Lines 122–247

ða wæs Matheus miclum onbryrded
niwan stefne. Nihthelm toglad,
lungre leorde. Leoht æfter com,
dægredwoma. Duguð samnade,
hæðne hildfrecan, heapum þrungon,
(guðsearo gullon, garas hrysedon),
bolgenmode, under bordhreoðan.
Woldon cunnian hwæðer cwice lifdon
þa þe on carcerne clommum fæste
hleoleasan wic hwile wunedon,
hwylcne hie to æte ærest mihton
æfter fyrstmearce feores berædan.
Hæfdon hie on rune ond on rimcræfte
awriten, wælgrædige, wera endestæf,
hwænne hie to mose meteþearfendum
on þære werþeode weorðan sceoldon.
Cirmdon caldheorte, (corðor oðrum getang),
reðe ræsboran. Rihtes ne gimdon,
meotudes mildse. Oft hira mod onwod
under dimscuan deofles larum,
þonne hie unlædra eafeðum gelyfdon.
Hie ða gemetton modes glawne,
haligne hæle, under heolstorlocan
bidan beadurofne þæs him beorht cyning,
engla ordfruma, unnan wolde.
ða wæs first agan frumrædenne
þinggemearces butan þrim nihtum,
swa hit wælwulfas awriten hæfdon
þæt hie banhringas abrecan þohton,
lungre tolysan lic ond sawle,
ond þonne todælan duguðe ond geogoðe,
werum to wiste ond to wilþege,
fæges flæschoman. Feorh ne bemurndan,
grædige guðrincas, hu þæs gastes sið
æfter swyltcwale geseted wurde.
Swa hie symble ymb þritig þing gehedon
nihtgerimes; wæs him neod micel
þæt hie tobrugdon blodigum ceaflum
fira flæschoman him to foddorþege.
þa wæs gemyndig, se ðe middangeard
gestaðelode strangum mihtum,
hu he in ellþeodigum yrmðum wunode,
belocen leoðubendum, þe oft his lufan adreg
for Ebreum ond Israhelum;
swylce he Iudea galdorcræftum
wiðstod stranglice. þa sio stefn gewearð
gehered of heofenum, þær se halga wer
in Achaia, Andreas, wæs,
(leode lærde on lifes weg),
þa him cirebaldum cininga wuldor,
meotud mancynnes, modhord onleac,
weoruda drihten, ond þus wordum cwæð:
"ðu scealt feran ond frið lædan,
siðe gesecan, þær sylfætan
eard weardigað, eðel healdaþ
morðorcræftum. Swa is þære menigo þeaw
þæt hie uncuðra ængum ne willað
on þam folcstede feores geunnan
syþþan manfulle on Mermedonia
onfindaþ feasceaftne. þær sceall feorhgedal,
earmlic ylda cwealm, æfter wyrþan.
ðær ic seomian wat þinne sigebroðor
mid þam burgwarum bendum fæstne.
Nu bið fore þreo niht þæt he on þære þeode sceal
fore hæðenra handgewinne
þurh gares gripe gast onsendan,
ellorfusne, butan ðu ær cyme."
ædre him Andreas agef andsware:
"Hu mæg ic, dryhten min, ofer deop gelad
fore gefremman on feorne weg
swa hrædlice, heofona scyppend,
wuldres waldend, swa ðu worde becwist?
ðæt mæg engel þin eað geferan,
halig of heofenum con him holma begang,
sealte sæstreamas ond swanrade,
waroðfaruða gewinn ond wæterbrogan,
wegas ofer widland. Ne synt me winas cuðe,
eorlas elþeodige, ne þær æniges wat
hæleða gehygdo, ne me herestræta
ofer cald wæter cuðe sindon."
Him ða ondswarude ece dryhten:
"Eala, Andreas, þæt ðu a woldest
þæs siðfætes sæne weorþan!
Nis þæt uneaðe eallwealdan gode
to gefremmanne on foldwege,
ðæt sio ceaster hider on þas cneorisse
under swegles gang aseted wyrðe,
breogostol breme, mid þam burgwarum,
gif hit worde becwið wuldres agend.
Ne meaht ðu þæs siðfætes sæne weorðan,
ne on gewitte to wac, gif ðu wel þencest
wið þinne waldend wære gehealdan,
treowe tacen. Beo ðu on tid gearu;
ne mæg þæs ærendes ylding wyrðan.
ðu scealt þa fore geferan ond þin feorh beran
in gramra gripe, ðær þe guðgewinn
þurh hæðenra hildewoman,
beorna beaducræft, geboden wyrðeð.
Scealtu æninga mid ærdæge,
emne to morgene, æt meres ende
ceol gestigan ond on cald wæter
brecan ofer bæðweg. Hafa bletsunge
ofer middangeard mine, þær ðu fere!"
Gewat him þa se halga healdend ond wealdend,
upengla fruma, eðel secan,
middangeardes weard, þone mæran ham,
þær soðfæstra sawla moton
æfter lices hryre lifes brucan.
þa wæs ærende æðelum cempan
aboden in burgum, ne wæs him bleað hyge,
ah he wæs anræd ellenweorces,
heard ond higerof, nalas hildlata,
gearo, guðe fram, to godes campe.
Gewat him þa on uhtan mid ærdæge
ofer sandhleoðu to sæs faruðe,
þriste on geþance, ond his þegnas mid,
gangan on greote. Garsecg hlynede,
beoton brimstreamas. Se beorn wæs on hyhte,
syðþan he on waruðe widfæðme scip
modig gemette. þa com morgentorht
beacna beorhtost ofer breomo sneowan,
halig of heolstre. Heofoncandel blac
ofer lagoflodas. He ðær lidweardas,
þrymlice þry þegnas gemette,
modiglice menn, on merebate
sittan siðfrome, swylce hie ofer sæ comon.