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  • Nichil in hoc seculo prolixa felicitate <per>fruitur, nichil diuturna dominatione potitur, nichil quod non ad fatalem uite terminum ueloci cursu tendetur: et ideo sic nobis mundanarum rerum patrimonie sunt perfruende, ut tamen eterne patrie emolumentis nunquam <fraudemur>. Hinc est enim quod ego Aldhelmus, postquam me inmeritum nullisque predignis moribus comprobatum in pontificatus officii sedem diuina gratia subtronizasset, proposui archano mentis mee affectu ut monasteriis meis Maelduburhg, Froom, Bradanford, quibus iamdudum in abbatatus gradu constitutus, suffragante Domino, regulariter prefui, religiosum abbatem quem sibi spontanea familiarum mearum optio consona uoce eligissent, canonica ratione atque regulari sanctione constituissem. Hiis uoluntariis propositionibus meis pia monachorum meorum restitit pertinacitas. Et cum hoc sedulo sepiusque in conuentu fratrum meorum fidutialiter narrassem, nullus hiis uotis meis placidissimum prebebat assensum, dicentes: ‘Quamdiu uitali uegetaris spiritu nobiscumque presentis uite stadio deputaris, tue semper dominationis iugo humillima colla subdere non dedignamur. Sed hoc supplici prece communique rogatu deprecamur, quod sub sacra scripturarum testificatione et fauorabilium uirorum claro consensu corrobores, ut nullus post obitum tuum nec regalis audacitas nec pontificalis auctoritas uel aliquis ecclesiastice seu secularis dignitatis uir, sine nostro uoluntatis arbitrio in nobis sibi uendicet principatum.’ Huic debite monachorum meorum maxime<que> famulorum Dei petitioni libentissime consensi. Et in monasterio quod iuxta fluuium qui dicitur Winburnna situm est, cui uenerandi regis nostri germana Cuthburg presidet, cum optabili famosissimi regis Ini consensu et reuerentissimi fratris et coepiscopi mei Danihelis <nutu>, presentate <professionis deuotionem decentissimam et> uernarum Domini postulationem sacre crucis signaculo confirmaui. <Identidemque> uenerandus rex et prenominatus pontifex pari deuotionis manu subscripserunt, nec multo post in sacrosancto concilio quod iuxta fluuium qui dicitur Noodr congregatum esse dinoscitur. Idem omnium Saxonice gentis archimandritarum cum regali<s> potentatus assensu et pontificali<s> prioratus nutu consensit auctoritas. Si quis uero contra hec tam illustrium personarum decreta moliri machinetur et sacra presentis scedule scita preuaricari presumpserit, sciat se ante terribilem diuine maiestatis thronum cum preuaricatoribus preceptorum Domini lugubri dampnationis iudicio perculsurum. Scripta est huius confirmationis cartula anno ab incarnatione Domini nostri Iesu Christi .dccv., indictione .iii. + Signum manus Danielis episcopi. + Signum Ini regis. + Signum manus patricii Ethelfriði.
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  • Nothing in this world is enjoyed with prolonged good fortune, nothing is held with lasting lordship, nothing that does not direct itself with a swift course towards the destined end of life: and so our inheritance of worldly things must be enjoyed thoroughly so that we are never cheated of the profits of the eternal fatherland. Hence it is that I, Aldhelm, after Divine Grace had enthroned me on the seat of episcopal office, being unworthy and not shown [to have] any outstanding characteristics, proposed in the private thoughts of my mind that for my monasteries, Malmesbury, Frome and Bradford-on-Avon, over which I had been in charge according to the Rule, having long ago been appointed with abbatial rank with the Lord’s support, I should appoint according to canonical practice and the sanction of the Rule a religious abbot whom by the choice of my communities of their own free will they might with harmonious accord select for themselves. To these suggestions made of my own free will the pious constancy of my monks resisted. And when zealously and frequently I had declared this confidently in the assembly of my brethren, none offered most pleasing assent to these vows of mine, saying: ‘As long as you are quickened by a living breath and you are allotted with us to the course of the present life, we do not reject it as unworthy to submit our most humble necks to the yoke of your continuing lordship. But we pray this with a suppliant prayer and a request from us all that you will confirm on the sacred witness of the scriptures and the clear agreement of men who are favourably disposed that after your death no royal audacity nor episcopal authority nor any man of ecclesiastical or secular office, will lay claim to sovereignty over us for himself without the expression of our will.’ I have agreed most freely to this obligation to my monks and the very great request of the servants of God. And in the monastery that is located near the river that is called Wimborne, which is in the charge of Cuthburg, the sister of our venerable king, with the agreement that we desired from Ine, the very famous king, and the approval of the most reverend brother and my fellow bishop, Daniel, I have confirmed with the mark of the holy cross the very proper devotion of the public declaration and wish of the handmaidens of God. And likewise the venerable king and afore-named bishop of equal devotion subscribed with their hand; not long after it was acknowledged in a holy council that had gathered near the river that is called (?) Nadder. Likewise the counsel of all the abbots of the Saxon people is in agreement together with the assent of the royal power and the approval of the episcopal primacy. If anyone should contrive to struggle against these decrees of such illustrious persons and presume to violate the holy ordinances of the present document, may he know that he will cast down before the fearful throne of the Divine Majesty with the violators of the commands of the Lord in the Judgment of mournful damnation. This charter of confirmation was written in the year from the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 705, indiction 3. + Mark of the hand of Daniel, bishop [of Winchester]. + Mark of Ine, king. + Mark of the hand of Æthelfrith, patricius.
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  • Nichil in hoc sæculo prolixa felicitate perfruitur , nichil diuturna dominatione potitur , nichil quod non ad fatalem vitæ terminum loci cursu protendatur . Et ideo nobis sic mundanarum rerum patrimonia sunt perfruenda , ut tamen æternæ patriæ emolumentis numquam fraudemur . Hinc est quod ego Aldhelmus , postquam me immeritum , nullisque pene dignis moribus comprobatum , in pontificatus offitii sedem divina gratia subthronizasset, proposui archano mentis meæ affectu ut monasteriis meis , quibus jamdudum in abbatatus gradu constitutus , suffragante domino , regulariter præfui , religiosum abbatem , quem sibi spontanea familiarum mearum optio consona voce eligissent , canonica ratione atque regulari sanctione constituerem . His voluntariis propositionibus meis pia monachorum meorum restitit pertinacitas . Et cum hoc sedulo sepiusque in conventu fratrum meorum fidutialiter narrassem , nullus his votis meis placidissimum præbebat assensum; dicentes quod 'Quamdiu vitali vegetaris spiritu , nobiscumque præsentis vitæ deputaris stadio , tuæ semper dominationis jugo humillima colla subdere non dedignamur . Sed hoc suplici prece communique rogatu deprecamur , quod sub sacra scripturarum testificatione et favorabilium virorum claro consensu corrobores, ut nullus post obitum tuum , nec regalis audacitas , nec pontificalis auctoritas , vel aliquis æcclesiasticæ seu secularis dignitatis vir , sine nostro voluntatis arbitrio in nobis sibi vindicet principatum' . Huic debitæ monachorum meorum maximeque famulorum Dei petitioni libentissime consensi, et in monasterio quod juxta fluvium qui dicitur Winburna situm est, cui venerandi regis nostri germana Cuthburg præsidet, cum optabili famosissimi regis Ini consensu et reverentissimi fratris et coepiscopi mei Danihelis nutu præsentatæ professionis devotionem decentissimam et vernarum domini postulationem sacræ crucis signaculo confirmavi ; identidemque venerandus rex et prænominatus pontifex pari devotionis manu subscripserunt . Nec multo post in sacrosancto concilio, quod juxta fluvium qui dicitur Noodr congregatum esse dinoscitur, idem omnium Saxonicæ gentis archimandritarum cum regalis potentatus assensu et pontificalis prioratus nutn consensit auctoritas . Si quis vero contra hæc tam illustrium personarum decreta moliri machinetur , et sacra præsentis scedulæ scita prævaricari præsumpserit , sciat se ante terribilem divinæ majestatis thronum cum prævaricatoribus præceptorum domini lugubri dampnationis juditio percellendum . Sunt autem hæc nomina monasteriorum , Maldubesburg , Froom , Bradanford . Scripta est huius confirmationis cartula anno ab incarnatione domini nostri Jhesu Christi . dcco . vto . indictione iiia . Signum manus Danielis episcopi . Signum Yni regis . Signum manus patricii Ethelfridi .