The Battle of Brunanburh

Her æþelstan cyning, eorla dryhten, beorna beahgifa, and his broþor eac, Eadmund æþeling, ealdorlangne tir geslogon æt sæcce sweorda ecgum ymbe Brunanburh. Bordweal clufan, heowan heaþolinde hamora lafan, afaran Eadweardes, swa him geæþele wæs from cneomægum, þæt hi æt campe oft wiþ laþra gehwæne land ealgodon, hord and hamas. Hettend crungun, Sceotta leoda and scipflotan fæge feollan, feld dænnede secga swate, siðþan sunne up on morgentid, mære tungol,

glad ofer grundas, godes condel beorht, eces drihtnes, oð sio æþele gesceaft sah to setle. þær læg secg mænig garum ageted, guma norþerna ofer scild scoten, swilce Scittisc eac, werig, wiges sæd. Wesseaxe forð ondlongne dæg eorodcistum on last legdun laþum þeodum, heowan herefleman hindan þearle mecum mylenscearpan. Myrce ne wyrndon heardes hondplegan hæleþa nanum þæra þe mid Anlafe ofer æra gebland on lides bosme land gesohtun, fæge to gefeohte. Fife lægun

on þam campstede cyningas giunge, sweordum aswefede, swilce seofene eac eorlas Anlafes, unrim heriges, flotan and Sceotta. þær geflemed wearð Norðmanna bregu, nede gebeded, to lides stefne litle weorode; cread cnear on flot, cyning ut gewat on fealene flod, feorh generede. Swilce þær eac se froda mid fleame com on his cyþþe norð, Costontinus, har hilderinc, hreman ne þorfte mæca gemanan; he wæs his mæga sceard, freonda gefylled on folcstede, beslagen æt sæcce, and his sunu forlet

on wælstowe wundun forgrunden, giungne æt guðe. Gelpan ne þorfte beorn blandenfeax bilgeslehtes, eald inwidda, ne Anlaf þy ma; mid heora herelafum hlehhan ne þorftun þæt heo beaduweorca beteran wurdun on campstede cumbolgehnastes, garmittinge, gumena gemotes, wæpengewrixles, þæs hi on wælfelda wiþ Eadweardes afaran plegodan. Gewitan him þa Norþmen negledcnearrum, dreorig daraða laf, on Dinges mere ofer deop wæter Difelin secan, eft Iraland, æwiscmode.

Swilce þa gebroþer begen ætsamne, cyning and æþeling, cyþþe sohton, Wesseaxena land, wiges hremige. Letan him behindan hræw bryttian saluwigpadan, þone sweartan hræfn, hyrnednebban, and þane hasewanpadan, earn æftan hwit, æses brucan, grædigne guðhafoc and þæt græge deor, wulf on wealde. Ne wearð wæl mare on þis eiglande æfre gieta folces gefylled beforan þissum sweordes ecgum, þæs þe us secgað bec, ealde uðwitan, siþþan eastan hider Engle and Seaxe up becoman,

ofer brad brimu Brytene sohtan, wlance wigsmiþas, Wealas ofercoman, eorlas arhwate eard begeatan.