Andreas

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 1,722 sections

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ofer cald wæter cuðe sindon."
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Him ða ondswarude ece dryhten:
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"Eala, Andreas, þæt ðu a woldest
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þæs siðfætes sæne weorþan!
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Nis þæt uneaðe eallwealdan gode
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to gefremmanne on foldwege,
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ðæt sio ceaster hider on þas cneorisse
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under swegles gang aseted wyrðe,
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breogostol breme, mid þam burgwarum,
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gif hit worde becwið wuldres agend.
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Ne meaht ðu þæs siðfætes sæne weorðan,
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ne on gewitte to wac, gif ðu wel þencest
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wið þinne waldend wære gehealdan,
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treowe tacen. Beo ðu on tid gearu;
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ne mæg þæs ærendes ylding wyrðan.
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ðu scealt þa fore geferan ond þin feorh beran
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in gramra gripe, ðær þe guðgewinn
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þurh hæðenra hildewoman,
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beorna beaducræft, geboden wyrðeð.
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Scealtu æninga mid ærdæge,
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emne to morgene, æt meres ende
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ceol gestigan ond on cald wæter
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brecan ofer bæðweg. Hafa bletsunge
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ofer middangeard mine, þær ðu fere!"
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Gewat him þa se halga healdend ond wealdend,
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upengla fruma, eðel secan,
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middangeardes weard, þone mæran ham,
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þær soðfæstra sawla moton
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æfter lices hryre lifes brucan.
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þa wæs ærende æðelum cempan
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aboden in burgum, ne wæs him bleað hyge,
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ah he wæs anræd ellenweorces,
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heard ond higerof, nalas hildlata,
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gearo, guðe fram, to godes campe.
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Gewat him þa on uhtan mid ærdæge
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ofer sandhleoðu to sæs faruðe,
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þriste on geþance, ond his þegnas mid,
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gangan on greote. Garsecg hlynede,
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beoton brimstreamas. Se beorn wæs on hyhte,
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syðþan he on waruðe widfæðme scip
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modig gemette. þa com morgentorht
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beacna beorhtost ofer breomo sneowan,
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halig of heolstre. Heofoncandel blac
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ofer lagoflodas. He ðær lidweardas,
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þrymlice þry þegnas gemette,
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modiglice menn, on merebate
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sittan siðfrome, swylce hie ofer sæ comon.
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þæt wæs drihten sylf, dugeða wealdend,
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ece ælmihtig, mid his englum twam.
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Wæron hie on gescirplan scipferendum,
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eorlas onlice ealiðendum,
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þonne hie on flodes fæðm ofer feorne weg
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on cald wæter ceolum lacað.
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Hie ða gegrette, se ðe on greote stod,
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fus on faroðe, fægn reordade:
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"Hwanon comon ge ceolum liðan,
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macræftige menn, on mereþissan,
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ane ægflotan? Hwanon eagorstream
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ofer yða gewealc eowic brohte?"
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Him ða ondswarode ælmihti god,
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swa þæt ne wiste, se ðe þæs wordes bad,
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hwæt se manna wæs meðelhegendra,
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þe he þær on waroðe wiðþingode:
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"We of Marmedonia mægðe syndon
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feorran geferede. Us mid flode bær
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on hranrade heahstefn naca,
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snellic sæmearh, snude bewunden,
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oðþæt we þissa leoda land gesohton,
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wære bewrecene, swa us wind fordraf."
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Him þa Andreas eaðmod oncwæð:
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"Wolde ic þe biddan, þeh ic þe beaga lyt,
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sincweorðunga, syllan meahte,
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þæt ðu us gebrohte brante ceole,
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hea hornscipe, ofer hwæles eðel
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on þære mægðe. Bið ðe meorð wið god,
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þæt ðu us on lade liðe weorðe."
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Eft him ondswarode æðelinga helm
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of yðlide, engla scippend:
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"Ne magon þær gewunian widferende,
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ne þær elþeodige eardes brucað,
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ah in þære ceastre cwealm þrowiað,
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þa ðe feorran þyder feorh gelædaþ,
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ond þu wilnast nu ofer widne mere
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þæt ðu on þa fægðe þine feore spilde."
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Him þa Andreas agef ondsware:
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"Usic lust hweteð on þa leodmearce,
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mycel modes hiht, to þære mæran byrig,
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þeoden leofesta, gif ðu us þine wilt
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on merefaroðe miltse gecyðan."
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Him ondswarode engla þeoden,
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neregend fira, of nacan stefne:
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"We ðe estlice mid us willað
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ferigan freolice ofer fisces bæð
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efne to þam lande þær þe lust myneð
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to gesecanne, syððan ge eowre
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gafulrædenne agifen habbað,
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sceattas gescrifene, swa eow scipweardas,
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aras ofer yðbord, unnan willað."
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Him þa ofstlice Andreas wið,
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wineþearfende, wordum mælde:

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