Charter Granted by King Stephen at Reading

Six lines in Latin

TRANSCRIPT. Stephanus Rex Anglorum Episcopo Cicestrensi et prepositis Salutem. Precipio quod Burgenses mei de Cicestria ita bene et honorifice et quiete habeant eorum consuetudines et rectitudines de Burgo et de gelda eorum mercatoria, sicut eas melius et honorabilius et quietius habuerunt tempore Willelmi regis Avi mei et Avunculorum meorum postea et tempore Rogeri Comitis. Et defendo super meam forisfacturam ne aliquis eis injuriam faciat. Teste Episcopo Wintoniensi Apud Rading'

TRANSLATION. Stephen, King of the English, to the Bishop of Chichester and reeves, greeting. I direct that my burgesses of Chichester shall well, honourably and quietly possess their customs and rights of Borough and Merchant Guild as they enjoyed them in the best manner, honourably and quietly, in the time of King William my grandfather, and afterwards in the time of my Uncles, and in the time of Earl Roger. And I prohibit that, on pain of forfeiture to me, no one shall do them any injury. Witness, the Bishop of Winchester at Reading.

NOTES. The 'King William my grandfather' was William I, and Stephen's uncles were William II and Henry I. Earl Roger was Roger Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, who received a grant of Arundel and Chichester in 1067 or 1068; he died at Shrewsbury 27 July 1094. The Bishop of Chichester in 1135 was Seffrid I, and the Bishop of Winchester was Henry of Blois, younger brother of King Stephen. We do not know to whose reeves this charter is addressed; the word prepositis could also mean constables or bailiffs.