S 1195

c. A.D. 850. (1) Ealhburg and Eadweald, and (2) Ealhhere to Christ Church (Canterbury); grant of renders from land at Burnan and at Finglesham, Kent. English.

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

MSS: BL Cotton Aug. ii. 52 (s. ix med.; BM Facs., ii. 21)

Printed: Thorpe, pp. 468-9, with translation; Sweet, Reader, pp. 200-1; Sweet, OET, pp. 445-6 (no. 39); Sweet, Second Reader, p. 211 (no. 23); B 403; Earle, pp. 104-5; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 131; Harmer, SEHD, pp. 8-9 (no. 5), with translation, p. 44.

Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, contemporary; Harmer, SEHD, pp. 83-4, authentic, cf. p. vi, dates it c. 850; Wallenberg, KPN, p. 169; Campbell 1938, pp. 145-6, authentic; Parsons 1939, p. 14, genuine and contemporary; Sweet, Reader, pp. 287-8; Brooks 1984, pp. 147-9, 361 n. 70, original, scribe also wrote S 316, 328, 332, 344, 1196-7.

Endorsement in a hand of s. xii: Donum Ealhbrege quod instituit donari de Burne familie ecclesie Christi. Item donum Ealhbere ad opus familie ecclesie Christi de terra de Ðenglesham. Anglice.

+ Ðis sindan geðinga Ealhburge 7 Eadwealdes et ðem lande et Burnan, hwet man elce gere ob ðem lande to Cristes cirican ðem hiwum agiaban scel, for Ealhburge 7 for Ealdred 7 fore Eadweald 7 Ealawynne: xl ambra mealtes, 7 xl 7 cc hlaba, i wege cesa, i wege speces, i eald hriðer, iiii weðras, x goes, xx henfugla, iiii foðra weada. 7 ic Ealhburg bebiade Eadwealde minem mege an Godes naman 7 an ealra his haligra ðet he ðis wel healde his dei 7 siððan forð bebeode his erbum to healdenne ða hwile ðe hit cristen se. + 7 suelc mon se ðet lond hebbe eghwylce sunnandege xx gesuflra hlafa to ðare cirican for Ealdredes saule 7 for Ealhburge.

+ Ðis is sia elmesse ðe Ealhhere bebead Ealawynne his doehter et Ðenglesham, et iii sulungum: elce gere c penega to Cristes cirican ðem higum. 7 suelc m'a'n se ðisses landes bruce, agebe ðis fiah an Godes gewitnesse 7 an ealra his haligra, 7 suilc man sue hit awege, ðonne se hit on his sawale, nas on ðes ðe hit don het.


This is the agreement between Ealhburg and Eadweald with regard to the land at Bourn, as to what is to be given annually from the estate to the community at Christ Church, on behalf of Ealhburg and Ealdred and Eadweald and Ealawyn: [namely] forty 'ambers' of malt, two hundred and forty loaves, a wey of cheese, a wey of lard, a fullgrown bullock, four sheep, ten geese, twenty hens and four 'fothers' of wood. And I Ealhburg enjoin upon my kinsman Eadweald in the name of God and of all His saints, that he observe this duty during his lifetime, and command his heirs to observe it afterwards, so long as Christianity endures. And whoever has the land [is to give] twenty gesufl loaves to the church, every Sunday, for the souls of Ealdred and Ealhburg.

This is the pious charge which Ealhhere has enjoined upon his daughter Ealawyn, with regard to three ploughlands at Finglesham: one hundred pence [are to be given] annually to the community at Christ Church. And whosoever has possession of this land is to give this money in the sight of God and of all His saints, and whosoever fails to perform this, be it on his soul, and not on the soul of him who has commanded it to be done.