A.D. 984. King Æthelred to the church of Bath; grant of 3.5 hides (mansae) at Radstock, Somerset. Latin with English bounds

Archive:

Bath

MSS:

1. Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, 111, pp. 55-131, pp. 87-88 (s. xii 2)

Printed:

K, 643; Hunt, Bath Carts., pp. 31-2

Comments:

Stevenson 1904, p. 241, spurious; Grundy, Somerset, pp. 195-6, on bounds; Ekwall 1936, p. 19; Ekwall, D.E.P.N., p. 505, (s.n. Wellow), for identification; Finberg, ECW, no. 525, authentic but misdated, belongs to 1006 x 1019; Hart, ECNE, p. 21 n. 2, authentic but misdated; Dumville 1979, p. 12, witness-list of 1005; Keynes 1980, pp. 48 n. 89, 94 n. 37, 114, 243-4, spurious, witness-list taken from a charter of c. 1007; Keynes 1994, pp. 179, 182, spurious, based ultimately on a charter of 'Dunstan B' type, witness-list from a charter dated 1009

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    • Anno ab incarnatione Domini nostri Iesu Christi .dcccclxxxiiii. Ego Æþelred gratia Dei Anglorum rex imperiosus quandam ruris particulam, tres uidelicet mansas atque dimidiam, loco qui celebri æt Welewestoce nuncupatur, ad ecclesiam beati et prefati ecclesiasticorum cultoris seminum que sita fertur Bathonie, precordiali affectu intimoque spiramine, sub diuini timoris instinctu, liberam preter arcem, pontem expeditionemque, in perpetuum ius largitus sum. Huius namque syngrapham <singrapham largitionis in nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi sic prefigimus, ut nostrorum> successorum, Christianum quamdiu uigeat imperium, hanc uel in minimis audeat uiolare. Quod si quisque temptauerit infringere, nisi dignissime hic peniteat, sese permansurum in eternis penis persentiat. Et his limitibus hec telluris particula circumgirari uidetur. Þis synd þa land gemære. Ærest of hicemannes stane on Foss, andlang Fosse to æscbeorge, of æscbeorge to Wudubeorge, adun on strem on Welewe heia, of Welewe heia upp to hlypcumbe, of hlypcumbe eft on hicemannes stan. Ego Æþelred rex Anglorum hoc donum animo concessi. + Ego Æþelstan huic donationi consensi. + Ego Eadgar clito consensi. + Ego Eadmund frater predicti clitonis adiuui. + Ego Eadweard clito faui. + Ego Eadward filius regis libens annui. + Ego Eadwig frater clitonum annotaui. + Ego Ælfheah archiepiscopus Dorobernensis non abnui. + Ego Wulfstan archipresul Ebor’ confirmaui. + Ego Aðulf episcopus subscripsi. + Ego Ordbyrht episcopus roboraui. + Ego Liuingc episcopus non renui. + Ego Aþelwold episcopus quisiui. + Ego Wulfgar abbas. + Ego Brihtwold abbas. + Ego Ælfmær abbas. + Ego Leofwine dux. + Ego Ælfric dux. + Ego Ulfkytel miles. + Ego Æþelric miles. +
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    Translation

    • In the year from the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 984. I, Æthelred, by the Grace of God imperial king of the English, have bestowed in perpetuity a certain parcel of land, namely, three and a half hides in a place that renowned men call Radstock, on the church of the blessed and aforementioned propagator of ecclesiastical seeds that is located at Bath with heartfelt affection and innermost aspiration, under the impulse of the fear of God, free except for fortress [and] bridge [work] and military service. For we have so appointed the charter of this gift in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that any of our successors, as long as a Christian kingdom flourishes, would hardly dare to violate this charter. If anyone should attempt to make it void, unless he should most worthily repent of this, let him know that he will abide in eternal punishment. And this parcel of land is seen to be encircled by these boundaries. These are the land-boundaries. First from Hicemann’s stone to the Fosse Way; along the Fosse Way to ash-tree barrow; from ash-tree barrow to wood barrow [i.e., Woodborough]; down along the stream to Wellow heia; from Wellow heia up to leap-coomb; from leap-coomb back to Hicemann’s stone. I, Æthelred, king of the English, granted this gift for the sake of my soul. + I, Æthelstan, agreed to this gift. + I, Edgar clito, agreed. + I, Edmund, brother of the aforementioned clito, assisted. + I, Edward clito, supported. + I, Edward, son of the king, freely assented. + I, Eadwig, brother of the clitones, noted. + I, Ælfheah, archbishop of Canterbury, did not deny. + I, Wulfstan, archbishop of York, confirmed. + I, Athulf, bishop [of Hereford], subscribed. + I, Ordberht, bishop [of Selsey], confirmed. + I, Lyfing, bishop [of Wells], did not refuse. + I, Æthelwold, bishop [of Winchester], entreated. + I, Wulfgar, abbot [of Abingdon]. + I, Beorhtwald, abbot [of Malmesbury]. + I, Ælfmær, abbot [of St Augustine’s, Canterbury, or Tavistock]. + I, Leofwine, dux. + I, Ælfric, dux. + I, Ulfcytel, miles. + I, Æthelric, miles. +
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    Old Text

    • Anno ab incarnatione domini nostri Iesu Christi .DCCCC.LXXXIIII. Ego Æ∂elred dei gratia Anglorum rex imperiosus, quandam ruris particulam, tres uidelicet mansas atque dimidiam, loco qui celebri æt Welewe stoce nuncupatur, ad aecclesiam beati et praefati aecclesiasticorum cultoris seminum, quae sita fertur Bathonia praecordiali affectu, intimoque spiramine sub diuini timoris instinctu, liberam praeter arcem, pontem expeditionemque in perpetuum ius largitus sum. Huius namque syngrapham successorum christianum quamdiu uigeat imperium hanc uel in minimis audeat uiolare. Quod si quisque temptauerit infringere, nisi dignissime hic poeniteat, sese permansurum in aeternis poenis persentiat. Et his limitibus haec telluris particula circumgirari uidetur. ˘is synd ∂a landgemære. Ærest of hicemannes stane on Foss; andlang Fosse to æscbeorge; of æscbeorge to wudubeorge, adun on strem on weleweheia; of weleweheia upp to hlypcumbe; of hlypcumbe eft on hicemannes stan. Ego Æ∂elred rex Anglorum hoc donum animo concessi. + Ego Æ∂elstan huic donationi consensi. + Ego Eadgar clito consensi. + Ego Eadmund frater praedicti clitonis adiuui. + Ego Eadweard clito faui. + Ego Eadward filius regis libens annui. + Ego Eadwig frater clitonum annotaui. + Ego Ælfheah archiepiscopus Dorobernensis non abnui. + Ego Wulfstan archipraesul Eboracensis confirmaui. + Ego A∂ulf episcopus subscripsi. + Ego Ordbyrht episcopus roboraui. + Ego Liuingc episcopus non renui. + Ego Æ∂elwold episcopus quisiui. + Ego Wulfgar abbas. + Ego Brihtwold abbas. + Ego Ælfmær abbas. + Ego Leofwine dux. + Ego Ælfric dux. + Ego Ulfkytel miles. + Ego Æ∂elric miles. +