British Academy - Royal Historical Society

ANGLO-SAXON CHARTERS


The Electronic Sawyer

Rulers of the Mercians: King Burgred (S 206-14)


S 206

A.D. 855 (Oswaldesdun). Burgred, king of Mercia, to Alhhun, bishop, and his familia at Worcester; grant of privileges for 10 hides (manentes) at Ablington by the River Coln, Gloucs.; for 8 hides (cassati) at Poulton, Wilts.; for 6 hides (cassati) at Barnsley, Gloucs.; for 5 hides (manentes) at Eisey, Wilts.; and for 3 hides (manentes) at Bentley, Worcs.; in return for two bradiolae weighing 45 (or 48) mancuses. Latin.

Archive: Worcester

MSS: 1. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 39r-40r (s. xi1)
2. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 194v-195r (s. xi2)

Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 85-7 ex MS 1, pp. 436-8 ex MS 2; K 277; Thorpe, pp. 113-14; B 487; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 2, no. 22.

Translated: Stevenson 1911/1, pp. 3-4; Whitelock, EHD, no. 90 (pp. 526-7).

Comments: Stevenson 1911/1, pp. 3-4, authentic; Stevenson 1914, p. 698 n. 44, authentic; Stenton 1971, p. 243, cited; Finberg, ECWM, no. 77 (pp. 48, 104), authentic, MS 2 gives some variant readings and omits Ablington and Barnsley; Finberg 1972, p. 497, on exemption for Bentley; O'Donovan 1973, p. 112, on beneficiary; Whitelock, EHD, p. 526; Hooke 1985, pp. 108, 156, 168; Hooke 1990, pp. 100-1; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 152, on Ablington.


S 207

A.D. 855 (Tamworth, Staffs.). Burgred, king of Mercia, to Alhhun (or Alhwine), bishop of Worcester; grant of privileges for the minster at Blockley, Gloucs., in return for 300 silver shillings. Latin.

Archive: Worcester

MSS: 1. BL Cotton Nero E. i, pt 2, 183rv (s. xi)
2. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 14v-15v (s. xi1)

Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 31-3; K 278 ex MS 2; Thorpe, pp. 114-15; B 488 ex MS 1; B 489 ex MS 2; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 2, no. 23.

Translated: Whitelock, EHD, no. 91 (pp. 527-8).

Comments: Finberg 1957, pp. 5-11, on estate history; Finberg, ECWM, no. 76, authentic; Finberg 1972, p. 394, on Blockley; O'Donovan 1973, p. 112, on beneficiary; Whitelock, EHD, p. 527; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 172; Pelteret 1995, p. 167 n. 16; Bassett 1996, pp. 166, 167, 168.


S 208

A.D. 857 (Tamworth, Staffs., Easter). Burgred, king of Mercia, to Alhhun, bishop (of Worcester); grant of land at Ceolmundingchaga in London. Latin.

Archive: Worcester

MS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 19rv (s. xi1)

Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 44-5; K 280; Thorpe, p. 118; B 492; Earle, pp. 315-16.

Translated: Whitelock, EHD, no. 92 (p. 529).

Comments: Harmer 1950, p. 341 n. 3, possibly authentic basis; Dyer and Clarke 1969, p. 28; Davies 1972, p. 471, dubious; O'Donovan 1973, p. 112, on beneficiary; Brooke and Keir 1975, p. 367, authentic basis; Gelling, ECTV, no. 210, authentic; Whitelock, EHD, p. 529; Hooke 1985, p. 117, cited; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 147, cited; Vince 1990, pp. 20, 105, on topography; Kelly 1992, p. 12, fundamentally acceptable; Keynes 1993/1, p. 128, on historical context.


S 209

A.D. 862 (Wellesbourne, Warwicks.). Burgred, king of Mercia, to the church of St Peter, Gloucester; confirmation of privileges. Latin.

Archive: Gloucester

MSS: 1. Gloucester, D. & C., Reg. A, 9v-10r (s. xiv)
2. Bodleian, MS Charters, Gloucester b. 1 (s. xiv/xv; OS Facs., ii. Bodleian)

Printed: Hart, Cart. Gloucs., i., pp. lxxiii-iv; HS, pp. 652-3; B 503 ex MS 2; B 535 ex MS 1; Pierquin, Conciles, pp. 507-8; Finberg, ECWM, pp. 155-7 ex MSS 1, 2.

Comments: HS, p. 654, doubtful; Taylor 1903, pp. 318-21; Finberg, ECWM, no. 79 and pp. 153-66, authentic, discusses MS tradition and history of Gloucester endowment; Sawyer, Burton, p. 38, on chrismon in MS 2; Keynes 1993/1, p. 128 n. 82, cited; Keynes 1996/1, p. 117, dubious, shares formulation with S 92, 583.

Note: MS 2 is modelled on a genuine 9th-century charter and is written in an imitative script. MS 1 is a much expanded document which incorporates important material about the early endowment of Gloucester minster (see S 1782).


S 210

A.D. 864 (Bath, Somerset, 25 July). Burgred, king of Mercia, and Æthelswith, his queen, to Alhhun, bishop; grant of 5 hides (cassati) at (Water) Eaton, Oxon., in return for precious objects worth 400 shillings and 100 sicli, with provision for an annual render of 30 shillings to be paid to the church at Eynsham, Oxon. Latin.

Archive: Worcester

MS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 29v-30r (s. xi1)

Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 63-5; K 290; B 509; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 2, no. 30.

Comment; Stenton 1955, p. 49, treats as authentic; PN Oxon., i. 6, ii. 258, 266; O'Donovan 1973, p. 112, on beneficiary; Sims-Williams 1975, p. 3 n. 2, on historical context; Gelling, ECTV, no. 265, authentic; Campbell 1989, p. 28, on counter-payment; Blair 1994, pp. 63, 78, on background; cf. S 361, which refers to this charter as 'lost'.


S 211

A.D. 866. Burgred, king of Mercia, to Worcester monastery; grant of 2 hides (manentes) at Seckley in Upper Arley, also called Wolverley, Worcs. Latin with English bounds.

Archive: Worcester

MS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 183v-184v (s. xi2)

Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 410-11; K 291 and vol. iii. 396-7; B 514; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 2, no. 31.

Translated: Bridgeman 1916, pp. 79-80 (no. 4).

Comments: Bridgeman 1916, p. 80; Davies 1972, pp. 471, 475, 476, spurious; Finberg, ECWM, no. 262, spurious, bounds as in S 212; Hooke 1990, pp. 121-5, on bounds.


S 212

A.D. 866. Burgred, king of Mercia, to Wulferd; grant of 2 hides (manentes) at Seckley in Upper Arley, belonging to Wolverley, Worcs., in return for 5 hides on a single-lifetime lease, 400 silver sicli and various other items. Latin with English bounds.

Archive: Worcester

MS: Somers Ch. 8 (lost)

Printed: Smith, Bede, p. 770 ex MS; K 292 and vol. iii. 396-7 ex Smith; B 513 ex Smith; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 2, no. 32.

Translated: Bridgeman 1916, pp. 77-8 (no. 3).

Comments: Wanley, Catalogus, p. 301, no. 8, crosses in MS had different forms; Bridgeman 1916, pp. 78-9; Grundy, Worcs. 1928, pp. 104-8, on bounds; Finberg, ECWM, no. 261, authentic; Davies 1972, pp. 471, 476, on formulas; Hooke 1990, pp. 120-5, on bounds.


S 213

A.D. 868. Burgred, king of Mercia, to Crowland Abbey; confirmation of privileges and land etc. at Crowland, Spalding, Pinchbeck, Whaplode, Sutterton, Algarkirk, Drayton, Deeping, Langtoft, Baston, Thetford, Rippingale, Lincs.; Sutton, Leics.; Badby, Northants.; Bucknall, Hallington, Lincs.; Gerunthrop ; Glapthorn, Peakirk, Northants.; Laythorpe, Kirkby, Lincs.; Addington, Northants.; Standon, Herts.; Thurning, Northants. (formerly Hunts.). Latin.

Archive: Crowland

MS: BL Arundel 178, 35v-36r (s. xvi)

Printed: Savile, Ingulph, pp. 863-5; Alford 1663, iii. 105-6; Fulman 1684, pp. 18-20 ex MS 1; K 297; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), ii. 113-14 (no. 10); Birch, Ingulf, pp. 30-2 ex MS 1; B 521 ex MS 1.

Comments: Riley 1862, pp. 37-8, spurious; Searle 1894, pp. 170-2; Hervey 1907, p. 586; Roffe 1995, pp. 104-8, post-Conquest fabrication, discusses background to forgery.


S 214

A.D. 869. Burgred, king of Mercia, and Æthelswith, queen, to Wulflaf; grant of 5 hides (manentes) at Upthrop, in return for 50 mancuses of gold. The estate is to descend in the male line. Latin with English bounds.

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

MS: BL Cotton Aug. ii. 76 (s. ix or x ?; BM Facs., ii. 39)

Printed: K 299; B 524.

Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, possibly 10th-century; Stenton 1955, pp. 64-5, cited with reference to restriction of inheritance; O'Donovan 1973, p. 92; on a witness.


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