Lines 1004–1128

Geseh he Matheus in þam morðorcofan,
hæleð higerofne under heolstorlocan,
secgan dryhtne lof, domweorðinga
engla ðeodne. He ðær ana sæt
geohðum geomor in þam gnornhofe.
Geseh þa under swegle swæsne geferan,
halig haligne. Hyht wæs geniwad.
Aras þa togenes, gode þancade
þæs ðe hie onsunde æfre moston
geseon under sunnan. Syb wæs gemæne
bam þam gebroðrum, blis edniwe.
æghwæðer oðerne earme beþehte,
cyston hie ond clypton. Criste wæron begen
leofe on mode. Hie leoht ymbscan
halig ond heofontorht. Hreðor innan wæs
wynnum awelled. þa worde ongan
ærest Andreas æðelne geferan
on clustorcleofan mid cwide sinum
gretan godfyrhtne, sæde him guðgeðingu,
feohtan fara monna: "Nu is þis folc on luste,
hæleð hyder on
gewyrht eardes neosan."
æfter þyssum wordum wuldres þegnas,
begen þa gebroðor, to gebede hyldon,
sendon hira bene fore bearn godes.
Swylce se halga in þam hearmlocan
his god grette ond him geoce bæd,
hælend helpe, ær þan hra crunge
fore hæðenra hildeþrymme,
ond þa gelædde of leoðobendum
fram þam fæstenne on frið dryhtnes
tu ond hundteontig geteled rime,
swylce feowertig,
generede fram niðe, (þær he nænigne forlet
under burglocan bennum fæstne),
ond þær wifa þa gyt, weorodes to eacan,
anes wana þe fiftig
forhte gefreoðode. Fægen wæron siðes,
lungre leordan, nalas leng bidon
in þam gnornhofe guðgeþingo.
Gewat þa Matheus menigo lædan
on gehyld godes, swa him se halga bebead.
Weorod on wilsið wolcnum beþehte,
þe læs him scyldhatan scyððan comon
mid earhfare, ealdgeniðlan.
þær þa modigan mid him mæðel gehedan,
treowgeþoftan, ær hie on tu hweorfan.
ægðer þara eorla oðrum trymede
heofonrices hyht, helle witu
wordum werede. Swa ða wigend mid him,
hæleð higerofe, halgum stefnum
cempan coste cyning weorðadon,
wyrda waldend, þæs wuldres ne bið
æfre mid eldum ende befangen.
Gewat him þa Andreas inn on ceastre
glædmod gangan, to þæs ðe he gramra gemot,
fara folcmægen, gefrægen hæfde,
oððæt he gemette be mearcpaðe
standan stræte neah stapul ærenne.
Gesæt him þa be healfe, hæfde hluttre lufan,
ece upgemynd engla blisse;
þanon basnode under burhlocan
hwæt him guðweorca gifeðe wurde.
þa gesamnedon side herigeas,
folces frumgaras. To þam fæstenne
wærleasra werod wæpnum comon,
hæðne hildfrecan, to þæs þa hæftas ær
under hlinscuwan hearm þrowedon.
Wendan ond woldon wiðerhycgende
þæt hie on elþeodigum æt geworhton,
weotude wiste. Him seo wen gelah,
syððan mid corðre carcernes duru
eorre æscberend opene fundon,
onhliden hamera geweorc, hyrdas deade.
Hie þa unhyðige eft gecyrdon,
luste belorene, laðspell beran,
sægdon þam folce þæt ðær feorrcundra,
ellreordigra, ænigne to lafe
in carcerne cwicne ne gemetton,
ah þær heorodreorige hyrdas lagan,
gæsne on greote, gaste berofene,
fægra flæschaman. þa wearð forht manig
for þam færspelle folces ræswa,
hean, hygegeomor, hungres on wenum,
blates beodgastes. Nyston beteran ræd,
þonne hie þa belidenan him to lifnere
deade gefeormedon. Duruþegnum wearð
in ane tid eallum ætsomne
þurh heard gelac hildbedd styred.
ða ic lungre gefrægn leode tosomne
burgwaru bannan. Beornas comon,
wiggendra þreat, wicgum gengan,
on mearum modige, mæðelhegende,
æscum dealle. þa wæs eall geador
to þam þingstede þeod gesamnod.
Leton him þa betweonum taan wisian
hwylcne hira ærest oðrum sceolde
to foddurþege feores ongyldan;
hluton hellcræftum, hæðengildum
teledon betwinum. ða se tan gehwearf
efne ofer ænne ealdgesiða,
se wæs uðweota eorla dugoðe,
heriges on ore. Hraðe siððan wearð
fetorwrasnum fæst, feores orwena.
Cleopode þa collenferhð cearegan reorde,
cwæð he his sylfes sunu syllan wolde
on æhtgeweald, eaforan geongne,
lifes to lisse. Hie ða lac hraðe
þegon to þance. þeod wæs oflysted,
metes modgeomre, næs him to maðme wynn,
hyht to hordgestreonum. Hungre wæron
þearle geþreatod, swa se ðeodsceaða
reow ricsode. þa wæs rinc manig,
guðfrec guma, ymb þæs geongan feorh
breostum onbryrded. To þam beadulace
wæs þæt weatacen wide gefrege,
geond þa burh bodad beorne manegum,
þæt hie þæs cnihtes cwealm corðre gesohton,
duguðe ond eogoðe, dæl onfengon
lifes to leofne. Hie lungre to þæs,
hæðene herigweardas, here samnodan
ceastrewarena. Cyrm upp astah
ða se geonga ongann geomran stefne,
gehæfted for herige, hearmleoð galan,
freonda feasceaft, friðes wilnian.