A.D. 938. King Athelstan to Ælfheah, minister; grant of 16 hides (mansae) at Pitminster, Somerset, in return for 200 staterae of gold and silver. Latin with English bounds

Archive:

Winchester, Old Minster

MSS:

1. London, British Library, Add. 15350, ff. 29r-30r (s. xii med.)

Printed:

K, 1117; B, 729; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 3, no. 94

Comments:

Stevenson 1914, p. 692 n. 16, doubtful or spurious; Grundy, Somerset, pp. 30-4, on bounds; Drögereit 1935, p. 380 n. 1, spurious; Finberg, ECW, no. 439, authentic; Hart 1970a, p. 27 (no. 54), authentic

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    Old Text

    • ˝is is ∂æra sextunæ hyda land boc æt Pipingmynstræ ˇe E∂ælstan cing gæ bocodæ Elfheagæ his ˇægnæ on ece yrfæ . Regnante imperpetuum altissimo rerum creatore domino nostro Jhesu Christo . Qui sua ineffabiliter potentia . omnia ab arce polorum cosmi climata disponit . atque gubernat vicesque temporum . hominumque mirabiliter discernens terminum in certum predestinatum omnibus a se formatis prout vult imponens . Quapropter ego . Æ∂elstanus . divina favente clementia rex Anglorum et æquæ totius Britanniæ orbis curagulus preelectus . meo fideli ministro . qui usitato onomate nuncupatur . Ælfheago . aliquam juris mei particulam . xvi . videlicet mansas in æternæ hereditatis stipendium libens concedo in illo loco ubi vocitatur . Pipingminstre . pro ejus amabili subjectione atque subpeditationis obedientia quam michi meisque semper incessabiliter monstravit et etiam pro ipsius placabili pretio quod michimet dedit ut huius syngraphi adipisceretur firmationem . ducentas scilicet auri cocti et purissimi argenti stateras . Idcirco ergo ob nostræ huius donationis perpetuam stabilitatem et indiscussam confirmationem . et ob futurorum cautelam . ne quisquam unquam subsequentium hoc ipsum nostræ bonitatis emolumentum aliquomodo avertere sive imminuere audacter presumat apicum caracteribus liquide inserere curavimus . quia sepissime contingi solet in sanctionibus procerum et in edictis priscorum . ut quod scedularum certa impressio minime caraxatum retinet . illud futura ac subsequens prosapia . partim temeritatis audacia partim ignorantiæ negligentia prave pervertat . quod antecedens generatio justa dijudicatione sanctierat . Habeat itaque atque gratanter perfruatur predictus meus minister prefata possessiuncula quamdiu vita sibi comes fuerit . et post presentis vite cursum peractum posteritatis suæ successoribus cuicunque voluerit derelinquat ceu supra diximus in æternæ heredita'ti's portionem . Maneat etiam hoc ipsum rus cum omnibus utilitatibus sibi justa addicatione pertinentibus tam in minimis quam in maximis rebus ab omni humane servitutis jugo perpetua libertate jocundum . tribus semotis causis a quibus nullus nostrorum poterit expers fore id est generalis expeditionis necessaria societate . ac pontium urbiumque jugi assolidatione . Qui autem hoc quod nos nostro concessimus fideli multiplicando augere satagerit . centenam a Christo recipiat mercedem et sempiternæ gloriæ coronam . Si autem quod nusquam contingere cupimus . quisquam repertus fuerit diabolico perflatus anhelitu . qui hoc fraudulenter avertere vel permutare in aliud quam nunc constituimus studuerit . sciat se absque dubio in huius vitæ labili stadio maledictionis cyrographo constringi . et in tremendo justissimi judicis libramine æternali dampnatione trucidari cum Caipha et Pilato cæterisque ipsorum sodalibus . qui in ima inferni trucidantur voragine cecis adusti flammis . ni ante obitum pleniter penitendo emendaverit quod deliquit . His giraminibus villa prescripta in circuitu gyrari ac se concludi contemplatur . ˘is synd ˇæra . xvi . hida land ge mere to Pipingmynstre . Ærest of searrescumbes heafde west on ∂one herepa∂ swa west and lang herepa∂es . ˇæt hit cume on easteweardne . ac beara . ˇæt nor∂ on gerihte of ac beara weste weardan on ˇæs biscopes gemere on bennancumb . Swa dun æfter ˇæs biscopes gemere on bennancumbes ford . ˇæt hit cum∂ be nor∂an fyrs leage swa of nor∂en wardre fyrsleage . On bennancumbes broc . ˇæt up on gean stream east en tucheles mor . of ˇam more on ge rihte on heardan geat . Of ˇam geate on hagan on deopan ford . Of ˇam forda on ˇæ rihte land sceare adun on sciteres stream . Of ˇan streame on gerihte on witan stan on ˇæt ge beare nor∂e wear∂ne . ˘anon on readan ford . Of ˇam forda east on ˇone herepa∂ . Of ˇam herepa∂e su∂ ˇæt on langan ham . Of ˇam hamme ˇanon binnan euisc on gregan stan . Of ˇam stane on lind oran . Of lind oran on ˇone ealdan hagan on wealdenes weg . Of ˇam wege upp an dune on hringwoldes beorh . Of ˇam beorge west and lang dune on wi∂isled to henna ˇorne . ˇanon west on ∂a ealdan dic . ˇonne sume hwile and lang ˇære dice . 7 ˇænon nor∂ ofer wi∂an cumbe . ˇæt east on fearres cumbes heafd . Acta est hec prefata donatio . Anno ab incarnatione domini nostri . dcccc xxx viii . Indictione . xi . Ego Æ∂elstanus rex tocius Brittanniæ prefatam donationem cum sigillo sanctæ Crucis confirmavi . Ego Wulfhelm Dorovernensis æcclesiæ archiepiscopus ejusdem regis donationem cum tropheo agiæ crucis consignavi . Ego Ælfheag Wintoniensis æcclesiæ episcopus triumphalem tropheum agie crucis impressi . Ego ˘eodred Lundoniensis episcopus consignavi . Ego Cenwald episcopus predictum donum consensi . Ego Wulfun episcopus consensi . Ego Oda episcopus confirmavi . Ego Wulfhelm episcopus consignavi . Ego Burhgric episcopus consensi . Ego Eˇelgar episcopus roboravi . Ego Alfwold dux . Ego Vthred dux . Ego Oda minister . Ego Wulgar minister . Ego Ælfric minister . Ego Eadmund minister . Ego Wulfsige minister . Ego Ælfhere minister . Ego Withgar minister . Ego Æ∂elwold minister . Ego Æ∂ere∂ minister . Ego Wulfmer minister Ego Ælfred minister . Ego Wulfgar minister . Ego Ælfsige minister . Ego Ordeah minister . Ego Sigulf minister . Ego Adelstan minister . Ego Eadric minister .