Widsith

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Widsið maðolade,     wordhord onleac,
se þe monna mæst     mægþa ofer eorþan,
folca geondferde;     oft he on flette geþah
mynelicne maþþum.     Him from Myrgingum
5
æþele onwocon.     He mid Ealhhilde,
fælre freoþuwebban,     forman siþe
Hreðcyninges     ham gesohte
eastan of Ongle,     Eormanrices,
wraþes wærlogan.     Ongon þa worn sprecan:
10
"Fela ic monna gefrægn     mægþum wealdan!
Sceal þeodna gehwylc     þeawum lifgan,
eorl æfter oþrum     eðle rædan,
se þe his þeodenstol     geþeon wile.
þara wæs Hwala     hwile selast,
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ond Alexandreas     ealra ricost
monna cynnes,     ond he mæst geþah
þara þe ic ofer foldan     gefrægen hæbbe.
ætla weold Hunum,     Eormanric Gotum,
Becca Baningum,     Burgendum Gifica.
20
Casere weold Creacum     ond Celic Finnum,
Hagena Holmrygum     ond Heoden Glommum.
Witta weold Swæfum,     Wada Hælsingum,
Meaca Myrgingum,     Mearchealf Hundingum.
þeodric weold Froncum,     þyle Rondingum,
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Breoca Brondingum,     Billing Wernum.
Oswine weold Eowum     ond Ytum Gefwulf,
Fin Folcwalding     Fresna cynne.
Sigehere lengest     Sædenum weold,
Hnæf Hocingum,     Helm Wulfingum,
30
Wald Woingum,     Wod þyringum,
Sæferð Sycgum,     Sweom Ongendþeow,
Sceafthere Ymbrum,     Sceafa Longbeardum,
Hun Hætwerum     ond Holen Wrosnum.
Hringweald wæs haten     Herefarena cyning.
35
Offa weold Ongle,     Alewih Denum;
se wæs þara manna     modgast ealra,
no hwæþre he ofer Offan     eorlscype fremede,
ac Offa geslog     ærest monna,
cnihtwesende,     cynerica mæst.
40
Nænig efeneald him     eorlscipe maran
on orette.     Ane sweorde
merce gemærde     wið Myrgingum
bi Fifeldore;     heoldon forð siþþan
Engle ond Swæfe,     swa hit Offa geslog.
45
Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar     heoldon lengest
sibbe ætsomne     suhtorfædran,
siþþan hy forwræcon     wicinga cynn
ond Ingeldes     ord forbigdan,
forheowan æt Heorote     Heaðobeardna þrym.
50
Swa ic geondferde fela     fremdra londa
geond ginne grund.     Godes ond yfles
þær ic cunnade     cnosle bidæled,
freomægum feor     folgade wide.
Forþon ic mæg singan     ond secgan spell,
55
mænan fore mengo     in meoduhealle
hu me cynegode     cystum dohten.
Ic wæs mid Hunum     ond mid Hreðgotum,
mid Sweom ond mid Geatum     ond mid Suþdenum.
Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnum     ond mid wicingum.
60
Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedum     ond mid Gefflegum.
Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfum     ond mid ænenum.
Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgum     ond mid Sweordwerum.
Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanum     ond mid Heaþoreamum.
Mid þyringum ic wæs     ond mid þrowendum,
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ond mid Burgendum,     þær ic beag geþah;
me þær Guðhere forgeaf     glædlicne maþþum
songes to leane.     Næs þæt sæne cyning!
Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysum     ond mid Frumtingum.
Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommum     ond mid Rumwalum.
70
Swylce ic wæs on Eatule     mid ælfwine,
se hæfde moncynnes,     mine gefræge,
leohteste hond     lofes to wyrcenne,
heortan unhneaweste     hringa gedales,
beorhtra beaga,     bearn Eadwines.
75
Mid Sercingum ic wæs     ond mid Seringum;
mid Creacum ic wæs ond mid Finnum     ond mid Casere,
se þe winburga     geweald ahte,
wiolena ond wilna,     ond Wala rices.
Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtum     ond mid Scridefinnum;
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mid Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonum     ond mid Longbeardum,
mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþum     ond mid Hundingum.
Mid Israhelum ic wæs     ond mid Exsyringum,
mid Ebreum ond mid Indeum     ond mid Egyptum.
Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persum     ond mid Myrgingum,
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ond Mofdingum     ond ongend Myrgingum,
ond mid Amothingum.     Mid Eastþyringum ic wæs
ond mid Eolum ond mid Istum     ond Idumingum.
Ond ic wæs mid Eormanrice     ealle þrage,
þær me Gotena cyning     gode dohte;
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se me beag forgeaf,     burgwarena fruma,
on þam siex hund wæs     smætes goldes,
gescyred sceatta     scillingrime;
þone ic Eadgilse     on æht sealde,
minum hleodryhtne,     þa ic to ham bicwom,
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leofum to leane,     þæs þe he me lond forgeaf,
mines fæder eþel,     frea Myrginga.
Ond me þa Ealhhild     oþerne forgeaf,
dryhtcwen duguþe,     dohtor Eadwines.
Hyre lof lengde     geond londa fela,
100
þonne ic be songe     secgan sceolde
hwær ic under swegle     selast wisse
goldhrodene cwen     giefe bryttian.
ðonne wit Scilling     sciran reorde
for uncrum sigedryhtne     song ahofan,
105
hlude bi hearpan     hleoþor swinsade,
þonne monige men,     modum wlonce,
wordum sprecan,     þa þe wel cuþan,
þæt hi næfre song     sellan ne hyrdon.
ðonan ic ealne geondhwearf     eþel Gotena,
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sohte ic a gesiþa     þa selestan;
þæt wæs innweorud     Earmanrices.
Heðcan sohte ic ond Beadecan     ond Herelingas,
Emercan sohte ic ond Fridlan     ond Eastgotan,
frodne ond godne     fæder Unwenes.
115
Seccan sohte ic ond Beccan,     Seafolan ond þeodric,
Heaþoric ond Sifecan,     Hliþe ond Incgenþeow.
Eadwine sohte ic ond Elsan,     ægelmund ond Hungar,
ond þa wloncan gedryht     Wiþmyrginga.
Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere;     ful oft þær wig ne alæg,
120
þonne Hræda here     heardum sweordum
ymb Wistlawudu     wergan sceoldon
ealdne eþelstol     ætlan leodum.
Rædhere sohte ic ond Rondhere,     Rumstan ond Gislhere,
Wiþergield ond Freoþeric,     Wudgan ond Haman;
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ne wæran þæt gesiþa     þa sæmestan,
þeah þe ic hy anihst     nemnan sceolde.
Ful oft of þam heape     hwinende fleag
giellende gar     on grome þeode;
wræccan þær weoldan     wundnan golde
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werum ond wifum,     Wudga ond Hama.
Swa ic þæt symle onfond     on þære feringe,
þæt se biþ leofast     londbuendum
se þe him god syleð     gumena rice
to gehealdenne,     þenden he her leofað."
135
Swa scriþende     gesceapum hweorfað
gleomen gumena     geond grunda fela,
þearfe secgað,     þoncword sprecaþ,
simle suð oþþe norð     sumne gemetað
gydda gleawne,     geofum unhneawne,
140
se þe fore duguþe wile     dom aræran,
eorlscipe æfnan,     oþþæt eal scæceð,
leoht ond lif somod;     lof se gewyrceð,
hafað under heofonum     heahfæstne dom.