S 354

A.D. 878 x 899. Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, to Denewulf, bishop of Winchester, and the church of SS Peter and Paul, Winchester; regrant of the reversion of 50 hides (manentes) at Chisledon, Wilts., and 60 at Hurstbourne Priors, Hants., in exchange for 100 hides at Cholsey, Hagbourne and Bæstlæsford (Basildon), Berks. Latin with English bounds of Cholsey, Hagbourne and Bæstlæsford.

Archive: Winchester, Old Minster

MSS: BL Add. 15350, 113r (s. xii)

Printed: K 1069; B 565; PN Berks., iii. 756, bounds only.

Comments: Plummer 1899, p. 175, spurious; Stevenson 1904, p. 151 n. 2, spurious or interpolated, p. 299 and n. 3, spurious, mentions Danegeld; Stenton 1913, pp. 13, 46, spurious; Harmer, SEHD, p. 97, very doubtful authenticity; Grundy, Berks. 1924, pp. 68-70, on bounds of Cholsey; Grundy, Berks. 1925, pp. 120-2, on bounds of Hagbourne, pp. 204-5, on bounds of Bæstelæsford; Finberg, ECW, no. 28, authentic; Finberg 1964, p. 135, authentic; John 1966, p. 45, on royal style; Hart 1970/1, p. 37 (no. 196), authentic; PN Berks., i. 6, 10, 153, 162, ii. 428, 497, 512-13, 516, 519, 524, 528, 531, 535-6, iii. 750-1, 756-7, three sets of bounds cover (a) Cholsey with Moulsford, (b) modern part of Basildon, perhaps with part of Ashampstead, (c) both Hagbournes with Didcot, Upton and (probably) Chilton; Gem 1978, p. 105, on Cholsey; Gelling, ECTV, no. 29, authentic; Keynes and Lapidge 1983, pp. 227-8 n. 1, on royal style; Dumville 1992, pp. 45, 46 n. 90, spurious in present form, but information deserves consideration; Dumville 1993, p. 81 n. 372, on Cholsey; Keynes 1994/2, pp. 1137-8, may be authentic, possibly a survival from royal archives; Abrams 1996, pp. 52-3, on Chisledon.

Donum Ælfredi Regis de Ciseldenæ .

In nomine domini Ego Ælfredus gratia Dei Angulsaxonum rex recordans qualiter sæcularium tempestatum turbines sepe ea quæ a fidelibus viris ordinata sunt conquassant . 7 maxime si non sunt litterarum apicibus causa memoriæ commendata . vel dominice crucis signo corroborata . iccirco in palam duco qualiter a venerabili Wentane civitatis episcopo Denewulfo aliquantulum terræ adquisieram cum satis ei placabili pecunia . necnon 7 æcclesiam beatorum apostolorum Petri 7 Pauli cui præfatus presul Deo favente deservit aliarum terrarum donatione ditavi .

Dedi namque antenominato episcopo . l . libras purissimi argenti . insuper 7 ad prædictam æcclesiam beatorum apostolorum dedi terram quinquaginta manentium in loco ubi ruricoli vocitant Ciseldenu . necnon 7 in alio loco ubi dicitur æt niðeran Hissanburnan . lx . manentes . Has autem terras pater meus Aþelwulfus venerabilis rex prius ad prædictam ecclesiam post obitum meum in propriam hereditatem dedit . sed Alfreðus episcopus una cum familia Wintonie civitatis æcclesiæ illas mihi iterum in æternam hereditatem reddiderunt . quia eos non suppetebat magnitudinem tributi solvere quam tota nostra gens solebat paganis reddere . precati sunt me ut tributum soluissem 7 terram possedissem . quod 7 feci . Eas vero nunc ea conditione ad supramemoratam ecclesiam dedi . ut meis diebus finitis in servitio ante memoratæ æcclesiæ Deoque ibi famulantium perpetualiter maneant ab omni sæculari negotio libere . præter expeditione et pontis arcisve instructionem .

Terra etenim quam michi presul antenominatus dederat quantitate est . c . manentium . Sita est autem in loco ubi accoli Ceolesig nuncupant cum aliis duobus villulis illuc pertinentibus sicque nominatis Haccaburna 7 Bæstlæsford . 7 ab omnibus sunt equaliter ut aliæ sæcularibus negotiis preter expeditione 7 pontis arcisve instructione libere .

Ðis sindon ða land gemere to ceolsige ofer sunesforda upp on grenan dune . ðonon on higran hongran norðe weardne . þonon on bullanholt on diopan wei . ðonon on marge wei and grim gelege . ðonon on romes leg on stanwei . ðonon andlang dices on west welle . ðonon andlang mores on tibbælde lace . ðonon on maccan eige andlang mores . ðonon on ðone ealdan dic est to temæse æt welingaforda .

Ðis sind ða landes gemære æt bestles forda cæccam wæl ðonon andlang hagan on ealden halh . ðonon on lid geat . ðonon to wæst legæ . ðonon to rah slede . ðonon to mules hamstæde . ðonon to hiorotlege . ðonon to blacan mære . ðonon to cylf hongran . ðonon eft to temæse on wiredes wær .

Ðis sindon ðes landes ge mære æt hacceburnan ðonon of haccebroce on ealdan lace . ðonon to tottencumbe ufeweardon . ðonon to burgilde treowe . ðonon to drægeles bæce . ðonon andlanges drægeles bæce to gemær weige emb cylda tun . ðonon flecges garan suðe wardan . ðonon to widan geate . ðonon to eadulfes mære . ðonon to stoccæs wælle . ðonon of stocces wylle on wittan mære . of wittan mære on cyninges dic . of cyninges dice on hæðbyrg . ðonon of hæðbyrge on haccaburnan emb mortun .

Ego Ælfred rex .
+ Ego Eadweard fR'
+ Ego Æðelweard fR'
+ Ego Orlaf dux .
+ Ego Vbba minister .