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6/1/2018

Reading the eleventh century

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The Anglo-Saxon Monk casts his eye over new translations of documents relating to William the Conqueror and William Rufus
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The twelfth-century keep of Rochester Castle, added to the original stone construction built by Bishop Gundulf of Rochester in exchange for King William II confirming a grant of land. This image is Public Domain: please click on it for further information.
Blessed ones,
It is my pleasure to announce that the other Monk has just completed a translation of two eleventh-century texts from Textus Roffensis, that wonderful medieval compilation, which I so often talk about, of laws and charters which date from 600 to the twelfth century. Along with his other translations thereof, it is published by Rochester Cathedral Research Guild.
Update 16 Sept 2022. My older translations of texts from Textus Roffensis for Rochester Cathedral have now been reformatted, so they are no longer available as PDFs but are in webpage format. This means they now have new web addresses. Please bear with me as I correct the links. Please check out the Rochester Cathedral Textus Roffensis page for both my older and newer translations.
The first of the texts is known as Articles of William I, and contains edicts issued by William the Conqueror.* Amongst these you will find rulings concerning murder, the selling of goods, trial by combat, and the preservation of the system of Anglo-Saxon hundred and shire courts.
For some inexplicable reason, Dr Monk's favourite, he tells me, is the forbidding of the penalty of hanging for crimes, though with the proviso that one may have instead one's eyes or testicles removed. Marvellous wisdom, I suppose.
*Scholars are not sure all the edicts can be directly attributed to William I.
Articles of William I
The second text on offer is a remarkable story of royal negotiations. Going by the rather long title of William II grants the manor of Haddenham to Bishop Gundulf for which, in return, Gundulf builds Rochester Castle, it tells of the disobliging William Rufus (the Conqueror's third son and successor to his throne) who refuses to confirm a grant of land by Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury, to abbot-bishop Gundulf and his poor monks at Rochester, unless he gets a hundred pound of silver in return.
Well, the cheek of it! I wouldn't mind so much if it were not for the fact, as the text observes, that this particular land, the manor at Haddenham, was in reality already in the possession of Gundulf, for the king's father had given it to Lanfranc after the conquest of England (best not dwell on THE CONQUEST too long), and, well, if I had anything to say about the matter, it was up to Lanfranc to do with it as he pleased, he had generously granted it to Gundulf and the monks. But kings never see things the way bishops do. 
Now, I wouldn't want to spoil the rest of the story but I will just add that the king gets a spanking brand new stone castle out of all this willful chicanery. What a snake!
Update 16 September 2022. I revised my translation this year and added an introduction to give some context to the story. Enjoy!
William II grants Haddenham
Now, if you have any questions about the two Williams and their various rulings, please feel free to post a comment. Don't expect me to reply, however; I shall forward them to the other Monk. May you all be blessed!

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5 Comments
GavinLobo link
29/1/2018 06:10:13 am

I grew up in Rochester, it has amazing history.
Unless I am wrong the Roffensis Text is the first written law.

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Chris Monk (aka The Anglo-Saxon Monk) link
29/1/2018 07:27:08 am

Thanks for your comment. Yes, such an amazing history. The oldest known law written down in English (what is today called Old English) is indeed part of Textus Roffensis. This is the law of King Ethelbert (Æthelberht) of Kent which dates to around the year 600. This law was copied into Textus Roffensis about 1123 and is the only surviving copy. Textus Roffensis also has the only surviving copies of two more seventh-century Kentish laws as well as many more laws, charters and other exciting texts, some of which only appear in this amazing book, Rochester's and England's greatest hidden treasure. The plan is for all of it to be translated.

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Jason Hulott
24/2/2018 12:36:35 pm

Thanks for sharing. I am still a bit confused about the mentioning of duels if there was no trial by combat. Was the ordal a duel in and of itself?

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Chris Monk
24/2/2018 02:27:05 pm

Hello Jason, and thanks for your comment. Trial by combat and duel are the same thing: fighting to clarify one's innocence. It was not one of the ordeals or judgements used in England *before* the Conquest by William I (1066). The text known as 'Ordal' mentions only trial by hot iron or water. This was written well before the Conquest. The text 'Articles of William', which refers to the duel, along with another text written in Old English by William, are the first time trial by combat/duel is referred to in England. These were both issued after William had conquered England, so after the Anglo-Saxon period had ended in 1066. Hope that clarifies matters.

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Jason Hulott
24/2/2018 03:44:46 pm

Ah okay, thanks that makes sense.


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    Welcome, blessed readers! This is the blog of the Medieval Monk, the alter ego of Dr Christopher Monk.

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