Andreas

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

400
Edre him þa eorlas agefan ondsware,
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þegnas þrohthearde, þafigan ne woldon
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ðæt hie forleton æt lides stefnan
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leofne lareow ond him land curon:
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"Hwider hweorfað we hlafordlease,
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geomormode, gode orfeorme,
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synnum wunde, gif we swicað þe?
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We bioð laðe on landa gehwam,
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folcum fracoðe, þonne fira bearn,
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ellenrofe, æht besittaþ,
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hwylc hira selost symle gelæste
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hlaforde æt hilde, þonne hand ond rond
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on beaduwange billum forgrunden
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æt niðplegan nearu þrowedon."
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þa reordade rice þeoden,
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wærfæst cining, word stunde ahof:
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"Gif ðu þegn sie þrymsittendes,
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wuldorcyninges, swa ðu worde becwist,
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rece þa gerynu, hu he reordberend
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lærde under lyfte. Lang is þes siðfæt
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ofer fealuwne flod; frefra þine
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mæcgas on mode. Mycel is nu gena
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lad ofer lagustream, land swiðe feorr
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to gesecanne. Sund is geblonden,
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grund wið greote. God eaðe mæg
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heaðoliðendum helpe gefremman."
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Ongan þa gleawlice gingran sine,
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wuldorspedige weras wordum trymman:
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"Ge þæt gehogodon, þa ge on holm stigon,
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þæt ge on fara folc feorh gelæddon,
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ond for dryhtnes lufan deað þrowodon,
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on ælmyrcna eðelrice
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sawle gesealdon. Ic þæt sylfa wat,
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þæt us gescyldeð scyppend engla,
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weoruda dryhten. Wæteregesa sceal,
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geðyd ond geðreatod þurh þryðcining,
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lagu lacende, liðra wyrðan.
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Swa gesælde iu, þæt we on sæbate
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ofer waruðgewinn wæda cunnedan,
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faroðridende. Frecne þuhton
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egle ealada. Eagorstreamas
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beoton bordstæðu, brim oft oncwæð,
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yð oðerre. Hwilum upp astod
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of brimes bosme on bates fæðm
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egesa ofer yðlid. ælmihtig þær,
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meotud mancynnes, on mereþyssan
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beorht basnode. Beornas wurdon
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forhte on mode, friðes wilnedon,
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miltsa to mærum. þa seo menigo ongan
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clypian on ceole, cyning sona aras,
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engla eadgifa, yðum stilde,
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wæteres wælmum. Windas þreade,
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sæ sessade, smylte wurdon
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merestreama gemeotu. ða ure mod ahloh
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syððan we gesegon under swegles gang
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windas ond wægas ond wæterbrogan
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forhte gewordne for frean egesan.
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Forþan ic eow to soðe secgan wille,
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þæt næfre forlæteð lifgende god
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eorl on eorðan, gif his ellen deah."
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Swa hleoðrode halig cempa,
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ðeawum geþancul. þegnas lærde
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eadig oreta, eorlas trymede,
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oððæt hie semninga slæp ofereode,
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meðe be mæste. Mere sweoðerade,
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yða ongin eft oncyrde,
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hreoh holmþracu. þa þam halgan wearð
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æfter gryrehwile gast geblissod.
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Ongan ða reordigan rædum snottor,
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wis on gewitte, wordlocan onspeonn:
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"Næfre ic sælidan selran mette,
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macræftigran, þæs ðe me þynceð,
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rowend rofran, rædsnotterran,
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wordes wisran. Ic wille þe,
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eorl unforcuð, anre nu gena
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bene biddan, þeah ic þe beaga lyt,
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sincweorðunga, syllan mihte,
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fætedsinces. Wolde ic freondscipe,
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þeoden þrymfæst, þinne, gif ic mehte,
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begitan godne. þæs ðu gife hleotest,
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haligne hyht on heofonþrymme,
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gif ðu lidwerigum larna þinra
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este wyrðest. Wolde ic anes to ðe,
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cynerof hæleð, cræftes neosan,
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ðæt ðu me getæhte, nu þe tir cyning
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ond miht forgef, manna scyppend,
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hu ðu wægflotan wære bestemdon,
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sæhengeste, sund wisige.
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Ic wæs on gifeðe iu ond nu þa
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syxtyne siðum on sæbate,
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mere hrerendum mundum freorig,
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eagorstreamas, (is ðys ane ma),
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swa ic æfre ne geseah ænigne mann,
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þryðbearn hæleða, þe gelicne,
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steoran ofer stæfnan. Streamwelm hwileð,
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beateþ brimstæðo. Is þes bat ful scrid,
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færeð famigheals, fugole gelicost
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glideð on geofone. Ic georne wat
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þæt ic æfre ne geseah ofer yðlade
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on sæleodan syllicran cræft.

The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, transcribed by sacred-texts.com (sacred-texts.com/neu/ascp/), via CLTK's old_english_text_sacred_texts mirror; released into the public domain. Licence: Public domain (Unlicense). Source.