Æthelflæd's Bequest to St. Paul's

 

Her swutelað on ðam cwide ðe Ægelfled gecweden hæfð God to lofe and hire saule to þerfe and hire hlafordes. þæt is ðonne ða feower hida landes at Lagefare and twa hida æt Cochamstede ðe hy gean for hire saule and for hire hlafordes into sanctes Paules mynstre on Lundene ðam gebroðran to bigleofan, ðam ðe ðæs dæghwamlice Gode þeniað, be ðes cynges folle geleuen Æðelredes, on ðere manna gewitnesse ðe heora naman her standað: þæt is ðonne Ægelnoð arcebiscop, and Wulfstan arcebiscop, and Ælfun biscop on Lundene, and Ælfric abbot, and Wigand abbot, and Ælsi abbot on Cowwaforde, and Ælfere ealdorman, and Briðnoð ealdorman, and Eadric ealdorman, and Ælfsige cynges þegn, and Ufegeat scrireman, and Frena cynges þegn. And swa hwilc man swa þisne cwide awende, sy he Iudas gefere ðe urne drihten belewde on helle wite.

 
 

Here in this bequest it is made known what Æthelflæd has bequeathed for the praise of God and the need of her soul and her lord's; namely, the four hides at Laver and two hides at Cockhampstead which she grants for her soul and for her lord's to St Paul's minster in London for the maintenance of the brethren who daily serve God there; with the full permission of King Ethelred, in the presence of those men whose name are given here; namely, Archbishop Æthelnoth and Archbishop Wulfstan and Ælfun, Bishop of London, and Abbot Ælfric, and Abbot Wigheard, and Abbot Ælfsige of Cowwaford and the Ealdorman Ælfhere, and the Ealdorman Brihtnoth, and the Ealdorman Eadric, and Ælfsige, the King's thegn, and Ufegeat the sheriff, and Fræna, the king's thegn.

And whatsoever man shall alter this bequest, may he be a companion in the torment of hell of Judas who betrayed our Lord.

 

Source: Dorothy Whitelock, Anglo-Saxon Wills 66-7 (1930/1986).