| + In nomine Domini nostri Ihesu Christi. Ic Aelfred aldormon ond Werburg min
gefera begetan þas bec æt hæthnum herge mid uncre clæne feo; thæt thonne wæs mid
clæne golde. Ond thæt wit deodan for Godes lufan ond for uncre saule
thearf[e], ond for
thon the wit noldan thæt thas halgan beoc lencg in thære hæthenesse
wunaden, ond nu
willath heo gesellan inn to Cristes circan God to lofe ond to wuldre ond to
weorthunga,
ond his throwunga to thoncunga, ond thæm godcundan geferscipe to brucen[n]e the in
Cristes circan dæghwæmlice Godes lof rærath; to thæm gerade thæt heo mon arede
eghwelce monathe for Aelfred ond for Werburge ond for Alhthrythe, heora saulum to ecum
lecedome, tha hwile the God gesegen hæbbe thæt fulwiht æt theosse stowe beon mote. Ec
swelce ic Aelfred dux ond Werburg biddath ond halsiath on Godes almaehtiges noman
ond on allra his haligra thæt nænig mon seo to thon gedyrstig thætte thas halgan beoc
aselle oththe atheode from Cristes circan tha hwile the fulwiht [s]t[on]da[n mote]. Aelfre[d]
Werbur[g]
Alhthryth eorum [filia] |
+ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I, Earl Alfred, and my wife Werburg
procured this book from the heathen invading army with our own money; the purchase was
made with pure gold. And we did that for the love of God and for the benefit of our souls,
and because neither of us wanted these holy works to remain any longer in heathen hands.
And now we wish to present them to Christ Church to God's praise and glory and
honour, and
as thanksgiving for his sufferings, and for the use of the religious community which
glorifies God daily in Christ Church; in order that they should be read aloud every month
for Alfred and for Werburg and for Alhthryth, for the eternal salvation of their souls, as
long as God decrees that Christianity should survive in that place. And also I, Earl Alfred,
and Werburg beg and entreat in the name of Almighty God and of all his saints that no man
should be so presumptuous as to give away or remove these holy works from Christ Church as
long as Christianity survives there. Alfred
Werburg
Alhthryth their daughter |
