Anonymous: The Battle of Brunanburh (371 words)

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1A10.1

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2

THE BATTLE OF BRUNANBURH (937)

    
3Her æþelstan cyning, eorla dryhten, beorna beahgifa, and his
4broþor eac, Eadmund æþeling, ealdorlangne tir geslogon æt
5sæcce sweorda ecgum ymbe Brunanburh.
6Bordweal clufan, heowan heaþolinde hamora lafan, afaran
7Eadweardes, swa him geæþele wæs

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8from cneomægum, þæt hi æt campe oft wiþ laþra
9gehwæne land ealgodon, hord and hamas.
10Hettend crungun, Sceotta leoda and scipflotan fæge feollan,
11feld dænnede secga swate , siðþan sunne
12up on morgentid, mære tungol, glad ofer grundas, godes
13condel beorht, eces drihtnes, oð sio æþele
14gesceaft sah to setle.
15þær læg secg mænig garum ageted, guma norþerna ofer scild
16scoten, swilce Scittisc eac, werig, wiges
17sæd.
18Wesseaxe forð ondlongne dæg eorodcistum on last legdun
19laþum þeodum, heowan herefleman hindan þearle mecum
20mylenscearpan.
21Myrce ne wyrndon heardes hondplegan hæleþa nanum þæra
22þe mid Anlafe ofer æra gebland on lides bosme land
23gesohtun,

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24fæge to gefeohte.
25Fife lægun on þam campstede cyningas giunge, sweordum
26aswefede, swilce seofene eac eorlas Anlafes,
27unrim heriges, flotan and Sceotta.
28þær geflemed wearð Norðmanna bregu, nede gebeded, to lides
29stefne litle weorode; cread cnear on flot, cyning ut gewat
30on fealene flod, feorh generede.
31Swilce þær eac se froda mid fleame com on his cyþþe norð,
32Costontinus, har hilderinc , hreman ne þorfte mæca
33gemanan.
34he wæs his mæga sceard, freonda gefylled on folcstede,
35beslagen æt sæcce, and his sunu forlet on wælstowe wundun
36forgrunden , giungne æt guðe.
37Gelpan ne þorfte beorn blandenfeax bilgeslehtes, eald
38inwidda, ne Anlaf þy ma.

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39mid heora herelafum hlehhan ne þorftun þæt heo beaduweorca
40beteran wurdun on campstede cumbolgehnastes , garmittinge,
41gumena gemotes, wæpengewrixles, þæs hi on wælfelda wiþ
42Eadweardes afaran plegodan.
43Gewitan him þa Norþmen nægledcnearrum, dreorig daraða laf,
44on Dinges mere ofer deop wæter Difelin secan,
45eft Iraland , æwiscmode.
46Swilce þa gebroþer begen ætsamne, cyning and æþeling,
47cyþþe sohton, Wesseaxena land, wiges hremige.
48Letan him behindan hræw bryttian saluwigpadan, þone sweartan
49hræfn, hyrnednebban, and þane hasewanpadan,

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50earn æftan hwit, æses brucan, grædigne guðhafoc and
51þæt græge deor, wulf on wealde.
52Ne wearð wæl mare ; on þis eiglande æfre gieta folces
53gefylled beforan þissum sweordes ecgum, þæs þe us
54secgað bec, ealde uðwitan, siþþan eastan hider Engle
55and Seaxe up becoman, ofer brad brimu Brytene sohtan,
56wlance wigsmiþas, Wealas ofercoman, eorlas
57arhwate eard begeatan.