Chapter 1
. . . . . . . . .brocen wurde; hēt þā hyssa hwænehors forlǣtan,
feor āfȳsanand forð gangan,
hicgan tō handumand t(ō) hige gōdum. Þ(ā) þæt Offan mǣgǣrest onfunde,
þæt se eorl noldeyrhðo geþolian,
hē lēt him þā of handonlēofne flēogan
hafoc wið þæs holtes,and tō þǣre hilde stōp; be þām man mihte oncnāwanþæt se cniht nolde
wācian æt þām w(ī)ge,þā hē tō wǣpnum fēng. Ēac him wolde Ēadrīchis ealdre gelǣstan,
frēan tō gefeohte;ongan þā forð beran
gār tō gūþe;hē hæfde gōd geþanc
þā hwīle þe hē mid handumhealdan mihte
bord and brād swurd;bēot hē gelǣste,
þā hē ætforan his frēanfeohtan sceolde.
feor āfȳsanand forð gangan,
hicgan tō handumand t(ō) hige gōdum. Þ(ā) þæt Offan mǣgǣrest onfunde,
þæt se eorl noldeyrhðo geþolian,
hē lēt him þā of handonlēofne flēogan
hafoc wið þæs holtes,and tō þǣre hilde stōp; be þām man mihte oncnāwanþæt se cniht nolde
wācian æt þām w(ī)ge,þā hē tō wǣpnum fēng. Ēac him wolde Ēadrīchis ealdre gelǣstan,
frēan tō gefeohte;ongan þā forð beran
gār tō gūþe;hē hæfde gōd geþanc
þā hwīle þe hē mid handumhealdan mihte
bord and brād swurd;bēot hē gelǣste,
þā hē ætforan his frēanfeohtan sceolde.
Þā þǣr Byrhtnōð onganbeornas trymian,
rād and rǣdde,rincum tǣhte
hū hī sceoldon standanand þone stede healdan,
and bæd þæt hyra randasrihte hēoldon
fæste mid folman,and ne forhtedon nā. Þā hē hæfde þæt folcfægere getrymmed,
hē lihte þā mid lēodonþǣr him lēofost wæs,
þǣr hē his heorðwerodholdost wiste. Þā stōd on stæðe,stīðlīce clypode
wīcinga ār,wordum mǣlde,
sē on bēot ābēadbrimlīþendra
ǣrænde tō þām eorle,þǣr hē on ōfre stōd: ‘Mē sendon tō þēsǣmen snelle; ‘hēton ðē secganþæt þū mōst sendan raðe
‘bēagas wið gebeorge,and ēow betere is
‘þæt gē þisne gārrǣsmid gafole forgyldon
‘þon(ne) wē swā hearde(h)ilde dǣlon. ‘Ne þurfe wē ūs spillan;gif gē spēdaþ tō þām,
‘wē willað wið þām goldegrið fæstnian. ‘Gyf þū þat gerǣdest,þe hēr rīcost eart,
‘þæt þū þīne lēodalȳsan wille,
‘syllan sǣmannumon hyra sylfra dōm
‘feoh wið frēodeand niman frið æt ūs,
‘wē willaþ mid þām sceattumūs tō scype gangan,
‘on flot fēran,and ēow friþes healdan.’
Byrhtnōð maþelode,bord hafenode,
wand wācne æsc,wordum mǣlde,
yrre and ānrǣd,āgeaf him andsware: ‘Gehȳrst þū, sǣlida,hwæt þis folc segeð? ‘hī willað ēow tō gafolegāras syllan,
‘ǣttrynne ordand ealde swurd,
‘þā heregeatuþe ēow æt hilde ne dēah. ‘Brimmanna boda,ābēod eft ongēan,
‘sege þīnum lēodummiccle lāþre spell,
‘þæt hēr stynt unforcūðeorl mid his werode,
‘þe wile gealgeanēþel þysne,
‘Æþelrēdes eard,ealdres mīnes,
‘folc and foldan;feallan sceolon
‘hǣþene æt hilde.Tō hēanlic mē þinceð
‘þæt gē mid ūrum sceattumtō scype gangon
‘unbefohtne,nū gē þus feor hider
‘on ūrne eardin becōmon. ‘Ne sceole gē swā sōftesinc gegangan; ‘ūs sceal ord and ecgǣr gesēman,
‘grim gūðplega,ǣr we gafol syllon.’
Hēt þā bord beran,beornas gangan,
þæt hī on þām ēasteðeealle stōdon. Ne mihte þǣr for wæterewerod tō þām ōðrum; þǣr cōm flōwendeflōd æfter ebban,
lucon lagustrēamas;tō lang hit him þūhte
hwænne hī tōgæderegāras bēron. Hī þǣr Pantan strēammid prasse bestōdon,
Ēastseaxena ord,and se æschere; ne mihte hyra ǣnigōþrum derian,
būton hwā þurh flānes flyhtfyl genāme. Se flōd ūt gewāt;þā flotan stōdon gearowe
wīcinga fela,wīges georne. Hēt þā hæleða hlēohealdan þā bricge
wigan wīgheardne,sē wæs hāten Wulfstān,
cāfne mid his cynne;þæt wæs Cēolan sunu,
þe ðone forman manmid his francan ofscēat,
þe þǣr baldlīcoston þā bricge stōp. Þǣr stōdon mid Wulfstānewigan unforhte,
Ælfere and Maccus,mōdige twēgen; þā noldon æt þām fordaflēam gewyrcan,
ac hī fæstlīcewið ðā fȳnd weredon,
þā hwīle þe hī wǣpnawealdan mōston. Þā hī þæt ongēatonand georne gesāwon,
þæt hī þǣr bricgweardasbitere fundon,
ongunnon lytegian þālāðe gystas; bǣdon þæt hī ūpgangāgan mōston,
ofer þone ford faran,fēþan lǣdan. Ðā se eorl onganfor his ofermōde
ālȳfan landes tō felalāþere ðēode. Ongan ceallian þāofer cald wæter
Byrhtelmes bearn;beornas gehlyston: ‘Nū ēow is gerȳmed,gāð ricene tō ūs,
‘guman tō gūþe;God āna wāt
‘hwā þǣre wælstōwewealdan mōte.’
Wōdon þā wælwulfas,for wætere ne murnon,
wīcinga werod,west ofer Pantan,
ofer scīr wæterscyldas wēgon,
lidmen tō landelinde bǣron. Þǣr ongēan gramumgearowe stōdon
Byrhtnōð mid beornum;hē mid bordum hēt
wyrcan þone wīhagan,and þæt werod healdan
fæste wið fēondum.Þā wæs f(e)ohte nēh,
tīr æt getohte;wæs sēo tīd cumen
þæt þǣr fǣge menfeallan sceoldon. Þǣr wearð hrēam āhafen,hremmas wundon,
earn ǣses georn;wæs on eorþan cyrm. Hī lēton þā of folmanfēolhearde speru,
gegrundenegāras flēogan; bogan wǣron bysige,bord ord onfēng,
biter wæs se beadurǣs;beornas fēollon
on gehwæðere hand,hyssas lāgon. Wund wearð Wulfmǣr,wælræste gecēas,
Byrhtnōðes mǣg,hē mid billum wearð,
his swustersunu,swīðe forhēawen. Þǣr wærð wīcingumwiþerlēan āgyfen; gehȳrde ic þæt Ēadweardānne slōge
swīðe mid his swurde,swenges ne wyrnde,
þæt him æt fōtum fēollfǣge cempa; þæs him his ðēodenþanc gesǣde,
þām būrþēne,þā hē byre hæfde. Swā stemnettonstīðhi(c)gende
hys(s)as æt hilde,hogodon georne
hwā þǣr mid ordeǣrost mihte
on fǣgean menfeorh gewinnan,
wigan mid wǣpnum;wæl fēol on eorðan. Stōdon stædefæste,stihte hī Byrhtnōð,
bæd þæt hyssa gehwylchogode tō wīge,
þe on Denon woldedōm gefeohtan. Wōd þā wīges heard,wǣpen ūp āhōf,
bord tō gebeorge,and wið þæs beornes stōp; ēode swā ānrǣdeorl tō þām ceorle; ǣgþer hyra ōðrumyfeles hogode. Sende ðā se sǣrincsūþerne gār,
þæt gewundod wearðwigena hlāford; hē scēaf þā mid ðām scylde,þæt se sceaft tōbærst,
and þæt spere sprengde,þæt hit sprang ongēan. Gegremod wearð se gūðrinc;hē mid gāre stang
wlancne wīcingþe him þā wunde forgeaf. Frōd wæs se fyrdrinc,hē lēt his francan wadan
þurh ðæs hysses hals;hand wīsode
þæt hē on þām fǣrsceaðanfeorh gerǣhte. Ðā hē ōþerneofstlīce scēat,
þæt sēo byrne tōbærst;hē wæs on brēostum wund
þurh ðā hringlocan,him æt heortan stōd
ǣtterne ord.Se eorl wæs þē blīþra,
hlōh þā mōdi man,sǣde Metode þanc
ðæs dægweorcesþe him Drihten forgeaf. Forlēt þā drenga sumdaroð of handa,
flēogan of folman,þæt sē tō forð gewāt
þurh ðone æþelanÆþelrēdes þegen. Him be healfe stōdhyse unweaxen,
cniht on gecampe,sē full cāflīce
brǣd of þām beorneblōdigne gār,
Wulfstānes bearn,Wulfmǣr se geonga,
forlēt forheardnefaran eft ongēan; ord in gewōd,þæt sē on eorþan læg,
þe his þēoden ǣrþearle gerǣhte. Ēode þā gesyrwedsecg tō þām eorle; hē wolde þæs beornesbēagas gefetgan,
rēaf and hringas,and gerēnod swurd. Ðā Byrhtnōð brǣdbill of scēðe,
brād and brūnecg,and on þā byrnan slōh; tō raþe hine gelettelidmanna sum,
þā hē þæs eorlesearm āmyrde; fēoll þā tō foldanfealohilte swurd,
ne mihte hē gehealdanheardne mēce,
wǣpnes wealdan.Þā gȳt þæt word gecwæð
hār hilderinc,hyssas bylde,
bæd gangan forðgōde gefēran; ne mihte þā on fōtum lengfæste gestandan,
(. . . . . .)hē tō heofenum wlāt: ‘(Ic) geþanc(i)e þē,ðēoda Waldend,
‘ealra þǣra wynnaþe ic on worulde gebād; ‘nū ic āh, milde Metod,mǣste þearfe
‘þæt þū mīnum gāstegōdes geunne,
‘þæt mīn sāwul tō ðēsīðian mōte,
‘on þīn geweald,Þēoden engla,
‘mid friþe ferian;ic eom frymdi tō þē
‘þæt hī helsceaðanhȳnan ne mōton.’
Ðā hine hēowonhǣðene scealcas,
and bēgen þā beornasþe him big stōdon,
Ælfnōð and Wulmǣr,bēgen lāgon; ðā onemn hyra frēanfeorh gesealdon. Hī bugon þā fram beaduweþe þǣr bēon noldon. Þǣr wurdon Oddan bearnǣrest on flēame,
Godrīc fram gūþe,and þone gōdan forlēt
þe him mænigne oftmēar gesealde; hē gehlēop þone eohþe āhte his hlāford,
on þām gerǣdumþe hit riht ne wæs,
and his brōðru mid himbēgen ær(n)don,
Godwine and Godwīg,gūþe ne gȳmdon,
ac wendon fram þām wīgeand þone wudu sōhton
flugon on þæt fæsten,and hyra fēore burgon,
and manna māþonne hit ǣnig mǣð wǣre
gyf hī þā geearnungaealle gemundon
þe hē him tō duguþegedōn hæfde. Swā him Offa on dægǣr āsǣde
on þām meþelstede,þā hē gemōt hæfde,
þæt þǣr mōdelīcemanege sprǣcon
þe eft æt þǣre (þearfe)þolian noldon. Ðā wearð āfeallenþæs folces ealdor,
Æþelrēdes eorl;ealle gesāwon
heorðgenēatasþæt hyra heorra læg. Þā ðǣr wendon forðwlance þegenas,
unearge men,efston georne; hī woldon þā ealleōðer twēga,
līf forlǣtanoððe lēofne gewrecan. Swā hī bylde forðbearn Ælfrīces,
wiga wintrum geong,wordum mǣlde; Ælfwine þā cwæð,hē on ellen spræc: ‘Gemuna(ð) þā mǣlaþe wē oft æt meodo sprǣcon,
‘þonne wē on bencebēot āhōfon,
‘hæleð on healle,ymbe heard gewinn; ‘nū mæg cunnianhwā cēne sȳ. ‘Ic wylle mīne æþeloeallum gecȳþan,
‘þæt ic wæs on Myrconmiccles cynnes; ‘wæs mīn ealda fæderEalhelm hāten,
‘wīs ealdorman,woruldgesǣlig. ‘Ne sceolon mē on þǣre þēodeþegenas ætwītan,
‘þæt ic of ðisse fyrdefēran wille,
‘eard gesēcan,nū mīn ealdor ligeð
‘forhēawen æt hilde;mē is þæt hearma mǣst; ‘hē wæs ǣgðer mīn mǣgand mīn hlāford.’
Þā hē forð ēode,fǣhðe gemunde,
þæt hē mid ordeānne gerǣhte
flotan on þām folceþæt sē on foldan læg
forwegen mid his wǣpne.Ongan þā winas manian,
frȳnd and gefēran,þæt hī forð ēodon,
Offa gemǣlde,æscholt āscēoc: ‘Hwæt þū, Ælfwine,hafast ealle gemanode
‘þegenas tō þearfe:nū ūre þēoden līð,
‘eorl on eorðan,ūs is eallum þearf
‘þæt ūre ǣghwylcōþerne bylde
‘wigan tō wīgeþā hwīle þe hē wǣpen mæge
‘habban and healdan,heardne mēce,
‘gār and gōd swurd.Ūs Godrīc hæfð,
‘earh Oddan bearn,ealle beswicene; ‘wēnde þæs formoni manþā hē on mēare rād,
‘on wlancan þām wicge,þæt wǣre hit ūre hlāford; ‘forþan wearð hēr on feldafolc tōtwǣmed,
‘scyldburh tōbrocen.Ābrēoðe his angin,
‘þæt hē hēr swā manigneman āflȳmde.’
Lēofsunu gemǣlde,and his linde āhōf,
bord tō gebeorge;hē þām beorne oncwæð: ‘Ic þæt gehāte,þæt ic heonon nelle
‘flēon fōtes trym,ac wille furðor gān,
‘wrecan on gewinnemīnne winedrihten. ‘Ne þurfon mē embe Stūrmerestedefæste hælæð
‘wordum ætwītan,nū mīn wine gecranc,
‘þæt ic hlāfordlēashām sīðie,
‘wende fram wīge;ac mē sceal wǣpen niman,
‘ord and īren.’Hē ful yrre wōd,
feaht fæstlīce,flēam hē forhogode. Dunnere þā cwæð,daroð ācwehte,
unorne ceorl,ofer eall clypode,
bæd þæt beorna gehwylcByrhtnōð wrǣce: ‘Ne mæg nā wandiansē þē wrecan þenceð
‘frēan on folce,ne for fēore murnan.’
Þā hī forð ēodon,fēores hī ne rōhton; ongunnon þā hīredmenheardlīce feohtan,
grame gārberend,and God bǣdon
þæt hī mōston gewrecanhyra winedrihten,
and on hyra fēondumfyl gewyrcan. Him se gȳsel ongangeornlīce fylstan; hē wæs on Norðhymbronheardes cynnes,
Ecglāfes bearn,him wæs Æscferð nama; hē ne wandode nāæt þām wīgplegan,
ac hē fȳsde forðflān genehe; hwīlon hē on bord scēat,hwīlon beorn tǣsde; ǣfre embe stundehē sealde sume wunde
þā hwīle ðe hē wǣpnawealdan mōste. Þā gȳt on orde stōdĒadweard se langa,
gearo and geornful;gylpwordum spræc
þæt hē nolde flēoganfōtmǣl landes,
ofer bæc būgan,þā his betera leg; hē bræc þone bordwealland wið ðā beornas feaht,
oð þæt hē his sincgyfanon þām sǣmannum
wurðlīce wrecǣr hē on wæle lǣge. Swā dyde Æþerīc,æþele gefēra,
fūs and forðgeorn,feaht eornoste,
Sībyrhtes brōðorand swīðe mænig ōþer
clufon cellod bord,cēne hī weredon; bærst bordes lærig,and sēo byrne sang
gryrelēoða sum.Þā æt gūðe slōh
Offa þone sǣlidan,þæt hē on eorðan fēoll
and ðǣr Gaddes mǣggrund gesōhte. Raðe wearð æt hildeOffa forhēawen; hē hæfde ðēah geforþodþæt hē his frēan gehēt,
swā hē bēotode ǣrwið his bēahgifan,
þæt hī sceoldon bēgenon burh rīdan,
hāle tō hāme,oððe on here cringan,
on wælstōwewundum sweltan; hē læg ðegenlīceðēodne gehende. Ðā wearð borda gebræc;brimmen wōdon,
gūðe gegremode;gār oft þurhwōd
fǣges feorhhūs.Forð (ð)ā ēode Wīstān,
Þurstānes sunu,wið þās secgas feaht; hē wæs on geþrang(e)hyra þrēora bana,
ǣr him Wīgelmes bearnon þām wæle lǣge. Þǣr wæs stīð gemōt;stōdon fæste
wigan on gewinne,wīgend cruncon,
wundum wērge;wæl fēol on eorþan. Ōswold and Ēadwoldealle hwīle,
bēgen þā gebrōþru,beornas trymedon,
hyra winemāgas,wordon bǣdon
þæt hī þǣr æt ðearfeþolian sceoldon,
unwāclīcewǣpna nēotan. Byrhtwold maþelode,bord hafenode; sē wæs eald genēat,æsc ācwehte,
hē ful baldlīcebeornas lǣrde: ‘Hige sceal þē heardra,heorte þē cēnre,
‘mōd sceal þē māre,þe ūre mægen lȳtlað. ‘Hēr līð ūre ealdoreall forhēawen,
‘gōd on grēote;ā mæg gnornian
‘sē ðe nū fram þīs wīgpleganwendan þenceð. ‘Ic eom frōd fēores;fram ic ne wille,
‘ac ic mē be healfemīnum hlāforde,
‘be swā lēofan men,licgan þence.’
Swā hī Æþelgāres bearnealle bylde
Godrīc tō gūþe;oft hē gar forlēt
wælspere windanon þā wīcingas,
swā hē on þām folcefyrmest ēode; hēow and hȳnde,oð þæt hē on hilde gecranc; næs þæt nā se Godrīcþe ðā gūðe forbēah.
rād and rǣdde,rincum tǣhte
hū hī sceoldon standanand þone stede healdan,
and bæd þæt hyra randasrihte hēoldon
fæste mid folman,and ne forhtedon nā. Þā hē hæfde þæt folcfægere getrymmed,
hē lihte þā mid lēodonþǣr him lēofost wæs,
þǣr hē his heorðwerodholdost wiste. Þā stōd on stæðe,stīðlīce clypode
wīcinga ār,wordum mǣlde,
sē on bēot ābēadbrimlīþendra
ǣrænde tō þām eorle,þǣr hē on ōfre stōd: ‘Mē sendon tō þēsǣmen snelle; ‘hēton ðē secganþæt þū mōst sendan raðe
‘bēagas wið gebeorge,and ēow betere is
‘þæt gē þisne gārrǣsmid gafole forgyldon
‘þon(ne) wē swā hearde(h)ilde dǣlon. ‘Ne þurfe wē ūs spillan;gif gē spēdaþ tō þām,
‘wē willað wið þām goldegrið fæstnian. ‘Gyf þū þat gerǣdest,þe hēr rīcost eart,
‘þæt þū þīne lēodalȳsan wille,
‘syllan sǣmannumon hyra sylfra dōm
‘feoh wið frēodeand niman frið æt ūs,
‘wē willaþ mid þām sceattumūs tō scype gangan,
‘on flot fēran,and ēow friþes healdan.’
Byrhtnōð maþelode,bord hafenode,
wand wācne æsc,wordum mǣlde,
yrre and ānrǣd,āgeaf him andsware: ‘Gehȳrst þū, sǣlida,hwæt þis folc segeð? ‘hī willað ēow tō gafolegāras syllan,
‘ǣttrynne ordand ealde swurd,
‘þā heregeatuþe ēow æt hilde ne dēah. ‘Brimmanna boda,ābēod eft ongēan,
‘sege þīnum lēodummiccle lāþre spell,
‘þæt hēr stynt unforcūðeorl mid his werode,
‘þe wile gealgeanēþel þysne,
‘Æþelrēdes eard,ealdres mīnes,
‘folc and foldan;feallan sceolon
‘hǣþene æt hilde.Tō hēanlic mē þinceð
‘þæt gē mid ūrum sceattumtō scype gangon
‘unbefohtne,nū gē þus feor hider
‘on ūrne eardin becōmon. ‘Ne sceole gē swā sōftesinc gegangan; ‘ūs sceal ord and ecgǣr gesēman,
‘grim gūðplega,ǣr we gafol syllon.’
Hēt þā bord beran,beornas gangan,
þæt hī on þām ēasteðeealle stōdon. Ne mihte þǣr for wæterewerod tō þām ōðrum; þǣr cōm flōwendeflōd æfter ebban,
lucon lagustrēamas;tō lang hit him þūhte
hwænne hī tōgæderegāras bēron. Hī þǣr Pantan strēammid prasse bestōdon,
Ēastseaxena ord,and se æschere; ne mihte hyra ǣnigōþrum derian,
būton hwā þurh flānes flyhtfyl genāme. Se flōd ūt gewāt;þā flotan stōdon gearowe
wīcinga fela,wīges georne. Hēt þā hæleða hlēohealdan þā bricge
wigan wīgheardne,sē wæs hāten Wulfstān,
cāfne mid his cynne;þæt wæs Cēolan sunu,
þe ðone forman manmid his francan ofscēat,
þe þǣr baldlīcoston þā bricge stōp. Þǣr stōdon mid Wulfstānewigan unforhte,
Ælfere and Maccus,mōdige twēgen; þā noldon æt þām fordaflēam gewyrcan,
ac hī fæstlīcewið ðā fȳnd weredon,
þā hwīle þe hī wǣpnawealdan mōston. Þā hī þæt ongēatonand georne gesāwon,
þæt hī þǣr bricgweardasbitere fundon,
ongunnon lytegian þālāðe gystas; bǣdon þæt hī ūpgangāgan mōston,
ofer þone ford faran,fēþan lǣdan. Ðā se eorl onganfor his ofermōde
ālȳfan landes tō felalāþere ðēode. Ongan ceallian þāofer cald wæter
Byrhtelmes bearn;beornas gehlyston: ‘Nū ēow is gerȳmed,gāð ricene tō ūs,
‘guman tō gūþe;God āna wāt
‘hwā þǣre wælstōwewealdan mōte.’
Wōdon þā wælwulfas,for wætere ne murnon,
wīcinga werod,west ofer Pantan,
ofer scīr wæterscyldas wēgon,
lidmen tō landelinde bǣron. Þǣr ongēan gramumgearowe stōdon
Byrhtnōð mid beornum;hē mid bordum hēt
wyrcan þone wīhagan,and þæt werod healdan
fæste wið fēondum.Þā wæs f(e)ohte nēh,
tīr æt getohte;wæs sēo tīd cumen
þæt þǣr fǣge menfeallan sceoldon. Þǣr wearð hrēam āhafen,hremmas wundon,
earn ǣses georn;wæs on eorþan cyrm. Hī lēton þā of folmanfēolhearde speru,
gegrundenegāras flēogan; bogan wǣron bysige,bord ord onfēng,
biter wæs se beadurǣs;beornas fēollon
on gehwæðere hand,hyssas lāgon. Wund wearð Wulfmǣr,wælræste gecēas,
Byrhtnōðes mǣg,hē mid billum wearð,
his swustersunu,swīðe forhēawen. Þǣr wærð wīcingumwiþerlēan āgyfen; gehȳrde ic þæt Ēadweardānne slōge
swīðe mid his swurde,swenges ne wyrnde,
þæt him æt fōtum fēollfǣge cempa; þæs him his ðēodenþanc gesǣde,
þām būrþēne,þā hē byre hæfde. Swā stemnettonstīðhi(c)gende
hys(s)as æt hilde,hogodon georne
hwā þǣr mid ordeǣrost mihte
on fǣgean menfeorh gewinnan,
wigan mid wǣpnum;wæl fēol on eorðan. Stōdon stædefæste,stihte hī Byrhtnōð,
bæd þæt hyssa gehwylchogode tō wīge,
þe on Denon woldedōm gefeohtan. Wōd þā wīges heard,wǣpen ūp āhōf,
bord tō gebeorge,and wið þæs beornes stōp; ēode swā ānrǣdeorl tō þām ceorle; ǣgþer hyra ōðrumyfeles hogode. Sende ðā se sǣrincsūþerne gār,
þæt gewundod wearðwigena hlāford; hē scēaf þā mid ðām scylde,þæt se sceaft tōbærst,
and þæt spere sprengde,þæt hit sprang ongēan. Gegremod wearð se gūðrinc;hē mid gāre stang
wlancne wīcingþe him þā wunde forgeaf. Frōd wæs se fyrdrinc,hē lēt his francan wadan
þurh ðæs hysses hals;hand wīsode
þæt hē on þām fǣrsceaðanfeorh gerǣhte. Ðā hē ōþerneofstlīce scēat,
þæt sēo byrne tōbærst;hē wæs on brēostum wund
þurh ðā hringlocan,him æt heortan stōd
ǣtterne ord.Se eorl wæs þē blīþra,
hlōh þā mōdi man,sǣde Metode þanc
ðæs dægweorcesþe him Drihten forgeaf. Forlēt þā drenga sumdaroð of handa,
flēogan of folman,þæt sē tō forð gewāt
þurh ðone æþelanÆþelrēdes þegen. Him be healfe stōdhyse unweaxen,
cniht on gecampe,sē full cāflīce
brǣd of þām beorneblōdigne gār,
Wulfstānes bearn,Wulfmǣr se geonga,
forlēt forheardnefaran eft ongēan; ord in gewōd,þæt sē on eorþan læg,
þe his þēoden ǣrþearle gerǣhte. Ēode þā gesyrwedsecg tō þām eorle; hē wolde þæs beornesbēagas gefetgan,
rēaf and hringas,and gerēnod swurd. Ðā Byrhtnōð brǣdbill of scēðe,
brād and brūnecg,and on þā byrnan slōh; tō raþe hine gelettelidmanna sum,
þā hē þæs eorlesearm āmyrde; fēoll þā tō foldanfealohilte swurd,
ne mihte hē gehealdanheardne mēce,
wǣpnes wealdan.Þā gȳt þæt word gecwæð
hār hilderinc,hyssas bylde,
bæd gangan forðgōde gefēran; ne mihte þā on fōtum lengfæste gestandan,
(. . . . . .)hē tō heofenum wlāt: ‘(Ic) geþanc(i)e þē,ðēoda Waldend,
‘ealra þǣra wynnaþe ic on worulde gebād; ‘nū ic āh, milde Metod,mǣste þearfe
‘þæt þū mīnum gāstegōdes geunne,
‘þæt mīn sāwul tō ðēsīðian mōte,
‘on þīn geweald,Þēoden engla,
‘mid friþe ferian;ic eom frymdi tō þē
‘þæt hī helsceaðanhȳnan ne mōton.’
Ðā hine hēowonhǣðene scealcas,
and bēgen þā beornasþe him big stōdon,
Ælfnōð and Wulmǣr,bēgen lāgon; ðā onemn hyra frēanfeorh gesealdon. Hī bugon þā fram beaduweþe þǣr bēon noldon. Þǣr wurdon Oddan bearnǣrest on flēame,
Godrīc fram gūþe,and þone gōdan forlēt
þe him mænigne oftmēar gesealde; hē gehlēop þone eohþe āhte his hlāford,
on þām gerǣdumþe hit riht ne wæs,
and his brōðru mid himbēgen ær(n)don,
Godwine and Godwīg,gūþe ne gȳmdon,
ac wendon fram þām wīgeand þone wudu sōhton
flugon on þæt fæsten,and hyra fēore burgon,
and manna māþonne hit ǣnig mǣð wǣre
gyf hī þā geearnungaealle gemundon
þe hē him tō duguþegedōn hæfde. Swā him Offa on dægǣr āsǣde
on þām meþelstede,þā hē gemōt hæfde,
þæt þǣr mōdelīcemanege sprǣcon
þe eft æt þǣre (þearfe)þolian noldon. Ðā wearð āfeallenþæs folces ealdor,
Æþelrēdes eorl;ealle gesāwon
heorðgenēatasþæt hyra heorra læg. Þā ðǣr wendon forðwlance þegenas,
unearge men,efston georne; hī woldon þā ealleōðer twēga,
līf forlǣtanoððe lēofne gewrecan. Swā hī bylde forðbearn Ælfrīces,
wiga wintrum geong,wordum mǣlde; Ælfwine þā cwæð,hē on ellen spræc: ‘Gemuna(ð) þā mǣlaþe wē oft æt meodo sprǣcon,
‘þonne wē on bencebēot āhōfon,
‘hæleð on healle,ymbe heard gewinn; ‘nū mæg cunnianhwā cēne sȳ. ‘Ic wylle mīne æþeloeallum gecȳþan,
‘þæt ic wæs on Myrconmiccles cynnes; ‘wæs mīn ealda fæderEalhelm hāten,
‘wīs ealdorman,woruldgesǣlig. ‘Ne sceolon mē on þǣre þēodeþegenas ætwītan,
‘þæt ic of ðisse fyrdefēran wille,
‘eard gesēcan,nū mīn ealdor ligeð
‘forhēawen æt hilde;mē is þæt hearma mǣst; ‘hē wæs ǣgðer mīn mǣgand mīn hlāford.’
Þā hē forð ēode,fǣhðe gemunde,
þæt hē mid ordeānne gerǣhte
flotan on þām folceþæt sē on foldan læg
forwegen mid his wǣpne.Ongan þā winas manian,
frȳnd and gefēran,þæt hī forð ēodon,
Offa gemǣlde,æscholt āscēoc: ‘Hwæt þū, Ælfwine,hafast ealle gemanode
‘þegenas tō þearfe:nū ūre þēoden līð,
‘eorl on eorðan,ūs is eallum þearf
‘þæt ūre ǣghwylcōþerne bylde
‘wigan tō wīgeþā hwīle þe hē wǣpen mæge
‘habban and healdan,heardne mēce,
‘gār and gōd swurd.Ūs Godrīc hæfð,
‘earh Oddan bearn,ealle beswicene; ‘wēnde þæs formoni manþā hē on mēare rād,
‘on wlancan þām wicge,þæt wǣre hit ūre hlāford; ‘forþan wearð hēr on feldafolc tōtwǣmed,
‘scyldburh tōbrocen.Ābrēoðe his angin,
‘þæt hē hēr swā manigneman āflȳmde.’
Lēofsunu gemǣlde,and his linde āhōf,
bord tō gebeorge;hē þām beorne oncwæð: ‘Ic þæt gehāte,þæt ic heonon nelle
‘flēon fōtes trym,ac wille furðor gān,
‘wrecan on gewinnemīnne winedrihten. ‘Ne þurfon mē embe Stūrmerestedefæste hælæð
‘wordum ætwītan,nū mīn wine gecranc,
‘þæt ic hlāfordlēashām sīðie,
‘wende fram wīge;ac mē sceal wǣpen niman,
‘ord and īren.’Hē ful yrre wōd,
feaht fæstlīce,flēam hē forhogode. Dunnere þā cwæð,daroð ācwehte,
unorne ceorl,ofer eall clypode,
bæd þæt beorna gehwylcByrhtnōð wrǣce: ‘Ne mæg nā wandiansē þē wrecan þenceð
‘frēan on folce,ne for fēore murnan.’
Þā hī forð ēodon,fēores hī ne rōhton; ongunnon þā hīredmenheardlīce feohtan,
grame gārberend,and God bǣdon
þæt hī mōston gewrecanhyra winedrihten,
and on hyra fēondumfyl gewyrcan. Him se gȳsel ongangeornlīce fylstan; hē wæs on Norðhymbronheardes cynnes,
Ecglāfes bearn,him wæs Æscferð nama; hē ne wandode nāæt þām wīgplegan,
ac hē fȳsde forðflān genehe; hwīlon hē on bord scēat,hwīlon beorn tǣsde; ǣfre embe stundehē sealde sume wunde
þā hwīle ðe hē wǣpnawealdan mōste. Þā gȳt on orde stōdĒadweard se langa,
gearo and geornful;gylpwordum spræc
þæt hē nolde flēoganfōtmǣl landes,
ofer bæc būgan,þā his betera leg; hē bræc þone bordwealland wið ðā beornas feaht,
oð þæt hē his sincgyfanon þām sǣmannum
wurðlīce wrecǣr hē on wæle lǣge. Swā dyde Æþerīc,æþele gefēra,
fūs and forðgeorn,feaht eornoste,
Sībyrhtes brōðorand swīðe mænig ōþer
clufon cellod bord,cēne hī weredon; bærst bordes lærig,and sēo byrne sang
gryrelēoða sum.Þā æt gūðe slōh
Offa þone sǣlidan,þæt hē on eorðan fēoll
and ðǣr Gaddes mǣggrund gesōhte. Raðe wearð æt hildeOffa forhēawen; hē hæfde ðēah geforþodþæt hē his frēan gehēt,
swā hē bēotode ǣrwið his bēahgifan,
þæt hī sceoldon bēgenon burh rīdan,
hāle tō hāme,oððe on here cringan,
on wælstōwewundum sweltan; hē læg ðegenlīceðēodne gehende. Ðā wearð borda gebræc;brimmen wōdon,
gūðe gegremode;gār oft þurhwōd
fǣges feorhhūs.Forð (ð)ā ēode Wīstān,
Þurstānes sunu,wið þās secgas feaht; hē wæs on geþrang(e)hyra þrēora bana,
ǣr him Wīgelmes bearnon þām wæle lǣge. Þǣr wæs stīð gemōt;stōdon fæste
wigan on gewinne,wīgend cruncon,
wundum wērge;wæl fēol on eorþan. Ōswold and Ēadwoldealle hwīle,
bēgen þā gebrōþru,beornas trymedon,
hyra winemāgas,wordon bǣdon
þæt hī þǣr æt ðearfeþolian sceoldon,
unwāclīcewǣpna nēotan. Byrhtwold maþelode,bord hafenode; sē wæs eald genēat,æsc ācwehte,
hē ful baldlīcebeornas lǣrde: ‘Hige sceal þē heardra,heorte þē cēnre,
‘mōd sceal þē māre,þe ūre mægen lȳtlað. ‘Hēr līð ūre ealdoreall forhēawen,
‘gōd on grēote;ā mæg gnornian
‘sē ðe nū fram þīs wīgpleganwendan þenceð. ‘Ic eom frōd fēores;fram ic ne wille,
‘ac ic mē be healfemīnum hlāforde,
‘be swā lēofan men,licgan þence.’
Swā hī Æþelgāres bearnealle bylde
Godrīc tō gūþe;oft hē gar forlēt
wælspere windanon þā wīcingas,
swā hē on þām folcefyrmest ēode; hēow and hȳnde,oð þæt hē on hilde gecranc; næs þæt nā se Godrīcþe ðā gūðe forbēah.