Dean Francis Underhill introduces the c.1123 manuscript Textus Roffensis, the most significant item in the Cathedral collections. Featured in The Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Report for 1935.

Textus Roffensis, that is, the Book/Register or Ledger of the Cathedral Church of Rochester, is one of the most remarkable documents in existence. It dates from the episcopacy of Ernulf, 1115-24, though there are a few additions of a later date. It bears on its title page the words ‘Textus de Ecclesia Roffensis per Ernulphum Episcopum’. This does not mean that the beautiful MS was the work of the bishop's own hand; it was no doubt written by a scribe in the monastery, perhaps Humphrey the Precentor, some of whose work still exists elsewhere.

Textus has had its vicissitudes; during the seventeenth century it fell into the hands of a physician named Leonard who hid it for two years. The Court of Chancery forced this gentleman to return it to its rightful owners.

Textus Roffensis in chancery, 1633 →

A. A. Arnold, FSA, ex-chapter clerk, investigates the episode of Textus loss and eventual recovery through the Chancery courts.

kentarchaeology.org.uk →

It was again in danger when going to London in the hands of Dr. Harris, one of the Canons of the Cathedral; on this occasion it lay for some hours under water. There are signs of this accident on every page, though happily none of the words is obliterated.

Dr John Harris DD, Prebendary 1707/8-1713/4

The significant water damage throughout Textus and subsequent rebinding is due to its accidental submersion in either the River Thames or the River Medway around 1716 on its way to notable writer and prebendary of the Cathedral Dr John Harris for use in writing his History of Kent.

Textus was first arranged in single sheets and probably bound about 1340. It has initial letters in green and red throughout; and at the beginning of the chapters a large letter R formed of the figures of an angel with a winged dragon, coloured green, lake and vermilion.

Rochester Cathedral Foundation Charter, 604 CE*

Though a twelfth-century forgery, some boundary clauses within the document may be some of the earliest recorded place names in Old English.

The book consists of several parts. First, there are laws of Anglo-Saxon monarchs of England; Ethelbert, Alfred, Ine, Edward, Edmund, Ethelbert, Athelstane, and other kings of Kent and Wessex. These are in Old English script. It has been noticed by a scholar who has given much study to the Textus that the scribe has been at pains to correct the language in such a way as to bring the ancient forms up to the date at which he was writing. This discovery is most valuable for the history of the English language. Most of the remainder of the documents-mentions of boundaries are generally written in Old English - are in Latin, which I found much easier to read than the older forms of my own tongue.

Textus Roffensis origins

Dr Christopher Monk explores the origins of Ethelbert’s law-code, foundational document of the Early English Laws portion of the ‘Rochester Book’.

Secondly, there is in the Textus a list of Popes, Emperors, Kings, Bishops and others, including a genealogy tracing the Saxon kings through a son of Noah back to Adam. Third, there is a catalogue of the books contained in the Monastery Library of the early twelfth century. Fourth, and of the greatest interest to Friends of Rochester Cathedral, are charters and grants of land and other properties made to the Cathedral by English and Norman kings from Ethelbert to Henry I, with wills and other such documents dealing with the rights and possessions of the See and the Church. It is a remarkable illustration of our history to find that Ethelbert the first Christian king made a grant of land, still called Priestfields, to the Church of St. Andrew in Rochester, in the early years of the seventh century.

We find mention of the fisheries of Northfleet and Gillingham, with grants for the sustenance of the monastery; one charter, dated 762, concerns the pasturage of twelve herds of pigs witnessed by the King of Kent, the Archbishop of Canterbury and other notables. Anyone infringing the rights of the pigs will fall under the wrath of the Almighty, will be separated from the company of Holy Angels and will be condemned to eternal perdition. We also find the familiar place names of the diocese, though they are generally strangely spelt; Freondonsberie, Snodilonde, Hallinga, Trottesclyua, Mallinga are fairly plain, but Falcheham and Uuldham need a second look before Fawkham and Wouldham are recognized; our river is fairly disguised as Medeauaege; while Cuxton looks unfamiliar as Cucolanstane. Famous names appear in connection with the Cathedral; Ethelbert of Kent, Offa king of the Mercians, Alfred, William the Conqueror and his sons and many more, as well as Archbishops Lanfranc and Anselm and Bishop Gundulph who appears many times. We get accounts of those manors in Buckinghamshire which were granted to us by William Rufus and to which the Dean and Chapter still appoint the parish priests. There are oblique references to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, half-brother of the Conqueror, who got hold of some of our manors but was compelled to disgorge them by Archbishop Lanfranc; there are remarks about unjust princes and tyrants, and a nameless excommunication occurs, which, however, is pretty clearly directed against the predatory bishop.

There are, moreover, special Masses to be used for ordeals by water, by fire, by barley bread and cheese, with detailed directions for carrying out the ordeals. Probably the most famous passage of Textus, quoted in Tristram Shandy, is the excommunication or curse of Ernulf. The unfortunate misdoer is cursed by the Holy Trinity, by the Blessed Virgin, by the Archangels and Angels, Patriarchs and Prophets, Martyrs and Virgins and so on; he is cursed living and dead, eating and drinking, hungry and thirsty, sleeping and waking, walking and standing, working and resting, etc. His brains, hair, temples, eyes, mouth, legs and arms, stomach and every part of his body, even his nails are expressly, included. "Never was heard such a terrible curse.” It ends with the words "Fiat, fiat, Amen."

These are only a few details of this fascinating book, which is a treasure of which any church might well be proud. It illustrates many points not only of the history of the ancient monastery but of our Cathedral as well.

Dean Francis Underhill

Featured in The Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Report for 1935

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