S 1281
A.D. 904. Wærferth, bishop, with the Worcester community, to Wulfsige, his reeve; lease, for three lives, of 1 hide at Aston Magna, Gloucs., just as Herred held it. English.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: BL Add. Ch. 19791 (s. x1; BM Facs., iii. 2; Keller 1906, no. 4; Morgan 1876, opp. p. 192; Pal. Soc., ser. i. 13; Thompson 1912, facs. 222)
Printed: Morgan 1876, p. 192, with translation; Sweet, Second Reader, pp. 220-1 (no. 30); B 609; Earle, pp. 161-2; Robertson, Charters, no. 18 (p. 34), with translation, p. 35.
Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, contemporary; Taylor 1894/1, p. 291; Robinson 1923, p. 38, on a witness; Robertson, Charters, p. 294, estate was at White Ladies Aston; Sisam 1953/1, p. 311 n. 2, original; Wilson 1959, pp. 301-2, on language; Chaplais 1968, p. 315 n. 3, one of earliest original chirographs now extant (= 1973, p. 63 n. 3); Finberg, ECWM, no. 90, authentic, identifies as Aston Magna; Finberg 1972, p. 485, cited; Dumville 1987, p. 157 n. 52, cited with reference to script; Dumville 1992, p. 92 n. 182, cited with reference to script Faith 1997, p. 171 and map, p. 173.
Notes: Lower portion of cyrography (COROGRAPHVM).
Endorsements:
(1) Uulfsiges lond boc
(2) in later hand: Heastunesboc
(3) in later hand: Eadward senior
Rixiendum on ecnisse ussum drihtne hælende Criste seðe all ðing gemetegað ge on heofeneum ge on eorðan þæs inflæscnisse ðy gere þe agen wæs dcccc wintra 7 iiii winter 7 ðy .vii. gebongere . Ic Uuerfrid bisco'p' mid mines arweorðan heorodes geðafuncga 7 leafe on Weogernaceastre sylle Wulfsige minum gerefan wið his holdum mægene 7 eadmodre hernesse anes hides lond on Easttune swa swa Herred hit hæfde on ðreora monna dæg 7 all ðæt Innlond beligeð an dic utane 7 þonne ofer ðreora monna dEg agefe monn eft ðaet lond butan elcon wiðercwide Innto Weogernaceastre 7 ðis seondan ðara monna noman ðe ðæt geðafedon 7 mid Cristes rode tacne gefæstnedon
+ Uuerfrið biscop
+ Cynehelm abbod
+ Uuerfrið pr's .
+ Eadmund pr's .
+ Berhtmund pr's.
+ Tidbald pr's .
+ Hildefrið pr's .
+ Ecfrið pr's.
+ Eaduulf pr's.
+ Wiglaf pr's.
+ Oslac diacon
+ Cynað diacon
+ Berhthelm
+ Wigheard
+ Monn
+ Earduulf
+ Uullaf
+ Berhthelm
+ Heahred
+ Cynelaf
+ Uulfred
+ Cynehelm
+ Uulfric
+ Cenfrið
+ Hwituc
+ Cynelaf
+ Ceolhelm
+ Uullaf
+ Ealhmund
+ Earduulf
+ Uulfgar
In the everlasting reign of our Lord the Saviour Christ who governs all things both in heaven and on earth, and in the year 904 of his incarnation, and the seventh Indiction, I, Bishop Werfrith, with the permission and leave of my honourable community in Worcester, grant to Wulfsige, my reeve, for his loyal efficiency and humble obedience, one hide of land at Aston as Herred held it, for three lives -- and all the demesne land is surrounded by a dyke outside -- and then after three lives the estate shall be given back without any controversy to Worcester. And these are the names of the men who permitted it and confirmed it with the symbol of the cross of Christ...