Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
General
Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500
Ich hatte Hengest{;} Hors hatte min broþer.
we beoþ of Alemaine{;} of one riche londe.
of þan ilke hende þat Ænglis his ihote.
Beoþ in vre londe wonder þenges gonde.
bi eche fiftene ȝer. þat folk his i{}somned.
And werpeþ þare hire lotes{;} fo[r] to londes seche.
v{p} wan þat lot falleþ{;} he mot neod wende. 38
[Linenote:
38. _vp_] _vt_ MS.]
Ne beo he na swa leof mon{;} uorð he scal liðen.
For þer is folc swiðe muchel{;} mære þene heo walden.
þa wif færeð mid childe{;} swa þe deor wilde.
Æueralche ȝere{;} heo bereð child þere{;}
þ̵ beoð an us feole{;} þat we færen scolden. 45
Ne mihte we bilæue{;} for liue ne for dæðe.
Ne for nauer nane þinge{;} for þan folc{}kinge.
Ne beo he noht so riche{;} he mot lond seche.
For{}þe wifues goþ þare mid childe{;} alse þe deor wilde.
bi euereche ȝere{;} hii goþ mid childe þere.
Þat lot on vs ful{;} þat we faren solde.
Ne moste we bi{}lefue{;} for life ne for deaþe.
þus we uerden þere{;} ⁊ for{}þi beoð nu here.
to sechen vnder lu{f}te{;} lond ⁊ godne lauerd.
Nu þu hæfuest iherd lauerd ki[n]g{;} Soð of us þurh alle þi[n]g. 50
Þa a{n}swarede vortiger{;} of alc an vfele he wes war.
Ich ileue þe cniht{;} þ̵ þu me sugge soð{}riht.
⁊ wulche beoð æoure ileuen{;} þ̵ ȝe on ileueð.
⁊ eoure leofue godd{;} þe ȝe to luted.
þa and{}swarede Hænges{;} cnihtene alre fæirest. 55
Nis in al þis kine{}lond{;} cniht swa muchel ne swa strong.
[Linenotes:
49. _luste_ MS. || 56. _muchel_ over erasure.]
þus hit fareþ þere{;} þar{}fore we beoþ nou here.
Nou þou hauest ihord louerd king{;} soþ of vs and no lesing.
þo saide vortiger þat was wis and swiþe war.
And woche beoþ ȝoure biléue{;} þat ȝeo an bi{}léfeþ.
We habbeð gode`s´ gode{;} þe we luuieð an ure mode.
þa we habbeð hope to{;} ⁊ heoreð heom mid mihte.
Þe an hæhte phebus{;} þe oðer Saturn{us}.
þe þridde hæhte wode{n}{;} þ̵ is an weoli godd. 60
þe feorðe hæh | [te] Jupit{er}{;}
of alle þi{n}ge he is whar. [f. 82r¹
þe fifte hæhte Mercuri{us}{;} þat {i}s þe hæhste ouer us.
þæ sæxte hæhte appollin{;} þ̵ is a godd wel idon.
[Linenotes:
58. _mid mid_ MS. || _is_] _us_ MS.]
We habbeþ godes gode{;} þe we louieð in mode.
þe on hatte phebus{;} þe oþer Saturnus
þe þri[d]de hatte Woden{;} þat was a mihti þing.
þe feorþe hatte Jubiter of alle þinges He his war. |
þe fifþe hatte Merchuri{us}{;}
þat his þe hehest ouer vs. [f. 66r¹
þe sixte hatte appolin{;} þat his a god of gret win.
[Linenote:
63. _þe_] _e_ partly destroyed.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account