S 1503a

? A.D. 986. Will of Æthelstan Mannessune, including bequests of land at Chatteris, Cambs., to Ramsey abbey, and at Wold (near Witchford), Cambs., to Ely abbey; at Clapham, Beds. Graveley, Cambs. Waresley, Hunts. and Elsworth, Cambs., to his wife for her lifetime, with reversion to Ramsey abbey; half the land at Knapwell, Cambs., to his wife, and half to Leofsige, his kinsman; land at Over, Cambs., and Holywell, Hunts., to his wife; at Cottenham, Cambs., to his son; at Great Gransden, Cambs., to his elder daughter; 2 hides at Hatley, Cambs., to his sister; land at Slepe (St Ives, Hunts.) and at Hackthorn, Lincs., to his younger daughter Ælfwenna, and her heirs, with ultimate reversion to Ramsey abbey; the remainder of the estate at Hatley to Leofsige; land at Potton, Beds., to the son of Leofsige's brother, after the death of Æffe, if he can get it from her by litigation; half the fishery at Welle (cf. Upwell and Outwell, Cambs. and Norfolk) to his wife, and the other half to his son and two daughters. Latin

Archive:

Ramsey

MSS:

1. London, Public Record Office, E 164/28, f. 141r-v (s. xiv)
2. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson B 333, ff. 7v-8r (s. xiv 1)
3. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson B 333, f. 32v (s. xiv 1)

Printed:

Macray, Chron. Ramsey, pp. 59-60

Comments:

Raftis 1957, pp. 13-14; Blake, Liber Eliensis, p. 91; Hart 1964a, Latin abstract of vernacular will, cannot be complete for no mention is made of heriot; Hart, ECEE, no. 21 (pp. 29, 45, 101-2), authentic, cf. no. 22; Gelling, ECTV, no. 5, authentic; Hart 1992, pp. 613-23; Kennedy 1995, p. 144; Pelteret 1995, pp. 143-3; Wareham 1996, pp. 49-53; Foot 2000, II. 57