The Commune of London, and other studiesRound, John Horace
History
The Commune of London, and other studies
Round, John Horace
Great Britain -- History -- Norman period, 1066-1154; London (England) -- History -- To 1500
The originals of both still exist. The first, _dated at
Winchester at Whitsuntide_,[58] is validated only by the crosses
of William and his queen, the papal legate, both archbishops and
four bishops (Palæographical Society, i. fol. 170). The second
... is dated at Windsor, also at Whitsuntide, and is attested by
additional bishops, and by numerous abbots.
As the former document (A.2 of the Canterbury charters, apparently
overlooked till some twenty years ago) could not possibly be “dated
at Winchester at Whitsuntide,” one turns to the text as given by the
Palæographical Society, only to find that these words are sheer
imagination on Mr. Stevenson’s part. There is nothing of the kind to be
found there. Owing to this incomprehensible error, he has altogether
misunderstood these “supplementary confirmations.” The clauses I have
printed side by side must not be broken up. The earlier, like the
later, is a consistent whole, added at one time.[59]
When, then, was the “Ingelric” charter actually drawn up? Mr.
Stevenson, following, we have seen, Mr. Freeman’s loose expressions,
tells us that “as the present charter (_sic_) was _peracta_ at
Christmas, 1067, and _confirmata_ at Whitsuntide, it was most probably
written at the former date.” But it was the “donacio,” _not_ the
“charter,” which was “peracta” at Christmas. The text only tells us
of the _charter_ that it was _written_ “anno ab incarnacione Domini
MLXVIII^o.” My own view is that the charter was written not at
Christmas, 1067 (which was the date of the act of gift), but at (or
after) Whitsuntide, 1068. I base this conclusion on the first three
witnesses:
Ego Willelmus rex Anglorum, etc.
Ego Mathildis regina consensum præbui.
Ego Ricardus regis filius annui.
Matilda was not “queen” till Whitsuntide, 1068, and was not even in
England at Christmas, 1067. If it be urged that, even though found
in this position, her name was interpolated afterwards, I reply
that the name of William’s eldest son, Robert, would then have been
similarly added. The fact that we find, instead, his second son,
Richard (afterwards killed while hunting in the New Forest) is to me
the strongest possible evidence that Robert had remained behind, as
regent, in Normandy when his mother came over to England to be crowned.
The most probable date, therefore, for the execution of this charter
is that of her coronation at Westminster, 1068. It preserves for us,
in that case, the names of the magnates present on that occasion,
including Hugh bishop of Lisieux, who may well have escorted her from
Normandy, and thus have attended the ceremony.[60].
My third point follows as a corollary from this conclusion. For if the
charter was drawn up at Whitsuntide, 1068, not at Christmas, 1067,
there is an end of Mr. Stevenson’s argument and conclusion:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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