The Celtic Literature Collective

The St. Chad Gospel Fragments

1. Ostenditur hic quod emit + gel hi + filius . ariht iud . hóc euangelium . de cjngal. et dedit . illi pro illo equm optimum . et dedit pro anima sua istum euangelium . deo et sancti teliaui . super altare + gel hi + filius . Ariht iud . . , . . , et + cj́ncénn + filius . gripius . . ,

2. Surexit tutbulc filius liuit hagener tutRi dieRchim . tiR telih . haioid ilau elcu filius gelhig haluidt iuguret amgucant pel amtanndi ho diued dipRotant geneR tutRí o guir imguodant ir degion guragun tagc rodesit elcu guetig equs tReſ uache tReſ uache nouidligi nam iR ni be câſ igridu dimedichat guetig bit did bRaut grefiat guetig niſ minn tutbulc hai cenetl in oiſ oiſouđ + teliu testist gurgint testist cinhilinn testist ſp'ſ [spiritus] testist, tota familia teliaui, delaiciſ numin map aidan, testist ſignou map iacou testist beRthutiſ testist Cinda testist. quicunque cuſtodieiRit benedictus eRit quicunque frangerit maladictus eRit Ȝ , , --

3. Osdendit ista scriptjo quod dederunt . ris . et luith grethi . treb gujdauc . imalitiduch cimarguith[i]ejt. hic est census eius . douceint torth . ha maharuin . in irham . ha douceint torth . in irgaem . ha huch . ha [do]uceint mannuclenn. deo et sancto eliudo. deus testis. saturnnguid testis. nobír testis. guurci testis. cutulf testis. . delaicis. cinguernn testis. collbiu testis. cohorget testis. ermin tetis. . hourod testis. quicunque custodierit bendictus erit. et qui franxerit maladictus erit. a. deo... (p.18)

4. Osdendit ista conscriptjo quod dederunt. ris. hahir**** ha **rdid ha gurci *r***** g******g**** cibracma. behet hirmain guidauc. ofoid celli irlath. behet cam dubr. isem hichet triuceint torth . h[a maha]ruin. ha guorthoueir emeninn . . deus omnipotens testis. saturnguid sacerdos testis. nobir tests. gurci testis. cutulf testis. delaicis. cinguern testis. [collbiu] testis. cohorget [testis.] ermin testis. [quicunque custo]dierit [bene]dict[s erit. et] qui fra[nxer]it. m[aladic]tus er[it. a deo]. (p.19)

5. nobis.--[Nec]esse est [scri]bere lit[eras] quod. iiii. fi[lii b]ledri. gu[orti]girnn. [cim]ulch. et**** arthius. [dede]runt li[bert]atem ble[idiud f]ilio sul[gen e]t liberta[te ei]us quatuor [libr]as et oc[to u]ncias.-- [Coram] idoneis [his t]estibus. de [laic]is. Riguo[llau]n filius [coff]ro. guen*** filius ****r. guoluíc [filius **]dan. Ov**** filius guur[cinn]im. mer[chgu]inn salus. arthan filius cimuch. iudri filius iudnerth. Declericís vero Nobis episcopus teiliav. [sat]urnguid sacerdos teiliav. Dubrino. et cuhelin. filius eposcopis. Saturnbiu cam ibiav. et sulgen [scho]lasticus qui hec fideliter scripsit . . qui custodierit hoc decretvm libertatis bleidiud et prolis eius sit [bened]ictus. qui autem non custodierit. Sit maledictus á deo et a teiliav incuius ȩuangelio scriptum est et [dica]t omnis populus fiat fiat..,

6. Ostendit ista conscripsio nobilitatem mainaur med diminih et mensuram eius aper huer díc guid maun ditoldar in guoilaut clun di rit cellƑin di lihomour dibir main in ***erid* di pul irderuen dicimer di aper ferrus dipennant ircaru di boit bahne di guoroun hen lann dir hitir melin dimargles dirit brangui diaper istjl dilicat dipul retinoc diminid diaper hen

7. +mormarh. tutnred . . † harodes oit guhebric doe et sancti elivdo

8.

  1.  Ƿẏnsi presul
  2.  melbrea e                6  + Sulcene +
  5.  + judou +     †       + urpci.bre
  7.  + Ceretici +            + hedonoie
 12.  + hancarate +          135 cilune cincui
 47.  + asahail (? usuhuail) + huilmede
 64.  + lunguidi iotece        140    + mali
112.  + lunguidi· ioutece + merciauni
113.  gurgoiui  .   diesri.  morcimej.si.  gurcj
137.  uir tuuſ·  :  ne habre.  Ourdolat +
141. + guni + sen********                pogusbre
        + iudoni +         +huniati+ bregue+
        preme + Oheac|    b**'*    Ourceine.
143. + cilune       + sibelini + ourdeguejn|
       +cingurejd j       + gloiumede|
217. + teuduR. + ouRdol +
219. Saturnbiu. cam ibiau +
221. + teudubr j       + elised i + cidrami
        blainone       218 braniud************
223. bledgur bledcjurit dimnmede        +


Rhŷs's Translation:
1. It is shown here that Gelhi, the son of Arihtiud, bought this Gospel from Cingal, and gave him for it his best horse; and that for the benefit of his soul he offered this Gospel to God, and on the altar of St. Teilo. †Gelli son of Arihtiud †Cincenn son of Griffith]

2. Tudvwlch, the son of Liwid and son-in-law of Tudri, arose to claim the land of Telich, which was in the possession of Elcu, the son of Gelhi, and the tribe of Judgored : he complained long about it : at last they dispossess the son-in-law of Tudri of his right : the nobles said to one another 'let us make peace' : Elcu gave afterwards a horse, three cows, three newly calved cows, provided only there be no hostility between them from this reconciliation thenceforth till the day of doom : Tudvwlch and his people will require aftewards no title for ever and ever. Witness Teilo, etc. Whoever observes it will be blessed, whoever breaks it will be cursed.

NOTES
1. Rhŷs dates §1 as earlier than 814 AD, when Gripuid died. §2 is a copy of a document from St. Telio's time. §3-5 are earlier than 840 AD.
2. Rhŷs states that the portions of §5 which are within brackets are conjectures.
3. §6-8 he dates to after the removal of the St. Chad Gospel to Lichfield Cathedral.

SOURCE
The Text of the Book of Llan Dav: Reproduced from the Gwysaney Manuscript ed. J. Gwenogvryn Evans, with John Rhys. Oxford, 1893