Archive: Canterbury, Christ Church

s. ix. Alfred, aldormon, and Wærburg, his wife, declare that they have ransomed holy books from the Danish army and now wish to donate them to Christ Church, Canterbury. English.

 

+ Orate pro Ceolheard pr', Niclas 7 Ealhhun 7 Wulfhelm aurifex 1. + In nomine Domini nostri Jhesu Christi.INVOCATION Ic Aelfred aldormon 7 Werburg min gefera begetan ðas bec æt haeðnum herge mid uncre claene feo, ðæt ðonne wæs mid clæne golde. 7 ðæt wit deodan for Godes lufan 7 for uncre saule ðearf[e], ond for ðon ðe wit nolðan ðæt ðas halgan beoc lencg in ðære haeðenesse wunaden. 7 nu willað heo gesellan inn to Cristes circan Gode to lofe 7 to wuldre 7 to weorðunga, 7 his ðrowunga to ðoncunga, 7 ðæm godcundan geferscipe to brucen[ne] ðe in Cristes circan dæghwæmlice Godes lof rærað, to ðæm gerade dæt heo mon arede eghwelce monaðe for Aelfred 7 for Werburge 7 for Alhðryðe, heora saulum to ecum lecedome, ða hwile ðe God gesegen haebbe ðæt fulwiht æt ðeosse stowe beon mote. Ec swelce ic Aelfred dux 7 Werburg biddað 7 halsiað on Godes almaehtiges noman 7 on allra his haligra, ðæt nænig mon seo to ðon gedyrstig ðætte ðas halgan beoc aselle oððe aðeoðe from Cristes circan, ða hwile ðe fulwiht stondan mote.

Aelfre[d] Werbur[g] Alhðryð eorum [filia]4

1 Invocation at the top of the page, in a different hand from what follows.
4 These names in right hand margin.

In nomine Domini nostri Jhesu Christi. I, Earl Aelfred, and Werburg my wife, who have acquired these books from a heathen army with our true money, that is, with pure gold. And this we have done for the love of God and for the good of our souls, and because we were not willing that these holy books should remain any longer in heathen hands. And we now desire to give them to Christ Church, for the praise and glory and worship of God, and as a thankoffering for His Passion, and for the use of the religious community who daily celebrate God's praise in Christ Church, on condition that they are read every month for Aelfred and for Werburg and for Alhthryth, to the eternal salvation of their souls, as long as God shall provide for the continuance of Christianity in this place. Likewise I, Earl Aelfred, and Werburg, pray and entreat in the name of God Almighty and of all His saints, that no one be so presumptuous as to give away these holy books, or to remove them from Christ Church, so long as Christianity shall endure.