A.D. 624 (? for 674). Wulfhere, king of Mercia, to Beorhtferth, his kinsman; grant of 5 hides (manentes) at Dillington, Hunts., in return for 30 mancuses of gold. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Worcester
MS: BL Add. Ch. 19788 (s. x or xi; BM Facs., iv. 1)
Printed: B 32; Earle, pp. 4-5.
Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, probably written in 11th century; Maitland 1897, pp. 229, 235, open to grave suspicion; Stenton 1918, p. 434 n. 6, spurious (= Stenton 1970, p. 49 n. 3); Grundy, Wilts. 1919, p. 150, rejects identification with Dilton, Wilts.; PN Hunts., p. 269; Chaplais 1965, p. 50 n., typical forgery (= 1973, p. 31 n. 24); Hart, ECEE, no. 3, spurious, MS probably post-Conquest and very poorly preserved, date may originally have read 674, four witnesses are 8th-century, formulation is mid 9th century, hidage as in Domesday Book; Scharer 1982, pp. 145-6, spurious; Dumville 1993, p. 48 n. 210, notes Ramsey connection with estate.
A.D. 664. Wulfhere, king of Mercia, to St Peter's Minster, Medeshamstede; confirmation and grant of land at Peterborough (Medeshamstede), Thorpe Hall, Dogsthorpe, Eastfield near Peterborough, Newark, Garton End, Eye, Werrington, Gunthorpe, Peakirk, Glinton, Deeping Gate, Peakirk Marsh, Eye Marsh, the hermitage of Singleshole, Castor, Ailsworth, Sutton near Peterborough, Upton near Ailsworth, Milton Park, Barnack, Southorpe, Walcot Hall in Southorpe, Pilsgate, Ufford, Bainton, Ashton in Bainton, Torpel (lost) in Ufford, Thornhaugh, Sibberton Lodge in Thornhaugh, Wansford, Wittering, Wothrope, Burghley near Stamford, Maxey, Lolham Hall in Maxey, Nunton in Maxey, Helpston, Northborough, Etton, Woodcroft Castle in Etton, Paston, Walton, Marholm, Warmington, Oundle, Ashton Wold, Churchfield, Stoke, Benefield, Glapthorn, Cotterstock, Stanwick, Irthlingborough Kettering, Cottingham, East Carleton, Pytchley, Northampton, Northantss.; Olney, Bucks.; Hoo and Avery Farm, Kent; Howden, Yorks. ER; Breedon on the Hill, Leics.; Hrepingas (? Repton, Derbys.); Cedenac; Swineshead, Lincs.; Heanbirig; Lodeshale; Shifnal, Salop.; Costesford (? Salop.), Stretteforde (? Stretford, Salop.), Wecelleburne, Lusgerde (Lizard Hill, Salop.); Ethelhuniglonde (? in Kent); Barchanig (Bardney, Lincs.); Langeledenham; Washingborough, Lincs.; Binnington, Yorks. E.R.; Conisbrough, Yorks. W.R.; Barnwell, Northants.; Great Easton, Bringhurst, Prestgrave, Leics.; Drayton, Northants.; Glaston, Rutland; Langton, Leics.; Tinwell, Ingthorpe, Rutland; Collingham, Notts.; Fiskerton, Reepham, Scotter, Scotterthorpe, Scotton, Northorpe, Yawthorpe, Riseholme, Messingham, Manton, Cleatham, Hibaldstowe, Ravensthorpe, Holme in Bottesford, Risby near Market Rasen, Walcot in Alkborough, Alkborough, Normanby, Althorpe, Lincs.; Muskham, Notts.; Thurlby, Osgodby in Lavington, Walcot near Folkingham, Breidesthorpe (? Bowthorpe), Lincs.; Ryhall, Belmesthorpe, Rutland; Manthorpe, Carlton Scroop, Quadring in Holland, Lincs.; Fletton, Orton and Alwalton, Hunts. Latin with bounds.
Archive: Peterborough
MSS: There are two versions:
A 1. BL Cotton Aug. ii. 5 (s. xiii/xiv)
2. BL Add. 39758, 193r-195v (s. xiv)
3. London, Soc. Ant., 38, 205r-208r (s. xv)
B 4. BL Egerton 2733, 14v-21v (s. xiii)
5. BL Harley Roll Z 17 (s. xiv)
6. London, Lambeth Palace, 321, p. 62 (s. xvi; extract)
7. London, Soc. Ant., 60, 59v-64r (s. xii med.)
8. Peterborough, D. & C., 1, 37v-38v (s. xiii)
9. Peterborough, D. & C., 5, 39v-42r (s. xiii)
10. Peterborough, D. & C., 6, 9r-10v (s. xiv)
Printed: Mon. Angl., i. 63-5; Gunton 1686, pp. 117-21; K 984 ex MSS 1, 7, 8, etc.; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 377-8 (no. 2); B 22 ex K and MS 1 etc.; B 22A ex K and MS 7; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 3, no. 2.
Comments: Stubbs 1861/1, pp. 200-1, forgery, bounds probably taken from S 787; HS, p. 100, spurious; Maitland 1897, p. 334 n., abominable forgery; Plummer 1899, p. 25, spurious; Stevenson 1911/1, p. 2, pious fraud; Stenton 1918, p. 434 n. 6, spurious (= Stenton 1970, p. 49 n. 3); Stenton 1933, p. 314, flagrant forgery (= Stenton 1970, p. 180 n. 2); Levison 1946, p. 219 n. 2, p. 260, spurious, Version A is a copy of B with interpolations. B is possibly the work of Guerno; Harmer 1950, pp. 348-9, 357 n. 3, spurious; Finberg 1964, pp. 75-6; Hart, ECEE, no. 1 (pp. 21, 97, 107, 110), spurious, suggests the following identifications, Cadenac (Cadney, Lincs.), Lodeshale (Louth, Lincs.), Langeledenham (Leadenham, Lincs.); Finberg, ECWM, no. 426, spurious; Potts 1974, bounds represent a clumsy conflation of two areas, a larger estate covering the eastern half of the Soke of Peterborough and extending into Lincs., Cambs. and Hunts. (as in S 787), the other corresponding to the western half of the Soke; Hart, ECNE, no. 1 (pp. 55, 67, 111, 117), post-Conquest forgery; Rumble 1977, p. 170, on Hrepingas; Scharer 1982, pp. 143-4, spurious; Fleming 1985, p. 255 n. 4, 'one of the most elaborate post-Conquest forgeries produced in England'; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 99, on certain estates.
A.D. 666 x 675. Wulfhere, king of Mercia, to the church of St Peter, Chertsey; confirmation of grants of land by Frithuwold, subregulus, and Eorcenwold. Latin.
Archive: Chertsey
MS: BL Cotton Vitell. A. xiii, 24v (s. xiii)
Printed: K 986; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 429 (no. 5); B 33.
Comments: Stenton 1918, p. 434 n. 6, spurious (= Stenton 1970, p. 49 n. 3); Gelling, ECTV, no. 308, spurious; Scharer 1982, pp. 144-5, spurious, based on S 420; cf. S 1165.
A.D. 671 for ? 679 (Chelsea). Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Osric and Oswald, his noble ministri; grant of 300 hides (tributarii) at Gloucester, Gloucs., to Osric, and 300 hides (cassati) at Pershore, Worcs., to Oswald; Osric's part being used by him for the foundation of a minster at Gloucester. Latin.
Archive: St Peter's, Gloucester
MS: Gloucester, D. & C., Reg. A, 9r (s. xiv)
Printed: Hart, Cart. Gloucs., i, pp. lxxi-ii; B 60 ex Hart; Finberg, ECWM, p. 158; Morris 1995, p. 123, ex B.
Translated: Jones 1958, pp. 52-3.
Comments: Taylor 1903, pp. 319-31; Stevenson 1904, p. 155 n. 6; Stenton 1918, p. 436 n. 18, not a medieval fabrication (= Stenton 1970, p. 51 n. 4); PN Worcs., p. xvi, very corrupt but should not be rejected, cf. n. 3; Finberg 1957, p. 12; John 1960, pp. 7, 46, 76, based on early materials; John 1966, pp. 83-5, not in the ordinary sense a forgery, much more an incompetent foundation history based on authentic contemporary material; Finberg, ECWM, no. 1, authentic basis, pp. 153-66, composed in 9th century from miscellaneous material, p. 240, on vocabulary; Scharer 1982, pp. 146-8, fabricated, authentic material minimal, probably based on a charter of Osric founding Gloucester; Hooke 1990, p. 19; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 34-5, on beneficiaries, p. 89 n. 9, on Gloucester, pp. 94-6, on Pershore, p. 122.
Note. S 70 is part of a composite 'foundation charter', other sections of which are formed by Glo 1 (S 1782) and S 209.
A.D. 680 for 681. Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Aldhelm, abbot; grant of 15 hides (cassati) near Tetbury, Gloucs. (The rubric in MSS 1 and 2 refers to Cherletune juxta Tetteburi.) Latin.
Archive: Malmesbury
MSS: 1. BL Lansdowne 417, 9v (s. xiv/xv)
2. PRO E 164/24, 122v-123r (s. xiii)
3. Bodleian, Wood empt. 5, 14v-15r (s. xiii)
Printed: Mon. Angl., i. 51; K 23 ex MS 1; Mon. Angl. (rev edn), i. 258 (no. 7) ex MS 3; Giles, Opera Aldhelmi, cols 311-12; Brewer, Reg. Malm., pp. 282-3, ex MS 2; B 59 ex Brewer, K, Mon. Angl. and MS 1.
Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 703, dubious or spurious; Stenton 1918, p. 438, of ill repute (= Stenton 1970, p. 52); Darlington 1955, p. 3; Watkin 1956, p. 211 and n. 23; Finberg, ECW, no. 339, the bounds in B 59A (S 1578) have no connection with this grant, which refers to Charlton in Tetbury, Gloucs.; Stenton 1971, p. 69, cited; Scharer 1982, pp. 148-50, dubious, some genuine elements, used for fabrication of S 73; Wormald 1985, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Edwards 1988, pp. 90-2, authentic.
A.D. 680. Æthelred, king, to St Peter's Minster, Medeshamstede; grant, appended to a bull of Pope Agatho, of land at Breedon on the Hill, Leics.; Hrepingas (? Repton, Derbys.); Cedenac; Swineshead, Lincs.; Heanbyrig; Lodeshale; Shifnal, Salop.; Costesford; Stretford (? Stretford, Salop.); Wattlesborough and Lizard, Salop.; Æthelhuniglond (? in Kent); and Bardney, Lincs. Latin and English versions.
Archive: Peterborough
MS: Bodleian, Laud 636, 18v-19r (s. xii; English; facsimile)
Printed: Latin (all deriving from Spelman's translation of the English) Spelman, Concilia, i. 164-6; Mon. Angl., i. 67-8; Gunton 1686, pp. 123-8; Wilkins, Concilia, i. 48-50; K 990; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 379-80 (no. 3); HS, pp. 155-7; B 48 ex K.
English K 990; HS, pp. 159-60; B 49; Plummer 1892; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 3, no, 6.Comments: HS, p. 153. spurious; Plummer 1899, pp. 25, 30, spurious; Stenton 1933, pp. 314-15, a late and clumsy fabrication but the list of ancient possessions of the abbey is probably based on an early record (= Stenton 1970, pp. 180-1); Levison 1946, pp. 200-1, 219, 260, spurious, possibly the work of Guerno; Whitelock 1954, p. 33, spurious; Hart, ECEE, no. 146, spurious; Finberg, ECWM, no. 427, spurious; Hart, ECNE, no. 33, spurious; Rumble 1977, p. 170, on Hrepingas; PN Shrops., i. 263; PN Lincs., ii. 75, Cedenac is not Cadney.
A.D. 681. Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Aldhelm, abbot, and his successors; grant of 30 hides (cassati) west of the highway (Long Newnton, Wilts., cf S 1038) and 15 near Tetbury, Gloucs. Latin.
Archive: Malmesbury
MSS: 1. BL Lansdowne 417, 9rv (s. xiv/xv)
2. PRO E 164/24, 122v (s. xiii)
3. Bodleian, Wood empt. 5, 13v-14v (s. xiii)
4. Oxford, Magdalen College, 172, 82v-83r (s. xiii)
Printed: Mon. Angl., i. 51; Wharton, Anglia Sacra, ii. 10; K 22 ex Wharton and MS 1; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 258 (no. 6); Giles, Opera Aldhelmi, p. 343; Hamilton, William of Malmesbury, G.P., pp. 35-1 ex MS 4; Brewer, Reg. Malm., pp. 281-2, ex MS 2; B 58 ex Brewer, K, Mon. Angl. and MS 1.
Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 703, dubious or spurious; Stenton 1918, p. 438, of ill repute (= Stenton 1970, p. 52); Darlington 1955, p. 3; Watkin 1956, p. 211 and n. 22, citing Stenton, genuine; Finberg, ECW, no. 183, authentic; Finberg, ECWM, no. 2, authentic, and p. 237; Stenton 1971, p. 69, cited; Scharer 1982, pp. 149-50, spurious, based on S 71; Edwards 1988, pp. 90-2, interpolated version of S 71.
A.D. 682. Æthelred, king of Mercia, to the church of St Peter, Gloucester; grant of privileges. English.
Archive: St Peter's, Gloucester
MS: Cambridge, U.L., Add. 3041, 282v-283r (s. xvi)
Printed: Finberg, ECW, pp. 252-4 (= Finberg, ECWM, pp. 241-2).
Comment: Finberg, ECW, p. 254, probably spurious (= Finberg, ECWM, pp. 242-3, probably spurious); Scharer 1982, p. 150, spurious; Pelteret 1995, p. 287; Faith 1997, p. 25.
A.D. 692. Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Oslaf, his former minister and now a servant of God at Worcester; grant of 10 hides (manentes) at Wychbold, Worcs. Latin.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: 1. Lost original
2. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 173v-174r (s. xi2)
3. BL Cotton Vitell. C. ix, 129v (s. xvii; incomplete; ex 1)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 383-5 ex MS 2, pp. 557-8, ex MS 3; K 34; B 77.
Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 692 n. 16, dubious or spurious; John 1960, pp. 74-6, may be a largely authentic 7th-century record; Finberg, ECWM, no. 199, authentic basis; Scharer 1982, pp. 150-2, skilfully forged from 8th-century models, probably in 11th century; Hooke 1990, pp. 20-1, on estate.
A.D. 697 x 699. Æthelred, king, to Oftfor, bishop; grant of 44 hides (cassati) at Fladbury, Worcs., so that monastic life may be re-established there. Latin.
Archive: Worcester.
MSS: 1. Somers Ch. 1 (lost)
2. BL Add. 46204, recto (s. xi)
3. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 9rv (s. xi1)
Printed: Smith, Bede, pp. 764-5, ex MS 1; Hearne, Heming, pp. 21-2, ex MS 3; K 33 ex Smith; B 76 ex K; Stevenson 1911, pp. 199-200 ex MS 2.
Translated: Jones 1958, pp. 62-3.
Comments: Wanley, Catalogus, p. 301, no. 1; HS, p. 280, spurious; Stevenson 1911, pp. 199-200; Stevenson 1914, p. 692 n. 16, doubtful or spurious; Stenton 1918, p. 436 n. 18, cited (= Stenton 1970, p. 51 n. 4); Stenton 1918/1, p. 258, accepted; Finberg, ECWM, no. 198, authentic; Hart, ECNE, no. 41, authentic; Hooke 1985, pp. 38, 106; Cox 1976, pp. 32-3, on place-names; Scharer 1982, pp. 152-4, not genuine in present form, perhaps based on S 77, date is 697 x 699; Wormald 1985, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Hooke 1990, pp. 21-2, on estate; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 140-1; cf. S 1252.
A.D. 691 x 699. Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Oftfor, bishop, and St Peter's Church, Worcester; grant of 30 hides (cassati) at Henbury and Aust, Gloucs. Latin.
Archive: Worcester
MS: 1. Lost original
2. BL Harley 4660, 3r (s. xvii; ex 1)Printed: Hickes, Inst. Gramm., p. 169, ex MS 1, cf. pp. 168-9; K 32; Mon. Angl. (rev edn), i. 584-5 (no. 4); B 75; Earle, pp. 12-13; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 16.
Translated: Jones 1958, pp. 61-2.
Comments: Taylor 1894/1, pp. 297-8, authentic; Stevenson 1914, p. 697 n. 38, it may have been written or interpolated about the end of the 8th century; Stenton 1918, p. 436 n. 18, cited (= Stenton 1970, p. 51 n. 4); Dyer and Clarke 1968-9, p. 27; Finberg, ECWM, no. 6, authentic basis, date 691 x 699; Scharer 1982, pp. 152-3, not genuine in present form, date 691 x 693/9; Wormald 1985, p. 25, unreliable later copy, possibly genuine elements; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 78, on Aust, p. 149 n. 32, of doubtful authenticity; Baker et al. 1992, p. 72; Abrams 1996, pp. 50-1, dubious, on estate history of Aust.
A.D. 693 x 704. See LStP 1 (S 1783). Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Waldhere, bishop of London; grant of 10 hides at Ealing, Middx.
A.D. 708. Cenred, king of Mercia, to Ecgwine, bishop of the Hwicce, for his church at Cronuchomme (Evesham); grant of 5 hides (cassati) at Abbots Morton, Worcs. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Evesham
MS: BL Cotton Vesp. B. xxiv, 36r (s. xii)
Printed: K 59 and vol. iii. 376; B 120; Hooke 1990, p. 43, bounds only.
Comments: HS, p. 280, spurious; Grundy, Worcs. 1927, pp. 5-7, on bounds; Finberg, ECWM, no. 203, spurious; Scharer 1982, pp. 155-6, spurious; Hooke 1990, pp. 43-6, on bounds; Lapidge 1993, p. 293 n., spurious; cf. S 80, where this grant is dated 703.
A.D. 709. Cenred, king of Mercia, to Ecgwine, bishop; grant, for life, of 12 agri at Oldberrow, Warwicks., with reversion to St Mary's Minster at Evesham. Latin with English bounds prefixed by a statement that Berhtwulf, king (of Mercia), gave the land to Evesham (A.D. 840 x 852).
Archive: Evesham
MSS: BL Cotton Vesp. B. xxiv, 38v-39r (s. xii)
Printed: K 60 and vol. vi. 226; B 124.
Comments: HS, p. 280; spurious; Stevenson 1914, p. 695 n. 33, spurious, p. 702, a late and clumsy fabrication; Davies 1972, p. 465, spurious; Finberg, ECWM, no. 204, spurious, the witness-list appears to have been copied from a genuine charter, but the bounds belong to the reign of Berhtwulf (840-52); Hooke 1978, bounds appear to date from mid 9th century; Scharer 1982, p. 156, spurious; Hooke 1985, pp. 63, 191-2, on boundary marks; Hooke 1991-2, p. 90, with map p. 96; Lapidge 1993, p. 293 n., spurious; Hooke 1996, p. 109 and map p. 110.
A.D. 709. Cenred, king of Mercia, and Offa, ruler of the East Angles, to the monastery at Evesham; confirmation of 67 hides (mansae) at Evesham, Lenchwick, Norton, Offenham, Littleton, Aldington, Badsey, Bretforton, Church Honeybourne, Willersey, Wickhamford, Bengeworth, Hampton, and at Abbots Morton, all in Worcs. except Willersey, Gloucs. Latin with bounds.
Archive: Evesham
MSS: 1. BL Cotton Vesp. B. xxiv, 68r-69r (s. xii)
2. BL Harley 358, 52v-53v (s. xvi)
3. BL Lansdowne 447, 15r-16r (s. xvii)
4. Bodleian, Dodsworth 10, 26v-27v (s. xvii; no bounds)
5. Bodleian, Dugdale 11, 23r-24r (s. xvii)
6. Bodleian, Rawl. B. 252, 12v-13r (s. xvii)
Printed: Spelman, Concilia, i. 209-10; Mon. Angl., i. 145-6; Alford 1663, ii. 461; Wilkins, Concilia, iv. 748-9; Tindal 1794, pp. 150-2; K 61 and vol. iii. 376-7; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), ii. 15-16 (no. 3); B 125 ex K and MS 1; Hooke 1990, p. 47, bounds only.
Comments: HS, p. 280, spurious; PN Worcs., p. 2, a gross forgery; PN Gloucs., i. 257, 264-5, ii. 7, on bounds; Finberg, ECWM, no. 10 (pp. 33, 88-9), spurious; Cox 1975, pp. 42-3, obvious forgery; Scharer 1982, pp. 156-7, spurious; Hooke 1987, pp. 96-9, on a detail of topography; Hooke 1990, pp. 46-57, bounds cover all the places named in the abstract, except Abbots Morton; Dumville 1992, p. 42 n. 58, spurious.
A.D. 704 x 709. See LStP 4 (S 1786). Cenred, king of Mercia, renews the sanctio of Æthelberht, king (of Kent), in favour of St Paul's, London.
A.D. 710. Ceolred to the church of St Mary, Evesham; grant of 35 hides (cassati) at Ragley, Arrow, Exhall, Wiveleshale, Atherstone, Dorsington, Broom in Bidford, Milcote, Temple Grafton, Binton, Bidford and Hillborough in Temple Grafton, all in Warwicks. Latin.
Archive: Evesham
MS: BL Harley 3763, 62r (s. xii)
Printed: K 62; B 127.
Comments: HS, p. 281, spurious; Hart, ECNE, no. 44, forged at Evesham c. 1097 x 1104, cf. p. 63; Scharer 1982, pp. 157-8, spurious; Hooke 1985, p. 128, spurious.
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