A.D. 962 x 991, probably after 975. Will of Æthelflæd, including bequest of land at Lambourn, Cholsey and Reading, Berks., to the king; at Damerham, Hants., to Glastonbury; at Hamme to Christ Church, Canterbury; at Woodham, Essex, to Ealdorman Brihtnoth and her sister for life, with reversion to St Mary's, Barking; at Hadham, Herts., to the same, for life, with reversion to St Paul's, London; at Fen Ditton, Cambs., to Ely Abbey; at Cockfield and Chelsworth, Suffolk, to the same for life, with reversion to St Edmunds, Bedericesworth (Bury); at Fingringhoe, Essex, to the same for life, with reversion to St Peter's, Mersea; at Polstead, Suffolk, to the same for life, with reversion to Stoke (? Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk); at Withermarsh, Suffolk, to Stoke; at Stratford St Mary, Lavenham, Balsdon, Suffolk, and at Peldon, Mersea and Greenstead (near Colchester), Essex, to Ealdorman Brihtnoth and her sister for life, with reversion to Stoke; at Elmsett, Suffolk, to the same for life, with reversion to Edmund; at Thorpe (? Morieux, Suffolk), to Hadleigh, Suffolk; at Wickford, Essex, to Sibriht, her kinsman; at Hadham, Herts., to Ecgwine, her reeve; at Donyland, Essex, to Brihtwold, her servant, to Ælfwold and Æthelmær, her priests, and to Ælfgeat, her kinsman; and at Waldingfield, Suffolk, to Crawe, her kinswoman. English

Archive:

Bury St Edmunds

MSS:

1. London, British Library, Harley Charter 43 C 4 (s. xi; BM Facs., iii. 35)
2. Cambridge, University Library, Ff.2.33, ff. 46v-47r (s. xiii 2)

Printed:

Wotton 1737, pp. 95-6; K, 685; B, 1288, ex MS 1; B, 1354, ex MS 2; Earle, pp. 364-6; Sweet, Reader, pp. 206-7; Sweet, Second Reader, pp. 231-3 (no. 44)

Printed and Translated:

Thorpe, pp. 519-22; Whitelock, Wills, no. 14 (pp. 34-7)

Comments:

BM Facs., iv, p. 7, MS 1 is s. xi; Whitelock, Wills, pp. 137-41; Darlington 1955, p. 95; Hart, ECEE, no. 58, authentic; Sweet, Reader, p. 289; Stenton 1970, p. 35, on the reversion to St Paul's; Hart, ECE, no. 18, authentic, discusses descent of Essex estates; PN Berks., i. 162, 170, ii. 333; Gem 1978, p. 105, on Cholsey; Gelling, ECTV, no. 122 (pp. 62, 84), p. 188, authentic, with addendum p. 188; Dumville 1992, pp. 110-11 n. 263; Dumville 1993, pp. 36, 81, cited; Keynes 1993b, p. 306 n. 26, on Hadham; Pelteret 1995, pp. 123-4, 130; Abrams 1996, pp. 104-7, on bequest of Damerham; Foot 2000, II. 30, 80

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    Translation

    • This is ÆthelflædÆs will. First, I grant to my lord the estate at Lambourn and those at Cholsey and at Reading, and four armlets of two hundred mancuses of gold, and four robes and four cups and four bowls and four horses. And I pray my dear lord for the love of God that my will may stand, and I have made no other, by God's witness. And I grant the estate at Damerham to Glastonbury for King Edmund's soul and for King Edgar's and for mine. And I grant the estate at Ham to Christchurch at Canterbury for King Edmund's soul and for my soul. And I grant the estate at Woodham to the Ealdorman Brihtnoth and my sister for their lifetime, and after their death to St Paul's in London as episcopal property. And I grant the estate at Ditton to Ely, to St Etheldreda and her sisters. And I grant the two estates, Cockfield and Chelsworth, to the Ealdorman Brihtnoth and my sister for her life; and after her death to St Edmund's foundation at Bedericesworth. And I grant the estate at Fingringhoe to the Ealdorman Brihtnoth and my sister for her life; and after her death to St Peter's church at Mersea. And I grant the estate at Polstead to Ealdorman Brihtnoth and my sister for her life; and after her death to Stoke. And I grant the estate at Withermarsh to Stoke after my death, and I grant to the Ealdorman Brihtnoth and my sister for their lifetime the estate at Stratford; and after their death I grant it to Stoke. And it is my wish that Lavenham should go to Stoke after the ealdorman's death and my sister's. And I grant the estate at Balsdon to Stoke after the ealdorman's death and my sister's. And I grant the estates at Peldon and at Mersea and at Greenstead to Stoke after my death, and after the death of the Ealdorman Brihtnoth and my sister. And I grant the estate at Elmsett to the Ealdorman Brihtnoth and my sister for their lifetime, and after their death I grant it to Edmund. And I grant the one hide at Thorpe to Hadleigh after my death, for my soul and the souls of my ancestors. And I grant the ten hides at Wickford to my kinsman Sibriht after my death. And to my reeve Ecgwine I grant the four hides at Hadham after my death, as it was settled in former times. And I grant to my servant Brihtwold two hides in Donyland after my death. And I grant to Æthelmær my priest two hides in Donyland after my death. And I grant the estate at Waldingfield to my kinswoman Crawe after my death. And I wish that half my men in every village be freed for my soul; and that half the stock which I have be distributed in each village for my soul.
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    Old Text

    • ˝is is Æˇelflæde cwyde ˇæt is ærest ˇæt ic gean minum hlaforde ˇes landes æt Lamburnan 7 ˇæs æt Ceolsige 7 æt Readingan. 7 feower beagas on twam hund mancys goldes. 7 .IIII. pellas. 7 .IIII. cuppan. 7 .IIII. bleda. 7 .IIII. hors. 7 ic bidde minne leouan hlaford for godes lufun. ˇæt min cwyde Standan mote. 7 ic nan o∂er nebbe geworht on godes gewitnesse. 7 ic gean ˇæs landes æt Domarhame into Glestingabyrig. for Ædmundes cinges sawle. 7 for Æadgares cinges. 7 for mire sawle. 7 ic gean ˇes landes æt Hamme into Cristes cyrcan. æt Cantwarebyrig for Eadmundæs cinges sawle. 7 for mire sawle. 7 ic gean ˇes landes. æt Wudaham Bæorhtno∂e. æaldormen. 7 mire swustær hyre dæg. 7 ofer hire deg into sancta Marian cyrcan. æt Byorcingan. 7 ic gean ˇes landes. æt Hedham Bæorhtno∂æ ealdormen. 7 mire swuster hæora dæg. 7 æfter hæora dæge into Paulusbyrig. æt Lundænæ. to bisceophamæ. 7 ic gean ˇæs landæs. æt Dictunæ into Ylig to sanctæ Æˇæl∂ry∂. 7 to hire geswustran. 7 ic gean ˇara twegra landa æt Cohhanfeldæa 7 æt Cæorlesweorˇe Bæorhtno∂æ æaldormen. 7 miræ swuster hire dæg. 7 ofer hire dæg into sanctæ Eadmundes stowe to Bydericeswyr∂e. 7 ic 'ge'an ˇæs landes æt Fingringaho Bæorhtno∂e æaldermen. 7 mire swuster hiræ deg 7 ofer hire dæg into sanctæ Pætres cyrcan æt Myresigæ. 7 ic gæan ˇæs landes æt Polstede Bæorhtno∂e æaldormæn. 7 mire swuster hire deg. 7 ofor hira dæg into Stocy. 7 ic gæan ˇæs landæs æt Hwifersce into Stocy ofer minnæ deg 7 ic gæan Bæorhtno∂æ æaldermen. 7 mire swuster ˇæs landes æt Strætforda hire dæg. 7 ofer hire dæg. Ic his gæan into Stocy. 7 ic willæ ˇæt Lauanham ga into Stoce ofær ˇes æaldermannes dæg. 7 mire swuster. 7 ic gean ˇæs landes æt Byligesdynæ into Stocy ofer ˇæs æaldermanes dæg. 7 mire swuster 7 ic gean ˇara landa æt Peltandune. 7 et Myresige. 7 æt Grenstede into Stocy ofer minnæ dæg. 7 ofer Bæorhtno∂es æaldormannæs. 7 ofær mire swuster. 7 ic gean ˇes landes æt Ylmesæton Beorhtno∂e æaldormen. 7 mire swuster hira dæg. 7 ofær hira dæg. ic his gæan Æadmundæ. 7 ic an ˇæræ. aræ hide æt ˝orpæ into Hedlæge. for mire sawle. 7 for mira eldrena ofer [minne dæg] 7 ic gean ∂æra .X. hida æt Wicforda Sibrihte minum mægæ ofer minne dæg. 7 ic gean Ægwinæ minum geræfan. ˇara .IIII. hida æt Hedham. ofer miminne deg. swa hit on æalddagum gestod. 7 ic gæan Brihtwolde minum cnihtæ ˇara twegra hida. on Dunninclande ofer minnæ dæg. 7 ic an Alfwolde minum preoste twægra hida on Dunninglande ofer minne dæg. 7 ic gean Æˇælmære minum præoste twægra hida on Dunninglandæ ofæ[r] minne dæg. 7 ic gæan Ælfgæate minum megæ. twegra hida on Dunninglande ofar minnæ dæg. 7 ic gæan ∂æs landæs æt Wæaldingafælda Crawa mira magan ouær minnæ dæg. 7 ic wille ˇæt man frigæ hæalue mine men on elcum tune for mine sawlæ. 7 ˇæt man dele æal healf ˇæt yrue ˇæt ic hæbbæ on ælcum tune for mire sawle.