The Fates of the Apostles
Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Hwæt! Ic þysne sang siðgeomor fand
on seocum sefan, samnode wide
hu þa æðelingas ellen cyðdon,
torhte ond tireadige. Twelfe wæron,
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dædum domfæste, dryhtne gecorene,
leofe on life. Lof wide sprang,
miht ond mærðo, ofer middangeard,
þeodnes þegna, þrym unlytel.
Halgan heape hlyt wisode
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þær hie dryhtnes æ deman sceoldon,
reccan fore rincum. Sume on Romebyrig,
frame, fyrdhwate, feorh ofgefon
þurg Nerones nearwe searwe,
Petrus ond Paulus. Is se apostolhad
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wide geweorðod ofer werþeoda!
Swylce Andreas in Achagia
for Egias aldre geneðde.
Ne þreodode he fore þrymme ðeodcyninges,
æniges on eorðan, ac him ece geceas
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langsumre lif, leoht unhwilen,
syþþan hildeheard, heriges byrhtme,
æfter guðplegan gealgan þehte.
Hwæt, we eac gehyrdon be Iohanne
æglæawe menn æðelo reccan!
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Se manna wæs, mine gefrege,
þurh cneorisse Criste leofast
on weres hade, syððan wuldres cyning,
engla ordfruma, eorðan sohte
þurh fæmnan hrif, fæder manncynnes.
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He in Effessia ealle þrage
leode lærde, þanon lifes weg
siðe gesohte, swegle dreamas,
beorhtne boldwelan. Næs his broðor læt,
siðes sæne, ac ðurh sweordes bite
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mid Iudeum Iacob sceolde
fore Herode ealdre gedælan,
feorh wið flæsce. Philipus wæs
mid Asseum, þanon ece lif
þurh rode cwealm ricene gesohte,
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syððan on galgan in Gearapolim
ahangen wæs hildecorðre.
Huru, wide wearð wurd undyrne
þæt to Indeum aldre gelædde
beaducræftig beorn, Bartholameus!
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þone heht Astrias in Albano,
hæðen ond hygeblind, heafde beneotan,
forþan he ða hæðengild hyran ne wolde,
wig weorðian. Him wæs wuldres dream,
lifwela leofra þonne þas leasan godu.
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Swylce Thomas eac þriste geneðde
on Indea oðre dælas,
þær manegum wearð mod onlihted,
hige onhyrded, þurh his halig word.
Syððan collenferð cyninges broðor
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awehte for weorodum, wundorcræfte,
þurh dryhtnes miht, þæt he of deaðe aras,
geong ond guðhwæt, ond him wæs Gad nama,
ond ða þæm folce feorg gesealde,
sin æt sæcce. Sweordræs fornam
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þurh hæðene hand, þær se halga gecrang,
wund for weorudum, þonon wuldres leoht
sawle gesohte sigores to leane.
Hwæt, we þæt gehyrdon þurg halige bec,
þæt mid Sigelwarum soð yppe wearð,
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dryhtlic dom godes! Dæges or onwoc,
leohtes geleafan, land wæs gefælsod
þurh Matheus mære lare.
þone het Irtacus ðurh yrne hyge,
wælreow cyning, wæpnum aswebban.
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Hyrde we þæt Iacob in Ierusalem
fore sacerdum swilt þrowode.
ðurg stenges sweng stiðmod gecrang,
eadig for æfestum. Hafað nu ece lif
mid wuldorcining, wiges to leane.
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Næron ða twegen tohtan sæne,
lindgelaces, land Persea
sohton siðfrome, Simon ond Thaddeus,
beornas beadorofe! Him wearð bam samod
an endedæg. æðele sceoldon
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ðurh wæpenhete weorc þrowigan,
sigelean secan, ond þone soðan gefean,
dream æfter deaðe, þa gedæled wearð
lif wið lice, ond þas lænan gestreon,
idle æhtwelan, ealle forhogodan.
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ðus ða æðelingas ende gesealdon,
XII tilmodige. Tir unbræcne
wegan on gewitte wuldres þegnas.
Nu ic þonne bidde beorn se ðe lufige
þysses giddes begang þæt he geomrum me
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þone halgan heap helpe bidde,
friðes ond fultomes. Hu, ic freonda beþearf
liðra on lade, þonne ic sceal langne ham,
eardwic uncuð, ana gesecan,
lætan me on laste lic, eorðan dæl,
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wælreaf wunigean weormum to hroðre.
Her mæg findan foreþances gleaw,
se ðe hine lysteð leoðgiddunga,
hwa þas fitte fegde. þær on ende standeþ,
eorlas þæs on eorðan brucaþ. Ne moton hie awa ætsomne,
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woruldwunigende; sceal gedreosan,
on eðle, æfter tohreosan
læne lices frætewa, efne swa toglideð.
þonne ond cræftes neosað
nihtes nearowe, on him ligeð,
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cyninges þeodom. Nu ðu cunnon miht
hwa on þam wordum wæs werum oncyðig.
Sie þæs gemyndig, mann se ðe lufige
þisses galdres begang, þæt he geoce me
ond frofre fricle. Ic sceall feor heonan,
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an elles forð, eardes neosan,
sið asettan, nat ic sylfa hwær,
of þisse worulde. Wic sindon uncuð,
eard ond eðel, swa bið ælcum menn
nemþe he godcundes gastes bruce.
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Ah utu we þe geornor to gode cleopigan,
sendan usse bene on þa beorhtan gesceaft,
þæt we þæs botles brucan motan,
hames in hehðo, þær is hihta mæst,
þær cyning engla clænum gildeð
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lean unhwilen. Nu a his lof standeð,
mycel ond mære, ond his miht seomaþ,
ece ond edgiong, ofer ealle gesceaft.
Finit.