Page:The Sources of Standard English.djvu/94

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The Old and Middle English.
65

EAST MIDLAND DIALECT OF 1120.

Extracts from a forged Peterborough Charter (in­serted in the year 656):


Ða seonde se kyning æffter þone abbode þet he æues-­
Then   sent    the    king       after      the     abbot    that he speedily
telice scolde to him cumon. and he swa dyde. Ða cwæd
              should                 come                      so      did            quoth
se kyning to þan abbode. La leof Sæxulf. ic haue geseond
                                                  Lo, loved                 I   have     sent
æfter þe for mine saule þurfe. and ic hit wile þe wæl
           thee                 soul's    need                 it will          well
secgon for hwi. Min broðor Peada and min leoue freond
say             why               brother                                  loved friend
Oswi ongunnen an mynstre Criste to loue and Sancte
                  began          minster        to Christ's glory
Petre. Oc min broþer is faren of þisse liue, swa swa Crist
             But                            gone from             life          as
wolde. Oc ic wile þe gebidden. la leoue freond. þat hii
                                             pray to                                          they
wirce æuostlice on þere werce. and ic þe wile finden
may work diligently          the
þærto gold and siluer. land and ahte. and al þæt þærto
                                                             goods
behofeð. Ða feorde se abbot ham. and ongan to wircene.
behoves             went                      home            began
Swa he spedde swa him Crist huðe. swa þet in feuna
   So                          as                     granted                         few
geare wæs þat mynstre gare. Ða þa kyning heorda þæt
years                                       ready. When                   heard
gesecgon. þa wærd se swiðe glæd. heot seonden geond
   said                   was     he   right     glad   he bade                through
al hi þeode æfter alle his þægne. æfter ærcebiscop. and
his people                                 thanes
æfter biscopes. and æfter his eorles. and æfter alle þa
                                                                                                   those