Below, I supply text and translation of the mutual undertakings issued by the King and Archbishop Langton in relation to the bishopric of Rochester. As explained in the narrative for the week beginning 25 January, these letters suggest ongoing mistrust between King and archbishop, and signal a clear refusal by the King to stand by the terms of a charter granted to Langton as long before as 22 November 1214. The fact that they were preserved in the vernacular (as the first such French documents copied on to the chancery rolls), suggests not only a refusal as yet to commit to legally binding instruments, but the degree to which French was essential to negotiations, throughout 1215, only later and officially transformed into Latin records.

1. Notification of the King's agreement with Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, over ongoing disputes involving the bishopric of Rochester. Winchester, 28 January 1215            

B = Lambeth Palace Library ms. 1212 (Archbishopric of Canterbury cartulary) fo.12v (13v, p.22) no.24, s.xiii ex.   C = Ibid. fos.103v-104r (90v-91r, pp.199-200), s.xiii ex.    D = Oxford, Bodleian Library ms. Tanner 223 fo.38v, copy from B, s.xvi.

Pd (from BCD) Acta Stephani Langton Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi AD 1207-1228, ed. K. Major, Canterbury and York Society l (1950), 158, appendix no.2.

Iohan par la grace de Deu rey de Engleterre seynur de Irlande duc de Normendie et de Aquieyne e cunte de Ango a tuz ki ceste chartre verrunt saluz. Sachiez tuit ke nus ne vulum ke rien ki fet est u serra feit par nus u par nostre cher pere Stefne par la grace de Deu archeueske de Canterbir' de le eslection u del cumfermement u del sacre Beneit le eslit de Rouecestr' ki puisse nuire u semble ke puisse nuire a nostre deuant cher pere u a ses successurs nuise a lui ne as ses successurs ne en seisine ne en dreit keil dit keil ad en la auueisun del euesche de Rouecestre. Cest otrey vulum ke seit estable si la peis ne se prent ke purparlee est entre lui et nus. Et si la peis se prent la chartre ke nus feimes auant a nostre cher pere le arceueske de la auueysun de la deuantdit eglyse de Rouecestre serra fermement tenue a tuz tens. Et ke cestes choses seient estables nus les auum cunferme par ceste nostre chartre e nostre seel. Testmoines Pieres le eueske de Wincestr', Ioscelin le eueske de Ba et de Glastingebir', Walter le eueske de Wirecestr', mestre Pandulf subdiacne la apostoyle. Dunee par la mein maystre Richard del Mareis nostre chanceler a Wincestr' le vint oitime ior de Ienuer le an de nostre regne sedzime.

John by the grace of God King of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and count of Anjou sends greetings to all those who see this charter. You should know, all of you, that we do not wish that anything done or to be done by ourselves or our dear father Stephen by the grace of God archbishop of Canterbury concerning the election or confirmation or consecration of Benedict the elect of Rochester that might damage or seem to damage our aforesaid father or his successors shall damage him or his successors either in seisin, nor in right that he claims in the advowson of the bishopric of Rochester. This we wish to hold firm, whether or not the peace discussed between him and us is established, and if peace is made, the charter that we previously granted to our dear father the archbishop over the advowson of the aforesaid church of Rochester will be firmly observed for all time. And so that these things may hold firm, we have confirmed them by this our charter and our seal. Witnessed by P(eter) bishop of Winchester, Jocelin bishop of Bath and Glastonbury, Walter bishop of Worcester, (and) Master Pandulf apostolic subdeacon. Given by the hand of Master Richard Marsh our chancellor at Winchester, on the 28th day of January in the sixteenth year of our reign.

2. Counterpart notification by the archbishop. Winchester, 28 January 1215

B = Maidstone, Kent Archives ms. DRb/2 (Registrum temporalium) fo.140v, headed Littera S. archiepiscopi de aduocatione ecclesie Roffens', s.xiii ex.

Esteuene par la grace Dieu arceuesque de Canterbir' primat de tout Englterre chardinal del esglise de Rome a touz que ceste chartre verront, salutz. Sachez touz que nous ne volom que rien que fait est ou fait serra par nostre cher seign(ur) Johan le roy Denglterre ou par nous del eleccioun ou del confermement ou del sacre Benoyt del elyt de Rouc(estre) que puisse nuyre ou semble que puisse nuyre a nostre auantdit seign(ur) ou a ces eyrs nuyse a luy ne a ses heyrs ne en seysine ne en droyt que il dyt qil ad en la auoeysonn del eueschee de Roucestre. Ceste otrey volom que soyt estable si la pees ne se present que est purchacee entre luy et nous. Et si la pees se prent, la charte que le deuantdyt nostre seygnur nous fist auaunt del auoeyson del auantdite esglise de Roucestr' sera fermement tenue a touz temps. Et que cestes choses soyent estables nous les auom conferme par ceste chartre e nostre seal. Tesmoynes nos freres P(ierre) leuesque de Wyncestr', Iocelyn leuesque de Baa et de Glastynbir', W(autier) leuesque de Wyrecestr', mestre Pandolph suzdiak(re) luy apostoil'.  Dat' a Wyncestr' le premerayn an de la relaxacioun del general enterdyt Denglterre, le <vingt> utysme jour del moy de Janeuer.

C = TNA C 53/12 (Charter Roll 16 John) m.5d.     D = TNA C 53/13 (Copy from B), m.5d.

Printed (from B) RC, 208b-9.

Stiovene par la grace Deu arceveske de Kantuarbir' primat de tut Engleterre cardenal del eglise de Rume a tuz ki ceste chartre verrunt saluz. Sachiez tuz que nus ne volum ke rien ke fet est par nostre chier sengnur Johan le Rei de Engleterre u par nus del election u del confermement u del sacre beneit leslit de Rouecestr' ki puisse nuire u semble ki puisse nuirre a nostre devantdit seignur u a ses eirs nuisse a lui ne a ses eirs, ne en seisine ne en dreit ke il dit kil dit ke il ad en le avoeisun del eveske de Rouecestr'. Cest otrei vulum ke soit estable se la pei ne se prent ke purparle est entre lui et nus, e se la peis se prent, la chartre ke le devandit nostre sire li reis nus fist avant del avoeisun de la devandit eglise de Rouecestr' serra fermement tenue a tuz tens, et ke cestes choses seient estables, nus les avum confirme par ceste chartre et nostre seel. Testmoines nos chier freres Pieres le eveske de Wincestr', Joscelin' le eveske de Ba et de Glastingebir', Walterus eveske de Wyrecestr', maistre Pandulf le subdiacne le apostoille. Dat' a Wincestr' le premerein an de la relaxatiun de general entredit de Engleterre, le vintenesme jor de Jenever.

Stephen by the grace of God archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, cardinal of the church of Rome sends greetings to all those who see this charter. You should know, all of you, that we do not wish that anything done or to be done by our dear lord John King of England or by ourselves concerning the election or confirmation or consecration of Benedict the elect of Rochester that might damage or seem to damage our aforesaid lord or his heirs/ shall damage him or his his heirs in seisin, or in right that he claims in the advowson of the bishopric of Rochester. This we wish to hold firm, whether or not peace sought/discussed between him and us is established , and if peace is made, the charter that our aforesaid lord previously made to us over the advowson of the aforesaid church of Rochester will be firmly observed for all time. And so that these things may hold firm, we have confirmed them by this charter and our seal. Witnessed by our brothers P(eter) bishop of Winchester, Jocelin bishop of Bath and Glastonbury, Walter bishop of Worcester, (and) Master Pandulf apostolic subdeacon. Given at Winchester, in the first year of the relaxation of the general interdict in England, on the (2)8th day of January.