Andreas

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

600
ða gen weges weard wordhord onleac,
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beorn ofer bolcan, beald reordade:
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"Miht ðu me gesecgan, þæt ic soð wite,
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hwæðer wealdend þin wundor on eorðan,
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þa he gefremede nalas feam siðum,
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folcum to frofre beforan cyðde,
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þær bisceopas ond boceras
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ond ealdormenn æht besæton,
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mæðelhægende? Me þæt þinceð,
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ðæt hie for æfstum inwit syredon
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þurh deopne gedwolan. Deofles larum
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hæleð hynfuse hyrdon to georne,
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wraðum wærlogan. Hie seo wyrd beswac,
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forleolc ond forlærde. Nu hie lungre sceolon,
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werige mid werigum, wræce þrowian,
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biterne bryne on banan fæðme."
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Him ða Andreas agef ondsware:
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"Secge ic ðe to soðe ðæt he swiðe oft
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beforan fremede folces ræswum
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wundor æfter wundre on wera gesiehðe,
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swylce deogollice dryhten gumena
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folcræd fremede, swa he to friðe hogode."
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Him ondswarode æðelinga helm:
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"Miht ðu, wis hæleð, wordum gesecgan,
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maga mode rof, mægen þa he cyðde,
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deormod on digle, ða mid dryhten oft,
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rodera rædend, rune besæton?"
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Him þa Andreas ondsware agef:
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"Hwæt frinest ðu me, frea leofesta,
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wordum wrætlicum, ond þe wyrda gehwære
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þurh snyttra cræft soð oncnawest?"
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ða git him wæges weard wiðþingode:
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"Ne frine ic ðe for tæle ne ðurh teoncwide
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on hranrade, ac min hige blissað,
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wynnum wridað, þurh þine wordlæðe,
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æðelum ecne. Ne eom ic ana ðæt,
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ac manna gehwam mod bið on hyhte,
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fyrhð afrefred, þam þe feor oððe neah
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on mode geman hu se maga fremede,
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godbearn on grundum. Gastas hweorfon,
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sohton siðfrome swegles dreamas,
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engla eðel þurh þa æðelan miht."
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Edre him Andreas agef ondsware:
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"Nu ic on þe sylfum soð oncnawe,
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wisdomes gewit, wundorcræfte
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sigesped geseald, (snyttrum bloweð,
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beorhtre blisse, breost innanweard),
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nu ic þe sylfum secgan wille
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oor ond ende, swa ic þæs æðelinges
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word ond wisdom on wera gemote
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þurh his sylfes muð symle gehyrde.
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Oft gesamnodon side herigeas,
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folc unmæte, to frean dome,
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þær hie hyrcnodon haliges lare.
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ðonne eft gewat æðelinga helm,
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beorht blædgifa, in bold oðer,
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ðær him togenes, god herigende,
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to ðam meðelstede manige comon,
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snottre selerædend. Symble gefegon,
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beornas bliðheorte, burhweardes cyme.
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Swa gesælde iu þæt se sigedema
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ferde, frea mihtig. Næs þær folces ma
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on siðfate, sinra leoda,
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nemne ellefne orettmæcgas,
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geteled tireadige. He wæs twelfta sylf.
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þa we becomon to þam cynestole,
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þær getimbred wæs tempel dryhtnes,
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heah ond horngeap, hæleðum gefrege,
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wuldre gewlitegod. Huscworde ongan
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þurh inwitðanc ealdorsacerd
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herme hyspan, hordlocan onspeon,
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wroht webbade. He on gewitte oncneow
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þæt we soðfæstes swaðe folgodon,
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læston larcwide. He lungre ahof
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woðe wiðerhydig wean onblonden:
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'Hwæt, ge syndon earme ofer ealle menn!
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Wadað widlastas, weorn geferað
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earfoðsiða, ellþeodiges nu
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butan leodrihte larum hyrað,
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eadiges orhlytte æðeling cyðað,
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secgað soðlice þæt mid suna meotudes
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drohtigen dæghwæmlice. þæt is duguðum cuð
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hwanon þam ordfruman æðelu onwocon.
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He wæs afeded on þysse folcsceare,
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cildgeong acenned mid his cneomagum.
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þus syndon haten hamsittende,
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fæder ond modur, þæs we gefrægen habbað
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þurh modgemynd, Maria ond Ioseph.
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Syndon him on æðelum oðere twegen
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beornas geborene, broðorsybbum,
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suna Iosephes, Simon ond Iacob.'
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Swa hleoðrodon hæleða ræswan,
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dugoð domgeorne, dyrnan þohton
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meotudes mihte. Man eft gehwearf,
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yfel endeleas, þær hit ær aras.
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þa se þeoden gewat þegna heape
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fram þam meðelstede mihtum geswiðed,
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dugeða dryhten, secan digol land.
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He þurh wundra feala on þam westenne
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cræfta gecyðde þæt he wæs cyning on riht

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