Quitclaim for Rent (Lincolnshire, England)

1182

About This Entry

This receipt of a rent payment appears in Latin and Hebrew. The Latin version, translated here, identifies Aaron of Lincoln and Benedict Grossus as the recipients of a payment from the people of Barton, a town in Lincolnshire. The Hebrew version (not translated here) contains the same financial information, but its signatory, Berekhiah ben Elias, relates that he has accepted half of the payment on behalf of the nadiv (an honorific meaning “generous”) Isaac ben Joseph (likely the financier and philanthropist Isaac ben Rubigotsce, who did business with Aaron of Lincoln). It has been suggested that Berekhiah ben Elias and Benedict Grossus were the same person.

Fragment of parchment with four lines of vowelless Hebrew script, followed by the number 1250 and a red stamp and presentation credit in English, partly separated by a split across the paper.

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Fragment of parchment with six lines of Latin script, and additional text cut off at the top, with the last two lines shorter and next to a tear across the page.

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Latin

Aaron the Jew of Lincoln and Benedictus Grossus son of Pucelle send greetings to all who view this. Know that the people of Barton have paid us ten pounds sterling for the Michaelmas following the death of Roger, Archbishop of York [in 1181]. We have created this document to attest to this. In addition, they have paid us ten shillings for the same term.

Source: London British Library Additional Charter 1250.

Translated by Sarah K. Penso.