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
þe seoueðe hatte teruagant{;} an hæh godd in ure lon.
Ȝet we habbeð anne læuedi{;} þe hæh is ⁊ mæhti. 65
heh heo is ⁊ hali{;} hired{}men heo luuieð for{}þi.
heo js ihate Frææ{;} wel heo heom dihteð.
Ah for alle ure goden deore{;} þa we scullen hæren.
[Linenotes:
64. _seoðueðe_ MS. || _dihteð_] _ð_ corr. out of _s_.]
þe soueþe hatte Teruagant{;} an heh god in vre lond.
Ȝet we habbeþ an leafdi{;} þat heh his and mihti.
ȝeo his i{}hote frea. heredmen hire louieþ.
To alle þeos godes we worsipe wercheþ.
And for hire loue{;} þeos daȝes we heom ȝefue.
Mone we ȝefue monedaẏ. Tẏdea we ȝefue tisdei.
Woden hehde þa hæhste laȝe{;} an ure ælderne dæȝen.
he heom wes leof{;} æfne al swa heore lif. 70
he wes heore walden{;} And heom wurðscipe duden.
þene feorðe dæi iþere wike{;} heo ȝifuen him to wurðscipe.
Þa þunre heo ȝiuen þu{n}res dæi{;}
for{}þi þat heo heom helpen mæi.
Freon heore læfdi{;} heo ȝiuen hire fridæi.
Saturnus heo ȝiuen sætterdæi{;} þene sunne heo ȝiuen sonedæi. 75
Monen heo ȝifuen mone{}dæi{;} Tidea heo ȝeuen tis{}dæi.
[Linenote:
76. _Monenen heo ȝifuenen_ MS.]
Woden we ȝefue wendesdei. Þane þonre we ȝefue þorisdai.
Frea þane fridaẏ. Saturnus þane sateresdai.
þus seide hæ[n]gest{;} cnihten alre hendest.
Þa answerede vortig{er}{;} of ælchen vfel he wæs wær.
Cnihtes ȝe beoð me leofue{;} ah þas tiðende me beoð laðe.
eouwer ileuen beoð vnwraste{;} Ȝe ne ileoueð noht an criste. | 80
Ah ȝe ileoueð a þene wurse{;} þe godd seolf awariede. [f. 82r²
eoure godes ne beoð nohtes{;} In helle heo niðer liggeð.
[Linenotes:
80. _ileuen_ written over _ilauerd_ deleted. || _cristre_ MS.]
þus saide Hengest{;} cniht alre hendest.
þo answerede vortiger{;} of alle harme he was war.
Cnihtes ȝeo beoþ me leofue{;} ac ȝoure bilefues me beoþ loþe.
Ah neoðeles ich wulle eou at{}hælde{;} An mine anwalde.
for norð Beoð þa Peohtes{;} swiðe ohte cnihtes.
þe ofte ledeð in mine londe{;} ferde swiðe stronge. 85
⁊ ofte dod me muchele scome{;} ⁊ þerfore ich habbe grome.
⁊ ȝif ȝe me wulleð wræken{;} ⁊ heore hæfden me biȝeten.
Ich eou wullen ȝeuen lond{;} muchel seolueR ⁊ gold.
Þa andswerede hængest{;} cnihtene alre feirest.
Ȝif hit wulle saturnus{;} al hit scal iwurðe þus. 90
⁊ Woden ure lauerd{;} þe we on bi{}liueð.
[Linenote:
86. _me_] _e_ corr. out of _u_.]
Ac ich wolle ou at{}holde{;} in min anwolde.
For norþ beoþ þe peutes{;} swiþe ohte cnihtes.
þat ofte doþ me same{;} and þar{}vore ich habbe grame.
And ȝef ȝe wolleþ me wreke{;} of [hire] wiþere dedes{;}
Ich ȝou wolle ȝeue{;} ȝeftes swiþe deore.
þo saide Hengest{;} al hit sal iworþe þus.
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