S 545
A.D. 949. King Eadred to Athelstan, his faithful minister; grant of 10 hides (mansi) at Eatun, in return for 60 mancuses of gold. Latin with beginning of English bounds.
Archive: Burton
MSS: Aberystwyth, N.L.W., Peniarth 390, 175r = p. 349 (s. xiii med.)
Printed: B 885; Sawyer, Burton, no. 10.
Translated: Bridgeman 1916, pp. 88-9 (no. 10).
Comments: Bridgeman 1916, p. 89; Hart, ECNE, no. 84, probably a post-Conquest forgery, suggests connection with Church Eaton, Staffs.; Sawyer, Burton, p. 16, too many unusual features to be accepted without question as authentic; Keynes 1980, p. 112, on notification formula; Gelling 1981, p. 6, not Church Eaton; Hooke 1983, pp. 32, 56 n. 99, insufficient evidence to confirm identification with Water Eaton, near Penkridge, Staffs.; Hart 1992, p. 313, post-Conquest forgery; Keynes 1994/2, p. 1140 n. 1, cited with reference to formulation.
Carta Edredi regis de Eatun . anno domini . dcccc . xlix .
Px Quicquid inter seculares in omnibus agendum est terris ; muniri apertis debetur litteris . ut quod obliuiscitur ; mentis memoria presens semper custodiatur littera . ne forte etiam perdatur inuidia cupiditatis quod est iuste adquisitum dono rectitudinis . Vnde ego Eadredus nutu gratie Dei Anglorum rex omnibus meis notum uolo et esse fidelibus quod ego cuidam meo fideli ministro onomate Æðestan proprio amabili obsequio . seu etiam pro sexaginta mancusis de probato et purissimo auro ; do et concedo . x . mansos telluris in loco quem circum manentes appellant uulgariter Eatun . vt habeat et possideat vita comite . Post sue etiam terminum vite cuicumque heredi uoluerit derelinquat hereditatem. Sit autem predicum rus liberum ab omni mundano seruicio . tribus exceptis . viatici pontis restauracione . arcis regalis constructione . populari etiam expedicione . Si quis uero quod absit cupiditatis flamma accensus hoc nostrum infringere temptauerit donum ; sit dampnatus cum omnibus filiis perdicionis Belial in tartareis tormentis nisi resipiscens digna factione emendauerit . Hiis autem terminum finibus predicta terra circumcirca girata esse videtur . Ærst of þære suð mærdic . et cetera .
Et ut hec cartula inuiolabile robur firmitatis optineat ; + Ego Eadredus rex primus regali manu confirmo . + Signum Eadgifu genitricis eiusdem regis .
+ Ego Oda Dorobernensis ecclesie archiepiscopus corroboro . + Ego Wulfstanus Eboracae ciuitatis archiepiscopus adfirmo . + Ego Þeodred Lundoniensis episcopus contestor . + Ego Ælfeh Wintoniensis episcopus consigno . + Ego Ælfsige episcopus consencio . + Ego Ælfric episcopus delibero . + Ego Æþelgar episcopus desidero . + Ego Ælfric episcopus cupio .
+ Acta est hec cartula anno incarnacionis dominice . dcccc . xlix . indictione . vii . regnante rege Eadred . anno . ii .