# The Battle of Maldon

#  || brocen wurde
het þa hyssa hwæne || hors forlætan
feor afysan || and forþ gangan
hicgan to handum || and to hige godum
þa þæt offan mæg || ærest onfunde
þæt se eorl nolde || yrhþo geþolian
he let him þa of handon || leofne fleogan
hafoc wiþ þæs holtes || and to þære hilde stop
be þam man mihte oncnawan || þæt se cniht nolde
wacian æt þam wige || þa he to wæpnum feng
eac him wolde eadric || his ealdre gelæstan
frean to gefeohte || ongan þa forþ beran
gar to guþe || he hæfde god geþanc
þa hwile þe he mid handum || healdan mihte
bord and bradswurd || beot he gelæste
þa he ætforan his frean || feohtan sceolde
þa þær byrhtnoþ ongan || beornas trymian
rad and rædde || rincum tæhte
hu hi sceoldon standan || and þone stede healdan
and bæd þæt hyra randas || rihte heoldon
fæste mid folman || and ne forhtedon na
þa he hæfde þæt folc || fægere getrymmed
he lihte þa mid leodon || þær him leofost wæs
þær he his heorþwerod || holdost wiste
þa stod on stæþe || stiþlice clypode
wicinga ar || wordum mælde
se on beot abead || brimliþendra
ærænde to þam eorle || þær he on ofre stod
me sendon to þe || sæmen snelle
heton þe secgan || þæt þu most sendan raþe
beagas wiþ gebeorge || and eow betere is
þæt ge þisne garræs || mid gafole forgyldon
þon we swa hearde || hilde dælon
we willaþ wiþ þam golde || griþ fæstnian
gyf þu þat gerædest || þe her ricost eart
þæt þu þine leoda || lysan wille
syllan sæmannum || on hyra sylfra dom
feoh wiþ freode || and niman friþ æt us
we willaþ mid þam sceattum || us to scype gangan
on flot feran || and eow friþes healdan
byrhtnoþ maþelode || bord hafenode
wand wacne æsc || wordum mælde
yrre and anræd || ageaf him andsware
gehyrst þu sælida || hwæt þis folc segeþ
hi willaþ eow to gafole || garas syllan
ættrynne ord || and ealde swurd
þa heregeatu || þe eow æt hilde ne deah
brimmanna boda || abeod eft ongean
sege þinum leodum || miccle laþre spell
þæt her stynt unforcuþ || eorl mid his werode
þe wile gealgean || eþel þysne
æþelredes eard || ealdres mines
folc and foldan || feallan sceolon
hæþene æt hilde || to heanlic me þinceþ
þæt ge mid urum sceattum || to scype gangon
unbefohtene || nu ge þus feor hider
on urne eard || in becomon
ne sceole ge swa softe || sinc gegangan
us sceal ord and ecg || ær geseman
grim guþplega || ær we gofol syllon
het þa bord beran || beornas gangan
þæt hi on þam easteþe || ealle stodon
ne mihte þær for wætere || werod to þam oþrum
þær com flowende || flod æfter ebban
lucon lagustreamas || to lang hit him þuhte
hwænne hi togædere || garas beron
hi þær pantan stream || mid prasse bestodon
eastseaxena ord || and se æschere
ne mihte hyra ænig || oþrum derian
buton hwa þurh flanes flyht || fyl gename
se flod ut gewat || þa flotan stodon gearowe
wicinga fela || wiges georne
het þa hæleþa hleo || healdan þa bricge
wigan wigheardne || se wæs haten wulfstan
cafne mid his cynne || þæt wæs ceolan sunu
þe þone forman man || mid his francan ofsceat
þe þær baldlicost || on þa bricge stop
þær stodon mid wulfstane || wigan unforhte
ælfere and maccus || modige twegen
þa noldon æt þam forda || fleam gewyrcan
ac hi fæstlice || wiþ þa fynd weredon
þa hwile þe hi wæpna || wealdan moston
þa hi þæt ongeaton || and georne gesawon
þæt hi þær bricgweardas || bitere fundon
ongunnon lytegian þa || laþe gystas
bædon þæt hi upgang || agan moston
ofer þone ford faran || feþan lædan
þa se eorl ongan || for his ofermode
alyfan landes to fela || laþere þeode
ongan ceallian þa || ofer cald wæter
byrhtelmes bearn || beornas gehlyston
nu eow is gerymed || gaþ ricene to us
guman to guþe || god ana wat
hwa þære wælstowe || wealdan mote
wodon þa wælwulfas || for wætere ne murnon
wicinga werod || west ofer pantan
ofer scir wæter || scyldas wegon
lidmen to lande || linde bæron
þær ongean gramum || gearowe stodon
byrhtnoþ mid beornum || he mid bordum het
wyrcan þone wihagan || and þæt werod healdan
fæste wiþ feondum || þa wæs feohte neh
tir æt getohte || wæs seo tid cumen
þæt þær fæge men || feallan sceoldon
þær wearþ hream ahafen || hremmas wundon
earn æses georn || wæs on eorþan cyrm
hi leton þa of folman || feolhearde speru
gegrundene || garas fleogan
bogan wæron bysige || bord ord onfeng
biter wæs se beaduræs || beornas feollon
on gehwæþere hand || hyssas lagon
wund wearþ wulfmær || wælræste geceas
byrhtnoþes mæg || he mid billum wearþ
his swuster sunu || swiþe forheawen
þær wearþ wicingum || wiþerlean agyfen
gehyrde ic þæt eadweard || anne sloge
swiþe mid his swurde || swenges ne wyrnde
þæt him æt fotum feoll || fæge cempa
þæs him his þeoden || þanc gesæde
þam burþene || þa he byre hæfde
swa stemnetton || stiþhicgende
hysas æt hilde || hogodon georne
hwa þær mid orde || ærost mihte
on fægean men || feorh gewinnan
wigan mid wæpnum || wæl feol on eorþan
stodon stædefæste || stihte hi byrhtnoþ
bæd þæt hyssa gehwylc || hogode to wige
þe on denon wolde || dom gefeohtan
wod þa wiges heard || wæpen up ahof
bord to gebeorge || and wiþ þæs beornes stop
eode swa anræd || eorl to þam ceorle
ægþer hyra oþrum || yfeles hogode
sende þa se særinc || suþerne gar
þæt gewundod wearþ || wigena hlaford
he sceaf þa mid þam scylde || þæt se sceaft tobærst
and þæt spere sprengde || þæt hit sprang ongean
gegremod wearþ se guþrinc || he mid gare stang
wlancne wicing || þe him þa wunde forgeaf
frod wæs se fyrdrinc || he let his francan wadan
þurh þæs hysses hals || hand wisode
þæt he on þam færsceaþan || feorh geræhte
þa he oþerne || ofstlice sceat
þæt seo byrne tobærst || he wæs on breostum wund
þurh þa hringlocan || him æt heortan stod
ætterne ord || se eorl wæs þe bliþra
hloh þa modi man || sæde metode þanc
þæs dægweorces || þe him drihten forgeaf
forlet þa drenga sum || daroþ of handa
fleogan of folman || þæt se to forþ gewat
þurh þone æþelan || æþelredes þegen
him be healfe stod || hyse unweaxen
cniht on gecampe || se full caflice
bræd of þam beorne || blodigne gar
wulfstanes bearn || wulfmær se geonga
forlet forheardne || faran eft ongean
ord in gewod || þæt se on eorþan læg
þe his þeoden ær || þearle geræhte
eode þa gesyrwed || secg to þam eorle
he wolde þæs beornes || beagas gefecgan
reaf and hringas || and gerenod swurd
þa byrhtnoþ bræd || bill of sceþe
brad and bruneccg || and on þa byrnan sloh
to raþe hine gelette || lidmanna sum
þa he þæs eorles || earm amyrde
feoll þa to foldan || fealohilte swurd
ne mihte he gehealdan || heardne mece
wæpnes wealdan || þa gyt þæt word gecwæþ
har hilderinc || hyssas bylde
bæd gangan forþ || gode geferan
ne mihte þa on fotum leng || fæste gestandan
he to heofenum wlat # || 
geþancie þe || þeoda waldend
ealra þæra wynna || þe ic on worulde gebad
nu ic ah milde metod || mæste þearfe
þæt þu minum gaste || godes geunne
þæt min sawul to þe || siþian mote
on þin geweald || þeoden engla
mid friþe ferian || ic eom frymdi to þe
þæt hi helsceaþan || hynan ne moton
þa hine heowon || hæþene scealcas
and begen þa beornas || þe him big stodon
ælfnoþ and wulmær || begen lagon
þa onemn hyra frean || feorh gesealdon
hi bugon þa fram beaduwe || þe þær beon noldon
þær wearþ oddan bearn || ærest on fleame
godric fram guþe || and þone godan forlet
þe him mænigne oft || mear gesealde
he gehleop þone eoh || þe ahte his hlaford
on þam gerædum || þe hit riht ne wæs
and his broþru mid him || begen ærndon
godwine and godwig || guþe ne gymdon
ac wendon fram þam wige || and þone wudu sohton
flugon on þæt fæsten || and hyra feore burgon
and manna ma || þonne hit ænig mæþ wære
gyf hi þa geearnunga || ealle gemundon
þe he him to duguþe || gedon hæfde
swa him offa on dæg || ær asæde
on þam meþelstede || þa he gemot hæfde
þæt þær modiglice || manega spræcon
þe eft æt þearfe || þolian noldon
þa wearþ afeallen || þæs folces ealdor
æþelredes eorl || ealle gesawon
heorþgeneatas || þæt hyra heorra læg
þa þær wendon forþ || wlance þegenas
unearge men || efston georne
hi woldon þa ealle || oþer twega
lif forlætan || oþþe leofne gewrecan
swa hi bylde forþ || bearn ælfrices
wiga wintrum geong || wordum mælde
ælfwine þa cwæþ || he on ellen spræc
gemunan þa mæla || þe we oft æt meodo spræcon
þonne we on bence || beot ahofon
hæleþ on healle || ymbe heard gewinn
nu mæg cunnian || hwa cene sy
ic wylle mine æþelo || eallum gecyþan
þæt ic wæs on myrcon || miccles cynnes
wæs min ealda fæder || ealhelm haten
wis ealdorman || woruldgesælig
ne sceolon me on þære þeode || þegenas ætwitan
þæt ic of þisse fyrde || feran wille
eard gesecan || nu min ealdor ligeþ
forheawen æt hilde || me is þæt hearma mæst
he wæs ægþer min mæg || and min hlaford
þa he forþ eode || fæhþe gemunde
þæt he mid orde || anne geræhte
flotan on þam folce || þæt se on foldan læg
forwegen mid his wæpne || ongan þa winas manian
frynd and geferan || þæt hi forþ eodon
offa gemælde || æscholt asceoc
hwæt þu ælfwine hafast || ealle gemanode
þegenas to þearfe || nu ure þeoden liþ
eorl on eorþan || us is eallum þearf
þæt ure æghwylc || oþerne bylde
wigan to wige || þa hwile þe he wæpen mæge
habban and healdan || heardne mece
gar and godswurd || us godric hæfþ
earh oddan bearn || ealle beswicene
wende þæs formoni man || þa he on meare rad
on wlancan þam wicge || þæt wære hit ure hlaford
forþan wearþ her on felda || folc totwæmed
scyldburh tobrocen || abreoþe his angin
þæt he her swa manigne || man aflymde
leofsunu gemælde || and his linde ahof
bord to gebeorge || he þam beorne oncwæþ
ic þæt gehate || þæt ic heonon nelle
fleon fotes trym || ac wille furþor gan
wrecan on gewinne || minne winedrihten
ne þurfon me embe sturmere || stedefæste hælæþ
wordum ætwitan || nu min wine gecranc
þæt ic hlafordleas || ham siþie
wende fram wige || ac me sceal wæpen niman
ord and iren || he ful yrre wod
feaht fæstlice || fleam he forhogode
dunnere þa cwæþ || daroþ acwehte
unorne ceorl || ofer eall clypode
bæd þæt beorna gehwylc || byrhtnoþ wræce
ne mæg na wandian || se þe wrecan þenceþ
frean on folce || ne for feore murnan
þa hi forþ eodon || feores hi ne rohton
ongunnon þa hiredmen || heardlice feohtan
grame garberend || and god bædon
þæt hi moston gewrecan || hyra winedrihten
and on hyra feondum || fyl gewyrcan
him se gysel ongan || geornlice fylstan
he wæs on norþhymbron || heardes cynnes
ecglafes bearn || him wæs æscferþ nama
he ne wandode na || æt þam wigplegan
ac he fysde forþ || flan genehe
hwilon he on bord sceat || hwilon beorn tæsde
æfre embe stunde || he sealde sume wunde
þa hwile þe he wæpna || wealdan moste
þa gyt on orde stod || eadweard se langa
gearo and geornful || gylpwordum spræc
þæt he nolde fleogan || fotmæl landes
ofer bæc bugan || þa his betera leg
he bræc þone bordweall || and wiþ þa beornas feaht
oþþæt he his sincgyfan || on þam sæmannum
wurþlice wrec || ær he on wæle læge
swa dyde æþeric || æþele gefera
fus and forþgeorn || feaht eornoste
sibyrhtes broþor || and swiþe mænig oþer
clufon cellod bord || cene hi weredon
bærst bordes lærig || and seo byrne sang
gryreleoþa sum || þa æt guþe sloh
offa þone sælidan || þæt he on eorþan feoll
and þær gaddes mæg || grund gesohte
raþe wearþ æt hilde || offa forheawen
he hæfde þeah geforþod || þæt he his frean gehet
swa he beotode ær || wiþ his beahgifan
þæt hi sceoldon begen || on burh ridan
hale to hame || oþþe on here crincgan
on wælstowe || wundum sweltan
he læg þegenlice || þeodne gehende
þa wearþ borda gebræc || brimmen wodon
guþe gegremode || gar oft þurhwod
fæges feorhhus || forþ þa eode wistan
þurstanes sunu || wiþ þas secgas feaht
he wæs on geþrange || hyra þreora bana
ær him wigelines bearn || on þam wæle læge
þær wæs stiþ gemot || stodon fæste
wigan on gewinne || wigend cruncon
wundum werige || wæl feol on eorþan
oswold and eadwold || ealle hwile
begen þa gebroþru || beornas trymedon
hyra winemagas || wordon bædon
þæt hi þær æt þearfe || þolian sceoldon
unwaclice || wæpna neotan
byrhtwold maþelode || bord hafenode
se wæs eald geneat || æsc acwehte
he ful baldlice || beornas lærde
hige sceal þe heardra || heorte þe cenre
mod sceal þe mare || þe ure mægen lytlaþ
her liþ ure ealdor || eall forheawen
god on greote || a mæg gnornian
se þe nu fram þis wigplegan || wendan þenceþ
ic eom frod feores || fram ic ne wille
ac ic me be healfe || minum hlaforde
be swa leofan men || licgan þence
swa hi æþelgares bearn || ealle bylde
godric to guþe || oft he gar forlet
wælspere windan || on þa wicingas
swa he on þam folce || fyrmest eode
heow and hynde || oþþæt he on hilde gecranc
næs þæt na se godric || þe þa guþe forbeah