The Battle of Brunanburh

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 73 sections

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Her æþelstan cyning, eorla dryhten,
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beorna beahgifa, and his broþor eac,
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Eadmund æþeling, ealdorlangne tir
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geslogon æt sæcce sweorda ecgum
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ymbe Brunanburh. Bordweal clufan,
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heowan heaþolinde hamora lafan,
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afaran Eadweardes, swa him geæþele wæs
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from cneomægum, þæt hi æt campe oft
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wiþ laþra gehwæne land ealgodon,
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hord and hamas. Hettend crungun,
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Sceotta leoda and scipflotan
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fæge feollan, feld dænnede
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secga swate, siðþan sunne up
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on morgentid, mære tungol,
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glad ofer grundas, godes condel beorht,
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eces drihtnes, oð sio æþele gesceaft
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sah to setle. þær læg secg mænig
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garum ageted, guma norþerna
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ofer scild scoten, swilce Scittisc eac,
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werig, wiges sæd. Wesseaxe forð
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ondlongne dæg eorodcistum
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on last legdun laþum þeodum,
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heowan herefleman hindan þearle
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mecum mylenscearpan. Myrce ne wyrndon
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heardes hondplegan hæleþa nanum
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þæra þe mid Anlafe ofer æra gebland
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on lides bosme land gesohtun,
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fæge to gefeohte. Fife lægun
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on þam campstede cyningas giunge,
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sweordum aswefede, swilce seofene eac
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eorlas Anlafes, unrim heriges,
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flotan and Sceotta. þær geflemed wearð
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Norðmanna bregu, nede gebeded,
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to lides stefne litle weorode;
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cread cnear on flot, cyning ut gewat
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on fealene flod, feorh generede.
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Swilce þær eac se froda mid fleame com
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on his cyþþe norð, Costontinus,
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har hilderinc, hreman ne þorfte
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mæca gemanan; he wæs his mæga sceard,
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freonda gefylled on folcstede,
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beslagen æt sæcce, and his sunu forlet
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on wælstowe wundun forgrunden,
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giungne æt guðe. Gelpan ne þorfte
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beorn blandenfeax bilgeslehtes,
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eald inwidda, ne Anlaf þy ma;
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mid heora herelafum hlehhan ne þorftun
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þæt heo beaduweorca beteran wurdun
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on campstede cumbolgehnastes,
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garmittinge, gumena gemotes,
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wæpengewrixles, þæs hi on wælfelda
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wiþ Eadweardes afaran plegodan.
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Gewitan him þa Norþmen negledcnearrum,
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dreorig daraða laf, on Dinges mere
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ofer deop wæter Difelin secan,
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eft Iraland, æwiscmode.
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Swilce þa gebroþer begen ætsamne,
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cyning and æþeling, cyþþe sohton,
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Wesseaxena land, wiges hremige.
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Letan him behindan hræw bryttian
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saluwigpadan, þone sweartan hræfn,
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hyrnednebban, and þane hasewanpadan,
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earn æftan hwit, æses brucan,
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grædigne guðhafoc and þæt græge deor,
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wulf on wealde. Ne wearð wæl mare
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on þis eiglande æfre gieta
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folces gefylled beforan þissum
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sweordes ecgum, þæs þe us secgað bec,
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ealde uðwitan, siþþan eastan hider
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Engle and Seaxe up becoman,
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ofer brad brimu Brytene sohtan,
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wlance wigsmiþas, Wealas ofercoman,
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eorlas arhwate eard begeatan.

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