1A3.11

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2

WIDSITH

    
3Widsið maðolade, wordhord onleac, se þe monna mæst
4mægþa ofer eorþan, folca geondferde; oft he on
5flette geþah mynelicne maþþum.
6Him from Myrgingum æþele onwocon.
7He mid Ealhhilde, fælre freoþuwebban, forman siþe
8Hreðcyninges ham gesohte eastan of Ongle, Eormanrices,
9wraþes wærlogan.
10Ongon þa worn sprecan: Fela ic monna gefrægn mægþum
11wealdan.
12Sceal þeodna gehwylc þeawum lifgan, eorl æfter oþrum
13eðle rædan,

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14se þe his þeodenstol geþeon wile.
15þara wæs Hwala hwile selast, ond Alexandreas ealra
16ricost monna cynnes, ond he mæst geþah þara þe
17ic ofer foldan gefrægen hæbbe.
18ætla weold Hunum, Eormanric Gotum, Becca Baningum, Burgendum
19Gifica.
20Casere weold Creacum ond Cælic Finnum, Hagena
21Holmrygum ond Heoden Glommum.
22Witta weold Swæfum, Wada Hælsingum, Meaca Myrgingum,
23Mearchealf Hundingum.
24þeodric weold Froncum, þyle Rondingum, Breoca Brondingum,
25Billing Wernum.
26Oswine weold Eowum ond Ytum Gefwulf, Fin Folcwalding Fresna
27cynne.
28Sigehere lengest Sædenum weold, Hnæf Hocingum, Helm
29Wulfingum, Wald Woingum, Wod þyringum, Sæferð Sycgum,
30Sweom Ongendþeow, Sceafthere Ymbrum, Sceafa
31Longbeardum, Hun Hætwerum ond Holen Wrosnum.
32Hringweald wæs haten Herefarena cyning.
33Offa weold Ongle, Alewih Denum; se wæs þara manna modgast
34ealra, no hwæþre he ofer Offan eorlscype
35fremede, ac Offa geslog ærest monna, cnihtwesende, cynerica
36mæst.
37Nænig efeneald him eorlscype maran on orette.
38Ane sweorde merce gemærde wið Myrgingum bi Fifeldore;
39heoldon forð siþþan Engle ond Swæfe, swa hit
40Offa geslog.
41Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar heoldon lengest sibbe ætsomne
42suhtorfædran, siþþan hy forwræcon wicinga cynn

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43ond Ingeldes ord forbigdan, forheowan æt Heorote Heaðobeardna
44þrym.
45Swa ic geondferde fela fremdra londa geond ginne grund.
46Godes ond yfles þær ic cunnade cnosle bidæled, freomægum
47feor folgade wide.
48Forþon ic mæg singan ond secgan spell, mænan fore mengo in
49meoduhealle hu me cynegode cystum dohten.
50Ic wæs mid Hunum ond mid Hreðgotum, mid Sweom ond mid Geatum
51ond mid Suþdenum.
52Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnum ond mid wicingum.
53Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedum ond mid Gefflegum.
54Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfum ond mid ænenum.
55Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgum ond mid Sweordwerum.
56Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanum ond mid Heaþoreamum.
57Mid þyringum ic wæs ond mid þrowendum, ond mid Burgendum,
58þær ic beag geþah ; me þær Guðhere forgeaf
59glædlicne maþþum songes to leane.
60Næs þæt sæne cyning.
61Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysum ond mid Frumtingum.
62Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommum ond mid Rumwalum.
63Swylce ic wæs on Eatule mid ælfwine, se hæfde moncynnes,
64mine gefræge, leohteste hond lofes to wyrcenne,
65heortan unhneaweste hringa gedales, beorhtra beaga,
66bearn Eadwines.
67Mid Sercingum ic wæs ond mid Seringum; mid Creacum ic wæs
68ond mid Finnum ond mid Casere, se þe winburga geweald ahte,

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69wiolena ond wilna, ond Wala rices.
70Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtum ond mid Scridefinnum; mid
71Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonum ond mid Longbeardum,
72mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþum ond mid Hundingum.
73Mid Israhelum ic wæs ond mid Exsyringum, mid Ebreum ond mid
74Indeum ond mid Egyptum.
75Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persum ond mid Myrgingum, ond
76Mofdingum ond ongend Myrgingum, ond mid Amothingum.
77Mid Eastþyringum ic wæs ond mid Eolum ond mid Istum ond
78Idumingum.
79Ond ic wæs mid Eormanrice ealle þrage, þær me Gotena
80cyning gode dohte.
81Se me beag forgeaf, burgwarena fruma, on þam siex hund wæs
82smætes goldes, gescyred sceatta scillingrime.
83þone ic Eadgilse on æht sealde, minum hleodryhtne, þa ic to
84ham bicwom, leofum to leane, þæs þe he me lond forgeaf,
85mines fæder eþel, frea Myrginga.
86ond me þa Ealhhild oþerne forgeaf, dryhtcwen duguþe, dohtor
87Eadwines.
88Hyre lof lengde geond londa fela, þonne ic be songe secgan
89sceolde hwær ic under swegle selast wisse goldhrodene
90cwen giefe bryttian.
91ðonne wit Scilling sciran reorde for uncrum sigedryhtne
92song ahofan, hlude bi hearpan hleoþor swinsade,
93þonne monige men, modum wlonce, wordum sprecan, þa þe
94wel cuþan, þæt hi næfre song sellan ne hyrdon.
95ðonan ic ealne geondhwearf eþel Gotena,

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96sohte ic a gesiþa þa selestan;
97þæt wæs innweorud Earmanrices.
98Heðcan sohte ic ond Beadecan ond Herelingas, Emercan sohte ic
99ond Fridlan ond Eastgotan, frodne ond
100godne fæder Unwenes.
101Seccan sohte ic ond Beccan, Seafolan ond þeodric, Heaþoric
102ond Sifecan, Hliþe ond Incgenþeow.
103Eadwine sohte ic ond Elsan, ægelmund ond Hungar, ond þa
104wloncan gedryht Wiþmyrginga.
105Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere; ful oft þær wig ne alæg,
106þonne Hræda here heardum sweordum ymb Wistlawudu
107wergan sceoldon ealdne eþelstol ætlan leodum.
108Rædhere sohte ic ond Rondhere, Rumstan ond Gislhere,
109Wiþergield ond Freoþeric, Wudgan ond Haman; ne
110wæran þæt gesiþa þa sæmestan, þeah þe ic hy anihst
111nemnan sceolde.
112ful oft of þam heape hwinende fleag giellende gar on grome
113þeode; wræccan þær weoldan wundnan golde
114werum ond wifum, wudga ond hama.
115swa ic þæt symle onfond on þære feringe, þæt se biþ
116leofast londbuendum se þe him god syleð gumena
117rice to gehealdenne, þenden he her leofað.
118swa scriþende gesceapum hweorfað gleomen gumena geond grunda
119fela, þearfe secgað, þoncword sprecaþ,
120simle suð oþþe norð sumne gemetað gydda gleawne, geofum
121unhneawne, se þe fore duguþe wile dom aræran,
122eorlscipe æfnan, oþþæt eal scæceð, leoht ond lif
123somod.
124lof se gewyrceð, hafað under heofonum heahfæstne dom.