Pre-Conquest Anglo-Saxon Charters
Abbot and Brethren get sake and soke over their men

Showing the Old English text, its sources, and a summary of its authenticity according to several authors.
The reference number S 1071 refers to P. H. Sawyer's catalogue of Anglo-Saxon charters dated 1968.

S 1071

A.D. 1044 x 1065 (? 1044). Writ of King Edward declaring that Abbot Leofstan and the brethren in Bury St Edmunds are to have sake and soke over all their own men both within borough and without. English.

Archive: Bury St Edmunds

MSS: 1. BL Cotton Aug. ii. 80 (s. xi; BM Facs., iv. 29; Bishop and Chaplais 1957, pl. 1)
2. Cambridge, U.L., Ff. 2. 33, 22v (s. xiii2)
3. BL Add. 14847, 30v (s. xiv)

Printed: Madox 1702, p. 290; K 894; Harmer, Writs, no. 11 (p. 156) ex MS 1, with translation.

Comments: Harmer, Writs, pp. 139, 437-8, authentic; Bishop and Chaplais 1957, textual authenticity reasonably certain, physical authenticity of MS 1 difficult to establish; Hart, ECNE, p. 385, original; Keynes 1988, p. 215, original, p. 216 n. 183, on formulation, cf. S 1157.

Eadweard cyngc gret mine bisceopas 7 mine eorlas 7 ealle mine þegnas on þam sciren þær Sancte Eadmund hafað land inne freondlice.

& ic cyðe eow þæt ic wylle þæt Leofstan abbot 7 ealle þa gebroðra on Eadmundes byrig beon heora sake 7 heora socne wurðe ofer ealle heora agene menn ægðer ge binnan burh ge butan.

& ic nelle geðafian þæt heom ænig man ænig woh beode.


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