with Eadweard’s children contended. Failed him the Northmen with their nailed ships; dreary those left by spears, on dashing ocean, over deep water, Dublin they seek and again Ireland in shameful wise. Likewise the brethren the two together, the king and Atheling, sought their kindred, West Saxons’ land, in war exulting. Left they behind them corpses to share to old dusky-coat, to the swart raven, with horny nib, and to the grey-coat, the eagle white-tailed, the prey to enjoy, to the greedy war-hawk, and the grey beast, the wolf in the weald. Was not more slaughter in this island ever till now of folk cut down before this time by swords’ edges as the books tell us, and ancient wise men, since from east hitherwards Angles and Saxons up to land came, over broad oceans, Britain they sought, proud smiths of war the Welsh overcame, earls eager for fame they won this country. A LAND BOC (940). =Source.=—_Cott. Aug._, ii. 62. Earle, _Land-Charters, and other Saxonic Documents_, Oxford, 1888, p. 175. Translated by W. ✠ Our Lord Jesus Christ reigning for ever! Since by the providence of our Creator every creature was made altogether good in the beginning and was beautifully created and splendidly fashioned, above the heavens and below, as well in the case of angels as men and the manifold and diverse kinds of beasts of burden and fishes and birds: And since from the beginning of the world until the end they rightly keep the laws ordained by their Creator except man alone, who was formed in his image and set above every creature, who for his transgression is rushing headlong to death: Therefore I EADMUND, king of the Angles, burning for the heavenly country, have granted and given to a certain lady of a religious order, named Æthelswith, x hides in the place commonly known in the ancient tongue as AT OSWALDING TOWN: That she may enjoy it well and ever possess it so long as the spirit of life unharmed pursue the course of this declining age and dwell in flesh corruptible: and that she may leave it to whatever heir she will for ever after herself, as we said above, as an everlasting inheritance.