Translation Information Source: S1436

Edition information
Translator Adams, Henry; Cabot Lodge, H.; Young, Ernest; Laughlin, J. Laurence
Article Title The Anglo-Saxon Legal Procedure
Book Title Essays in Anglo-Saxon Law
Publication Location Boston
Publisher Little, Brown & Co.
PublicationDate 1876
Pages 324-7
Additional information
Notes In the year of the Lord's incarnation 825, indiction 3, a synodal council was assembled, from the different parts of Saxony, at the famous place called Clofesho, Archbishop Wulfred presiding in the 20th year of his episcopate and also Beornwulf, king of the Mercians, in the 3rd year of his reign, and the other bishops and abbots and duces, and most eminent persons of all ranks, taking counsel and making inquiry in regard to the excellence and stability of the earthly kingdom… At length, among other matters of discussion, it was made known that the aforesaid Archbishop Wulfred, by the enmity, violence and avarice of King Cenwulf, in witness of the whole people, had been deprived of all his rightful authority… Afterwards, also, the aforesaid King Cenwulf, coming with his Witan to the royal residence at London, invited that archbishop thereto under his own guaranty, and with the surety of his chief men [principes]. Then, in this same council, with the greatest severity, he ordered the bishop to be despoiled of everything which belonged to his authority, and to be utterly exiled from this country, and never to return to it, either at the intercession of the Lord Pope or of the Emperor, or of any other person of whatsoever rank, until he had consented to this, - namely to return the 300 hides of land at Ignoshomme [?Eynsham, Oxon.], and to give up the 120 pounds of money. And the bishop, after long refusing this settlement, yet at last,… under compulsion, unwillingly consented, on this condition, - that he should enjoy all the power and obedience which belonged to that Episcopal see, according to the authority of his rank, in all respects as his predecessors had held it in former times… But nothing of all this stipulated condition was performed… But it afterwards happened that, in the time of the aforesaid King Beornwulf, Archbishop Wulfred summoned to the aforesaid synod at Clofesho the Abbess Cwenthryth, Cenwulf's heir, together with his inheritance, and demanded compensation for all the aforesaid evil and injury which the same King Cenwulf… had inflicted on him and the church of Christ. And then all that synod equitably adopted and unanimously affirmed this judgement, - that she ought to restore to the bishop every thing which had been violently taken from him during all that time, and make good all injury, and add as much more over and above, and make compensation for the use during the same period. But afterwards it pleased King Beornwulf… to make most earnestly a compromise and settlement… At last, also, the aforesaid bishop accepted… this … compromise, - that the Abbess Cwenthryth, daughter and heir of Cenwulf, should deliver to the archbishop land to the amount of 100 manentes, … together with the ancient charters belonging to it, and with the same freedom which he had before, to hold and possess in perpetual inheritance, and to bequeath to whomsoever he would… But this treaty of reconciliation was immediately broken… And again, in the second year after all these things so took place, this same abbess asked an interview of the aforesaid bishop, and sought him out in the province of the Hwicce in the place which is called Oslafeshlau, and confessed to him her folly in regard to the delay of the reconciliation… The, too, the abbess, with all humility, promised to make amends for all that had not been restored to him… And then the bishop gave his consent to the same...