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
Hengest no{m} læue{;} ⁊ to scipen gon liðe.
þer wes moni cniht strong{;}
heo droȝen heore scipe{n} uppe þe lo{n}d.
forð wenden dringches{;} to vortigerne þan kenge.
Biuoren wende hengest{;} ⁊ hors him alre hændest. 95
[Linenote:
93. _uppe_ on an erasure.]
Hengest nam lefue{;} and to sipe gan wende.
And al hire | godes{;} hii beore to londe. [f. 66r²
Seoððen þa alemainisce men{;} þa aðele weore{n} an deden.
⁊ seoððen heo senden him to{;} heore sæxisce cnihtes wel idon.
hengestes cunnesmen{;} of his aldene cudðe.
heo comen in to halle{;} hændeliche alle.
Bett weoren iscrudde{;} ⁊ bed weoren iuædde. 100
hængest | swaine{;} þene vortigernes. þeines. [f. 82v¹
þa wes vortigernes hired{;} for hehne ihalden.
Bruttes weoren særi{;} for swulchere isihðe.
Nes hit nawiht longe{;} þat ne comen to þan kinge.
Cnihtes sunen uiue{;} þa i{}faren hafden biliue. 105
heo sæiden to þan kinge{;} neowe tiðe{n}den.
[Linenotes:
100. _Bett_ corr. out of _Bette_. || 102. _ihaldenḍẹ_ MS.]
Forþ hii wende alle{;} to vortiger his halle.
Bed weren i{}scrud{;} and bet weren ived.
Hengestes sweines{;} þane vortiger his cnihtes. 101
Bruttes weren sori{;} for þan ilke sihte.
Nas noht longe{;} þat ne come tẏdinge.
[Linenote:
101. _swenise_ MS.]
nu forð{}rihtes{;} Icume{n} beoð þa peohtes.
þurh þi lond heo ærneð{;} ⁊ hærȝieð ⁊ berneð.
⁊ al þene norð ænde{;} iuald to þa{n} gru{n}de.
her{}of þu most ræden{;} oðer all we beoð dæden. 110
Þe king hine bi{}þohte{;} whæt he don mihte.
he sende to þan innen{;} after al his monnen
þer com hengest þer com hors{;} þer com m{a}ni mon ful oht.
þer come{n} þa saxisce men{;} hengestes cunnes{}men.
⁊ þa Alemainisce cnihtes{;} þe beoð gode to fihte. 115
þat þo forþ{}rihtes icomen were þe peutes.
Oueral þin lond hii erneþ{;} and sleaþ þin folk and bearneþ.
and alle þane norþ ende{;} hii falleþ to þan gru{n}de.
her{}of þou most reade{;} oþer alle we beoþ deade.
Þe king sende his sonde{;} to þeos cnihtes hinne.
þat hii swiþe sone to him seolue come.
þar com Hengest and his broþer{;} and manian oþer.
þis isæh þe king vortiger{;} bliðe wes he þa þer.
Þa peohtes duden heore iwune{;}
a þas hælf þere humbre. heo weoren icume.
⁊ þe king VortigeR{;} of heore cume wes ful war.
To{}gadere heo comen{;} ⁊ feole þer of{}sloȝen.
þer wes feht swide strong{;} Comp swiðe sturne. 120
þat þe king vortiger{;} bliþe was þo þer.
Þe Peutes dude hire wone{;} a þis half vmbre hii were icome.
And þe king vortiger{;} of hire come was war.
To{}gadere hii comen{;} and manie þar of{}sloȝen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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