Lines 1–121

Hwæt! We gefrunan on fyrndagum
twelfe under tunglum tireadige hæleð,
þeodnes þegnas. No hira þrym alæg
camprædenne þonne cumbol hneotan,
syððan hie gedældon, swa him dryhten sylf,
heofona heahcyning, hlyt getæhte.
þæt wæron mære men ofer eorðan,
frome folctogan ond fyrdhwate,
rofe rincas, þonne rond ond hand
on herefelda helm ealgodon,
on meotudwange. Wæs hira Matheus sum,
se mid Iudeum ongan godspell ærest
wordum writan wundorcræfte.
þam halig god hlyt geteode
ut on þæt igland þær ænig þa git
ellþeodigra eðles ne mihte
blædes brucan. Oft him bonena hand
on herefelda hearde gesceode.
Eal wæs þæt mearcland morðre bewunden,
feondes facne, folcstede gumena,
hæleða eðel. Næs þær hlafes wist
werum on þam wonge, ne wæteres drync
to bruconne, ah hie blod ond fel,
fira flæschoman, feorrancumenra,
ðegon geond þa þeode. Swelc wæs þeaw hira
þæt hie æghwylcne ellðeodigra
dydan him to mose meteþearfendum,
þara þe þæt ealand utan sohte.
Swylc wæs þæs folces freoðoleas tacen,
unlædra eafoð, þæt hie eagena gesihð,
hettend heorogrimme, heafodgimmas
agetton gealgmode gara ordum.
Syððan him geblendan bitere tosomne,
dryas þurh dwolcræft, drync unheorne,
se onwende gewit, wera ingeþanc,
heortan on hreðre, (hyge wæs oncyrred),
þæt hie ne murndan æfter mandreame,
hæleþ heorogrædige, ac hie hig ond gærs
for meteleaste meðe gedrehte.
þa wæs Matheus to þære mæran byrig
cumen in þa ceastre. þær wæs cirm micel
geond Mermedonia, manfulra hloð,
fordenera gedræg, syþþan deofles þegnas
geascodon æðelinges sið.
Eodon him þa togenes, garum gehyrsted,
lungre under linde, (nalas late wæron),
eorre æscberend, to þam orlege.
Hie þam halgan þær handa gebundon
ond fæstnodon feondes cræfte,
hæleð hellfuse, ond his heafdes segl
abreoton mid billes ecge. Hwæðre he in breostum þa git
herede in heortan heofonrices weard,
þeah ðe he atres drync atulne onfenge.
Eadig ond onmod, he mid elne forð
wyrðode wordum wuldres aldor,
heofonrices weard, halgan stefne,
of carcerne. Him wæs Cristes lof
on fyrhðlocan fæste bewunden.
He þa wepende weregum tearum
his sigedryhten sargan reorde
grette, gumena brego, geomran stefne,
weoruda wilgeofan, ond þus wordum cwæð:
"Hu me elþeodige inwitwrasne
searonet seowað! A ic symles wæs
on wega gehwam willan þines
georn on mode; nu ðurh geohða sceal
dæde fremman swa þa dumban neat.
þu ana canst ealra gehygdo,
meotud mancynnes, mod in hreðre.
Gif þin willa sie, wuldres aldor,
þæt me wærlogan wæpna ecgum,
sweordum, aswebban, ic beo sona gearu
to adreoganne þæt ðu, drihten min,
engla eadgifa, eðelleasum,
dugeða dædfruma, deman wille.
Forgif me to are, ælmihtig god,
leoht on þissum life, þy læs ic lungre scyle,
ablended in burgum, æfter billhete
þurh hearmcwide heorugrædigra,
laðra leodsceaðena, leng þrowian
edwitspræce. Ic to anum þe,
middangeardes weard, mod staþolige,
fæste fyrhðlufan, ond þe, fæder engla,
beorht blædgifa, biddan wille
ðæt ðu me ne gescyrige mid scyldhetum,
werigum wrohtsmiðum, on þone wyrrestan,
dugoða demend, deað ofer eorðan."
æfter þyssum wordum com wuldres tacen
halig of heofenum, swylce hadre segl
to þam carcerne. þær gecyðed wearð
þæt halig god helpe gefremede,
ða wearð gehyred heofoncyninges stefn
wrætlic under wolcnum, wordhleoðres sweg
mæres þeodnes. He his maguþegne
under hearmlocan hælo ond frofre
beadurofum abead beorhtan stefne:
"Ic þe, Matheus, mine sylle sybbe
under swegle. Ne beo ðu on sefan to forht,
ne on mode ne murn. Ic þe mid wunige
ond þe alyse of þyssum leoðubendum,
ond ealle þa menigo þe þe mid wuniað
on nearonedum. þe is neorxnawang,
blæda beorhtost, boldwela fægrost,
hama hyhtlicost, halegum mihtum
torht ontyned. þær ðu tyres most,
to widan feore willan brucan.
Geþola þeoda þrea! Nis seo þrah micel
þæt þe wærlogan witebendum,
synnige ðurh searocræft, swencan motan.
Ic þe Andreas ædre onsende
to hleo ond to hroðre in þas hæðenan burg.
He ðe alyseð of þyssum leodhete.
Is to þære tide tælmet hwile
emne mid soðe seofon ond twentig
nihtgerimes, þæt ðu of nede most,
sorgum geswenced, sigore gewyrðod,
hweorfan of henðum in gehyld godes."
Gewat him þa se halga helm ælwihta,
engla scyppend, to þam uplican
eðelrice. He is on riht cyning,
staðolfæst styrend, in stowa gehwam.