Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/336

276 seriem omnem illam villam meam, quæ vocatur Ridrefelda, sit am super fluvium, qui dicitur Salforda, in pago qui dicitur Successa, et pagi civitas appellatur Chichestra ... trado. Concedo etiam ... meæ possessionis portus, qui sunt in eâdem civitate super mare, Hastingaset Pevenesel ... Actumdominicæ incarnationis an. DCCXCII ... Ego Berthoaldus dux manu meâ firmavi et subscripsi &c." (From Du Chesne, who gives also King Offa's confirmation, Monast. VI, 1077.) As a caution to all persons against attempting an infringement of his donation duke Berthoald reminds them of the account to be demanded from them at the day of universal judgment; but it is to be remarked, that the passage of his charter, wherein this is done, is a compilation from several sentences, instead of the direct quotation of any one sentence, of holy scripture. "Si quis autem aliquid be hiis detrahere, aut minuere, vel usurpare temptaverit, et ab illis sanctis et servitoribus corum monachis abstulerit, regi seculorum Deo peccabit, qui ab eo requirat in judicio futuro quod injuste abstulit, 'cum veniet in sua majestate et sanctorum angelorum reddere unicuique prout gessit, sive bonum sive malum, et ibunt impii in supplicum seternum, justi autem in vitam æeternam.'—But if any one shall have attempted to seize, or to diminish, or to usurp any of these things, and shall have taken away from those holy monks and their servitors, he will sin against God the king of ages, who require from him in the future judgment what he has unjustly taken, 'when he shall come in his own majesty and (in that) of the holy angels, to render to every one according as he hath done, whether good or evil, and the impious shall go into eternal punishment, but the just unto life eternal.'" (Ut sup.)

Ritheranfeld is mentioned in King Alfred's will. (Asser's Alfred, by Wise, 7.) In consequence of the gift of Rotherfield to the abbey of St. Denis, the latter foundation established a convent of monks at Rotherfield. (Monast. VI, 1053.) This convent seems to have originated very shortly after duke Berhtwald's donation; but I am disposed to believe it was placed at Frant, rather than within the district now comprised in the parish of Rotherfield. Compare the Notes above on Ferring and Frant.—Temp. K. William II, if not K. William I, Earl Gilbert, son of Richard (de Clare) gave the church of "Rethrefeld" to the church of Rochester. (Reg. Roff. 116.)

212 .—In the Preface it is stated, that there is some reason to imagine this parish may have possessed a church at least as early as the period of the present church of Ovingdean,