A.D. 805 x 832. Will of Æthelnoth, reeve at Eastry, and Gænburg, his wife, concerning arrangements for the disposition of land at Eythorne, Kent. English

Archive:

Canterbury, Christ Church

MSS:

1. London, British Library, Stowe Charters 8 (OS Facs., iii. 8)
2. London, British Library, Stowe 853, ff. 12v-13r (s. xvii)

Printed:

K, 191; B, 318 endorsement; Sweet, Second Reader, p. 208 (no. 20)

Printed and Translated:

Thorpe, pp. 462-3, incomplete; Earle, p. 77; Robertson, Charters, no. 3 (p. 4)

Comments:

Sweet, OET, pp. 441-2 (no. 24); Campbell 1938, p. 143, original; Wright 1950, p. 391; Robertson, Charters, pp. 262-3; Keynes 1994c, p. 29 n. 123; Lowe 2001, Appendix I.2; Wormald 2001, pp. 265-7, on hereditary possession

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    Text

    • + Æðelnoð se gerefa to Eastorege 7 Gænburg his wif aræddan hiora erfe beforan Wulfre\de/ arcebiscope 7 Æðelhune his mæsseprioste 7 Esne cyninges ðegne Suæ hueðer hiora suæ leng lifes were foe to londe 7 to alre æhte Gif hio bearn hæbbe ðonne foe ðæt \ofer/ hiora boega dagas to londe 7 to æhte . Gif hio ðonne bearn næbbe 7 Wulfred archibiscop lifes sie þonne foe he to ðæm londe 7 hit forgelde 7 ðæt wiorð gedæle fore hiora gastas suæ ælmeslice 7 suæ rehtlice suæ he him seolfa on his wisdome geleornie :- 7 ða sprece nænig mon uferran dogor on nænge oðre halfe oncærrende sie nymne suæ :. þis gewrit hafað :- + Wulfred archiepiscopus + Feologeld presbyter abbas + Æþelhun presbyter + Cuðberht presbyter + Æðelnoð + Gænburg + Esne Þisses londes earan ðrie sulong æt Hægyðeðorne . 7 gif hiora oðrum oððe bæm suð fo\r/gelimpe biscop ðæt lond gebycge suæ hie ðonne geweorðe
  • Metadata

    Translation

    • Æthelnoth, the reeve at Eastry, and Gænburg his wife have made arrangements for their property before Archbishop Wulfred and Æthelhun his mass-priest and Esne, the king’s thegn. Whichever of then lives longest shall succeed to the land and the goods. If they have a child, then it shall succeed after the death of both of them to the land and possessions. But if they do not have a child and Archbishop Wulfred is still living, then he shall succeed to the land and redeem it and distribute the value for their souls, as charitably and justly as he himself can devise in his wisdom. And no-one at a later day shall declare any alteration in any part beyond what the document has. + Wulfred, archbishop + Feologeld, priest [and] abbot + Æþelhun, priest + Cuðberht priest + Æðelnoð + Gænburg + Esne This land consists of three sulungs at Eythorne. And if one or both of them should goes south [i.e. on a pilgrimage], the bishop shall buy the estate on the terms that they then agree
  • Metadata

    Old Text

    • Endorsed: Heagyˇe ∂ornes boc. + Æ∂elno∂ se gerefa to Eastorege 7 Gænburg his wif aræddan hiora erfe beforan Wulfre'de' arcebiscope 7 Æ∂elhune his mæsseprioste 7 Esne cyninges ∂egne suæ hue∂er hiora suæ leng lifes were foe to londe 7 to alre æhte gif hio bearn hæbbe ∂onne foe ∂æt ofer hiora boega dagas to londe 7 to æhte . gif hio ∂onne bearn næbbe 7 Wulfred archibiscop lifes sie ˇonne foe he to ∂æm londe 7 hit forgelde 7 ∂æt wior∂ gedæle fore hiora gastas suæ ælmeslice 7 suæ rehtlice suæ he him seolfa on his wisdome geleornie . 7 ∂a sprece nænig mon uferran dogor on nænge o∂re halfe oncærrende sie nymne suæ :. ˇis gewrit hafa∂ :- + Wulfred arc epis + Feologeld pr ab + Æ∂elhun pr. + Cu∂berht pr. + Æ∂elno∂. + Gænburg. + Esne. ˝isses londes earan ∂rie sulong æt Hægy∂e ∂orne . 7 gif hiora o∂rum o∂∂e bæm su∂ fo'r' gelimpe biscop ∂at lond gebycge suæ hie ∂onne geweor∂e.