49
S 96

Æthelbald, king of the Mercians, grants ten hides (cassati) near the wood called Toccan sceaga (Tockenham, Wiltshire) and the tumulus called Reada beorg to Abbot Eanberht. A.D. 757

Archive: Uncertain, possibly Malmesbury

London, British Library, Cotton Ch. viii. 3: original, s. viii, or a slightly later single-sheet copy, s. viii/ix or s. ix
Endorsement: in a hand of s. ?: <Reada beo>rg

... <d>ubitanter conuenit de his q...... <c>ommunicando tribuere . m....... ibus tanto plura cotidie ....os f....e ceter..... a Deo constat accepisse ...
<Quapro>pter ego <Æthilbald> rex non solum Mercensium . sed etiam in circuitu populorum . quibus me diuina dispensatio sine meritorum suffragio pr=esse uoluit uenerabili seruo Dei Eanberhttae abbati agrum .x. cassatorum in dominium Christi =cclesiae pro redemptione animae meae . et pro expiatione facinorum meorum libenter concedens largior . Est autem terra illa iuxta siluam quam dicunt Toccan sceaga . habens in proximo tumulum qui habet nomen Reada beorg . quem etiam agrum cum siluis et prateis et omnibus ad eum pertinentibus commodis supra nominato seruo Dei . benigno animo concedo . Si quis uero hanc donationem uiolare temptauerit . sciat se in tremendo examine totius mundi Deo uniuersorum iudici terribiliter rationem redditurum.
+ Ego Æthilbald rex propriam donationem pro Christo factam signo sacratissimae crucis firmabo.
+ Ego Cynulf rex Uuest Saxsorum consensiens et subscribo
+ Manus Hereuualdi episcopi
+ Manus Milredi episcopi
+ Manus Cyneheardi episcopi
+ Manus Forthere
+ Manus Heardberhti
+ Manus Eadbaldi
+ Manus Eadan
+ Manus Uuadan
+ Manus Ealhmundi
+ Manus Cuutferthi
+ Manus Ecgfrithi
+ Manus Scillingis
+ Manus Æt\h/elricis
+ Manus Eoppan
+ Manus Uuigerthi
+ Manus Ealhferthi
+ Manus Ceardici

+ Manus . Tycc=an abbatis
+ Manus Herecan . abbatis
+ Manus Cyneberhti . abbatis
+ Manus B=gloci . bresbiteri
+ Manus . Ecggan . bresbiteri

Edition: Charters of Malmesbury Abbey, ed. S. E. Kelly, Anglo-Saxon Charters 11 (Oxford: Published for The British Academy by Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 294-5 (no. 49). For apparatus criticus see ibid., p. 295, and for a detailed commentary see ibid., pp. 295-9.

�

Wherefore I, Æthelbald, king, not only of the Mercians but also of the neighbouring peoples over whom Divine dispensation wished me to rule without judgment on my merits, freely granting bestow on the servant of God, Abbot Eanberht, land of 10 hides, into the control of the church of Christ, for the salvation of my soul and for the atonement of my misdeeds. That land is near the wood they call Tockenham, having nearby the tumulus that has the name Rada beorg, which land I grant with beneficent intent also with woods and meadows and all benefits belonging to it to the above-mentioned servant of God. If anyone should attempt to harm this gift, let him know that he will fearfully render account in the terrible examination of the whole world by God, the Judge of all.
+ I, Æthelbald, king, will confirm my own gift made for Christ with the mark of the very sacred cross.
+ I, Cynewulf, king of the West Saxons, agreeing also subscribe
+ Hand of Herewald, bishop [of Sherborne]
+ Hand of Milred, bishop [of Worcester]
+ Hand of Cyneheard, bishop [of Winchester]
+ Hand of Forthhere
+ Hand of Heardberht
+ Hand of Eadbald
+ Hand of Eada
+ Hand of Wada
+ Hand of Ealhmund
+ Hand of Cuthfrith
+ Hand of Ecgfrith
+ Hand of Scilling
+ Hand of Æthelric
+ Hand of Eoppa
+ Hand of Wigfrith
+ Hand of Ealhfrith
+ Hand of Cerdic

+ Hand of Tycca, abbot
+ Hand of Hereca, abbot
+ Hand of Cyneberht, abbot
+ Hand of Bægloc, priest
+ Hand of Ecgga, priest

Translation: David A. E. Pelteret.