Krapp, 1932a 51-4; Krapp, G.P., The Vercelli Book, ASPR 2 (New York).
Hwæt! Ic þysne sang
siðgeomor fand
on seocum sefan,
samnode wide
hu þa æðelingas
ellen cyðdon,
torhte ond tireadige.
Twelfe
wæron[?],
5
dædum domfæste,
dryhtne gecorene,
leofe on life.
Lof wide sprang,
miht ond mærðo,
ofer middangeard,
þeodnes þegna,
þrym unlytel.
10
þær hie dryhtnes æ
deman sceoldon,
reccan fore rincum.
Sume on Romebyrig,
frame, fyrdhwate,
feorh ofgefon
þurg Nerones
nearwe[?] searwe,
Petrus ond Paulus.
Is se apostolhad
15
wide geweorðod
ofer werþeoda!
Swylce Andreas
in Achagia
Ne þreodode he fore þrymme
ðeodcyninges,
æniges on eorðan,
ac him ece geceas
20
langsumre lif,
leoht unhwilen,
syþþan hildeheard,
heriges byrhtme,
æfter guðplegan
gealgan þehte.
Hwæt, we eac gehyrdon
be Iohanne
æglæawe menn
æðelo reccan!
25
Se manna wæs,
mine gefrege,
þurh cneorisse
Criste leofast
on weres hade,
syððan wuldres cyning,
engla ordfruma,
eorðan sohte
þurh fæmnan hrif,
fæder manncynnes.
30
He in Effessia
ealle þrage
leode lærde,
þanon lifes weg
siðe gesohte,
swegle dreamas,
beorhtne boldwelan.
Næs his broðor læt,
siðes sæne,
ac ðurh sweordes bite
35
mid Iudeum
Iacob sceolde
fore Herode
ealdre gedælan,
feorh wið flæsce.
Philipus wæs
mid Asseum,
þanon ece lif
þurh rode cwealm
ricene gesohte,
40
syððan on galgan
in Gearapolim
Huru, wide wearð
wurd undyrne
þæt to Indeum
aldre gelædde
beaducræftig beorn,
Bartholameus!
45
þone heht Astrias
in Albano,
hæðen ond hygeblind,
heafde beneotan,
forþan he ða hæðengild
hyran ne wolde,
wig weorðian.
Him wæs wuldres dream,
lifwela leofra
þonne þas leasan godu.
50
Swylce Thomas eac
þriste geneðde
þær manegum wearð
mod onlihted,
hige onhyrded,
þurh his halig word.
Syððan collenferð
cyninges broðor
55
awehte for weorodum,
wundorcræfte,
þurh dryhtnes miht,
þæt he of deaðe aras,
geong ond guðhwæt,
ond him wæs Gad nama,
ond ða þæm folce
feorg gesealde,
sin æt sæcce.
Sweordræs fornam
60
þurh hæðene hand,
þær se halga gecrang,
wund for weorudum,
þonon wuldres leoht
sawle gesohte
sigores to leane.
Hwæt, we þæt gehyrdon
þurg halige bec,
þæt mid Sigelwarum
soð yppe wearð,
65
dryhtlic dom godes!
Dæges or onwoc,
leohtes geleafan,
land wæs gefælsod
þone het Irtacus
ðurh yrne hyge,
wælreow cyning,
wæpnum aswebban.
70
Hyrde we þæt Iacob
in Ierusalem
fore sacerdum
swilt þrowode.
ðurg stenges sweng
stiðmod gecrang,
eadig for æfestum.
Hafað nu ece lif
mid wuldorcining,
wiges to leane.
75
Næron ða twegen
tohtan sæne,
sohton siðfrome,
Simon ond Thaddeus,
beornas beadorofe!
Him wearð bam samod
an endedæg.
æðele sceoldon
80
ðurh wæpenhete
weorc þrowigan,
sigelean secan,
ond þone soðan gefean,
dream æfter deaðe,
þa gedæled wearð
lif wið lice,
ond þas lænan gestreon,
idle æhtwelan,
ealle[?] forhogodan.
85
ðus ða æðelingas
ende gesealdon,
[XII] tilmodige.
Tir unbræcne
wegan on gewitte
wuldres þegnas.
Nu ic þonne bidde
beorn se ðe lufige
þysses giddes begang
þæt he geomrum me
90
þone
halgan[?] heap
helpe bidde,
friðes ond fultomes.
Hu, ic freonda beþearf
liðra on lade,
þonne ic sceal langne ham,
eardwic uncuð,
ana
gesecan[?],
lætan[?] me on laste
lic, eorðan dæl,
95
wælreaf wunigean
weormum to hroðre.
Her mæg findan
foreþances[?] gleaw,
se ðe hine lysteð
leoðgiddunga,
hwa þas fitte fegde.
F þær on ende
standeþ[?],
eorlas þæs on eorðan brucaþ.
Ne moton hie awa ætsomne,
100
woruldwunigende;
W sceal gedreosan,
U on eðle,
æfter
tohreosan[?]
læne[?] lices frætewa,
efne swa
L toglideð.
þonne[?] Cond[?] Y[?] cræftes
neosað[?]
nihtes nearowe,
on him
N[?] ligeð[?],
105
cyninges[?] þeodom.
Nu ðu
cunnon[?] miht
hwa[?] on[?] þam[?] wordum[?] wæs
werum oncyðig.
Sie þæs gemyndig,
mann[?] se[?] ðe[?] lufige
þisses galdres begang,
þæt he geoce
me[?]
ond[?] frofre[?] fricle.
Ic sceall feor heonan,
110
an elles
forð[?],
eardes[?] neosan,
sið asettan,
nat ic sylfa hwær,
of[?] þisse[?] worulde.
Wic sindon uncuð,
eard ond eðel,
swa
bið[?] ælcum menn
nemþe he godcundes
gastes bruce.
115
Ah utu we þe geornor
to gode cleopigan,
sendan usse bene
on þa beorhtan gesceaft,
þæt we þæs botles
brucan motan,
hames in hehðo,
þær is hihta mæst,
þær cyning engla
clænum
gildeð[?]120
lean unhwilen.
Nu a his lof standeð,
mycel ond mære,
ond his miht seomaþ,
ece ond edgiong,
ofer ealle gesceaft.