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  • Quecumque scripta sunt, dicit apostolus, ad nostram doctrinam, scripta sunt ut per patientiam et consolationem scripturarum spem habeamus. Iccirco terrenis ac caducis eterna et mansura mercanda sunt et cum spe bona perquirenda. Ipse enim Deus retributionem omnium actuum nostrorum in die examinationis iuxta uniuscuiusque meritum reddet, ideoque subtilissima mentis certatione et ardenti inquisitione illum imitari satagamus. Licet mortalis uite pondere pressi et labentibus huius seculi possessionibus miserabiliter simus infecati, tamen miserationis eius largitate caducis opibus eterna celestis uite premia mercari queramus. Quapropter ego Eadwardus, superna gratia largiente Anglorum regalia sceptra gubernans, rogatus a Brihtrico abbate Meldunensis cenobii, cum consensu episcoporum optimatumque meorum, ob honorem sancte Dei genitricis Marie perpetue uirginis et ob reuerentiam sancti Aldhelmi eiusdem cenobii quondam abbatis, deinde Sciraburnensis presulis, cuius corpus gloriosum in eadem ecclesia uenerabiliter requiescit et multis patratis miraculis elucescit, concedo et regali auctoritate precipio quatinus eadem ecclesia omnes terras et possessiones suas quas hodierna die tenet et possidet, uel in futuro largitione quorumlibet fidelium tenenda est uel possidenda, perpetuo iure et perpetua pace teneat atque possideat. Subscribimus enim nomina terrarum et nomina eorum qui eas ecclesie fideli deuotione contulerunt. (i) Inprimis Niwentuna ex dono Eþelredi regis. Terra est .xxx. hidarum, sita ab occidentali parte strate publice que Fossa nominatur. (ii) Item Kemele. Terra est .xxx. hidarum, quarum .iiii. sunt in Chelewrða. Hanc terram dedit Aldhelmo abbati Cedwalla rex. Sita est in orientali plaga strate publice supranominate. (iii) Item Pirituna. Terra est .xxxv. hidarum, de orientali parte silue que dicitur Bradon. Hanc dedit Chedwalla rex Ældhelmo abbati. (iv) Item Creddewilla. Terra est .xl. hidarum. De ista terra est Eastcotun, Hanekintun, Morcutun. Terram istam dedit Æþelwulfus rex Christianissimus. (v) Item eadem ecclesia tenet Cheorletuna. Terra est .xx. hidarum. Hanc dedit idem rex Æþelwulfus. (vi) Item Dometesig. Terra est .x. hidarum. Hanc dedit idem rex Æþelwulfus. (vii) Item eadem ecclesia tenet Wudetun. Terra est .x. hidarum, sita intra siluam Bradon. Hanc dedit Æþelstanus rex uenerabilis ecclesie Maldunensi. (viii) Item Bremela. Terra est .xxxviii. hidarum. De ista terra est Yhrig, Speertul, <Cherlecotun>, Foxham, Auene. Terram istam dedit rex Æþelstanus. (ix) Item ex donatione eiusdem regis Æþelstani ipsa ecclesia tenet Nortuna pro .v. hidis et Sumerford pro .v. hidis. (x) Item eadem ecclesia tenet Brokeneberge. Terra est .l. hidarum. Hanc dedit rex Eadwi. De hac eadem terra Gruten<h>am pro .i. hida et, ex occidentali parte fluminis quod Auena nominatur, Est Suttuna pro .x. hidis, Rudburna pro .x., Corstuna pro .x., Cusfalde pro .iii., Bremelham pro .ii. hidis. (xi) Item Brenkewurða. Terra est .v. hidarum. Hanc dedit quidam uir nobilis Leofsi nomine. (xii) Item Hewi. Terra est .xi. hidarum. Hanc dedit Æþelred rex. (xiii) Item ipsa terra tenet Litletun: terra est .v. hidarum. Hanc dedit Uuenoð, Æþelredo rege suo annuente. Ego igitur Eadwardus, Dei misericordia Anglorum rex, concedo atque precipio quatinus ecclesia ista sit libera et quieta ab omni mundiali iugo, scilicet de siris et hundredis et placitis et querelis et omnibus geldis et consuetudinibus. Concedo etiam ei libertatem plenariam, id est sacam et socam, tol et tem et infangenethef, monbriche, hamsokne, forstel. Quicumque ergo hanc nostram donationem seu libertatem seruauerit, perducat eum Dominus ad gaudia paradysi. Qui uero contempserit, ligatis manibus et pedibus mergatur in profundum inferni. Acta est hec prefata libertas anno dominice incarnationis millesimo .lxv., indictione .iiii., hiis testibus consentientibus quorum inferius nomina recitantur. + Ego Eadwardus rex Anglorum prefatam donationem cum titulo sancte crucis confirmaui et impressione sigilli mei consolidaui. + Ego Eadgyð regina consensi et laudaui. + Ego Stigant archiepiscopus subscripsi. + Ego <Ealdryd> archiepiscopus roboraui. + Ego Hereman episcopus adquieui. + Ego Leofric episcopus impressi. + Ego Wylelm episcopus faui. + Ego Harold dux confirmaui. + Ego Tosti dux carraxaui. + Ego <Gyrð> dux pretitulaui. + Ego Leofwine dux annotaui. + Ego Wælðeof dux subarraui. + Ego Æþelnoð abbas subscripsi. + Ego <Ælfwig> abbas subscripsi. + Ego Ordric abbas subscripsi. + Ego Ægelsige abbas subscripsi. + Ego Wulfric abbas subscripsi. + Ego Brihtricus abbas supranominati cenobii, lectis et diligenter perscrutatis ecclesie nostre cartis, hanc scedulam dictaui et propria manu conscripsi et cum titulo uenerande crucis confirmaui, coadunaui, conclusi.
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  • Whatever has been written for our instruction, says the Apostle, has been written so that we might have hope through suffering and the consolation of the scriptures. On that account, things that are eternal and lasting must be purchased with the earthly and transient and sought for diligently with good hope. For God Himself will give recompense for all our deeds on the Day of Judgment according to the merits of each one, and therefore we try to imitate Him with the keenest striving of the spirit and with ardent searching. Although we are oppressed by the burden of mortal life and are miserably polluted by the transitory possessions of this world, yet by the bestowal of His mercy we seek to purchase the eternal rewards of the heavenly life with transitory riches. Wherefore, I, Edward, governing the royal kingdom of the English through the bestowal of Divine Grace, after being asked by Beorhtric, abbot of the monastery of Malmesbury, with the agreement of my bishops and my magnates, in honour of Mary, the holy mother of God, ever virgin, and in reverence of St Aldhelm, sometime abbot of the same monastery, then bishop of Sherborne, whose glorious body venerably reposes in the same church and shines forth with many miracles that have come to pass, grant and with royal authority direct that that same church should hold and possess all the lands and its possessions that it holds and possesses today, and is to be holding and possessing through the future gift of any at all of the faithful, with a perpetual right and in perpetual peace. For we have written below the names of the lands and the names of those who conveyed them to the church with faithful devotion. (i) First, (Long) Newnton (Wiltshire), from the gift of King Æthelred. The land comprises 30 hides, located on the western side of the public way that is called Fosse. (ii) Likewise Kemble (Wiltshire, now Gloucestershire). The land comprises thirty hides; 4 are in Chelworth (later in Crudwell). King Cædwalla gave this land to Abbot Aldhelm. It is located on the east side of the abovementioned public street [i.e., the Fosse Way]. (iii) Likewise Purton (Wiltshire). The land comprises 35 hides on the eastern side of wood that is called Braydon. This King Cædwalla gave to Abbot Aldhelm. (iv) Likewise Crudwell (Wiltshire). The land comprises 40 hides. Belonging to that land are Eastcourt, Hankerton [and] Murcott. The most Christian King Æthelwulf gave that land. (v) Likewise the same church holds Charlton (Wiltshire). The land comprises twenty hides. This the same King Æthelwulf gave to the same [church]. (vi) Likewise Dauntsey (Wiltshire). The land comprises ten hides. This King Æthelwulf gave to the same [church]. (vii) Likewise the same church holds Wootton (Bassett) (Wiltshire). The land comprises ten hides, located within Braydon Wood. This the venerable King Æthelstan gave to the church of Malmesbury. (viii) Likewise Bremhill (Wiltshire). The land comprises 38 hides. Belonging to that land is Euridge (in Colerne), Spirthill, Charlecote, Foxham [and] Avon (in Bremhill). King Æthelstan gave that land. (ix) Likewise from a gift of the same King Æthelstan that church holds Norton, [assessed] at five hides, and (Little) Somerford (Wiltshire) [assessed] at 5 hides. (x) Likewise the same church holds Brokenborough (Wiltshire). The land comprises fifty hides. This King Eadwig gave. Of this same land Grittenham [is assessed] at 1 hide, and on the west side of the river that is called the Avon, ‘East’ Sutton [i.e., Sutton Benger] [is assessed] at 10 hides, Rodbourne at 10, Corston at 10, Cowfold [later Cole Park] at 3 [and] Bremilham at 2 hides. (xi) Likewise Brinkworth (Wiltshire). The land [is assessed] at 5 hides. This a certain noble man called Leofsige gave. (xii) Likewise Highway (in Hilmartin, Wiltshire). The land comprises 11 hides. This King Æthelred gave. (xiii) Likewise that land [sic] holds Littleton-on-Severn (Gloucestershire). The land comprises 5 hides. This Wenoth gave with the permission of King Æthelred. Therefore, I, Edward, by the mercy of God king of the English, grant and direct that that church should be free and quit of every worldly burden, namely in shires and hundreds and pleas and suits and all gelds and customary dues. I grant also a full liberty to it, that is, sake and soke, toll and team and infangenetheof, manbrice, hamsocn, foresteal. Whoever, therefore, preserves this gift and liberty of ours, may the Lord lead him to the joys of Paradise. He who might indeed despise it, may he be drowned in the depths of Hell with his hands and feet bound. This aforementioned liberty was made in the year of the Lord’s incarnation one thousand 65, in indiction 4 [sic], these witnesses agreeing whose names are rehearsed below. + I, Edward, king of the English, confirmed the aforementioned gift with the sign of the holy cross and strengthened [this] with the imprint of my seal. + I, Edith, queen, agreed and praised. + I, Stigand, archbishop [of Canterbury], subscribed. + I, Ealdred, archbishop [of York], validated. + I, Heremann, bishop [of Ramsey/Sherborne], adquiesced. + I, Leofric, bishop [of Exeter], imprinted. + I, William, bishop [of London], favoured. + I, Harold, dux, confirmed. + I, Tostig, dux, wrote. + I, Gyrth, dux, inscribed [a cross] in front. + I, Leofwine, dux, subscribed. + I, Wæltheof, dux, pledged. + I, Æthelnoth, abbot [of Glastonbury], subscribed. + I, Ælfwig, abbot, subscribed. + I, Ordric, abbot [of Abingdon], subscribed. + I, Æthelsige, abbot [of St Augustine’s, Canterbury], subscribed. + I, Wulfric, abbot [of Ely], subscribed. + I, Beorhtric, abbot of the above-named monastery, after the muniments of our church had been read and diligently scrutinised, drafted this document and wrote it with my own hand and with the sign of the venerable cross confirmed, assembled [and] concluded [it].
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  • + 'Quaecunque scripta sunt,' dicit apostolus, 'ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt, scilicet, ut per patientiam et consolationem scripturarum spem habeamus;' iccirco terrenis et caducis aeterna et mansura mercanda sunt, et cum spe bona perquirenda, ipse eni