873-99. _Grant to the church of St. Peter, Worcester, of half the
rights of Worcester Market._
To Almighty God, true Unity and holy Trinity in heaven, be praise and
glory and rendering of thanks, for all his benefits bestowed upon us.
Firstly for whose love and for St. Peter's and the church at Worcester,
and at the request of Werfrith the bishop, their friend, Aethelraed the
ealdorman, and Aethelflaed commanded the burh at Worcester to be built,
and eke God's praise to be there upraised. And now they make known by
this charter that of all the rights which appertain to their lordship,
both in market and in street, within the byrg and without, they grant
half to God and St. Peter and the lord of the church; that those who
are in the place may be the better provided, that they may thereby in
some sort easier aid the brotherhood, and that this remembrance may be
the firmer kept in mind, in the place, as long as God's service is done
within the minster. And Werfrith, the bishop, and his flock have
appointed this service before the daily one, both during their lives
and after, to sing at matins, vespers, and undernsong the psalm _De
Profundis_, during their lives, and after their death _Laudate
Dominum_; and a mass for them whether alive or dead. Aethelraed and
Aethelflaed proclaim that they have thus granted with goodwill to God
and St. Peter, under witness of Aelfred the king and all the witan in
Mercia; ... as for ... wohcéapung,[1] and all the customs from which
any fine may arise, let the lord of the church have half of it, for
God's sake and St. Peter's, as it was arranged about the markets and
the streets; and without the market-place let the bishop enjoy his
rights, as of old our predecessors decreed and privileged. Aethelread
and Aethelflaed did this by witness of Aelfred the king, and by witness
of those witan of the Mercians whose names stand written hereafter, and
in the name of God Almighty they abjure all their successors never to
diminish these alms which they have granted to the church for God's
love and St. Peter's.
Kemble, _Codex Diplomaticus_, No. 1075. _Saxons in England_, I.
328.
[1] Fine for buying or selling contrary to the rules of the
market.
904. _Grant by Edward of Wessex, son of King Alfred, to the church of
Winchester of Taunton Market._
I Edward, who by divine and indulgent clemency am king of the Anglo-Saxons,
... consent of my magnates whose names are written below, ... grant for
ever the market of the town of Taunton, which in English is called
_thaes tunes cyping_, ... to the holy church of God in the city of
Winchester, ... without limitation or impediment and with all
easements.[2]
Kemble, _Codex Diplomaticus_, No. 1084.
[2] Services or conveniences, yielding no direct profit,
which a holder of property rights had in respect of his
neighbours, _e.g._, right of way, lights.