S 99
A.D. 743 for 737 x 740 (Bearuwe). Æthelbald, king of Mercia, to Osred, his faithful minister; grant of 20 hides (cassati) at Aston Blank and Notgrove, Gloucs., with note that the land was later granted to St Mary's, Worcester. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: 1. Lost original
2. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 26v-27r (s. xi1)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 56-7; K 90; B 165; Earle, pp. 40-1.
Comments: Wanley, Catalogus, p. 30, on MS 1; HS, p. 339, doubtful; Turner 1916, p. xxxiii, citing Stevenson, authentic; Robinson 1919, pp. 11, 22, some interpolation; Grundy, Gloucs., pp. 177-81, on bounds; PN Gloucs., i. 176, 183, 184, 196, 200, 201; Finberg, ECWM, no. 23, authentic, scribe may have conflated two documents; Scharer 1982, pp. 169-72, not genuine in present form, but authentic basis; Hooke 1985, pp. 99, 128, 161; Wormald 1985, p. 25, unreliable later copy, possibly genuine elements; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 36, on beneficiary, p. 148, corrupt, perhaps interpolated, p. 169 n. 119.
[E]astvn . 7 Na[t]an graf.
+ Sit nomen domini benedictum in secula .
Ego Æþelbaldus Deo dispensante rex Mercensium terram . xx . cassatorum . id est . x . et . viii . in loco quem dicunt æt Eastune et ad Natangrafum . ministro meo valde fideli qui est de stirpe non ignobili prosapia regali gentis Huicciorum Osredo in possessionem juris æcclesiastici pro redemptione animæ meæ largiens concedo quatinus eo vivente possideat et regat . et post se cuicumque voluerit hominum possidendum liberum arbitrium habens derelinquat . et ut abomni tributo vectigalium operum onerumque sæcularium sit libera in perpetuum . pro mercede æternæ retributionis regali potestate decernens statuo tantum ut Deo omnipotenti ex eodem agello æcclesiasticæ servitutis famulatum inpendat . Hæc autem testamenti traditio perpetualiter postea tradita est sanctæ Mariæ Uueogernensis monasterii pro ipsius regis salute .
+ Ego Æðelbald rex Mercensium hanc donationem meam subscribo .
+ Ego Uuilfriðus episcopus .
Ego Huita episcopus .
Ego Torhthelm episcopus .
+ Ego Cuðberht episcopus .
Ego Alhuig episcopus
Ego Sigebed episcopus .
Þis synd þa land gemæru æt Eastune þe Æþelbald cyning Myrcna gebocade Utele bisceope into sancte Marian . Ærest of Turcanwyllas heafde andlang stræte on Cynelmesstan on Mylenweg þonne andlang hrycges on Heortford þanen andlang streames on Buruhford on foron þa spelstowe þonan on Turcandene on Seofenwyllas middeweardan of þam wyllan to Balesbeorge suðan þonne on Cealcweallas þonan eft on Turcandene andlang eft on Turcanwyllas heafod . Þis wæs gedon þy geare þe wæs agæn from Cristes flæscnesse . dccxliii . on þam cynehame þe is ge cyged Bearuwe .