S 473
A.D. 940 (Chippenham, Wilts.). King Edmund to Wulfric; grant of 30 hides (mansiunculae) at Langley, Wilts. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Glastonbury
MSS: 1. Marquess of Bath, Longleat, 39, 204v-205r (s. xiv)
2. Bodleian, Wood empt. 1, 238r (s. xiv)
3. Liber Terrarum, no. 85 (lost, cf. Abrams 1996, p. 33)
Printed: K 382 and vol. vi. 229 ex MS 2; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 60 (no. 131); B 751 ex MS 2; Watkin, Glastonbury Cart., iii. 660-1 (no. 1219) ex MS 1.
Comments: Jackson 1858, pp. 37, 47-8; Grundy, Wilts. 1919, pp. 253-5, bounds may describe Langley Burrell, but are difficult to locate; Forsberg 1950, p. 204, on bounds; Darlington 1955, p. 96; Finberg, ECW, no. 250, authentic; Hart 1972, pp. 128-31, on charter-type; Whitelock, EHD, pp. 372-3, on 'alliterative' charters; Keynes 1980, p. 82 n. 165, on 'alliterative' charters; Sawyer 1983, p. 292, on meeting-place; Wilson and Tucker 1983, on bounds; Brooks 1992, p. 8, on beneficiary; Hart 1992, pp. 431-45, on charter-type; Abrams 1996, pp. 30, 33, 39, on MS sources, pp. 149-51, on estate.
Crux que excelsis toto et dominaris Olimpo
inclita lex domini Christi fundamen et aule
alpha mi et ω
huius singraphe inicium medium et finem
vexillando faveto
tu quoque cunctis
splendidior astris
sanctiorque universis
coram Christo carismatibus
regale peccusculum
Edmundi Regis
Anglo Saxona largissima
perlustrasti prerogativa
hoc nempe veridico
potest oraculo Wulfrik
proceriali potencia
ditatus proferre veraciter
ut ceteri regia
dignitate condonatus
en nempe innotescat
hec cartula carraxando
quo beato Dei patrocinio
idem rex prefatus
anno .dccccxl.
postquam virgo puerpera
celesti puerpurio
celeste protulit
cunctis catholice
conversantibus agion
neuma impnizante
eulogium atque secundo
regum rumigerulo
ex quo regalia regebat
diademata bis quindenis
ad Langelegh' mansiunculis
longeva liberalite
hunc Wulfricum locupletat
hanc terram prenotatam
R>sibi suisque post se heredibus
cum locis silvaticis
seu rite campestribus
circumcinctis climatibus
perhenniter perfruendam
perpendant nunc perpetimque
huius agri alacriter
quod promulgat sagaciter
auctor Christus ac fortiter
reddite ergo
que sunt Cesaris Cesari
o vos possessores et que sunt
Dei Deo fas divinum
jus humanum ministrantes
eya catholice lectitantes
Hiis limitibus predicta terra giratur .
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+ Ego Edmundus rex regia dignitate conspicuus hiis testibus conscribentibus quorum nomina adnotantur hoc quod dedi confirmavi celebri loco Chippenham .
+ Ego Wulfhelm archipresul cum suffraganeis presulibus donum Regis roboravi .