S 969

A.D. 1033. King Cnut to Bovi, his faithful minister; grant of 7 hides (mansae) at Horton, Dorset. Latin with English bounds.

Archive: Sherborne

MSS: 1. BL Add. 46487, 24v-25r (s. xii med.; Middle English version of bounds)
2. BL Add. 46487, 26r-27v (s. xii med.)

Printed: K 1318; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 5, no. 50; O'Donovan, Sherborne, nos 20 (MS 2) and 20A (MS 1).

Comments: Grundy, Dorset, pp. 124-9, bounds describe modern parish; Finberg, ECW, no. 622, authentic; Hart 1970/1, p. 23, on rubric; Stenton 1971, p. 414, cited; HRH, p. 235, probably genuine, subscriptions nearly consistent; O'Donovan, Sherborne, pp. lx, lxii, 71-4, authentic; Keynes 1989, pp. 230-1, on historical background; PN Dorset, ii. 135, 159-62; Wormald 1992, p. 431, on the meaning of a phrase; Lawson 1993, pp. 67-8, 170, 239, p. 240 and n. 11, on formulation; Keynes 1994/1, pp. 51, 52 n. 50, perhaps a regional production; Keynes 1997, p. 208, cited.

Þis ys þæra . vii . hida land boc to Hortune þe Cnut cining gebocode Bouige hys huskarle on ece yrfe . Nu swutelaþ hit her þæt Boui mid his scette awerede þæt land fore scet . on ealre scire gewitnysse .

Px Regnante imperpetuum Deo et domino nostro Iesu Christo . Cum cuius imperio hic labentis seculi prosperitas in aduersis successibus sedulo permixta et conturbata cernuntur . et omnia uisibilia atque desiderabilia ornamenta huius mundi ab ipsis amatoribus cotidie transeunt . ideo beati quique ac sapientes cum his fugitiuis seculi diuitiis eterna et iugiter permansura gaudia celestis patrie magnopere adipisci properant . Iccirco ego Cnut rex Anglorum ceterarumque gentium in circuitu persistentium gubernator et rector . quandam mei proprii iuris portionem . vii . terre mansas illo in loco ubi iamdudum solicole illius regionis nomen imposuerunt HORTVN - meo fideli ministro quem noti atque affines BOVI appellare solent . confirmo hereditatem . quatinus ille bene perfruatur ac perpetualiter possideat . quamdiu Deus per suam mirabilem mis[eri]cordiam uitam illi et uitalem spiritum concedere uoluerit . deinde namque sibi succedenti cuicumque libuerit cleronomi iure hereditario derelinquat . ceu supra diximus in eternam hereditatem . Maneat igitur hoc nostrum immobile donum eterna libertate iocundum . cum uniuersis que rite ad eundem locum pertinere dinoscuntur . tam in magnis quam in modicis rebus - in campis - pascuis - pratis - siluis - riuulis - aquarumque cursibus . excepto quod communi labore quod omnibus liquide patet . uidelicet expeditione pontis constructione . arcisue munitione . Si autem tempore contigerit aliquo quempiam hominum aliquem antiquiorem librum contra istius libri libertatem producere ; pro nichilo computetur . Si quis autem tetri demonis instinctus hoc nostrum decretum infringere uoluerit ; sit ipse a sancte Dei ecclesie consortio separatus . et infernalibus eternaliter flammis cum Iuda Christi proditore cruciandus . nisi hic prius digna satisfactione penituerit . quod contra nostrum deliquit decretum . Acta uero est presens pargameni scedula . anno dominice incarnationis . millesimo . xxxiii . indictione uero . i . Istis terminis supradicta terra circumgirata est .

Ærest cealdan broc scyt on winburnan . Of winburnan on mapoldor lea middeweardne . Of mapoldor lea innan east lea . Vt of east lea on þæt slæget . Of þam slægete on suð beara suþeweardne . Of suð beara on linleaga mor . Of linleage more . on þa gemearcodan lindan . Of ðære gemearcodan lindan on bisig garan be þære norh ecge . Of bisic garan on þone norþ heal . Of þam norþ heale . on blacan dune . Of þære dune on ciddes beara . Of ciddes beara on þa haran stanas . Of ðam haran stanon andlang blacan dune ecge norþ on þa haran apoldran . Of þære apoldran suþ on ðone mere on þona haran wiðig . Of þam wiðige west on wænecan wyrð on ða beorgas . Of wænecan wyrðe on suþ heal suþeweardne . Of þan heale on holan broc . Of þan broce to ruwan leges gete . Of þan gete on hyrn. Vp andlang hyrn ; on þone mearc hagan . Of þam hagan . on þone readan weg . Of þam wege . on heara Wulfrices gemære . Of þam landgemære andlang streames eft on cealdan broc .

Ista cartula illorum testium testimonio est corroborata . quorum his uocabula litteris uidentus caraxata : -

+ Ego CNVT gubernator sceptri huius insule hanc nostri decreti breuiunculam alme Crucis notamine muniens roboraui .
+ Ego Æþelnoð Doruernensis archiepiscopus consensi et subscripsi .
+ Ego Ælfric archiepiscopus corroboraui .
+ Ego Brihtwold episcopus confirmaui .
+ Ego Ælfwine episcopus .
+ Ego Brihtwig . episcopus .
+ Ego Ælfmær episcopus .
+ Ego Lyfing episcopus .
+ Ego Brih[t]wine . episcopus .
+ Ego Æþelweard . abbas .
+ Ego Ælwig abbas .
+ Ego Ælfric abbas .
+ Ego Ælfwig . abbas .
+ Ego Æþelwig . abbas .
+ Ego Godwine . dux .
+ Ego Leofric . dux .
+ Ego Ælfwine . dux .
+ Ego Duduc . presbiter .
+ Ego Eadwold . presbiter .
+ Ego Stigand . presbiter .
+ Ego Godwine . presbiter .
+ Ego Wulfnoþ . presbiter .
+ Ego Þored minister .
+ Ego Osgod . minister .
+ Ego Toui . minister .
+ Ego Urki . minister .
+ Ego Ælfgar . minister .
+ Ego Ælfget . minister .
+ Ego Æþelmær . minister .
+ Ego Siwerd . minister .
+ Ego Wulfnoð . minister .
+ Ego Winus . minister .
+ Ego Scirwold . minister .
+ Ego Eadwold . minister .
+ Ego Ælfgar . minister .
+ Ego Wihtnoþ . minister .
+ Ego Ecglaf . minister .
+ Ego Odda . minister .
+ Ego Ordgær . minister .
+ Ego Æþelmær . minister .
+ Ego Leofric . minister .
+ Ego Eadwig . minister .