S 1488
A.D. 1002 x 1005. Will of Ælfric, archbishop, including bequests pf land at Westwell and Burnan (? Bishopsbourne), Kent, and Monks Risborough, Bucks., to Christ Church; at Cingesbyrig (probably consisting of land at Flamstead, Herts., and at St Albans) to St Albans Abbey; at Dumbleton, Gloucs., part to Abingdon Abbey and part to Ælfnoth, for life, with reversion to Abingdon; at Wallingford, Berks., to Ceolweard, for life, with reversion to Cholsey minster; at (Great) Tew and Osney, Oxon., and at London to St Albans; at Fiddington and at Newton (in Ashchurch), Gloucs., to his sisters and their children. English and Latin versions.
Archive: Abingdon
MSS: English
1. BL Cotton Claud. B. vi, 102r (s. xiii)Latin
2. BL Cotton Claud. B. vi, 102rv (s. xiii)
3. BL Cotton Claud. C. ix, 127v-128r (s. xii)
Printed: English
Hickes, Diss. Epist., p. 62; K 716; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 517-18 (no. 14); Thorpe, pp. 549-50; Stevenson, Abingdon Cart., i. 416; Earle, pp. 222-4; Whitelock, Wills, no. 18 (pp. 52-5), with translation; Councils and Synods, no. 44 (pp. 239-42); Kelly, Abingdon, no. 133, with translation.Latin
Hickes, Diss. Epist., pp. 62-3; Thorpe, p. 551.
Translated: Hook 1860, pp. 452-3; Whitelock, EHD, no. 126 (pp. 589-90).
Comments: Wallenberg, KPN, p. 314, on Kentish place-names; Whitelock, Wills, pp. 160-3; PN Oxon., i. 22, ii. 289; Finberg, ECW, p. 249; Stenton 1971, p. 431 n. 2, cited; Finberg, ECWM, no. 145, authentic, with addendum, p. 237; HRH, p. 236, genuine, dates 1002 x 1005 (probably 1003 x 1004); Brooke and Keir 1975, p. 368, cited; Gem 1978, p. 105, on Cholsey; PN Berks., i. 162, ii. 535; Gelling, ECTV, no. 126 (pp. 64, 78, 114, 137), authentic; Whitelock, EHD, p. 589; Councils and Synods, pp. 237-8; Keynes 1980, pp. 109 n., 124 n., 225 n., 261; Brooks 1984, pp. 286-7, 385 n. 89; Lawson 1984, pp. 725-6, 728, cited; Dumville 1993, pp. 82-3; Pelteret 1995, pp. 121-2, 130, 328-9; Kelly, Abingdon, no. 133, authentic.
Rubric: Testamentum Alfrici archiepiscopi.
Her sutelað hu Alfric arcebiceop his cwyde gedihte, þæt is ærest him to saulsceate he becwæð into Cristes cyrcan þæt land æt Wyllan 7 æt Burnan 7 Risen beorgas, and he becwað his laford his beste scip 7 þa segelgeræda þarto 7 .lx. healma 7 .lx. beornena, 7 he wilnode gif hit his lafordes willa wære þæt he gefaetnode into sce Albane þæt land æt Cynges byrig, 7 fenge sylf wið þam eft to Eadulfingtune. An he becwæð þæt land æt Dumeltun in to Abbandune, 7 Ælfnoðe þar of .iii. hida his dæg 7 suððan to þan oþran to Abbandune, 7 .x. oxan 7 .ii. men he him becwæð, 7 filgan hi þam laford scype þe þæt land to hyre. And he cwæð þæt land æt Wealinga forda þe he gebote Celewærde 7 hofer his dæg in to Ceolesige, 7 he becwæð in to sce Albane þæt land æt Tiwan, 7 standan þa forword betweonan þan abbode 7 Ceolrice ðe ær wið ðæne arcebiscop geforwyrd wæran, þæt is þæt Ceolric habbe ðæne dæl þæs landes þe he hæfð his dæg, 7 eac þæne dæl þe se arcebiscop for his sceatte him to let, þæt wæs ehtoðe healf hid wið .v. pundun 7 .l. mancusum goldes, 7 ga hit ofer his dæg eall togædere into sce Albæne, 7 heora forewyrd wæron þæt Osanig æfter Ceolrices dæge gange eac þyderin, 7 þæt land on Lundene þe he mid his feo gebohte he becwæð into sce Albane, 7 his bec ealle he cwæð eac þyderin 7 his geteld. And he becwæð þæt man fenge on þe feoh ðe man hæfde, 7 ærest ælcne borh agulde, 7 suððan tilode to his hergeatwæn þæs þe man habban sceolde. And anes scipes he geuþe þam folce to Cent, 7 oþres to Wiltunescire, 7 elles on oðrum þingum gif þæs hwæt wære he bæd þæt Uulfstan bisceop 7 Leofric abbud dihton swa heom best ðuhte. And þe land be westan æt Fittingtune 7 æt Niwantune he becwæð his sweostrun 7 heora beornum, 7 Ælfheages land Esnes suna ga a on his cyn. And he becwæð Uulfstane ærcebiscope ane sweorrode 7 anne ring 7 anne psaltere, 7 Alfheage biscope anne rode. And he forgeaf on Godes est Centingan þæne borh þe hy hym sceoldan, 7 Middelsexon 7 Suðrion þæt feoh þæt heom foresceat. And he wyle þ man freo ge æfter his dæge ælene wites æst ne man þe on his timan forgylt wære. Gif hwa þis awende, hæbbe him wið god gemæne. Amen.