The Metres of Boethius: Metre 25
geher nu an spell
be þæm ofermodum
unrihtwisum
eorþan cyningum
þa her nu manegum
and mislicum
wædum wlitebeorhtum
wundrum scinaþ
on heahsetlum
hrofe getenge
golde gegerede
and gimcynnum
utan ymbestandne
mid unrime
þegna and eorla
þa bioþ gehyrste
mid heregeatwum
hildetorhtum
sweordum and fetelum
swiþe geglengde
and þegniaþ
þrymme micle
ælc oþrum
and hi ealle him
þonan mid þy þrymme
þreatiaþ gehwider
ymbsittenda
oþra þeoda
and se hlaford ne scrifþ
þe þæm here waldeþ
freonde ne feonde
feore ne æhtum
ac he reþigmod
ræst on gehwilcne
wedehunde
wuhta gelicost
biþ to up ahæfen
inne on mode
for þæm anwalde
þe him anra gehwilc
his tirwina
to fultemaþ
gif mon þonne wolde
him awindan of
þæs cynegerelan
claþa gehwilcne
and him þonne oftion
þara þegnunga
and þæs anwaldes
þe he ær hæfde
þonne meaht þu gesion
þæt he biþ swiþe gelic
sumum þara gumena
þe him geornost nu
mid þegnungum
þringaþ ymbeutan
gif he wyrsa ne biþ
ne wene ic his na beteran
gif him þonne æfre
unmendlinga
weas geberede
þæt him wurde oftogen
þrymmes and wæda
and þegnunga
and þæs anwaldes
þe we ymbe sprecaþ
gif him ænig þara
ofhende wyrþ
ic wat þæt him þynceþ
þæt he þonne sie
becropen on carcern
oþþe coþlice
racentan geræped
ic gereccan mæg
þæt of ungemete
ælces þinges
wiste and wæda
wingedrinces
and of swetmettum
swiþost weaxaþ
þære wrænnesse
wodþrag micel
sio swiþe gedræfþ
sefan ingehygd
monna gehwelces
þonan mæst cymeþ
yfla ofermetta
unnetta saca
þonne hi gebolgene weorþaþ
him wyrþ on breostum inne
beswungen sefa on hraþre
mid þæm swiþan welme
hatheortnesse
and hreþe siþþan
unrotnesse
eac geræped
hearde gehæfted
him siþþan onginþ
sum tohopa
swiþe leogan
þæs gewinnes wræce
wilnaþ þæt irre
anes and oþres
him þæt eall gehæt
his recelest
rihtes ne scrifeþ
ic þe sæde ær
on þisse selfan bec
þæt sumes goodes
sidra gesceafta
anlepra ælc
a wilnode
for his agenum
ealdgecynde
unrihtwise
eorþan cyningas
ne magon æfre þurhtion
awuht goodes
for þæm yfle
þe ic þe ær sæde
nis þæt nan wundor
forþæm hi willaþ hi
þæm unþeawum
þe ic þe ær nemde
anra gehwelcum
a underþeodan
sceal þonne nede
nearwe gebugan
to þara hlaforda
hæftedome
þe he hine eallunga ær
underþiodde
þæt is wyrse get
þæt he winnan nyle
wiþ þæm anwalde
ænige stunde
þær he wolde a
winnan onginnan
and þonne on þæm gewinne
þurhwunian forþ
þonne næfde he
nane scylde
þeah he oferwunnen
weorþan sceolde