The Fates of the Apostles

Hwæt! Ic þysne sang siðgeomor fand on seocum sefan, samnode wide hu þa æðelingas ellen cyðdon, torhte ond tireadige. Twelfe wæron, dædum domfæste, dryhtne gecorene, leofe on life. Lof wide sprang, miht ond mærðo, ofer middangeard, þeodnes þegna, þrym unlytel. Halgan heape hlyt wisode þær hie dryhtnes æ deman sceoldon, reccan fore rincum. Sume on Romebyrig, frame, fyrdhwate, feorh ofgefon þurg Nerones nearwe searwe, Petrus ond Paulus. Is se apostolhad

wide geweorðod ofer werþeoda! Swylce Andreas in Achagia for Egias aldre geneðde. Ne þreodode he fore þrymme ðeodcyninges, æniges on eorðan, ac him ece geceas langsumre lif, leoht unhwilen, syþþan hildeheard, heriges byrhtme, æfter guðplegan gealgan þehte. Hwæt, we eac gehyrdon be Iohanne æglæawe menn æðelo reccan! Se manna wæs, mine gefrege, þurh cneorisse Criste leofast on weres hade, syððan wuldres cyning, engla ordfruma, eorðan sohte

þurh fæmnan hrif, fæder manncynnes. He in Effessia ealle þrage leode lærde, þanon lifes weg siðe gesohte, swegle dreamas, beorhtne boldwelan. Næs his broðor læt, siðes sæne, ac ðurh sweordes bite mid Iudeum Iacob sceolde fore Herode ealdre gedælan, feorh wið flæsce. Philipus wæs mid Asseum, þanon ece lif þurh rode cwealm ricene gesohte, syððan on galgan in Gearapolim ahangen wæs hildecorðre. Huru, wide wearð wurd undyrne

þæt to Indeum aldre gelædde beaducræftig beorn, Bartholameus! þone heht Astrias in Albano, hæðen ond hygeblind, heafde beneotan, forþan he ða hæðengild hyran ne wolde, wig weorðian. Him wæs wuldres dream, lifwela leofra þonne þas leasan godu. Swylce Thomas eac þriste geneðde on Indea oðre dælas, þær manegum wearð mod onlihted, hige onhyrded, þurh his halig word. Syððan collenferð cyninges broðor awehte for weorodum, wundorcræfte, þurh dryhtnes miht, þæt he of deaðe aras,

geong ond guðhwæt, ond him wæs Gad nama, ond ða þæm folce feorg gesealde, sin æt sæcce. Sweordræs fornam þurh hæðene hand, þær se halga gecrang, wund for weorudum, þonon wuldres leoht sawle gesohte sigores to leane. Hwæt, we þæt gehyrdon þurg halige bec, þæt mid Sigelwarum soð yppe wearð, dryhtlic dom godes! Dæges or onwoc, leohtes geleafan, land wæs gefælsod þurh Matheus mære lare. þone het Irtacus ðurh yrne hyge, wælreow cyning, wæpnum aswebban. Hyrde we þæt Iacob in Ierusalem

fore sacerdum swilt þrowode. ðurg stenges sweng stiðmod gecrang, eadig for æfestum. Hafað nu ece lif mid wuldorcining, wiges to leane. Næron ða twegen tohtan sæne, lindgelaces, land Persea sohton siðfrome, Simon ond Thaddeus, beornas beadorofe! Him wearð bam samod an endedæg. æðele sceoldon ðurh wæpenhete weorc þrowigan, sigelean secan, ond þone soðan gefean, dream æfter deaðe, þa gedæled wearð lif wið lice, ond þas lænan gestreon, idle æhtwelan, ealle forhogodan.

ðus ða æðelingas ende gesealdon, XII tilmodige. Tir unbræcne wegan on gewitte wuldres þegnas. Nu ic þonne bidde beorn se ðe lufige þysses giddes begang þæt he geomrum me þone halgan heap helpe bidde, friðes ond fultomes. Hu, ic freonda beþearf liðra on lade, þonne ic sceal langne ham, eardwic uncuð, ana gesecan, lætan me on laste lic, eorðan dæl, wælreaf wunigean weormum to hroðre. Her mæg findan foreþances gleaw, se ðe hine lysteð leoðgiddunga, hwa þas fitte fegde. ᛇ þær on ende standeþ,

eorlas þæs on eorðan brucaþ. Ne moton hie awa ætsomne, 100 woruldwunigende; ᚹ sceal gedreosan, ᚢ on eðle, æfter tohreosan læne lices frætewa, efne swa ᛚ toglideð. þonne ᚳ ond ᚣ cræftes neosað nihtes nearowe, on him ᚾ ligeð, 105 cyninges þeodom. Nu ðu cunnon miht hwa on þam wordum wæs werum oncyðig. Sie þæs gemyndig, mann se ðe lufige þisses galdres begang, þæt he geoce me ond frofre fricle. Ic sceall feor heonan, 110

an elles forð, eardes neosan, sið asettan, nat ic sylfa hwær, of þisse worulde. Wic sindon uncuð, eard ond eðel, swa bið ælcum menn nemþe he godcundes gastes bruce. 115 Ah utu we þe geornor to gode cleopigan, sendan usse bene on þa beorhtan gesceaft, þæt we þæs botles brucan motan, hames in hehðo, þær is hihta mæst, þær cyning engla clænum gildeð 120 lean unhwilen. Nu a his lof standeð, mycel ond mære, ond his miht seomaþ,

ece ond edgiong, ofer ealle gesceaft. Finit .