The Battle of Brunanburh

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Her æþelstan cyning,         eorla dryhten,
beorna beahgifa,         and his broþor eac,
Eadmund æþeling,         ealdorlangne tir
geslogon æt sæcce         sweorda ecgum

5

ymbe Brunanburh.         Bordweal clufan,
heowan heaþolinde         hamora lafan,
afaran Eadweardes,         swa him geæþele wæs
from cneomægum,         þæt hi æt campe oft
wiþ laþra gehwæne         land ealgodon,

10

hord and hamas.         Hettend crungun,
Sceotta leoda         and scipflotan
fæge feollan,         feld dænnede
secga swate,         siðþan sunne up
on morgentid,         mære tungol,

15

glad ofer grundas,         godes condel beorht,
eces drihtnes,         oð sio æþele gesceaft
sah to setle.         þær læg secg mænig
garum ageted,         guma norþerna
ofer scild scoten,         swilce Scittisc eac,

20

werig, wiges sæd.         Wesseaxe forð
ondlongne dæg         eorodcistum
on last legdun         laþum þeodum,
heowan herefleman         hindan þearle
mecum mylenscearpan.         Myrce ne wyrndon

25

heardes hondplegan         hæleþa nanum
þæra þe mid Anlafe         ofer æra gebland
on lides bosme         land gesohtun,
fæge to gefeohte.         Fife lægun
on þam campstede         cyningas giunge,

30

sweordum aswefede,         swilce seofene eac
eorlas Anlafes,         unrim heriges,
flotan and Sceotta.         þær geflemed wearð
Norðmanna bregu,         nede gebeded,
to lides stefne         litle weorode;

35

cread cnear on flot,         cyning ut gewat
on fealene flod,         feorh generede.
Swilce þær eac se froda         mid fleame com
on his cyþþe norð,         Costontinus,
har hilderinc,         hreman ne þorfte

40

mæca gemanan;         he wæs his mæga sceard,
freonda gefylled         on folcstede,
beslagen æt sæcce,         and his sunu forlet
on wælstowe         wundun forgrunden,
giungne æt guðe.         Gelpan ne þorfte

45

beorn blandenfeax         bilgeslehtes,
eald inwidda,         ne Anlaf þy ma;
mid heora herelafum         hlehhan ne þorftun
þæt heo beaduweorca         beteran wurdun
on campstede         cumbolgehnastes,

50

garmittinge,         gumena gemotes,
wæpengewrixles,         þæs hi on wælfelda
wiþ Eadweardes         afaran plegodan.
Gewitan him þa Norþmen         nægledcnearrum,
dreorig daraða laf,         on Dinges mere

55

ofer deop wæter         Difelin secan,
eft Iraland,         æwiscmode.
Swilce þa gebroþer         begen ætsamne,
cyning and æþeling,         cyþþe sohton,
Wesseaxena land,         wiges hremige.

60

Letan him behindan         hræw bryttian
saluwigpadan,         þone sweartan hræfn,
hyrnednebban,         and þane hasewanpadan,
earn æftan hwit,         æses brucan,
grædigne guðhafoc         and þæt græge deor,

65

wulf on wealde.         Ne wearð wæl mare
on þis eiglande         æfre gieta
folces gefylled         beforan þissum
sweordes ecgum,         þæs þe us secgað bec,
ealde uðwitan,         siþþan eastan hider

70

Engle and Seaxe         up becoman,
ofer brad brimu         Brytene sohtan,
wlance wigsmiþas,         Wealas ofercoman,
eorlas arhwate         eard begeatan.

Notes

13. MS hwate.<text>

25. MS heeardes.<text>

26. MS A þæmid. *G þe mid.<text>

29. MS cyninges.<text>

35. MS A en. *G on.<text>

39. MS hildering.<text>

43. MS fergrunden.<text>

49. MS A culbodgehnades. *G cumbelgehnades<text>

56. MS A ond eft Hiraland. MS B(CD) eft Iraland. *G ond heora land<text>

66. MS æfer.<text>

72. MS Weealles.<text>