Table Of ContentINFERNAL IMAGERY IN ANGLO-SAXON CHARTERS
Petra Hofmann
A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD
at the
University of St. Andrews
2008
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Infernal Imagery in
Anglo-Saxon Charters
Petra Hofmann
Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
School of English
University of St Andrews
2008
ABSTRACT
This doctoral dissertation analyses depictions of hell in sanctions, i.e. threats of
punishments in Anglo-Saxon charters. I am arguing that an innovative use of
sanctions as pastoral and ideological instruments effected the peak of infernal
imagery in the sanctions of tenth-century royal diplomas. Belonging to the genre of
ritual curses, Anglo-Saxon sanctions contain the three standard ecclesiastical curses
(excommunication, anathema and damnation). It cannot be established if other
requirements of ritual cursing (authoritative personnel, setting and gestures) were
fulfilled. A lack of evidence, together with indications of more secular punishments,
suggests that sanctions were not used as legal instruments. Their pastoral function is
proposed by frightening depictions of hell and the devil, as fear is an important
means of achieving salvation in biblical, homiletic and theological writings available
or produced in Anglo-Saxon England. The use of the infernal motifs of Hell as a
Kitchen,Satanas theMouthofHell andwingeddemons insanctions arediscussedin
detail. Sanctions frequently contain the overtly didactic and pastoral device of the
exemplum. Notorious sinners believed to be damned in hell (e.g. Judas) are presented
as negative exempla in sanctions to deter people from transgressing against charters.
The repeated use of terms from classical mythology for depicting hell in Anglo-
Saxon sanctions appears to correlate with the preference for hermeneutic Latin by
tenth-century monastic reformers. The reasons for employing classical mythological
terminology seem to agree with those suggested for the use of hermeneutic Latin
(intellectual snobbery and raising the stylistic register), and glossaries constitute the
main source of both types of Latinity. The sanctions of the Refoundation Charter of
New Minster, Winchester, which is known to displaythe ‘ruler theology’ propagated
by the monastic reform, are examined in their textual contexts with regard to the
observations madeinthe earlierparts ofthis dissertation.
I, Petra Hofmann, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 73,985
words in length, has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by
meandthat it has not beensubmittedinanyprevious applicationforahigherdegree.
24.01.2008
Date Signature
I was admitted as a research student in September 2004 and as a candidate for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophyin September 2005; the higher studyfor which this is
arecordwas carriedout in theUniversityofSt Andrews between2004and 2008.
24.01.2008
Date Signature
I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and
Regulations appropriate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of
St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for
that degree.
24.01.2008
Date SignatureofSupervisor
In submitting this thesis to the University of St Andrews I understand that I am
giving permission for it to be available for use in accordance with the regulations of
the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in
the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title and abstract will
be published, and that a copy of the work baybe made and supplied to any bona fide
library or research worker, that my thesis will be electronically accessible for
personal or research use, and that the library has the right to migrate my thesis into
new electronic forms as required to ensure continued access to the thesis. I have
obtained anythird-partycopyright permissions that maybe required in order to allow
suchaccess andmigration.
Date Signature
INFERNAL IMAGERYINANGLO-SAXONCHARTERS
VolumeI
Acknowledgements i-ii
Abbreviations iii-xi
Introduction 1-27
1.TheGenreofSanctions 28-56
2.TheDevil inHell 57-96
3.TheDamnedinHell 97-125
4. Infernal Imageryand Classical Mythology 126-159
5.TheRefoundationCharterofNewMinster,Winchester 160-210
Conclusion 211-217
Bibliography 218-242
VolumeII
IntroductiontotheAppendices 243-246
Appendix 1: SanctionFormulas of LatinCharters 247-281
Appendix 2: Unique LatinSanctions 282-325
Appendix 3: Sanctions ofOldEnglish Charters 326-330
Appendix 4: Latin and Old English Sanctions of Charters Extant in 331-337
Latinand OldEnglish
Appendix 5: MotifIndex ofSanctions ofAnglo-SaxonCharters 338-401
Acknowledgements i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Doctoral research in the Geisteswissenschaften often appears to be a very lonely
activity, largely performed only in the company of (often dusty) books, pen and
paper and, nowadays, the conveniently and at the same time frustratingly
indispensable computer. In reality, however, it is an activitythat needs the support of
family, friends and fellow-scholars to see it through. Hence, I would like to thank the
people who encouraged me along the way and made sure this work did not find an
earlyend.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents without whom this dissertation,
andthedoctoral degreeit will hopefullyentail,would neverhavebeenpossible.Next
to their unbelievable financial support, theywere ever patient when things did not go
as planned or took much longer than anticipated until all hurdles and setbacks were
finallytaken.
I would also like to thank my supervisor Dr Christine Rauer for all her academic
support and advice not only with respect to this dissertation, but also to all other
professional tasks that come with striving for a PhD. I was lucky to have such a
dedicatedsupervisorwho was everreadytohelp mepromptlyand effectively.
I am also very grateful for the invaluable support in academic and professional
matters that Ireceived from Dr IanJohnson, mysecondsupervisor. Furtherthanks go
to Dr Catherine Cubitt, who was so kind as to let me read an article of hers on
Archbishop Dunstan prior to publication, and to Dr Eric Stoddart for sharing his
Acknowledgements ii
expertise on contemporary beliefs in hell. For advice concerning the often peculiar
Anglo-Latintexts, IthankDrRegineMayandDr Niels Bohnert.
As a successful PhD is more than just writing a doctoral dissertation, I would like to
thank Dr Kees Dekker, Dr Rolf Bremmer and Dr Thomas Hall for giving me the
opportunity to broaden my knowledge and skills by letting me write a first
publication for the Sources of Anglo-Saxon Literary Culture series. Further thanks go
toProfessorEmeritus William Nietmann forhis good advice concerningthesubleties
ofresearchproposals.
Of course, moral support is just as important for a PhD as academic and professional
support. I feel touched by the friendships experienced during the stressful previous
three years. I would thus like to use this opportunity to thank Nadine Quenouille,
Eshani Ruwanpura, Evelyn Lehmann and Regine May. I would also like to thank my
brother Stefan Hofmann, who was always there with good advice and help when I
neededit,eventhoughhewas inthemidst ofcompletinghis architectural project.
Abbreviations iii
ABBREVIATIONS
I.Periodicals
II. PublicationSeries
III. ReferenceWorks
IV.CharterEditions
V.Homilies
VI.Glosses andGlossaries
VII.OnlineTools
VIII.Miscellaneous Abbreviations
I. PERIODICALS
ANQ AmericanNotes andQueries
ANS Anglo-NormanStudies
ASE Anglo-SaxonEngland
ASNSL Archivfür das Studiumder neuerenSprachenund Literaturen
ASSAH Anglo-SaxonStudies inArchaeologyandHistory
CCM Cahiers decivilisationmédiévale
EHR English Historical Review
ELN English LanguageNotes
EME EarlyMedieval Europe
ES English Studies
FS FrühmittelalterlicheStudien
JEGP Journal of English andGermanicPhilology
JEH Journal of Ecclesiastical History
JTS Journal of Theological Studies
MÆ MediumÆvum
MP Modern Philology
NM NeuphilologischeMitteilungen
N&Q Notes &Queries
PMLA Publications of theModern LanguageAssociationof America
PQ Philological Quarterly
Abbreviations iv
RB Revuebénédictine
RES Review of English Studies
SettSpol Settimane di studio del Centro italiano di studi sull’ alto
medioevo (Spoleto)
SM Studi Medievali
SP Studies inPhilology
TRHS Transactions of theRoyal Historical Society
II. PUBLICATIONSERIES
AS Charters Anglo-SaxonCharters
ASPR Anglo-SaxonPoeticRecords
CCSL Corpus Christianorum,Series Latina
CSASE CambridgeStudies inAnglo-SaxonEngland
CSEL Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum
EEMF EarlyEnglish Manuscripts inFacsimile
EETS EarlyEnglish Text Society
MGHAuct.antiq. MonumentaGermaniae Historica,Auctores antiquissimi
MGHEpist. MonumentaGermaniae Historica,Epistolaeaevi Carolini
MGHSS MonumentaGermaniae Historica,Scriptores
PL Patrologia Latina, ed. J.-P. Migne, 221 vols. (Paris, 1844-
64)
III. REFERENCE WORKS1
BEASE The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England,
ed. Lapidgeet al.
Bosworth&TollerSuppl. An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (Supplement edition from
1921)
1Forcompletebibliographicalreferences,seebelow,pp.240-1.
