The Exeter Book (Jebson)/Widsith

For other versions of this work, see 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.

20

Casere weold Creacum         ond Cælic Finnum,
Hagena Holmrygum         ond Heoden Glommum.
Witta weold Swæfum,         Wada Hælsingum,
Meaca Myrgingum,         Mearchealf Hundingum.
þeodric weold Froncum,         þyle Rondingum,

25

Breoca Brondingum,         Billing Wernum.
Oswine weold Eowum         ond Ytum Gefwulf,
Fin Folcwalding         Fresna cynne.
Sigehere lengest         Sædenum weold,
Hnæf Hocingum,         Helm Wulfingum,

30

Wald Woingum,         Wod þyringum,
Sæferð Sycgum,         Sweom Ongendþeow,
Sceafthere Ymbrum,         Sceafa Longbeardum,
Hun Hætwerum         ond Holen Wrosnum.
Hringweald wæs haten         Herefarena cyning.

35

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.

40

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.

45

Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar         heoldon lengest
sibbe ætsomne         suhtorfædran,
siþþan hy forwræcon         wicinga cynn
ond Ingeldes         ord forbigdan,
forheowan æt Heorote         Heaðobeardna þrym.

50

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,

55

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.

60

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,

65

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.

70

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.

75

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;

80

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,

85

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;

90

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,

95

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,

100

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,

105

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,

110

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.

115

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,

120

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;

125

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

130

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."

135

Swa scriþende         gesceapum hweorfað
gleomen gumena         geond grunda fela,
þearfe secgað,         þoncword sprecaþ,
simle suð oþþe norð         sumne gemetað
gydda gleawne,         geofum unhneawne,

140

se þe fore duguþe wile         dom aræran,
eorlscipe æfnan,         oþþæt eal scæceð,
leoht ond lif somod;         lof se gewyrceð,
hafað under heofonum         heahfæstne dom.