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  • Cum uniuersitatem generalis masse <meta> maneat certa, uisibiliaque ut apostolus inquit, temporalia, inuisibilia uero perpetua, restat <unumquemque> ut hic peracta illic <recipere> merita. Unde ego Eadgarus, totius Albionis basileus necne maritimorum seu insulanorum regum circumhabitantium, adeo ut nullus progenitorum meorum subiectione, largiflua Dei gratia suppentente, sublimatus, quid imperii mei potissimum regi regum Domino darem tanti memor honoris sollertius sepe tractaui. Pie igitur fautrix deuotionis peruigili mee studiositati superna subito insinuauit pietas queque in regno meo sancta restaurare monasteria, que uelut musciuis scindulis cariosisque tabulis tignotenus uisibiliter diruta, sic, quod maius est, intus a seruitio <Dei> ferme uacua fuerant neglecta. Idiotis nempe clericis eiectis, nullius regularis religionis discipline subiectis, plurimis in locis sanctioris <seriei> scilicet monachici habitus prefeci pastores, ad ruinosa queque templorum redintegranda, opulentos fiscalium munerum eis exhibens sumptus. Quorum unum, nomine Ælfricum, uirum in omnibus ecclesiasticum, famosissimi constitui custodem cenobii quod Angli bifario uocitant onomate Maldumesburg <Maldelmesburuh>. Cui, pro commoditate animule mee, ob saluatoris nostri <eiusque> theotocos semper uirginis Marie, necnon apostolorum Petri et Pauli, Aldhelmique almi presulis honorem, particulam terre, .x. uidelicet manentium, uocabulo Eastcotun, cum pratis et siluis, munifica liberalitate restitui. Hec terra a predictis semel accomodata clericis, diu a plerisque, postremo a contentioso iniuste possessa est Æþelnoðo. Sed, superstitiosa subtilique eius <inuectione> a sapientibus meis audita ac disceptatione illius mendosa ab eisdem me presente conuicta, monasteriali a me reddita est usui, anno dominice incarnationis .dcccclxxiiii., regni uero mei .xiiii., regie consecrationis primo. Hanc uero restitutionis scedulam, predicti abbatis rogatu, ob future posteritatis memoriam tenacem, caraxare precepi, ne, quamdiu Christiana fides uiget in nostratibus, ab aliquo tyrannici potentatus prefatum rus ab illo sancto loco uiolenter quod absit <alienetur>. Ab affinitate uero circumiacentium agelullorum hec memorata terra giratur territorio. Idonei testes regii doni astipulatores sunt isti. + Ego Eadgar rex uexilliferi signo trophei proprium datum corroboraui. + Ego Dunstan archipastor salutifere stigmate gabuli consensi et subscripsi. + Ego Oswald antistes uiuifici signaculo triumphi idem adstipulaui. + Ego Æthelwold presul taumatico crucis sigillo illud confirmaui. + Nos tres uniformi proprio Ælfstani appellatiuo uocitamine episcopi consignauimus. + Ego Byrhthelm geminique Ælwoldi episcopi consensimus et subscripsimus. + Ego Ælfhere dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego Æþelwine dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego Byrhtnoð dux consensi et subscripsi. + Ego Oslac comes et prefectus consensi et subscripsi. + Ego Wulfstan prefectus consensi et subscripsi. + Ego Æþelwerd fraterque meus Ælfwerd ministri consensimus et subscripsimus. + Ego Eadulf consensi et subscripsi.
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  • Since a fixed limits awaits all of the general multitude, and visible things, as the Apostle says, are temporal, the invisible everlasting, it remains for each to receive there what is deserved for things done here. Wherefore, I, Edgar, king of the whole of Albion and also of the maritime and island kings dwelling round it, with the support of the bounteous Grace of God, to the extent that none of my forebears were elevated from [a position of] subjection, I have, mindful of such a great honour, very often quite ingeniously discussed what most important [part] of my dominion I should give to the Lord, the King of kings. Therefore, the protectress of my pious devotion, Heavenly Piety, suddenly made known to my alert earnestness [that I should] give back some holy monasteries, which had been visibly destroyed as far as their beams just like worm-eaten shingles and rotten planks, so, what is more, being almost empty had within been neglectful of the service of God. Certainly once the ignorant clerics had been evicted, not being subject to the discipline of any monastic life, in many places I put in charge pastors of a holier religious order with a monastic way of life in order to rebuild the ruins of the temples, offering to them wealthy supplies of royal gifts. I appointed one of these, Ælfric by name, an ecclesiastical person in all respects, as the guardian of the very famous monastery that the English is call by the dual name of Maldumesburg [and] Maldelmesburuh [i.e., Malmesbury]. To which, for the benefit of my soul, for our Saviour and the Mother of God, the ever virgin Mary, and also the apostles Peter and Paul, and in honour of its supportive bishop, Aldhelm, I have restored by munificent generosity a parcel of land of 10 hides, Eastcourt by name, with its meadows and woods. This land was first appropriated by the aforementioned clerics; for a long time by some [other persons]; finally it was unjustly possessed by the disputatious Æthelnoth. But, his heathen and guileful invective having been heard by my witan and his mendacious deceit refuted by the same in my presence, it has been returned by me for the use of the monastery, in the year of the Lord’s incarnation 974, in [year] 14 of my reign, in the first [year] of the royal consecration. I have ordered this charter of restitution to be written, at the request of the aforementioned abbot, on account of the tenacious memory of future posterity, so that, as long as the Christian faith flourishes amongst us, the aforementioned land will not, God forbid!, be removed violently from that holy place by anyone possessed of tyrannical power. This aforementioned land is bounded by the borders of the surrounding fields. Suitable witnesses of the royal gift are these that assent to it. + I, Edgar, king, validated my own gift with the mark of the standard-bearing sign [i.e., the cross]. + I, Dunstan, archpastor [i.e., archbishop of Canterbury], agreed and subscribed with the mark of gallows bringing salvation [i.e., the cross]. + I, Oswald, [arch]bishop [of York], likewise agreed with the mark of the life-giving sign of victory [i.e., the cross]. + I, Æthelwold, bishop [of Winchester], confirmed that with the tau-shaped seal of the cross. + We three bishops [of Rochester, London and Rambury] with our own appellative name of the single form Ælfstan made the sign of the cross together. + I, Beorhthelm and the twin Ælwolds, bishops [of Wells, Crediton or Sherborne] agreed and subscribed. + I, Ælfhere, dux, agreed and subscribed. + I, Æthelwine, dux, agreed and subscribed. + I, Byrhtnoth, dux, agreed and subscribed. + I, Oslac, comes and prefectus, agreed and subscribed. + I, Wulfstan, prefectus, agreed and subscribed. + I, Æthelweard, and my brother, Ælfweard, ministri, agreed and subscribed. + I, Eadwulf, agreed and subscribed.
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  • De Estcote quam Eadgarus Rex dedit Sancte Meldunensi ecclesie . Cum universitatem generalis masse metam maneat certa visibiliaque ut apostolus inquid temporalia . invisibilia vero perpetua . restat unusquemque ut hic peracta illic percipere merita . Unde ego Eadgarus tocius Albionis basileus necne maritimorum seu insulanorum meorum subjectione regum circum habitancium adeo ut nullus progenitorum meorum subjectione largiflua Dei gracia suppetente sublimatus quid imperii mei potissimum regi regum domino darem tanti memor honoris sollercius sepe tractavi . Pie igitur fautrix devocionis pervigili mee studiositati superna subito insinuavit pietas queque in regno meo sancta restaurare monasteria . Que velut muscivis scindulis cariosisque tabulis tigno teniis visibiliter diruta . sic quod majus est intus a servicio ferme vacua fuerant neglecta . Idiotis nempe clericis ejectis nullius regularis religionis discipline subjectis . Plurimis in locis sanctioris serici scilicet monachici habitus prefeci pastores ad ruinosa queque templorum redintegranda opulentos fiscalium munerum eis exhibens sumptus . Quorum unum nomine Alfricum virum in omnibus ecclesiasticum famosissimi custodem constitui cenobii quod Angli biphario vocitant onomate Maldumesburg . Cui pro commoditate animule mee ob salvatoris nostri ejusdemque theotecos semper virginis Marie necnon apostolorum Petri et Pauli Aldhelmique almi presulis honorem particulam terre . X . videlicet manencium vocabulo Eastcotun cum pratis 7 silvis munifica liberalitate restitui . Hec terra a predictis semel accommodata clericis diu a plerisque postremo a contentioso injuste possessa est Aˇelnodo . set supersticiosa subtilique ejus convectione a sapientibus meis audita ac disceptacione illius mendosa ab eisdem me presente convicta ; monasteriali a me reddita est usui . Anno dominice incarnacionis . DCCCC . LXXIIII . Regni vero mei . XIIII . Regie consecracionis primo . Hanc vero restitucionis scedulam predicti Abbatis rogatu ob future posteritatis memoriam tenacem caraxare precepi . Ne quam diu Christiana fides viget in nostratibus ab aliquo tyrannici potestatus prefatum rus ab illo sancto loco violenter quod absit aligenetur . ab affinitate vero circumjacencium agellulorum hec memorata terra giratur territorio . Idoney testes regii doni astipulatores sunt isti . Ego Eadgar rex vexillifero signo throphei proprium datum corroboravi . Ego Dunstan archipastor salutifere stigmate gabuli consensi 7 subscripsi . Ego Oswald antistes vivifici signaculo triumphi idem adstipulavi . Ego Athelwold presul taumatico crucis sigillo illud confirmavi . Nos tres uniformi proprio Alstani appellativo vocitamine episcopi consignavimus . Ego Byrththelm geminique Athelwoldi episcopi consensimus 7 subscripsimus . Ego Alfhere dux consensi 7 [subscripsi .] Ego Aethelwine dux consensi 7 subscripsi . Ego Byrhtno∂ Dux subscripsi . Ego Oslac comes 7 prefectus consensi . Ego Wlstan prefectus consensi . Ego Athelwerd fraterque meus Aelfwerd ministri consensimus 7 subscripsimus . Ego Eadulf consensi 7 subscripsi .