Provisional Drogereit pdf

The impression gained after only a brief perusal of the above quotations is that here
(p. 428) inferences of a fairly general nature have been put forward without special
investigation. However, we had observed clear changes in the signatures, which call
for analysis here 220 .
The charters from Ae. A mentioned in the dating, that the Scripta emphasises
specifically that all those present - episcopi, abbates, duces, patriae procuratores -
consented to the royal gift, which was guaranteed by the witness names listed. The
witnesses - apart from the eminent Subreguli, Archiepiscopi and the first Episcopus -
follow randomly as equals among each other within the witness columns allocated to
them. Each witness has an Ego in front of his name and signs "consensi" and
"subscripsi". The charter always gives the name of the place of issue, i.e. the location
of the Witanagemot. The more important abbots also sign. They will probably have
enjoyed a similarly elevated position to that of the German Abbots from abbeys under
imperial protection 221 .
It would clearly follow from all this that here was an actual "consensi" on the part of
the individual witnesses.
But the signature in the charters changed under Aethelstan, none of them including
the place of issue any more. The Scripta line, which mentioned the witness consent,
is omitted. What we have is: "Acta est haec praefata donatio ... Anno ab incarnatione
.... Indictione ..." The ‘duces’ and ministers are simply listed, the names are not
prefixed with "ego" and there is no longer any other addition. The bishops' words of
consent are utterly dull, the major prelates sign in full but there is no longer a word
indicating any co-determination. The decisive points indicate instead a mere
attestation of the charter: "consignavi" and "tropheum agiae crucis impressi". Yet this
still does not seem to be that trivial 222 . The old equality of rights with respect to the
consent, which was evident in the random sequence of the names, has likewise
disappeared. The witnesses appear in a certain sequence within their rank.
220 Of course only indisputable originals can be examined and in sufficient quantity.
221
We always find the same abbots as witnesses:
1. Aelfric Hampshire
2. Eadwine Wiltshire
3. Aethelnoth Wiltshire
4. Biorhtsige Hampshire or Wiltshire
5. Seaxhelm Hampshire
The location names are from Searle.
222
F. Liebermann, Assembly p. 25.
428