APPENDIX C.
MANUMISSION OF SERFS.
The following examples of Manumission are illustrative of the assertions in the text.
| And he wylle ðæt man freoge æfter his dæge ǽlcne wítefæstne man ðe on his tíman forgylt wǽre.—Archbishop Ælfríc, 996-1006. | And it is his will that ye shall manumit, after his life, every convict who has been ruined by crime, in his time.—Cod. Dipl. No. 716. |
| Bútan ðæt heó wylæ be ðínre geþafunga ðæt man freoge on ǽlcum túnæ ǽlcne wíteþeównæ mann ðæ under hiræ geþeówud wæs.—Queen Ælfgyfu. 1012. | Except that she wills, with thy permission, that they shall manumit, in every one of her farms, every convict who was reduced to slavery under her.—Cod. Dipl. No. 721. |
| Ðæt is rest, ðæt ic geann ðæt man gefreoge ǽlcne wítefæstne man, ðe ic on sprece áhte.—Æðelstán Æðeling. | Firstly, I grant that they shall free every convict whom I got in suits.—Cod. Dipl. No. 722. |
| And beón heora mann frige æfter heora beira dæge.—Ðurstan, 1049. | And let their serfs be free, after both their lives.—Cod. Dipl. No. 788. |
| Dimidiam vero partem hominum qui in memorata terra sub servitute degunt libertate donavimus.—Cod. Dipl. No. 919. | |
| Geatfleda geaf freols for Godes lufa ⁊ for heora sáwla þearfe, ðæt is Ecceard smið, ⁊ Ælstán ⁊ his wíf, ⁊ eall heora ofsprinc boren ⁊ unboren; ⁊ Arcil ⁊ Cole, ⁊ Ecgferð Eádhúnes dohter, ⁊ ealle ða men ða heónon heora heáfod for hyra mete, on ðám yflum dagum. Swá hwá swá ðis áwende ⁊ hyre sáwla ðises bereáfie, bereáfige hine God ælmihtig ðises lifes ⁊ heofona ríces: ⁊ sy he áwyrged deád ⁊ cwic aa on écnysse. And eác heó hafað gefreód ða men ðe heó þingede æt Cwæspatrike, ðæt is Ælfwald, ⁊ Colbrand, Ælsie, ⁊ Gamal his sune, Eádred Tredewode ⁊ Uhtred his steópsunu, Aculf ⁊ Ðurkyl ⁊ Ælsige. Hwá ðe heom ðises bereáfie God ælmihtig sie heom wráð ⁊ sancte Cúðberht.—Geátflæd; about 1060. | Geatflæd freed, for God’s sake and for her soul’s need, namely Ecceard the smith and Ælfstan and his wife and all their offspring born and unborn; and Arcil and Cole and Ecgferð Eádhun’s daughter, and all the men who bent their heads for food in the evil days. Whoso shall set this aside and deprive her soul of this, may Almighty God deprive him both of this life and of the kingdom of heaven; and be he accursed, quick or dead, for ever and ever. And she hath also freed the men for whom she interceded with Cospatrick, namely Ælfwald, and Colbrand, Ælfsige and Gamal his son, Eadred Tredewood and Uhtred his stepson, Aculf and Thurkill and Ælsige. Whoso depriveth them of this, may he have the wrath of Almighty God and Saint Cuthbert.—Cod. Dipl. No. 925. |
| And ic wille ðæt alle míne men bén fré on hirde and on túne for me and for ðó ðe me bigeten.—Leófgyfu. | And I will that all my serfs be free, both in manor and farm for my sake and the sake of them that begot me.—Cod. Dipl. No. 931. |
| Her swutelað on ðisse Cristes béc ðæt Leófenóð, Ægelnóðes sunu æt Heorstúne, hæfð geboht hine ⁊ his ofspring út æt Ælfsige abbod ⁊ æt eallon hirede on Baðon, mid fíf oran and mid xii heáfdon sceapa, on Leáfcildes gewitnesse portgeréfan, and on ealre ðǽere burhware on Baðon. Crist hine áblende ðe ðis æfre áwende.—Convent of Bath. | Here witnesseth in this book of gospels, that Leofenoð, Æðelnoð's son of Harston, hath bought out himself and his offspring, from abbot Ælfsige and all the brotherhood at Bath, with five ores and twelve head of sheep, by witness of Leófcild the portreeve, and all the commonalty of Bath. Christ blind him that ever setteth this aside!—Cod. Dipl. No. 933. |
| Her swutelað on ðisse Cristes béc ðæt Ægelsige æt Lintúnne hæfð geboht Wilsige his sunu út æt Ælfsige abbod on Baðon, and æt eallon hirede tó écean freóte.—Convent of Bath. | Here witnesseth in this book of gospels, that Æðelsige of Linton hath bought out Wilsige his son from Ælfsige abbot at Bath, and all the brotherhood to eternal freedom.—Cod. Dipl. No. 934. |
| Her swutelað on ðisse Cristes béc ðæt Ægelsige Byttices sunu hæfð geboht Hildesige his sunu út æt Ælfsige abbod on Baðon, and æt eallon hirede mid syxtigon penegon tó écean freóte.—Convent of Bath. | Here witnesseth in this book of gospels, that Æðelsige, Byttic’s son, hath bought out Hildesige his son from Ælfsige, abbot at Bath, and all the brotherhood, with sixty pence, that he may be free for ever.—Cod. Dipl. No. 935. |
| Her swutelað on ðisse Cristes béc ðæt Godwig se bucca hæfð geboht Leófgife ða dágean æt Norðstoce ⁊ hyre ofspring mid healfan punde æt Ælfsige abbod tó écean freóte, on ealles ðæs hiredes gewitnesse on Baðon. Crist hine áblende ðe ðis æfre áwende.—Convent of Bath. | Here witnesseth in this book of gospels, that Godwig the buck hath bought Leófgifu the doe at Northstock, and all her offspring, with half a pound from abbot Ælfsige, that she may be free for ever, by witness of all the brotherhood in Bath. Christ blind him who ever setteth this aside.—Cod. Dipl. No. 936. |
| Her swutelað on ðisse Cristes béc ðæt Ælfsige abbod hæfð gefreód Godwine bace æt Stántúne for hinc ⁊ for ealne ðone hired on Baðan, on Sémannes gewitnesse ⁊ Wulwiges æt Prisctúne ⁊ Ælfríces cermes.—Convent of Bath. | Here witnesseth in this book of gospels, that abbot Ælfsige hath freed Godwine Back of Stanton, for his own sake and that of all the brotherhood at Bath, by witness of Séman and Wulfwig of Prisctún and Ælfríc Cerm.—Cod. Dipl. No. 937. |
| An ic an míne landseðlen here toftes tó ówen áihte ⁊ alle míne men fré.—Sigeflæd. | And to my tenants I give their tofts to be their own property, and all my serfs free.—Cod. Dipl. No. 947. |
| And ic an ðæt land æt Tit intó seynte Paules kirke ðen hewen tó bédlonde mid al ðæt ðéron stant, búten ðe men ðe ðǽr áren fré men alle for míne sóule.... And ic an ðæt land æt Súðereye mid alle ðe fiscoðe ðo ðértó bireð ðen hewen intó sancte Paules kirke, and frie men ðo men for ðe biscopes sóule.... And ic an ðæt lond æt Luðinglond Offe míne sustres sune ⁊ his bróðer, ⁊ fré men ðo men halue, and æt Mindhám alsó for ðe biscopes sóule.... And lete mon stondon só mikel só ic ðéron fond, and fré men ðo men alle for míne sóule....—Bishop Ðeódred. | And I grant the land at Tit to the brotherhood at St. Paul’s church for the support of their table, with all that is upon it, except the serfs there; let them emancipate these for my soul’s sake.... And I grant the land in Surrey with all the fishery thereunto appertaining to the brotherhood of St. Paul’s church, and let the serfs be freed for the bishop’s soul.... And I grant the estate at Luðingland to Offe my sister’s son, and his brother, and let half the serfs there be freed, and so also at Mendham for the bishop’s soul.... And [at Hoxne] let them leave as much stock as I found there, and let all the serfs be freed for my soul.—Cod. Dipl. No. 957. |
| Erst for his sáule Palegráue intó Seynt Eádmund, ⁊ Witinghám half, ⁊ half ðe bisscop: and alle míne men fré, and ilk hæbbe his toft ⁊ his metecú ⁊ his metecorn.—Ðurcytel. | First for his soul, Palgrave to St. Edmund, and half Witingham, the other half to the bishop: and all my serfs free, and let each have his toft, and his meatcow and his meatcorn.—Cod. Dipl. No. 959. |
| Her swutelað on ðisum gewrite ðæt Ægelsi on Wuldehám hæfð geléned be Siwordes dæge biscopes his dóhter ⁊ heore dóhter út of Totteles cynne, ⁊ hæfð óðra mænn ðǽrin gedón, be ðǽre burhware gewitnesse on Hroueceaster ⁊ be ealle ðæs biscopes geferan.—Æðelsige. | This writing witnesseth that Æðelsige of Wouldham hath borrowed for the life of Bishop Sigeward, his daughter and her daughter out of Tottle’s kin, and hath replaced them by other serfs, by witness of all the commonalty of Rochester, and the bishop’s comrades.—Cod. Dipl. No. 975. |
| And alle ðo men fré for unker bóðer sóule.—Wulfsige. | And all the serfs free, for both our souls.—Cod. Dipl. No. 979. |
| Ðurkil and Æbðlgit unnen Wigorhám intó seynt Eádmunde só ful and só forð só wit it ówen, after unker bóðer day, ⁊ ðo men half fré, þeówe ⁊ lísingas.—Ðurcytel. | Thurkill and Æðelgið grant Wigorham to St. Edmund, as full and as forth as we two owned it, after both our lives, and let them free half the men, both þeóws and lísings.—Cod. Dipl. No. 980. |
The following manumissions from a religious book, formerly the property of St. Petroc’s, are selected from a much larger number found in the Codex Dipl. No. 981. The British names which occur in them are of great interest.
| Ðes ys ðæs manes nama ðe Byrhsie gefreáde et Petrocys stowe, Byhstán háte Bluntan sunu, on Æðelhíde gewitnyse hys ágen wíf, and on Byrhisiys mæsepreóstes, and on Riol, and Myrmen, and Wunsie, Morhæððo, and Cynsie, preóst. | This is the man’s name whom Byrhtsige freed at St. Petroc’s, Byhstán he was called Blunta’s son, by witness of Æðlhið his own wife, and Byrhtsige the mass priest, and Riol, Myrmen, Wynsige, Morhæððo and Cynsige the priest. |
| Wuenumon and hire teám, Móruið hire swuster and hire teám, and Wurgustel and his teám, warun gefreód hér on túne for Eádryde cynigc and for Æðel[geard] biscop an ðas hirydes gewitnesse ðe hér on túne syndun. | Wuenumon and her offspring, Moruið her sister and her offspring, and Wurgustel and his offspring were manumitted here in the town, for Eadred the king and Æðelgeard the bishop, by witness of all the brotherhood here in the town. |
| Marh gefreóde Leðelt and ealle hire teám for Eádwig cyningc on his ǽgen reliquias: and he hie hét lǽdan hider tó mynstere, and hér gefreógian on Petrocys reliquias, on ðæs hirydes gewitnesse. | Marh freed Leðelt and all her progeny for Eádwig the king, upon his own reliques: and he caused her to be led hither to the minster, and here to be freed on Petroc’s reliques, by witness of the brotherhood. |
| Hér kýð on ðissere béc ðæt Æilsig bohte ánne wífmann Ongyneðel hátte and hire sunu Gyðiccæl æt Ðurcilde mid healfe punde, æt ðǽre cirican dura on Bodmine, and sealde Æilsige portgeréua and Maccosse hundredes mann .IIII. pengas tó tolle; ðá ferde Æilsig tó ðe ða men bohte, and nam hig and freóde úpp an Petrocys weofede, ǽfre sacles, on gewitnesse ðissa gódera manna: ðæt wæs, Isaac messepreóst, and Bleðcuf messepreóst, and Wunning messepreóst, and Wulfgér messepreóst, and Grifiuð messepreóst, and Noe messepreóst, and Wurðicið messepreóst, and Æilsig diacon, and Maccos, and Teðion Modredis sunu, and Kynilm, and Beórláf, and Dirling, and Gratcant, and Talan. And gif hwá ðás freót ábrece, hebbe him wið Criste geméne. Amen. | This book witnesseth that Ælfsige bought a woman named Ongyneðel and her son Gyðiccæl from Ðurcild for half a pound, at the church-door in Bodmin, and gave Ælfsige, the portreeve and Maccos the hundred-man, four pence as toll; then went Ælfsige, who bought the serfs, and freed them at Petroc’s altar, ever sacless, by witness of the following good men: namely, Isaac the masspriest, Bleðcuf the masspriest, Wunning the masspriest, Wulfgér the masspriest, Grifiuð the masspriest, Noe the masspriest, Wurðicið the masspriest, and Ælfsige the deacon, and Maccos, and Teðion Modred’s son, and Cynehelm, Beórláf, Dirling, Gratcant and Talan. And whoso breaketh this freedom, let him settle it with Christ! Amen. |
| Hér kýð on ðissere béc ðæt Ælfríc Ælfwines sunu wolde þeówian Putraele him tó nýdþæówetlinge. Ðá cum Putrael tó Boia and bed his forespece tó Ælfríce his bréðere: ðá sette Boia ðes spece wið Ælfríce; ðæt wæs ðæt Putrael sealde Ælfríce .VIII. oxa æt ðére cirican dura æt Bodmine, and gef Boia sixtig penga for ðére forspæce, and dide hine sylfne and his ofspreng ǽfre freols and saccles fram ðám dæge, wið Ælfríce and wið Boia and wið ealle Ælfwines cyld and heora ofspreng, on ðissere gewittnisse: Isaac messepreóst, and Wunning presbyter, and Séwulf presbyter, and Godríc diacon, and Cufure prauost, and Wincuf, and Wulfwerd, and Gestin, ðes bisceopes stiwerd, and Artaca, and Kinilm, and Godríc map, and Wulfgér, and má gódra manna. | This book witnesseth that Ælfríc the son of Ælfwine wanted to enslave Putrael as a need-serf. Then came Putrael to Boia and begged his intercession with his brother Ælfríc: and Boia made this agreement with Ælfríc; namely that Putrael gave Ælfríc viii oxen at the church-door in Bodmin, and gave Boia sixty pence for the intercession, and so made himself and his offspring ever free and sacless from that day forth, as to Ælfríc, Boia, and all Ælfwine’s children and their offspring, by this witness: Isaac the masspriest, Wunning the Presbyter, Séwulf the presbyter, Godríc the deacon, Ceufur the provost, Wincuf, Wulfwerd[Wulfwerd], Gestin the bishop’s steward, Artaca, Kinilm, Godríc Map, Wulfgár and other good men. |
| Hér cýð on ðyson béc ðæt Ælwold gefreóde Hwatu for hys sáwle a[t] Petrocys stow á degye and æfter degye. An[d] Ælgér ys gewytnesse, and Godríc, and Walloð, and Gryfyið, and Bleyðcuf, and Salaman. And hebbe he Gode curs and sanctes Petrocus and æalle welkynes sanctas ðe ðæt brece ðæt ydón ys. Amen. | This book witnesseth that Ælfwold freed Hwatu for his soul, at St. Petroc’s, both during life and after life. And Ælfgár is a witness, and Godríc, and Walloð, and Griffið, and Bleyðcuf, and Salaman. And let him who breaketh what is done have the curse of God and St. Petroc and all the saints of heaven. Amen. |
| Ðes sint ðe menn ðe Wulfsige byscop freóde for Eádgár cinig and for hyne sáwle, æt Petrocys wefode: Leuhelec, Welet, ... nwalt, Beli, Iosep, Dengel, Proswite, Tancwuestel: an ðás gewitnese, Byrhsige mæssepróst, Mermen massepróst, Mar, Catuuti, Wenwiu, Puer, Meðwuistel, Iosep. | These are the men whom Wulfsige the bishop freed for Eàdgàr the king and for his own soul, at Petroc’s altar: Leuhelec, Welet ... nwalt, Beli, Josep, Dengal, Proswite, Tancwuestel: by witness of Byrhsige the masspriest, Mermen the masspriest, Mar, Catuuti, Wenwiu Puer, Meðwuistel, Josep. |
| Ðys syndun ðára manna naman ðe Wulfsige byscop gefreódet æt Petrocys wefode for Eádgár and for hine silfne, and Byrhsi ys gewitnese massepróst, and Mermen massepróst, and Morhi: Diuset and ealle here teám. | These are the names of the men whom Wulfsige the bishop freed at Petroc’s altar for Eádgár and himself, by witness of Byrhsi the masspriest, Mermen the masspriest and Morhi: Diuset and all her offspring. |
| Ðys sindum ðára manna naman ðe Wunsie gefreóde at Petrocys stowe, [for] Eádgár cinig, on ealle ðæs hiredys gewitnesse: Conmonoc, Iarnwallon, and Wenwærðlon and Mæiloc. | These are the names of the serfs whom Wunsige freed at St. Petroc’s, for king Eádgár, by witness of all the brotherhood: Conmonoc, Iarnwallon, Wenwærðlon and Mæiloc. |
Ælfred by his will manumitted all his unfree dependents, and with great care provided for their enjoyment of this liberty: he says[[859]]:—
| And ic bidde on godes naman and on his háligra, ðæt mínra maga nán né yrfewearda ne geswence nán nǽnig cyrelif ðára ðe ic foregeald, ⁊ me Westseaxena witan tó rihte gerehton, ðæt ic hí mót lætan swá freo swá þeówe, swáðer ic wille; ac ic for Godes lufan and for mínre sáwle þearfe, wylle ðæt hý sýn heora freolses wyrðe, ⁊ hyre cyres; and ic on Godes lifiendes naman beóde, ðæt hý nán man ne brocie, né mid feos manunge né mid nǽningum þíngum, ðæt híe ne mótan céosan swylcne mann swylce híe wyllan. | And I pray in the name of God and of his saints, that none of my kinsmen or heirs oppress any of my dependents for whom I paid, and whom the witan of the Westsaxons legally adjudged to me, that I might leave them free or þeów, whichever I chose; but I for God’s love and my own soul’s need, will that they shall enjoy their freedom and their choice; and I command in the name of the living God, that no one disquiet them, either by demand of money, or in any other way, so that they may not choose whomsoever they please [as a protector]. |
Cyrelif is a person who has a right of choice, or who has exercised a choice: these must have been poor men, free or unfree, who had attached themselves personally to Ælfred, voluntarily or not. He provides that these as well as his serfs may have full liberty to select any other lord, without disquiet through demands of arrears or any other claims. This is confirmatory of the view taken in the text, that the manumitted serf was obliged to find himself a lord, and so did not become fully free.