The Exeter Book (Jebson)/Widsith

Widsith Verse Indeterminate Saxon    Widsið maðolade,          wordhord onleac, se þe monna mæst          mægþa ofer eorþan, folca geondferde;          oft he on flette geþah mynelicne maþþum. Him from Myrgingum  5  æþele onwocon. He mid Ealhhilde, fælre freoþuwebban,          forman siþe Hreðcyninges          ham gesohte eastan of Ongle,          Eormanrices, wraþes wærlogan. Ongon þa worn sprecan:  10  "Fela ic monna gefrægn          mægþum wealdan!  Sceal þeodna gehwylc           þeawum lifgan,  eorl æfter oþrum           eðle rædan,  se þe his þeodenstol           geþeon wile.  þara wæs Hwala           hwile selast,   15  ond Alexandreas           ealra ricost  monna cynnes,           ond he mæst geþah  þara þe ic ofer foldan           gefrægen hæbbe.  ætla weold Hunum,           Eormanric Gotum,  Becca Baningum,           Burgendum Gifica.  </dd> <dt>20</dt> <dd> Casere weold Creacum           ond C æ lic Finnum,  Hagena Holmrygum           ond Heoden Glommum.  Witta weold Swæfum,           Wada Hælsingum,  Meaca Myrgingum,           Mearchealf Hundingum.  þeodric weold Froncum,           þyle Rondingum,  </dd> <dt>25</dt> <dd> Breoca Brondingum,           Billing Wernum.  Oswine weold Eowum           ond Ytum Gefwulf,  Fin Folcwalding           Fresna cynne. Sigehere lengest          Sædenum weold, Hnæf Hocingum,          Helm Wulfingum, </dd> <dt>30</dt> <dd> Wald Woingum,          Wod þyringum, Sæferð Sycgum,          Sweom Ongendþeow, Sceafthere Ymbrum,          Sceafa Longbeardum, Hun Hætwerum          ond Holen Wrosnum. Hringweald wæs haten          Herefarena cyning. </dd> <dt>35</dt> <dd> Offa weold Ongle,          Alewih Denum; se wæs þara manna          modgast ealra, no hwæþre he ofer Offan          eorlscype fremede, ac Offa geslog          ærest monna, cnihtwesende,          cynerica mæst. </dd> <dt>40</dt> <dd> Nænig efeneald him          eorlscipe maran on orette. Ane sweorde merce gemærde          wið Myrgingum bi Fifeldore;          heoldon forð siþþan Engle ond Swæfe,          swa hit Offa geslog. </dd> <dt>45</dt> <dd> Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar          heoldon lengest sibbe ætsomne          suhtorfædran, siþþan hy forwræcon          wicinga cynn ond Ingeldes          ord forbigdan, forheowan æt Heorote          Heaðobeardna þrym. </dd> <dt>50</dt> <dd> Swa ic geondferde fela          fremdra londa geond ginne grund. Godes ond yfles þær ic cunnade          cnosle bidæled, freomægum feor          folgade wide. Forþon ic mæg singan          ond secgan spell, </dd> <dt>55</dt> <dd> mænan fore mengo          in meoduhealle hu me cynegode          cystum dohten. Ic wæs mid Hunum          ond mid Hreðgotum, mid Sweom ond mid Geatum          ond mid Suþdenum. Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnum          ond mid wicingum. </dd> <dt>60</dt> <dd> Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedum          ond mid Gefflegum. Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfum          ond mid ænenum. Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgum          ond mid Sweordwerum. Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanum          ond mid Heaþoreamum. Mid þyringum ic wæs          ond mid þrowendum, </dd> <dt>65</dt> <dd> ond mid Burgendum,          þær ic beag geþah; me þær Guðhere forgeaf          glædlicne maþþum songes to leane. Næs þæt sæne cyning! Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysum          ond mid Frumtingum. Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommum          ond mid Rumwalum. </dd> <dt>70</dt> <dd> Swylce ic wæs on Eatule          mid ælfwine, se hæfde moncynnes,          mine gefræge, leohteste hond          lofes to wyrcenne, heortan unhneaweste          hringa gedales, beorhtra beaga,          bearn Eadwines. </dd> <dt>75</dt> <dd> Mid Sercingum ic wæs          ond mid Seringum; mid Creacum ic wæs ond mid Finnum          ond mid Casere, se þe winburga          geweald ahte, wiolena ond wilna,          ond Wala rices. Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtum          ond mid Scridefinnum; </dd> <dt>80</dt> <dd> mid Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonum          ond mid Longbeardum, mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþum          ond mid Hundingum. Mid Israhelum ic wæs          ond mid Exsyringum, mid Ebreum ond mid Indeum          ond mid Egyptum. Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persum          ond mid Myrgingum, </dd> <dt>85</dt> <dd> ond Mofdingum          ond ongend Myrgingum, ond mid Amothingum. Mid Eastþyringum ic wæs ond mid Eolum ond mid Istum          ond Idumingum. Ond ic wæs mid Eormanrice          ealle þrage, þær me Gotena cyning          gode dohte; </dd> <dt>90</dt> <dd> se me beag forgeaf,          burgwarena fruma, on þam siex hund wæs          smætes goldes, gescyred sceatta          scillingrime; þone ic Eadgilse          on æht sealde, minum hleodryhtne,          þa ic to ham bicwom, </dd> <dt>95</dt> <dd> leofum to leane,          þæs þe he me lond forgeaf, mines fæder eþel,          frea Myrginga. Ond me þa Ealhhild          oþerne forgeaf, dryhtcwen duguþe,          dohtor Eadwines. Hyre lof lengde          geond londa fela, </dd> <dt>100</dt> <dd> þonne ic be songe          secgan sceolde hwær ic under swegle          selast wisse goldhrodene cwen          giefe bryttian. ðonne wit Scilling          sciran reorde for uncrum sigedryhtne          song ahofan, </dd> <dt>105</dt> <dd> hlude bi hearpan          hleoþor swinsade, þonne monige men,          modum wlonce, wordum sprecan,          þa þe wel cuþan, þæt hi næfre song          sellan ne hyrdon. ðonan ic ealne geondhwearf          eþel Gotena, </dd> <dt>110</dt> <dd> sohte ic a gesiþa          þa selestan; þæt wæs innweorud          Earmanrices. Heðcan sohte ic ond Beadecan          ond Herelingas, Emercan sohte ic ond Fridlan          ond Eastgotan, frodne ond godne          fæder Unwenes. </dd> <dt>115</dt> <dd> Seccan sohte ic ond Beccan,          Seafolan ond þeodric, Heaþoric ond Sifecan,          Hliþe ond Incgenþeow. Eadwine sohte ic ond Elsan,          ægelmund ond Hungar, ond þa wloncan gedryht          Wiþmyrginga. Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere;          ful oft þær wig ne alæg, </dd> <dt>120</dt> <dd> þonne Hræda here          heardum sweordum ymb Wistlawudu          wergan sceoldon ealdne eþelstol          ætlan leodum. Rædhere sohte ic ond Rondhere,          Rumstan ond Gislhere, Wiþergield ond Freoþeric,          Wudgan ond Haman; </dd> <dt>125</dt> <dd> ne wæran þæt gesiþa          þa sæmestan, þeah þe ic hy anihst          nemnan sceolde. Ful oft of þam heape          hwinende fleag giellende gar          on grome þeode; wræccan þær weoldan          wundnan golde </dd> <dt>130</dt> <dd> werum ond wifum,          Wudga ond Hama. Swa ic þæt symle onfond          on þære feringe, þæt se biþ leofast          londbuendum se þe him god syleð          gumena rice to gehealdenne,          þenden he her leofað."  </dd> <dt>135</dt> <dd> Swa scriþende           gesceapum hweorfað  gleomen gumena           geond grunda fela,  þearfe secgað,           þoncword sprecaþ,  simle suð oþþe norð           sumne gemetað  gydda gleawne,           geofum unhneawne,  </dd> <dt>140</dt> <dd> se þe fore duguþe wile           dom aræran,  eorlscipe æfnan,           oþþæt eal scæceð,  leoht ond lif somod;           lof se gewyrceð,  hafað under heofonum           heahfæstne dom.  </dd> </dl>