S 73

A.D. 681. Æthelred, king of Mercia, to Aldhelm, abbot, and his successors; grant of 30 hides (cassati) west of the highway (Long Newnton, Wilts., cf S 1038) and 15 near Tetbury, Gloucs. Latin.

Archive: Malmesbury

MSS: 1. BL Lansdowne 417, 9rv (s. xiv/xv)
2. PRO E 164/24, 122v (s. xiii)
3. Bodleian, Wood empt. 5, 13v-14v (s. xiii)
4. Oxford, Magdalen College, 172, 82v-83r (s. xiii)

Printed: Mon. Angl., i. 51; Wharton, Anglia Sacra, ii. 10; K 22 ex Wharton and MS 1; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 258 (no. 6); Giles, Opera Aldhelmi, p. 343; Hamilton, William of Malmesbury, G.P., pp. 35-1 ex MS 4; Brewer, Reg. Malm., pp. 281-2, ex MS 2; B 58 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. 22, citing Stenton, genuine; Finberg, ECW, no. 183, authentic; Finberg, ECWM, no. 2, authentic, and p. 237; Stenton 1971, p. 69, cited; Scharer 1982, pp. 149-50, spurious, based on S 71; Edwards 1988, pp. 90-2, interpolated version of S 71.

In nomine domini Dei nostri Jhesu Christi salvatoris !

'Nichil intulimus', ut apostolicum confirmat oraculum, 'in hunc mundum nec auferre quid possumus' 1 . Iccirco terrenis ac caducis æterna ac mansura mercanda sunt. Quapropter ego Ethelredus, rex Mertiorum, rogatus a patricio meo ac propinquo Cenfritho, pro remedio animæ meæ, ac pro oratione fratrum in Meldulfesbirg servientium .xxx. cassatos ab occidentali parte stratæ publicæ , et non longe in alio loco .xv. prope Tettan monasterium Aldhelmo abbati et successoribus . ejus in libertatem terrenarum servitutum perpetualiter , libenter largitus sum . Et hanc donationem meam sacræ crucis signaculo propria manu confirmavi , et favorabilium virorum claro consensu corroboravi ; ut nulla post obitum nostrum regalis audatia nec secularis dignitas decretum nostrum confringere attemptet. Si quis vero hanc donationem augere et amplificare voluerit , augeat Deus partem ejus in libro vitæ . Quod si quis , tirannica potestate fretus , demere sategerit , sciat se coram Christo novemque angelorum ordinibus rationem redditurum.

Scripta est autem hæc cirographi cartula anno ab incarnatione domini .dclxxxi. , indictione .ix.

+ Signum manus Æthelredi regis Merciorum .
+ Signum manus Coenfrithi comitis .
+ Ego Theodorus , gratia Dei archiepiscopus , confirmavi .
+ Ego Saxulfus episcopus subscripsi .
+ Ego Bosellus episcopus subscripsi .