The Death of Alfred

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Her com ælfred, se unsceððiga æþeling, æþelrædes
sunu cinges, hider inn and wolde to his meder, þe on Win-
cestre sæt, ac hit him ne geþafode Godwine eorl, ne ec oþre
men þe mycel mihton wealdan, forðan hit hleoðrode þa

5

swiðe toward Haraldes, þeh hit unriht wære.
Ac Godwine hine þa gelette and hine on hæft sette,
and his geferan he todraf, and sume mislice ofsloh;
sume hi man wið feo sealde, sume hreowlice acwealde,
sume hi man bende, sume hi man blende,

10

sume hamelode, sume hættode.
Ne wearð dreorlicre dæd gedon on þison earde,
syþþan Dene comon and her frið namon.
Nu is to gelyfenne to ðan leofan gode,
þæt hi blission bliðe mid Criste

15

þe wæron butan scylde swa earmlice acwealde.
Se æþeling lyfode þa gyt; ælc yfel man him gehet,
oðþæt man gerædde þæt man hine lædde
to Eligbyrig swa gebundenne.
Sona swa he lende, on scype man hine blende,

20

and hine swa blindne brohte to ðam munecon,
and he þar wunode ða hwile þe he lyfode.
Syððan hine man byrigde, swa him wel gebyrede,
ful wurðlice, swa he wyrðe wæs,
æt þam westende, þam styple ful gehende,

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on þam suðportice; seo saul is mid Criste.