+ Saeculi namque labentis tempora, sicut umbrae fugientes, sic velociter tranant, varieque eventuum status in cogitationes hominum conscendunt. Ideo omnes firmas statutiones nostras litterarum ser'i'e confirmamus, ne posteris cadant ex memoria precedentium decreta patrum. Grecorum talibus exemplis statuta sunt, qui quod scire volunt litteris tradunt, ne ex memoria labetur; estque nobis necesse præmeditandum in fugabundis temporibus saeculi quomodo ad aeternam felicitatem pervenire valeamus ; quia cuncta que videntur fugitiva sunt et caduca, que autem non videntur perhenniter sunt manentia. PROEM

For þære wisan, ic Æðelræd ealdorman, inbryrden'd're Godes gefe gewelegod 7 gewlenced mid sume dæle Mercna rices, for Godes lufan 7 for alesnessa minra gylta 7 synna 7 for benum abbodes 7 þære heorædene æt Berclea, 7 eac for ealre Merce -- ic heo gefr'e'oge ecelice þæs gafoles þe hio nu get to cyninges handa ageofan sceolan of ðam dæle þe þær ungefreod to lafe wæs þære cyningfeorme, ge on hlutrum alað, ge on beore, ge on hunige, ge hryðrum, ge on swynum, ge on sceapum. And þæt ic dyde for hiora godcundre gebedredenne 7 forþan eac þe hio me hiora landes sumne dæl in ece ærfewerdnesse to forleortan, þæt is æt Stoce twelf hida; 7 ðritig mancusa goldes hio sealdan eac me. 7 þæt ic þæt mynster fram æghwelcum gafolum gefreoge þe to þiode hlafarde belimpeð, litles oððe micles, cuðes ge uncuðes, butan angilde wið oðrum 7 fæstengewerce 7 fyrdsocne 7 brycggeweorce. 7 þæt ic do mid Ælfredes cyninges leafe 7 gewitnesse 7 mid ealra Myrcna witena, godcundra hada 7 woroldcundra.

And nu æft þæt ilce land æt Stoce þæt is twelf hida, ic sylle Cynulfe, Ceoluhtes suna, in ðreora manna dæg, for syxtigum mancesa clænes goldes, æghwelces þinges to freon, ge wið cyning, ge wið ealdorman, ge wið gerefan, æghwelces þeodomes, lytles 7 micles, butan fyrdsocne 7 fæstengeworce 7 brycggeweorce 7 angylde wið oðrum, 7 noht ut to wite. Ond we beodað þæt nænig mon on Ceoluhte gesib oððe fremde hit gereafige in ænigum ðingum, þa hwyle þe he lyfie, forþon þe he hit geearnode æt Mercna hlafordum mid rihtre eadmodnysse.

Ond nu we beodað in Godes almihtiges naman, þæt ðes bufancwedena freodom þæs mynstres æt Berclea 7 eac sio geofu þæs landes þe we Cynulfe syllað in ðreora manna [dæg], unbereafod þorhwunige on ecnesse, on þas gerad, þæt æfter Cynewulfes 7 his erfewerda twega, þæt twelf hida land æt Stoce butan ælcum wiðercwide sio agefen to Wigornacestre þam bisceopstole for Æðelred ealdormon 7 for ealle Merce him to ecre ælmessan. Eac we biddað 7 alsiað in naman þære halgan þrinesse þæt gif hwelc mon sio, þæt he mid yfle wyllan oht þæs abrecan wylle þe on þisse cartan awriten is, wite he þonne þæt he hit de ofer Godes est, 7 ofer ealra his haligra, 7 eac ofer monna godcundra hada 7 woroldcundra elces þæra þe ænig riht geþencean cunne oððe wylle; 7 he hit gebete beforan þam heahsetle þæs ecean deman butan he hit ær mid rihtre bote gebetan wille Gode 7 monnum.

Acta est autem huius donationis munificentia anno dominice incarnationis dccclxxxiii, Indictione autem 1DATING CLAUSE, his testibus consentientibus et subscribentibus quorum hic infra nomina notescunt.

+ Ego Ælfred rex huius traditionis munificentiam signo sancte crucis adfirmo.
+ Ego Æðelred dux hanc meam donationem signo sancte crucis inpono.
+ Ego Wulfred episcopus consensi.
+ Ego Werferð episcopus consensi.
+ Ego Deorlaf episcopus consensi.
+ Ego Æðelferð dux consensi.
+ Ego Eardwulf consensi et subscripsi.
+ Ego Æðelwold dux consensi.
+ Ego Eadnoð consensi et subscripsi.
+ Ego Ælfred consensi et subscripsi.
+ Ego Æðelhun abbas consensi et subscripsi.
+ Wigherad presbiter
+ Wighelm
+ Luda
+ Wilferð
+ Ecghun
+ Acha.

Terra autem ista hiis circumcingitur terminibus.

Ærest of Hæslwellan in Hæsldene, þonne of Hæsldene on Waldeswellan, of Waldeswellan on Sweordesstan, of Sweordesstane in Eowcumb, of Eowcumbe in Afene stream, of Afene streame eft up þæt in Hr'i'cgleage, þonne of Hrycgleage þæt on Penpau, of Penpau þæt in Sæferne stream. Of Hæslwellan eft þæt in leadgedelf, of leadgedelfe on mylepul, of mylenpulle in Afene stream.BOUNDS