S 71

A.D. 680 for 681. Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Aldhelm, abbot; grant of 15 hides (cassati) near Tetbury, Gloucs. (The rubric in MSS 1 and 2 refers to Cherletune juxta Tetteburi.) Latin.

Archive: Malmesbury

MSS: 1. BL Lansdowne 417, 9v (s. xiv/xv)
2. PRO E 164/24, 122v-123r (s. xiii)
3. Bodleian, Wood empt. 5, 14v-15r (s. xiii)

Printed: Mon. Angl., i. 51; K 23 ex MS 1; Mon. Angl. (rev edn), i. 258 (no. 7) ex MS 3; Giles, Opera Aldhelmi, cols 311-12; Brewer, Reg. Malm., pp. 282-3, ex MS 2; B 59 ex Brewer, K, Mon. Angl. and MS 1.

Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 703, dubious or spurious; Stenton 1918, p. 438, of ill repute (= Stenton 1970, p. 52); Darlington 1955, p. 3; Watkin 1956, p. 211 and n. 23; Finberg, ECW, no. 339, the bounds in B 59A (S 1578) have no connection with this grant, which refers to Charlton in Tetbury, Gloucs.; Stenton 1971, p. 69, cited; Scharer 1982, pp. 148-50, dubious, some genuine elements, used for fabrication of S 73; Wormald 1985, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Edwards 1988, pp. 90-2, authentic.

Rubric in MSS 1 and 2:
Quomodo Ædelredus rex contulit Aldhelmo Abbati et Meldunensi cenobio Newentune et Cherletune juxta Tetteburi.

In nomine domini Dei nostri Jhesu Christi salvatoris !

'Nihil intulimus', ut apostolicum testatur oraculum , 'in hunc mundum , verum nec auferre quid possumus' 1 ; Iccirco terrenis ac caducis æterna et mansura mercanda sunt . Quapropter ego Æthelredus rex Merciorum , rogatus a patricio meo et propinquo Coenfritho pro remedio animæ meæ , ac pro oratione fratrum in Meldunesburg Deo servientium , . xv . cassatos prope Tectan Monasterium Aldelmo abbati libenter largitus sum.

Si quis vero hanc donationem augere et amplificare voluerit , augeat Deus partem ejus in libro vitæ : quod si quis , tyrannica potestate fretus , demere vel auferre satagerit , sciat se coram Christo novemque angelorum ordinibus in tremendo examine rationem redditurum.

Scripta est autem hæc cyrographi cartula , anno ab incarnatione domini . dclxxx . Indictione . ix .

+ Ego Theodorus gratia Dei archiepiscopus confirmavi .
+ Ego Saxulfus episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Bosel episcopus subscripsi .
+ Signum manus Æthelredi regis Merciorum .
+ Signum Cenfrithi comitis .