S 591
A.D. 956 (iv). King Eadwig to Ælfsige, his fidelis; grant of 25 hides (mansae) at Benham, Berks. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Abingdon
MSS: 1. BL Cotton Claud. B. vi, 52v-53r (s. xiii)
2. BL Cotton Claud. C. ix, 199v (s. xii; bounds only)
Printed: K 1199; Stevenson, Chron. Abingdon, i. 210-12; B 942; PN Berks., iii. 668, bounds only; Kelly, Abingdon, no. 72.
Comments: Stenton 1913, p. 42, cited; Grundy, Berks. 1927, pp. 42-4, on bounds; Chaplais 1966, p. 6, compares formulation with S 433 MS 1 (= 1981 XV, p. 6); PN Berks., i. 11, 267, iii. 658, 668-9, bounds may describe whole of modern parish of Speen; Dumville 1979, p. 8 n. 6; Forsberg 1979, p. 148, on bounds; Gelling, ECTV, no. 73, authentic; Keynes 1980, pp. 59-61, 66, 'Group Four'; Kelly, Abingdon, no. 72, authentic.
C*. BL Cotton Claudius C. ix, 199v: copy of bounds, s. xii
Rubric: Termini .xxv. mans' apud Bennanham.
D. BL Cotton Claudius B. vi, 52v-53r: copy, s. xiii
Rubric: Carta Regis Eduuii de Bennaham.
In Christi nomine atque uirtute. Sagaci intuendo prospectu casus lapsusque conditionis humane, de qua Ecclesiastes 'Uanitas' inquit 'uanitatum et omnia uanitas', incessanter referre debitrices gratias oportet ei uidelicet cuius bonitate dum non essemus conditi sumus, dum periclitamur beneficiis refocillamur, dum denique omnia eterna perditi nece ipsius liuore nos esse credimus redintegratos ad uitam et eandem mercando mutuari conceditur eterna caducis ueritate dicente, 'Tesaurizate uobis thesauros in celo et cetera'. Quapropter ego Eaduuig rex monarcus Brittannie insule fauente Deo huic meo fideli nomine Ælfsige .xxv. mansas in loco qui dicitur Bennahamme in iure hereditario concedo perfruituro comite uita, post uero sui obitum licentiam habeat commendandi cuicumque placuerit heredi, cum omnibus ad se rite pertinentibus, pratis, pascuis, siluis, uenationibus. Immunis amodo permaneat iste ager ab omni censu regali, excepta expeditione, pontis arcisque constructione. Si quis amodo hanc nostram donationem ammouerit, sciat se Deo contraiturum ire non mihi qui ab illo potestatem accepi.
Ðis syndan þa lond gemaro æt Bennanhamme. Ærest of Cynetan on þa meardic, of þære dic on hæddes wyl, of þan wylle on clænan crundel, of þan crundele on þa readan hane, of þære hane on wigmundes swelgende, of þan swelgende up on þane hryc, andlang hrycces to ællan stapole, of þan stapole on accan gefyrðe, of þan gefyrhðe on meos broces ford, of þan forda on screget, of þan gete on holan broces hæfod, ðon' on þæt hæcget, þan' on þa rode eastewearde, of þære rode on mær lace, of þere lace on stapolford ut on Cynetan, þan' up lang healfan stræme eft on mærdic, 7 codan med þerto. Acta est autem hec donatio anno .dcccclvi. ab incarnatione dominica, indiccione .xiiii., regni autem mei primo anno.
+ Ego Eaduuig rex Anglorum hoc donum cum triumpho sancte crucis impressi.
+ Ego Eadgar indoles clito confirmaui.
+ Ego Oda archiepisocpus consignaui.
+ Ego Ælfsige episcopus consensi.
+ Ego Oscytel episcopus corroboraui.
+ Ego Byrhtelm episcopus faui.
+ Ego Daniel episcopus subscripsi.
+ Ego Æþelstan dux.
+ Ego Eadmund dux.
+ Ego Ælfhere dux.
+ Ego Æþelsige dux.
+ Ego Æþelmund dux.
+ Ego Æþelwuold dux.
+ Ego Ælfsige minister.
+ Ego Byrhtferð minister.
+ Ego Ælfheah minister.
+ Ego Æþelgeard minister.
+ Ego Ælfuuine minister.
+ Ego Æþelric minister.