The Fates of the Apostles

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Hwæt! Ic þysne sang         siðgeomor fand
on seocum sefan,         samnode wide
hu þa æðelingas         ellen cyðdon,
torhte ond tireadige.         Twelfe wæron,

5

dædum domfæste,         dryhtne gecorene,
leofe on life.         Lof wide sprang,
miht ond mærðo,         ofer middangeard,
þeodnes þegna,         þrym unlytel.
Halgan heape         hlyt wisode

10

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

15

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

20

langsumre lif,         leoht unhwilen,
syþþan hildeheard,         heriges byrhtme,
æfter guðplegan         gealgan þehte.
Hwæt, we eac gehyrdon         be Iohanne
æglæawe menn         æðelo reccan!

25

Se manna wæs,         mine gefrege,
þurh cneorisse         Criste leofast
on weres hade,         syððan wuldres cyning,
engla ordfruma,         eorðan sohte
þurh fæmnan hrif,         fæder manncynnes.

30

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

35

mid Iudeum         Iacob sceolde
fore Herode         ealdre gedælan,
feorh wið flæsce.         Philipus wæs
mid Asseum,         þanon ece lif
þurh rode cwealm         ricene gesohte,

40

syððan on galgan         in Gearapolim
ahangen wæs         hildecorðre.
Huru, wide wearð         wurd undyrne
þæt to Indeum         aldre gelædde
beaducræftig beorn,         Bartholameus!

45

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.

50

Swylce Thomas eac         þriste geneðde
on Indea         oðre dælas,
þær manegum wearð         mod onlihted,
hige onhyrded,         þurh his halig word.
Syððan collenferð         cyninges broðor

55

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

60

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,

65

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.

70

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.

75

Næron ða twegen         tohtan sæne,
lindgelaces,         land Persea
sohton siðfrome,         Simon ond Thaddeus,
beornas beadorofe!         Him wearð bam samod
an endedæg.         æðele sceoldon

80

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.

85

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

90

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,

95

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.