Metrical Epilogue to the Pastoral Care
Verse Early Saxon


ðis is nu se wæterscipe      ðe us wereda god
to frofre gehet      foldbuendum.
He cwæð ðæt he wolde      ðæt on worulde forð
of ðæm innoðum      a libbendu

5

wætru fleowen,      ðe wel on hine
gelifden under lyfte.      Is hit lytel tweo
ðæt ðæs wæterscipes      welsprynge is
on hefonrice,      ðæt is halig gæst.
ðonan hine hlodan      halge and gecorene,

10

siððan hine gierdon      ða ðe gode herdon
ðurh halga bec      hider on eorðan
geond manna mod      missenlice.
Sume hine weriað      on gewitlocan,
wisdomes stream,      welerum gehæftað,

15

ðæt he on unnyt      ut ne tofloweð.
Ac se wæl wunað      on weres breostum
ðurh dryhtnes giefe      diop and stille.
Sume hine lætað      ofer landscare
riðum torinnan;      nis ðæt rædlic ðing,

20

gif swa hlutor wæter,      hlud and undiop,
tofloweð æfter feldum      oð hit to fenne werð.
Ac hladað iow nu drincan,      nu iow dryhten geaf
ðæt iow Gregorius      gegiered hafað
to durum iowrum      dryhtnes welle.

25

Fylle nu his fætels,      se ðe fæstne hider
kylle brohte,      cume eft hræðe.
Gif her ðegna hwelc      ðyrelne kylle
brohte to ðys burnan,      bete hine georne,
ðy læs he forsceade      scirost wætra,

30

oððe him lifes drync      forloren weorðe.