 | Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems |  |
4. THE DEATH OF EDGAR (975)
[_]
Text from MS. 173, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (A); variants from MS. Cotton Tiberius A. vi (B) and MS. Cotton Tiberius B. i (C)
Her geendode eorðan dreamas
Eadgar, Engla cyning, ceas him oðer leoht,
wlitig and wynsum, and þis wace forlet,
lif þis læne. Nemnað leoda bearn,
men on moldan, þæne monað gehwær
in ðisse eðeltyrf, þa þe ær wæran
on rimcræfte rihte getogene,
Iulius monoð, þær se geonga gewat
on þone eahteðan dæg Eadgar of life,
beorna beahgyfa. Feng his bearn syððan
to cynerice, cild unweaxen,
eorla ealdor, þam wæs Eadweard nama.
And him tirfæst hæleð tyn nihtum ær
of Brytene gewat, bisceop se goda,
þurh gecyndne cræft, ðam wæs Cyneweard nama.
Eadgar, Engla cyning, ceas him oðer leoht,
wlitig and wynsum, and þis wace forlet,
lif þis læne. Nemnað leoda bearn,
men on moldan, þæne monað gehwær
in ðisse eðeltyrf, þa þe ær wæran
on rimcræfte rihte getogene,
Iulius monoð, þær se geonga gewat
on þone eahteðan dæg Eadgar of life,
beorna beahgyfa. Feng his bearn syððan
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eorla ealdor, þam wæs Eadweard nama.
And him tirfæst hæleð tyn nihtum ær
of Brytene gewat, bisceop se goda,
þurh gecyndne cræft, ðam wæs Cyneweard nama.
Ða wæs on Myrceon, mine gefræge,
wide and welhwær waldendes lof
afylled on foldan. Fela wearð todræfed
gleawra godes ðeowa; þæt wæs gnornung micel
þam þe on breostum wæg byrnende lufan
metodes on mode. Þa wæs mærða fruma
to swiðe forsewen, sigora waldend,
rodera rædend, þa man his riht tobræc.
And þa wearð eac adræfed deormod hæleð,
Oslac, of earde ofer yða gewealc,
ofer ganotes bæð, gamolfeax hæleð,
wis and wordsnotor, ofer wætera geðring,
ofer hwæles eðel, hama bereafod.
And þa wearð ætywed uppe on roderum
steorra on staðole, þone stiðferhþe,
hæleð higegleawe, hatað wide
cometa be naman, cræftgleawe men,
wise woðboran. Wæs geond werðeode
waldendes wracu wide gefrege,
hungor ofer hrusan; þæt eft heofona weard
gebette, brego engla, geaf eft blisse gehwæm
egbuendra þurh eorðan westm.
wide and welhwær waldendes lof
afylled on foldan. Fela wearð todræfed
gleawra godes ðeowa; þæt wæs gnornung micel
þam þe on breostum wæg byrnende lufan
metodes on mode. Þa wæs mærða fruma
to swiðe forsewen, sigora waldend,
rodera rædend, þa man his riht tobræc.
And þa wearð eac adræfed deormod hæleð,
Oslac, of earde ofer yða gewealc,
ofer ganotes bæð, gamolfeax hæleð,
wis and wordsnotor, ofer wætera geðring,
ofer hwæles eðel, hama bereafod.
And þa wearð ætywed uppe on roderum
steorra on staðole, þone stiðferhþe,
hæleð higegleawe, hatað wide
cometa be naman, cræftgleawe men,
wise woðboran. Wæs geond werðeode
waldendes wracu wide gefrege,
hungor ofer hrusan; þæt eft heofona weard
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egbuendra þurh eorðan westm.
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