The Death of Edward

Dobbie, 1942 25-6; Dobbie, E.V.K., The Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems, ASPR 6 (New York).

 

Her Eadward kingc,      Engla hlaford,

 

sende soþfæste      sawle to Criste

 

on godes wæra,      gast haligne.

 

He on worulda her      wunode þrage

5

on kyneþrymme,      cræftig ræda,

 

[XXIIII],      freolic wealdend,

 

wintra gerimes,      weolan britnode,

 

and healfe tid,      hæleða wealdend,

 

weold wel geþungen      Walum and Scottum

10

and Bryttum eac,      byre æðelredes,

 

Englum and Sexum,      oretmægcum,

 

swa ymbclyppað      cealde brymmas,

 

þæt eall Eadwarde,      æðelum kinge,

 

hyrdon holdlice      hagestealde menn.

15

Wæs a bliðemod      bealuleas kyng,

 

þeah he lange[?] ær,      lande bereafod,

 

wunode wræclastum      wide geond eorðan,

 

syððan Cnut ofercom      kynn æðelredes

 

and Dena weoldon      deore rice

20

Engla landes      [XXVIII]

 

wintra gerimes,      welan brytnodon[?].

 

Syððan forð becom      freolice in geatwum

 

kyningc kystum god,      clæne and milde,

 

Eadward se æðela,      eðel bewerode,

25

land and leode,      oðþæt lungre[?] becom

 

deað se bitera,      and swa deore genam

 

æþelne of eorðan;      englas feredon

 

soþfæste sawle      innan swegles leoht.

 

And se froda swa þeah      befæste þæt rice

30

heahþungenum menn,      Harolde sylfum,

 

æþelum eorle,      se in ealle tid

 

hyrde holdlice      hærran sinum

 

wordum and dædum,      wihte ne agælde

 

þæs þe þearf wæs      þæs þeodkyninges.