S 498

A.D. 944. King Edmund to Athelstan, his faithful comes; grant of 2 hides (mansae) at Brampford Speke, Devon, in return for 80 mancuses of gold. Latin with English bounds.

Archive: Glastonbury

MSS: 1. Marquess of Bath, Longleat, 39, 181r (s. xiv; Rose-Troup 1938, p. 27)
2. Bodleian, Wood empt. 1, 201rv (s. xiv)

Printed: B 799; Rose-Troup 1938, pp. 254-5 ex MS 1, pp. 271-2 ex MS 2; Watkin, Glastonbury Cart., ii. 527-8 (no. 980) ex MS 1; Hooke 1994, pp. 147-8, bounds only.

Translated: Rose-Troup 1938, p. 261, bounds only.

Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 703, spurious; Rose-Troup 1938, pp. 256-7, a confection based on a genuine set of bounds, pp. 262-70, a topographical discussion, p. 271, argues that MS 2 is based on MS 1; Forsberg 1950, pp. 205-6; Finberg, ECDC, p. 11 (no. 29); Olson 1989, pp. 54-5, on estate; Hooke 1994, pp. 147-51, bounds seem to describe most of present parish of Upton Pyne; Abrams 1996, pp. 29, 37, 38, on MS sources, pp. 72-3, on estate, p. 73 n. 142, criticises Rose-Troup's reconstruction of estate history.

Carta regis Edmundi facta Athelstano Comiti de Brenteforlong .

In nomine domini nostri Jhesu C[h]risti salvatoris quoniam quidem transeuntis mundi vicissitudo cotidie per incrementa temporum crescendo decrescit et ampliando minuatur crebrescentibusque repentinis variorum incursum ruinis vicinus finis terminus esse in proximo cernitur . Iccirco vanis ac transibilibus rebus mansura celestis patrie premia mercanda sunt .

Quapropter ego Edmundus rex Anglorum huiusque provincie Britonum ruris gubernator cuidam fideli meo comite vocitato nomine Athelstano ob illius amabile obsequium ejusque placabili peccunia id est octoginta mancusas de purissimo auro aliquam partem terre juris mei perpetuali donacione libenter concedo duas mansas illic ubi vulgus prisca relatione vocitat . Of Brentesforlong . juxta dirivativis fluencium successibus . be Exan .

ut habeat ac possideat quamdiu vivat et postquam universitatis viam adierit cuicumque voluerit heredi derelinquat seu supradiximus in eternam hereditatem . sit autem pretitulata donacio libera ab omni regali servicio et ab aliena ambicione mundalium curarum nisi quod communi populo previdendum est . id est pontis arcisve constructione et promptissimum itiner expedicionis transitus cum omnibus que rite ad predictam terram pertinere dinoscuntur . campis . paschuis . pratis . silvis . aquarumque cursibus .

Si quis autem propria temeritate violenter invadere presumpserit nostram prenotatam donacionem sciat se proculdubio ante tribunal districti judicis titubantem tremebundumque racionem redditurum .

Istis terminibus predicta terra circumgirata esse videtur .

Erest so landschere geth of exan up on erfdion þane up on conanleyghbrok þane up on thene wey þanen north on . wulwythelandschere at alfredes þane þare of dune to cridican . þanen [on] lactancumbesbrok on midlisso . þanen up on grenewey on þar nedesslo þanen on dich of fulere . þane a doun on geganbrok . þane up on geganbrok of fonlangford þane on herepath of kingeslandschere . þe elde dich . þane up rigt on bedesberghe of beddesberghe on bright hulle on blakanhulle . þanen on bradenanhulle . þanen a doun on lake so eft right on exan. þane a doun of exan of Kirfdian .

Acta est hec prefata donacio . anno ab incarnacione domini nostri Jhesu Christi . DC . C . C . C . XLIIII . indiccione secunda .

+ Ego Edmundus rex Anglorum prefatam donacionem cum sigillo sancte crucis confirmavi .
+ Ego Oda Dorobornensis ecclesie archiepiscopus ejusdem regis donacionem cum tropheo agie crucis consignavi .
+ Ego Wolstan archiepiscopus ejusdem regis donacionem cum sigillo sancte crucis subarravi .
+ Ego Wuldred Londoniensis ecclesie episcopus predictum donum confirmavi .
+ Ego Alfath Wintoniensis ecclesie episcopus triumphalem tropheum agie crucis impressi cum multis aliis .