvements to English law, removing unjust exactions and restoring the standard set by the law of King Edward (i.e. Edward the Confessor, who reigned 1041-1065). Translation from Latin of Textus Roffensis, ff. 96r-97v by Dr Christopher Monk.

There are several versions of Henry I’s Coronation Charter. The copy found in Textus Roffensis is the oldest surviving of these. Interestingly, the introduction to the Rochester copy, which differs from other versions, gives the date of Henry’s charter as ‘circa 1101’, though we know it was in fact produced on 5th August, 1100. At the end of the charter the names of the witnesses include ‘Bishop Gundulf’, who was bishop of Rochester at the time. However, Gundulf does not appear as a witness on later surviving copies. One scholar suggests that the scribe, when copying from his exemplar, erroneously expanded the initial ‘G’ for Bishop Gerard (bishop of Hereford) who is recorded in other versions of the charter as a witness. This seems the most likely reason for Gundulf being included as a witness in Textus Roffensis, though we should note that there are other differences between the various versions’ lists of witnesses, and so the possibility that Rochester’s bishop witnessed the signing of Henry’s Coronation charter still remains.

The translation below is my own but follows quite closely that by Prof. Richard Sharpe for Early English Laws. Please note especially my reproduction of his use of the legal expression ‘lease by farm’.


Folio

Transcription

Translation (see Translation Notes)


96r (select folio number to open facsimile)


Institutiones Henrici regis

The institutes of King Henry

Anno incarnationis domini circæ MCI [mille, centum, unum] Henricus filius Willelmi regis, post obitum fratris sui Willelmi, dei gracia rex Anglorum, omnibus fidelibus salute.

In the year of the incarnation of the Lord circa 1101, Henry son of King William, king of the English after the death of his brother William [i.e. William II, also known as William ‘Rufus’] and by the grace of God, to all the faithful, greetings.

Sciatis me dei misericordia et communi consilio baronum totius regni Angliæ eiusdem regem coronatum esse. Et quia regnum oppressum erat iniustis exactionibus, ego dei respectu et amore quem erga uos habeo, sanctam dei æcclesiam in primis liberam facio. Ita quod nec uendam nec ad firmam ponam.

Know that, by the mercy of God and the general counsel of all the barons of the kingdom of England, I have been crowned king of the same. And because the kingdom has been burdened with unjust taxes, I, out of respect for God and the love I have towards you, in the first instance make the holy church of God free, so that I shall neither sell it nor lease it at farm [i.e. lease it under contract as a means of gaining revenue].

Et omnes malas consuetudines quibus regnum Angliæ iniuste opprimebatur inde caufero. Quas malas consuetudines ex parte hic pono.

And all the bad customs by which the realm of England was unjustly oppressed I remove thenceforth, which bad customs I record here in part.

Pacem firmam in toto regno meo pono et teneri amodo precipio.

Lagam regis Eadwardi uobis reddo cum illis emendationibus quibus pater meus eam emendauit consilio baronum suorum.

TraI set a firm peace in my whole kingdom and I command that it is henceforth preserved.

The law of King Edward I restore to you along with the amendments by which my father improved it by the counsel of his barons.

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Genealogy of the Anglo-Saxon Kings,

101r-101v Genealogy of the West Saxon English Kings (Adam to Eward)


Transcription


101r (select folio number to open facsimile)



Ðis ys angel-cynnes cyne-cynn
þe her gemearcod is.

ADAM wæs se æresta man, 7 he
gestrinde Seth, 7 seth, gestrinde
enos,
7 enos, gestrinde kainan, 7 kainan,
gestrinde malaleel,
7 maleel, gestrinde
iared,
7 iared, gestrinde eno(c)h. Æfter
enoch, wæs matusalam.
Þa wæs lamech.

Ða wæs ( ) noe. Þa wæs Sem. Ða wæs scyf,
se wæs in tham arken geboran.
Þa wæs bed-
wig.
Ða wæs hwala. Þa wæs haþra. Þa wæs
iterman.
Ða wæs heremod. Þa wæs sealdra.

Þa wæs beaw. Ða wæs tethuua. Ða wæs geata, þe-
ne þa hæþena wurðedon for god.
Þa wæs
godwulf.
Ða wæs finn. Þa wæs friðewulf.

Ða wæs frealaf. Þa wæs friðewold. Ða wæs
woden.
Þa wæs bældæg. Ða wæs brand. Þa
wæs friðegar.
Ða wæs freawine. Þa wæs
wig.
Ða wæs gewis, of ðam brittas clype-
dan þæt land gewis.
Þa wæs esla. Ða wæs
elesa.
Þa wæs cerdic. Ða wæs creoda. Þa
wæs cynric.
Ða wæs ceawlin. Þa wæs
cuðwine.
Ða wæs cuþa. Þa wæs ceolwold.

Þa wæs cenred. Ða wæs ingeld. Þa wæs
eoppa.
Þa wæs eafa. Ða wæs ealhmund.



101v



Ða wæs ecgbryht. Þa wæs aðulf. Ða wæs æl-
fred.
Þa wæs eadweard. Ða wæs eadmund.

Þa wæs eadgar. Ða wæs æþelred. Þa wæs ead-
word.



Translation


This is the English kingly kin which is noted here:

ADAM was the first man,

and he begot Seth;

and Seth begot Enos;

and Enos begot Cainan;

and Cainan begot Malaleel;

and Malaleel begot Jared;

and Jared begot Enoch.

After Encoh was Methuselah.

Then was Lamech.

Then was Noah.

Then was Shem.

Then was Scef, who was born in the ark.

Then was Bedwaig.

Then was Hwala.

Then was Iterman.

Then was Heremod.

Then was Sealdra

Then was Beaw.

Then was Tethuua.

Then was Geata,

_

Godwulf.

Then was Finn.

Then was Fridewulf.

The was Frealaf.

Then was Fridewold.

Then was Odin.

Then was Bældæg.

Then was Brand.

Then was Fridegar.

Then was Freawine.

Then was Wig.

Then was Gewis, of the Gewis.

Then was Esla.

Then was Elesa.

Then was Cerdic.

Then was Creoda.

Then was Cynric.

Then was Ceawlin.

Then was Cudwine.

Then was Cupa.

Then was Ceolwold.

Then was Cenred.

Then was Ingeld.

Then was Eoppa.

Then was Eafa.

Then was Ealhmund.

Then was Ecgbryt.

Then was Asaf.

Then was Alfred.

Then was Edward.

Then was Edmund.

The was Eadgar.

Then was Eathelred.

Then was Edward.


102r-103v Royal genealogy for Bernicia

The list is written in two columns. Names of each king are given a coloured initial, alternating between red and green. Roman numbers, in red ink, are sometimes provided to indicate the number of years the king reigned. Sub-headings, in red ink, are written in Latin.


102r


Hæc sunt genealogiæ pro partes Britanniæ re-

These are the genealogies for the regions of Britain of the

gum regnantium per diversa loca Norðhymbrorum.

reigning kings throughout diverse territories in Northumbria.


102v-103v Royal genealogy for Mercia


102v


_

_


102v Royal genealogy for Northumbria

_

_


102v-103r Royal genealogy for Mercia

_

_


102r-103v Royal genealogy for Lindsey

_

_


102r-103v Royal genealogy for Kent

_

_


102r-103v Royal genealogy for East Anglia

_

_


103v-104r Genealogy of the West Saxon Kings

The format follows that of the previous genealogical list (at 101r-101v) although the order is reversed.


Hæc sunt genealogiæ regum oc-
identalium Saxonum.


These are the genealogies of the kings of the West Saxons:


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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


165r


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-


165v


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


166v


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


167r


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.


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Wotton Surveys 1557-1560

Transcribed by Jacqueline Bower.

See Introduction.

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