1B1.3.31

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2XII KAL DECEMBRES, PASSIO SANCTI EADMVNDI REGIS ET
3MARTYRIS .
4SVM SWYÐE GELÆRED MUNUC com suþan ofer sæ fram sancte
5Benedictes stowe on Æþelredes cynincges dæge
6to Dunstane ærcebisceope, þrim gearum ær he forðferde;
7and se munuc hatte Abbo.
8þa wurdon hi æt spræce oþþæt Dunstan rehte be sancte
9Eadmunde, swa swa Eadmundes swurdbora hit rehte Æþelstane
10cynincge þa þa Dunstan iung man wæs, and se swurdbora wæs
11forealdod man.
12þa gesette se munuc ealle þa gereccednysse on anre bec, and
13eft ða þa seo boc com to us binnan feawum gearum þa awende
14we hit on Englisc, swa swa hit heræfter stent.
15Se munuc þa Abbo binnan twam gearum gewende ham to his
16mynstre and wearð sona to abbode geset on þam ylcan mynstre.
17EADMUND SE EADIGA EASTENGLA CYNINCG wæs snotor and wurðfull,
18and wurðode symble mid æþelum þeawum þone ælmihtigan God.
19He wæs eadmod and geþungen, and swa anræde þurhwunode
20þæt he nolde abugan to bysmorfullum leahtrum,
21ne on naþre healfe he ne ahylde his þeawas, ac wæs symble
22gemyndig þære soþan lare.
23Gif þu eart to heafodmen geset, ne ahefe þu ðe, ac beo
24betwux mannum swa swa an man of him.
25He wæs cystig wædlum and wydewum swa swa fæder,

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26and mid welwillendnysse gewissode his folc symle to
27rihtwisnysse, and þam reþum styrde, and gesæliglice
28leofode on soþan geleafan.
29Hit gelamp ða æt nextan þæt þa Deniscan leode ferdon mid
30sciphere hergiende and sleande wide geond land swa swa heora
31gewuna is.
32On þam flotan wæron þa fyrmestan heafodmen Hinguar and
33Hubba, geanlæhte þurh deofol, and hi on Norðhymbralande
34gelendon mid æscum, and aweston þæt land, and þa leoda
35ofslogon.
36þa gewende Hinguar east mid his scipum, and Hubba belaf on
37Norðhymbralande, gewunnenum sige mid wælhreownysse.
38Hinguar þa becom to eastenglum rowende, on þam geare þe
39ælfred æðelincg an and twentig geare wæs, se þe
40westsexena cynincg siþþan wearð mære.
41And se foresæda Hinguar færlice swa swa wulf on lande
42bestalcode, and þa leode sloh weras and wif,
43and þa ungewittigan cild, and to bysmore tucode þa bilewitan
44Cristenan.
45He sende ða sona syððan to þam cyninge beotlic ærende,
46þæt he abugan sceolde to his manrædene gif he rohte his
47feores.
48Se ærendraca com þa to Eadmunde cynincge and Hinguares
49ærende him ardlice abead.
50Hinguar ure cyning, cene and sigefæst on sæ and on lande,
51hæfð fela þeoda gewyld,

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52and com nu mid fyrde færlice her to lande þæt he her
53wintersetl mid his werode hæbbe.
54Nu het he þe dælan þine digelan goldhordas and þinra
55yldrena gestreon ardlice wið hine, and þu beo
56his underkyning, gif ðu cucu beon wylt, forðanþe ðu næfst
57þa mihte þæt þu mage him wiðstandan.
58Hwæt þa Eadmund clypode ænne bisceop þe him þa gehendost
59wæs, and wið hine smeade hu he þam reþan Hinguare
60andwyrdan sceolde.
61þa forhtode se bisceop for þam færlican gelimpe, and for
62þæs cynincges life, and cwæþ þæt him ræd þuhte þæt
63he to þam gebuge þe him bead Hinguar.
64þa suwode se cynincg and beseah to þære eorþan, and cwæþ
65þa æt nextan cynelice him to, Eala þu bisceop, to bysmore
66synd getawode þas earman landleoda, and me nu leofre wære
67þæt ic on feohte feolle wið þam þe min folc moste heora
68eardes brucan.
69And se bisceop cwæþ, Eala þu leofa cyning, þin folc lið
70ofslagen, and þu næfst þone fultum þæt þu feohtan mæge,
71and þas flotmen cumað, and þe cucenne gebindað butan þu
72mid fleame þinum feore gebeorge, oððe þu þe swa gebeorge
73þæt þu buge to him.
74þa cwæð Eadmund cyning swa swa he ful cene wæs, þæs ic
75gewilnige and gewisce mid mode, þæt ic ana ne belife æfter
76minum leofum þegnum þe on heora bedde wurdon, mid bearnum
77and wifum, færlice ofslægene fram þysum flotmannum.

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78Næs me næfre gewunelic þæt ic worhte fleames, ac ic wolde
79swiðor sweltan gif ic þorfte for minum agenum earde, and se
80ælmihtiga God wat þæt ic nelle abugan fram his biggengum
81æfre, ne fram his soþan lufe, swelte ic, lybbe ic.
82æfter þysum wordum he gewende to þam ærendracan þe
83Hinguar him to sende, and sæde him unforht, Witodlice þu
84wære wyrðe sleges nu, ac ic nelle afylan on þinum
85fulum blode mine clænan handa, forðanþe ic Criste folgie,
86þe us swa gebysnode, and ic bliðelice wille beon ofslagen
87þurh eow gif hit swa god foresceawað.
88Far nu swiþe hraðe, and sege þinum reþan hlaforde, ne
89abihð næfre Eadmund Hingware on life, hæþenum heretogan,
90buton he to Hælende Criste ærest mid geleafan on
91þysum lande gebuge.
92þa gewende se ærendraca ardlice aweg, and gemette be wæge
93þone wælhreowan Hingwar mid eallre his fyrde fuse to
94Eadmunde, and sæde þam arleasan hu him geandwyrd wæs.
95Hingwar þa bebead mid bylde þam sciphere þæt hi þæs
96cynincges anes ealle cepan sceoldon, þe his hæse forseah,
97and hine sona bindan.
98Hwæt þa Eadmund cynincg mid þam þe Hingwar com, stod innan
99his healle þæs Hælendes gemyndig, and awearp his wæpna,
100wolde geæfenlæcan Cristes gebysnungum, þe forbead Petre

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101mid wæpnum to winnenne wið þa wælhreowan Iudeiscan.
102Hwæt þa arleasan þa Eadmund gebundon, and gebysmrodon
103huxlice, and beoton mid saglum; and swa syððan læddon
104þone geleaffullan cyning to anum eorðfæstum treowe,
105and tigdon hine þærto mid heardum bendum, and hine eft
106swuncgon langlice mid swipum, and he symble clypode betwux
107þam swinglum mid soðan geleafan to Hælende Criste,
108and þa hæþenan þa for his geleafan wurdon wodlice yrre
109forþanþe he clypode Crist him to fultume.
110Hi scuton þa mid gafelucum swilce him to gamenes to, oð
111þæt he eall wæs besæt mid heora scotungum swilce igles
112byrsta, swa swa Sebastianus wæs.
113þa geseah Hingwar, se arlease flotman, þæt se æþela
114cyning nolde Criste wiðsacan, ac mid anrædum geleafan hine
115æfre clypode, het hine þa beheafdian and þa hæðenan
116swa dydon.
117Betwux þam þe he clypode to Criste þagit, þa tugon þa
118hæþenan þone halgan to slæge, and mid anum swencge slogon
119him of þæt heafod, and his sawl siþode gesælig to Criste.
120þær wæs sum man gehende, gehealden þurh God behyd þam
121hæþenum, þe þis gehyrde eall, and hit eft sæde swa swa
122we hit secgað her.
123Hwæt ða se flothere ferde eft to scipe, and behyddon þæt
124heafod þæs halgan Eadmundes

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125on þam þiccum bremelum þæt hit bebyrged ne wurde.
126þa æfter fyrste, syððan hi afarene wæron, com þæt
127landfolc to þe þær to lafe wæs þa, þær heora hlafordes
128lic læg butan heafde, and wurdon swiðe sarige for his slege
129on mode, and huru þæt hi næfdon þæt heafod to þam
130bodige.
131þa sæde se sceawere þe hit ær geseah þæt þa flotmen
132hæfdon þæt heafod mid him, and wæs him geðuht swa swa hit
133wæs ful soð þæt hi behyddon þæt heafod on þam holte
134forhwega.
135Hi eodon þa secende ealle endemes to þam wuda, secende
136gehwær geond þyfelas and bremelas gif hi ahwær mihton
137gemeton þæt heafod.
138Wæs eac micel wundor þæt an wulf wearð asend, þurh Godes
139wissunge to bewerigenne þæt heafod wið þa oþre deor,
140ofer dæg and niht.
141Hi eodon þa secende, and symle clypigende, swa swa hit
142gewunelic is þam ðe on wuda gað oft, Hwær eart þu nu
143gefera?
144And him andwyrde þæt heafod, Her, her, her; and swa gelome
145clypode andswarigende him eallum, swa oft swa heora ænig
146clypode, oþþæt hi ealle becomen þurh ða clypunga him to.
147þa læg se græga wulf þe bewiste þæt heafod, and mid his
148twam fotum hæfde þæt heafod beclypped, grædig and hungrig,
149and for Gode ne dorste þæs heafdes abyrian,
150and heold hit wið deor.
151þa wurdon hi ofwundrode þæs wulfes hyrdrædenne,

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152and þæt halige heafod ham feredon mid him, þancigende þam
153ælmihtigan ealra his wundra; ac se wulf folgode forð
154mid þam heafde oþþæt hi to tune comon,
155swylce he tam wære, and gewende eft siþþan to wuda ongean.
156þa landleoda þa siþþan ledon þæt heafod to þam halgan
157bodige, and bebyrigdon hine swa swa hi selost mihton on
158swylcere hrædinge and cyrcan arærdan sona him onuppon.
159Eft þa on fyrste, æfter fela gearum, þa seo hergung geswac
160and sibb wearð forgifen þam geswenctan folce, þa fengon hi
161togædere and worhton ane cyrcan wurðlice þam halgan,
162forþanðe gelome wundra wurdon æt his byrgene, æt þam
163gebædhuse þær he bebyrged wæs.
164Hi woldon þa ferian mid folclicum wurðmynte þone halgan
165lichaman, and læcgan innan þære cyrcan.
166þa wæs micel wundor þæt he wæs eall swa gehal swylce he
167cucu wære mid clænum lichaman, and his swura wæs gehalod
168þe ær wæs forslagen, and wæs swylce an seolcen þræd
169embe his swuran ræd, mannum to sweotelunge hu he ofslagen
170wæs.
171Eac swilce þa wunda þe þa wælhreowan hæþenan mid gelomum
172scotungum on his lice macodon, wæron gehælede þurh þone
173heofonlican God, and he liþ swa ansund oþ þisne andwerdan
174dæg,

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175andbidigende æristes, and þæs ecan wuldres.
176His lichaman us cyð, þe lið unformolsnod, þæt he butan
177forligre her on worulde leofode, and mid clænum life to
178Criste siþode.
179Sum wudewe wunode Oswyn gehaten æt þæs halgan byrgene on
180gebedum and fæstenum manega gear syððan.
181seo wolde efsian ælce geare þone Sanct, and his næglas
182ceorfan syferlice mid lufe, and on scryne healdan to
183haligdome on weofode.
184þa wurðode þæt landfolc mid geleafan þone sanct, and
185þeodred bisceop þearle mid gifum on golde and on seolfre,
186þam sancte to wurðmynte.
187þa comon on sumne sæl ungesælige þeofas, eahta on anre
188nihte to þam arwurðan halgan, woldon stelan þa maðmas
189þe men þyder brohton, and cunnodon mid cræfte
190hu hi in cumon mihton.
191Sum sloh mid slecge swiðe þa hæpsan, sum heora mid feolan
192feolode abutan, sum eac underdealf þa duru mid spade, sum
193heora mid hlæddre wolde unlucan þæt ægðyrl; ac hi
194swuncon on idel, and earmlice ferdon, swa þæt se halga wer
195hi wundorlice geband, ælcne swa he stod strutigende mid tole,
196þæt heora nan ne mihte þæt morð gefremman, ne hi þanon
197astyrian, ac stodon swa oð mergen.
198Men þa þæs wundrodon hu þa weargas hangodon,

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199sum on hlæddre, sum leat to gedelfe, and ælc on his weorce
200wæs fæste gebunden.
201Hi wurdon þa gebrohte to þam bisceope ealle, and he het hi
202hon on heagum gealgum ealle; ac he næs na gemyndig hu se
203mildheorta God clypode þurh his witegan þas word þe her
204standað, Eos qui ducuntur ad mortem eruere ne cesses ;
205þa þe man læt to deaðe alys hi ut symble.
206And eac þa halgan canones gehadodum forbeodað ge bisceopum
207ge preostum, to beonne embe þeofas, forþanþe hit ne
208gebyraþ þam þe beoð gecorene Gode to þegnigenne þæt hi
209geþwærlæcan sceolon on æniges mannes deaðe, gif hi beoð
210Drihtnes þenas.
211Eft þa ðeodred bisceop sceawode his bec syððan behreowsode
212mid geomerunge þæt he swa reðne dom sette þam ungesæligum
213þeofum, and hit besargode æfre oð his lifes ende; and þa
214leode bæd georne, þæt hi him mid fæstan fullice þry dagas,
215biddende þone ælmihtigan þæt he him arian scolde.
216On þam lande wæs sum man, Leofstan gehaten, rice for worulde
217and unwittig for Gode, se rad to þam halgan mid riccetere
218swiðe, and het him æteowian orhlice swiðe þone halgan
219sanct hwæþer he gesund wære, ac swa hraðe swa he geseah
220þæs sanctes lichaman, þa awedde he sona and wælhreowlice
221grymetede, and earmlice geendode yfelum deaðe.

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222þis is ðam gelic þe se geleaffulla papa Gregorius sæde on
223his gesetnysse be ðam halgan Laurentie ðe lið on Romebyrig,
224þæt menn woldon sceawian symle hu he lage, ge gode ge yfele,
225ac God hi gestilde, swa þæt þær swulton on þære
226sceawunge ane seofon menn ætgædere.
227þa geswicon þa oþre to sceawigenne þone martyr mid
228menniscum gedwylde.
229Fela wundra we gehyrdon on folclicre spræce be þam halgan
230Eadmunde þe we her nellaþ on gewrite settan, ac hi wat gehwa.
231On þyssum halgan is swutel, and on swilcum oþrum, þæt God
232ælmihtig mæg þone man aræran eft on domes
233dæg andsundne of eorþan, se þe hylt Eadmunde halne his
234lichaman, oð þone micclan dæg, þeah ðe he of moldan come.
235Wyrðe is seo stow for þam wurðfullan halgan þæt hi man
236wurþige and wel gelogige mid clænum Godes þeowum, to
237Cristes þeowdome, forþanþe se halga is mærra þonne
238men magon asmeagan.
239Nis Angelcynn bedæled Drihtnes halgena, þonne on Englalanda
240licgaþ swilce halgan swylce þæs halga cyning is, and
241Cuþberht se eadiga, and sancte Æþeldryð on Elig, and eac
242hire swustor, ansunde on lichaman, geleafan to trymminge.
243Synd eac fela oðre on Angelcynne halgan

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244þe fela wundra wyrcað, swa swa hit wide is cuð þam
245ælmihtigan to lofe, þe hi on gelyfdon.
246Crist geswutelaþ mannum þurh his mæran halgan þæt he is
247ælmihtig God þe macað swilce wundra þeah þe
248þa earman Iudei hine eallunge wiðsocen, forþanþe hi synd
249awyrgede swa swa hi wiscton him sylfum.
250Ne beoð nane wundra geworhte æt heora byrgenum, forðanþe
251hi ne gelyfað on þone lifigendan Crist, ac Crist geswutelað
252mannum hwær se soða geleafa is, þonne he swylce wundra
253wyrcð þurh his halgan wide geond þas eorðan.
254þæs him sy wuldor a mid his heofonlican fæder, and þam
255halgan gaste a buton ende; AMEN.