S 1523
A.D. 1017 x 1035. Will of Mantat the anchorite bequeathing land at Twywell, Northants., and Conington, Hunts., to Thorney. English.
Archive: Thorney
MSS: 1. Cambridge, U.L., Add. 3020, 18r (s. xiv)
2. BL Add. 5937, 133v (s. xvi; spelling normalised)
Printed: M 1837, p. 58 ex MS 2,with translation; K 1329 ex MS 2; Thorpe, pp. 555-6 ex MS 2, with translation; Whitelock, Wills, no. 23 (p. 66) ex MS 2, with translation, p. 67; Hart, ECEE, p. 204 ex MS 1.
Translated: Warner 1879, p. 51.
Comments: Whitelock, Wills, pp. 176-8, possibly a poor copy of a genuine original; Hart, ECEE, no. 31 and pp. 204-5, authentic; Whitelock 1969, p. 114, corrects a reading; Hart, ECNE, no. 17, authentic.
Mantat ancer godes wræcca gretet Cnut king and Emma þe læfdie swiþe bliþelike mid godes blisse. and ic cyðe þat ic habbe ure almesse criste betaht and hise allen halgan ure saule to froure and to blisse þær it lengest wunian sculen. þæt is ærest þæt land at Twywelle into Þornige þær ure ban resteð. and þat land at Cunintun. prestes and diaknes þa þe hit at me earnodan on mine liue. and hi habbeð god behaten and me on hand eseald þat hi sculen elke ear don for us twa hundred messen and twa hundred sauters. and þerto eaken fele holye beden. nu bidde ic inc for godes luue and for ure wreccan bene þat þis non man ne awende. þat wat god þat inc ne was non bescoran man nyccere þænne. and þat inc sceal ben cuð on þan towarden liue. Gehealde inc here on liue heofan engle kinge. and ge lede inc on his lihte mid him þer yt wiþuten sorhge euere wunian. amen.
Mantat the Anchorite, God's exile, greets King Cnut and Queen Emma very joyfully with God's joy. And I make known to you that I have entrusted our charitable gift to Christ and all his saints where it shall remain longest, for the comfort and happiness of our soul. First, the estate at Twywell to Thorney, where our bones shall rest, and the estate at Conington, to priests and deacons who have deserved it of me during my life. And they have promised God and given pledge to me that each year they will recited for us two hundred masses and two hundred psalters and in addition many holy prayers. Now I pray you for the love of God and on account of an exile's entreaty, that no man may alter this. God knows that no tonsured man has been more useful to you both than [I], and that shall be known to you in the future life. May the King of the angels of heaven uphold you both in this life and lead you into his light where you may ever dwell with him without sorrow. Amen.