Peace of Edward and Guthrum (EGu)
This Old English edict, which claims to be an additional treaty between King Alfred of Wessex (872–899), his son Edward the Elder, king of Wessex and Mercia (899–924), and Guthrum, the viking king of East Anglia (d.889/90), was identified by Dorothy Whitelock as a forgery, composed by Archbishop Wulfstan of York (1002–1023). Wulfstan may possibly have fabricated this treaty in an attempt to seek security for the Church in northern England once he became archbishop by reaffirming traditional rights and penalties regarding church sanctuary, crimes in which the Church has an interest, the responsiblities of priests, tithes, fasting, Sunday-work, and sorcery.
Contents
Print editions
- Felix Liebermann, ed., Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen, 3 vols (Halle, 1903–1916), vol. 1, pp. 128–134.
Manuscripts
- B: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 383, fos. 13r-14v
description & facsimiles - H: Strood, Medway Archive and Local Studies Centre, MS DRc/R1 (Textus Roffensis), fos. 40r-41v
description & facsimiles - Hk: London, British Library, MS Additional 49366, fos. 88r-89v
description & facsimiles - M: Manchester, John Rylands University Library, MS Lat. 420, fos. 71v-73r
description & facsimiles - R: London, British Library, MS Royal 11 B.II, fos. 151v-152r
description & facsimiles - Rs: Manchester, John Rylands University Library, MS Lat. 155, fos. 18v-20r
description & facsimiles - T: London, British Library, MS Cotton Titus A.XXVII, fos. 134r-135v
description & facsimiles