CHARTER OF PRIVILEGES. 25 



The Photo-zincograph represents each side of the Charter as 

 well as the seal, and faithfully and fully displays the condition 

 and character of each, whilst the extended transcript and trans- 

 lation render a further description of them unnecessary. Much 

 doubt has, however, been thrown upon the question whether the 

 Monks of our Cornish Mount or those of that in Normandy were 

 intended to be privileged. The Charter is in Latin and grants 

 freedom from the tolls and custom duties of the period to the 

 Monks of St. Michael's Mount, simply, (Monachis Sancti Michaelis) 

 without the additional words, which in ancient documents, usually 

 distinguished the Cornish from the Norman Monastery.* We 

 must therefore look at the place of date, which might be expected 

 to determine the question : For if the Charter were sealed any- 

 where in England, it would be reasonable to conclude the English 

 Mount was intended, but if in Normandy, the Norman Mount. 



No date of month or year is given in the Charter, and as 

 Henry's reign lasted 35 years (1154-89) and the King frequently 

 visited Normandy, the Charter might well have been sealed there ; 

 because at that period of our history the great seal usually accom- 

 panied the Sovereign, and Normandy was then practically a part 

 of this kingdom. 



It will be seen on reference to the fac-simile that the date is 

 " Apud Mariton, or Moriton, and the competing claims of the two 

 monasteries must be determined by the reading of the second 

 letter of this word : for if that letter be an o, the Charter was 

 sealed at "Moritonium" i.e. "Mortain" in Normandy, whence 

 Eobert, Earl of Mortain derived his title ; but if an a, the place 

 was probably " Merton " in Surrey, where, the famous Becket, 

 Henry's Chancellor, was educated, and where Henry is often 

 found. 



It is curious that the probabilities outside the document, as 

 well as those within it appear equally to favour each Monastry. 

 Thus, Becket's connexion with Merton, itself a Monastery of some 



* The Norman Mount was sometimes spoken of as that of St. Michael 

 "In procella," or, "in periculo maris," as well as, "in Normannia"; and 

 the Cornish Mount was usually described as "In Cornubia"; whilst St, 

 Michael "In tumba," or "in Monte Tumba" applied occasionally to both 

 houses. (See examples of early charters given by Dr. OliYer in his 

 Monasticon Diocesis Exoniensis, folios 30, 31, 414), 



