Palæography

palaeography paleography

 Two title deeds for an orchard in Dewsbury

Title deed relating to property at Daw Green, Dewsbury
YAS    DD 125/21  (1)

Charter of John de Monte of Dewsbury granting an orchard in Dewsbury
to Robert the dyer {tintor'}      no date  [1280-90]      Latin.

225mm x 85mm    with 10mm folded up at the foot, and a central seal tag  (seal wanting) 

Transcription

Sciant presentes et futuri quod Ego Johannes de Monte de Dewesbyr' dedi concessi et hac presenti carta mea confirmavi || Roberto Tintor' de Eadem unam Placiam Pomerii mei sicut Jacet in longitudine Inter Prumerium [sic] . Magnam Salicem || et Petram in terra fixam a parte occidentali usque Thorbranderode ex parte orientali et iacet in latitudine inter Walecroft || et domum predicti Roberti Tintor' . Et tres perticatas terre Crofti mei buttantes super idem Pomerium et Jacentes inter terram || Walteri Clerici ex parte orientali et predictum Croftum ex parte occidentali . Tenenda et Habenda sibi et herdibus vel suis assignatis || libere quiete bene et in pace sine aliqua contradiccione mei vel heredum meorum . Reddendo inde annuatim domino feodi ad festum || sancti Johanni Baptiste unam rosam pro omnimodis serviciis secularibus consuetudinibus exaccionibus sectis Curie vel demandis . Et || Ego vero predictus Johannes et heredes mei totam predictam placiam Pomerii cum tribus predictis Perticatis Terre contra omnes homines et || feminas Waremtizabimus [sic] adquietabimus et inperpetuum defendemus . Et ut hec mea donacio et concessio et presentis carte || confirmacio rata sit et stabilis et inconcussa . In Cuius rei Testimonium huic presenti scripto Sigillum meum apposui . Hiis testibus || domino Johanne de Heton' . Domino Johanne de Sohill' . Balduwino de Sayvile . Ricardo de Lenne . Waltero Gates de Dewesbyr' || Henrico filio Juliane de Eadem . Galfrido de Haveringg' Clerico et Multis alii

Translation

Let men, present and future, know that I, John de Monte of Dewsbury, have given, granted, and by this my present charter confirmed, to Robert the dyer of Dewsbury {de eadem}, one of my orchards, as it lies in length between the plum tree, the great willow tree, and the stone fixed in the ground, on the western side, as far as Thorbranderode on the eastern side, and lying in breadth between Walecroft and the house of the aforesaid Robert the dyer; and three perches of land from my croft butting onto the same orchard and lying between the land of Walter the clerk on the eastern side and the aforesaid croft on the western side.  To be had and held to him and his heirs or his assigns, freely, quit, profitably and in peace, without any opposition from me or my heirs, by rendering for it yearly to the lord of the fee at the feast of St John the Baptist, one rose for all secular services, customs, exactions, suits of court or demands.  And I, the aforesaid John, and my heirs, will warrant, quit and for ever defend all the aforesaid orchard with the aforesaid three perches of land against all men and women.  In witness of which thing and in order that this my gift and grant, and the confirmation of the present charter, may be confirmed and established and undisturbed, I have affixed my seal to this present deed, with these as witnesses: lord John de Heton', lord John de Sohill', Baldwin de Sayvile, Richard de Lenne, Walter Gates of Dewsbury, Henry son of Juliana of Dewsbury {de eadem}, Geoffrey de Haveringg', clerk, and many others.

    Title deed relating to an orchard in Dewsbury
YAS  DD 125/33   (1)

Charter of John de Monte of Dewsbury granting an orchard in Dewsbury
to Robert the dyer of Dewsbury     no date   [1280-90]

  

235mm x 90mm     with 10mm folded up at the foot, and a central seal tag  (seal wanting)

Transcription

Sciant presentes + futuri quod ego Johannes de Monte de Dewsbir' dedi concessi et hac presenti carta mea confirmavi Roberto Tinctori de eadem || unam placiam pomerii mei sicut iacet in longitudine et latitudine inter magnam salicem . Quercum + Petram in terra fixam a parte occidentali et || Thorbrandrode ex parte orientali . Et tres particatas [sic] terre crofti mei buttantes super idem pomerium + iacentes inter terram quondam Walteri Clerici ex || parte orientali + predictum croftum ex parte occidentali . Tenenda et habenda sibi et heredibus vel suis assignatis . libere quiete bene et in pace sine aliqua contradiccione || mei vel heredum meorum . Reddendo inde annuatim domino feodi ad festum sancti Michaelis unum denarium argenti pro omnimodis serviciis secularibus consu || etudinibus exaccionibus sectis curie vel demandis . Et ego vero predictus Johannes + heredes mei totam predictam placiam pomerii cum tribus predictis particatis [sic] terre || contra omnes homines et feminas warantizabimus adquietabimus et imperpetuum defendemus . Et ut hec mea donacio et concessio et presentis carte confirmacio || rata sit et stabilis et inconcussa . In huius rei testimonium huic presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui . Hiis testibus . Baldevino de Sayvile . Waltero || Gatys de Dewsbir' . Willelmo filio Ricardi de eadem . Thoma filio Johannis de eadem . Henrico filio Juliane de eadem . Rogero filio Roberti de eadem . Et multis aliis.

 Translation

Let men, present and future, know that I, John de Monte of Dewsbury, have given, granted, and by this my present charter confirmed, to Robert the dyer of Dewsbury {de eadem}, one of my orchards, as it lies in length and breadth between the great willow tree, the oak tree, and the stone fixed in the ground, on the western side, and Thorbrandrode on the eastern side; and three perches of land from my croft butting onto the same orchard and lying between the land of a certain Walter the clerk on the eastern side, and the aforesaid croft on the western side.  To be had and held to him and his heirs or his assigns, freely, quit, profitably and in peace, without any opposition from me or my heirs, by rendering one penny of money yearly at Michaelmas for it to the lord of the fee, for all secular services, customs, exactions, suits of court or demands.  And I, the aforesaid John, and my heirs, will warrant, quit and for ever defend all the aforesaid orchard with the aforesaid three perches of land against all men and women.  And, in order that this my gift and grant, and the confirmation of the present charter, may be confirmed and established and undisturbed, I have affixed my seal to this present deed in witness of this thing, with these as witnesses: Baldwin de Sayvile, Walter Gatys of Dewsbury, William son of Richard of Dewsbury {de eadem}, Thomas son of John of Dewsbury {de eadem}, Henry son of Juliana of Dewsbury {de eadem}, Roger son of Robert of Dewsbury {de eadem}, and many others.

Palæography

 palæography  (palaeography, paleography) - the study of ancient writing and inscriptions; the art of deciphering the handwriting of old documents.

The work-a-day documents of the twelfth to fourteenth centuries were written on parchment, which is made from the skins of sheep (and occasionally goats).  Properly prepared, this produced a thin, smooth, white surface for writing, of great flexibility and durability.  Vellum (calf skin) was also available.  Paper as a writing surface did not come into popular use until the later fourteenth century.

Black ink was prepared from oak-galls, copperas, and gum, which combined with the writing surface to create an indelible mark that darkened with age under optimum conditions.

The scribe wrote with quill pens, commonly made from the hardened flight feathers of swan or goose.  He kept the nib sharp with a pen-knife.  The scribe had to prepare his own ink, and smooth the parchment surface with pumice powder in readiness for writing. Then he had to prick out the margins with an awl, and make horizontal rulings with a plummet (a small pointed piece of lead) to regulate his lines of text.

The endings of many words were left off (suspended), both to save space and to avoid writing out in full the stock phrases that any scribe of the time would have recognised easily.  Other words were contracted by having letters omitted.  These omissions were indicated by marks and signs in the text.