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  • Fortuna fallentis seculi procax, non lacteo liliorum candore amabilis, sed fellita eiulande corruptionis amaritudine odibilis, fetentis filios in ualle lacrimarum carnis rictibus debachando uenenosis dilaceret. Que quamuis arridendo sit infelicibus attrectabilis, Acherontici tamen ad ima Cociti, ni satus alti subueniat Boantis, impudenter est decliuis, et ideo quia ipsa ruinosa defitiendo tanaliter dilabitur, summopere festinandum est ad amena indicibilis letitie arua ubi himnidica angelice iubilationis organa mellifluaque uernantium rosarum odoramina a bonis beatisque naribus inestimabiliter dulcia capiuntur sineque calce auribus felitium suauia audiuntur. Cuius amore felicitatis illectus, ego Ethelstanus rex Anglorum, per omnipotentis dexteram totius Britannie regni solio sullimatus, aliquas terre particulas uenerabili familie Maldubiensi, pro animabus patruelium meorum, filiorum Ethelwe\r/di clitonis, uidelicet Elfwini et Ethelwini, Deo et sancto Petro in perpetuum ius largitus sum, sub estimatione .x. cassatorum in loco qui dicitur Wdetun, sub estimatione .lx. cassatorum in loco qui dicitur Breomel, sub estimatione .v. cassatorum in loco qui dicitur Sumerford, item .v. in loco qui dicitur Nortun, item .v. in loco qui dicitur Ewulm: hoc precipiens, ut nemo nostrorum successorum hoc nostrum donum quamdiu Christanitas uigeat, uel ex minimo interrumpere temptet. Quod si quis temptauerit, a Deo se dampnandum inperpetuum sciat. Sciant autem sapientes nostre regionis nos has prefatas terras non iniuste rapuisse, rapinamque Deo dedisse, sed sic eas accepi quemadmodum iudicauerunt omnes optimates regni Anglorum, insuper et apostolicus pape Romane ecclesie Iohannes, Elfredo defuncto qui nostre felicitati et uite emulus extitit, nequitie inimicorum nostrorum consentiens, quando me uoluerunt, patre meo defuncto, cecare in Wintonia ciuitate, si non me Deus sua pietate eripuisset. Sed denudatis eorum machinamentis missus est ad Romanam ecclesiam, ut ibi se coram Iohanne apostolico iureiurando defenderet. Et hoc fecit coram sancti Petri altari, sed facto iuramento cecidit coram altari, et manibus famulorum suorum portatus est ad scolam Anglorum, et in tertia nocte uitam finiuit. Et tunc apostolicus ad nos remisit, et quid de eo ageretur consuluit. Nos autem, optimatum nostrorum rogatu, concessimus ut poneretur ad ceteros Christianos, quamuis indignus, et sic iudicata est mihi possessio illius omnis in magnis et modicis, et cetera. Huius autem a Deo Dominoque Iesu Christo inuente atque inspirate uoluntatis scedula anno dominice incarnationis .dccccxxxvii., regni uero gratis mihi commissi .xi., indictione octaua, epacta .xiiii., concurrente tertio, .xii. kalendas Ianuarii, luna uertentis mensis decima, in ciuitate celeberrima que Dornacester appellatur conscripta est, tota optimatum generalitate sub alis regie dapsilitatis ouanti. Subscripsere subreguli Eugenius, Howel, Morcant, Iudual; archiepiscopi Wlfhelmus Dorobernie, Wlstanus Eboraci; episcopi Burgric Rofensis, Tedred Lundoniensis, E†elgar Orientalium Anglorum, Alfrith Wintoniensis, Elfredus Scireburnensis, Wlfelmus Wellensis, Eðelgar Cridiensis, Oda Wiltensis, Eadhelm Selesiensis, Sexhelm Sancti Cuthberti, Tidelm Herefordensis, Elwine Wigorniensis, Kinsi Licitfeldensis, Winsi Legecestrensis.
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  • The insolent fortune of this deceiving age, not worthy of love because of the milky whiteness of lilies but hateful because of the bitterness steeped in gall of corruption that is to be lamented, tears to pieces the sons of stinking flesh in the vale of tears by raving wildly with its poisonous jaws, which, although it might be attractive to the unfortunate by its pleasing manner, yet shamelessly is it declining downward to the depths of Acherontic Cocytus [i.e., Hell], unless the Seed of the One Who Roars on High [i.e. Jesus, the Son of God] should assist. And so, because that ruined thing [i.e., fortune] is going mortally into decay through its failing, one must hasten with the utmost effort to the pleasant fields of indescribable happiness, where the angelic tongues of hymn-singing rejoicing and the scents of verdant roses flowing with honey of incalculable sweetness is captured by the good and blessed nostrils and the sweetnesses of musical instruments heard by the ears of the blessed without end. Enticed by a love of this happiness, I, Æthelstan, king of the English, through the favour of the Almighty raised to the throne of the kingdom of the whole of Britain, have bestowed as a perpetual right certain parcels of land on the venerable community of Malmesbury, for the souls of my cousins, the sons of Æthelweard clito, namely, Ælfwine and Æthelwine, for God and for St Peter, at an assessment of 10 hides in the place that is called Wootton, at an assessment of 60 hides in the place that is called Bremhill, at an assessment of 5 hides in the place that is called Sumerford, likewise 5 in the place that is called Norton, likewise 5 in the place that is called Ewen: prescribing this, that none of our successors should attempt to violate even in the slightest degree this gift of ours as long as Christianity might flourish. If anyone should attempt this, let him know that he is to be damned in perpetuity by God. And let wise men of our country know that the aforementioned lands have not been unjustly seized and the rapine given to God but I received them just as all the magnates of the kingdom of the English adjudged them, and also the apostolic pope of the Roman church, John, on the death of Alfred who was envious of our good fortune and life, conspiring in the wickedness of our enemies when they wished to blind me in the city of Winchester on the death of my father, if God with His piety had not snatched me away. But with their machinations laid bare, he was sent to the church at Rome, where he defended himself by swearing an oath before the Apostolic John. And he did this before the altar of St Peter, but when the oath had been sworn he fell before the altar and was carried by the hands of his servants to the schola Anglorum and ended his life on the third night. And then the Apostolic one sent to us and consulted as to what should be done with him. At the request of our magnates, we granted that he might be placed with other Christians, although he was unworthy, and so all his property, great and small, was adjudged to me, etcetera. The record of this wish, acquired from and inspired by God and the Lord Jesus Christ, was written in the year of the Lord’s incarnation 937, in [year] 11 of the reign freely granted to me, in the eighth indiction, epact 14, the third concurrent, on the 21st of December, on the tenth day of the monthly cycle of the moon, in the very famous city that is called Dorchester, with the whole body of magnates rejoicing under the wings of royal bounty. The sub-kings Eogen mac Domnaill, Hywel Dda ap Cadell, Morgan ab Owain, Idwal Foel ab Anarawd; the archbishops Wulfhelm of Canterbury [and] Wulfstan of York; the bishops Burgric of Rochester, Theodred of London, Æthelgar of the East Angles, Ælfheah of Winchester, Alfred of Sherbourne, Wulfhelm of Wells, Æthelgar of Crediton, Oda of Ramsbury, Eadhelm of Selsey, Seaxhelm of St Cuthbert’s, Tidhelm of Hereford, Ælfwine of Worcester, Cynesige of Lichfield, [and] Wynsige of Leicester subscribed.
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  • Fortuna fallentis seculi procax , non lacteo liliorum candore amabilis , sed fellita ejulandæ corruptionis amaritudine odibilis , fetentis filios in valle lacrimarum carnis rictibus debachando venenosis dilacerat ; quæ , quamvis arridendo sit infelicibus attrectabilis , Acherontici tamen ad ima Cociti , ni Satus Alti subveniat Boantis impudenter est declivis . Et ideo quia ipsa ruinosa defitiendo tanaliter dilabitur , summopere festinandum est ad amena indicibilis letitiæ arva ubi himnidica angelicæ jubilationis organa mellifluaque vernantium rosarum odoramina a bonis beatisque naribus inestimabiliter dulcia capiuntur , sineque calce auribus felitium suavia audiuntur . Cujus amore felicitatis illectus , ego Ethelstanus , rex Anglorum , per omnipotentis dexteram totius Britanniæ regno sullimatus , aliquas terræ particulas venerabili familiæ Maldubiensi pro animabus patruelium meorum , filiorum Ethelwerdi clitonis . videlicet Elfwini et Ethelwini , Deo et sancto Petro in perpetuum jus largitus sum . sub estimatione . x . cassatorum in loco qui dicitur Wdetun . sub estimatione lx ta . cassatorum in loco qui dicitur Breomel . sub estimatione . v . cassatorum . in loco qui dicitur Sumerford . item . v . in loco qui dicitur Nortun . item . v . in loco qui dicitur Ewulm . Hoc præcipiens , ut nemo nostrorum successorum . hoc nostrum donum , quamdiu Christianitas vigeat , vel ex minimo interrumpere temptet . Quod si quis temptaverit , a Deo se dampnandum in perpetuum sciat . Sciant autem sapientes nostræ regionis nos has præfatas terras non injuste rapuisse rapinamque Deo dedisse , sed sic eas accepi , quemadmodum judicaverunt omnes optimates regni Anglorum , insuper et apostolicus papa Romanæ æcclesiæ Johannes , Elfredo defuncto , qui nostræ felicitati et vitæ emulus extitit , nequitiæ inimicorum meorum consentiens , quando me voluerunt , patre meo defuncto , cecare in Wintonia civitate si non me Deus sua pietate eripuisset . Sed , denudatis eorum machinamentis , remissus est ad Romanam ecclesiam , ut ibi se coram Johanne apostolico jurejurando defenderet . Et hoc fecit coram Sancti Petri altari . Sed , facto juramento , cecidit coram altari , et manibus famulorum suorum portatus est ad scolam Anglorum , et in tertia nocte vitam finivit . Et tunc apostolicus ad nos remisit , et quid de eo ageretur consuluit . Nos autem optimatum nostrorum rogatu concessimus ut poneretur ad cæteros Christianos , quamvis indignus . Et sic judicata est mihi possessio illius omnis in magnis et modicis . Et cetera . Huius autem a Deo dominoque Jhesu Christo inventæ atque inspiratæ voluntatis scedula anno dominicæ incarnationis . dcccc o . xxx o . vii o . regni vero gratis mihi commissi . xi o . indictione octava . epacta . x ma . iiii ta . concurrente tertio . xii o . kalendas Januarii , luna vertentis mensis decima in civitate celeberrima quæ Dornacester appellatur conscripta est , tota optimatum generalitate sub alis regiæ dapsilitatis ovanti . Subscripsere subreguli Eugenius , Howel , Morcant , Ludual . Archiepiscopi Wlfelmus Doroberniæ , Wlstanus Eboraci . Episcopi Burgric Rofesis , Tedred Lundoniensis , Eˇelgar Orientalium Anglorum , Alfrith Wintoniensis , Elfredus Scireburnensis , Wlfelmus Wellensis , Eˇelgar Cridiensis , Oda Wiltensis , Eadhelm Selesiensis , Sexhelm Sancti Cuthberhti , Tidelm Herefordensis , Elwine Wigorniensis , Kinsi Licitfeldensis, Winsi Legecestrensis .