Arts & Sciences
Metrical Preface to the Pastoral Care (Old English)
From The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, ed. E. V. K. Dobbie, vol. VI (1942)
þis ærendgewrit Agustinus
ofer sealtne sæ suðan brohte
iegbuendum, swa hit ær fore
adihtode dryhtnes cempa,
Rome papa. Ryhtspell monig
Gregorius gleawmod gindwod
ðurh sefan snyttro, searoðonca hord.
Forðæm he monncynnes mæst gestriende
rodra wearde, Romwara betest,
monna modwelegost, mærðum gefrægost.
Siððan min on englisc ælfred kyning
awende worda gehwelc, and me his writerum
sende suð and norð, heht him swelcra ma
brengan bi ðære bisene, ðæt he his biscepum
sendan meahte, forðæm hi his sume ðorfton,
ða ðe lædenspræce læste cuðon.
Codex Note
Old English text as in ASPR; hand-keyed e-text via sacred-texts.com.
Cite this poem
MLA
Alfred, King. “Metrical Preface to the Pastoral Care (Old English).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/alfred/0/.
Chicago
Alfred, King. “Metrical Preface to the Pastoral Care (Old English).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/alfred/0/.
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