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The Metrical Preface to Waerferth's Translation of Gregory's Dialogues

Verse Late Saxon

     ...e ðe me rædan ðance,
he in me findan mæg,      gif hine feola lysteð
gastlices lifes      godre biesene,
þæt he ful eaþe mæg      upp gestigan
5
to ðam heofonlican hame,      þar byð a hyht and wyn,
blis on burgum,      þam þe bearn godes
sielfes hiora eagum      geseon motan.
þæt mæg se mon begytan,      se þe his modgeðanc
æltowe byþ,      and þonne þurh his ingehygd
10
to þissa haligra      helpe geliefeð,
ond hiora bisene fulgað,      swa þeos boc sagað.
Me awritan het      Wulfstan bisceop,
þeow and þearfa      þæs þe alne þrym aof,
and eac walden is      wihta gehwelcre,
15
an ece god      eallra gesceafta.
Bideþ þe se bisceop,      se þe ðas boc begeat
þe þu on þinum handum nu      hafast and sceawast,
þæt þu him to þeossum halgum      helpe bidde,
þe heora gemynd her on      gemearcude siendon,
20
and þæt him god ællmihtig     
forgyu... þa gyltas      þe he geo worhte,
and eac resðe mid him,      se ðe ah ealles rices geweald,
and eac swa his beahgifan,      þe him ðas bysene forgeaf,
þæt is se selesða      sinces brytta,
25
ælfryd mid Englum,      ealra cyninga
þara þe he sið oððe ær fore      secgan hyrde,
oððe he iorðcyninga ær      ænigne gefrugne.