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XLII

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OF SEINTE NEOTE.

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4    Mæn þa leofeste, we wylleð eow cyðen beo sumen dæle emb
5þyssen halgen, þe we todæig wurðigeð, ꝥ eower geleafe þe
6trumre seo; for þan mancynn behofeð godcundre lare, ꝥ heo
7þurh þa mugen to lifes wege becumen. Hit sægð on þan
8halgen godspelle, ꝥ ꝥ liht on Godes gelaðunge na behydd beon
9ne sceal, ac up asett ofer þan candelstafe, ꝥ þa þe þær in gað,
10mugen þone leome geseon & on lihte beon. Swa eac ne mihte
11Sanctus Neotus behydd beon ne bedigelod, þa þa God hine
12geupped habben wolde. He wæs on jugeðe, þæs þe bec secgeð, to
13boclicre lare gesett, & to godcunden þeawen becom, & georne smeade
14þa he andgitfull wæs emb ꝥ ece lif, & hwu he stiðlucest her on life
15for Gode libben mihte; swa hit awriten is, ꝥ se weig is sticol &
16neare, þe to þan ecen life belimpð, & nan mann þær to ne becumð,
17bute þurh mycel geswync & forhæfednysse. Swa dyde Sanctus
18Neotus, forhæfde hine sylfne fram gelustfullunge þysses lifes. He
19wæs manðwære & milde ealle mannen & he dæighwamlice to his
20Drihtene clypode æfter Dauides sange þuss cweðende, 'Drihten, þine
21weges ic lufige, & þine æ ic folgigen þænce. Do beo me æfter
22þinre mildheortnysse & tæc me þine rihtwisnysse.' Soðlice ꝥ ilca
23gebed us is alefd, gyf we wylleð inweardlice to Gode
24clypigen & his mildheortnysse biddan. Hit sæigð on gewritan, ꝥ
25þes halge were to Glæstingebyrig gecerred wære on Sanctes Ælfeges
26dagen þæs halgen biscopes, & æt him underfeng þone halge sacerdhad,
27& hine wel geheold, & þær under wel geðeah, & wæs eallen mannen
28eadmod & lufigendlic, & his salmes & oðre gebedan he geornlice
29beeode dæiges & nihtes; & his gewune wæs, ꝥ he wolde on dæig
30gelomen his cneowe gebegen, & eac swylce on niht to þan
31Ælmihtigen Gode, swa se halge apostel Sanctus Bartholomeus
32dyde, hund siðen on niht & eall swa oft on dæg. He gemunde

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33symle his synnen, þe he on his iugeðe gefremede, & þa geornlice
34beweop & bereowsede, & oðre gode forbisnen æteowde. He geneosode
35Romeburh seofe siðen Criste to lofe & Seinte Petre, & þære
36his synnen forgyfenysse underfeng. He wæs on eallen Godes
37beboden swyðe fullfremed. Sohte þa weste stowe geond eall þiss
38land on to wunigene, & þa gemette he þurh Godes foresceawunge;
39seo is wæstdæles þysses landes, ten milen fram Petrocesstowe
40þa me hatt 'Neotes stoca'; & he him þær wununge
41getimbrode on swyðe fægeren stowe, & myrige wæterseaðes þær
42abuten standeð, & þa synden swyðe wynsume of to þycgene. Þær
43se Godes þeowe Sanctus Neotus his lif adreah on mycelre forhæfednysse,
44ofer mæn oðre modes & mæignes þeowwigende þan, þe hine to
45þeowe geceas, ꝥ wæs Gode sylfen. Ne mæig nan mann fullice
46gecyðen, hwu stiðlice he his lif adreah ær his mæssepreosthade ne
47æfter. Ne glæingde he his lichame mid deorewurðen scrude, ne
48he mid estmeten his innað ne gefyllde. Mid þan þe he þuss lange
49gedrohtned hæfde on þære stowe, þe we won ær fore sæden, þa
50ongann se ungeseowenlice feond him togeanes andigen, swa him ælc
51god ofðincð. Ongann þa sænden his ættrige wæpnen, ꝥ synd
52costnungen, togeanes þan halgen were. Ac he þone feond oferswað
53mid rihten geleafen þurh Godes gescyldnysse. Him comen gelomen
54to halige Godes ængles and hine gefrefreden & wel geherten, & hine
55manoden, ꝥ he ne geswice Godes word to bodigenne
56ealle mannen oðð his lifes ænde, & beheten him gewiss ꝥ ece lif, þe
57he nu mid myrhðe onwuneð. He dyde swa se ængel bebead.
58Bodede ealle mannen rihtne geleafe; þan synfullen & þan þe heora
59synnen andetten wolden & æfre geswican, he behet Godes godnysse
60& his mildheortnysse, & þær toecan ꝥ ece lif; þa gode he manode, ꝥ
61heo on heora godnysse þurhwunedan. Hit gelamp sume dæige,
62ꝥ se halge were on ærnemorgen digellice ferde to his wæterseaðe, &
63þær his drohtnunge & his salmsanges on þan wætere hnacodan
64leomen adreah, swa his gewune wæs. Þa geherde he færinge
65ridenda menige. He þa hrædlice mid mycelen ofste fram þære
66welle onette, nolde ꝥ his drohtnung ænigen eorðlice mæn cuð
67wurde on his life bute þan anen, þe ofer eallen rixeð. Forleas þa

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68on þan færelde his ænne scoh, & oðerne mid him to his gebedhuse
69ham gebrohte. Mid þan þe he his salmes & his gebeden & rædingan
70embhydiglice smeade, þa becom him to gemynde his
71oðer scoh, ꝥ he hine on þan færelde forleas. Clypode þa him to
72his þeign, & bebead him ꝥ he him his sco gefeccen scolde. He þa
73wæs his fæder bebodan gehersum, & hrædlice ferde to þære welle,
74& þære on þan wegge wunderlice wise gemette; ꝥ is ꝥ an fox, þe
75is geapest ealra deora, þær arn geond dunen & denen wunderlice
76beseonde mid egen hider & þider, & færinge becom to þære stowe,
77þære se halge were his fet geðwoh, & þone scoh gelæhte, & ætfaren
78þohte. Þa beseh þær to se arfæste Drihten & nolde, ꝥ his þeowe
79on swa medemlice þingen geunrotsed wære. Gesænde þa slæp on
80þone fox, swa ꝥ he his lif alet, habbende þa þwanges of þan sco on
81his fracede muðe. Se þeign þa þær to geteignde & þone sco genam
82& þan halge gebrohte, & him cydde eall hwæt þær gelumpen wæs.
83He þa, se halge, þæs mycele wundrode, & bebead þan þeigne on þæs
84Hælendes name, ꝥ he hit nanen ne cydde ær his lifes ænde. On
85þan time wæs Ælfred king, & to þan halgen gelomen com emb his
86sawle þearfe. He hine eac þreade manega worden
87& him to cwæð mid forewitegunge, 'Eala, þu king, mycel scealt þu
88þoligen on þyssen life, on þan towearden time; swa mycele angsumnysse
89þu gebiden scealt, ꝥ nan mænnisc tunge hit eall asecgen ne
90mæig. Nu, leof bearn, geher me, gyf þu wylt, & þine heorte to
91mine ræde gecerre. Gewit eallinge fram þinre unrihtwisnysse, &
92þine synnen mid ælmessen ales, & mid tearen adigole, & gebring
93þine lac to Romeburh, Martinum þan pape, þe nu wealt Engliscre
94scole.' Se king Ælfred dyde þa swa se halge hine bebead, & his
95beboden georne hlyste, & he him feala foresæde mid forewitegunge,
96swa him syððen aneode. Se halge eft cwæð oðre wordan, 'Ic
97nylle þe bedigeligen, gode king, ꝥ me toweard is forneh se dæig
98mines forðsiðes, þone ic gernde simble mid ealre heorte. Ac ic
99secge get, ꝥ æfter minen forðsiðe þu feale þoligen scealt, & fram
100Deniscre þeode þu aflemed byst of þinen cynerice, & þine cæmpen &
101heretogen þe fram gewiteð & tostæncte byð; swa hit on Drihtenes
102þrowunge awriten is þæt, "þone se herde aflemed &
103ofslagen byð, þonne byð þa scep ealle tostæncte." Ac þonne þe
104ealre angsumest byð on þine mode, geðænc þu min, & ic þe

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105gescilde on Drihtenes name.' Þa se king þas word geherde, þa
106forhtode he þearle swyðe, & his bletsunge abæd, & aweig gewende.
107Him aneode syððen swa Sanctus Neotus him foresæde. Ðæs
108halgen untrumnysse weox þa fram dæge to dæige, & þa on þan
109ytemesten dæige his handbreden up to heofone astrehte, & mid
110blisse his gast asende, & to reste gewende. Soðlice engles togeanes
111his sawle comen, & heo gelædden mid mycelen gefean to heofonrices
112myrhðe. His leorningcnihtes þa bebyrigden his lic mid mycelen
113wurðmynte innen þære cirice, þe he sylf on ær gesette. Þær
114becom þa on þære hwile mycel swetnysse stænc, swylc hit eall
115gestreawod wære on þære stowe mid wynsume blostmen & wyrtgemangum;
116þær wurden eac feale untrume gehælde fram mistlicen
117brocen þurh Godes mihten & þæs halgen geearnunge. & eft binnen
118seofen gearen his ban up genumen wurðen & on oðre
119stowe mid wurdmynte aleigd, neh þan altere, & þær eft wearð mycel
120swotnysse stænc geworden on þære styrunge. Hwæt! þa word
121ealle gefyllede beon scolden, þe se halge foresæde beo þan kinge.
122Com þa Guðrum, se hæðene king, mid his wælreowen here ærest on
123eastdæle Sexlandes, & þær feala manne ofsloh. Sume eac fleames
124cepten, & sume on hand eodan. Þa Ælfred king, þe we ær embe
125spæcon, ꝥ ofaxode, ꝥ se here swa stiðlic wæs, & swa neh Englelande,
126he sone forfyrht fleames cepte, & his cæmpen ealle forlet, &
127his hertogen, & eall his þeode, madmes & madmfaten, & his life
128gebearh. Ferde þa lutigende geond heges & weges, geond wudes
129& feldes, swa ꝥ he þurh Godes wissunge gesund becom to Æðelingege,
130& on sumes swanes huse his hleow gernde, & eac swylce him &
131his yfele wife georne herde. Hit gelamp sume dæige, ꝥ þæs swanes
132wif hætte hire ofen, & se king þær-big sæt hleowwinde hine beo þan
133fyre, þan heowen nytende, ꝥ he king wære. Þa wearð
134ꝥ yfele wif færinge astyrod, & cwæð to þan kinge eorre mode,
135'Wænd þu þa hlafes, ꝥ heo ne forbeornen, for þan ic geseo dæighwamlice,
136ꝥ þu mycel æte eart.' He wæs sone gehersum þan
137yfele wife, for þan þe he nede scolde. He þa, se gode king, mid
138mycelre angsumnysse & siccetunge to his Drihtene clypode, his
139mildse biddende. Hwæt! þa abuten him aneode ealswa se halge
140him foresæde on ær, & mare earfoðe he adreah, þone we nu areccen

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141mugen, ac he wearð eft forraðe gefrefrod þurh þone halgen
142Neoten. He com to him anes nihtes on swefne swyðe brihte
143scinende, & him to cwæð, 'Eala, þu king, hwæt wylt þu to mede
144gesyllen þan þe þe fram þyssen uneðnyssen alyseð.' He wearð
145afyrht on swefne færlice swyðe, & þeh þan halgen geandswerode,
146'Eala, leof,' he cwæð, 'hwæt mæig ic syllen? Ic eam ealles godes
147benæmed & mines kynerices.' Se halge him andswerode, 'Ic eam
148Neotus, þin freond, & ic nu blissige mid heofene Kinge. Gehyht
149nu on his mihte, þonne becumst þu æfter Eastern to
150þinen æðele, & þe togeanes cumð þin todræfed here, & þines cymes
151þearle fægenigeð. Ic þe toforen fare, þu me æfter folge, & þin folc
152samod. Ic soðlice todræfe ealle þine wiðerwinnen, & þone king, þe
153þe togeanes winð, to geleafen gebege.' Hit gelamp þa eall swa, &
154Guðrum se hæðene king com to Ælfrede þan cristene kinge, mid
155þreottene cæmpen, & friðes wilnode, & to fulhte feng, & he twelf
156dages æfter þan her on lande wunede mid mycelre blisse, & syððen
157gesund gewende mid his herelafe to his agenen earde mid ealre
158sibbe. Þa weox Ælfredes cynerice, & his word wide sprang, ꝥ he
159on godcunden gewriten wel gelæred wæs, swa ꝥ he oferðeah
160biscopes & mæssepreostes & hehdiacones, & cristendom wel þeah on
161þan gode time. Eac is to wytene, ꝥ se king Ælfred manega bec
162þurh Godes gast gedyhte; & binnen twam & twentig gearen his
163cynerices þiss eorðlice lif forlet, & to þan ecen gewende, swa him
164God geuðe for his rihtwisnysse. Eala, mæn þa leofe, þa wæron
165gode dages on þan gode time for cristenes folcas
166geearnunge, & rihtwisra heafodmanna. Nu is æighwanen heof &
167wop, & orefcwealm mycel for folces synnen, & wæstmes, æigðer gea
168on wude gea on felde, ne synd swa gode, swa heo iu wæron, ac
169yfeleð swyðe eall eorðe wæstme, & unrihtwisnysse mycele wexeð
170wide geond wurlde, & sibbe tolysnysse & tælnysse, & se þincð nu
171wærrest & geapest, þe oðerne mæig beswican, & his æhte him of
172anymen. Eac man swereð man mare þone he scolde, þy hit is
173þe wyrse wide on eorðe, & beo þan we mugen understanden, ꝥ hit is
174neh domesdæge. Ne spareð nu se fæder þan sune, ne nan mann
175oðren, ac ælc man winð ongean oðren, & Godes lage ne gemeð, swa
176swa me scolde. Beo þan we mugen ongyten, ꝥ þiss wurld is
177aweigweard & swyðe neh þan ænde þysser wurlde. Eale! gesælig
178byð se þe hine sylfen on time gebyregeð. Uten nu bidden georne

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179Seinte Neoten & oðre halgen, ꝥ heo ure þingeres beon to þan
180Heofon-kinge, ꝥ we næfre ealles to yfelne time ne gebiden on
181þyssen earmen life, & ꝥ we moten æfter forðsiðe to ecere reste
182becumen.