COPIES OF THE FOUR CHARTERS                                                       WILLIAM THE CONQUERER

                         (TRANSLATED BY DR. SHEPPARD)

ODO DEI GRATIA BISHOP OF BAYEUX AND EARL OF KENT TO LANFRANC THE ARCHBISHOP AND

HAMO THE SHERIFF AND ALL OTHER FAITHFUL SUBJECTS OF THE KING FRENCH AND ENGLISH

GREETING. KNOW YE ALL THAT I ODO BISHOP AND EARL  OF KENT GRANT FOR EVER THE

CHURCH OF ST. AUGUSTINE ALL THE HOUSES WHICH ARE MINE IN THE TOWN OF FORDWICH

AND ALL CUSTOMS WHICH ARE MINE IN THE SAID TOWN TO BE HELD FOR THE SAFETY OF MY

SOUL AND OF THAT OF MY LORD WILLIAM KING CF THE ENGLISH. THESE BEING WITNESSES,

WILLIAM KING OF THE ENGLISH, LANFRANC ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, GODEFRIED BISHOP

OF CONSTANCE, R. COUNT OF EU, H. DE MONTEORT, WITH OTHER NOBLES …..     

WILLIAM KING OF THE ENGLISH TO LANFRANC ARCHBISHOP, AND HAMO SHERIFF, AND R. SON

OR EARL G, AND H. SHERIFF, AND ALL THE THANES OF KENT FRENCH AND ENGLISH GREETING.

KNOW YE THAT THE BISHOP OF BAYEUX MY BROTHER FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND FOR THE

SALVATION OF MY SOUL AND OF HIS OWN HAS GIVEN TO ST. AUGUSTINE’S WHATSOEVER HE

POSSESSED AT FORDWICH AS WELL IN LANDS MEADOWS AND HOUSES AS IN OTHER RIGHTS

AND THAT HE HAS GIVEN WHAT HE HAS GIVEN WITH MY LEAVE...

WILLIAM KING OF THE ENGLISH BY THE GRACE OF GOD TO LANERANC ARCHBISHOP OR CANTERBURY AND GODEFRIED BISHOP OF CONSTANCE, AND R. COUNT OF EU, AND H. DE M0NTF0RT, AND HIS OTHER NOBLES OF THE KINGDOM GREETING. I COMMAND AND ENJOIN THAT YOU CAUSE ST. AUGUSTINE AND SCOTLAND THE ABBOT TO REPOSSESS THE BOROUGH OF FORDWICH WHICH HAMO THE SHERIFF NOW HOLDS AND ALL