S 543
A.D. 949. King Eadred to Ælfsige, gold- and silver-smith, his man; grant of 1 hide (mansa) on the Isle of Wight and 1 at Winterburnan in the land of the Gewisse (? Wilts.). Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Wilton
MSS: BL Harley 436, 76v-78r (s. xiv)
Printed: Hoare, Reg. Wilton, pp. 42-3; K 428 and vol. iii. 431; B 879; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 2, no. 96.
Comments: Hoare, Modern Wilts., ii. 81-2; Grundy, Wilts. 1920, pp. 22-3, unable to trace bounds, unconvinced by identification of the Winterburnan hide with Laverstock; Drögereit 1935, pp. 389-90; Kökeritz 1940, p. 207, for bounds of Ningwood, Isle of Wight; Forsberg 1950, pp. 38-9, on a boundary mark; PN Wilts., p. xli, Laverstock identification is probably untenable; Darlington 1955, p. 93, queries Laverstock identification; Finberg, ECW, no. 70 (pp. 43-4, 89-90), authentic.
Þis his þas anes hiwisces boc at Winterburnan 7 ðas oþres hiwisces on whit þe þær to hyrþ þe Eadred cyng gebocode Ælfsige his goldsmiþe on eche hyfte .
In nomine domini nostri Jhesu Christi .
Anno vero dominice incarnationis . DCCCCXLIX . Indictione VII a .
ego Eadredus . rex Anglorum ceterarumque gentium in circuitu persistencium gubernator et rector . Audivi a sapientibus et prudentibus hanc mellitam dulcedinem sermotinationis seriem quod bona voluntas in die examinationis pro bono opere reputabitur . Idcirco dedi cuidam meo homini vocitato nomine Ælfsige . arciselus ob studium quam mihi auri argentique fabrica sollicite deservit atque decorat . duas mansas ei libenter largiendo donavi . Unam mansam in Vexta insula . aliam in gente Geuuisorum . in illo loco ubi solicole regionis illius nomen indiderunt . æt Winterburnan .
Quatenus ille bene perfruatur ac perpetualiter possideat quamdiu vivat . et post se cuicumque voluerit heredi derelinquat eternaliter . Sit autem predictum rus liber ab omni fiscali tributo seculariumque servitium exinanitum . Cum omnibus ad se rite pertinentibus . Campis . pascuis . pratis . silvis .
Excepto communi labore . Expeditione pontis arcisve constructione .
Si quis autem infringere temptaverit quod absit . Sciat se in tremendo die judicii rationem redditurum coram Deo et angelis ejus . nisi prius hic digna satisfactione emendare maluerit .
Istis terminibus predicta terra .
Þis synt þa land gemæro þæs hiwisces æt winterburnan . Ærest of byrhtferþes hlæwe 7lang burhweges to beornwyne stane . of þam stane 7lang burh weges to þære stan hypan . þonne niþer 7lang burnan swa seo læfer scæt to healdan hlince . þonen swa seo læfer scæt on þæs deopan fordes ende . of þam forda swa seo læfre scæt on chypmanna ford . of þam forda swa seo læfer scæt on hors wylle . þonon swa seo læfer scæt . eft on byrhtferþes hlæw .
Þis his þæs hiwisces land gemæro þe þær to hyrþ on whit . fram hyrste 7lang slades to wullafes hlipan . þonon 7lang lanan to beorhtnaþes stane . of þam stane 7lang lanan to þæs mores heafde ðonon 7lang slades ut on scos fleot þonne 7lang streames ut on scealdan fleot . þonnen 7lang scealdan fleotes up to hyrste .
Ego Eadredus rex Anglorum prefatam donationem sub sigillo sancte crucis indeclinabiliter consensi atque roboravi .
[E]go Ælfheah Wintoniensis ecclesie episcopus testudinem sancte crucis subscripsi et confirmavi .
[E]go Ælfric episcopus consensum prebui figens crucem .
Ego Æþelgar episcopus crucis vexillo corroboravi .
Ego Ælfred episcopus confirmavi vexillum crucis .
Ego Wulfsige episcopus crucis modum depinxi .
Æþelstan dux .
Eadmund dux .
Aeþelmund dux .
Ealhhelm dux .
Wulfric minister .
Aelfsige minister .
Wulfric minister .
Aeþelgeard minister .
Wulfric minister .
Byrhtferþ minister .
Aelfric minister .
Aelfred minister .
Aelfheah minister .