The Battle of Maldon (Text)

1[...] brocen wurde;

hēt þā hyssa hwæne · hors forlǣtan,

feorr āfȳsan, · and forð gangan,

hicgan tō handum, · and tō hige gōdum.

5Þā þæt Offan mǣg · ǣrest onfunde,

þæt sē eorl nolde · yrhðo geþolian:

hē lēt him þā of handon · lēofne flēogan

hafoc wið þæs holtes, · and tō þǣre hilde stōp:

be þām man mihte oncnāwan · þæt sē cniht nolde

10wācian æt þām wīge, · þā hē tō wǣpnum fēng.

Ēac him wolde Ēadrīc · his ealdre gelǣstan,

frēan tō gefeohte; · ongan þā forð beran

gār tō gūþe: · hē hæfde gōd geþanc,

þā hwīle þe hē mid handum · healdan mihte

15bord and brād swurd; · bēot hē gelǣste,

þā hē ætforan his frēan · feohtan sceolde.

Ðā þǣr Byrhtnōð ongan · beornas trymian,

rād and rǣdde, · rincum tǣhte

hū hī sceoldon standan · and þone stede healdan,

20and bæd þæt hyra randas · rihte hēoldon

fæste mid folman, · and ne forhtedon nā.

Þā hē hæfde þæt folc · fægere getrymmed,

hē lihte þā mid lēodon · þǣr him lēofost wæs,

þǣr hē his heorðwerod · holdost wiste.

25Þā stōd on stæðe, · stīðlīce clypode

wīcinga ār, · wordum mǣlde,

sē on bēot ābēad · brimlīþendra

ǣrende tō þām eorle, · þǣr hē on ōfre stōd:

'Me sendon tō þē · sǣmen snelle;

30hēton ðē secgan · þæt þū mōst sendan raðe

bēagas wið gebeorge; · and ēow betere is

þæt gē þisne gārrǣs · mid gafole forgyldon,

þonne wē swā hearde · hilde dǣlon.

Ne þurfe wē ūs spillan, · if gē spedaþ tō þām:

35wē willað wið þām golde · grið fæstnian.

Gyf þū þat gerǣdest, · þe hēr rīcost eart,

þæt þū þīne lēoda · lȳsan wille,

syllan sǣmannum · on hyra sylfra dōm

feoh wið frēode, · and niman frið æt ūs,

40wē willaþ mid þām sceattum · ūs tō scype gangan,

on flot fēran, · and ēow frīþes healdan.'

Byrhtnōð maþelode, · bord hafenode,

wand wācne æsc, · wordum mǣlde,

yrre and anrǣd · āgeaf him andsware:

45'Gehȳrst þū, sǣlida, · hwæt þis folc segeð?

hī willað ēow tō gafole · gāras syllan,

ǣttrynne ord · and ealde swurd,

þā heregeatu · þe ēow æt hilde ne dēah.

Brimmanna boda, · ābēod eft ongēan,

50sege þīnum lēodum · miccle lāþre spell,

þæt hēr stynt unforcuð · eorl mid his werode,

þe wile gealgean · ēþel þysne,

Æþelrēdes eard, · ealdres mīnes,

folc and foldan; · feallan sceolon

55hǣþene æt hilde. · Tō hēanlīc mē þinceð

þæt gē mid ūrum sceattum · tō scype gangon

unbefohtene, · nū gē þus feor hider

on ūrne eard · in becōmon.

Ne sceole gē swā sōfte · sinc gegangan;

60ūs sceal ord and ecg · ǣr geseman,

grim gūðplega, · ǣr wē gofol syllon.'

Hēt þā bord beran, · beornas gangan,

þæt hī on þām ēasteðe · ealle stōdon.

Ne mihte þǣr for wætere · werod tō þām ōðrum;

65þǣr cōm flōwende · flōd æfter ebban,

lucon lagustrēamas; · tō lang hit him þūhte,

hwænne hī tōgædere · gāras bēron.

Hī þǣr Pantan strēam · mid prasse bestōdon,

Ēastseaxena ord · and sē æschere;

70ne mihte hyra ǣnig · ōðrum derian,

būton hwā þurh flānes flyht · fyl genāme.

Sē flōd ūt gewāt; · þā flotan stōdon gearowe,

wīcinga fela, · wīges georne.

Hēt þā hæleða hlēo · healdan þā bricge

75wigan wīgheardne, · sē wæs hāten Wulfstān,

cāfne mid his cynne, · þæt wæs Cēolan sunu,

þe ðone forman man · mid his francan ofscēat

þe þǣr baldlīcost · on þā bricge stop.

Þǣr stōdon mid Wulfstāne · wigan unforhte,

80Ælfere and Maccus, · mōdige twēgen,

þā noldon æt þām forda · flēam gewyrcan,

ac hī fæstlīce · wið ðā fȳnd weredon,

þā hwīle þe hī wǣpna · wealdan mōston.

Þā hī þæt ongēaton · and georne gesāwon

85þæt hī þǣr bricgweardas · bitere fundon,

ongunnon lytegian þā · lāðe gystas,

bǣdon þæt hī ūpgang · āgan mōston,

ofer þone ford faran, · feþan lǣdan.

Ðā sē eorl ongan · for his ofermōde

90ālȳfan landes tō fela · lāþere ðēode.

Ongan ceallian þā · ofer cald wæter

Byrhtelmes bearn · (beornas gehlyston):

'Nū ēow is gerȳmed, · gāð ricene tō ūs,

guman tō gūþe; · God āna wāt

95hwā þǣre wælstōwe · wealdan mōte.'

Wōdon þā wælwulfas · (for wætere ne murnon),

wīcinga werod, · west ofer Pantan,

ofer scīr wæter · scyldas wǣgon,

lidmen tō lande · linde bǣron.

100Þǣr ongēan gramum · gearowe stōdon

Byrhtnōð mid beornum; · hē mid bordum hēt

wyrcan þone wīhagan, · and þæt werod healdan

fæste wið fēondum. · Þā wæs feohte nēh,

tīr æt getohte; · wæs sēo tīd cumen

105þæt þǣr fǣge men · feallan sceoldon.

Þǣr wearð hrēam āhafen, · hremmas wundon,

earn ǣses georn; · wæs on eorþan cyrm.

Hī lēton þā of folman · fēolhearde speru,

gegrundene · gāras flēogan;

110bogan wǣron bysige, · bord ord onfēng.

biter wæs sē beadurǣs, · beornas fēollon

on gehwæðere hand, · hyssas lāgon.

Wund wearð Wulfmǣr, · wælræste gecēas,

Byrhtnōðes mǣg; · hē mid billum wearð,

115his swuster sunu, · swīðe forhēawen.

Þǣr wearð wīcingum · wiþerlean āgyfen:

gehȳrde ic þæt Ēadweard · ānne slōge

swīðe mid his swurde, · swenges ne wyrnde,

þæt him æt fōtum feoll · fǣge cempa;

120þæs him his ðēoden · þanc gesǣde,

þām būrþēne, · þā hē byre hæfde.

Swā stemnetton · stīðhicgende

hyssas æt hilde; · hogodon georne

hwā þǣr mid orde · ǣrost mihte

125on fǣgean men · feorh gewinnan,

wigan mid wǣpnum; · wæl fēol on eorðan.

Stōdon stædefæste; · stihte hī Byrhtnōð,

bæd þæt hyssa gehwylc · hogode tō wīge

þe on Denon wolde · dōm gefeohtan.

130Wōd þā wīges heard, · wǣpen ūp āhōf,

bord tō gebeorge, · and wið þæs beornes stōp;

ēode swā anrǣd · eorl tō þām ceorle:

ǣgþer hyra ōðrum · yfeles hogode.

Sende ðā sē sǣrinc · sūþerne gār,

135þæt gewundod wearð · wigena hlāford;

hē scēaf þā mid ðām scylde, · þæt sē sceaft tobærst,

and þæt spere sprengde, · þæt hit sprang ongēan.

Gegremod wearð sē gūðrinc; · hē mid gāre stang

wlancne wīcing, · þe him þā wunde forgeaf.

140Frōd wæs sē fyrdrinc; · hē lēt his francan wadan

þurh ðæs hysses hals; · hand wīsode

þæt hē on þām fǣrsceaðan · feorh gerǣhte.

Ða hē ōþerne · ofstlīce scēat,

þæt sēo byrne tōbærst; · hē wæs on brēostum wund

145þurh ðā hringlocan, · him æt heortan stōd

ǣtterne ord. · Se ēorl wæs þē blīþra,

hlōh þā mōdi man, · sǣde Metode þanc

ðæs dægweorces · þe him Drihten forgeaf.

Forlēt þā drenga sum · daroð of handa,

150flēogan of folman, · þæt sē tō forð gewāt

þurh ðone æþelan · Æþelrēdes þegen.

Him be healfe stōd · hyse unweaxen,

cniht on gecampe, · se full cāflīce

brǣd of þām beorne · blōdigne gār,

155Wulfstānes bearn, · Wulfmǣr sē geonga,

forlēt forheardne · faran eft ongēan;

ord in gewōd, · þæt sē on eorþan læg

þe his þēoden ǣr · þearle gerǣhte.

Ēode þā gesyrwed · secg tō þām eorle;

160hē wolde þæs beornes · bēagas gefecgan,

rēaf and hringas · and gerēnod swurd.

Ðā Byrhtnōð brǣd · bill of scēaðe,

brād and brūneccg, · and on þā byrnan slōh:

tō raþe hine gelette · lidmanna sum,

165þā hē þæs eorles · earm āmyrde;

fēoll þā tō foldan · fealohilte swurd,

ne mihte hē gehealdan · heardne mēce,

wǣpnes wealdan. · Þā gȳt þæt word gecwæð

hār hilderinc, · hyssas bylde,

170bæd gangan forð · gōde gefēran;

ne mihte þā on fōtum leng · fæste gestandan;

hē tō heofenum wlāt:

'Ic geþancie þē, · ðēoda Waldend,

ealra þǣra wynna · þe ic on worulde gebād.

175Nū ic āh, milde metod, · mǣste þearfe

þæt þū mīnum gāste · gōdes geunne,

þæt mīn sāwul tō ðē · sīðian mōte

on þīn geweald, · Þeoden engla,

mid friþe ferian; · ic eom frymdi tō þē

180þæt hī helsceaðan · hynan ne mōton.'

Ðā hine hēowon · hǣðene scealcas

and bēgen þā beornas · þe him big stōdon,

Ælfnōð and Wulmǣr · bēgen lāgon,

ðā onemn hyra frēan · feorh gesealdon.

185Hī bugon þā fram beaduwe · þe þǣr bēon noldon.

Þǣr wurdon Oddan bearn · ǣrest on flēame,

Godrīc fram gūþe, · and þone gōdan forlēt

þe him mænigne oft · mēar gesealde;

hē gehlēop þone eoh · þe āhte his hlāford,

190on þām gerǣdum · þe hit riht ne wæs,

and his brōðru mid him, · bēgen ærndon,

Godrinc and Godwīg, · gūþe ne gȳmdon,

ac wendon fram þām wīge · and þone wudu sōhton,

flugon on þæt fæsten, · and hyra fēore burgon,

195and manna mā · þonne hit ǣnig mǣð wǣre,

gyf hī þā geearnunga · ealle gemundon,

þe hē him tō duguþe · gedōn hæfde.

Swā him Offa on dæg · ǣr āsǣde,

on þām mæþelstede, · þā hē gemōt hæfde,

200þæt þǣr mōdiglīce · manega sprǣcon,

þe eft æt þearfe · þolian noldon.

Ðā wearð āfeallen · þæs folces ealdor,

Æþelrēdes eorl; · ealle gesāwon

heorðgenēatas · þæt hyra heorra læg.

205Þā ðǣr wendon forð · wlance þegenas,

unearge men · efston georne:

hī woldon þā ealle · ōðer twēga,

līf forlǣtan · oððe leofne gewrecan.

Swā hī bylde forð · bearn Ælfrīces,

210wiga wintrum geong, · wordum mǣlde,

Ælfwine þā cwæð, · hē on ellen spræc:

'Gemunað þā mǣla, · þe wē oft æt meodo sprǣcon,

þonne wē on bence · bēot āhōfon,

hæleð on healle, · ymbe heard gewinn;

215nū mæg cunnian · hwā cēne sȳ.

Ic wylle mīne æþelo · eallum gecȳþan,

þæt ic wæs on Myrcon · miccles cynnes;

wæs mīn ealda fæder · Ealhelm hāten,

wīs ealdorman, · woruldgesǣlig.

220Ne sceolon mē on þǣre þēode · þegenas ætwītan

þæt ic of ðisse fyrde · fēran wille,

eard gesēcan, · nū mīn ealdor ligeð

forhēawan æt hilde; · mē is þæt hearma mǣst:

hē wæs ǣgðer mīn mǣg · and mīn hlāford.'

225Þā hē forð ēode, · fǣhðe gemunde,

þæt hē mid orde · ānne gerǣhte

flotan on þām folce, · þæt sē on foldan læg

forwegen mid his wǣpne. · Ongan þā winas manian,

frȳnd and gefēran, · þæt hī forð ēodon.

230Offa gemǣlde, · æscholt āscēoc:

'Hwæt þū, Ælfwine, · hafast ealle gemanode,

þegenas tō þearfe: · nū ūre þēoden līð,

eorl on eorðan, · ūs is eallum þearf

þæt ūre ǣghwylc · ōþerne bylde

235wigan tō wīge, · þā hwīle þe hē wǣpen mæge

habban and healdan, · heardne mēce,

gār and gōd swurd. · Ūs Godrīc hæfð,

earh Oddan bearn, · ealle beswicene:

wēnde þæs formoni man, · þā hē on mēare rād,

240on wlancan þām wicge, · þæt wǣre hit ūre hlāford;

for þan wearð hēr on felda · folc tōtwǣmed,

scyldburh tōbrocen: · ābrēoðe his angin,

þæt hē hēr swā manigne · man āflȳmde!'

Lēofsunu gemǣlde · and his linde āhōf,

245bord tō gebeorge, · hē þām beorne oncwæð:

'Ic þæt gehāte, · þæt ic heonon nelle

flēon fōtes trym, · ac wille furðor gān,

wrecan on gewinne · mīnne winedrihten.

Ne þurfon mē embe Stūrmere · stedefæste hælæð

250wordum ætwītan, · nū mīn wine gecranc,

þæt ic hlāfordlēas · hām sīðie,

wende fram wīge, · ac mē sceal wǣpen niman,

ord and īren.' · Hē ful yrre wōd,

feaht fæstlīce, · flēam hē forhogode.

255Dunnere þā cwæð, · daroð ācwehte,

unorne ceorl, · ofer eall clypode,

bæd þæt beorna gehwylc · Byrhtnōð wrǣce:

'Ne mæg nā wandian · sē þe wrecan þenceð

frēan on folce, · nē for feore murnan.'

260Þā hī forð ēodon, · feores hī ne rōhton;

ongunnon þā hīredmen · heardlīce feohtan,

grame gārberend, · and God bǣdon

þæt hī moston gewrecan · hyra winedrihten,

and on hyra fēondum · fyl gewyrcan.

265Him sē gȳsel ongan · geornlīce fylstan;

hē wæs on Norðhymbron · heardes cynnes,

Ecglāfes bearn, · him wæs Æscferð nama:

hē ne wandode nā · æt þām wīgplegan,

ac hē fȳsde forð · flān genehe;

270hwīlon hē on bord scēat, · hwīlon beorn tǣsde;

ǣfre embe stunde · hē sealde sume wunde,

þā hwīle ðe hē wǣpna · wealdan mōste.

Ðā gȳt on orde stōd · Ēadweard sē langa,

gearo and geornful; · gylpwordum spræc,

275þæt hē nolde flēogan · fōtmǣl landes,

ofer bæc būgan, · þā his betera læg:

hē bræc þone bordweall, · and wið þā beornas feaht,

oð þæt hē his sincgyfan · on þām sǣmannum

wurðlīce wrec, · ǣr hē on wæle lǣge.

280Swā dyde Æþerīc, · æþele gefēra,

fūs and forðgeorn, · feaht eornoste,

Sībyrhtes brōðor · and swīðe mænig ōþer

clufon cellod bord, · cēne hī weredon;

bærst bordes lǣrig, · and sēo byrne sang

285gryreleoða sum. · Þā æt gūðe slōh

Offa þone sǣlidan, · þæt hē on eorðan feoll,

and ðǣr Gaddes mǣg · grund gesōhte:

raðe wearð æt hilde · Offa forhēawen;

hē hæfde ðēah geforþod · þæt hē his frēan gehet,

290swā hē bēotode ǣr · wið his bēahgifan

þæt hī sceoldon bēgen · on burh rīdan,

hāle tō hāme, · oððe on here crincgan,

on wælstōwe · wundum sweltan;

hē læg ðegenlīce · ðēodne gehende.

295Ðā wearð borda gebræc; · brimmen wōdon,

gūðe gegremode; · gār oft þurhwōd

fǣges feorhhūs. · Forð þā ēode Wīstān,

Þurstānes sunu, · wið þās secgas feaht;

hē wæs on geþrange · hyra þrēora bana,

300ǣr him Wīgelīnes bearn · on þām wæle lǣge.

Þǣr wæs stīð gemōt; · stōdon fæste

wigan on gewinne, · wīgend cruncon,

wundum wērige; · wæl fēol on eorþan.

Oswold and Ealdwold · ealle hwīle,

305bēgen þā gebrōþru, · beornas trymedon,

hyra winemāgas · wordon bǣdon

þæt hī þǣr æt ðearfe · þolian sceoldon,

unwāclīce · wǣpna nēotan.

Byrhtwold maþelode, · bord hafenode,

310(sē wæs eald genēat), · æsc ācwehte;

hē ful baldlīce · beornas lǣrde:

'Hige sceal þē heardra, · heorte þē cēnre,

mōd sceal þē māre, · þē ūre mægen lȳtlað.

hēr līð ūre ealdor · eall forhēawen,

315gōd on grēote; · ā mæg gnornian

sē ðe nū fram þīs wīgplegan · wendan þenceð.

Ic eom frōd fēores; · fram ic ne wille,

ac ic mē be healfe · mīnum hlāforde

be swā lēofan men, · licgan þence.'

320Swā hī Æþelgāres bearn · ealle bylde,

Godrīc tō gūþe; · oft hē gār forlēt

wælspere windan · on þā wīcingas,

swā hē on þām folce · fyrmest ēode,

hēow and hȳnde, · oð þæt hē on hilde gecranc.

325Næs þæt nā sē Godrīc · þe ðā gūðe forbēah