University of Virginia Library

THE CREED

Ælmihtig fæder up on rodore,
þe ða sciran gesceaft sceope and worhtest
and eorðan wang ealne gesettest,
ic þe ecne god ænne gecenne,
lustum gelyfe. Þu eart lifes frea,
engla ordfruma, eorðan wealdend,
and ðu garsecges grundas geworhtest,
and þu ða menegu canst mærra tungla.
Ic on sunu þinne soðne gelyfe,
hælendne cyning, hider asendne
of ðam uplican engla rice,
þone Gabriel, godes ærendraca,
sanctan Marian sylfre gebodode.
Ides unmæne, heo þæt ærende
onfeng freolice, and ðe fæder sylfne
under breostcofan bearn acende.
Næs ðær gefremmed firen æt giftum,
ac þær halig gast handgyft sealde,
þære fæmnan bosm fylde mid blisse,
and heo cuðlice cende swa mærne
eorðbuendum engla scyppend,
se to frofre gewearð foldbuendum,
and ymbe Bethleem bodedan englas
þæt acenned wæs Crist on eorðan.
Ða se pontisca Pilatus weold
under Romwarum rices and doma,
þa se deora frea deað þrowade,
on gealgan stah, gumena drihten,
þone geomormod Iosep byrigde,
and he of helle huðe gefette,
of þam suslhofe, sawla manega,
het ða uplicne eþel secan.
Þæs þy ðriddan dæge þeoda wealdend
aras, rices frea, recene of moldan,
and he XL daga folgeras sine
runum arette, and ða his rice began,
þone uplican eðel secan,
cwæð þæt he nolde nænne forlætan
þe him forð ofer þæt fylian wolde
and mid fæstum sefan freode gelæstan.
Ic haligne gast hihte beluce,
emne swa ecne swa is aðor gecweden,
fæder oððe freobearn, folca gereordum.
Ne synd þæt þreo godas, þriwa genemned,
ac is an god, se ðe ealle hafað
þa þry naman þinga gerynum,
soð and sigefæst ofer side gesceaft,
wereda wuldorgyfa, wlanc and ece.
Eac ic gelyfe þæt syn leofe gode
þe þurh ænne geþanc ealdor heriað,
heofona heahcyning her for life,
and ic gemænscipe mærne getreowe
þinra haligra her for life.
Lisse ic gelyfe leahtra gehwylces,
and ic þone ærest ealra getreowe,
flæsces on foldan on þa forhtan tid,
þær ðu ece lif eallum dælest,
swa her manna gehwylc metode gecwemað.