1B1.3.26

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2NON AG, NATALE SANCTI OSWALDI REGIS ET MARTYRIS .
3ÆFTER ÐAN ÐE AUGUSTINUS TO ENGLA LANDE BECOM wæs sum
4æðele cyning Oswold gehaten on Norðhymbra lande, gelyfed
5swyþe on God.

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6Se ferde on his iugoðe fram his freondum and magum to
7Scotlande on sæ, and þær sona wearð gefullod,
8and his geferan samod þe mid him siþedon.
9Betwux þam wearð ofslagen Eadwine his eam, Norðhymbra
10cynincg, on Crist gelyfed, fram Brytta cyninge Ceadwalla
11geciged, and twegen his æftergengan binnan twam gearum.
12And se Ceadwalla sloh and to sceame tucode þa
13Norðhymbran leode æfter heora hlafordes fylle, oþ þæt
14Oswold se eadiga his yfelnysse adwæscte.
15Oswold him com to, and him cenlice wiðfeaht mid lytlum
16werode, ac his geleafa hine getrymde, and Crist him gefylste
17to his feonda slege.
18Oswold þa arærde ane rode sona Gode to wurðmynte ær þan
19þe he to ðam gewinne come, and clypode to his geferum, Uton
20feallan to ðære rode, and þone ælmihtigan biddan þæt he
21us ahredde wið þone modigan feond þe us afyllan wile.
22God sylf wat geare þæt we winnað rihtlice wið þysne
23reðan cyning, to ahredenne ure leode.
24Hi feollon þa ealle mid Oswolde on gebedum, and syþþan on
25oðerne mergen eodon to þam gefeohte, and gewunnon þær
26sige swa swa se wealdend heom uðe, for Oswoldes geleafan,
27and aledon heora fynd þone modigan Cedwallan, mid his micclan
28werode, þe wende þæt him ne mihte nan werod wiðstandan.
29Seo ylce rod siððan þe Oswold þær arærde on wurðmynte
30þær stod, and wurdon fela gehælde untrumra manna and eac
31swilce nytena þurh ða ylcan rode, swa swa us rehte Beda.
32Sum man feoll on ise þæt his earm tobærst,

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33and læg þa on bedde gebrocod forðearle, oð þæt man him
34fette of ðære foresædan rode sumne dæl þæs meoses þe heo
35mid beweaxen wæs, and se adliga sona on slæpe wearð gehæled
36on ðære ylcan nihte þurh Oswoldes geearnungum.
37Seo stow is gehaten heofonfeld on englisc, wið þone langan
38weall þe þa Romaniscan worhtan, þær þær Oswold oferwann
39þone wælhreowan cynincg, and þær wearð siþþan aræred
40swiðe mære cyrce Gode to wurðmynte þe wunað a on ecnysse.
41Hwæt ða, Oswold ongann embe Godes willan to smeagenne, sona
42swa he rices geweold, and wolde gebigan his leoda to geleafan,
43and to þam lifigendan Gode.
44sende ða to Scotlande, þær se geleafa wæs ða, and bæd
45ða heofodmenn þæt hi his benum getiþodon, and
46him sumne lareow sendon þe his leoda mihte to Gode geweman,
47and wearð þæs getiþod.
48Hi sendon þa sona þam gesæligan cyninge sumne arwurðne
49bisceop, Aidan gehaten.
50Se wæs mæres lifes man on munuclicre drohtnunge, and he
51ealle woruldcara awearp fram his heortan, nanes þinges
52wilnigende butan Godes willan.
53Swa hwæt swa him becom of þæs cyninges gifum, oððe ricra
54manna, þæt he hraðe dælde þearfum and wædlum, mid
55wellwillendum mode.
56Hwæt ða, Oswold cyning his cymes fægnode, and hine
57arwurðlice underfeng his folce to ðearfe, þæt heora
58geleafa wurde awend eft to Gode fram þam wiþersæce þe
59hi to gewende wæron.
60Hit gelamp þa swa þæt se geleaffulla cyning gerehte his
61witan on heora agenum gereorde þæs bisceopes bodunge mid
62bliþum mode,

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63and wæs his wealhstod forþan þe he wel cuþe scyttysc,
64and se bisceop Aidan ne mihte gebigan his spræce to
65Norðhymbriscum gereorde swa hraþe þa git.
66Se biscop þa ferde bodigende geond eall Norðhymbra lande
67geleafan and fulluht, and þa leode gebigde to Godes geleafan,
68and him wel gebysnode mid weorcum symle, and sylf swa leofode
69swa swa he lærde oðre.
70He lufode forhæfednysse and halige rædinge, and iunge men
71teah georne mid lare, swa þæt ealle his geferan þe him mid
72eodon sceoldon sealmas leornian oððe sume rædinge, swa
73hwider swa hi ferdon, þam folce bodigende.
74Seldon he wolde ridan, ac siðode on his fotum, and munuclice
75leofode betwux ðam læwedum folce, mid mycelre
76gesceadwisnysse and soþum mægnum.
77þa wearð se cynincg Oswold swiðe ælmesgeorn, and eadmod on
78þeawum, and on eallum þingum cystig, and man ahrærde cyrcan
79on his rice geond eall, and mynsterlice gesetnyssa mid micelre
80geornfulnysse.
81Hit gelamp on sumne sæl þæt hi sæton ætgædere, Oswold
82and Aidan on þam halgan easterdæge; þa bær man þam
83cyninge cynelice þenunga on anum sylfrenan disce, and
84sona þa inn eode an þæs cyninges þegna þe his ælmyssan
85bewiste, and sæde þæt fela þearfan sætan geond þa
86stræt, gehwanon cumene to þæs cyninges ælmyssan.
87þa sende se cyning sona þam þearfum þone sylfrenan disc
88mid sande mid ealle, and het toceorfan þone disc,
89and syllan þam þearfum heora ælcum his dæl, and man
90dyde ða swa.
91þa genam Aidanus se æðela bisceop

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92þæs cyninges swyþran hand mid swiðlicre blysse,
93and clypode mid geleafan þus cwæðende him to,
94Ne forrotige on brosnunge þeos gebletsode swyðre hand;
95and him eac swa geeode, swa swa Aidanus him bæd, þæt
96his swiðre hand is gesundful oð þis.
97Oswoldes cynerice wearð gerymed þa swyðe, swa þæt feower
98þeoda hine underfengon to hlaforde, Peohtas and Bryttas,
99Scottas and Angle, swa swa se ælmihtiga God hi geanlæhte
100to ðam, for Oswoldes geearnungum þe hine æfre wurðode.
101He fulworhte on Eferwic þæt ænlice mynster þe his mæg
102Eadwine ær begunnon hæfde, and he swanc for heofonan rice
103mid singalum gebedum, swiþor þonne he hogode hu he geheolde
104on worulde þa hwilwendlican geþincðu, þe he hwonlice
105lufode.
106He wolde æfter uhtsange oftost hine gebiddan, and on cyrcan
107standan on syndrigum gebedum of sunnan upgange mid swyðlicre
108onbryrdnysse, and swa hwær swa he wæs he wurðode æfre God
109upawendum handbredum wiþ þæs heofones weard.
110On þam ylcan timan com eac sum bisceop fram Rome byrig,
111Birinus gehaten, to Westsexena kyninge, Cynegyls gehaten,
112se wæs ða git hæðen, and eall westsexena land.
113Birinus witodlice gewende fram Rome be ðæs papan ræde,
114þe ða on Rome wæs, and behet þæt he wolde Godes willan
115gefremman, and bodian þam hæþenum þæs hælendes naman,
116and þone soðan geleafan on fyrlenum landum.
117þa becom he to Westseaxan þe wæs ða gyt hæþen, and
118gebigde þone cynincg Kynegyls to Gode,

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119and ealle his leode to geleafan mid him.
120Hit gelamp þa swa þæt se geleaffulla Oswold, Norðhymbra
121cyning wæs cumen to Cynegylse, and hine to fulluhte nam,
122fægen his gecyrrednysse.
123þa geafon þa cynegas, Cynegyls and Oswold, þam halgan
124Birine him to bisceopstole þa burh Dorcanceaster, and he
125þærbinnan wunode Godes lof arærende, and gerihtlæcende
126þæt folc mid lare to geleafan to langum fyrste, oð þæt
127he gesælig siþode to Criste; and his lic wearþ bebyrged
128on ðære ylcan byrig, oð þæt Hædde bisceop eft his ban
129ferode to Wintanceastre, and mid wurðmynte gelogode binnan
130ealdan mynstre, þær man hine wurðað gyt.
131Hwæt þa Oswold cyning his cynedom geheold hlisfullice for
132worulde and mid micclum geleafan, and on eallum dædum his
133Drihten arwurðode, oð þæt he ofslagen wearð for his
134folces ware, on þam nigoðan geare þe he rices geweold,
135þa þa he sylf wæs on ylde eahta and þrittig geara.
136Hit gewearð swa be þam þæt him wann on Penda, Myrcena
137cyning, þe æt his mæges slege ær Eadwines cyninges
138Ceadwallan fylste; and se Penda ne cuðe be Criste
139nan þincg, and eall Myrcena folc wæs ungefullod þa git.
140Hi comon þa to gefeohte to Maserfelda begen, and fengon
141togædere oð þæt þær feollon þa Cristenan, and þa
142hæðenan genealæhton to þam halgan Oswolde.
143þa geseah he genealecan his lifes geendunge, and gebæd for
144his folc þe þær feallende sweolt, and betæhte heora sawla
145and hine sylfne Gode,

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146and þus clypode on his fylle, God gemiltsa urum sawlum.
147þa het se hæþena cynincg his heafod ofaslean and his
148swiðran earm, and settan hi to myrcelse.
149þa æfter Oswoldes slege, feng Oswig his broðor to
150Norðhymbra rice, and rad mid werode to þær his broðor
151heafod stod on stacan gefæstnod, and genam þæt heafod
152and his swiðran hand, and mid arwurðnysse ferode to
153Lindisfarnea cyrcan.
154þa wearð gefylled swa we her foresædon þæt his swiðre
155hand wunað hal mid þam flæsce, butan ælcere brosnunge,
156swa se bisceop gecwæð.
157Se earm wearþ geled arwurðlice on scrine of seolfre
158asmiþod, on sancte Petres mynstre binnan Bebbanbyrig,
159be þære sæ strande, and lið þær swa andsund swa
160he ofaslagen wæs.
161His broðor dohtor eft siððan on Myrcan wearð cwen, and
162geaxode his ban and gebrohte hi to Lindesige
163to Bardanige mynstre, þe heo micclum lufode.
164Ac þa mynstermenn noldon for menniscum gedwylde þone sanct
165underfon, ac man sloh an geteld ofer þa halgan ban binnan
166þære licreste.
167Hwæt þa God geswutelode þæt he halig sanct wæs, swa þæt
168heofonlic leoht ofer þæt geteld astreht stod up to heofonum
169swilce healic sunnbeam ofer ealle ða niht, and þa leoda
170beheoldon geond ealle þa scire swiðe wundrigende.
171þa wurdon þa mynstermen micclum afyrhte, and bædon þæs on
172mergen þæt hi moston þone sanct mid arwurðnysse underfon,
173þone þe hi ær forsocon.
174þa ðwoh man þa halgan ban and bær into þære cyrcan
175arwurðlice on scrine, and gelogodon hi upp; and
176þær wurdon gehælede þurh his halgan geearnunge

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177fela mettrume menn fram mislicum coþum.
178þæt wæter þe man þa ban mid aþwoh binnan þære cyrcan
179wearð agoten swa on anre hyrnan, and seo eorðe
180siþþan þe þæt wæter underfeng wearð manegum to bote.
181Mid þam duste wurdon afligde deofla fram mannum, þa þe on
182wodnysse ær wæron gedrehte.
183Eac swilce þær he feol on þam gefeohte ofslagen men namon
184ða eorðan to adligum mannum, and dydon on wæter wanhalum
185to þicgenne, and hi wurdon gehælede, þurh þone halgan wer.
186Sum wegfarende man ferde wið þone feld, þa wearð his hors
187gesicclod, and sona þær feol, wealwigende geond ða eorðan
188wodum gelicost.
189Mid þam þe hit swa wealweode geond þone widgillan feld, þa
190becom hit embe lang þær se cynincg Oswold on þam gefeohte
191feoll swa swa we ær foresædan; and hit sona aras, swa hit
192hrepode þa stowe, hal eallum limum, and se hlaford þæs
193fægnode.
194Se ridda þa ferde forð on his weg þider he gemynt hæfde.
195þa wæs þær an mæden licgende on paralisyn lange gebrocod;
196He began þa to gereccenne hu him on rade getimode, and mann
197ferode þæt mæden to þære foresædan stowe.
198Heo wearð ða on slæpe and sona eft awoc ansund eallum limum
199fram þam egeslican broce; band þa hire heafod and bliðe
200ham ferde, gangænde on fotum swa heo gefyrn ær ne dyde.
201Eft siððan ferde eac sum ærendfæst ridda be ðære ylcan
202stowe, and geband on anum claþe of þam halgan duste þære
203deorwurðan stowe, and lædde forð mid him þær he fundode
204to.

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205þa gemette he gebeoras bliðe æt þam huse; he aheng þa
206þæt dust on ænne heahne post and sæt mid þam gebeorum
207blissigende samod.
208Man worhte þa micel fyr to middes ðam gebeorum, and þa
209spearcan wundon wið þæs rofes swyðe, oð þæt
210þæt hus færlice eall on fyre wearð, and þa gebeoras
211flugon afyrhte aweg.
212þæt hus wearþ ða forburnon buton þam anum poste þe þæt
213halige dust on ahangen wæs.
214Se post ana ætstod ansund mid þam duste, and hi swyðe
215wundrodon þæs halgan weres geearnunga þæt þæt
216fyr ne mihte þa moldan forbærnan.
217And manega menn siððan gesohton þone stede heora hæle
218feccende, and heora freonda gehwilcum.
219þa asprang his hlisa geond þa land wide, and eac swilce to
220Irlande and eac suþ to Franclande, swa swa sum mæssepreost
221be anum men sæde.
222Se preost cwæð þæt an wer wære on Irlande gelæred, se ne
223gymde his lare, and he lithwon hogode embe
224his sawle þearfe, oððe his scyppendes beboda, ac adreah
225his lif on dyslicum weorcum oð ðæt he wearð geuntrumod
226and to ende gebroht.
227þa clypode he þone preost þe hit cydde eft þus, and cwæð
228him to sona mid sarlicre stemne, Nu ic sceall geendian
229earmlicum deaþe, and to helle faran for fracodum dædum.
230Nu wolde ic gebetan gif ic abidan moste, and to Gode gecyrran
231and to godum þeawum, and min lif awendan eall to Godes willan;
232and ic wat þæt ic ne eom wyrðe þæs fyrstes buton sum
233halga me þingie to þam Hælende Criste.
234Nu is us gesæd þæt sum halig cyning

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235is on eowrum earde, Oswold gehaten; nu gif þu ænig þincg
236hæfst of þæs halgan religuiumreliquium, syle me, ic þe bidde.
237ða sæde se preost him, Ic hæbbe of þam stocce þe his
238heafod on stod, and gif þu gelyfan wylt, þu wurþest hal
239sona.
240Hwæt þa se mæssepreost þæs mannes ofhreow, and scof on
241halig wæter of þam halgan treowe, sealde þam
242adligan of to supenne, and he sona gewyrpte, and syððan
243leofode lange on wurulde, and gewende to Gode mid eallre
244heortan and mid halgum weorcum; and swa hwider swa he com
245he cydde þas wundra.
246Forþy ne sceall nan mann awægan þæt he sylfwylles behæt
247þam ælmihtigan Gode, þonne he adlig bið, þe
248læs þe he sylf losige, gif he alihð Gode þæt.
249Nu cwæð se halga Beda þe ðas boc gedihte, þæt hit nan
250wundor nys, þæt se halga cynincg untrumnysse
251gehæle nu he on heofonum leofað, for ðan þe he wolde
252gehelpan, þa þa he her on life wæs, þearfum and wannhalum,
253and him bigwiste syllan.
254Nu hæfð he þone wurðmynt on þære ecan worulde, mid þam
255ælmihtigan Gode, for his godnysse.
256Eft se halga Cuðberht, þa þa he git cnapa wæs, geseah hu
257Godes ænglas feredon Aidanes sawle, þæs halgan bisceopes,
258bliðe to heofonum, to þam ecan wuldre þe he
259on worulde geearnode.
260þæs halgan Oswoldes ban wurdon eft gebroht æfter manegum
261gearum to Myrcena lande into Gleawceastre, and God þær
262geswutelode oft feala wundra þurh þone halgan wer.
263Sy þæs wuldor þam ælmihtigan Gode, ðe on ecnysse rixað a
264to worulde; AMEN.