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  • (a) + Ic Abba geroefa . cyðe 7 writan hate hu min willa is þæt mon ymb min ærfe gedoe æfter minum dæge . Ærest ymb min lond þe ic hæbbe 7 me God lah 7 ic æt minum hlafordum begæt . is min willa gif me God bearnes unnan wille ðæt hit foe to londe æfter me 7 his bruce mid minum gemeccan 7 sioððan swæ forð min cynn ða hwile þe God wille ðæt ðeara ænig sie þe londes weorðe sie 7 land gehaldan cunne . Gif me ðonne gifeðe sie ðæt ic bearn begeotan ne mege þonne is min willa þæt hit hæbbe min wiif ða hwile ðe hia hit mid clennisse gehaldan wile 7 min broðar Alchhere hire fultume 7 þæt lond hire nytt gedoe . 7 him man selle an half swulung an Ciollandene to habbanne 7 to brucanne wið ðan ðe he ðy geornliocar hire ðearfa bega 7 bewiotige . 7 mon selle him to ðem londe .iiii. oxan . 7 .ii. cy . 7 .l. scepa 7 ænne horn . gif min wiif ðonne hia nylle mid clennisse swæ gehaldan 7 hire liofr\e/ sie oðer hemed to niomanne ðonne foen mine megas to ðem londe 7 hire agefen hire agen . Gif hire ðonne liofre sie [an my]nster to ganganne oðða suð to faranne ðonne agefen hie twægen mine megas Alchhere 7 Aeðelwold hire . twa ðusenda 7 fon him to ðem londe . 7 agefe mon to Liminge .l. eawa . 7 .v. cy . fore hie . 7 mon selle to Folcanstane in mid minum lice .x. oxan. 7 .x. cy. 7 .c. eawa. 7 .c. swina. 7 higum ansundran .d. pending . wið ðan ðe min wiif þær benuge innganges swæ mid minum lice swæt sioððan yferran dogre swæ hwæder swæ hire liofre sie . Gif higan ðonne oððe hlaford þæt nylle hire mynsterlifes geunnan . oðða hia siolf nylle 7 hire oðer ðing liofre sie . þonne agefe mon ten hund pending inn mid minum lice me wið legerstoe 7 higum an sundran fif hund pending . fore mine sawle . 7 ic bidde 7 bebeode swælc monn se ðæt min lond hebbe ðæt he ælce gere agefe ðem higum æt Folcanstane .l. ambra maltes 7 .vi. ambra gruta. 7 .iii. wega spices 7 ceses 7 .cccc. hlafa 7 an hriðr. 7 .vi. scep . 7 swælc monn se ðe to minum ærfe foe ðonne gedele he ælcum messepreoste binnan Cent mancus goldes 7 ælcum Godes ðiowe pending . 7 to Sancte Petre min wærgeld twa ðusenda 7 Freoðomund foe to minum sweorde 7 agefe ðeræt feower ðusenda 7 him mon forgefe ðeran ðreotene hund pending 7 gif mine broðar ærfeweard gestrionen ðe londes weorðe sie þonne ann ic ðem londes . Gif hie ne gestrionen oðða him sylfum ælles hwæt sele æfter hiora dege ann ic his Freoðomunde gif he ðonne lifes bið . Gif him elles hwæt sæleð ðonne ann ic his minra swæstarsuna swælcum se hit geðian wile 7 him gifeðe bið . 7 gif þæt gesele þæt min cynn to ðan clane gewite ðæt ðer ðeara nan ne sie ðe londes weorwe sie þonne foe se hlaford to 7 ða higon æt Kristes cirican 7 hit minum gaste nytt gedoen . An ðas redenne ic hit ðider selle ðe se monn se ðe Kristes cirican hlaford sie \se/ min 7 minra erfewearda forespreoca 7 mundbora 7 an his hlaforddome \we/ bian moten. + Ic Abba geroefa ðis write 7 festnie mid Kristes rode tacne. + Ic Ciolnoð mid Godes gefe ærcebiscop ðis write 7 ðeafie 7 mid Cristes rode tacne hit festniæ + Ic Beagmund presbiter ðis ðeafie 7 write + Ic Wærhard presbiter abbas ðis ðeafie 7 write + Ic Aeðelhun presbiter ðis ðeafie 7 write + Ic Abba presbiter ðis þeafie 7 write + Ic Wigmund presbiter ðis write 7 ðeafie + Ic Iof presbiter ðis ðeafie 7 write + Ic Osmund presbiter ðis ðeafie 7 write + Ic Wealhhere diacon ðis write 7 weafie + Ic Badanoð diacon ðis write 7 ðeafie + Ic Heaberht diacon ðis write 7 þeafie + Ic Noðwulf subdiacon ðis write 7 ðeafie + Ic Wealhhere subdiacon ðis write 7 ðeafie + Ic Ciolwulf subdiacon ðis write 7 ðeafie (b) + Heregyð hafað ðas wisan binemned ofer hire deg 7 ofer Abban ðæm higum et Cristes cirican of ðæm londe et Cealflocan ðæt is ðonne ðritig ombra alað . 7 ðreo hund hlafa ðeara bið fiftig hwitehlafa . an weg spices 7 ceses . an ald hriðr . feower weðras . an suin oððe sex weðras . sex gosfuglas . ten hennfuglas . ðritig teapera gif hit wintres deg sie . sester fulne huniges . sester fulne butran . sester fulne saltes . 7 Heregyð bibeadeð ðem mannum ðe efter hire to londe foen . on Godes noman ðæt hie fulgere witen ðæt hie ðiss gelesten ðe on ðissem gewrite binemned is ðem higum to Cristes cirican . 7 ðæt sie simle to higna blodlese ymb twelf monað agefen . 7 se mann se to londe foe agefe hire erfehonda .xiii. pund pendinga . 7 hio forgifeð fiftene pund for ðy ðe mon ðas feorme ðy soel gelæste.
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  • (a) I Abba, reeve, declare and command to be written what my will is about the disposal of my heritable property after my time. First, with regard to my land, which I have and which God lent me and I received from my lords: if it is God’s will to give me a child, it is my wish that it may succeed to the land after me and enjoy it with my wife, and thereafter my kindred likewise continuously [are to enjoy it] for as long as God wills that any of them are worthy of the land and able to hold the land. Then if it is (so) granted to me that I cannot beget a child, then it is my wish that my wife hold it [the land] as long as she is willing to hold it in chastity [i.e. without remarrying]. And my brother Alchhere is to sustain her, and that land is to render the profit to her. And he is to be given a half sulung at Chillenden (Kent) to hold and to enjoy, in order that he may more zealously look after and watch over her needs; and with the land are to be given him four oxen, two cows, fifty sheep and a horn. If my wife, then, is not willing to remain chaste in that manner and prefers to undertake another partnership, then my kinsmen are to accept the land and to give her her own [land]. If, then, she prefers to enter a convent or to journey south, then my two kinsmen Alchhere and Æthelwulf are to give her two thousand, and to accept the land; and fifty ewes and five cows are to be given to Lyminge on her behalf. And at my burial, ten oxen, ten cows, one hundred ewes and one hundred swine are to be given to Folkestone; and to the community severally, five hundred pence; in order that my wife may have the privilege of entering there, either at my burial or at a later day, whichever she may prefer. If the community, then, or its ‘lord’ will not grant her that (choice of) minster-life, or if she herself does not wish it and some other course is preferable to her, then one thousand pence are to be paid with my corpse for my resting-place, and to the community severally, five hundred pence on behalf of my soul. And whosoever may have this land of mine, I pray and command him to give annually to the community at Folkestone fifty ‘ambers’ of malt, six ‘ambers’ of meal, three weys of lard and cheese, four hundred loaves, one bullock and six sheep. And whosoever may succeed to my property is to distribute to every priest in Kent a mancus of gold, and to every servant of God a penny, and to St Peter my wergeld of two thousand. And Freothomund is accept my sword, and he is to give four thousand for it, and of that thirteen hundred pence are to be given back. And if my brothers beget an heir who is fit to own land, then I give the land to him. If they have no heir, or if anything happens to him (or them), after their death I give it to Freothomund, if he be alive at that time. If anything happens to him, then I give it to whichever of my sisters’ sons is willing to receive it and to him be it granted. And if it comes to pass that my family dies out so utterly that there be none of them who are land-worthy, then let the lord and the community at Christ Church succeed to it, and procure by means of it benefits for my soul. On this condition I give it to them, that whoever is lord of Christ Church shall be the advocate and patron of myself and my heirs, and that we may be within his lordship. + Ic Abba, reeve, write and confirm this with the sign of Christ’s cross. + I, Ceolnoth, archbishop through God’s Grace, write this and approve and confirm it with the sign of Christ’s cross + I, Beagmund, priest, approve and write this + I, Wærheard, priest [and] abbot, approve and write this + I, Æthelhun, priest, approve and write this + I, Abba, priest, approve and write this + I, Wigmund, priest, approve and write this + I, Iof, priest, approve and write this + I, Osmund, priest, approve and write this + I, Wealhhere, deacon, approve and write this + I, Badanoth, deacon, approve and write this + I, Heahberht, deacon, approve and write this + I, Nothwulf, subdeacon, priest, approve and write this + I, Wealhhere, subdeacon, approve and write this + I, Ceolwulf, subdeacon, approve and write this (b) Heregyth has stipulated these arrangements, after her day and Abba’s, for the community at Christ Church from the estate at Challock: that is at that time thirty ‘ambers’ of ale, three hundred loaves, fifty of which shall be white loaves [i.e. made with refined flour], one wey of lard and of cheese, one mature bullock, four wethers, one pig or six wethers, six geese, ten hens, thirty tapers if it is in winter, a ‘sester’ full of honey, a ‘sester’ full of butter and a ‘sester’ full of salt. And Heregyth enjoins, in the name of God, those men who succeed to the estate after her, that they take very good care that they perform what is stipulated in this document for the community at Christ Church, and let that be rendered every twelve months at the community’s blood-letting. And whosoever succeeds to the estate is to give to her inheritance-agent thirteen pounds in silver; and she remits fifteen pounds in order that the food rent may be the better provided.
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  • Endorsements: (1) in a contemporary hand: Abban geroefan (a)rf(e)ged(a)l: his ge∂inga to Kristes cirica(n). (2) in a hand of s. xii: Testamentum Abbe cuius uxor Henhith dedit Cheafloke conventui tempore Chelnothi. Anglice. (3) in a hand of s. xiv: Anno DCCCoXXXoVo. + Ic Abba geroefa cy∂e 7 writan hate hu min willa is ˇæt mon ymb min ærfe gedoe æfter minum dæge. Ærest ymb min lond ˇe ic hæbbe, 7 me God lah, 7 ic æt minum hlafordum begæt, is min willa gif me God bearnes unnan wille, ∂æt hit foe to londe æfter me 7 his bruce mid minum gemeccan; 7 sio∂∂an swæ for∂ min cynn ∂a hwile ˇe God wille ∂æt ∂eara ænig sie ˇe londes weor∂e sie 7 land gehaldan cunne. Gif me ∂onne gife∂e sie, ∂æt ic bearn begeotan ne mege, ˇonne is min willa ˇæt hit hæbbe min wiif ∂a hwile ∂e hia hit mid clennisse gehaldan wile. 7 min bro∂ar Alchhere hire fultume 7 ˇæt lond hire nytt gedoe; 7 him man sElle an half swulung an Ciollandene to habbanne 7 to brucanne, wi∂ ∂an ∂e he ∂y geornliocar hire ∂earfa bega 7 bewiotige; 7 mon selle him to ∂em londe IIII oxan 7 II cy 7 L scEpa 7 ænne horn. Gif min wiif ∂onne hia nylle mid clennisse swæ gehaldan, 7 hire liofre sie o∂er hemed to niomanne, ∂onne foen mine megas to ∂em londe 7 hire agefen hire agen. Gif hire ∂onne liofre sie an mynster to ganganne o∂∂a su∂ to faranne, ∂onne agefen hie twægen mine mEgas Alchhere 7 Ae∂elwold hire twa ∂usenda 7 fon him to ∂em londe; 7 agefe mon to Liminge L eawa 7 V cy fore hie. 7 mon selle to Folcanstane in mid minum lice X oxan 7 X cy 7 C eawa 7 C swina 7 higum ansundran D pend', wi∂ ∂an ∂e min wiif ˇær benuge innganges swæ mid minum lice swæ sio∂∂an yferran dogre swæ hwæder swæ hire liofre sie. Gif higan ∂onne o∂∂e hlaford ˇæt nylle hire mynsterlifes geunnan, o∂∂a hia siolf nylle, 7 hire o∂er ∂ing liofre sie, ˇonne agefe mon ten hund pend' inn mid minum lice me wi∂ legerstowe, 7 higum an sundran fif hund pend' fore mine sawle. 7 ic bidde 7 bebeode swælc monn se ∂æt min lond hebbe ∂æt he ælce gere agefe ∂em higum æt Folcanstane L ambra maltes 7 VI ambra gruta 7 III wega spices 7 ceses 7 CCCC hlafa 7 an hri∂r 7 VI scep. 7 swælc monn se ∂e to minum ærfe foe, ∂onne gedele he ælcum messepreoste binnan Cent mancus goldes 7 ælcum Godes ∂iowe pend' 7 to Sancte Petre min wærgeld twa ∂usenda. 7 Freo∂omund foe to minum sweorde 7 agefe ∂eræt feower ∂usenda, 7 him mon forgefe ∂eran ∂reotene hund pending. 7 gif mine bro∂ar ærfeweard gestrionen ∂e londes weor∂e sie, ˇonne ann ic ∂em londes. Gif hie ne gestrionen o∂∂a him sylfum ælles hwæt sEle, æfter hiora dege ann ic his Freo∂omunde gif he ∂onne lifes bi∂. Gif him elles hwæt sæle∂, ∂onne ann ic his minra swæstarsuna swælcum se hit ge∂ian wile 7 him gife∂e bi∂. 7 gif ˇæt gesele ˇæt min cynn to ∂an clane gewite ∂æt ∂er ∂eara nan ne sie ∂e londes weor∂e sie, ˇonne foe se hlaford to 7 ∂a higan æt Kristes cirican 7 hit minum gaste nytt gedoen. An ∂as redenne ic hit ∂ider selle, ∂e se monn se ∂e Kristes cirican hlaford sie, 'se' min 7 minra erfewearda forespreoca 7 mundbora, 7 an his hlaforddome 'we' bian moten. + Ic Ciolno∂ mid Godes gefe ærcebiscop ∂is write 7 ∂eafie 7 mid Cristes rode tacne hit festniæ. + Ic Beagmund preost ∂is ∂eafie 7 write. + Ic Wærhard preost abbod ∂is ∂eafie 7 write. + Ic Abba geroefa ∂is write 7 festnie mid Kristes rode tacne. + Ic Ae∂elhun preost ∂is ∂eafie 7 write. + Ic Abba preost ∂is ∂eafie 7 write. + Ic Wigmund preost ∂is write 7 ∂eafie. + Ic Iof preost ∂is ∂eafie 7 write. + Ic Osmund preost ∂is ∂eafie 7 write. + Ic Wealhhere diacon ∂is write 7 ∂eafie. + Ic Badano∂ diacon ∂is write 7 ∂eafie. + Ic Heaberht diacon ∂is write 7 ∂eafie. + Ic No∂wulf subdiacon ∂is write 7 ∂eafie. + Ic Wealhhere subdiacon ∂is write 7 ∂eafie. + Ic Ciolwulf subdiacon ∂is write 7 ∂eafie. + Heregy∂ hafa∂ ∂as wisan binemned ofer hire deg 7 ofer Abban ∂æm higum et Cristes cirican of ∂æm londe et Cealflocan. ∂æt is ∂onne ∂ritig ombra ala∂ 7 ∂reo hund hlafa, ∂eara bi∂ fiftig hwitehlafa, an weg spices 7 ceses, an ald hri∂er, feower we∂ras, an suin, o∂∂e sex we∂ras, sex gosfuglas, ten hennfuglas, ∂ritig teapera, gif hit wintres deg sie, sester fulne huniges, sester fulne butran, sester fulne saltes. 7 Heregy∂ bibeade∂ ∂em mannum ∂e efter hire to londe foen, on Godes noman, ∂æt hie fulgere witen ∂æt hie ∂iss gelEsten ∂e on ∂issem gewrite binemned is ∂em higum to Cristes cirican, '7 ∂æt sie simle to higna blodlese ymb twelf mona∂ agefen'. 7 se mann se to londe foe, agefe hire erfehonda XIII pund pendinga; 7 hio forgife∂ fiftene pund for ∂y ∂e mon ∂as feorme ∂y soel gelæste.