E05865: A probably authentic Anglo-Saxon charter records a grant by Eadric, king of the people of Kent (south-east Britain), of land at Stodmarsh, Kent, to the monastery outside Canterbury dedicated to *Peter (the Apostle, S00036). Written in Latin, probably in Kent, June 686.

online resource

posted on 2018-06-22, 00:00 authored by bsavill

Charter of King Eadric (Sawyer 9, excerpted)

In nomine saluatoris [...] ego Eadricus rex Cantuariorum a presenti die et tempore terram iuris mei, quamuis pretium competens acciperim hoc est argenti libras decem, in monasterio beati Petri apostolorum principis quod situm est iuxta ciuitatem Dorouernis [...] inperpetuum donaui et dono. Que supradicta terra coniuncta est terre quam sancte memorie Clotharius quondam rex beato Petro pro remedio anime sue donasse cognoscitur [...] Omnes terras [...] beato Petro eiusque familie in qua nunc presse Adrianus abbas dinoscitur tradidi possidendam [...] Actum in mense Iunio, indictione .xiiii. [...]

'In the name of the Saviour ... I, Eadric, king of the people of Kent, grant and have granted forever from this present time and day land belonging to me to the monastery of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, which is situated next to the city of Canterbury ... since I have received a suitable payment, that is, ten pounds of gold. These aforesaid lands are joined to the land which Hlothere, the former king of holy memory, is known to have granted to the blessed Peter for the remedy of his soul ... I have handed over all these lands to be possessed ... by blessed Peter and his household, where Abbot Hadrian is known now to preside ... Enacted in the month of June, in the thirteenth indiction ...'

Text: Kelly 1995, no. 7, 30-31. Translation: B. Savill.

History

Evidence ID

E05865

Saint Name

Peter the Apostle : S00036

Saint Name in Source

Petrus

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/Peter_the_Apostle/13729195

Type of Evidence

Documentary texts - Charter or diploma Documentary texts - Donation document

Language

Latin

Evidence not before

686

Evidence not after

686

Activity not before

686

Activity not after

686

Place of Evidence - Region

Britain and Ireland

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Canterbury

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Canterbury St Albans St Albans Verulamium

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - monastic

Cult activities - Places Named after Saint

Monastery

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - abbots Monarchs and their family

Source

This charter survives only in much later copies, in manuscripts of the 13th and 15th centuries. Its most recent editor argues for its essential authenticity, but concedes that 'it is difficult to be certain that [it] has not suffered some interference in later years' (Kelly 1995, 31-33). For further details, see this charter's entry on the Electronic Sawyer: http://www.esawyer.org.uk/charter/9.html

Discussion

This monastery at Canterbury would later become known as St Augustine's, after its founder Augustine, first bishop of Canterbury (597-?609). Although the house was apparently established as a monastery dedicated to both Peter and Paul (c.f. Bede, Ecclesiastical History 1. 33), this early charter only records a dedication to Peter.

Bibliography

Edition: Kelly, S.E., Charters of St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury, and Minster-in-Thanet (Oxford, 1995). Further reading: Sawyer, P.H., Anglo-Saxon Charters: an Annotated List and Bibliography (London, 1968); revd. S.E. Kelly and R. Rushforth et al. online at http://www.esawyer.org.uk