Archive: Worcester

A.D. 883 x 911. Æthelred, dux Merciorum, to Cuthulf, minister; renewal of the grant by King Burgred of 10 hides (manentes) at Marlcliff in Cleeve Prior, Worcs., the ancient landbook having been carried off by 'pagans' (Vikings); with a note that the beneficiary later granted the land to the church of Worcester. Latin with English bounds.

 

De Mearnan clife .

Px In nomine domini nostri Jhesu ChristiINVOCATION Athelred Deo adjuvante Merciorum dux hanc cartam Cuthulfo ministro regis pro illa terra Marnan clive id est . x . manentium fieri concessitDISPOSITIVE WORD quam terram Cered propinquus illius Cuthulfi cum mille siclis a Burhredo rege Merciorum adquisivit . ac post mortem suam suæ uxori Uuerthrythe ad optinendam donavit . Tunc ille Cuthulf a præfata muliere Romam cupienti pergere in presentia Uuerfrithi episcopi omniumque optimatum provinciæ Huuicciorum cum probabili pecunia comparavit . Sed ille Athelred præfata Uuerthrythe sub juramento affirmante supradictæ terræ libellum a paganis arreptum esse cum consensu omnium Merciorum senatorum alium scribere jussit . Ut ille Cuthul'f' illa terra ut sibi placeret perhenniter perfrueretur et cui donare vellet sine impedimento ullius personæ licentiam haberet . Ipse vero post modum divino provocatus instinctu . hanc eandem terram æcclesiæ Uuigrecestre pro salute et remedio aninaæ suæ donavit .

Ðis synd þa land gemæru æt mearnan clyfe . x . hida . þæt is þonne ærest of turf hlawan in þone holen weg . Of þam holan wege innon afene þæt hit . cymeþ wiþ ufan wearroces yge . 7 se mæd hom þær to . þæt swa up on þone lytlan hlauw . Of þam hlawe on þa mær dic . Of þære dic on bradan wege . Ondlang weges innan þæt sic . Ondlang þæs sices innon þone þyrs pyt . Of þæm pytte innan pidewællan . Of pidwælla[n] æfter 'þam' wege to þam uferan heafdan . þæt æfter heafdan æft in turf hlawen . BOUNDS

Et hic infra nomina testium conscripta liquescunt .

Ego Burhred rex Merciorum hanc libertatem præscriptam mea manu consensi et subscripsi .
Ego Ethelsuuyht regina consensi .
Ego Werefrið episcopus consensi .
Ego Æþelred dux consensi .
Ego Alhhelm dux .
Ego Eadnoð dux consensi .
Ego Ælfred dux .
Ego Uulfsige minister .
Ego Wifrið minister .