# The Metres of Boethius: Metre 27

hwy ge æfre scylen || unrihtfioungum
eower mod drefan || swa swa mereflodes
yþa hreraþ || iscalde sæ
wecggaþ for winde || hwy oþwite ge
wyrde eowre || þæt hio geweald nafaþ
hwy ge þæs deaþes || þe eow drihten gesceop
gebidan ne magon || bitres gecyndes
nu he eow ælce dæg || onet toweard
ne magon ge gesion || þæt he symle spyreþ
æfter æghwelcum || eorþan tudre
diorum and fuglum || deaþ eac swa same
æfter moncynne || geond þisne middangeard
egeslic hunta || a biþ on waþe
nyle he ænig swæþ || æfre forlætan
ær he gehede || þæt he hwile ær
æfter spyrede || is þæt earmlic þing
þæt his gebidan ne magon || burgsittende
ungesælige men || hine ær willaþ
foran to sciotan || swa swa fugla cyn
oþþe wildu dior || þa winnaþ betwuh
æghwylc wolde || oþer acwellan
ac þæt is unriht || æghwelcum men
þæt he oþerne || inwitþoncum
fioge on færþe || swa swa fugl oþþe dior
ac þæt wære rihtost || þætte rinca gehwylc
oþrum gulde || edlean on riht
weorc be geweorhtum || weoruldbuendum
þinga gehwilces || þæt is þæt he lufige
godra gehwilcne || swa he geornost mæge
mildsige yflum || swa we ær spræcon
he sceal þone monnan || mode lufian
and his unþeawas || ealle hatian
and ofsniþan || swa he swiþost mæge