S 766

A.D. 968. King Edgar to Wilton Abbey; confirmation of land given to the church by Wulfthryth, consisting of 10 hides at South Newton, 10 at Sherrington, 20 at (? Kingston) Deverill, 3 at Baverstock and 3 at Frustfield (lost), Wilts.; and 10 at Watchingwell in Calbourne, Isle of Wight. Latin with bounds in English and Latin.

Archive: Wilton

MSS: BL Harley 436, 24v-28v (s. xiv)

Printed: Mon. Angl., ii. 862-4; Hoare, Reg. Wilton, pp. 12-16; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), ii. 323-4 (no. 6); Searle 1894, pp. 211-13.

Comments: Hoare, Modern Wilts., ii. 84; Grundy, Wilts. 1919, pp. 268-9, on bounds of Baverstock, pp. 274-6, on bounds of South Newton; Grundy, Wilts. 1920, pp 109-11, 268, 277, on bounds of Deverill and Sherrington; PN Wilts., p. 388, Frustfield bounds probably describe Abbotstone in Whiteparish, in former hundred of Frustfield; Kökeritz 1940, pp. 87-91, on bounds of Watchingwell; Forsberg 1950, p. 171, on a boundary mark; Stenton 1955, p. 3 n. 1, unusual form not fatal to authenticity; Darlington 1955, pp. 92-3, on estates; Whitelock 1959, p. 77 n., cited, with reference to witnesses; Finberg, ECW, no. 108 (pp. 51, 96), authentic; Taylor 1964, on Frustfield bounds; HRH, p. 237, subscriptions consistent, possibly authentic; Keynes 1980, pp. 77-9, 'Edgar A' formulation, proem also in S 762; Meyer 1981, p. 353, cited; Abrams 1996, p. 108, on Deverill.

Suð Niwetune.

Ðis his þare landa boc þe Eadgar cyng gebocode Gode and Sancta Marian into Wiltune, swa he hy ær forlet to Wulfðriðe, him to ecere alysednesse.

Omnium jura regnorum celestium atque terrestrium, claustra quoque infernalium, dumtaxat divinis Dei nutibus subiecta sunt. Quapropter cunctis sanum sapientibus satagendum est toto mentis conamine, ut prævideant qualiter tormenta valeant evadere infernalia et celestis vitæ gaudia concedente Christo Jesu concendere.

Hoc Eadgar rex Anglorum cum Norþhymbra regimine, ac progenie Paganorum Brettonumque prosapia sublimiter roboratus, sagaciter intelligens secum tractat, concedens largiflue lucrum cosmi, Christicolis ut choris angelicis feliciter collocetur. Huius rei gratia Rex præfatus rura quæ olim Wulfðryðe temporaliter concesserat, Domino nostri Jesu Christo ejusque genitrici Mariæ, ad usus sanctimonialium in Wiltune degentium, eterna largitus est dapsilitate, uti ecclesiæ Mariæ genetricis Domini nostri Jesu Christi consecratæ cum omnibus utensilibus, pratis videlicet, pascuis, silvis, perpetuo deserviant. Prædictæ telluris nomina hæc sunt: Niwantun, Scearntun, Defereal, Babbanstoc, Frystesfeld, Hwætinc.

Sint autem hæc rura omni terrenæ servitutis iugo libera,

tribus exceptis, rata videlicet expeditione, pontis arcisve restauratione.

Si quis igitur hanc nostram donationem in aliud quam constituimus transferre voluerit, privatus consortio sanctæ Dei ecclesiæ, in æternis barathi incendiis lugubris iugiter cum Iuda Christi proditore eiusque complicibus puniatur, si non satisfactione emendaverit congrua quod contra nostrum deliquit decretum.

His autem metis præfata rura hinc inde girantur.

Þis sint þare .X. hida landgemære to Niwantune. Ærest, of ðare lace, up andlang Wilig on Stanford; þanon up andlang þæs hwitan weges; of þan weige on þa dic, andlang dic east on þone ealdan herpaðe; of þone ealdan herpaþe ut on Afene, andlang Afene on þas poles heafod; þanon on Ættandenes norð hyldan swa seo ealda furh scæt up to þam stænenan stapole, and swa west to þære ealdan hlincræwe, and swa be þære yrðmearce nyþer to Higforda; of þan forda est ofer Wilig on otores hol; of þam hole up andlang Wilig; of Wilig on þa fulan lace; of þare lace ðwires ofer þa dic west; be þære dicheafde on Winding ford ufeweardne; þanon up andlang þære westemyste lace; swa eft on Wilig.

Ðis synt þara X hida landgemæra to Scearntune. Ærest, on Odenford; þanon on heandunsweoran easteweardan, and swa up andlang wille weges; þanon on Grimesdic andlang dic on Leofheres garan westweardan; of þam garan on Bradanleage westeweardan; þonon andlang hlinces to þam ealdan elebeme, and swa forð to Wurdeslea middeweardne; and þonne on Mædenbeorge, and swa ut on Wilig.

Ðis synt þare .XX. hida landgemæra to Defereal. Ærest, of Defereal on þa ealdan dic, and swa andlang dic to Langan beorge; þonon on þone herpað, andlang paþes on Pudelan ham; þonon on Hean leage; þonon on Peocesham; of þam hamme on landes(?) wege; of þam wege on þa ealdan dic; of þære dic on þone herpað; andlang paþes on Efer beorhe; of ðam beorge þanon eft on Defereal.

Ðis sint þare .X. hida landgemæra to Hwæt incg le þe hyrað into Niwantune. Ærest, of þære sæ, andlang stiðes fleotes heafod; of þam heafde on þa geclyppedan treowa; of þam treowan on Heortlege; þanon on þa wylle; þanon on þa ræwe on ðane haliganstan; þanon on þære ealdan heorc heges ræwe on Motbeorh; þanon on Hreces cumbes heafde on þane limpyt; þanon on Hreceleage middeweardre; þonon on Æscstede; of Æscstede þonon eft on þa sæ.

Ðys synt þare .III. hida landgemære to Fyrstes felda. Ærest, of þam sceardan hweole, andlang hemede weges on þone ealdan mapoldre; þonne on þa ruwan þirnan; þanon on þa oðre on þæs heges byht; of þæs heges byhte on Foxhyllæ; þonne west in on ðone crundel; þanon on ðæne ealdan orcheard eal swa þe hege byhð swa on ðaere herpæð; andlang paðes on Dyre broc; of þam broce on þone wylman on þitan wille; þanon on Hæsyl oran; þonne ut þurh þane holt on þæt scearde hweol.

Ðis synt þære .III. hida landgemære to Babanstoce. Ærest, of dic on Huna weg, andlang Huna weges on Æscwylle; andlang Aescwylles ut on Nodre; up on Noddre on Luing lace oð ðone ford; þanan norð andlang dic on þa readan hane; þonon on ealdan þorn; of þam þorne on haran wic westwearde; þonon on haran apuldre; þanon on þa ealdan gemotewil(l)e; þanon andlang dic; þanon eft on Huna weg.

Þonne sealde Eadgar cing twa mylna on Wiltune into þære stowe swa swa he hy aer Wulfþryþe geseald hæfde.

Anno Dominicæ incarnationis DCCCCLXVIII scripta est hæc carta, his testibus consentientibus, quorum inferius nomina notantur:

Ego Eadgar, rex Anglorum, corroboravi.
Ego Dunstan archiepiscopus concessi.
Ego Oscytel archiepiscopus confirmavi.
Ego Aðelwold episcopus consolidavi.
Ego Aelfstan episcopus consignavi.
Ego Osulf episcopus consensi.
Ego Bryhthelm episcopus concessi.
Ego Oswold episcopus adquievi.
Ego Alfwold episcopus confirmavi.
Aelfðryð regina.
Aescwig abbas.
Osgar abbas.
Aelfstan abbas.
Aeþelgar abbas.
Cyneweard abbas.
Þurcytel abbas.
Ealdred abbas.
Siferð abbas.
Aeþelstan dux.
Aelfeah dux.
Ordgar dux.
Oslac dux.
Aeþelwine dux.
Eadulf dux.
Beorhtnoð dux.
Byrhtferð miles.
Eanulf miles.
Aelfwine miles.
Aeþelweard miles.
Wulfstan miles.
Aelfsige miles.
Alfwold miles.
Leofsige miles.
Aelfhelm miles.
Leofwine miles.