CC 20220801
Bernard Cornwell: Map of England c.775\nYork/ Jorvic / Eoferwic: Place in Bernard Cornwell...\nBamburgh Castle / Bebbanburg: A place in Bernard C...\nTees Valley and Teesdale\nMore Kings of Northumbria 3\nFurther Kings of Northumbria\nMore Kings of Northumbria\nThe Battle of MaldonVerse Indeterminate Saxon brocen wurde. Het þa hyssa hwæne hors forlætan, feor afysan, and forð gangan, hicgan to handum and to hige godum.5þa þæt Offan mæg ærest onfunde, þæt se eorl nolde yrhðo geþolian, he let him þa of handon leofne fleogan hafoc wið þæs holtes, and to þære hilde stop; be þam man mihte oncnawan þæt se cniht nolde10wacian æt þam wige, þa he to wæpnum feng. Eac him wolde Eadric his ealdre gelæstan, frean to gefeohte, ongan þa forð beran gar to guþe. He hæfde god geþanc þa hwile þe he mid handum healdan mihte15bord and bradswurd; beot he gelæste þa he ætforan his frean feohtan sceolde. ða þær Byrhtnoð ongan beornas trymian, rad and rædde, rincum tæhte hu hi sceoldon standan and þone stede healdan,20and 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 heorðwerod holdost wiste.25þa stod on stæðe, stiðlice 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,30heton ðe secgan þæt þu most sendan raðe beagas wið gebeorge; and eow betere is þæt ge þisne garræs mid gafole forgyldon, þon we swa hearde hilde dælon. Ne þurfe we us spillan, gif ge spedaþ to þam;35we willað wið þam golde grið fæstnian. Gyf þu þat gerædest, þe her ricost eart, þæt þu þine leoda lysan wille, syllan sæmannum on hyra sylfra dom feoh wið freode, and niman frið æt us,40we willaþ mid þam sceattum us to scype gangan, on flot feran, and eow friþes healdan." Byrhtnoð maþelode, bord hafenode, wand wacne æsc, wordum mælde, yrre and anræd ageaf him andsware:45"Gehyrst þu, sælida, hwæt þis folc segeð? Hi willað eow to gafole garas syllan, ættrynne ord and ealde swurd, þa heregeatu þe eow æt hilde ne deah. Brimmanna boda, abeod eft ongean,50sege þinum leodum miccle laþre spell, þæt her stynt unforcuð eorl mid his werode, þe wile gealgean eþel þysne, æþelredes eard, ealdres mines, folc and foldan. Feallan sceolon55hæþene æt hilde. To heanlic me þinceð 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;60us sceal ord and ecg ær geseman, grim guðplega, ær we gofol syllon." Het þa bord beran, beornas gangan, þæt hi on þam easteðe ealle stodon. Ne mihte þær for wætere werod to þam oðrum;65þær 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.70Ne 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 hæleða hleo healdan þa bricge75wigan wigheardne, se wæs haten Wulfstan, cafne mid his cynne, þæt wæs Ceolan sunu, þe ðone forman man mid his francan ofsceat þe þær baldlicost on þa bricge stop. þær stodon mid Wulfstane wigan unforhte,80ælfere and Maccus, modige twegen, þa noldon æt þam forda fleam gewyrcan, ac hi fæstlice wið ða fynd weredon, þa hwile þe hi wæpna wealdan moston. þa hi þæt ongeaton and georne gesawon85þæt hi þær bricgweardas bitere fundon, ongunnon lytegian þa laðe gystas, bædon þæt hi upgang agan moston, ofer þone ford faran, feþan lædan. ða se eorl ongan for his ofermode90alyfan landes to fela laþere ðeode. Ongan ceallian þa ofer cald wæter Byrhtelmes bearn (beornas gehlyston): "Nu eow is gerymed, gað ricene to us, guman to guþe; god ana wat95hwa 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.100þær ongean gramum gearowe stodon Byrhtnoð mid beornum; he mid bordum het wyrcan þone wiha