S 1503

A.D. 1014. Will of the Ætheling Æthelstan, including bequests of land at Adderbury, Oxon., Marlow, Bucks., and (Steeple) Morden, Cambs., to Old Minster, Winchester; at Hollingbourne and Garrington in Littlebourne, Kent, to Christ Church, Canterbury; at Rotherfield (? Sussex) to Nunnaminster, Winchester; at Chalton, Hants., Northtune and at Mollington, Oxon., to King Æthelred; land in East Anglia and Peacesdele (? Peak District or Pegsdon, Beds.) to Edmund, his brother; at Hambleden, Bucks., to Ælfmær; at Cumtune to Godwine; at Westune to Ælfswith; at Heorulfestune to Ælfwine; at Catherington, Hants., to Ælfmær; at Hockcliffe, Beds., to Siferth; at Tewin, Herts., to Æthelweard the Stammerer and to Lyfing; at Lutegaresheale (? Ludgershall, Wilts.), to Godwine the Driveller. English.

Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church, and Winchester, Old Minster

MSS: 1. BL Stowe Ch. 37 (s. xi1; Golden Age, p. 149 (no. 152); OS Facs., iii. 38)
2. Canterbury, D. & C., Chart. Ant. H 68 (? s. xi1; OS Facs., i. 18)
3. Canterbury, D. & C., Reg. A, 142r-143r (s. xiii)
4. Canterbury, D. & C., Reg. E, 43rv (s. xiii)
5. BL Add. 15350, 43v-44v (s. xii)
6. BL Add. 15350, 50rv (s. xii)

Printed: Somner 1726, pp. 197-204, with interlined translation; Lye 1772, ii, Appendix ii, no. 5, with Latin translation; K 722; Thorpe, pp. 557-62, with translation; Earle, pp. 224-7; Whitelock, Wills, no. 20 (pp. 56-63), with translation.

Translated: Whitelock, EHD, no. 129 (pp. 593-6) [no. 130 in 1st edn].

Comments: PN Bucks., pp. 104, 177, Hamelendene is Hambleden, Bucks.; PN Wilts., pp. 367-8; Stenton 1932, p. 134; Whitelock, Wills, pp. 167-74; Mawer 1941-2, pp. 92-4, Lutgaresheale probably Ludgershall, Wilts.; Ekwall, DEPN, p. 306, agrees with Mawer, p. 360, suggests Peacesdele is Pegsdon, Beds.; PN Oxon., ii. 391; Finberg, ECW, no. 151, authentic, identifies Rotherfield as lying in East Tisted, Hants.; Chaplais 1966/1, pp. 170, 172 (= 1973, pp. 55, 57); Chaplais 1968, p. 332 n. 169, step from wrapping-tie in MS 2 (= 1973, p. 83 n. 169); Dodgson and Khaliq 1969-70, pp. 23-4; Barlow 1970, p. 30 n. 3, pp. 34-5; Hart 1970/1, p. 28 (no. 75), original, p. 29 (no. 84); Stenton 1970, p. 292, on place-name; Hart, ECEE, no. 67, authentic; Finberg 1972, p. 483, cited; Hart, ECNE, p. 385, the reference is to Steeple Morden; Jones 1976, p. 28, identifies as Rotherfield, Sussex; Brooks 1978, pp. 87-91, on heriot; Gelling, ECTV, no. 179 (pp. 21, 78, 89, 140), authentic, queries Pegsdon identification, notes that Ludgershall, Bucks., or Lurgarshall, Sussex, as as likely as Ludgershall, Wilts.; Whitelock, EHD, pp. 593-4, date must be 1014; Keynes 1980, p. 267, dates 1014; Golden Age, p. 149 (no. 152); Keynes 1990, p. 254; Lawson 1993, p. 78 n. 72, dates 1015; Lowe 1993a, pp. 3-15, on MSS 3-6; Keynes 1994/1, pp. 70-1 and n. 156; Baines 1995, on Hambleden; Pelteret 1995, pp. 123, 130, 328-9.

Notes: MSS 1 and 2 are both from Christ Church, Canterbury. MS 1 is the upper portion of a chirograph (CYROGRAPHVM) and was written by two scribes. MS 2 appears to be a copy (but probably not of MS 1); it is not part of a chirograph and has a step from a wrapping-tie.

A short note, in Latin, of the grant of Hollingbourne to Christ Church, Canterbury, is in the following MSS: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, 189, 200v (s. xii; Printed Twysden, X Scriptores, cols 2221-2); Canterbury, D. & C., Reg. D, 348r (s. xv); Canterbury, D. & C., Reg. P, 23r (s. xii; Printed Fleiming 1997, p. 137, no. 54); London, Lambeth Palace, 1212, p. 326 (s. xiii); Bodleian, Tanner 223, 17v (s. xvi).

+ On godes ælmihtiges naman. Ic Æþestan æþeling. geswutelige on þysum gewrite. hu ic mine are. 7 mine æhta. geunnen hæbbe. gode to lofe. 7 minre saule to alysednysse. 7 mines fæder Æþelredes cynges. þe ic hit æt geearnode. þæt is ærest þæt ic geann. þæt man gefreoge. ælcne witefæstne mann. þe ic on spræce ahte. 7 ic geann in mid me. þær ic me reste. Criste. 7 sancte Petre. þæs landes æt Eadburgebyrig. þe ic gebohte æt minan fæder. mid twam hund mancosan goldes be gewihte. 7 mid .V. pundan seolfres. 7 þæt land æt Merelafan. þe ic gebohte æt minum fæder mid þridde healf hund mancosan goldes. be gewihte. 7 þæt land æt Mordune. þæt min fæder me to let. Ic gean into þære stowe. for uncer begra saule. 7 ic hine þæs bidde for godes lufan. 7 for sancta Marian. 7 for sancte Petres. þæt hit standan mote. 7 þæs swurdes mid þam sylfrenan hiltan. þe Wulfric worhte. 7 þone gyldenan fetels. 7 þæne beh þe Wulfric worhte. 7 þone drencehorn. þe ic ær æt þam hirede gebohte. on ealdan mynstre. 7 ic wille þæt man nime þæt feoh. þe Aþelwoldes laf me ah to gyldene. þe ic for hyre are gesceoten hæbbe. 7 betæce Ælfsige bisceope. into ealdan mynstre. for mine saule. þæt synd .XII. pund be getale. 7 ic geann into Cristes cyrican on Cantwarabyrig. þæs landes. æt Holungaburnan. 7 þæs þe þærto hyrð. buton þære. anre sulunge þe ic Siferðe geunnen hæbbe. 7 þæs landes æt Garwaldintune. 7 ic ann þæs landes æt Hryðerafelda Into nunnan mynstre. Sancta Marian þances. 7 ænne sylfrene mele. on fif pundon. 7 Into niwan mynstre ænne sylfrene hwer on fif pundon. on þære halgan þrymnesse naman þe seo stow is forehalig. 7 ic geann to Sceaftenesbyrig to þære halgan rode. 7 to sancte Eadwearde. þara .VI. punda þe Ic Eadmunde minon breðer gewissod hæbbe. 7 Ic geann minon fæder Æþelræde cynge. þæs landes æt Cealhtune buton þam ehta hidan þe Ic Ælmære minon cnihte geunnennen hæbbe. 7 þæs landes æt Norðtune. 7 þæs landes æt Mollintune. 7 þæs seolferhiltan swurdes?g þe Ulfcytel ahte. 7 þære byrnan. þe mid Morkære is. 7 þæs horses þe Þurbrand me geaf. 7 þæs hwitan horses þe Leofwine me geaf. 7 Ic geann Eadmunde minon breðer þæs swurdes þe Offa cyng ahte. 7 þæs swurdes mid þam pyttedan hiltan. 7 anes brandes. 7 ænne seolforhammenne blædhorn. 7 þara landa þe ic ahte on East Englan. 7 þæs landes æt Peacesdele. 7 Ic wylle. þæt mon gelæste ælce geare ane dægfeorme þam hirede into Elig of þysse are on Sancte Æþeldryðe mæssedæg. 7 gesylle þær to mynstre an hund penega. 7 gefede þær on þone dæg. C. þearfena. 7 sy æfre seo ælmesse gelæst gearhwamlice. age land se þe age. þa hwile. þe Cristendom stande. 7 gif þa nellað þa ælmessan geforðian þe þa land habbað. gange seo ar. into sancte Æþeldryðe. 7 Ic geann Eadwige minon breðer anes seolforhiltes swurdes. 7 Ic geann Ælfsige. bisceope. þære gyldenan rode. þe is mid Eadrice Wynflæde suna; 7 anne blacne stedan. 7 Ic geann. Ælmære þæs landes æt Hamelandene þe he ær ahte. 7 ic bidde minne fæder fur godes. ælmihtiges lufan. 7 fur minon. þæt he þæs geunne. þe Ic him. geunnen hæbbe. 7 Ic geann Godwine Wulfnoðes suna. þæs landes. æt Cumtune. þe his fæder ær ahte. 7 Ic geann Ælfswyðe. minre fostermeder. for hire myclon. geearnungon. þæs landes æt Westune. þe Ic gebohte æt minon fæder. mid þridde healf hund mancusan goldes. be gewihte. 7 Ic gean Ælfwine minon mæssepreoste. þæs landes æt Heorulfestune. 7 þæs malswurdes. þe Wiðer ahte. 7 mines horses mid minon gerædon. 7 Ic geann Ælmære minon discþene. þara ehta hida. æt Cateringatune. 7 anes fagan stedan. 7 þæs sceardan swurdes. 7 mines targan. 7 Ic geann. Siferðe þæs landes æt Hocganclife. 7 anes swurdes. 7 anes horses. 7 mines bohscyldes. 7 Ic geann. Æþelwerde Stameran 7 Lyfingce þæs landes. æt Tywingan. 7 Ic ann Leofstane Leofwines breðer. Cwattes. þære lan'd'are. þe Ic of his breðer nam. 7 Ic geann Leommære. æt Biggrafan þæs landes þe ic him ær of nam. 7 Ic geann Godwine Dreflan. þara þreora hida. æt Lutegaresheale. 7 Ic geann Eadrice Wynflæde Sunu þæs swurdes þe seo hand is on gemearcod. 7 Ic gean'n' Æþelwine minon. Cnihte þæs swurdes þe he me ær sealde. 7 Ic geann. Ælfnoðe minon swurdhwitan þæs sceardan malswurdes. 7 minon heardeorhunton þæs stodes. þe is on Colungahrycge. 7 gehealde mon of mino'n' golde. Ælfric æt Bertune. 7 Godwine Drefelan æt swa miclon swa Eadmund min broðor wat. þæt ic heom mid rihte to gyldanne ah; Nu þancige Ic minon fæder mid ealre eadmodnesse on godes ælmihtiges naman þære andsware. þe he me sende on frigedæg. æfter middessumeres mæssedæge. be Ælfgare. Ælffan suna. þæt wæs. þæt he me Cydde. mines fæder worde. þæt ic moste be godes leafe. 7 be his. geunnan minre are. 7 minra æhta. swa me mæst ræd þuhte. ægðer ge for gode. ge for worulde. 7 þysse andsware is to gewitnesse. Eadmund min broðor. 7 Ælfsige bisceop. 7 Byrhtmær abbod. 7 Ælmær Ælfrices sunu. nu bidde ic. ealle þa witan. þe minne cwyde gehyron rædan. ægðer ge gehadode. ge læwede. þæt hi beon on fultume. þæt min Cwyde standan mote. Swa mines fæder leaf. On minon Cwyde stænt. Nu cyðe Ic. þæt ealle þa þingc. þe Ic to gode. into godes Cyrican. 7 godes þeowan geunnen hæbbe. Sy gedon for mines leofan fæder Sawle Æþelredes Cyncges. 7 for minre. 7 Ælfþryðe minre Ealdemodor þe me afedde. 7 for ealra þara þe me to þyson godan gefylstan. 7 Se. þe þysne Cwyde. þurh ænig þingc. awende. habbe him wið god ælmihtigne gemæne. 7 wið Sancta Marian. 7 wið Sancte Peter. 7 wið ealle þa. þe godes naman heriað;