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S 1503

A.D. 1014. Will of the Ætheling Æthelstan, including bequests of land at Adderbury, Oxon., Marlow, Bucks., and (Steeple) Morden, Cambs., to Old Minster, Winchester; at Hollingbourne and Garrington in Littlebourne, Kent, to Christ Church, Canterbury; at Rotherfield (? Sussex) to Nunnaminster, Winchester; at Chalton, Hants., Northtune and at Mollington, Oxon., to King Æthelred; land in East Anglia and Peacesdele (? Peak District or Pegsdon, Beds.) to Edmund, his brother; at Hambleden, Bucks., to Ælfmær; at Cumtune to Godwine; at Westune to Ælfswith; at Heorulfestune to Ælfwine; at Catherington, Hants., to Ælfmær; at Hockcliffe, Beds., to Siferth; at Tewin, Herts., to Æthelweard the Stammerer and to Lyfing; at Lutegaresheale (? Ludgershall, Wilts.), to Godwine the Driveller. English

Archive:

Canterbury, Christ Church, and Winchester, Old Minster

MSS:

7. Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, 189, ff. 195-201v, f. 200v (s. xii; short Latin note of Hollingbourne grant)
2. Canterbury, D.C., H 68 (s. xi 1)
3. Canterbury, D.C., Reg. A, ff. 142r-143r (s. xiii)
8. Canterbury, D.C., Reg. D, f. 348r (s. xv; short Latin note of Hollingbourne grant)
4. Canterbury, D.C., Reg. E, pp. 43r-v (s. xiii ex.)
9. Canterbury, D.C., Reg. P, f. 23r (s. xiii in.; short Latin note of Hollingbourne grant)
5. London, British Library, Add. 15350, ff. 43v-44v (s. xii med.)
6. London, British Library, Add. 15350, f. 50r-v (s. xii med.)
1. London, British Library, Stowe Charters 37 (s. xi 1; Golden Age, p. 149 (no. 152); OS Facs., iii. 38)
10. London, Lambeth Palace Library, 1212, p. 326 (s. xiii; short Latin note of Hollingbourne grant)
11. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Tanner 223, p. 17v (s. xvi 1; short Latin note of Hollingbourne grant)
12. London, British Library, Cotton Claudius A. III, ff. 2-7, f. 3v (s. xi; short Latin note of Hollingbourne grant)

Printed:

Lye 1772, ii Appendix, ii, no. 5, with Latin translation ; K, 722 ; Earle, pp. 224-7

Comments:

Whitelock, EHD, pp. 593-4, date must be 1014 ; Stenton 1932, p. 134 ; Mawer 1941-2, pp. 92-4, Lutgaresheale probably Ludgershall, Wilts ; Chaplais 1968, p. 332 n. 169, step from wrapping-tie in MS 2 (= 1973, p. 83 n. 169) ; Dodgson and Khaliq 1970, pp. 23-4 ; Barlow 1970, p. 30 n. 3, pp. 34-5 ; Stenton 1970, p. 292, on place-name ; Finberg 1972, p. 483, cited ; Chaplais 1966a, pp. 170, 172 (= 1973, pp. 55, 57) ; Jones 1976, p. 28, identifies as Rotherfield, Sussex ; Brooks 1978, pp. 87-91, on heriot ; Keynes 1980, p. 267, dates 1014 ; Keynes 1990, p. 254 ; Lawson 1993, p. 78 n. 72, dates 1015 ; Baines 1995, on Hambleden ; Pelteret 1995, pp. 123, 130, 328-9 ; Keynes 1998, p. 1 ; Foot 2000, II. 174, 250 ; Thompson 2006, p. 109, on script ; PN Bucks., pp. 104, 177, Hamelendene is Hambleden, Bucks ; PN Wilts., pp. 367-8 ; Whitelock, Wills, pp. 167-74 ; Ekwall, D.E.P.N., pp. 306, 360, agrees with Mawer; suggests Peacesdele is Pegsdon, Beds ; PN Oxon., ii. 391 ; Finberg, ECW, no. 151, authentic, identifies Rotherfield as lying in East Tisted, Hants ; Hart 1970a, pp. 28 (no. 75), 29 (no. 84), original ; Hart, ECEE, no. 67, authentic ; Hart, ECNE, p. 385, the reference is to Steeple Morden ; Gelling, ECTV, no. 179 (pp. 21, 78, 89, 140), authentic, queries Pegsdon identification, notes that Ludgershall, Bucks., or Lurgarshall, Sussex, as as likely as Ludgershall, Wilts ; Golden Age, p. 149 (no. 152) ; Lowe 1993a, pp. 3-15, on MSS 3-6 ; Keynes 1994a, pp. 70-1 and n. 156

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    Text

    • + On Godes ælmihtiges naman . ic Æþestan æþeling geswutelige on þysum gewrite . hu ic mine are . 7 mine æhta geunnen hæbbe . Gode to lofe . 7 minre saule to alysednysse . 7 mines fæder Æðelredes cynges . þe ic hit æt geearnode.
      þæt is ærest þæt ic geann . þæt man gefreoge . ælcne witefæstne mann . þe ic on spræce ahte . 7 ic geann in mid me . þær ic me reste . Criste . 7 Sancte Petre . þæs landes æt Eadburgebyrig . þe ic gebohte æt minan fæder . mid twam hund mancosan goldes be gewihte . 7 mid .v. pundan seolfres . 7 þæt land æt Merelafan . þe ic gebohte æt minum fæder mid þridde healf hund mancosan goldes . be gewihte . 7 þæt land æt Mordune . þe min fæder me to let . ic gean into þære stowe . for uncer begra saule . 7 ic hine þæs bidde for Godes lufan . 7 for Sancta Marian . 7 for Sancte Petres . þæt hit standan mote . 7 þæs swurdes mid þam sylfrenan hiltan . þe Wulfric worhte . 7 þone gyldenan fetels . 7 þæne beh þe Wulfric worhte . 7 þone drencehorn . þe ic ær æt þam hirede gebohte . on Ealdan mynstre .
      7 ic wille þæt man nime þæt feoh . þe Aþelwoldes laf me ah to gyldene . þe ic for hyre are gesceoten hæbbe . 7 betæce Ælfsige bisceope . into Ealdan mynstre . for mine saule . þæt synd .xii. pund be getale . 7 ic geann into Cristes cyrican on Cantwarabyrig . þæs landes . æt Holungaburnan . 7 þæs þe þærto hyrð . buton þære . anre sulunge þe ic Siferðe geunnen hæbbe . 7 þæs landes æt Garwaldintune . 7 ic ann þæs landes æt Hryðerafelda into Nunnan mynstre . Sancta Marian þances . 7 ænne sylfrene mele . on fif pundon . 7 into Niwan mynstre ænne sylfrene hwer on fif pundon . on þære halgan þrymnesse naman þe seo stow is forehalig . 7 ic geann to Sceaftenesbyrig . to þære halgan rode . 7 to Sancte Eadwearde . þara .vi. punda þe ic Eadmunde minon breðer gewissod hæbbe.
      7 ic geann minon fæder Æþelræde cynge . þæs landes æt Cealhtune buton þam ehta hidan þe ic Ælmære minon cnihte geunnennen hæbbe . 7 þæs landes æt Norðtune . 7 þæs landes æt Mollintune . 7 þæs seolferhiltan swurdes þe Ulfcytel ahte . 7 þære byrnan . þe mid Morkære is . 7 þæs horses þe Þurbrand me geaf . 7 þæs hwitan horses þe Leofwine me geaf.
      7 ic geann Eadmunde minon breðer þæs swurdes þe Offa cyng ahte . 7 þæs swurdes mid þam pyttedan hiltan . 7 anes brandes . 7 ænne seolforhammenne blædhorn . 7 þara landa þe ic ahte on East Englan . 7 þæs landes æt Peacesdele . 7 ic wille . þæt mon gelæste ælce geare ane dægfeorme þam hirede into Elig of þysse are on Sancte Æþeldryðe mæssedæg . 7 gesylle þær to mynstre an hund penega . 7 gefede þær on þone dæg .c. þearfena . 7 sy æfre seo ælmesse gelæst gearhwamlice . age land se þe age . þa hwile . þe cristendom stande . 7 gif þa nellað þa ælmessan geforðian þe þa land habbað . gange seo ar . into Sancte Æþeldryðe.
      7 ic geann Eadwige minon breðer anes seolferhiltes swurdes . 7 ic geann Ælfsige . bisceope . þære gyldenan rode . þe is mid Eadrice Wynflæde suna . 7 anne blacne stedan . 7 ic geann . Ælmære þæs landes æt Hamelandene þe he ær ahte . 7 ic bidde minne fæder fur Godes . ælmihtiges lufan . 7 fur minon . þæt he þæs geunne . þe ic him . geunnen hæbbe . 7 ic geann Godwine Wulfnoðes suna . þæs landes . æt Cumtune . þe his fæder ær ahte . 7 ic geann Ælfswyðe . minre fostermeder . for hire myclon . geearnungon . þæs landes æt Westune . þe ic gebohte æt minon fæder . mid þridde healf hund mancusan goldes . be gewihte . 7 ic gean Ælfwine minon mæssepreoste . þæs landes æt Heorulfestune . 7 þæs malswurdes . þe Wiðer ahte . 7 mines horses mid minon gerædon . 7 ic geann Ælmære minon discþene . þara ehta hida . æt Cateringatune 7 anes fagan stedan . 7 þæs sceardan swurdes . 7 mines targan . 7 ic geann . Siferðe þæs landes æt Hocganclife . 7 anes swurdes . 7 anes horses . 7 mines bohscyldes . 7 ic geann . Æþelwerde Stameran 7 Lyfingce þæs landes . æt Tywingan . 7 ic ann Leofstane Leofwines breðer . Cwattes . þære lan\d/are . þe ic of his breðer nam . 7 ic geann Leommære . æt Biggrafan þæs landes þe ic him ær of nam . 7 ic geann Godwine Dreflan . þara þreora hida . æt Lutegaresheale. 7 ic geann Eadrice Wynflæde sunu þæs swurdes þe seo hand is on gemearcod . 7 ic gean\n/ Æþelwine minon . cnihte þæs swurdes þe he me ær sealde . 7 ic geann . Ælfnoðe minon swurdhwitan þæs sceardan malswurdes . 7 minon headeor hunton þæs stodes . þe is on Colungahrycge . 7 gehealde mon of mino\n/ golde . Ælfric æt Bertune . 7 Godwine Drefelan æt swa miclon swa Eadmund min broðor wat . þæt ic heom mid rihte to gyldanne ah;
      Nu þancige ic minon fæder mid ealre eadmodnesse on Godes ælmihtiges naman þære andsware . þe he me sende on frigedæg . æfter middessumeres mæssedæge . be Ælfgare . Ælffan suna . þæt wæs . þæt he me cydde . mines fæder worde . þæt ic moste be Godes leafe . 7 be his . geunnan minre are . 7 minra æhta . swa me mæst ræd þuhte . ægðer ge for Gode . ge for worulde . 7 þysse andsware is to gewitnesse . Eadmund min broðor. 7 Ælfsige bisceop . 7 Byrhtmær abbod . 7 Ælmær Ælfrices sunu.
      Nu bidde ic . ealle þa witan . þe minne cwyde gehyron rædan . ægðer ge gehadode . ge læwede . þæt hi beon on fultume . þæt min cwyde standan mote . swa mines fæder leaf . on minon cwyde stænt.
      Nu cyðe ic . þæt ealle þa þingc þe ic to Gode . into Godes cyrican . 7 Godes þeowan geunnen hæbbe . sy gedon for mines leofan fæder sawle Æþelredes cyncges . 7 for minre . 7 Ælfþryðe minre ealdemodor þe me afedde . 7 for ealra þara þe me to þyson godan gefylstan . 7 se . þe þysne cwyde . þurh ænig þingc . awende . habbe him wið God ælmihtigne gemæne . 7 wið Sancta Marian . 7 wið Sancte Peter . 7 wið ealle þa . þe Godes naman heriað;

      Short version:
      [A]nno dominice incarnationis .dcccclxxx. Ego Æthelstanus filius Agelredi regis, cum consensu et licentia eius, concedo ecclesie Christi in Dorobernia terram iuris mei nomine Holingeburnan quam emi a patre meo cum omnibus ad eam rite pertinentibus, liberam ab omni seculari seruitute, exceptis expeditione, pontis et arcis constructione. Si quis hanc meam donationem frangere temptauerit, deneget ei Deus ingressum uite celestis et locus eius sit in inferno.

      Confirmation:
      Adhuc ego . rex . ÆÐELREDUS . filium meum superuiuens . ÆÐELSTANUM . ut ultimus dies statuit eius . aeclesiae predicte Christi . HOLINGABURNAN . cum suis appendiciis animo libenti aeternaliter contradidi.
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    Old Text

    • + On godes ælmihtiges naman. Ic Æˇestan æˇeling. geswutelige on ˇysum gewrite. hu ic mine are. 7 mine æhta. geunnen hæbbe. gode to lofe. 7 minre saule to alysednysse. 7 mines fæder Æˇelred