S:
K:
B:

expand Instant Sawyer

S 985

A.D. 1017 x 1020. Writ of King Cnut declaring that he has confirmed, at the request of Archbishop Lyfing, the liberties of Christ Church. English

Archive:

Canterbury, Christ Church

MSS:

1. London, British Library, Royal 1 D IX, f. 44v (s. xi 1; Chaplais 1966/1, pl. II, opp. p. 174 = 1973, pl. II, opp. p. 65)

Printed:

Wanley, Catalogus, p. 181 ; K, 731 ; Thorpe, p. 308 ; Harmer, Writs, no. 26

Comments:

Chaplais 1965, pp. 54-5 (= 1973, p. 35) ; Chaplais 1966, p. 18, copy in Canterbury gospel-book, declaration may originally have reached Canterbury in oral form (= 1981, XV p. 18) ; Bishop 1971, p. 22, on script ; Stenton 1971, p. 488, cited ; Chaplais 1966a, p. 174, on scribe (= 1973, p. 59) ; Brooks 1984, pp. 288-90, entered in gospel-book by Canterbury scribe, very difficult to establish authenticity ; Dumville 1993, pp. 113 nn. 12-13, 116-17, 122, 139-40, copy of authentic writ, discusses scribe ; Lawson 1993, pp. 66 n. 29, 237 ; Pelteret 1995, pp. 282-3 ; Sharpe 2003, p. 287, part of sequence of writs ; Harmer, Writs, pp. 168-71, 446-8, authentic ; Ker, Catalogue, p. 317 (no. 247)

Show all data

  • Metadata

    Text

    • + Cnut cing gret Lyfing arcebisceop . 7 Godwine bisceop . 7 Ælmær abbot . 7 Æþelwine scirman . 7 Æþelric . 7 ealle mine þegnas . twelfhynde . 7 twihynde freondlice . 7 ic cyðe eow þæt se arcebisceop spæc to me ymbe Cristes cyrcean freols . þæt heo hæfð nu læsse munde þonne hio hwilan ær hæfde . Þa lyfde ic him þæt he moste niwne freols settan on minan naman . Þa cwæð he to me þæt he freolsas genoge hæfde gyf hi aht forstodan . Þa nam ic me sylf þa freolsas 7 gelede hi uppan Cristes agen weofod on þæs arcebisceopes gewitnysse . 7 on Þurkilles eorles . 7 on manegra goddra manna þe me mid wæron to ðan ylcan foreweardan þe hit Æþelbyrht cing gefreode . 7 ealle mine foregencgan . þæt næfre nan man ne sy swa dyrsti . sy he gehadod . sy he læwode þæt ænig þara þinga gelytlie þe on ðam freolse stænt . Gyf hit hwa þænne do . sy his lif her gescert . 7 his wunung on helle grunde butan he hit þe stiðlicor gebete ær his ænde be þæs arcebisceopes tæcincge:-
  • Metadata

    Old Text

    • Cnut cing gret Lyfing arcebiscop 7 Godwine biscop 7 Ælmær abbot 7 æˇelwine scirman 7 æˇelric 7 ealle mine ˇegnas twelfhynde 7 twihynde freondlice. & ic cy∂e eow ˇæt se arcebiscop spæc to me ymbe Cristes cyrcean freols ˇæt heo hæf∂ nu læsse munde ˇonne hio hwilan ær hæfde. ˇa lyfde ic him ˇæt he moste niwne freols settan on minan naman. ˇa cwæ∂ he to me ˇæt he freolsas genoge hæfde gyf hi aht forstodan. ˇa nam ic me sylf ˇa freolsas 7 gelede hi uppan Cristes agen weofod on ˇæs arcebiscop gewitnysse 7 on ˇurkilles eorles 7 on manegra goddra manna ˇe me mid wæron to ∂an ylcan foreweardan ˇe hit æˇelbyrht cing gefreode 7 ealle mine foregencgan, ˇæt næfre nan man ne sy swa dyrsti sy he gehadod sy he læwode ˇæt ænig ˇara ˇinga gelytlie ˇe on ∂am freolse stænt. Gyf hit hwa ˇænne do sy his lif her gescert 7 his wunung on helle grunde butan he hit ˇe sti∂licor gebete ær his ænde be ˇæs arcebiscopes tæcincge.