A prologue begins the document, outlining that it is a treaty between "King Alfred and King Guthrum and the councillors ("witan") of all the English race and all the people which is in East Anglia".
O documento comeza cun prólogo, resumindo que se trata dun tratado entre "o rei Alfredo e o rei Guthrum e todos os conselleiros ("Witenagemot" ou "witan") das razas inglesas e todas as xentes de Anglia Oriental".