King Edgar's will in favour of Aethelflaed AD 962
The reference number S 703 refers to P. H. Sawyer's catalogue of Anglo-Saxon charters dated 1968.
S 703
A.D. 962. King Edgar to Æthelflæd, matrona; grant of 7 hides (mansae) at Chelsworth, Suffolk. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Bury St Edmunds
MSS: 1. BL Harley Ch. 43. C 3 (s. x2; BM Facs., iii. 25)
2. Cambridge, U.L., Ff. 2. 33, 46v (s. xiii2)
3. Cambridge, U.L., Gg. 4. 4, 304rv (s. xv)
4. Cambridge, U.L., Mm. 4. 19, 90v-91r (s. xii)
5. BL Add. 14847, 17r (s. xiv)
Printed: K 490 and vol. iii. 458; B 1082; Earle, pp. 200-1, incomplete; Hart and Syme 1987, p. 173, with translation, pp. 173-4; Hart 1992, pp. 472, 474, with translation, p. 475.
Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, MS 1 is contemporary; Drögereit 1935, pp. 395-400, product of 'Edgar A'; Ker, Catalogue, p. xxviii; Chaplais 1965, pp. 59-60, MS 1 original, scribe perhaps from Abingdon, also responsible for S 687, 690, 706, 717 (= 1973, pp. 41-2); Hart, ECEE, no. 76, original; Sawyer, Burton, p. 34, authentic; Keynes 1980, pp. 70-3, MS 1 original, written by royal scribe 'Edgar A'; Hart and Syme 1987; Hart 1992, pp. 467-85; Dumville 1993, pp. 13-14 n. 31, apparent original; Dumville 1994, pp. 151-6, on script; cf. S 1494, 1486.
Endorsements:
(1) in a hand of early s. xii: Carta Ædgari regis de Cherlesworde cuidam Æffleade.
(2) continued in a later s. xii hand: que per Istam et per propriam cartam reddidit manerium sancto Ædmundo
(3) in a hand of s. xv: Carta Edgar de Chrlesworde
Px Almus totius cosmi fabricæ conditor superna infimaque miro ineffabilique ordine collocans hominem tantundem quadriformi plasmatum materia sancto ad sui similitudinem inspiratum flamine cunctisque in infimis creaverat uno probandi causa excepto vetitoque preficiens paradisiacæ jocunditatis amenitate cum sua conjuge luculentissime constituit . Qui pro dolor demoniaco instinctus spiramine sibi ac posteris in hoc erumpnoso dejectus sæculo mortem promeruit perpetuam .
Quamobrem ego Eadgar totius Brittanniae gubernator et rector uni matrone cui vocabulum certa astipulatione profertur . Æþelflæd quandam telluris particulam . VII . videlicet mansas liberaliter in æternam tribuo possessionem illo in loco ubi a ruricolis vulgariter Ceorleswyrðe . prolatum est
cum omnibus ad eandem terram rite pertinentibus pratis videlicet campis pascuis silvis . et post suæ vitæ terminum heredi cui voluerit derelinquat . Sit autem predictum rus omni terrene servitutis jugo liberum
tribus exceptis rata videlicet expeditione pontis arcisve restauratione .
Si quis vero hanc nostram donationem in aliud quam constituimus transferre voluerit . sit ipse segregatus a consortio sancte Dei æcclesiæ necnon et a communione omnium fidelium nisi prius hic ante obitum suum reus penituerit quod contra nostram deliquid decretum .
His metis rus hoc giratur .
Ðis syndon þa land gemæro to ceorles wyrðe . of caforda 7lang cwyrnburnan þæt hit cymð to mannan mearce þonne þanon 7lang wealc hyrste forð be anan burnan þæt hit cymð eft on mannan mearce 7 on asan þonne þanon 7lang heges þæt hit cymð to anre dene þonne swa forð þæt hit cymð on þone burnan þe scyt to culan fenne þonne swa forð 7lang þæs burnan þæt hit cymð to oswiðes mearce 7 eadwoldes . þonne forð 7lang heges þe scyt of þam burnan þæt hit cymð to stræte swa forð 7lang strete þæt hit cymð inn on mearcellan . þonne forð 7lang mearcellan þæt hit cymð þær cwyrnburna 7 mearcella sceotað togædere þonne forð 7lang cwyrnburnan þæt hit cymð eft in on caford .
Anno dominicae incarnationis DCCCCLXII . scripta est hæc carta his testibus consentientibus quorum inferius nomina notantur .
+ Ego Eadgar rex Anglorum concessi .
+ Ego Dunstan archiepiscopus corroboravi .
+ Ego Oscytel archiepiscopus confirmavi .
+ Ego Osulf episcopus consolidavi .
+ Ego Byrhtelm episcopus consensi .
+ Ego Aþelwold abbas .
+ Ego Ælfhere dux .
+ Ego Ælfheah dux .
+ Ego Æþelstan dux .
+ Ego Aþelwold dux .
+ Ego Ælfgar minister .
+ Ego Ælfwine minister .
+ Ego Byrhtferð minister .
+ Ego Wulfhelm minister .
+ Ego Æþelwine minister .