I SSI X ARCHAKOI.

OCJY A M ) H I S T O R Y VOLL'MK 12, I'IKII

The Mersea Charter of

Edward the Confessor
by C Y R I L H A R T

1
I n 1768 P h i l i p M o r a n t p u b l i s h e d t h e text o f a v e r y u n u s u a l c h a r t e r h e h a d f o u n d a t C o l c h e s t e r .
C a r r y i n g t h e d a t e 1046, i t p u r p o r t e d t o r e c o r d t h e gift b y K i n g E d w a r d t h e C o n f e s s o r t o t h e a b b e y
o f S t . O u e n a t R o u e n i n N o r m a n d y o f a n e s t a t e a t M e r s e a i n Essex, j u s t a s h e h a d h e l d i t for t w o
d a y s after h e h a d i n h e r i t e d t h e E n g l i s h c r o w n .
M o r a n t ' s printed version c o n t a i n e d a b o u n d a r y clause that was obviously corrupt, a n d the
c h a r t e r ' s w i t n e s s list w a s m i s s i n g . M o r e o v e r , t h e s o u r c e o f his text w a s n o t m a d e a c c e s s i b l e t o
s c h o l a r s , a n d K e m b l e failed to i n c l u d e t h e c h a r t e r in his Codex Diplomatics, p u b l i s h e d in t h e m i d d l e
of t h e following c e n t u r y . It is n o t s u r p r i s i n g , therefore, t h a t for two h u n d r e d y e a r s after its editio
princeps t h i s a l l e g e d c h a r t e r of t h e C o n f e s s o r r e m a i n e d l a r g e l y n e g l e c t e d by h i s t o r i a n s .
R e c e n t l y , h o w e v e r , b y a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y c o i n c i d e n c e t w o q u i t e i n d e p e n d e n t m e d i e v a l copies
h a v e b e e n u n c o v e r e d . F i r s t , i n 1955 D r . D o n a l d M a t t h e w f o u n d a g o o d 1 5 t h - c e n t u r y v e r s i o n i n t h e
p u b l i c a r c h i v e s a t R o u e n , t h e n i n 1968 M r . J . B . B e n n e t t r e d i s c o v e r e d a t C o l c h e s t e r t h e e a r l i e r b u t
m o r e c o r r u p t t e x t w h i c h h a d f o r m e d t h e basis o f M o r a n t ' s edition. D r . M a t t h e w ' s o w n e d i t i o n o f
t h e R o u e n text w a s p u b l i s h e d w i t h helpful notes i n 1970, a n d a c o l l a t i o n o f this w i t h t h e C o l c h e s t e r
v e r s i o n a p p e a r s b e l o w a s a n a p p e n d i x t o this p a p e r .
B o t h c o p i e s utilised t h e s a m e e x e m p l a r , a n d b y c o l l a t i n g t h e m t h e c o m p l e t e text c a n b e
established of w h a t a p p e a r s to have been a c o n t e m p o r a r y diploma of E d w a r d the Confessor.
M o r e o v e r , if a u t h e n t i c , this i n s t r u m e n t is u n d o u b t e d l y one of the most i m p o r t a n t charters of the
r e i g n . Before c o n s i d e r i n g its w i d e r h i s t o r i c a l significance, h o w e v e r , t h e q u e s t i o n o f a u t h e n t i c i t y
r e q u i r e s t h e m o s t careful e x a m i n a t i o n .
T h i s d i s c u s s i o n h i n g e s largely o n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e e s t a t e t h a t t h e c h a r t e r c l a i m s t o c o n v e y ,
a n d i t s o h a p p e n s t h a t v e r y c o n s i d e r a b l e a n d r e l i a b l e m a t e r i a l s u r v i v e s for r e c o n s t r u c t i n g t h e
d e v o l u t i o n o f t h e p r o p e r t y d u r i n g t h e c e n t u r y before t h e N o r m a n C o n q u e s t .
We m u s t s t a r t with the description of the estate in the Confessor's charter, which says that it
h a d b e e n i n t h e r o y a l f i s c o f h i s p r e d e c e s s o r s — i n t e r p r e t e d strictly, this takes u s b a c k a t least a s far
a s t h e r e i g n o f C n u t . T h e t e x t d e s c r i b e s i t a s ' a c e r t a i n p a r t o f t h e i s l a n d called Mersege, w i t h all t h e
l a n d ( a n d p r o p e r t y ) a d j a c e n t t o it, w i t h m e a d o w s , w o o d s a n d f i s h e r i e s ' . T h e difficult b o u n d a r y
c l a u s e r u n s : ' F i r s t from pantan streame u n t i l it r e a c h e s the d y k e b e t w e e n E a s t a n d W e s t M e r s e a , t h e n
from t h e d y k e to t h e fleote, t h e n to t h e street u n t i l it r e a c h e s daere petan. T h e n to t h e s t o n e at
F i n g r i n g h o e ; from t h e s t o n e to bricsfleotes orde; a g a i n from t h e s t o n e to Winnanbricse, t h e n c e to
peltandunes meowte.'
S o m e o f t h e s e n a m e s a r e e a s y t o i n t e r p r e t . T h u s d e v o t e e s o f O E p o e t r y will i m m e d i a t e l y
2
r e c o g n i s e pantan streame as t h e n a m e g i v e n to t h e R i v e r B l a c k w a t e r in t h e Battle of Maldon. fleote is
e v i d e n t l y t h e c h a n n e l n a m e d Pyefleet i n C h a p m a n a n d A n d r e s m a p o f Essex, d a t e d 1777. T h i s c u t s
off M e r s e a from t h e m a i n l a n d , a n d t h e street in t h e b o u n d s is clearly t h e c a u s e w a y called the Strood
on t h e m a p , w h i c h r u n s from M e r s e a to C o l c h e s t e r , daere petan in t h e b o u n d s a p p e a r s as Peete Tye
Bridge o n t h e m a p , w h i c h s h o w s t h e s t r e e t c r o s s i n g a s m a l l u n n a m e d t r i b u t a r y o f Pyefleet a t this

94
 T H E MERSEA C H A R T E R O F E D W A R D T H E CONFESSOR 95
p o i n t , a b o u t o n e m i l e e a s t of P e l d o n , a n d i m m e d i a t e l y to t h e east of Peete Hall on t h e m a p . OE pete, a
u n i q u e w o r d , m u s t b e a c o g n a t e o f O E * pide, m e a n i n g a m a r s h o r fen, w h i c h f i t s t h e t o p o g r a p h y .
D r . M a t t h e w offers t h e a t t r a c t i v e p a r a l l e l piete i n m o d e r n D u t c h d i a l e c t , u s e d t o d e s c r i b e s m a l l
3
b r i d g e s a n d c o v e r e d w a t e r c o u r s e s i n t h e m a r s h e s o f B r a b a n t a n d F l a n d e r s . Peete Tye r e a p p e a r s o n
o u r m a p a mile farther n o r t h along the road, w h e r e it describes a strip of c o m m o n land lying beside
t h e s t r e e t , b e t w e e n L a n g e n h o e a n d A b b e r t o n . T h e s e c o n d e l e m e n t o f this n a m e a p p e a r s t o d e r i v e
from O E tig, ' m e e t i n g p l a c e ' , M H G tig, ' a p u b l i c m e e t i n g - p l a c e i n a v i l l a g e ' , M L G tig, ' a m e a d o w ' ,
O N teigr, ' a close, a s t r i p o f m e a d o w l a n d ' , all o f w h i c h a p p l y very well h e r e .
T h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e s t o n e a t F i n g r i n g h o e c a n n o t n o w b e r e t r i e v e d . S i n c e t h e village itself i s
n o t o n t h e d i r e c t r o a d , a R o m a n m i l e s t o n e s e e m s unlikely, yet t h e d e s c r i p t i o n d o e s n o t s e e m t o f i t a
b o u n d a r y s t o n e v e r y well, for i n o u r c h a r t e r t h e s t o n e i s a c e n t r e p o i n t from w h i c h o n e p r o c e e d s a n d
to w h i c h o n e r e t u r n s , r a t h e r t h a n a p e r i p h e r a l l a n d m a r k . Bricsfleote m u s t , I t h i n k , refer to t h e
R o m a n R i v e r , a t r i b u t a r y o f t h e R i v e r C o l n e , w h i c h w o u l d b e b r i d g e d b y t h e s t r e e t from M e r s e a t o
C o l c h e s t e r , t o w h i c h w e s h a l l r e t u r n p r e s e n t l y . O E ord m e a n s ' a spit o r c o r n e r o f l a n d ' , a n d this
d e s c r i b e s a p t l y t h e salt m a r s h n a m e d N o r t h G e e t o n , l y i n g b e t w e e n bricsfleote a n d G e e t o n C r e e k .
I n c i d e n t a l l y , t h e n a m e F i n g r i n g h o e itself d e r i v e s from t h e f i n g e r o f h i g h l a n d lying b e h i n d this
ord*
R e t u r n i n g o n c e m o r e t o t h e s t o n e a t F i n g r i n g h o e , t h e d e s c r i p t i o n n e x t takes u s t o a p l a c e n a m e
w h o s e first e l e m e n t is i n d e c i p h e r a b l e , b u t w i t h a s e c o n d e l e m e n t , bricse, w h i c h m u s t be r e l a t e d , I
t h i n k , t o bricsfleote. T h e t r a n s c r i b e r h a s m i s t a k e n O E ' g ' for l o n g ' s ' , a n d w e a r e d e a l i n g h e r e w i t h
t h e w o r d bricge, for ' b r i d g e ' o r ' c a u s e w a y ' . T h e s t r e e t from M e r s e a t o C o l c h e s t e r crosses R o m a n
R i v e r (bricsfleote) a t M a n w o o d b r i d g e o n t h e m a p o f 1777, a n d M a n W o o d itself i s s h o w n b e s i d e t h e
r o a d a t t h i s p o i n t . I s u g g e s t w e h a v e h e r e t h e O E p a t r o n y m Mann(a), a n d t h a t t h e n a m e o f t h e
b r i d g e w a s o r g i n a l l y Mannanbricge. T h i s w o u l d a c c o u n t for t h e ' n i n e s t r o k e s ' d e s c r i b e d b y D r .
M a t t h e w before ' a n ' i n t h e f i r s t e l e m e n t o f t h e n a m e a s i t a p p e a r s i n t h e R o u e n t r a n s c r i p t , a n d I
w o u l d t h e r e f o r e offer t h e r e a d i n g mannanbricse r a t h e r t h a n winnanbricse, b e c a u s e it m a k e s t h e
topography of the charter more comprehensible.
We a r e left withpeltandunes meowte as t h e last p o i n t in t h e c h a r t e r ' s b o u n d a r y c l a u s e . Peltandune
m u s t b e P e l d o n , a n d I t h i n k meowte c a n h a r d l y r e p r e s e n t a n y o t h e r e l e m e n t t h a n O E ( g e ) m o t ,
' m e e t i n g - p l a c e ' , from O E metan, ' t o m e e t ' . A l r e a d y w e h a v e e n c o u n t e r e d t h e e l e m e n t tig w i t h a
s i m i l a r m e a n i n g , a n d I w o u l d p u t f o r w a r d t h e s u g g e s t i o n t h a t Peltandunes meowte w a s a t P e e t T y e
C o m m o n , a n d w a s t h e o r i g i n a l h u n d r e d m e e t i n g - p l a c e . I f so, t h e site shifted i n l a t e r c e n t u r i e s t o
s
t h e motstowe o n h i g h g r o u n d n e a r D u k e ' s F a r m i n L a y e r - d e - l a - H a y e .
To s u m m a r i s e , the b o u n d a r y clause of o u r charter does not p e r a m b u l a t e a n u m b e r of
l a n d m a r k s a s w a s u s u a l l y t h e case, b u t d e s c r i b e s i n g e n e r a l t e r m s t h e s e p a r a t e t e r r i t o r i e s o f W e s t
M e r s e a a n d Fingringhoe, between which ran a ' R o m a n ' road. T h e charter appears to delimit
F i n g r i n g h o e a s a n a r e a b o u n d e d t o t h e n o r t h b y t h e R o m a n River, t o t h e w e s t b y the r o a d from
M a n w o o d bridge to Peet T y e C o m m o n , to the south by G e e t o n Creek, a n d to the east by the River
C o l n e . A c c o r d i n g t o this i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , t h e c h a r t e r ' s b o u n d a r y c l a u s e e x c l u d e s t h e t e r r i t o r y o f t h e
l a t e r p a r i s h e s o f P e l d o n , L a n g e n h o e a n d A b b e r t o n , all o f w h i c h a r e s h o w n b y D o m e s d a y B o o k t o
6
h a v e b e e n i n lay l a n d s b e f o r e t h e N o r m a n C o n q u e s t . D o m e s d a y d o e s n o t m e n t i o n F i n g r i n g h o e b y
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n a m e , because it was included within the description of West M e r s e a . T h e O u e n estate was
a s s e s s e d a t t w e n t y h i d e s i n D o m e s d a y , a n d a s AElfflaed's will (below) gives t h e a s s e s s m e n t o f W e s t
M e r s e a a s six h i d e s , p r e s u m a b l y F i n g r i n g h o e w a s assessed a t fourteen h i d e s . W e m a y s p e c u l a t e
f u r t h e r t h a t i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e l a n d e n d o w m e n t , t h e C o n f e s s o r ' s c h a r t e r t o St. O u e n c o n v e y e d
8
s e i g n e u r a l r i g h t s o v e r W i n s t r e e h u n d r e d , since t h e h u n d r e d m o o t a p p e a r s o r i g i n a l l y t o h a v e b e e n
sited at Peet T y e C o m m o n at the south-western corner of Fingringhoe.
W e m a y n o w m o v e o n t o e x a m i n e t h e e a r l i e r e v i d e n c e for t h e d e v o l u t i o n o f this p r o p e r t y . I n
h i s will d a t e d 9 4 6 x 951 E a l d o r m a n AElfgar o f Essex g r a n t e d t h e r e v e r s i o n o f P e l d o n a n d M e r s e a t o
t h e m i n i s t e r a t S t o k e - b y - N a y l a n d , o v e r t h e Suffolk b o r d e r , six miles n o r t h o f C o l c h e s t e r , w h e r e his
9
a n c e s t o r s w e r e b u r i e d . AElfgar h a d t w o d a u g h t e r s , AEthelflaed o f D a m e r h a m w h o b e c a m e t h e
 96 CYRIL HART

s e c o n d wife o f K i n g E d m u n d a n d after his d e a t h m a r r i e d A E t h e l s t a n ' R o t a ' o f S o u t h E a s t M e r c i a ,

a n d AElfflaed, w h o b e c a m e t h e s e c o n d wife o f E a l d o r m a n B y r h t n o t h o f Essex, a n d s u r v i v e d h i m
after h i s d e a t h i n 991 o n t h e battlefield o f M a l d o n . N e i t h e r d a u g h t e r h a d a n y issue o f h e r m a r r i a g e ,
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a s far a s o n e c a n t e l l .
A E l f g a r ' s g r a n t t o S t o k e r e s e r v e d t h e u s u f r u c t o f P e l d o n a n d M e r s e a t o AEthelflaed d u r i n g h e r
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lifetime. H e r will c a n n o t b e d a t e d closely b u t w a s d r a w n u p s o m e t i m e b e t w e e n 9 7 5 a n d 9 9 1 . S h e
g r a n t e d a n e s t a t e a t F i n g r i n g h o e t o E a l d o r m a n B y r h t n o t h a n d his wife ( w h o w a s h e r sister
AElfflaed), w i t h r e v e r s i o n after AElfflaed's d e a t h t o St. P e t e r ' s C h u r c h a t M e r s e a . F r o m its
d e d i c a t i o n , w e k n o w this t o h a v e b e e n W e s t M e r s e a .
L i k e its n e i g h b o u r a n d n a m e s a k e a t B r a d w e l l o n t h e o p p o s i t e s h o r e o f t h e B l a c k w a t e r e s t u a r y ,
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W e s t M e r s e a C h u r c h w a s b u i l t o n a R o m a n s i t e . T h e d e d i c a t i o n t o St. P e t e r i s c o n s o n a n t w i t h a
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f o u n d a t i o n of the 7th or 8 t h c e n t u r y , so p r o b a b l y it was a c o n t e m p o r a r y of Bradwell. Possibly
1 4
i t suffered a t t h e h a n d s o f t h e D a n e s w h e n t h e y e n c a m p e d o n M e r s e a I s l a n d i n 8 9 4 ; i f s o
t h e c h u r c h w a s r e s t o r e d b y AElfgar's family, for t h e n a t u r e o f AEthelflaed's gift i m p l i e s t h a t i t w a s
1 5
t h e n a c o l l e g i a t e m i n s t e r . P a r t o f t h e w e s t e r n t o w e r m i g h t d a t e t o this p e r i o d . T h e V i k i n g s p a s s e d
b y t h i s site a s t h e y m a d e t h e i r w a y p a s t t h e i s l a n d u p t h e B l a c k w a t e r i n 9 9 1 , before t h e B a t t l e o f
M a l d o n , w h e n u n l i k e t h e i r p r e d e c e s s o r s a c e n t u r y p r e v i o u s l y , they c h o s e N o r t h e y I s l a n d f u r t h e r
1 6
u p s t r e a m , r a t h e r t h a n M e r s e a , for t h e i r l a n d i n g - p l a c e .
B y A E t h e l f l a e d ' s will t h e w h o l e e s t a t e o f P e l d o n a n d W e s t M e r s e a w a s t o d e s c e n d , t o g e t h e r
w i t h F i n g r i n g h o e , f i r s t t o h e r sister AElfflaed, a n d t h e n after h e r d e a t h a n d t h a t o f E a l d o r m a n
B y r h t n o t h , t o t h e family m i n s t e r a t S t o k e - b y - N a y l a n d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e will o f h e r father.
AElfflaed's will, d a t e d c . 1002, c o n f i r m e d t h e b e q u e s t o f P e l d o n a n d M e r s e a t o S t o k e , a n d n o t e d t h a t
h e r father h a d presented a wood at T o t h a m to the minster at Mersea, which possessed also the
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w h o l e o f t h e six h i d e s o f l a n d f o r m i n g t h e w e s t e r n h a l f o f t h e i s l a n d . T w o h i d e s b e l o n g i n g t o t h e
a d j a c e n t e s t a t e o f B o c k i n g H a l l i n E a s t M e r s e a h a d b y this t i m e d e s c e n d e d t o C h r i s t C h u r c h ,
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Canterbury.
S o far w e h a v e confined o u r a t t e n t i o n solely t o t h e M e r s e a e s t a t e , b u t i n o r d e r t o u n d e r s t a n d
t h e n e x t s t a g e i n t h e h i s t o r y o f its d e v o l u t i o n , w e m u s t n o w take a g l a n c e a t o t h e r p r o p e r t i e s
m e n t i o n e d i n t h e s e t h r e e wills. T h e r e i s n o d o u b t t h a t E a l d o r m a n AElfgar h a d i n t e n d e d t o e n d o w
S t o k e - b y - N a y l a n d w i t h sufficient l a n d e d p r o p e r t y to t r a n s f o r m it from a s m a l l collegiate m i n s t e r
i n t o a m a j o r m o n a s t i c f o u n d a t i o n . H e r e g a r d e d i t a s a family possession, a n d b u r i e d his wife a n d
s o n t h e r e , b u t t h e family i n t e r e s t c o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n a n a n c i e n t o n e , for t h e t e r r i t o r y h a d b e e n i n
D a n i s h h a n d s un 921. Besides the large M e r s e a estate (rated at twenty hides a century later),
AElfgar b e q u e a t h e d to S t o k e t h e r e v e r s i o n of L a v e n h a m a n d a w o o d at Ashfield in Suffolk, t o g e t h e r
w i t h C o l n e , T e y a n d G r e e n s t e a d i n E s s e x . T o t h e s e his d a u g h t e r AEthelflaed a d d e d t h e r e v e r s i o n o f
f o u r m o r e Suffolk p r o p e r t i e s : P o l s t e a d , W i t h e r m a r s h , S t r a t f o r d a n d B a l s d o n H a l l . AElfflaed
i n c r e a s e d t h e e n d o w m e n t w i t h F r e s t o n a n d W i s t o n i n Suffolk a n d Hatfield i n H e r t f o r d s h i r e .
A l t o g e t h e r t h e r e f o r e t h e family e n d o w m e n t a m o u n t e d to seven p r o p e r t i e s in Essex, six in Suffolk,
a n d one in Hertfordshire.
W h e n o n e r e c a l l s t h a t AElfgar's will a n t e d a t e d t h e B e n e d i c t i n e m o n a s t i c revival b y t w o w h o l e
d e c a d e s , this w a s a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y policy, a n d t h e e n d o w m e n t w a s c o n t i n u e d a n d i n d e e d
d e v e l o p e d b y h i s t w o d a u g h t e r s . Y e t b e c a u s e o n l y t h e r e v e r s i o n o f t h e family i n t e r e s t w a s
b e q u e a t h e d , f i f t y y e a r s p a s s e d . before AElfgar's i n t e n t i o n s could m a t u r e . W i t h i n t h a t i n t e r v a l
f i v e g r e a t f e n l a n d m o n a s t e r i e s h a d b e e n f o u n d e d a n d e n d o w e d , a n d b y 1002, w h e n AElfflaed w r o t e
h e r will, t h e s i t u a t i o n w a s v a s t l y different. S i n c e their s u c c e s s a t M a l d o n i n 991 t h e D a n e s h a d
n e v e r lifted t h e i r p r e s s u r e , a n d i t m i g h t p e r h a p s h a v e b e e n q u e s t i o n e d b y AElfflaed's c o n t e m -
p o r a r i e s w h e t h e r t i m e s w e r e still p r o p i t i o u s for t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f yet a n o t h e r m a j o r religious h o u s e
i n e a s t e r n E n g l a n d . Y e t e l s e w h e r e t h e i m p e t u s for reform w a s n o t yet fully s p e n t . J u s t a t this p e r i o d
Wulfric Spott w a s p l a n n i n g his h a n d s o m e e n d o w m e n t of B u r t o n - o n - T r e n t , a n d AEthelmaer the
F a t w a s s i m i l a r l y e n g a g e d a t E y n s h a m i n O x f o r d s h i r e . W a s t h e r e a n y real o b s t a c l e t o AElfflaed's
c o n s u m m a t i o n of a similar venture at Stoke-by-Nayland?
 T H E MERSEA C H A R T E R O F E D W A R D T H E CONFESSOR 97

C e r t a i n l y i t a p p e a r s t o m e t h a t AElfflaed's a n x i e t y for t h e future o f h e r family's f o u n d a t i o n i s

reflected t h r o u g h o u t t h e text o f h e r will. S h e c o m m e n c e d b y g r a n t i n g t o t h e K i n g e i g h t e s t a t e s
w h i c h a p p e a r t o h a v e d e s c e n d e d t o h e r from h e r h u s b a n d B y r h t n o t h , a n d c o u l d well h a v e f o r m e d
p a r t o f t h e p e r q u i s i t e s o f t h e Essex e a l d o r d o m . W i t h h e r b e q u e s t w a s a p l e a t h a t K i n g A E t h e l r e d
s h o u l d p r o t e c t t h e e n d o w m e n t o f S t o k e , w h i c h s h e p r o c e e d e d t o list i n d e t a i l . T h e n after a series o f
b e q u e s t s t o o t h e r r e l i g i o u s h o u s e s , s h e left a v a l u a b l e e s t a t e a t L a w l i n g i n Essex t o A E t h e l m a e r t h e
F a t , o n c o n d i t i o n t h a t h e t o o s h o u l d a c t a s friend a n d p r o t e c t o r o f S t o k e . F i n a l l y s h e g a v e L i s t o n i n
Essex to another AEthelmaer, apparently a kinsman, on the same terms.
I t i s s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t A E t h e l m a e r t h e F a t , w h o s e e a l d o r d o m lay i n t h e W e s t e r n S h i r e s , s h o u l d
h a v e b e e n v e s t e d w i t h t h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . Leofsige, t h e local e a l d o r m a n , a p p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n n o
friend o f m o n a s t i c i s m , a n d w a s b a n i s h e d b y t h e K i n g a t a b o u t this t i m e . A E t h e l m a e r t h e F a t ,
h o w e v e r , w a s a s t r o n g s u p p o r t e r o f t h e m o n a s t i c p a r t y , a n d t h e p a t r o n o f AElfric t h e H o m i l i s t . A
few y e a r s before AElfHaed d r e w u p h e r will, A E t h e l m a e r w a s called u p o n b y L e o f w i n n a , t h e w i d o w
o f a r e n e g a d e E a s t S a x o n t h e g n , t o m e d i a t e w i t h K i n g A E t h e l r e d o n h e r behalf, t o p e r s u a d e h i m t o
c o n f i r m h e r gift o f B o c k i n g H a l l i n E a s t M e r s e a t o t h e n e w l y r e f o r m e d c o m m u n i t y a t C h r i s t
C h u r c h , C a n t e r b u r y . A E t h e l m a e r , w h o w a s a k i n s m a n o f K i n g A E t h e l r e d , w a s successful i n this
m i s s i o n . I n 1005 h e g a v e AElfflaed's b e q u e s t o f L a w l i n g t o his s o n - i n - l a w A E t h e l w e a r d i n p a r t
1 9
e x c h a n g e for E y n s h a m , a n d b y t h e e v e o f t h e N o r m a n C o n q u e s t L a w l i n g t o o h a d d e s c e n d e d t o
Christ Church.
I n s p i t e o f AElfflaed's b e s t efforts, h e r e n d o w m e n t o f S t o k e - b y - N a y l a n d b e c a m e a l i e n a t e d , a n d
w i t h i n h a l f a c e n t u r y S t o k e w a s r e d u c e d to a s m a l l m i n s t e r s u p p o r t e d by o n l y h a l f a c a r u c a t e of
l a n d , m o s t o f t h e e s t a t e s left t o i t b y AElfgar's family h a v i n g fallen i n t o lay h a n d s . I f t h e C o n f e s s o r ' s
c h a r t e r to R o u e n is to be b e l i e v e d , t h e a l i e n a t i o n o c c u r r e d before t h e e n d of C n u t ' s r e i g n . It is a
m i s f o r t u n e t h a t t h e e x a c t d a t e a n d c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f this i m p o r t a n t e v e n t c a n n o t n o w b e
d e t e r m i n e d . T h e b e s t s u g g e s t i o n o n e c a n offer i s t h a t t h e i n t e r e s t o f S t o k e w e r e t a k e n o v e r b y t h e
f o u n d a t i o n a t B u r y St. E d m u n d s , w h i c h w a s h e a v i l y e n d o w e d b y C n u t t h r o u g h t h e a g e n c y o f his
e a r l T h o r k e l l t h e T a l l . T h e r e i s g o o d r e a s o n t o believe t h a t t h e s u r v i v i n g text o f AElfHaed's will
c o m e s from a c o p y t h a t w a s p r e p a r e d for d e p o s i t i o n a t S t o k e , yet t h e m a n u s c r i p t a p p e a r s t o h a v e
2 1
reached Bury within a d e c a d e .
H a v i n g p u r s u e d t h e fate o f S t o k e a s far a s lies w i t h i n o u r p o w e r , w e m a y n o w r e t u r n t o
c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e o w n e r s h i p b y St. O u e n o f R o u e n o f t h e M e r s e a e s t a t e . T h i s m o n a s t e r y h a d
a l r e a d y a l o n g h i s t o r y o f r e l a t i o n s w i t h E n g l a n d . Relics o f S t . O u e n w e r e s e n t t o C h r i s t C h u r c h i n
2 2
t h e t i m e o f A r c h b i s h o p O d a i n 942 x 9 5 8 , a n d a t t h e s a m e p e r i o d t h e a b b e y w a s e x p o r t i n g w i n e t o
2 3
L o n d o n . After t h e s a c k i n g o f St. O u e n b y t h e V i k i n g s , its a b b o t s o u g h t K i n g E d g a r ' s h e l p , n o
24
d o u b t s u c c e s s f u l l y . T h e B e n e d i c t i n e r e f o r m a t i o n forged close links b e t w e e n h o u s e s i n E n g l a n d
a n d the C o n t i n e n t , a n d by this time C o n t i n e n t a l abbeys were becoming interested in acquiring
l a n d s i n E n g l a n d , p a r t i c u l a r l y a l o n g t h e coast. I n 1016 E d w a r d t h e A E t h e l i n g , K i n g A E t h e l r e d ' s
s o n a n d e v e n t u a l s u c c e s s o r , p a i d a visit t o t h e m o n a s t e r y o f G h e n t a n d p r o m i s e d t o r e s t o r e t o t h e
m o n k s t h e r e a p r o p e r t y a t L e w i s h a m w h i c h t h e y h a d b e e n g i v e n a c e n t u r y p r e v i o u s l y b u t h a d since
2 5
l o s t . A y e a r o r t w o before t h i s , K i n g A E t h e l r e d h i m s e l f d u r i n g his exile i n N o r m a n d y visited t h e
a b b e y o f F e c a m p a n d p r o m i s e d i t l a n d ; his p r o m i s e w a s r e d e e m e d b y C n u t a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f his
2 6
reign, w h e n he gave F e c a m p land at the C h a n n e l ports of Winchelsea a n d R y e . Later he
i n c r e a s e d his e n d o w m e n t , a n d his son H a r d a c n u t c o n f i r m e d these gifts. K i n g E d w a r d e n d o w e d
2 7
F e c a m p still f u r t h e r w i t h S t e y n i n g i n S u s s e x before t h e e n d o f 1 0 4 8 , a n d a g a i n w i t h E a s t b o u r n e i n
2 8 2 9
1 0 5 4 . I n 1052 h e g a v e T a y n t o n i n O x f o r d s h i r e b y c h a r t e r t o t h e a b b e y o f St. D e n i s a t P a r i s .
T h e r e m a y b e s o m e t r u t h b e h i n d t h e t r a d i t i o n t h a t w h i l e i n exile i n N o r m a n d y i n 1035, E d w a r d
3 0
p r o m i s e d to e n d o w the m o n a s t e r y of St. M i c h a e l with land in C o r n w a l l .
I t i s a g a i n s t this b a c k g r o u n d t h a t w e a p p r o a c h t h e f i n a l s t a g e i n o u r exegesis o f E d w a r d ' s
c h a r t e r t o St. O u e n , for a l t h o u g h t h e i n s t r u m e n t i s d a t e d 1047 w h e n h e w a s f i r m l y e s t a b l i s h e d o n
t h e E n g l i s h t h r o n e , E d w a r d ' s gift i s s a i d t o h a v e b e e n m a d e j u s t t w o d a y s after h e i n h e r i t e d t h e
s u c c e s s i o n . N o w t h e r e i s c o n s i d e r a b l e c o n t r o v e r s y a s t o E d w a r d ' s w h e r e a b o u t s a t this t i m e ; t h e
2 T h e T o p o g r a p h y of the Mersea Charter A . D . 1046. Maps by Tony Young after C.R.H.
 T H E MERSEA C H A R T E R O F E D W A R D T H E CONFESSOR 99
3 1
c h r o n i c l e s a y s o n e t h i n g a n d his Vita a n o t h e r , a n d l a t e r a u t h o r i t i e s took b o t h s i d e s . H i s a c c e s s i o n
w a s n o t a n t i c i p a t e d , f o r H a r d a c n u t d i e d u n e x p e c t e d l y o f a s t r o k e w h i l e still q u i t e y o u n g , d u r i n g t h e
w e d d i n g feast a t L a m b e t h o f Tofig t h e P r o u d . I f E d w a r d h a d b e e n p r e s e n t o n t h i s o c c a s i o n , i t i s
i n d e e d o d d t h a t he should h a v e found time a n d o p p o r t u n i t y j u s t two days later to concern himself
w i t h t h e e n d o w m e n t o f a N o r m a n a b b e y , w h i c h h a d t o w a i t a f u r t h e r f o u r y e a r s f o r its c h a r t e r .
I w o u l d s u g g e s t , h o w e v e r , t h a t t h e r e is a s i m p l e a n d o b v i o u s e x p l a n a t i o n for t h e C o n f e s s o r ' s
S t . O u e n c h a r t e r , a n d t h a t i s t h a t h e m a d e a gift t o t h e a b b e y i n g r a t i t u d e w h e n h e h e a r d o f his
a c c e s s i o n w h i l e s t a y i n g t h e r e . I t w o u l d t a k e t w o d a y s for n e w s o f H a r d a c n u t ' s d e a t h t o r e a c h h i m
from E n g l a n d . O n e i s r e m i n d e d o f t h e C o n q u e r o r ' s g r a n t t o t h e a b b e y o f St. V a l e r y , i n t h a n k s for
3 2
t h e f a v o u r a b l e b r e e z e t h a t b l e w h i m t o E n g l a n d before t h e B a t t l e o f H a s t i n g s .

NOTES

1. M o r a n t , P. History of Essex, 1, 1768, 426.

2. The Battle of Maldon, I. 68.
3. M a t h e w , D o n a l d , The Norman Monasteries and their English Possessions, 1962, 146-7.
4. Reaney, P. H. The Place-Names of Essex, 1935. English Place-Name Society, 315.
5. Ibid., 314.
6. Domesday Book II, ff. 27b, 946.
7. D.B. II, f. 22.
8. We find this also in D.B. I I , f. 22. T h e rights were confirmed by King Stephen; cf. Matthew, 150.
9. Whitelock, Dorothy, Anglo-Saxon Wills, 1930, No. ii.
10. For the family pedigree, see my paper on the East Saxon Ealdordom, forthcoming.
11. Anglo-Saxon Wills, No. xiv.
12. Proc. Soc. Antiq., 2nd series, xvi, 1895-7, 423-9; Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, Essex III,
229-30.
13. Levison, W., England and the Continent in The Eighth Century, 1946, 35, 259-61.
14. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, A Text, s.a. 895.
15. Baldwin Brown, G. The Arts in Early England, I I , 1903, 340, but see Taylor, H. M. and J., Anglo-Saxon
Architecture, 1965, I, 418.
16. G o r d o n , E. V., The Battle of Maldon, 1937. M a p facing p. 1.
17. Anglo-Saxon Wills, No. xv.
18. H a r t , C. The Early Charters of Essex, 2nd edn., 1971, No. 30.
19. K e m b l e , J. Codex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici, London, 1845, No. 714. The Early Charters of Essex, No. 39.
20. Domesday Book II, f. 401.
21. Anglo-Saxon Wills, 137, 145.
22. Levison, 211; Harmer, F., Anglo-Saxon Writs, Manchester, 1952, 195.
23. H a r d e n , D. B., Dark-Age Britain, London, 1956, 219.
24. Stubbs, W. Memorials of St. Dunstan, London, Rolls series, 18, 363 If.
25. M a t t h e w , 18.
26. Haskins, C. H . , An Early Charter of Canute for Fecamp, English Historical Review, xxxiii (1918),
342-4.
27. Kemble, No. 890; Anglo-Saxon Writs, 16, n. I.
28. M a t t h e w , 20.
29. Anglo-Saxon Writs, 538-9.
30. Matthew, 22-4.
31. Barlow, F., Edward the Confessor, 1970, 53.
32. The Early Charters of Essex, No. 85.

APPENDIX

In nomine summi tonantis dei scilicet omnipotentis qui cuncta ex nichilo formavit. quique protoplastum
1
h o m i n e m Adam videlicet cancivem esse celestis Jerusalem condidit illumqztf serpentina seductione
precipitatum i m m e n s a pietate atq«« predestinatione ad culmen angelice beatudinis proprio cruore provexit.
100 CYRIL HART

2
N u n c ut omnibus necesse est chmrianis quamdiu hie in mortali vita persistunt de perituris celestia de
caducis eterna mercari. Ego rex E a d u u a r d u s hoc fretus sum consilio, quia eadem Veritas dicit. date et dabitur
3 4
v o b i s et item scriptura intonat. Divicie viri redempcio anime e i u s . Et Salomon Fili elemosina a n i m a m a
5
morte liberat et non patitur ire in tenebris. Q u a p r o p t e r istorum preceptorum necon alioram auxiliatus
6 7
a d m i n i c u l o Ego r e x E a d u u a r d u s superius prenotatus Angloram atque n o r t h u n h y m b r o r u m do regi omnium
regum domino sawctoque petro. necnon (almo antistiti Audoeno sibique) servientibus qui proprius fiscus
8 9 10
a t t e n u s meoram a n t e c e s s o r s fuit q u a n d a m partem insule q u a e vocatur m e r s e g e cum (omnibus terrisque
11
sibi adjacentibus) et cum pratis. silvisque piscaturiis sicuti integram hanc et possessivam habui curriculo
1 2
duoram dierum p o s t q u a m dei gratia (ad apicem regiminis) perveni. Si quis vero h o m o hanc meam
13
d o n a t i o n e m infringer? temptaverit sciat se coram c h r a t o et angelis e i u s ac S a n c t i s suprascriptis in tremendo
e x a m i n e r e d d i t u r u m et funditus d a m p n a t u r u m nisi h i e prius emendare satagerit. pis is f> landgemere aet
14
mersege f> is aerest on pantan streame 06 hit cymS to 6am dican betwyx east meresege (and west m e r e s e g e )
Sonne of dam dican into 5am fleote. Sonne of Sam fleote into Saere straete f>hit cymS to Saere petan. ponne on
fingringaho ae(t) Sam stane fram Sam stane to bricsfleotes orde aeft fram Sam stane to VVinnanbricse fram
15 16
W i n n a n b r i c s e t o peltandunes m e o w t e .
Acta est hec prefata donatio anno dominice incarnationis millesimo quadragesimo sexto. •£< Ego
17
E a d u u a r d u s rex Anglorum hanc donationem l i b e r e concedo et manu propria hoc signo confirmo.

18
•J< Ego E a d s i g u s C a n t u a r i o r u m archiepucopus cum signo sancte crucis roborivi.
19
•J< Ego i^Elfricus archiepwco/>Mj cum virtute sancte crucis consignavi
20
>x< Ego R o t b e r t u s episcopus confirmavi
21
>A< Ego S t i g a n d u s episcopus corroboravi
22
>i< Ego AElfwinus episcopus conclusi
23
>i* Ego W u l f s i g u s episcopus confortavi
2 4
•i< Ego H e a r m a n u s episcopus confortavi
2 5
>& Ego WulnoS a b b a s
2 6
•5« Ego LyfnoS a b b a s
2 7
»x< Ego AElfwine a b b a s
2 8
>5< Ego Godwine d u x
2 9
•J< Ego Harolt d u x
3 0
*x< Ego Lyfrac d u x
3 1
>A* Ego Sweyn d u x
>f< Ego S i w e r S d u x 3 2

3 3
*b Ego Birn d u x
34
>$* Ego Befkytel m i n i s t e r
35
•i< Ego Utfer m i n i s t e r
36
*i* Ego M a n n i m i n i s t e r

Dorso: hec est copia carta S. Edwardi regis Anglorum que pertinet abbatique conventui monasterii SS. Petri
et Pauli S. Audoeni Rothomagnuj. Henricus Chichele archiepiscopus Cantuariensis habet originalem. Et est
registratus sive signatus in cartaria S. Audoeni. Et est sine sigillo.
Notes to the text (variant readings from C)
1. conciuem.
2. nescesse.
3. Luke vi, 38.
4. Proverbs xiii, 8.
5. T o b i a s iv, 11 ( p a r a p h r a s e ) .
6. rex omitted.
7. Northanhumbrorum.
8. actenus.
9. que.
10. Meresege.
11. poscessinam.
12. hominum.
13. eius omitted.
 T H E MERSEA C H A R T E R O F E D W A R D T H E CONFESSOR 101

14. W o r d s within brackets reconstructed from C.

15. Winnanbricse fram Winnanbricse omitted; suggested reading in A: mannanbricge from mannanbricge.
16. Bounds in C: Hee sunt terre eorum date apud Mersege. Ibi est Rivus super Pone Streme et extendit usque ad quoddam
fossatum vocatam Deramys-Diche inter Est-Mersey et West Mersey et a Deramys-Diche usque ad Deramy's Flete et a
Deramys-Flete usque ad quondam Stratam vocatam Deramys-Strete et ibi extendit usque ad le Peete vocat' Deramys-
Pete villa de Fyngeryngho ad Deramys-Stone et a Deramys Stone usque ad Brigflete ex parte orientali et a Deramys-
Stone usque ad Weldene-Downes Meowte.
17. libens.
18. Edwinus: Eadsige archbishop of Canterbury 1038 x 1050.
19. Alfricus: AEfric archbishop of York 1023 x 1051.
20. Robertus: Robert bishop of London 1044 x 1051.
2 1 . Stigandus: Stigand bishop of Elmham 1044 x 1047.
22. Alfpinus: AElfwine bishop of Winchester 1032 x 1047.
23. Pulfsinus: Wulfsige bishop of Lichfield 1039 x 1053.
24. Hearmannus: H e r e m a n bishop of Ramsbury 1045 x 1055.
25. Pulnodus abboa": Wulfnoth abbot of Westminster c. 1020 x 1049.
26. Leifnodusabbod': unidentified (possibly an error in A for Leofweard, who was abbot of Muchelney).
27. Alfpine abbod: AElfwine abbot of New Minster, Winchester, c. 1031 x 1057.
28. Godpine: G o d w i n e earl of Wessex c. 1018 x 1053.
29. Harolt: H a r o l d earl of East Anglia c. 1044 x 1051.
30. Leifric: Leofric earl of Mercia 1023/32 x 1057.
3 1 . Spegn: Swegn earl of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Somerset and Berkshire 1043 x 1049.
32. Siperdus: Siweard earl of Northumbria 1033 x 1055.
33. Beim: Beorn earl of the Middle Angles c. 1045 x 1049.
34. Ulfkitel: Ulfcytel, thegn, witnesses in 1044.
35. Atser. AEtsere (al, Azur), thegn, witnesses in 1044.
36. Manni: M a n n i , thegn, witnesses in 1044.

Translation
In the n a m e of almighty God, thundering on high, who made all things out of nothing, and who created the
first m a n , to wit, A d a m , 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
p u r c h a s e with things temporal that which is heavenly, and with things which will perish that which is
eternal, I King E d w a r d , relying upon this counsel, because T r u t h itself says: 'Give, and it shall be given unto
you', and likewise scripture states emphatically: ' T h e riches of man are the redemption of his soul', and
Solomon says: ' M y 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
N o r t h u m b r i a n s , give to the King of all kings, and to the blessed lord Peter, and also his beloved priest Ouen,
a n d those who serve him [i.e. the monks of the monastery of O u e n , dedicated originally to St. Peter] that
which was formerly the private revenue of my predecessors, a certain part of the island called Mersege
[ M e r s e a ] , 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.

Texts
A
Original charter in the possession of the abbey of St. O u e n , Rouen, Normandy, until 1421, when it was given
to H e n r y Chichele, archbishop of Canterbury, and subsequently lost.
B
C o p y of A made j u s t before its acquisition by Chichele. T h e text is entered on a separate membrane 34 cm. X
40 cm., and is complete, though in some places now illegible even by ultra-violet light. Some forms of
 102 CYRIL HART

personal names and place names are inferior to those of the C text (below). Now in the archives of the Seine
M a r i t i m e (late Inferieure) at Rouen, Normandy. Listed 14 H 145 in the published catalogue. This text was
discovered in 1955 by D. J. A. Matthew, who published it as I I I below.
C
Enrolment of A m a d e c. 1325, when the Abbot of St. O u e n produced his charters in support of his claim for
free warren in his m a n o r of Fingringhoe, before a Placita Foresta, held perhaps at Colchester. T h e surviving
m e m b r a n e has some tears, and owing to the application of a chemical the boundary clause can now be read
only by ultra-violet light. It is evident, however, that the transcriber attempted to translate the OE boundary
into medieval Latin. In so doing, he misread OE 6 as abbreviated medieval Latin 3, which he extended as der.
T h u s both O E S a m and OE daere in the original were considered to represent a personal name, rendered by
the transcriber as Deramy(s).
T h e Plea Roll, which had also some other (later) St. O u e n charters entered upon it, was found in the
1760s ' a m o n g the archives of Colchester' by the Essex historian Philip Morant, and from it he published the
Confessor's charter in 1768 (No. I below). At some stage the membrane was annotated by T h o m a s Astle
(1735 x 1803), son-in-law of M o r a n t and Keeper of the Records in the l o w e r of London, and mounted in an
a l b u m , which together with other Morant MSS. was presented to the Corporation of Colchester on 14 July
1871 by Robert Hills, Esq., of Colne Park, Essex. In 1968 the album was examined by Mr. J. B. Bennett,
H o n . Librarian to the Essex Archaeological Society, among MSS. in the Muniment Room in the Hollytrees,
a n d is now deposited at the Essex Record Office, catalogued D / D C m . 218/1. It is listed in a Calendar of the
M o r a n t MSS., published by K. C. Newton, County Archivist, in Trans. Essex Arch. Soc, 3rd series, vol. II,
1970, pp. 2 8 9 - 9 1 .

Editions
I. Philip M o r a n t , History of Essex, 1, 1768, p. 426, from C, omitting the witness list.
II. Cyril H a r t , The Early Charters of Essex: the Norman Period, 1957. Leicester University Press, Dept. of
English Local History Occasional Papers, First Series, No. 11, pp. 23-5. From I, with translation and
comment.
I I I . Donald M a t t h e w , The Norman Monasteries and their English Possessions, 1962. Oxford University Press,
p p . 143-9. F r o m B, with comment.
I V . T h i s edition is from I I I , with illegible portions of B placed between brackets, and supplied from C, and
with variant readings from C as footnotes.
Authenticity
Insufficient charters survive from the early years of King Edward to enable one to pronounce with confidence
on the authenticity of secondary material of this kind. In particular, there appears to be nothing within our
text to point specifically to a Canterbury or Winchester origin. O n e would have felt happier if the copyists
had reproduced either the chrismon or the endorsement of their exemplar. However, there is likewise nothing
to c o n d e m n the charter, and the existence of two independent transcripts gives good cause for confidence that
the original text can be accurately restored.
T h e diplomatic is not incompatible with that of other charters issued early in King Edward's reign,
when there was a tendency to utilise formulas from the diplomas of his predecessors. T h u s down to date et
dabitur vobis, the formula of our text repeats Cartularium Saxonicum No. 1196, a charter of King Edgar dated
967. T h e quotation from T o b i a s is paralleled in Anglo-Saxon Charters No. C X X , a charter of K i n g ' E d w a r d
dated 1061, which is copied in a spurious charter of King AEthelberht of Wessex (AS Charier So. X I ) . Both these
are from the Sherborne Cartulary. T h e anathema expands that of Kemble No. 687, dated 944. Similar dating
clauses a p p e a r in K 793 and K 796, dated 1050 and 1052 respectively. In the clauses of attestation, the
u n c o m m o n libens a n d confortavi appear in K 767, dated 1043. On the other hand, identifying the archbishop as
Cantuariorum is unique in pre-Conquest texts, though it is found in the late Peterborough forgery K 806.
Between them the transcribers have preserved evidence that their exemplar contained OE letters 6 and p
and the insular of V. Befkytel a m o n g the witnesses in text B arises from confusion of p with B, and insular 'r'
with T .
T h e witness list of 2 archbishops, 5 bishops, 3 abbots, 6 earls and 3 ministri is reasonable for the period,
and the known dates of all the witnesses are compatible with a charter issued in 1046.
Finally, the history of the estates mentioned in the charter both before 1046 and subsequently, ties in
well with the information preserved within the charter itself. Such evidence as there is, then, all points one
way, and it seems sensible to assume that our text is authentic until proved otherwise.