IOO ALSOP AND OTHER CHARTERS. 



other, for in one of the charters mention is made of Lokkeslegh, 

 which is evidently Loxley, near Uttoxeter, the ancient and 

 present seat of the Kynnersley family. There was a branch of 

 this family, bearing the same arms, at Brailsford, Derbyshire, at 

 the visitation of 1611. 



The symbol xpi, so frequently met with in medieval deeds, 

 clearly stands for Christi; though it is not an abbreviation, but 

 rather a monogrammatic symbol, borrowed from the Greek. 

 The early Church used as a Christian symbol a combination of 

 the Greek X (chi), and the Greek P (rho), having respectively the 

 force of C H and R, and being the first two letters of the Greek 

 word for Christ, XPISTOS (Christos). This primitive symbol 

 is found in the catacombs at Rome. The Greek P being identical 

 in sound with the Latin R, the Roman Capitals X P S became 

 a Latin symbol for Christus (vide Littleton's Abbreviatures, 1677). 

 In medieval deeds this sacred symbol was often written in small 

 letters thus, xps for Christus, and xpi for Christi. It is found 

 in Nos. 6, 7, 8, n, and 12 of the Alsop charters. 



I have added at the foot of each of the translations a few 

 explanatory notes ; but I have not attempted, either in the notes 

 or in the foregoing observations, to do more than refer to a few 

 of the many points of interest which suggest themselves upon 

 a careful examination of these ancient charters, for they belong 

 to an age so remote that few original documents relating to it 

 are extant. 



Two of the charters (Nos. 1 and 16) are re-produced in 

 facsimile (Plates VII. and VIII). 



No. 1. Sciant tam psentes q futuri qd ego Henr fil Ranulfi de 

 Alsope dedi t concessi t hac psenti carta mea confirmavi Thome fri 

 meo t hedibs suis vl cuicuq assignare voluit pretq domui religionis 

 totam illam tram q Matilda de Sypele aliquotiens tenuit in villa 

 de Alsope tenendam t habendam jure hereditario illi t heredibs 

 suis vl assignatis de me t hedibs meis libe solute t quiete cum 



