Published online by Rochester Cathedral Research Guild Homepage: www.rochestercathedralresearchguild.org Election of Avice as the first abbess of Malling: Textus Roffensis, ff. 198r 198v Translated from Latin and edited Abstract: On the day when Gundulf, bishop of Rochester, gave the abbey of Malling to the nun Avice, the very same nun swore fidelity and subjection to the very same bishop, his successors, and the holy church of Rochester, because she would not be persuaded, either by him or by another person, to dissolve the aforesaid subjection To cite this report: Monk, C. (2017) Election of Avice as the first abbess of Malling: Textus Roffensis, ff. 198r 198v; Translated from Latin and edited. Rochester: Rochester Cathedral Research Guild. To link to this article: https://rochestercathedralresearchguild.org/bibliography/2017-18 Published online: 14th December 2017 General Queries: jacob.scott@rochestercathedralresearchguild.org Produced by permission of. All rights reserved to the author. Any views and opinions expressed in this work are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of either the Research Guild or the Dean and Chapter.
Textus Roffensis, Rochester, Cathedral Library, MS A. 3. 5, f. 198r Published online by the Rochester Cathedral Research Guild Page 2 of 5
Textus Roffensis, Rochester, Cathedral Library, MS A. 3. 5, f. 198v Published online by the Rochester Cathedral Research Guild Page 3 of 5
Election of Avice as the first abbess of Malling: Textus Roffensis, ff. 198r 198v. Translated from Latin and edited by Dr Christopher Monk 2017 Date: before 7 March 1108 1 CONCERNING THE SUBJECTION AND FIDELITY OF THE ABBESS OF MALLING On the day when Gundulf, bishop of Rochester, gave the abbey of Malling to the nun Avice, the very same nun swore fidelity and subjection to the very same bishop, his successors, and the holy church of Rochester, because she would not be persuaded, either by him or by another person, to dissolve the aforesaid subjection. Moreover, with this oath made, the aforementioned Avice promised to the bishop, by firm and stable covenant, that without his counsel and authority having been given to her in the abbey, she might neither appoint nor depose a prioress, nor accept any nun, nor grant or obtain any land thenceforth. These were the witnesses, hearing and considering the matter: Ralf the excellent abbot; Ordwin the prior; Paul the secretary; Alfred; Andrew the doctor; Arnulf the bishop s chaplain; John; Geoffrey; Albert; Odo; Bérenger; William the sub-prior; Humfrey; Arngren; 2 Hugo 3 the bishop s nephew; William the young; Ralf the priest; Ansfrid the priest; Goddard the priest; Robert the chamberlain; Hugo 4 the chamberlain; Ansfrid Dapifer; 5 Humfrey the porter; and many others. 1 Malling Abbey was founded towards the end of the eleventh century, likely after 1090. A charter confirming the foundational grant of land was made during the reign of William II (Rufus), r. 1087 1100, and was witnessed by Ranulf Flambard, bishop of Durham, r. 1099 1128. The completion of the foundation and appointment of Avice cannot be ascertained with absolute confidence, though we can say she was appointed before bishop Gundulf s death on 7 March 1108. William Dugdale suggests she was appointed when Gundulf was dying: Monasticon Anglicanum: A History of the Abbies and other Monasteries, etc. in England and Wales, vol. 3 (London, 1846), p. 381, n. g. The main scribe copied this document into Textus Roffensis around 1123. For more information on the Benedictine abbey of Malling, including a list of the abbesses, see www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/kent/vol2/pp146-148#fnn37 [accessed 12 December, 2017], though note the mistake regarding the founding of the abbey towards the end of the twelfth century, when clearly the eleventh century was intended. 2 Tentative Anglicised spelling of Ernegrinus. 3 Or, Hugh. 4 Or, Hugh. 5 Or, the steward. Published online by the Rochester Cathedral Research Guild Page 4 of 5
Latin text, directly from Textus Roffensis The digital facsimile of this text is located at: http://luna.manchester.ac.uk/luna/servlet/detail/man4medievalvc~4~4~990378~142729?page=0. Type n403 into the page search box. The text begins at the top of the right-hand folio and finishes overleaf on the first line. Editorial notes: the layout approximates that in the manuscript (and thus includes words split over two lines); expansions of Latin abbreviations and contractions are indicated by italics; punctuation has been modernised; capitals have been used for all personal and place-names; coloured font represents coloured ink in the manuscript. [f.198r] De subiectione et fidelitate abbatissę de Mellingis. D ie illa qua Gundulfus Rofensis episcopus abbatiam de Mellingis dedit sanctimoniali Avitię, eadem sanctimonialis eidem episcopo, eiusque successoribus, et sanctę Rofensi ęcclesię, iurauit fidelitatem, et subiectionem, et quia nec per se, nec per aliam personam, praedictam subiectionem dissoluere temptaret. Hoc autem facto sacramento, praedicta Auitia episcopo firma et stabili conuentione promisit, quia sine eius consilio et licentia, in abbatia sibi data, priorem nec poneret nec deponeret, nec ullam sanctimonialem reciperet nec terram inde daret uel auferret. Huius rei testes fuerunt isti audientes et uidentes: Radulfus abbas belli, Orduuinus prior, Paulinus secretarius, Alueredus, Andreas medicus, Arnulfus capellanus episcopi, ohannes, Goisfridus, Albericus, Odo, Beringarius, Willelmus subprior, Hunfridus, Ernegrinus, Hugo nepos episcopi, Willelmus iuuenis, adulfus clericus, Ansfridus clericus, Godardus clericus, Rodbertus camerarius, Hugo camerarius, Ansfridus dapifer, Hunfridus porta- I R [f.198v] rius, et alii plures. Published online by the Rochester Cathedral Research Guild Page 5 of 5