Document 3/486/6 (Newb. Reg., no. 65)
- Description
- Saer de Quincy, ‘earl of Winchester’ [sic], has granted and by this his charter established to Newbattle Abbey the grange and land of Preston of the district of Tranent (ELO) which his father Robert gave them in perpetual alms and by his charter established, by stated bounds, free and quit from all customs, services and secular exactions, as attested and established by his father’s charter.
- Firm date
- circa 13 April 1189 X 1189
- Dating Notes
- Election of Roger, bishop of St Andrews × royal confirmation (_RRS_, ii, no. 241).
- Source for Data Entry
- Newbattle Registrum, no. 65
- Trad. ID
- Newb. Reg., no. 65
- Calendar number
- 3/486/6
- Charter type
- Charter
- Language
- Latin
- Notes
- This charter clearly belongs to the late twelfth century, and not to the period when Saer was earl (after 1207). The title of earl must have been added by the copiest into the cartulary. This charter was apparently confirmed by King William (1/6/218). Strangely, Arnold is termed ‘abbot of Melrose’ in the royal confirmation and ‘abbot of Rievaulx’ in Saer’s confirmation, which is mentioned in the royal charter! Either Saer had an earlier confirmation which has not survived, or both charters were made during the period after Arnold’s election to Rievaulx but before he moved there; i.e., probably very soon after Roger’s election. The anachronistic mention of Saer as earl of Winchester suggests a further possibility that the charter was tampered with at a later date.