A.D. 689 (Canterbury, 1 March). Swæfheard (Suabhardus), king of Kent, to Æbba, abbess (of Minster-in-Thanet); grant of 44 hides (manentes) in Sudaneie in Thanet, and 12 hides in Sturry, Kent; with confirmation by Æthelred, king of the Mercians, A.D. 691 (? Marefield and Stapleford, Leics., 8 January).

Latin.

ORIGINAL:

In nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi saluatoris. Ego Suebhardus rex Cantuariorum, anno secundo regni nostri, indictione secunda, sub die kalendarum Martis, cum consilio uenerabilis archiepiscopi Theodori atque consensu primorum meorum sed et cum consilio quoque ac consensu patris mei Sebbe regis, terram que dicitur in Sudaneie intra insulam Tenet, que et continet antiquo iure .xliiii. manentes, quibus modo addimus curtem .xii. manentes habentem ultra insulam in loco qui dicitur Sturgeh, cum siluis et paludibus, cum fluminibus et fontibus, cum pratis et pomariis, cum domibus cunctisque utensilibus et omnibus ad eandem pertinentibus rebus, in ipsa quantitate sicut antiquitus principes a regibus sibi perdonatam habuerant, Æbbe abbatisse iure ecclesiastico ac monasteriali et quibuscumque successoribus ipsa uoluerit derelinquere tantum in domino in sempiternum possidendam perdonamus, ita ut nec nobis nec aliquibus successorum nostrorum regum siue principum aut etiam ecclesiasticarum dignitatum gradibus nefario temeritatis ausu aliquando infringere uel deminuere aliquid de ea liceat, sed pro remedio anime mee et absolutione peccatorum meorum ita ut predixi famulis Dei perdonata absque aliqua lesione in euum permaneat. Hec autem terra antea per Hlotharium et Edricum reges Cantuariorum tantum accommodata sub dominio famulantium Deo iacebat. Postea autem a Mulo rege regnum Cantie optinente perdonata est in ius ecclesiasticum Æbbe abbatisse .xliiii. manentes, comparante ab eo ipsa sua pecunia digna, ex quibus sunt intra insulam Tenet .xliiii. manentes, extra autem eam insulam .x. manentes sunt, in his regionibus que hoc modo nominatur, id est in Sturige et ut nos solemus dicere ad aquilonis siluam ubi dicitur Maeccanbrooc. Igitur hanc terrarum prescriptarum largitionem, non solum pro pecunia quadam siu propinquitate sed mercede quoque ab omnipotente Deo, Eabbe abbatisse eternaliter possidendam contradimus et confirmamus. Hanc autem donationem meam cum consensu et uoluntate precellentissimi regis Edilredi fecimus. Quisquis autem heredum successorumque meorum regum Cantie uel si quilibet secularium dignitatum aut ecclesiasticarum de supradicta donatione, quam pro eterna remuneratione anime mee omnipotenti Deo ad utilitatem famulantium ei in ius monasteriale constat esse largitam, aliquid disrumpere aut immutare uel irritum facere temptauerit, sciat se sine dubio omnipotenti Deo fraudem facere et proinde coram eo et sanctis angelis eius eterno anathemate reum. Quicumque uero hec que largita prediximus sub pia protectione custodierit uel pro Dei intuitu misericorditer auxerit, sit benedictus in secula audiatque in die nouissimo tremendi examinis ab ipso iudice omnium Christo Domino eterne benedictionis uocem, 1?Uenite benedicti patris mei, percipite regnum quod uobis paratum est ab origine mundi, manentem igitur hanc cartulam in sua semper firmitate, cum religiosis testibus signo dominice crucis in hoc loco qui dicitur Dorouernis stabiliter in euum confirmamus.

+ Ego Sueaberdus rex Cantie suprascripta signo sancte crucis per propriam manum roboraui.

+ Signum manus Gumbercdi.

+ Signum Gebredi.

+ Signum Osfridi.

+ Signum Verbaldi.

+ Signum Hagona.

+ Signum Egisan.

+ Signum Bernhardi.

+ Signum Sebbe regis.

+ Signum Ecce.

+ Signum Raban.

+ Signum Albercti.

+ Signum Gudhardi.

+ Theodorus gratia Dei archiepiscopus subscripsi.

+ Ego Adrianus abbas subscripsi.

+ Ego Osuuini propria manu subscripsi.

+ Signum manus Ædilredi regis Merciorum dum ille adfirmauerat terram nostram in hoc loco erat qui dicitur Mirafeld atque Stapulford, anno ab incarnatione Christi .dcxci., indictione .iiii., .viii. die mensis Ianuarii, prima feria.

1 Matt. xxiv: 34

TRANSLATION:

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the savior. Suebhardus I , king of Kent , in the second year of our kingdom, in the second indiction , each day of the new moon of Mars , with the advice and consent of the venerable Archbishop Theodore of the first , too, and with the advice and consent of my father, but my Sebbi of the king, which is called the land of the island in the Sudaneie within the holds , and which contains ancient right . xliiii . remaining , we add Curtis are used now . twelve . continue with any more, having an island, in the place that is said to Sturgeh , with the woods and swamps, with the rivers, and the springs, with fields and orchard, with their households and all the appurtenances thereof , and to all belonging to the same things , the same quantity as at the beginning had been possessed by the princes of the perdonatam from the kings themselves , abbess Ebba she should wish to leave the monastery and successors, by ecclesiastical law and all who have to possess it for ever, only in the Lord , we pardon, so that for us or any of our successors or of the princes of the kings of the stairs, or even of ecclesiastical dignities would diminish that wicked act of rashness, daring to violate or at any time it is lawful for any other part of it , but for the salvation of the souls of the and my absolution for my sins, so as I said before , without any harm to the servants of God perdonata continue into eternity . The land had previously only accommodated by Lothar and Edric kings of Kent lay under the dominion of the servants of God . But afterwards, the king of the kingdom of Kent mules increasing perdonata is the right of ecclesiastical abbess Ebba . Xliiii . remaining , comparing his own money from him the very things by which are within the island holds . xliiii . continue with , but outside of that island . , x . remaining as they are, in these parts, which is named in this way , that is to say to the north, we are accustomed to in the forest, where it is said that we should go and Sturige Maeccanbrooc . Therefore, this bounty of the above , not only for money but hire a neighborhood Siu also by the Almighty God , eternally possess TOGETHER Eabbe abbess and confirm . With the consent of my own free will that this deed of gift , and the king's most excellent Edilredi we did so. But any of my heirs and successors , kings of Kent or if any secular or ecclesiastical dignities of the aforementioned donation , and for the eternal reward of my soul to Almighty God for the benefit of serving him in the right monastically appears to be a gift , something to break or change or attempt to make a break , let him know he will doubtless fraud to do to Almighty God and the holy angels before him and hence his eternal anathema the accused . But anyone who reads what we have already granted under the loving protection or keep them for the sake of God mercifully increased , be blessed forever lays on the last day of the Judge of all the terrible voice of Christ, the Lord of eternal blessing , 1 ? Come ye blessed of my Father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world , either by staying always in his own , therefore, the stability of this charter , with the sign of the religious, witnesses of the cross of the Lord ' in this place that is called , being stable in the Dorouernis confirm, world without end .

Sueaberdus + I, king of Kent, as written above, the sign of the holy cross through the proper hand seal. + Sign Gumbercdi hand . + Sign Gebredi . + Sign Osfrid . + Sign Verbaldi . + Sign Hagona . + Sign Egisan . + Mark Bernard . + Sign Sebbi king. + Mark Lo . + Mark Raban . + Sign Albercti . + Sign Gudhardi . + Grace Archbishop Theodore subscribed. Adrian Abbot + I subscribed. + I, Osuuini subscribed with his own hand . Mark of the hand of the king of Mercia Ethelred +, as long as he was in this place of our own country, which is called the adfirmauerat Mirafeld Stapulford and , in the year from the incarnation of Christ. Dcxci . , Levy. Fourth . ,. , Viii. day of the month of January , on the first day of the week .

1 Matt . Songs: 34

Translation by Google Translate.

[Source: ASChart Anglo-Saxon Charters]