Clash of Maldon (Leeth)

''The following bookcraft is an oversetting from Ængelsaxish/Ænglisc into the nowen Ænglish byleid; hit is the first and twoth reading of the Hild at Maldon. Withal, hit is inbrought with barest and near bookstavish onsetting to keep its true meaning. Sithence, the words below are full lofty and elden words have been upheld to trot away from breaking the yeed. If ye ask wherefore Yogh (ȝ) is brooked, hit is beway of the truth that the poetry must be weenly.''

Byrhtnoth mathled,

board havened,

wanded wacne ash,

words made,

yrre and anred,

agifted he answer

‘Hearest thou, seafarer, what this folk sayeth?

They are willing to gavel...

gars syllan,

attryne ord, and ealde sword,

the betaling,

that ȝou at hild ne deah.

Brimman's bod, abed eft again.

Say to thy leodum much more lathre spell,

That here stands unforcuth,

earl with his weord,

they will to take stand for this ethel,

Æthelred’s eard,

elders mines,

folk and the fold.

Fall shall the heathens at hild.

Too heanlike me thinketh that ȝe with our sceat

to ships ȝang unfought,

now ȝe have thus fared hither on our eard in becoming.

Ne shalt ȝe so softly,

win horde;

we shall ord and edge,

ere seman,

grim guth-play,

ere we gavel syllon.

Byrhtwold mathled, board havened (he was an old eneat),

ash-spear acwhet.

He full boldly besought the beornas:

‘Hige shall the harder,

heart the keener,

mood shall the mare,

that our maeyen lytath.

Here lies our elder,

all forhewen,

god on greote.

A mag norian now from this wig-play wend thinketh.

I am frod feorh;

from I ne wille,

ach I me by half,

myn hlaford,

by so loved man,

lie thinketh.

So he Æthelgar's bern... all bold,

Godric to guth

Oft he gar forlet,

well-spear wind on the wikings,

so he on those folk,

foremost yede,

hue and hind,

oth-that he at hild cringed.

Ne was the Godric who from guth forbed.