Ælfric's Colloquy

hwæt hæfst þu weorkes

ic eom geanwyrde monuc ond sincge ælce dæg seofon tida mid gebroþrum ac þeahhwæþere ic wolde betwenan leornian sprecan on leden gereorde

hwæt cunnon þas þine geferan

summe synt yrþlincgas sume scephyrdas sume oxanhyrdas sume eac swylce huntan sume fisceras sume fugleras sume cypmenn sume scewyrhtan sealteras bæceras

hwæt sægest þu yrþlingc hu begæst þu weorc þin

eala leof hlaford þearle ic deorfe ic ga ut on dægræd þywende oxan to felda ond iugie hie to syl nys hit swa stearc winter þæt ic durre lutian æt ham for ege hlafordes mines ac geiukodan oxan ond gefæstnodon sceare ond cultre mid þære syl ælce dæg ic sceal erian fulne æcer oþþe mare

hæfst þu ænigne geferan

ic hæbbe sumne cnapan þywende oxan mid gadisene þe eac swilce nu has is for cylde ond hreame

hwæt mare dest þu

gewyslice mare ic do ic sceal fyllan binne oxena mid hig ond wæterian hie ond scearn hira beran ut hig hig

micel gedeorf ys hit

ge leof micel gedeorf hit is for þam ic neom freoh

sceaphyrde hæfst þu ænig gedeorf

gea leof ic hæbbe on forewerdne morgen ic drife sceap mine to hira læse ond stande ofer hie on hæte ond on cyle mid hundum þy læs wulfas forswelgen hie ond ic agenlæde hie on hira loca ond melke hie tweowa on dæg ond hira loca ic hæbbe ond þærto ge cyse ge buteran ic do ond ic eom getrywe hlaforde minum

eala oxanhyrde hwæt wyrcst þu

eala hlaford min micel ic gedeorfe þænne se yrthlingc unscenþ þa oxan ic læde hie to læse ond ealle niht ic stande ofer hie waciende for þeofum ond eft on ærnemergen ic betæce hie þæm yrþlincge wel gefylde ond gewæterode

is þæs of þinum geferum

gea he is

canst þu ænig þing

ænne cræft ic cann

hwylcne

hunta ic eom

hwæs

cincges

hu begæst þu cræft þinne

ic brede me max ond sette hie on stowe gehæppre ond getihte hundas mine þæt wildeor hie ehton oþþæt hie becuman to þæm nettum unforsceawodlice ond þæt hie swa beon begrynodo ond ic ofslea hie on þæm maxum

ne canst þu huntian buton mid nettum

gea butan nettum huntian ic mæg

hu

mid swiftum hundum ic betæce wildeor

hwilce wildeor swyþost gefehst þu

ic gefeo heortas ond baras ond rann ond rægan ond hwilon haran

wære þu todæg on huntnoþe

ic næs forþam sunnandæg is ac gyrstandæg ic wæs on huntunge

hwæt gelæhtest þu

twegen heortas ond ænne bar

hu gefencge þu hie

heortas ic gefencge on nettum ond bar ic ofsloh

hu wære þu dyrstig ofstikian bar

hundas bedrifon hine to me ond ic þær togeanes standende færlice ofstikode hine

ne sceal hunta forhtfull wesan forþam mislice wildeor wuniaþ on wudum

hwæt dest þu be þinre huntunge

ic sylle cyncge swa hwæt swa ic gefo forþam ic eom hunta his

hwæt sylþ he þe

he scryt me wel ond fett ond hwilon sylþ me hors oþþe beah þæt þe lustlicor cræft minne ic begancge

hwylcne cræft canst þu

ic eom fiscere

hwæt begyst þu of þinum cræfte

bigleofan ond scrud ond feoh

hu gefehst þu fixas

ic astigie min scyp ond wyrpe max mine on ea ond ancgil ic wyrpe ond spyrtan ond swa hwæt swa hig gehæftað ic genime

hwæt gif hit unclæne beoþ fixas

ic utwyrpe þa unclænan ut ond genime me clæne to mete

hwær cypst þu fixas þine

on ceastre

hwa bigþ hi

ceasterwara ic ne mæg swa fela gefon swa ic mæg gesyllan

hwilce fixas gefehst þu

ælas ond hacodas mynas ond æleputan sceotan ond lampredan ond swa wylce swa on wætere swymmaþ

forhwi ne fixast þu on sæ

hwilum ic do ac seldon forþam micel rewyt me ys to sæ

hwæt fehst þu on sæ

hærincgas ond leaxas mereswyn ond stirian ostran ond crabban muslan winewinclan sæcoccas fagc ond floc ond lopystran ond fela swylces

wilt þu fon sumne hwæl

nic

forhwi

forþam plyhtlic þingc hit ys gefon hwæl gebeorhlicre ys me faran to ea mid scype mynum þænne faran mid manegum scypum on huntunge hranes

forhwi swa

forþam leofre ys me gefon fisc þæne ic mæg ofslean þonne fisc þe na þæt an me ac eac swylce mine geferan mid anum slege he mæg besencean oþþe gecwylman

ond þeah mænige gefoþ hwælas ond ætberstaþ frecnysse ond micelne sceat þanon begytaþ

soþ þu segst ac ic ne geþristge for modes mines nytenyssæ

hwæt sægst þu fugelere hu beswicst þu fugelas

on feala wisan ic beswice fugelas hwilum mid netum hwilum mid grinum hwilum mid lime hwilum mid hwistlunge hwilum mid hafoce hwilum mid treppum

hæfst þu hafoc

ic hæbbe

canst þu temian hig

gea ic cann hwæt sceoldon hig me buton ic cuþe temian hig

sylle me ænne hafoc

ic sylle lustlice gyf þu sylst me ænne swiftne hund hwilcne hafoc wilt þu habban þone maran hwæþer þe þænne læssan

syle me þæne maran

hu afest þu hafocas þine

hig fedaþ hig sylfe ond me on wintra ond on lencgten ic læte hig ætwindan to wuda ond genyme me briddas on hærfæste ond temige hig

ond forhwi forlæst þu þa getemedon ætwindan fram þe

forþam ic nelle fedan hig on sumera forþamþe hig þearle etaþ

ond manige fedaþ þa getemodon ofer sumor þæt eft hig hig habban gearuwe

gea swa hig doþ ac ic nelle swa deorfan ofer hig forþam ic cann oþre na þæt ænne ac eac swilce manige gefon

hwæt sægst þu mancgere

ic secge þæt behefe ic eom ge cyngce ond ealdormannum ond weligum ond eallum follce

ond hu

ic astige min scyp mid hlæstum minum ond rowe ofer sælice dælas ond cype mine þingc ond bicge dyrwyrþe þingc þa on þisum lande ne beoþ acennede ond ic hit togelæde eow hider mid micclan plihte ofer sæ ond hwilum forlidenesse ic þolie mid lyre ealra þinga minra uneaþe cwic ætberstende

hwilce þinc gelædst þu us

pællas ond sidan deorwyrþe gymmas ond gold selcuþe reaf ond wyrtgemangc win ond ele ylpesban ond mæstlingc ær ond tin swefel ond glæs on þylces fela

wilt þu syllan þingc þine her eal swa þu hi gebohtest þær

ic nelle hwæt þænne me fremode gedeorf min ac ic wille hira cypen her [deoror] þonne gebicge ic hig þær þæt sum gestreon ic me begyte þanon ic me afede ond min wif ond minne sunu

þu sceowyrhta hwæt wyrcst þu us nytwyrþnessæ

is witodlice cræft min behefe þearle eow ond neodþearf

hu

ic bicge hyda ond fell ond gearkie hig mid cræfte minon ond wyrce of him gescy mistlices cynnes swyftleras ond sceos leþerhosa ond butericas bridelþwancgas ond geræda flaxan pinnan ond higdifatu spurleþera ond hælftra pusan ond fætelsas ond nan eower nele oferwintran buton minon cræfte

sealtere hwæt us fremaþ cræft þin

þearle fremaþ cræft min eow eallum nan eower blisse brycð on gereduncge oþþe mete buton cræft min gistliþe him beo

hu

hwylc manna þurhwerodum þurhbrycþ mettum buton swæcce sealtes hwa gefylþ cleafan his oþþe hedderna buton cræfte minon efne butergeþweor ælc ond cysgerunn losaþ eow buton ic hyrde ætwese eow þe ne furþon þæt an wyrtum eowrum butan me brucaþ

bæcere hwam fremaþ oþþe hwæþer we butan þe magon lif adreogan

ge magon þurh sum fæc butan na lancge ne to wel soþlice butan cræfte minon ælc beod æmtig byþ gesewen ond buton hlafe ælc mete to wlættan byþ gehwyrfed ic heortan mannes gestrangie ic mægen wera ond furþon litlincgas nellaþ forbigean me

hwæt secge we be þæm cocce hwæþer we beþurfon on ænigon cræfte

gif ge me ut adrifaþ fram eowrum geferscype ge etaþ wyrta eowre grene ond flæscmettas eowre hreawe ond furþon fætt broþ ge [ne] magon

we ne reccaþ ne he us neodþearf ys forþam we sylfe magon seoþan þa þingc þe to seoþenne synd brædan þa þincg þe to brædenne synd

gif ge forþy me fram adryfaþ þæt ge þus don þonne beo ge ealle þrælas ond nan eower ne biþ hlaford þeahhwæþere buton [me] ge ne etaþ

eala munuc þe me tospycst efne ic hæbbe afandod þe habban gode geferan ond þearle neodþearfe ond ic ahsie þa

ic hæbbe smiþas isene smiþas goldsmiþ seoloforsmiþ arsmiþ treowwyrhtan ond manegra oþre mistlicra cræfta biggenceras

hæfst ænigne wisne geþeahtan

gewislice ic hæbbe [hu meahte] ure gegaderungc buton geþeahtynde beon wissod

wisa hwilc cræft þe geþuht betwux þas furþra wesan

me is geþuht godes þeowdom betweoh þas cræftas ealdorscype healdan swa swa hit geræd on godspelle fyrmest seceað rice godes ond rihtwisnesse hys ond þas þingc ealle beoþ togehyhte eow

hwilc þe geþuht betwux woruldcræftas heoldan ealdordom

eorþtilþ forþam se yrþling us ealle fett

se smiþ secgð hwanon sylan scear oþþe culter þe na gade hæfþ buton of cræfte minon hwanon fiscere ancgel oþþe sceowyrhton æl oþþe seamere nædl nis hit of minon geweorce

se geþeahtend ondsweraþ soþ witodlice sægst ac eallum us leofre ys wikian mid þe yrþlincge þonne mid þe forþam se yrþling sylð us hlaf ond drenc þu hwæt sylst us on smiþþan þinre buton isenne fyrspearcan ond swegincga beatendra slecgea ond blawendra byliga

se treowwyrhta segð hwilc eower ne notaþ cræfte minon þonne hus ond mistlice fata ond scypa eow eallum ic wyrce

se goldsmiþ ondwyrt eala treowwyrhta forhwi swa sprycst þu þonne ne furþon an þyrl þu ne miht don [butan minum cræfte]

se geþeahtend sægþ eala geferan and gode wyrhtan uton towurpon hwætlicor þas geflitu ond sy sibb ond geþwærnyss betweoh us ond framige anra gehwylc oþron on cræfte hys geðwærian symble mid þam yrþlinge þær we bigleofan us ond foddor horsum urum habbaþ ond þis geþeaht ic sylle eallum wyrhtum þæt anra gehwylc cræft his geornlice begange forþam se þe cræft his forlæt he byþ forlæten fram þam cræfte swa hwæðer þu sy swa mæsseprest swa munuc swa ceorl swa kempa bega oþþe behwyrf þe sylfne on þisum ond beo þæt þu eart forþam micel hynð ond sceamu hyt is menn nellan wesan þæt þæt he ys ond þæt he wesan sceal

eala cild hu eow licaþ þeos spæc

wel heo licaþ us ac þearle deoplice sprycst ond ofer mæþe ure þu forþtyhst spræce ac sprec us æfter urum andgyte þæt we magon understandan þa þingc þe þu specst

ic ahsige eow forhwi swa geornlice leorni ge

forþam we nellaþ wesan swa stunte nytenu þa nan þingc witaþ buton gærs ond wæter

ond hwæt wille ge

wyllaþ wesan wise

on hwilcon wisdome wille ge beon prættige oþþe þusenthiwe on leasungum lytige on spræcum onglæwlice hindergepe wel sprecende ond yfele þencende swæsum wordum underþeodde facn wiðinnan tyddriende swa swa bergyls metton ofergeweorke wiþinnan full stence

we nellaþ swa wesan wise forþam he nys wis þe mid dydrunge hyne sylfne beswicð

ac hu wille ge

we wyllaþ beon bylewite butan licetunge ond wise þæt we bugon fram yfele ond don goda gyt þeahhwæþere deoplicor mid us þu smeagst þonne yld ure onfon mæge ac sprec us æfter uran gewunon næs swa deoplice

ond ic do æal swa ge biddaþ þu cnapa hwæt dydest todæg manega þingc ic dyde on þisse niht þa þa cnyll ic gehyrde ic aras on minon bedde ond eode to cyrcean ond sang uhtsang mid gebroþrum æfter þa we sungon be eallum halgum ond dægredlice lofsangas æfter þysum prim ond seofon seolmas mid letanian ond capitolmæssan syþþan undertide ond dydon mæssan be dæge æfter þisum we sungan middæg ond æton ond druncon ond slepon ond eft we arison ond sungan non ond nu we synd her ætforan þe gearuwe gehyran hwæt þu us secge

hwænne wylle ge singan æfen oþþe nihtsangc

þonne hyt tima byþ

wære þu todæg beswuncgen

ic næs forþam wærlice ic me heold

ond hu þine geferan

hwæt me ahsast be þam ic ne dear yppan þe digla ure anra gehwylc wat gif he beswuncgen wæs oþþe na

hwæt ytst þu on dæg

gyt flæscmettum ic bruce forðam cild ic eom under gyrda drohtniende

hwæt mare ytst þu

wyrta ond æigra fisc ond cyse buteran ond beana ond ealle clæne þingc ic ete mid micelre þancunge

swiþe waxgeorn eart þu þonne þu ealle þingc etst þe þe toforan

ic ne eom swa micel swelgere þæt ic ealle cynn metta on anre gereordinge etan mæge

ac hu

ic bruce hwilon þisum mettum oþrum mid syfernysse swa swa dafnað munuce næs mid oferhropse forþam ic eom nan gluto

ond hwæt drincst þu

ealu gif ic hæbbe oþþe wæter gif ic næbbe ealu

ne drincst þu win

ic ne eom swa spedig þæt ic mæge bicgean me win ond win nys drenc cilda ne dysgra ac ealdra ond wisra

hwær slæpst

on slæpern mid gebroþrum

hwa awecþ þe to uhtsancge

hwilon ic gehyre cnyll ond ic arise hwilon lareow min awecþ me stiþlice mid gyrde

eala ge cildra ond wynsume leorneras eow manaþ eower lareow þæt ge hyrsumian godcundum larum ond þæt ge healdan eow sylfe ænlice on ælcere stowe gaþ þeawlice þonne ge gehyran cyrcean bellan ond gaþ into cyrcean ond abugaþ eadmodlice to halgum wefodum ond standaþ þeawlice ond singað anmodlice ond gebiddaþ for eowrum synnum ond gaþ ut butan hygeleaste to claustre oþþe leorninga