The Battle of Maldon

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 325 sections

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brocen wurde.
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Het þa hyssa hwæne hors forlætan,
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feor afysan, and forð gangan,
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hicgan to handum and to hige godum.
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þa þæt Offan mæg ærest onfunde,
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þæt se eorl nolde yrhðo geþolian,
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he let him þa of handon leofne fleogan
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hafoc wið þæs holtes, and to þære hilde stop;
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be þam man mihte oncnawan þæt se cniht nolde
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wacian æt þam wige, þa he to wæpnum feng.
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Eac him wolde Eadric his ealdre gelæstan,
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frean to gefeohte, ongan þa forð beran
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gar to guþe. He hæfde god geþanc
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þa hwile þe he mid handum healdan mihte
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bord and bradswurd; beot he gelæste
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þa he ætforan his frean feohtan sceolde.
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ða þær Byrhtnoð ongan beornas trymian,
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rad and rædde, rincum tæhte
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hu hi sceoldon standan and þone stede healdan,
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and bæd þæt hyra randas rihte heoldon
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fæste mid folman, and ne forhtedon na.
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þa he hæfde þæt folc fægere getrymmed,
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he lihte þa mid leodon þær him leofost wæs,
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þær he his heorðwerod holdost wiste.
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þa stod on stæðe, stiðlice clypode
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wicinga ar, wordum mælde,
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se on beot abead brimliþendra
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ærænde to þam eorle, þær he on ofre stod:
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"Me sendon to þe sæmen snelle,
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heton ðe secgan þæt þu most sendan raðe
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beagas wið gebeorge; and eow betere is
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þæt ge þisne garræs mid gafole forgyldon,
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þon we swa hearde hilde dælon.
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Ne þurfe we us spillan, gif ge spedaþ to þam;
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we willað wið þam golde grið fæstnian.
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Gyf þu þat gerædest, þe her ricost eart,
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þæt þu þine leoda lysan wille,
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syllan sæmannum on hyra sylfra dom
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feoh wið freode, and niman frið æt us,
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we willaþ mid þam sceattum us to scype gangan,
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on flot feran, and eow friþes healdan."
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Byrhtnoð maþelode, bord hafenode,
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wand wacne æsc, wordum mælde,
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yrre and anræd ageaf him andsware:
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"Gehyrst þu, sælida, hwæt þis folc segeð?
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Hi willað eow to gafole garas syllan,
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ættrynne ord and ealde swurd,
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þa heregeatu þe eow æt hilde ne deah.
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Brimmanna boda, abeod eft ongean,
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sege þinum leodum miccle laþre spell,
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þæt her stynt unforcuð eorl mid his werode,
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þe wile gealgean eþel þysne,
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æþelredes eard, ealdres mines,
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folc and foldan. Feallan sceolon
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hæþene æt hilde. To heanlic me þinceð
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þæt ge mid urum sceattum to scype gangon
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unbefohtene, nu ge þus feor hider
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on urne eard in becomon.
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Ne sceole ge swa softe sinc gegangan;
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us sceal ord and ecg ær geseman,
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grim guðplega, ær we gofol syllon."
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Het þa bord beran, beornas gangan,
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þæt hi on þam easteðe ealle stodon.
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Ne mihte þær for wætere werod to þam oðrum;
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þær com flowende flod æfter ebban,
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lucon lagustreamas. To lang hit him þuhte,
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hwænne hi togædere garas beron.
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Hi þær Pantan stream mid prasse bestodon,
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Eastseaxena ord and se æschere.
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Ne mihte hyra ænig oþrum derian,
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buton hwa þurh flanes flyht fyl gename.
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Se flod ut gewat; þa flotan stodon gearowe,
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wicinga fela, wiges georne.
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Het þa hæleða hleo healdan þa bricge
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wigan wigheardne, se wæs haten Wulfstan,
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cafne mid his cynne, þæt wæs Ceolan sunu,
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þe ðone forman man mid his francan ofsceat
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þe þær baldlicost on þa bricge stop.
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þær stodon mid Wulfstane wigan unforhte,
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ælfere and Maccus, modige twegen,
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þa noldon æt þam forda fleam gewyrcan,
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ac hi fæstlice wið ða fynd weredon,
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þa hwile þe hi wæpna wealdan moston.
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þa hi þæt ongeaton and georne gesawon
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þæt hi þær bricgweardas bitere fundon,
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ongunnon lytegian þa laðe gystas,
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bædon þæt hi upgang agan moston,
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ofer þone ford faran, feþan lædan.
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ða se eorl ongan for his ofermode
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alyfan landes to fela laþere ðeode.
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Ongan ceallian þa ofer cald wæter
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Byrhtelmes bearn (beornas gehlyston):
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"Nu eow is gerymed, gað ricene to us,
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guman to guþe; god ana wat
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hwa þære wælstowe wealdan mote."
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Wodon þa wælwulfas (for wætere ne murnon),
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wicinga werod, west ofer Pantan,
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ofer scir wæter scyldas wegon,
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lidmen to lande linde bæron.
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þær ongean gramum gearowe stodon

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