PART III.----SELECTIONS FOR READING.----

PART III.----SELECTIONS FOR READING.----PROSE.Introductory.I. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.Thisfamous work, a series of progressive annals by unknown hands, embraces a period extending from Cæsar’s invasion of England to 1154. It is not known when or where these annals began to be recorded in English.“The annals from the year 866—that of Ethelred’s ascent of the throne—to the year 887 seem to be the work of one mind. Not a single year is passed over, and to several is granted considerable space, especially to the years 871, 878, and 885. The whole has gained a certain roundness and fulness, because the events—nearly all of them episodes in the ever-recurring conflict with the Danes—are taken in their connection, and the thread dropped in one year is resumed in the next. Not only is the style in itself concise; it has a sort of nervous severity and pithy rigor. The construction is often antiquated, and suggests at times the freedom of poetry; though this purely historical prose is far removed from poetry in profusion of language.” (Ten Brink,Early Eng. Lit., I.)II. The Translations of Alfred.Alfred’s reign (871-901) may be divided into four periods. Thefirst, the period of Danish invasion, extends from 871 to881; thesecond, the period of comparative quiet, from 881 to 893; thethird, the period of renewed strife (beginning with the incursions of Hasting), from 893 to 897; thefourth, the period of peace, from 897 to 901. His literary work probably falls in the second period.*The works translated by Alfred from Latin into the vernacular were (1)Consolation of Philosophy(De Consolatione Philosophiae) by Boëthius (475-525), (2)Compendious History of the World(Historiarum Libri VII) by Orosius (c. 418), (3)Ecclesiastical History of the English(Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum) by Bede (672-735), and (4)Pastoral Care(De Cura Pastorali) by Pope Gregory the Great (540-604).The chronological sequence of these works is wholly unknown. That given is supported by Turner, Arend, Morley, Grein, and Pauli. Wülker argues for an exact reversal of this order. According to Ten Brink, the order was more probably (1)Orosius, (2)Bede, (3)Boëthius, and (4)Pastoral Care. The most recent contribution to the subject is from Wülfing, who contends for (1)Bede, (2)Orosius, (3)Pastoral Care, and (4)Boëthius.*There is something inexpressibly touching in this clause from the great king’s pen: gif wē ðā stilnesse habbað. He is speaking of how much he hopes to do, by his translations, for the enlightenment of his people.I. THE BATTLE OF ASHDOWN.[From theChronicle, Parker MS. The event and date are significant. The Danes had for the first time invaded Wessex. Alfred’s older brother, Ethelred, was king; but to Alfred belongs the glory of the victory at Ashdown (Berkshire). Asser (Life of Alfred) tells us that for a long time Ethelred remained praying in his tent, while Alfred and his followers went forth “like a wild boar against the hounds.”]1871. Hēr cuōm1sē hęre tō Rēadingum on Westseaxe,2ǫnd þæs ymb iii niht ridon ii eorlas ūp. Þa gemētte hīe1Æþelwulf aldorman2on Ęnglafelda, ǫnd him þǣr wiþ gefeaht,2ǫnd sige nam. Þæs ymb iiii niht Æþered cyning3ǫnd Ælfred his brōþur3þǣr micle fierd tō Rēadingum4gelǣddon, ǫnd wiþ þone hęre gefuhton; ǫnd þǣr wæs5micel wæl geslægen on gehwæþre hǫnd, ǫnd Æþelwulf6aldormǫn wearþ ofslægen; ǫnd þa Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe7gewald.8Ǫnd þæs ymb iiii nihtgefeahtÆþered cyning ǫnd9Ælfred his brōþur wiþ alne4þone hęre on Æscesdūne.10Ǫnd hīe wǣrun5on twǣm gefylcum: on ōþrum wæs11Bāchsęcg ǫnd Halfdęne þā hǣþnan cyningas, ǫnd on12ōþrum wǣron þā eorlas. Ǫnd þā gefeaht sē cyning13Æþered wiþ þāra cyninga getruman, ǫnd þǣr wearþ sē14cyning Bāgsęcg ofslægen; ǫnd Ælfred his brōþur wiþ15þāra eorla getruman, ǫnd þǣr wearþ Sidroc eorl ofslægen16sē alda,6ǫnd Sidroc eorl sē gioncga,7ǫnd Ōsbearn eorl,17ǫnd Frǣna eorl, ǫnd Hareld eorl; ǫnd þā hęrgas8bēgen18geflīemde,ǫnd fela þūsenda ofslægenra, ǫnd onfeohtende19wǣron oþ niht.20Ǫnd þæs ymb xiiii niht gefeaht Æþered cyning ǫnd21Ælfred his brōður wiþ þone hęre æt Basengum, ǫnd þǣr22þa Dęniscan sige nāmon.23Ǫnd þæs ymb ii mōnaþ gefeaht Æþered cyning ǫnd24Ælfred his brōþur wiþ þone hęre æt Męretūne, ǫnd hīe25wǣrun on tuǣm9gefylcium, ǫnd hīe būtū geflīemdon, ǫnd26lǫnge on dæg sige āhton; ǫnd þǣr wearþ micel wælsliht27on gehwæþere hǫnd; ǫnd þā Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe1gewald; ǫnd þær wearþ Hēahmund bisceop ofslægen,2ǫnd fela gōdra mǫnna. Ǫnd æfter þissum gefeohte cuōm13micel sumorlida.4Ǫnd þæs ofer Ēastron gefōr Æþered cyning; ǫnd hē5rīcsode v gēar; ǫnd his līc līþ æt Wīnburnan.6Þā fēng Ælfred Æþelwulfing his brōþur tō Wesseaxna7rīce. Ǫnd þæs ymb ānne mōnaþ gefeaht Ælfred cyning8wiþ alne4þone hęre lȳtle werede10æt Wiltūne, ǫnd hine9lǫnge on dæg geflīemde, ǫnd þā Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe10gewald.11Ǫnd þæs gēares wurdon viiii folcgefeoht gefohten wiþ12þone hęre on þȳ cynerīce be sūþan Tęmese,būtan þām þe13him Ælfred þæs cyninges brōþur ǫnd ānlīpig aldormǫn2ǫnd14cyninges þegnas oft rāde onridon þe mǫn nā ne rīmde;15ǫnd þæs gēares wǣrun5ofslægene viiii eorlas ǫnd ān cyning.16Ǫnd þȳ gēare nāmon Westseaxe friþ wiþ þone hęre.100.8.gefeaht. Notice that the singular is used. This is the more common construction in O.E. when a compound subject, composed of singular members, follows its predicate. Cf.For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory. See alsop. 107, note onwæs.100.18.ǫnd fela þūsenda ofslægenra,and there were many thousands of slain(§91).101.12.būtan þām þe, etc.,besides which, Alfred ... made raids against them(him),which were not counted. See§70, Note.Consult Glossary and Paradigms under Forms given below.No note is made of such variants asy(ȳ) ori(ī) forie(īe). See Glossary underie(īe); occurrences, also, ofandforǫnd,landforlǫnd, are found on almost every page of Early West Saxon. Such words should be sought for under the more common forms,ǫnd,lǫnd.1= cwōm.2= ealdormǫn.3= brōþor.4= ealne.5= wǣron.6= ealda.7= geonga.8= hęras.9= twǣm.10= werode.II. A PRAYER OF KING ALFRED.[With this characteristic prayer, Alfred concludes his translation of Boëthius’sConsolation of Philosophy. Unfortunately, the only extant MS. (Bodleian 180) is Late West Saxon. I follow, therefore, Prof. A. S. Cook’s normalization on an Early West Saxon basis. See Cook’sFirst Book in Old English, p. 163.]1Dryhten, ælmihtiga God, Wyrhta and Wealdend ealra2gesceafta, ic bidde ðē for ðīnre miclan mildheortnesse,3and for ðǣre hālgan rōde tācne, and for SanctæMarian4mægðhāde, and for SanctiMichaelesgehīersumnesse, and5for ealra ðīnra hālgena lufan and hīera earnungum, ðæt6ðū mē gewissie bęt ðonne ic āworhte tō ðē; and gewissa7mē tō ðīnum willan, and tō mīnre sāwle ðearfe, bęt ðonne8ic self cunne; and gestaðela mīn mōd tō ðinum willan and9tō mīnre sāwle ðearfe; and gestranga mē wið ðæs dēofles10costnungum; and āfierr fram mē ðā fūlan gālnesse and11ǣlce unrihtwīsnesse; and gescield mē wið mīnum wiðerwinnum,12gesewenlīcum and ungesewenlīcum; and tǣc mē13ðīnne willan tō wyrceanne; ðæt ic mæge ðē inweardlīce14lufian tōforan eallum ðingum, mid clǣnum geðance and15mid clǣnum līchaman. For ðon ðe ðū eart mīn Scieppend,16and mīn Alīesend, mīn Fultum, mīn Frōfor, mīn Trēownes,17and mīn Tōhopa.Sīe ðē lofand wuldor nū and18ā ā ā, tō worulde būtan ǣghwilcum ęnde. Amen.102.3-4.Marian ... Michaeles. O.E. is inconsistent in the treatment of foreign names. They are sometimes naturalized, and sometimes retain in part their original inflections.Marian, an original accusative, is here used as a genitive; whileMichaeleshas the O.E. genitive ending.102.17.Sīe ðē lof. See§105, 1.III. THE VOYAGES OF OHTHERE AND WULFSTAN.[Lauderdale and Cottonian MSS. These voyages are an original insertion by Alfred into his translation of Orosius’sCompendious History of the World.“They consist,” says Ten Brink, “of a complete description of all the countries in which the Teutonic tongue prevailed at Alfred’s time, and a full narrative of the travels of two voyagers, which the king wrote down from their own lips. One of these, a Norwegian named Ohthere, had quitecircumnavigated the coast of Scandinavia in his travels, and had even penetrated to the White Sea; the other, named Wulfstan, had sailed from Schleswig to Frische Haff. The geographical and ethnographical details of both accounts are exceedingly interesting, and their style is attractive, clear, and concrete.”Ohthere made two voyages. Sailing first northward along the western coast of Norway, he rounded the North Cape, passed into the White Sea, and entered the Dwina River (ān micel ēa). On his second voyage he sailed southward along the western coast of Norway, entered the Skager Rack (wīdsǣ), passed through the Cattegat, and anchored at the Danish port of Haddeby (æt Hǣþum), modern Schleswig.Wulfstan sailed only in the Baltic Sea. His voyage of seven days from Schleswig brought him to Drausen (Trūsō) on the shore of the Drausensea.]Ohthere’s First Voyage.1Ōthęre sǣde his hlāforde, Ælfrede cyninge, þæt hē2ealra Norðmǫnna norþmest būde. Hē cwæð þæt hē būde3on þǣm lande norþweardum wiþ þā Westsæ. Hē sǣde4þēah þæt þæt land sīe swīþe lang norþ þonan; ac hit is5eal wēste, būton on fēawum stōwum styccemælum wīciað6Finnas, on huntoðe on wintra, ǫnd on sumera on fiscaþe7be þǣre sǣ. Hē sǣde þæt hē æt sumum cirre wolde8fandian hū lǫnge þæt land norþryhte lǣge, oþþe hwæðer9ǣnig mǫn be norðan þǣm wēstenne būde. Þā fōr hē10norþryhte be þǣm lande: lēt him ealne weg þæt wēste11land on ðæt stēorbord, ǫnd þā wīdsǣ on ðæt bæcbord þrīe12dagas. Þā wæs hē swā feor norþ swā þā hwælhuntan13firrest faraþ. Þā fōr hē þā gīet norþryhte swā feor swā14hē meahte on þǣm ōþrum þrīm dagum gesiglan. Þā bēag15þæt land þǣr ēastryhte, oþþe sēo sǣ in on ðæt lǫnd, hē16nysse hwæðer, būton hē wisse ðæt hē ðǣr bād westanwindes17ǫnd hwōn norþan, ǫnd siglde ðā ēast be lande18swā swā hē meahte on fēower dagum gesiglan. Þā19sceolde hē ðǣr bīdan ryhtnorþanwindes, for ðǣm þæt20land bēag þǣr sūþryhte, oþþe sēo sǣ in on ðæt land, hē21nysse hwæþer. Þā siglde hē þǫnan sūðryhte be lande1swā swā hē męhte1on fīf dagum gesiglan. Ðā læg þǣr2ān micel ēa ūp in on þæt land. Þā cirdon hīe ūp in on3ðā ēa, for þǣm hīe ne dorston forþ bī þǣre ēa siglan for4unfriþe; for þǣm ðæt land wæs eall gebūn on ōþre healfe5þǣre ēas. Ne mētte hē ǣr nān gebūn land, siþþan hē6frǫm his āgnum hāmfōr; ac him wæs ealne weg wēste7land on þæt stēorbord, būtan fiscerum ǫnd fugelerum ōnd8huntum,ǫnd þæt wǣroneall Finnas; ǫnd him wæs ā9wīdsǣ on ðæt bæcbord. Þā Beormas hæfdon swīþe wel10gebūd hira land: ac hīe ne dorston þǣr on cuman. Ac11þāra Terfinna land wæs eal wēste, būton ðǣr huntan12gewīcodon, oþþe fisceras, oþþe fugeleras.13Fela spella him sǣdon þā Beormas ǣgþer ge of hiera14āgnum lande ge of þǣm landum þe ymb hīe ūtan wǣron;15ac hē nystehwæt þæs sōþes wæs, for þǣm hē hit self ne16geseah. Þā Finnas, him þūhte, ǫnd þā Beormas sprǣcon17nēah ān geþēode. Swīþost hē fōr ðider, tō ēacan þæs18landes scēawunge, for þǣm horshwælum, for ðǣm hīe19habbað swīþe æþele bān on hiora2tōþum—þā tēð hīe brōhton20sume þǣm cyninge—ǫnd hiora hȳd bið swīðe gōd tō21sciprāpum. Sē hwæl bið micle lǣssa þonne ōðre hwalas:22ne bið hē lęngra ðonne syfan3ęlna lang; ac on his āgnum23lande is sē bętsta hwælhuntað: þā bēoð eahta and fēowertiges24ęlna lange, and þā mǣstan fīftiges ęlna lange;25þāra hē sǣde þæt hēsyxa sumofslōge syxtig on twām26dagum.1Hē wæs swȳðe spēdig man on þǣm ǣhtum þe heora22spēdaon bēoð, þæt is, on wildrum. Hē hæfde þā gȳt, ðā3hē þone cyningc5sōhte, tamra dēora unbebohtra syx hund.4Þā dēor hī hātað ‘hrānas’; þāra wǣron syx stælhrānas;5ðā bēoð swȳðe dȳre mid Finnum, for ðǣm hȳ fōð þā6wildan hrānas mid. Hē wæs mid þǣm fyrstum mannum7on þǣm lande: næfde hē þēah mā ðonne twēntig hrȳðera,8and twēntig scēapa, and twēntig swȳna; and þæt lȳtle9þæt hē ęrede, hē ęrede mid horsan.4Ac hyra ār is mǣst10on þǣm gafole þe ðā Finnas him gyldað. Þæt gafol bið11on dēora fellum, and on fugela feðerum, and hwales bāne,12and on þǣm sciprāpum þe bēoð of hwæles hȳde geworht13and of sēoles. Ǣghwilc gylt be hys gebyrdum. Sē byrdesta14sceall gyldan fīftȳne mearðes fell, and fīf hrānes,15and ān beren fel, and tȳn ambra feðra, and berenne kyrtel16oððe yterenne, and twēgen sciprāpas; ǣgþer sȳ syxtig17ęlna lang, ōþer sȳ of hwæles hȳde geworht, ōþer of sīoles.618Hē sǣde ðæt Norðmanna land wǣre swȳþe lang and19swȳðe smæl.Eal þæt his manāðer oððe ęttan oððe ęrian20mæg, þæt līð wið ðā sǣ; and þæt is þēah on sumum21stōwum swȳðe clūdig; and licgað wilde mōras wið ēastan22and wið ūpp on emnlange þǣm bȳnum lande. On þǣm23mōrum eardiað Finnas. And þæt bȳne land is ēasteweard24brādost, and symle swā norðor swā smælre. Ēastewęrd725hit mæg bīon8syxtig mīla brād, oþþe hwēne brǣdre;26and middeweard þrītig oððe brādre; and norðeweard hē27cwæð, þǣr hit smalost wǣre, þæt hit mihte bēon þrēora28mīla brād tō þǣm mōre; and sē mōr syðþan,9on sumum1stōwum, swā brād swā man mæg on twām wucum oferfēran;2and on sumum stōwum swā brād swā man mæg3on syx dagum oferfēran.4Ðonne is tōemnes þǣm lande sūðeweardum, on ōðre5healfe þæs mōres, Swēoland, oþ þæt land norðeweard;6and tōemnes þǣm lande norðeweardum, Cwēna land. Þā7Cwēnas hęrgiað hwīlum on ðā Norðmęn ofer ðone mōr,8hwīlum þā Norðmęn on hȳ. And þǣr sint swīðe micle9męras fersce geond þā mōras; and berað þā Cwēnas hyra10scypu ofer land on ðā męras, and þanon hęrgiað on ðā11Norðmęn; hȳ habbað swȳðe lȳtlescypa and swȳðe12leohte.104.6.frǫm his āgnum hām. An adverbial dative singular without an inflectional ending is found withhām,dæg,morgen, andǣfen.104.8.ǫnd þæt wǣron. See§40, Note 3.104.15.hwæt þæs sōþes wæs. Sweet errs in explainingsōþesas attracted into the genitive byþæs. It is not a predicate adjective, but a partitive genitive afterhwæt.104.25.syxa sum. See§91, Note 2.105.2.on bēoð. See§94, (5).105.19.Eal þæt his man. Pronominal genitives are not always possessive in O.E.;hisis here the partitive genitive ofhit, the succeeding relative pronoun being omitted:All that(portion)of it that may, either-of-the-two, either be grazed or plowed, etc. (§70, Note).106.11-12.scypa ... leohte. These words exhibit inflections more frequent in Late than in Early West Saxon. The normal forms would bescypu,leoht; but in Late West Saxon the-uof short-stemmed neuters is generally replaced by-a; and the nominative accusative plural neuter of adjectives takes, by analogy, the masculine endings;hwate,gōde,hālge, instead ofhwatu,gōd,hālgu.1= meahte, mihte.2= hiera.3= seofon.4= horsum.5= cyning.6= sēoles.7= -weard.8= bēon.9= siððan.Ohthere’s Second Voyage.13Ōhthęre sǣde þæt sīo1scīr hātte Hālgoland, þe hē on14būde. Hē cwæð þæt nān man ne būde be norðan him.15Þonne is ān port on sūðeweardum þǣm lande, þone man16hǣt Sciringeshēal. Þyder hē cwæð þæt man ne mihte17geseglian on ānum mōnðe, gyf man on niht wīcode, and18ǣlce dæge hæfde ambyrne wind; and ealle ðā hwīle hē19sceal seglian be lande. And on þæt stēorbord him bið20ǣrest Īraland, and þonne ðā īgland þe synd betux Īralande21and þissum lande. Þonne is þis land, oð hē cymð22tō Scirincgeshēale, and ealne weg on þæt bæcbord Norðweg.1Wið sūðan þone Sciringeshēal fylð swȳðe mycel2sǣ ūp in on ðæt land; sēo is brādre þonne ǣnig man ofer3sēon mæge. And is Gotland on ōðre healfe ongēan, and4siððan Sillęnde. Sēo sǣ līð mænig2hund mīla ūp in on5þæt land.6And of Sciringeshēale hē cwæð ðæt hē seglode on fīf7dagan3tō þǣm porte þe mǫn hǣtæt Hǣþum; sē stęnt8betuh Winedum, and Seaxum, and Angle, and hȳrð in9on Dęne. Ðā hē þiderweard seglode fram Sciringeshēale,10þā wæs him on þæt bæcbord Dęnamearc and on11þæt stēorbord wīdsǣ þrȳ dagas; and þā, twēgen dagas ǣr12hē tō Hǣþum cōme, him wæs on þæt stēorbord Gotland,13and Sillęnde, and īglanda fela. On þǣm landum eardodon14Ęngle, ǣr hī hider on land cōman.4And hymwæs15ðā twēgen dagas on ðæt bæcbord þā īglandþe in on16Dęnemearce hȳrað.107.7.æt Hǣþum. “This pleonastic use ofætwith names of places occurs elsewhere in the older writings, as in the Chronicle (552), ‘in þǣre stōwe þe is genęmned æt Searobyrg,’ where theæthas been erased by some later hand, showing that the idiom had become obsolete.Cp.the German ‘Gasthaus zur Krone,’ Stamboul =es tān pólin.” (Sweet.) See, also,Atterbury, § 28, Note 3.107.14-15.wæs ... þā īgland. The singular predicate is due again to inversion (p. 100, note ongefeaht). The construction is comparatively rare in O.E., but frequent in Shakespeare and in the popular speech of to-day. Cf.There is,Here is,There has been, etc., with a (single) plural subject following.1= sēo.2= mǫnig.3= dagum.4= cōmen.Wulfstan’s Voyage.17Wulfstān sǣde þæt hē gefōre of Hǣðum, þæt hē wǣre18on Trūsō on syfan dagum and nihtum, þæt þæt scip wæs19ealne weg yrnende under segle. Weonoðland him wæs1on stēorbord, and on bæcbordhimwæs Langaland, and2Lǣland, and Falster, and Scōnēg; and þās land eall3hȳrað tō Dęnemearcan. And þonne Burgenda land wæs4ūson bæcbord, and þā habbað him sylfe1cyning. Þonne5æfter Burgenda lande wǣron ūs þās land, þā synd hātene6ǣrest Blēcinga-ēg, and Mēore, and Ēowland, and Gotland7on bæcbord; and þās land hȳrað tō Swēom. And Weonodland8wæs ūs ealne weg on stēorbord oð Wīslemūðan.9Sēo Wīsle is swȳðe mycel ēa, and hīo2tōlīð Wītland and10Weonodland; and þæt Wītland belimpeð tō Estum; and11sēo Wīsle līð ūt of Weonodlande, and līð in Estmęre;12and sē Estmęre is hūru fīftēne3mīla brād. Þonne cymeð13Ilfing ēastan in Estmęre of ðām męre, ðe Trūsō standeð14in stæðe; and cumað ūt samod in Estmęre, Ilfing ēastan15of Estlande, and Wīsle sūðan of Winodlande. And16þonne benimð Wīsle Ilfing hire naman, and ligeð of þǣm17męre west and norð on sǣ; for ðȳ hit man hǣt18Wīslemūða.19Þæt Estland is swȳðe mycel, and þǣr bið swȳðe manig20burh, and on ǣlcere byrig bið cyning. And þǣr bið21swȳðe mycel hunig, and fiscnað; and sē cyning and þā22rīcostan męn drincað mȳran meolc, and þā unspēdigan23and þā þēowan drincað medo.4Þǣr bið swȳðe mycel24gewinn betwēonan him. And ne bið ðǣr nǣnig ealo525gebrowen mid Estum, ac þǣr bið medo genōh. And þǣr26is mid Estum ðēaw, þonne þǣr bið man dēad, þæt hē līð27inne unforbærned mid his māgum and frēondum mōnað,28ge hwīlum twēgen; and þā cyningas, and þā ōðre hēahðungene29męn, swā micle lęncg6swā hī māran spēda30habbað, hwīlum healf gēar þæt hī bēoð unforbærned, and1licgað bufan eorðan on hyra hūsum. And ealle þā hwīle2þe þæt līc bið inne, þǣrscealbēon gedrync and plega,3oð ðone dæg þe hī hine forbærnað. Þonne þȳ ylcan dæge4þe hī hine tō þǣm āde beran wyllað, þonne tōdǣlað hī5his feoh, þæt þǣr tō lāfe bið æfter þǣm gedrynce and þǣm6plegan, on fīf oððe syx, hwȳlum on mā, swā swā þæs fēos7andēfn bið.Ālęcgað hitðonne forhwæga on ānre mīle8þone mǣstan dǣl fram þǣm tūne, þonne ōðerne, ðonne9þone þriddan, oþ þe hyt eall ālēd bið on þǣre ānre mīle;10and sceall bēon sē lǣsta dǣl nȳhst þǣm tūne ðe sē dēada11man on lið. Ðonne sceolon7bēon gesamnode ealle ðā12męnn ðe swyftoste hors habbað on þǣm lande, forhwæga13on fīf mīlum oððe on syx mīlum fram þǣm fēo. Þonne14ærnað hȳ ealle tōweard þǣm fēo: ðonne cymeð sē man15sē þæt swiftoste hors hafað tō þǣm ǣrestan dǣle and tō16þǣm mǣstan, and swā ǣlc æfter ōðrum, oþ hit bið eall17genumen; and sē nimð þone lǣstan dǣl sē nȳhst þǣm18tūne þæt feoh geærneð. And þonne rīdeð ǣlc hys weges19mid ðǣm fēo, and hyt mōtan8habban eall; and for ðȳ20þǣr bēoð þā swiftan hors ungefōge dȳre. And þonne his21gestrēon bēoð þus eall āspęnded, þonne byrð man hine ūt,22and forbærneð mid his wǣpnum and hrægle; and swīðost1ealle hys spēda hȳ forspęndað mid þǣm langan legere2þæs dēadan mannes inne, and þæs þe hȳ be þǣm wegum3ālęcgað, þe ðā fręmdan tō ærnað, and nimað. And þæt4is mid Estum þēaw þæt þǣr sceal ǣlces geðēodes man5bēon forbærned; and gyf þār9man ān bān findeð unforbærned,6hīhit sceolan7miclum gebētan. And þǣr is mid7Estum ān mǣgð þæt hī magon cyle gewyrcan; and þȳ8þǣr licgað þā dēadan męn swā lange, and ne fūliað, þæt9hȳ wyrcað þone cyle him on. And þēah man āsętte10twēgen fǣtels full ealað oððe wæteres, hȳ gedōð þæt11ǣgþer bið oferfroren, sam hit sȳ sumor sam winter.

Thisfamous work, a series of progressive annals by unknown hands, embraces a period extending from Cæsar’s invasion of England to 1154. It is not known when or where these annals began to be recorded in English.

“The annals from the year 866—that of Ethelred’s ascent of the throne—to the year 887 seem to be the work of one mind. Not a single year is passed over, and to several is granted considerable space, especially to the years 871, 878, and 885. The whole has gained a certain roundness and fulness, because the events—nearly all of them episodes in the ever-recurring conflict with the Danes—are taken in their connection, and the thread dropped in one year is resumed in the next. Not only is the style in itself concise; it has a sort of nervous severity and pithy rigor. The construction is often antiquated, and suggests at times the freedom of poetry; though this purely historical prose is far removed from poetry in profusion of language.” (Ten Brink,Early Eng. Lit., I.)

Alfred’s reign (871-901) may be divided into four periods. Thefirst, the period of Danish invasion, extends from 871 to881; thesecond, the period of comparative quiet, from 881 to 893; thethird, the period of renewed strife (beginning with the incursions of Hasting), from 893 to 897; thefourth, the period of peace, from 897 to 901. His literary work probably falls in the second period.*

The works translated by Alfred from Latin into the vernacular were (1)Consolation of Philosophy(De Consolatione Philosophiae) by Boëthius (475-525), (2)Compendious History of the World(Historiarum Libri VII) by Orosius (c. 418), (3)Ecclesiastical History of the English(Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum) by Bede (672-735), and (4)Pastoral Care(De Cura Pastorali) by Pope Gregory the Great (540-604).

The chronological sequence of these works is wholly unknown. That given is supported by Turner, Arend, Morley, Grein, and Pauli. Wülker argues for an exact reversal of this order. According to Ten Brink, the order was more probably (1)Orosius, (2)Bede, (3)Boëthius, and (4)Pastoral Care. The most recent contribution to the subject is from Wülfing, who contends for (1)Bede, (2)Orosius, (3)Pastoral Care, and (4)Boëthius.

*There is something inexpressibly touching in this clause from the great king’s pen: gif wē ðā stilnesse habbað. He is speaking of how much he hopes to do, by his translations, for the enlightenment of his people.

[From theChronicle, Parker MS. The event and date are significant. The Danes had for the first time invaded Wessex. Alfred’s older brother, Ethelred, was king; but to Alfred belongs the glory of the victory at Ashdown (Berkshire). Asser (Life of Alfred) tells us that for a long time Ethelred remained praying in his tent, while Alfred and his followers went forth “like a wild boar against the hounds.”]

1871. Hēr cuōm1sē hęre tō Rēadingum on Westseaxe,2ǫnd þæs ymb iii niht ridon ii eorlas ūp. Þa gemētte hīe1Æþelwulf aldorman2on Ęnglafelda, ǫnd him þǣr wiþ gefeaht,2ǫnd sige nam. Þæs ymb iiii niht Æþered cyning3ǫnd Ælfred his brōþur3þǣr micle fierd tō Rēadingum4gelǣddon, ǫnd wiþ þone hęre gefuhton; ǫnd þǣr wæs5micel wæl geslægen on gehwæþre hǫnd, ǫnd Æþelwulf6aldormǫn wearþ ofslægen; ǫnd þa Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe7gewald.8Ǫnd þæs ymb iiii nihtgefeahtÆþered cyning ǫnd9Ælfred his brōþur wiþ alne4þone hęre on Æscesdūne.10Ǫnd hīe wǣrun5on twǣm gefylcum: on ōþrum wæs11Bāchsęcg ǫnd Halfdęne þā hǣþnan cyningas, ǫnd on12ōþrum wǣron þā eorlas. Ǫnd þā gefeaht sē cyning13Æþered wiþ þāra cyninga getruman, ǫnd þǣr wearþ sē14cyning Bāgsęcg ofslægen; ǫnd Ælfred his brōþur wiþ15þāra eorla getruman, ǫnd þǣr wearþ Sidroc eorl ofslægen16sē alda,6ǫnd Sidroc eorl sē gioncga,7ǫnd Ōsbearn eorl,17ǫnd Frǣna eorl, ǫnd Hareld eorl; ǫnd þā hęrgas8bēgen18geflīemde,ǫnd fela þūsenda ofslægenra, ǫnd onfeohtende19wǣron oþ niht.20Ǫnd þæs ymb xiiii niht gefeaht Æþered cyning ǫnd21Ælfred his brōður wiþ þone hęre æt Basengum, ǫnd þǣr22þa Dęniscan sige nāmon.23Ǫnd þæs ymb ii mōnaþ gefeaht Æþered cyning ǫnd24Ælfred his brōþur wiþ þone hęre æt Męretūne, ǫnd hīe25wǣrun on tuǣm9gefylcium, ǫnd hīe būtū geflīemdon, ǫnd26lǫnge on dæg sige āhton; ǫnd þǣr wearþ micel wælsliht27on gehwæþere hǫnd; ǫnd þā Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe1gewald; ǫnd þær wearþ Hēahmund bisceop ofslægen,2ǫnd fela gōdra mǫnna. Ǫnd æfter þissum gefeohte cuōm13micel sumorlida.4Ǫnd þæs ofer Ēastron gefōr Æþered cyning; ǫnd hē5rīcsode v gēar; ǫnd his līc līþ æt Wīnburnan.6Þā fēng Ælfred Æþelwulfing his brōþur tō Wesseaxna7rīce. Ǫnd þæs ymb ānne mōnaþ gefeaht Ælfred cyning8wiþ alne4þone hęre lȳtle werede10æt Wiltūne, ǫnd hine9lǫnge on dæg geflīemde, ǫnd þā Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe10gewald.11Ǫnd þæs gēares wurdon viiii folcgefeoht gefohten wiþ12þone hęre on þȳ cynerīce be sūþan Tęmese,būtan þām þe13him Ælfred þæs cyninges brōþur ǫnd ānlīpig aldormǫn2ǫnd14cyninges þegnas oft rāde onridon þe mǫn nā ne rīmde;15ǫnd þæs gēares wǣrun5ofslægene viiii eorlas ǫnd ān cyning.16Ǫnd þȳ gēare nāmon Westseaxe friþ wiþ þone hęre.

1871. Hēr cuōm1sē hęre tō Rēadingum on Westseaxe,

2ǫnd þæs ymb iii niht ridon ii eorlas ūp. Þa gemētte hīe

1Æþelwulf aldorman2on Ęnglafelda, ǫnd him þǣr wiþ gefeaht,

2ǫnd sige nam. Þæs ymb iiii niht Æþered cyning

3ǫnd Ælfred his brōþur3þǣr micle fierd tō Rēadingum

4gelǣddon, ǫnd wiþ þone hęre gefuhton; ǫnd þǣr wæs

5micel wæl geslægen on gehwæþre hǫnd, ǫnd Æþelwulf

6aldormǫn wearþ ofslægen; ǫnd þa Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe

7gewald.

8Ǫnd þæs ymb iiii nihtgefeahtÆþered cyning ǫnd

9Ælfred his brōþur wiþ alne4þone hęre on Æscesdūne.

10Ǫnd hīe wǣrun5on twǣm gefylcum: on ōþrum wæs

11Bāchsęcg ǫnd Halfdęne þā hǣþnan cyningas, ǫnd on

12ōþrum wǣron þā eorlas. Ǫnd þā gefeaht sē cyning

13Æþered wiþ þāra cyninga getruman, ǫnd þǣr wearþ sē

14cyning Bāgsęcg ofslægen; ǫnd Ælfred his brōþur wiþ

15þāra eorla getruman, ǫnd þǣr wearþ Sidroc eorl ofslægen

16sē alda,6ǫnd Sidroc eorl sē gioncga,7ǫnd Ōsbearn eorl,

17ǫnd Frǣna eorl, ǫnd Hareld eorl; ǫnd þā hęrgas8bēgen

18geflīemde,ǫnd fela þūsenda ofslægenra, ǫnd onfeohtende

19wǣron oþ niht.

20Ǫnd þæs ymb xiiii niht gefeaht Æþered cyning ǫnd

21Ælfred his brōður wiþ þone hęre æt Basengum, ǫnd þǣr

22þa Dęniscan sige nāmon.

23Ǫnd þæs ymb ii mōnaþ gefeaht Æþered cyning ǫnd

24Ælfred his brōþur wiþ þone hęre æt Męretūne, ǫnd hīe

25wǣrun on tuǣm9gefylcium, ǫnd hīe būtū geflīemdon, ǫnd

26lǫnge on dæg sige āhton; ǫnd þǣr wearþ micel wælsliht

27on gehwæþere hǫnd; ǫnd þā Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe

1gewald; ǫnd þær wearþ Hēahmund bisceop ofslægen,

2ǫnd fela gōdra mǫnna. Ǫnd æfter þissum gefeohte cuōm1

3micel sumorlida.

4Ǫnd þæs ofer Ēastron gefōr Æþered cyning; ǫnd hē

5rīcsode v gēar; ǫnd his līc līþ æt Wīnburnan.

6Þā fēng Ælfred Æþelwulfing his brōþur tō Wesseaxna

7rīce. Ǫnd þæs ymb ānne mōnaþ gefeaht Ælfred cyning

8wiþ alne4þone hęre lȳtle werede10æt Wiltūne, ǫnd hine

9lǫnge on dæg geflīemde, ǫnd þā Dęniscan āhton wælstōwe

10gewald.

11Ǫnd þæs gēares wurdon viiii folcgefeoht gefohten wiþ

12þone hęre on þȳ cynerīce be sūþan Tęmese,būtan þām þe

13him Ælfred þæs cyninges brōþur ǫnd ānlīpig aldormǫn2ǫnd

14cyninges þegnas oft rāde onridon þe mǫn nā ne rīmde;

15ǫnd þæs gēares wǣrun5ofslægene viiii eorlas ǫnd ān cyning.

16Ǫnd þȳ gēare nāmon Westseaxe friþ wiþ þone hęre.

100.8.gefeaht. Notice that the singular is used. This is the more common construction in O.E. when a compound subject, composed of singular members, follows its predicate. Cf.For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory. See alsop. 107, note onwæs.100.18.ǫnd fela þūsenda ofslægenra,and there were many thousands of slain(§91).101.12.būtan þām þe, etc.,besides which, Alfred ... made raids against them(him),which were not counted. See§70, Note.

100.18.ǫnd fela þūsenda ofslægenra,and there were many thousands of slain(§91).

101.12.būtan þām þe, etc.,besides which, Alfred ... made raids against them(him),which were not counted. See§70, Note.

Consult Glossary and Paradigms under Forms given below.

No note is made of such variants asy(ȳ) ori(ī) forie(īe). See Glossary underie(īe); occurrences, also, ofandforǫnd,landforlǫnd, are found on almost every page of Early West Saxon. Such words should be sought for under the more common forms,ǫnd,lǫnd.

1= cwōm.2= ealdormǫn.3= brōþor.4= ealne.5= wǣron.6= ealda.7= geonga.8= hęras.9= twǣm.10= werode.

1= cwōm.

2= ealdormǫn.

3= brōþor.

4= ealne.

5= wǣron.

6= ealda.

7= geonga.

8= hęras.

9= twǣm.

10= werode.

[With this characteristic prayer, Alfred concludes his translation of Boëthius’sConsolation of Philosophy. Unfortunately, the only extant MS. (Bodleian 180) is Late West Saxon. I follow, therefore, Prof. A. S. Cook’s normalization on an Early West Saxon basis. See Cook’sFirst Book in Old English, p. 163.]

1Dryhten, ælmihtiga God, Wyrhta and Wealdend ealra2gesceafta, ic bidde ðē for ðīnre miclan mildheortnesse,3and for ðǣre hālgan rōde tācne, and for SanctæMarian4mægðhāde, and for SanctiMichaelesgehīersumnesse, and5for ealra ðīnra hālgena lufan and hīera earnungum, ðæt6ðū mē gewissie bęt ðonne ic āworhte tō ðē; and gewissa7mē tō ðīnum willan, and tō mīnre sāwle ðearfe, bęt ðonne8ic self cunne; and gestaðela mīn mōd tō ðinum willan and9tō mīnre sāwle ðearfe; and gestranga mē wið ðæs dēofles10costnungum; and āfierr fram mē ðā fūlan gālnesse and11ǣlce unrihtwīsnesse; and gescield mē wið mīnum wiðerwinnum,12gesewenlīcum and ungesewenlīcum; and tǣc mē13ðīnne willan tō wyrceanne; ðæt ic mæge ðē inweardlīce14lufian tōforan eallum ðingum, mid clǣnum geðance and15mid clǣnum līchaman. For ðon ðe ðū eart mīn Scieppend,16and mīn Alīesend, mīn Fultum, mīn Frōfor, mīn Trēownes,17and mīn Tōhopa.Sīe ðē lofand wuldor nū and18ā ā ā, tō worulde būtan ǣghwilcum ęnde. Amen.

1Dryhten, ælmihtiga God, Wyrhta and Wealdend ealra

2gesceafta, ic bidde ðē for ðīnre miclan mildheortnesse,

3and for ðǣre hālgan rōde tācne, and for SanctæMarian

4mægðhāde, and for SanctiMichaelesgehīersumnesse, and

5for ealra ðīnra hālgena lufan and hīera earnungum, ðæt

6ðū mē gewissie bęt ðonne ic āworhte tō ðē; and gewissa

7mē tō ðīnum willan, and tō mīnre sāwle ðearfe, bęt ðonne

8ic self cunne; and gestaðela mīn mōd tō ðinum willan and

9tō mīnre sāwle ðearfe; and gestranga mē wið ðæs dēofles

10costnungum; and āfierr fram mē ðā fūlan gālnesse and

11ǣlce unrihtwīsnesse; and gescield mē wið mīnum wiðerwinnum,

12gesewenlīcum and ungesewenlīcum; and tǣc mē

13ðīnne willan tō wyrceanne; ðæt ic mæge ðē inweardlīce

14lufian tōforan eallum ðingum, mid clǣnum geðance and

15mid clǣnum līchaman. For ðon ðe ðū eart mīn Scieppend,

16and mīn Alīesend, mīn Fultum, mīn Frōfor, mīn Trēownes,

17and mīn Tōhopa.Sīe ðē lofand wuldor nū and

18ā ā ā, tō worulde būtan ǣghwilcum ęnde. Amen.

102.3-4.Marian ... Michaeles. O.E. is inconsistent in the treatment of foreign names. They are sometimes naturalized, and sometimes retain in part their original inflections.Marian, an original accusative, is here used as a genitive; whileMichaeleshas the O.E. genitive ending.102.17.Sīe ðē lof. See§105, 1.

102.17.Sīe ðē lof. See§105, 1.

[Lauderdale and Cottonian MSS. These voyages are an original insertion by Alfred into his translation of Orosius’sCompendious History of the World.

“They consist,” says Ten Brink, “of a complete description of all the countries in which the Teutonic tongue prevailed at Alfred’s time, and a full narrative of the travels of two voyagers, which the king wrote down from their own lips. One of these, a Norwegian named Ohthere, had quitecircumnavigated the coast of Scandinavia in his travels, and had even penetrated to the White Sea; the other, named Wulfstan, had sailed from Schleswig to Frische Haff. The geographical and ethnographical details of both accounts are exceedingly interesting, and their style is attractive, clear, and concrete.”

Ohthere made two voyages. Sailing first northward along the western coast of Norway, he rounded the North Cape, passed into the White Sea, and entered the Dwina River (ān micel ēa). On his second voyage he sailed southward along the western coast of Norway, entered the Skager Rack (wīdsǣ), passed through the Cattegat, and anchored at the Danish port of Haddeby (æt Hǣþum), modern Schleswig.

Wulfstan sailed only in the Baltic Sea. His voyage of seven days from Schleswig brought him to Drausen (Trūsō) on the shore of the Drausensea.]

1Ōthęre sǣde his hlāforde, Ælfrede cyninge, þæt hē2ealra Norðmǫnna norþmest būde. Hē cwæð þæt hē būde3on þǣm lande norþweardum wiþ þā Westsæ. Hē sǣde4þēah þæt þæt land sīe swīþe lang norþ þonan; ac hit is5eal wēste, būton on fēawum stōwum styccemælum wīciað6Finnas, on huntoðe on wintra, ǫnd on sumera on fiscaþe7be þǣre sǣ. Hē sǣde þæt hē æt sumum cirre wolde8fandian hū lǫnge þæt land norþryhte lǣge, oþþe hwæðer9ǣnig mǫn be norðan þǣm wēstenne būde. Þā fōr hē10norþryhte be þǣm lande: lēt him ealne weg þæt wēste11land on ðæt stēorbord, ǫnd þā wīdsǣ on ðæt bæcbord þrīe12dagas. Þā wæs hē swā feor norþ swā þā hwælhuntan13firrest faraþ. Þā fōr hē þā gīet norþryhte swā feor swā14hē meahte on þǣm ōþrum þrīm dagum gesiglan. Þā bēag15þæt land þǣr ēastryhte, oþþe sēo sǣ in on ðæt lǫnd, hē16nysse hwæðer, būton hē wisse ðæt hē ðǣr bād westanwindes17ǫnd hwōn norþan, ǫnd siglde ðā ēast be lande18swā swā hē meahte on fēower dagum gesiglan. Þā19sceolde hē ðǣr bīdan ryhtnorþanwindes, for ðǣm þæt20land bēag þǣr sūþryhte, oþþe sēo sǣ in on ðæt land, hē21nysse hwæþer. Þā siglde hē þǫnan sūðryhte be lande1swā swā hē męhte1on fīf dagum gesiglan. Ðā læg þǣr2ān micel ēa ūp in on þæt land. Þā cirdon hīe ūp in on3ðā ēa, for þǣm hīe ne dorston forþ bī þǣre ēa siglan for4unfriþe; for þǣm ðæt land wæs eall gebūn on ōþre healfe5þǣre ēas. Ne mētte hē ǣr nān gebūn land, siþþan hē6frǫm his āgnum hāmfōr; ac him wæs ealne weg wēste7land on þæt stēorbord, būtan fiscerum ǫnd fugelerum ōnd8huntum,ǫnd þæt wǣroneall Finnas; ǫnd him wæs ā9wīdsǣ on ðæt bæcbord. Þā Beormas hæfdon swīþe wel10gebūd hira land: ac hīe ne dorston þǣr on cuman. Ac11þāra Terfinna land wæs eal wēste, būton ðǣr huntan12gewīcodon, oþþe fisceras, oþþe fugeleras.13Fela spella him sǣdon þā Beormas ǣgþer ge of hiera14āgnum lande ge of þǣm landum þe ymb hīe ūtan wǣron;15ac hē nystehwæt þæs sōþes wæs, for þǣm hē hit self ne16geseah. Þā Finnas, him þūhte, ǫnd þā Beormas sprǣcon17nēah ān geþēode. Swīþost hē fōr ðider, tō ēacan þæs18landes scēawunge, for þǣm horshwælum, for ðǣm hīe19habbað swīþe æþele bān on hiora2tōþum—þā tēð hīe brōhton20sume þǣm cyninge—ǫnd hiora hȳd bið swīðe gōd tō21sciprāpum. Sē hwæl bið micle lǣssa þonne ōðre hwalas:22ne bið hē lęngra ðonne syfan3ęlna lang; ac on his āgnum23lande is sē bętsta hwælhuntað: þā bēoð eahta and fēowertiges24ęlna lange, and þā mǣstan fīftiges ęlna lange;25þāra hē sǣde þæt hēsyxa sumofslōge syxtig on twām26dagum.1Hē wæs swȳðe spēdig man on þǣm ǣhtum þe heora22spēdaon bēoð, þæt is, on wildrum. Hē hæfde þā gȳt, ðā3hē þone cyningc5sōhte, tamra dēora unbebohtra syx hund.4Þā dēor hī hātað ‘hrānas’; þāra wǣron syx stælhrānas;5ðā bēoð swȳðe dȳre mid Finnum, for ðǣm hȳ fōð þā6wildan hrānas mid. Hē wæs mid þǣm fyrstum mannum7on þǣm lande: næfde hē þēah mā ðonne twēntig hrȳðera,8and twēntig scēapa, and twēntig swȳna; and þæt lȳtle9þæt hē ęrede, hē ęrede mid horsan.4Ac hyra ār is mǣst10on þǣm gafole þe ðā Finnas him gyldað. Þæt gafol bið11on dēora fellum, and on fugela feðerum, and hwales bāne,12and on þǣm sciprāpum þe bēoð of hwæles hȳde geworht13and of sēoles. Ǣghwilc gylt be hys gebyrdum. Sē byrdesta14sceall gyldan fīftȳne mearðes fell, and fīf hrānes,15and ān beren fel, and tȳn ambra feðra, and berenne kyrtel16oððe yterenne, and twēgen sciprāpas; ǣgþer sȳ syxtig17ęlna lang, ōþer sȳ of hwæles hȳde geworht, ōþer of sīoles.618Hē sǣde ðæt Norðmanna land wǣre swȳþe lang and19swȳðe smæl.Eal þæt his manāðer oððe ęttan oððe ęrian20mæg, þæt līð wið ðā sǣ; and þæt is þēah on sumum21stōwum swȳðe clūdig; and licgað wilde mōras wið ēastan22and wið ūpp on emnlange þǣm bȳnum lande. On þǣm23mōrum eardiað Finnas. And þæt bȳne land is ēasteweard24brādost, and symle swā norðor swā smælre. Ēastewęrd725hit mæg bīon8syxtig mīla brād, oþþe hwēne brǣdre;26and middeweard þrītig oððe brādre; and norðeweard hē27cwæð, þǣr hit smalost wǣre, þæt hit mihte bēon þrēora28mīla brād tō þǣm mōre; and sē mōr syðþan,9on sumum1stōwum, swā brād swā man mæg on twām wucum oferfēran;2and on sumum stōwum swā brād swā man mæg3on syx dagum oferfēran.4Ðonne is tōemnes þǣm lande sūðeweardum, on ōðre5healfe þæs mōres, Swēoland, oþ þæt land norðeweard;6and tōemnes þǣm lande norðeweardum, Cwēna land. Þā7Cwēnas hęrgiað hwīlum on ðā Norðmęn ofer ðone mōr,8hwīlum þā Norðmęn on hȳ. And þǣr sint swīðe micle9męras fersce geond þā mōras; and berað þā Cwēnas hyra10scypu ofer land on ðā męras, and þanon hęrgiað on ðā11Norðmęn; hȳ habbað swȳðe lȳtlescypa and swȳðe12leohte.

1Ōthęre sǣde his hlāforde, Ælfrede cyninge, þæt hē

2ealra Norðmǫnna norþmest būde. Hē cwæð þæt hē būde

3on þǣm lande norþweardum wiþ þā Westsæ. Hē sǣde

4þēah þæt þæt land sīe swīþe lang norþ þonan; ac hit is

5eal wēste, būton on fēawum stōwum styccemælum wīciað

6Finnas, on huntoðe on wintra, ǫnd on sumera on fiscaþe

7be þǣre sǣ. Hē sǣde þæt hē æt sumum cirre wolde

8fandian hū lǫnge þæt land norþryhte lǣge, oþþe hwæðer

9ǣnig mǫn be norðan þǣm wēstenne būde. Þā fōr hē

10norþryhte be þǣm lande: lēt him ealne weg þæt wēste

11land on ðæt stēorbord, ǫnd þā wīdsǣ on ðæt bæcbord þrīe

12dagas. Þā wæs hē swā feor norþ swā þā hwælhuntan

13firrest faraþ. Þā fōr hē þā gīet norþryhte swā feor swā

14hē meahte on þǣm ōþrum þrīm dagum gesiglan. Þā bēag

15þæt land þǣr ēastryhte, oþþe sēo sǣ in on ðæt lǫnd, hē

16nysse hwæðer, būton hē wisse ðæt hē ðǣr bād westanwindes

17ǫnd hwōn norþan, ǫnd siglde ðā ēast be lande

18swā swā hē meahte on fēower dagum gesiglan. Þā

19sceolde hē ðǣr bīdan ryhtnorþanwindes, for ðǣm þæt

20land bēag þǣr sūþryhte, oþþe sēo sǣ in on ðæt land, hē

21nysse hwæþer. Þā siglde hē þǫnan sūðryhte be lande

1swā swā hē męhte1on fīf dagum gesiglan. Ðā læg þǣr

2ān micel ēa ūp in on þæt land. Þā cirdon hīe ūp in on

3ðā ēa, for þǣm hīe ne dorston forþ bī þǣre ēa siglan for

4unfriþe; for þǣm ðæt land wæs eall gebūn on ōþre healfe

5þǣre ēas. Ne mētte hē ǣr nān gebūn land, siþþan hē

6frǫm his āgnum hāmfōr; ac him wæs ealne weg wēste

7land on þæt stēorbord, būtan fiscerum ǫnd fugelerum ōnd

8huntum,ǫnd þæt wǣroneall Finnas; ǫnd him wæs ā

9wīdsǣ on ðæt bæcbord. Þā Beormas hæfdon swīþe wel

10gebūd hira land: ac hīe ne dorston þǣr on cuman. Ac

11þāra Terfinna land wæs eal wēste, būton ðǣr huntan

12gewīcodon, oþþe fisceras, oþþe fugeleras.

13Fela spella him sǣdon þā Beormas ǣgþer ge of hiera

14āgnum lande ge of þǣm landum þe ymb hīe ūtan wǣron;

15ac hē nystehwæt þæs sōþes wæs, for þǣm hē hit self ne

16geseah. Þā Finnas, him þūhte, ǫnd þā Beormas sprǣcon

17nēah ān geþēode. Swīþost hē fōr ðider, tō ēacan þæs

18landes scēawunge, for þǣm horshwælum, for ðǣm hīe

19habbað swīþe æþele bān on hiora2tōþum—þā tēð hīe brōhton

20sume þǣm cyninge—ǫnd hiora hȳd bið swīðe gōd tō

21sciprāpum. Sē hwæl bið micle lǣssa þonne ōðre hwalas:

22ne bið hē lęngra ðonne syfan3ęlna lang; ac on his āgnum

23lande is sē bętsta hwælhuntað: þā bēoð eahta and fēowertiges

24ęlna lange, and þā mǣstan fīftiges ęlna lange;

25þāra hē sǣde þæt hēsyxa sumofslōge syxtig on twām

26dagum.

1Hē wæs swȳðe spēdig man on þǣm ǣhtum þe heora2

2spēdaon bēoð, þæt is, on wildrum. Hē hæfde þā gȳt, ðā

3hē þone cyningc5sōhte, tamra dēora unbebohtra syx hund.

4Þā dēor hī hātað ‘hrānas’; þāra wǣron syx stælhrānas;

5ðā bēoð swȳðe dȳre mid Finnum, for ðǣm hȳ fōð þā

6wildan hrānas mid. Hē wæs mid þǣm fyrstum mannum

7on þǣm lande: næfde hē þēah mā ðonne twēntig hrȳðera,

8and twēntig scēapa, and twēntig swȳna; and þæt lȳtle

9þæt hē ęrede, hē ęrede mid horsan.4Ac hyra ār is mǣst

10on þǣm gafole þe ðā Finnas him gyldað. Þæt gafol bið

11on dēora fellum, and on fugela feðerum, and hwales bāne,

12and on þǣm sciprāpum þe bēoð of hwæles hȳde geworht

13and of sēoles. Ǣghwilc gylt be hys gebyrdum. Sē byrdesta

14sceall gyldan fīftȳne mearðes fell, and fīf hrānes,

15and ān beren fel, and tȳn ambra feðra, and berenne kyrtel

16oððe yterenne, and twēgen sciprāpas; ǣgþer sȳ syxtig

17ęlna lang, ōþer sȳ of hwæles hȳde geworht, ōþer of sīoles.6

18Hē sǣde ðæt Norðmanna land wǣre swȳþe lang and

19swȳðe smæl.Eal þæt his manāðer oððe ęttan oððe ęrian

20mæg, þæt līð wið ðā sǣ; and þæt is þēah on sumum

21stōwum swȳðe clūdig; and licgað wilde mōras wið ēastan

22and wið ūpp on emnlange þǣm bȳnum lande. On þǣm

23mōrum eardiað Finnas. And þæt bȳne land is ēasteweard

24brādost, and symle swā norðor swā smælre. Ēastewęrd7

25hit mæg bīon8syxtig mīla brād, oþþe hwēne brǣdre;

26and middeweard þrītig oððe brādre; and norðeweard hē

27cwæð, þǣr hit smalost wǣre, þæt hit mihte bēon þrēora

28mīla brād tō þǣm mōre; and sē mōr syðþan,9on sumum

1stōwum, swā brād swā man mæg on twām wucum oferfēran;

2and on sumum stōwum swā brād swā man mæg

3on syx dagum oferfēran.

4Ðonne is tōemnes þǣm lande sūðeweardum, on ōðre

5healfe þæs mōres, Swēoland, oþ þæt land norðeweard;

6and tōemnes þǣm lande norðeweardum, Cwēna land. Þā

7Cwēnas hęrgiað hwīlum on ðā Norðmęn ofer ðone mōr,

8hwīlum þā Norðmęn on hȳ. And þǣr sint swīðe micle

9męras fersce geond þā mōras; and berað þā Cwēnas hyra

10scypu ofer land on ðā męras, and þanon hęrgiað on ðā

11Norðmęn; hȳ habbað swȳðe lȳtlescypa and swȳðe

12leohte.

104.6.frǫm his āgnum hām. An adverbial dative singular without an inflectional ending is found withhām,dæg,morgen, andǣfen.104.8.ǫnd þæt wǣron. See§40, Note 3.104.15.hwæt þæs sōþes wæs. Sweet errs in explainingsōþesas attracted into the genitive byþæs. It is not a predicate adjective, but a partitive genitive afterhwæt.104.25.syxa sum. See§91, Note 2.105.2.on bēoð. See§94, (5).105.19.Eal þæt his man. Pronominal genitives are not always possessive in O.E.;hisis here the partitive genitive ofhit, the succeeding relative pronoun being omitted:All that(portion)of it that may, either-of-the-two, either be grazed or plowed, etc. (§70, Note).106.11-12.scypa ... leohte. These words exhibit inflections more frequent in Late than in Early West Saxon. The normal forms would bescypu,leoht; but in Late West Saxon the-uof short-stemmed neuters is generally replaced by-a; and the nominative accusative plural neuter of adjectives takes, by analogy, the masculine endings;hwate,gōde,hālge, instead ofhwatu,gōd,hālgu.

104.6.frǫm his āgnum hām. An adverbial dative singular without an inflectional ending is found withhām,dæg,morgen, andǣfen.

104.8.ǫnd þæt wǣron. See§40, Note 3.

104.15.hwæt þæs sōþes wæs. Sweet errs in explainingsōþesas attracted into the genitive byþæs. It is not a predicate adjective, but a partitive genitive afterhwæt.

104.25.syxa sum. See§91, Note 2.

105.2.on bēoð. See§94, (5).

105.19.Eal þæt his man. Pronominal genitives are not always possessive in O.E.;hisis here the partitive genitive ofhit, the succeeding relative pronoun being omitted:All that(portion)of it that may, either-of-the-two, either be grazed or plowed, etc. (§70, Note).

106.11-12.scypa ... leohte. These words exhibit inflections more frequent in Late than in Early West Saxon. The normal forms would bescypu,leoht; but in Late West Saxon the-uof short-stemmed neuters is generally replaced by-a; and the nominative accusative plural neuter of adjectives takes, by analogy, the masculine endings;hwate,gōde,hālge, instead ofhwatu,gōd,hālgu.

1= meahte, mihte.2= hiera.3= seofon.4= horsum.5= cyning.6= sēoles.7= -weard.8= bēon.9= siððan.

1= meahte, mihte.

2= hiera.

3= seofon.

4= horsum.

5= cyning.

6= sēoles.

7= -weard.

8= bēon.

9= siððan.

13Ōhthęre sǣde þæt sīo1scīr hātte Hālgoland, þe hē on14būde. Hē cwæð þæt nān man ne būde be norðan him.15Þonne is ān port on sūðeweardum þǣm lande, þone man16hǣt Sciringeshēal. Þyder hē cwæð þæt man ne mihte17geseglian on ānum mōnðe, gyf man on niht wīcode, and18ǣlce dæge hæfde ambyrne wind; and ealle ðā hwīle hē19sceal seglian be lande. And on þæt stēorbord him bið20ǣrest Īraland, and þonne ðā īgland þe synd betux Īralande21and þissum lande. Þonne is þis land, oð hē cymð22tō Scirincgeshēale, and ealne weg on þæt bæcbord Norðweg.1Wið sūðan þone Sciringeshēal fylð swȳðe mycel2sǣ ūp in on ðæt land; sēo is brādre þonne ǣnig man ofer3sēon mæge. And is Gotland on ōðre healfe ongēan, and4siððan Sillęnde. Sēo sǣ līð mænig2hund mīla ūp in on5þæt land.6And of Sciringeshēale hē cwæð ðæt hē seglode on fīf7dagan3tō þǣm porte þe mǫn hǣtæt Hǣþum; sē stęnt8betuh Winedum, and Seaxum, and Angle, and hȳrð in9on Dęne. Ðā hē þiderweard seglode fram Sciringeshēale,10þā wæs him on þæt bæcbord Dęnamearc and on11þæt stēorbord wīdsǣ þrȳ dagas; and þā, twēgen dagas ǣr12hē tō Hǣþum cōme, him wæs on þæt stēorbord Gotland,13and Sillęnde, and īglanda fela. On þǣm landum eardodon14Ęngle, ǣr hī hider on land cōman.4And hymwæs15ðā twēgen dagas on ðæt bæcbord þā īglandþe in on16Dęnemearce hȳrað.

13Ōhthęre sǣde þæt sīo1scīr hātte Hālgoland, þe hē on

14būde. Hē cwæð þæt nān man ne būde be norðan him.

15Þonne is ān port on sūðeweardum þǣm lande, þone man

16hǣt Sciringeshēal. Þyder hē cwæð þæt man ne mihte

17geseglian on ānum mōnðe, gyf man on niht wīcode, and

18ǣlce dæge hæfde ambyrne wind; and ealle ðā hwīle hē

19sceal seglian be lande. And on þæt stēorbord him bið

20ǣrest Īraland, and þonne ðā īgland þe synd betux Īralande

21and þissum lande. Þonne is þis land, oð hē cymð

22tō Scirincgeshēale, and ealne weg on þæt bæcbord Norðweg.

1Wið sūðan þone Sciringeshēal fylð swȳðe mycel

2sǣ ūp in on ðæt land; sēo is brādre þonne ǣnig man ofer

3sēon mæge. And is Gotland on ōðre healfe ongēan, and

4siððan Sillęnde. Sēo sǣ līð mænig2hund mīla ūp in on

5þæt land.

6And of Sciringeshēale hē cwæð ðæt hē seglode on fīf

7dagan3tō þǣm porte þe mǫn hǣtæt Hǣþum; sē stęnt

8betuh Winedum, and Seaxum, and Angle, and hȳrð in

9on Dęne. Ðā hē þiderweard seglode fram Sciringeshēale,

10þā wæs him on þæt bæcbord Dęnamearc and on

11þæt stēorbord wīdsǣ þrȳ dagas; and þā, twēgen dagas ǣr

12hē tō Hǣþum cōme, him wæs on þæt stēorbord Gotland,

13and Sillęnde, and īglanda fela. On þǣm landum eardodon

14Ęngle, ǣr hī hider on land cōman.4And hymwæs

15ðā twēgen dagas on ðæt bæcbord þā īglandþe in on

16Dęnemearce hȳrað.

107.7.æt Hǣþum. “This pleonastic use ofætwith names of places occurs elsewhere in the older writings, as in the Chronicle (552), ‘in þǣre stōwe þe is genęmned æt Searobyrg,’ where theæthas been erased by some later hand, showing that the idiom had become obsolete.Cp.the German ‘Gasthaus zur Krone,’ Stamboul =es tān pólin.” (Sweet.) See, also,Atterbury, § 28, Note 3.107.14-15.wæs ... þā īgland. The singular predicate is due again to inversion (p. 100, note ongefeaht). The construction is comparatively rare in O.E., but frequent in Shakespeare and in the popular speech of to-day. Cf.There is,Here is,There has been, etc., with a (single) plural subject following.

107.14-15.wæs ... þā īgland. The singular predicate is due again to inversion (p. 100, note ongefeaht). The construction is comparatively rare in O.E., but frequent in Shakespeare and in the popular speech of to-day. Cf.There is,Here is,There has been, etc., with a (single) plural subject following.

1= sēo.2= mǫnig.3= dagum.4= cōmen.

1= sēo.

2= mǫnig.

3= dagum.

4= cōmen.

17Wulfstān sǣde þæt hē gefōre of Hǣðum, þæt hē wǣre18on Trūsō on syfan dagum and nihtum, þæt þæt scip wæs19ealne weg yrnende under segle. Weonoðland him wæs1on stēorbord, and on bæcbordhimwæs Langaland, and2Lǣland, and Falster, and Scōnēg; and þās land eall3hȳrað tō Dęnemearcan. And þonne Burgenda land wæs4ūson bæcbord, and þā habbað him sylfe1cyning. Þonne5æfter Burgenda lande wǣron ūs þās land, þā synd hātene6ǣrest Blēcinga-ēg, and Mēore, and Ēowland, and Gotland7on bæcbord; and þās land hȳrað tō Swēom. And Weonodland8wæs ūs ealne weg on stēorbord oð Wīslemūðan.9Sēo Wīsle is swȳðe mycel ēa, and hīo2tōlīð Wītland and10Weonodland; and þæt Wītland belimpeð tō Estum; and11sēo Wīsle līð ūt of Weonodlande, and līð in Estmęre;12and sē Estmęre is hūru fīftēne3mīla brād. Þonne cymeð13Ilfing ēastan in Estmęre of ðām męre, ðe Trūsō standeð14in stæðe; and cumað ūt samod in Estmęre, Ilfing ēastan15of Estlande, and Wīsle sūðan of Winodlande. And16þonne benimð Wīsle Ilfing hire naman, and ligeð of þǣm17męre west and norð on sǣ; for ðȳ hit man hǣt18Wīslemūða.19Þæt Estland is swȳðe mycel, and þǣr bið swȳðe manig20burh, and on ǣlcere byrig bið cyning. And þǣr bið21swȳðe mycel hunig, and fiscnað; and sē cyning and þā22rīcostan męn drincað mȳran meolc, and þā unspēdigan23and þā þēowan drincað medo.4Þǣr bið swȳðe mycel24gewinn betwēonan him. And ne bið ðǣr nǣnig ealo525gebrowen mid Estum, ac þǣr bið medo genōh. And þǣr26is mid Estum ðēaw, þonne þǣr bið man dēad, þæt hē līð27inne unforbærned mid his māgum and frēondum mōnað,28ge hwīlum twēgen; and þā cyningas, and þā ōðre hēahðungene29męn, swā micle lęncg6swā hī māran spēda30habbað, hwīlum healf gēar þæt hī bēoð unforbærned, and1licgað bufan eorðan on hyra hūsum. And ealle þā hwīle2þe þæt līc bið inne, þǣrscealbēon gedrync and plega,3oð ðone dæg þe hī hine forbærnað. Þonne þȳ ylcan dæge4þe hī hine tō þǣm āde beran wyllað, þonne tōdǣlað hī5his feoh, þæt þǣr tō lāfe bið æfter þǣm gedrynce and þǣm6plegan, on fīf oððe syx, hwȳlum on mā, swā swā þæs fēos7andēfn bið.Ālęcgað hitðonne forhwæga on ānre mīle8þone mǣstan dǣl fram þǣm tūne, þonne ōðerne, ðonne9þone þriddan, oþ þe hyt eall ālēd bið on þǣre ānre mīle;10and sceall bēon sē lǣsta dǣl nȳhst þǣm tūne ðe sē dēada11man on lið. Ðonne sceolon7bēon gesamnode ealle ðā12męnn ðe swyftoste hors habbað on þǣm lande, forhwæga13on fīf mīlum oððe on syx mīlum fram þǣm fēo. Þonne14ærnað hȳ ealle tōweard þǣm fēo: ðonne cymeð sē man15sē þæt swiftoste hors hafað tō þǣm ǣrestan dǣle and tō16þǣm mǣstan, and swā ǣlc æfter ōðrum, oþ hit bið eall17genumen; and sē nimð þone lǣstan dǣl sē nȳhst þǣm18tūne þæt feoh geærneð. And þonne rīdeð ǣlc hys weges19mid ðǣm fēo, and hyt mōtan8habban eall; and for ðȳ20þǣr bēoð þā swiftan hors ungefōge dȳre. And þonne his21gestrēon bēoð þus eall āspęnded, þonne byrð man hine ūt,22and forbærneð mid his wǣpnum and hrægle; and swīðost1ealle hys spēda hȳ forspęndað mid þǣm langan legere2þæs dēadan mannes inne, and þæs þe hȳ be þǣm wegum3ālęcgað, þe ðā fręmdan tō ærnað, and nimað. And þæt4is mid Estum þēaw þæt þǣr sceal ǣlces geðēodes man5bēon forbærned; and gyf þār9man ān bān findeð unforbærned,6hīhit sceolan7miclum gebētan. And þǣr is mid7Estum ān mǣgð þæt hī magon cyle gewyrcan; and þȳ8þǣr licgað þā dēadan męn swā lange, and ne fūliað, þæt9hȳ wyrcað þone cyle him on. And þēah man āsętte10twēgen fǣtels full ealað oððe wæteres, hȳ gedōð þæt11ǣgþer bið oferfroren, sam hit sȳ sumor sam winter.

17Wulfstān sǣde þæt hē gefōre of Hǣðum, þæt hē wǣre

18on Trūsō on syfan dagum and nihtum, þæt þæt scip wæs

19ealne weg yrnende under segle. Weonoðland him wæs

1on stēorbord, and on bæcbordhimwæs Langaland, and

2Lǣland, and Falster, and Scōnēg; and þās land eall

3hȳrað tō Dęnemearcan. And þonne Burgenda land wæs

4ūson bæcbord, and þā habbað him sylfe1cyning. Þonne

5æfter Burgenda lande wǣron ūs þās land, þā synd hātene

6ǣrest Blēcinga-ēg, and Mēore, and Ēowland, and Gotland

7on bæcbord; and þās land hȳrað tō Swēom. And Weonodland

8wæs ūs ealne weg on stēorbord oð Wīslemūðan.

9Sēo Wīsle is swȳðe mycel ēa, and hīo2tōlīð Wītland and

10Weonodland; and þæt Wītland belimpeð tō Estum; and

11sēo Wīsle līð ūt of Weonodlande, and līð in Estmęre;

12and sē Estmęre is hūru fīftēne3mīla brād. Þonne cymeð

13Ilfing ēastan in Estmęre of ðām męre, ðe Trūsō standeð

14in stæðe; and cumað ūt samod in Estmęre, Ilfing ēastan

15of Estlande, and Wīsle sūðan of Winodlande. And

16þonne benimð Wīsle Ilfing hire naman, and ligeð of þǣm

17męre west and norð on sǣ; for ðȳ hit man hǣt

18Wīslemūða.

19Þæt Estland is swȳðe mycel, and þǣr bið swȳðe manig

20burh, and on ǣlcere byrig bið cyning. And þǣr bið

21swȳðe mycel hunig, and fiscnað; and sē cyning and þā

22rīcostan męn drincað mȳran meolc, and þā unspēdigan

23and þā þēowan drincað medo.4Þǣr bið swȳðe mycel

24gewinn betwēonan him. And ne bið ðǣr nǣnig ealo5

25gebrowen mid Estum, ac þǣr bið medo genōh. And þǣr

26is mid Estum ðēaw, þonne þǣr bið man dēad, þæt hē līð

27inne unforbærned mid his māgum and frēondum mōnað,

28ge hwīlum twēgen; and þā cyningas, and þā ōðre hēahðungene

29męn, swā micle lęncg6swā hī māran spēda

30habbað, hwīlum healf gēar þæt hī bēoð unforbærned, and

1licgað bufan eorðan on hyra hūsum. And ealle þā hwīle

2þe þæt līc bið inne, þǣrscealbēon gedrync and plega,

3oð ðone dæg þe hī hine forbærnað. Þonne þȳ ylcan dæge

4þe hī hine tō þǣm āde beran wyllað, þonne tōdǣlað hī

5his feoh, þæt þǣr tō lāfe bið æfter þǣm gedrynce and þǣm

6plegan, on fīf oððe syx, hwȳlum on mā, swā swā þæs fēos

7andēfn bið.Ālęcgað hitðonne forhwæga on ānre mīle

8þone mǣstan dǣl fram þǣm tūne, þonne ōðerne, ðonne

9þone þriddan, oþ þe hyt eall ālēd bið on þǣre ānre mīle;

10and sceall bēon sē lǣsta dǣl nȳhst þǣm tūne ðe sē dēada

11man on lið. Ðonne sceolon7bēon gesamnode ealle ðā

12męnn ðe swyftoste hors habbað on þǣm lande, forhwæga

13on fīf mīlum oððe on syx mīlum fram þǣm fēo. Þonne

14ærnað hȳ ealle tōweard þǣm fēo: ðonne cymeð sē man

15sē þæt swiftoste hors hafað tō þǣm ǣrestan dǣle and tō

16þǣm mǣstan, and swā ǣlc æfter ōðrum, oþ hit bið eall

17genumen; and sē nimð þone lǣstan dǣl sē nȳhst þǣm

18tūne þæt feoh geærneð. And þonne rīdeð ǣlc hys weges

19mid ðǣm fēo, and hyt mōtan8habban eall; and for ðȳ

20þǣr bēoð þā swiftan hors ungefōge dȳre. And þonne his

21gestrēon bēoð þus eall āspęnded, þonne byrð man hine ūt,

22and forbærneð mid his wǣpnum and hrægle; and swīðost

1ealle hys spēda hȳ forspęndað mid þǣm langan legere

2þæs dēadan mannes inne, and þæs þe hȳ be þǣm wegum

3ālęcgað, þe ðā fręmdan tō ærnað, and nimað. And þæt

4is mid Estum þēaw þæt þǣr sceal ǣlces geðēodes man

5bēon forbærned; and gyf þār9man ān bān findeð unforbærned,

6hīhit sceolan7miclum gebētan. And þǣr is mid

7Estum ān mǣgð þæt hī magon cyle gewyrcan; and þȳ

8þǣr licgað þā dēadan męn swā lange, and ne fūliað, þæt

9hȳ wyrcað þone cyle him on. And þēah man āsętte

10twēgen fǣtels full ealað oððe wæteres, hȳ gedōð þæt

11ǣgþer bið oferfroren, sam hit sȳ sumor sam winter.

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