S 441

A.D. 938. King Athelstan to Æthelred, minister; grant of 5 hides (mansae) at Rimpton, Somerset. Latin with English bounds.

Archive: Winchester, Old Minster

MSS: BL Add. 15350, 53rv (s. xii)

Printed: K 1116; B 730; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 3, no. 93.

Comments: Drögereit 1935, p. 370; Grundy, Somerset, pp. 102-5, on bounds; Finberg, ECW, no. 440, authentic; Hart 1970/1, p. 21, on rubric, p. 29 (no. 90), authentic; Keynes 1980, p. 24 n. 33, on rubric, p. 44 n. 81, on formulation; Costen 1985, on bounds.

Þis is Rimtunes land boc ðe Æþelstan cing gebocode Æþerede his þegne on ece yrfæ .

Egregius agonista sermocinatus est in scripturis divinis . 'omnia quæ videntur temporalia sunt . quæ autem non videntur eterna' 1 . Idcirco superflua utentibus divinis sermo ut supra taxati sumus . terribiliter premonet ut huius seculi caduca contempnentes spiritaliaque imitantes celestia properemus ad regna .

Quamobrem ego Æþelstanus . desiderio regni celestis exardens favente superno numine basileus industrius Anglorum cunctarumque gentium in circuitu persistentium cuidam adoptivo fideli meo minstro Æþæred vocitato ob illius amabile obsequium dignatus sum largiri . v . mansas agelluli . ibidem ubi vulgares prisco more mobilique relatione vocitant . æt Rimtune . et juxta dirivativis fluentium successibus . Higbroc . cum pratibus . pascuisque . necnon et silvis . silvarumque densitatibus . ut hæc prospere possideat ac æternaliter teneat . dum huius ævi fragilis cursum uti audebit . post se autem veluti affirmavimus cuicunque voluerit heredi derelinquat . ceu supradiximus in æternam hereditatem . Fiat etenim prefata terra ab omni servili jugo libera cum omnibus sibi rite pertinentibus . exceptis his tribus expeditione pontis arcisve coedificatione .

Denique vero si quis nobis non optantibus nostrum hoc donum violari fraudulenter perpetrando consenserit ; Consideret hinc se die ultima judicii coram Deo rationem redditurum atque cum reprobis quibus dicitur . 'Discedite a me maledicti in ignem æternum' 2 . penis atrocibus se esse passurum si non antea corporea lamentatione emendaverit .

Istis terminibus predicta terra circumgyrata esse videtur .

Ðis syndon þes landes ge mære æt Rimtune . Ærest of hig broce suþ and lang dic on ðone herpað . west 7lang herpaðes on wendan mære on morþ dic . þonon norð 7 lang herpaðes on wiðig leas wyrttruman . þonne ealling be wyrttruman oþ ac lea easte wearðne 7 nordþe weardne . þanon on hig broc east 7 lang broces on þes hiwisces dic . nord 7 lang dices on þæt strod east 7 lang strodes . of þam strode on wederangrafe scagan . utt þurh þone scagan . 7 lang beas broces þonne suþ be wyrttruman eft on hig broc .

Acta est hæc prefata donatio anno ab incarnatione domini nostri Jhesu Christi . dcccc xxxviii . indictione . xi .

Ego Æþelstanus rex tocius Brittanniæ prefatam donationem cum sigillo sancte crucis confirmavi .
Ego Wulfhelm Dorobornensis æcclesiæ archiepiscopus ejusdem regis donationem cum tropheo agyæ crucis consignavi .
Ego Ælfheah Wintoniensis æcclesiæ episcopus triumphalem tropheum agyæ crucis impressi .
Ego Þeodred Lundoniensis æcclesiæ episcopus consignavi .
Ego Cenwald Episcopus predictum donum consensi .
Ego Wulfun episcopus consensi .
Ego Oda episcopus confirmavi .
Ego Wulfhelm episcopus consignavi .
Ego Burhgric episcopus consensi .
Ego Æþelgar episcopus roboravi .
Ego Ælfwold Dux .
Ego Vhtred Dux .
Ego Odda minister .
Ego Wulfgar minister .
Ego Ælfric minister .
Ego Eadmund minister .
Ego Wulfhere minister .
Ego Ælfhere minister .
Ego Witgar minister .
Ego Æðelwold minister .
Ego Ælfred minister .
Ego Wulfmer minister .
Ego Wulfgar minister .
Ego Ælfsige minister .
Ego Ælfhere minister .
Ego Ordeah minister .
Ego Sigulf minister .
Ego Æþestan minister .
Ego Eadric minister .
Ego Ealhelm minister .
Ego Ælfsige minister .
Ego Æþered minister .
Ego Aþelmund minister .
Ego Wulfhelm minister .
Ego Wullaf minister .
Ego Witgar minister .
Ego Æþelwold minister .
Ego Wullaf minister .