S 1515
A.D. 951 x 955. Will of King Eadred, including bequests of land at Downton, Wilts., Damerham, Hants. (formerly Wilts.) and Calne, Wilts., to Old Minster, Winchester; at Wherwell, Andover and Kingsclere, Hants., to New Minster, Winchester; at Shalbourne, Wilts., Thatcham, Berks., and Bradford (? -on-Avon, Wilts.), to Nunnaminster, Winchester; at Amesbury, Wilts., Wantage, Berks., and Basing, Hants., with land in Sussex, Surrey and Kent to his mother. Old English, Middle English and Latin versions.
Archive: Winchester, New Minster
MSS: 1. Earl of Macclesfield, Shirburn Castle, Liber Abbatiae, 22r (Old English), 22rv (Middle English), 22v-23r (Latin) (s. xv)
2. BL Lansdowne 717, 42r-43v (s. xvi2; ex 1)
Printed: Alford 1663, iii. 305-6; Edwards, Liber de Hyda, pp. 153-61 (all versions); B 912 (Old English); B 913 (Middle English); B 914 (Latin); Harmer, SEHD, no. 21 (pp. 34-5), Old English only, with translation, pp. 64-5; Miller, New Minster, no. 17.
Translated: Whitelock, EHD, no. 107 (pp. 555-6).
Comments: Harmer, SEHD, pp. 119-23; Darlington 1955, pp. 30, 84, 86, 93, 96; Finberg, ECW, no. 75, authentic; John 1966, p. 43; Stenton 1971, p. 363, cited; PN Berks., i. 188, ii. 191; Biddle et al. 1976, p. 465 n. 8, cited; Gelling, ECTV, no. 66 (pp. 43, 158), authentic; Whitelock, EHD, pp. 554-5; Keynes 1980, pp. 158-9; Hill 1981, map no. 159 (p. 89); Meyer 1981, p. 348; Loyn 1984, pp. 98, 109; Keynes 1988, p. 190, on bequests to royal priests; Reynolds 1992, p. 219; Dumville 1993, p. 46; Keynes 1994, pp. 188-90, may not have been implemented; Abrams 1996, pp. 105-7, on Damerham bequest; Keynes 1996, pp. 23-4, on Winchester conections of will.
In nomine Domini. Þis is Eadredes cinges cwide. Þæt is þænne ærest, þæt he an into þære stowe þær he wile þæt his lic reste twegra gyldenra roda 7 twegra gyldenhiltra sweorda 7 feower hund punda. Þænne an he into Winteceastre to ealden mynstre þreora hama, ðæt is þænne Duntune 7 Domerham 7 Calne. Þænne an he into niwan mynstre þreora hama, þæt is þenne Hwerwyl 7 Andeferas 7 Clearas; 7 to nunan mynstre, Scealdeburnan 7 Þæcham 7 Bradanford. Þænne an he to nunnan mynstre to Ceastre þritiga punda, 7 þritiga to Wiltune, 7 þritiga to Sceaftesbirig.
Þænne an he his sawla to anliesnesse 7 his ðeodscipe to þearfe sixtyne hund punda to þan ðæt hi mege magan hungor 7 hæþenne here him fram aceapian gif hie beþurfen. Þænne fo se ercebiscop æt Cristes Cirican to feower hund pundun, Cantwarum 7 Suþrigum 7 Suþseaxum 7 Bearrucscire to fultume; 7 gif þan biscop hwæt tide, þænne beo ðæt feoh on þan mynstre on þara witena gewitnesse ðe on þære scire beon. 7 fo Ælfsige biscop to þam biscopstole to Winteceastre to feower hund pundun, twa hund to Hamtunscire, 7 to Wiltunscire an hund, 7 oþer to Dorsæton; 7 gif him hwæt tide, beo hit swa hit her bufan cwið on þara witena gewitenesse ðe on þære scire beon. Þænne fo Dunstan abbod to twam hund pundun, 7 healde æt Glæstingabirig Sumorsæton 7 Defenun; 7 gif him hwæt tide beo hit swa hit her bufan cwið. Þænne fo Ælfsige biscop to twam hund pundum þe þær ofer is, 7 healde æt þæm biscopstole on Winteceastre, swilcre scire swilcre þearf sie. Þænne fo Oscytel biscop to feower hund pundun, 7 healde æt ðæm biscopstole æt Dorceastre Myrcum, swa hit her bufan cwið. Þænne hæfð W' Wulfhelm biscop ðæt feower hund punda. Þanne nime man twentig hund mancusa goldes 7 gemynetige to mancusan, 7 fo se ercebiscop to anum dæle, to oþrum Ælfsige biscop, to þriddan Oscytel biscop, 7 gedælen geond þa biscopricea Gode to willan 7 minre sawle to anliesnesse.
Þænne an ic minre meder þæs landes æt Ambresbirig 7 æt Waneting 7 æt Basingum, 7 ealra minra boclanda þe ic on Suðeseaxum hæbbe 7 on Suðrigum 7 on Cent, 7 ealra þæra þe hio ær hæfde. Þænne an ic ðam ercebiscop twa hund mancusa goldes beo hundtwelftigum, 7 ælcan minra leodbiscopa hundtwelftiga mancusa goldes, 7 ælcan minra ealdormanna hundtwentig mancusa goldes, 7 ælcan gesettan discðegne 7 gesettan hræglðene 7 gesettan biriele hundeahtatig mancusa goldis, 7 ælcan minra mæssepreosta þe ic gesette hæbbe into minum reliquium fiftyg mancusa goldes 7 fif pund penenga, 7 ælcan þære oþerra preosta fif pund, 7 ælcan gesettan stigweard þritig mancusa goldes, 7 ealcan men preosthades þe geþeodad wæs siþþan ic to anwalde feng, 7 ælcan þæra þe is on minnum hirede, si swilcre note nyt swilc he sy, buton he sy lit inbyrde to þam cynestolum.
Þonne wille ic ðæt man nime to ælcan þissa hama twelf ælmesmen, 7 gif hwæt hera ænigan getide, sette man þær oþerne to. 7 stande þis eal þa hwile þe Cristendom beo, Gode to lofe, 7 minra sawle æleisnesse. 7 gif þis hwa don nelle, þonne gange þæt land in þær min lic rest.