The Death of Alfred

Dobbie, 1942 24-5; Dobbie, E.V.K., The Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems, ASPR 6 (New York).
 
Her com ælfred, se unsceððiga æþeling, æþelrædes
 
sunu cinges, hider inn and wolde to his meder, þe on Win-
 
cestre sæt, ac hit him ne geþafode Godwine eorl, ne ec oþre
 
men þe mycel mihton wealdan, forðan hit hleoðrode þa
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swiðe toward Haraldes, þeh hit unriht wære.
 
Ac Godwine hine þa gelette      and hine on hæft sette,
 
and his geferan he todraf,      and sume mislice ofsloh;
 
sume hi man wið feo sealde,      sume hreowlice acwealde,
 
sume hi man bende,      sume hi man blende,
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sume hamelode,      sume hættode.
 
Ne wearð dreorlicre dæd      gedon on þison earde,
 
syþþan Dene comon      and her frið namon.
 
Nu is to gelyfenne      to ðan leofan gode,
 
þæt hi blission      bliðe mid Criste
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þe wæron butan scylde      swa earmlice acwealde.
 
Se æþeling lyfode þa gyt;      ælc yfel man him gehet,
 
oðþæt man gerædde      þæt man hine lædde
 
to Eligbyrig      swa gebundenne.
 
Sona swa he lende,      on scype man hine blende,
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and hine swa blindne      brohte to ðam munecon,
 
and he þar wunode      ða hwile þe he lyfode.
 
Syððan hine man byrigde,      swa him wel gebyrede,
 
ful wurðlice,      swa he wyrðe wæs,
 
æt þam westende,      þam styple ful gehende,
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on þam suðportice;      seo saul is mid Criste.