ID: MARG_402

TitleCharter of King Edward the Confessor 15th Century
AbstractCharter of King Edward the Confessor
Granting the Royal Estate of West Mersea
to St Ouen's Abbey, Rouen, Normandy

(translation of Latin text from 15th century copy of lost original dated 1046)

In the name of almighty God, thundering on high, who made all things out of nothing, and who created the first man, to wit, Adam, to be a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem, and when he fell through the enticement of the Serpent, carried him, redeemed by his own blood, with great mercy and predestination to the summit of heavenly blessedness; now since it behoves all Christians, so long as they continue in this mortal life, to purchase with things temporal that which is heavenly, and with things which will perish that which is eternal, I King Edward, relying upon this counsel, because Truth itself says: 'Give, and it shall be given unto you', and likewise scripture states emphatically: 'The riches of man are the redemption of his soul', and Solomon says: 'My son, alms deliver the soul from death, and sufler it not to go into the darkness': Wherefore, resting on these and other precepts, I the aforesaid Edward, king of the English and the Northumbrians, give to the King of all kings, and to the blessed lord Peter, and also his beloved priest Ouen, and those who serve him [i.e. the monks of the monastery of Ouen, dedicated originally to St. Peter] that which was formerly the private revenue of my predecessors, a certain part of the island called Mersege [Mersea], with all the land and property adjacent to it, and with meadows, woods, and fisheries, just as I held it intact for two days after (by the grace of God) I became the head of the kingdom. If any man should be tempted to interfere with this my gift, let him know that he shall answer for it in the great judgement in the presence of Christ and the angels and the above mentioned saints, and unless he makes full amends he will be condemned to the depths of Hell.

From: Cyril Hart, 'The Mersea Charter of Edward the Confessor', Essex Archaeology and History, vol 12 (Third Series) 1980 pp 94-102

The boundaries of West Mersea
(Old English appendix to the Rouen copy of the original charter, mistranscribed in the later Latin copy discovered by Philip Morant)

From: Nina Crummy, 'Mersea Island: the 11 th century Boundaries' EAH Vol 14 (3rd Series) 1982 pp 87-93

Published1046
SourceMersea Museum
IDMARG_402
Related Images:
 The boundaries of West Mersea
(Old English appendix to the Rouen copy of the original charter).  MARG_402_001
ImageID:   MARG_402_001
Title: The boundaries of West Mersea (Old English appendix to the Rouen copy of the original charter).
Date:1046
Source:Mersea Museum / MARG