49
S 175

Coenwulf, king of the Mercians, grants ten sulungs (aratra) at Bexley, Kent, to Archbishop Wulfred. A.D. 814

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

London, British Library, Stowe Ch. 11: single-sheet copy, ?s. x
Endorsement in a hand of ?s. x: to Byxlea
London, British Library, Cotton Augustus ii. 77: single-sheet copy, ?s. x
Endorsement in a hand of ?s. x: to Byxlea

+ In nomine sancti saluatoris Dei et Domini nostri Iesu Christi . Regnante ac gubernante eodem Domino Iesu simulque Spiritu Sancto gubernacula in imis et in arduis disponendo ubique regit . Licet sermo sapientium consiliumque prudentium stabilis permaneat . tamen ob incertitudine temporalium rerum diuinis numinibus muniendo . perscrutando . pro ignotis et incertis euentis stabilienda roborandaque in Deo uiuo et uero sunt . Quapropter ego Coenuulfus gratia Dei rex Merciorum uiro uenerando mihique in Christi caritate summo pontificalis apice decorato . Uulfredo archiæpiscopo dabo et concedo aliquam partem terræ iuris mei quæ mihi largitor omnium bonorum Deus donare dignatus est pro intimo caritatis affectu . ut apostolus ait . Hilarem enim datorem diligit Deus. et hoc est in loco qui dicitur Byxlea .x. aratrorum . in perpetuam possessionem . et hæc terra libera permaneat . preter arcem . et expeditionem . pontisque constructionem . Quod si quisque huic largitioni contradixerit contradicat ei Deus et deneget ingressum cælestis uitæ.
Et his limitibus hæc pars telluris circumgyrari uidetur . Ærest up of Crægean on fulan riðe . 7lang riðe oð ðone fæstendic . 7lang dices oð þæt gebyhte . of ðam gebyhte 7lang hagan oð cyninges healh . ðanon 7lang hagan ut on Crægean . 7lang Crægean oð ðone hagan . 7lang hagan oð pæð feld . þanon 7lang hagan oð æsc burnan . of ðam burnan 7lang hagan on casing stræt . east 7lang stræte on scoffocces sæ . ðanon norð 7lang stræte oð lytlanlea . east fram ðam lea 7lang mearce oð enede mere suð rihte of ðam mere to Burnes stede . ðanon 7lang hagan oð casing stræt . 7lang stræte on ðone calewan telgan . ðanon ut on Crægean . up of Crægean eft on fulan riðe.
Hæc sunt nomina pastuum porcorum . Helfreðingdenn . Hun bealdinghola . Frumesing leah . Burnes stedes denn . Heanyfre . ðæs gemære is on east healfe spachrycg . on suðan Plumweardincg pearrocas . on westan lind cylene . on norðan Auene.
Actum est hoc anno dominicæ incarnationis .dccc^o.xiiii^o. indictione .vi. his testibus consentientibus atque confirmantibus quorum infra nomina notata sunt.
+ Ego Coenuulf gratia Dei rex Merciorum hanc donationis confirmationem signo sanctæ crucis Christi roboraui.
+ Ego Uulfred gratia Dei archiepiscopus consensi et subscripsi.
+ Ego Denebyrht æpiscopus consensi et subscripsi
+ Ego Uulfhard æpiscopus consensi et subscripsi
+ Ego Ælfðryð regina consensi et subscripsi

+ Signum manus Eadberhti ducis.
+ Signum manus Ealhhardi ducis.
+ Signum manus Ceoluulfi ducis.
+ Signum manus Heardberhti ducis.

Edition: Charters of Christ Church, Canterbury, ed. N. P. Brooks and S. E. Kelly, Anglo-Saxon Charters (The British Academy, forthcoming), no. 49. For apparatus criticus and a detailed commentary see this edition.

First from the Cray to the foul stream. Along the stream to the stronghold dyke. Along the dyke as far as the bend; from the bend along the hedge to king's nook. Thence along the hedge, out to the Cray; along the Cray as far as the hedge; along the hedge as far as the 'field-path'. Thence along the hedge as far as the ash-bourne; from the bourne along the hedge to casing street [i.e., Watling Street]. East along the street to scoffoces pool. Then north along the street to the little wood. East from the wood along the boundary as far as the duck pond. Due south from the pond to Bursted. Thence along the hedge to casing street; along the street to the bare pole. Thence out on the Cray, [up the Cray � only in BL Stowe Charter 11] back to foul stream.

On the east side of the boundary is speech-ridge. On the south, Plumweard's paddocks. On the west, lime-tree kiln. On the north, the Avon.

Translation of the bounds: Adapted from Charters of Christ Church, Canterbury, ed. N. P. Brooks and S. E. Kelly, Anglo-Saxon Charters (The British Academy, forthcoming), no. 49.

49A
S 175

Short version of 49. A.D. 815

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

[A]nno dominice incarnationis .dccc.xv. Ego Cenulfus rex do partem terre iuris mei, in loco qui dicitur Bixlea .x. aratrorum, Wlfredo archiepiscopo ad opus ecclesie Christi, et hec terra libera permaneat, preter arcem, expedicionem, pontis construccionem. Hec sunt nomina pascuum porcorum: Helfrethingden, Hunbealdinghola, Frumesingleah, Burnestedesden, Heanyfre; cuius termini sunt: in oriente spachrig in austro plumuuarding parroc, in occidente lindceolne, et ab aquilone Auene. Si quis huic dono contradixerit, contradicat ei Deus et deneget ingressum celestis uite.

Edition: Charters of Christ Church, Canterbury, ed. N. P. Brooks and S. E. Kelly, Anglo-Saxon Charters (The British Academy, forthcoming), no. 49A. For apparatus criticus and a detailed commentary see this edition.