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Wulfstan
ca. 960 - 1023
 


 






 




S e r m o   L u p i
a d   A n g l o s


Version III

_____________________


[f.110]


S e r m o   L u p i   a d   A n g l o s
q u a n d o   D a n i   m a x i m e   p e r s e c u t i  
s u n t   e o s ,   q u o d   f u i t  
a n n o   m i l l e s i m o   . X I I I I .
a b   i n c a r n a t i o n e   d o m i n i  
n o s t r i   I e s u   C r i s t i



Leofan men, gecnawadh thæt sodh is: theos worold is on ofste, (and) hit nealæcdh tham ende, (and) thy hit is on worolde aa swa leng swa wyrse; (and) swa hit sceal nyde for folces synnan ær Antecristes tocyme yfelian swythe. And huru hit wyrdh thænne egeslic (and) grimlic wide on worolde. Understandadh eac georne thæt deofol thas theode nu fela geara dwelode to swythe, (and) thæt lytle getreowtha wæran mid mannum, theah hy wel spræcan, (and) unrihta to fela ricsode on lande. And næs a fela manna the smeade ymbe tha bote swa georne swa man scolde, ac dæghwamlice man ihte yfel æfter othrum, (and) unriht rærde (and) unlaga manege ealles to wide gynd ealle thas theode. And we eac fortham habbadh fela byrsta (and) bysmara gebiden, (and) gif we ænige bote gebidan scylan, thonne mote we thæs to Gode earnian bet thonne we ær thysan dydan. Fortham mid miclan earnungan we geearnedan tha yrmdha the us onsittadh, (and) mid swythe micelan earnungan we tha bote motan æt Gode geræcan [f.110b] gif hit sceal heonanfordh godiende weordhan. La hwæt we witan ful georne thæt to miclan bryce sceal micel bot nyde, (and) to miclan bryne wæter unlytel, gif man thæt fyr sceal to ahte acwencan. And micel is nydthearf manna gehwilcum thæt he Godes lage gyme heonanfordh georne (and) Godes gerihta mid rihte gelæste. On hæthenum theodum ne dear man forhealdan lytel ne micel thæs the gelagod is to gedwolgoda weordhunge, (and) we forhealdadh æghwær Godes gerihta ealles to gelome. And ne dear man gewanian on hæthenum theodum inne ne ute ænig thæra thinga the gedwolgodan broht bidh (and) to lacum betæht bidh, (and) we habbadh Godes hus inne (and) ute, clæne berypte. And Godes theowas syndan mæthe (and) munde gewelhwær bedælde; (and) gedwolgoda thenan ne dear man misbeodan on ænige wisan mid hæthenum leodum, swa swa man Godes theowum nu dedh to wide thær cristene scoldan Godes lage healdan (and) Godes theowas gridhian. Ac sodh is thæt ic secge, thearf is thære bote fortham Godes gerihta wandean to lange innan thysse theode on æghwylcan ænde, (and) folclaga wyrsedan ealles to swythe, (and) halignessa syndan to gridhlease wide, (and) Godes hus syndan to clæne berypte ealdra gerihta (and) innan bestrypte ælcra gerisena, [f.111] (and) wydewan syndan fornydde on unriht to ceorle, (and) to mænege foryrmde (and) gehynede swythe, (and) earme men syndan sare beswicene (and) hreowlice besyrwde (and) ut of thysan earde wide gesealde, swythe unforworhte, fremdum to gewealde, (and) cradolcild getheowede thurh wælhreowe unlaga for lytelre thyfthe wide gynd thas theode, (and) freoriht fornumene (and) thrælriht genyrwde (and) ælmesriht gewanode; (and), hrædest is to cwethenne, Godes laga ladhe (and) lara forsawene. And thæs we habbadh ealle thurh Godes yrre bysmor gelome, gecnawe se dhe cunne; (and) se byrst wyrdh gemæne, theh man swa ne wene, eallre thysse theode, butan God beorge.

Fortham hit is on us eallum swutol (and) gesene thæt we ær thysan oftor bræcan thonne we bettan, (and) thy is thysse theode fela onsæge. Ne dohte hit nu lange inne ne ute, ac wæs here (and) hunger, bryne (and) blodgyte, on gewelhwylcan ende oft (and) gelome. And us stalu (and) cwalu, stric (and) steorfa, orfcwealm (and) uncothu, hol (and) hete (and) rypera reaflac derede swythe thearle; (and) us ungylda swythe gedrehtan, (and) us unwedera foroft weoldan unwæstma; fortham on thysan earde wæs, swa hit thincan mæg, nu fela [f.111b] geara unriht fela (and) tealte getrywdha æghwær mid mannum. Ne bearh nu foroft gesib gesibban the ma the fremdan, ne fæder his bearne, ne hwilum bearn his agenum fæder, ne brothor othrum; ne ure ænig his lif ne fadode swa swa he scolde, ne gehadode regollice, ne læwede lahlice. Ac worhtan lust us to lage ealles to gelome, (and) nathor ne heoldan ne lare ne lage Godes ne manna swa swa we scoldan; ne ænig widh otherne getrywlice thohte swa rihte swa he scolde, ac mæst ælc swicode (and) othrum derede wordes (and) dæde, (and) huru unrihtlice mæst ælc otherne æftan heaweth mid sceandlican onscytan, do mare gif he mæge. Fortham her syn on lande ungetrywtha micle for Gode (and) for worolde, (and) eac her syn on earde on mistlice wisan hlafordswican manege. And ealra mæst hlafordswice se bidh on worolde thæt man his hlafordes saule beswice; (and) ful micel hlafordswice eac bidh on worolde thæt man his hlaford of life forræde odhdhon of lande lifiendne drife; (and) ægther is geworden on thysan earde. Eadweard man forrædde, [f.112] (and) sydhdhan acwealde (and) æfter tham forbærnde. And godsibbas (and) godbearn to fela man forspilde wide gynd thas theode toeacan odhran ealles to manegan the man unscyldige forfor ealles to wide. And ealles to manege halige stowa wide forwurdan thurh thæt the man sume men ær tham gelogode swa man na ne scolde, gif man on Godes gridhe mæthe witan wolde; (and) cristenes folces to fela man gesealde ut of thysan earde nu ealle hwile. And scandlic is to specenne thæt geworden is to wide (and) egeslic is to witanne thæt oft dodh to manege the dreogadh tha yrmthe, thæt sceotadh togædere (and) ane cwenan gemænum ceape bicgadh gemæne, (and) widh tha ane fylthe adreogadh, an after anum (and) ælc æfter odhrum, hundum gelicost the for fylthe ne scrifadh, (and) sydhdhan widh weorthe sylladh of lande feondum to gewealde Godes gesceafte (and) his agenne ceap the he deore gebohte.

Eac we witan georne hwær seo yrmdh geweardh thæt fæder gesealde bearn widh weorthe (and) bearn his modor, (and) brothor sealde otherne fremdum to gewealde; (and) eal thæt syndan micle (and) egeslice dæda, understande se the wille. And git hit is mare (and) eac mænigfealdre thæt deredh thysse theode. Mænige synd forsworene (and) swythe forlogene, (and) wed synd tobrocene [f.112b] oft (and) gelome, (and) thæt is gesyne on thysse theode thæt us Godes yrre hetelice onsit, gecnawe se the cunne.

And la, hu mæg mare scamu thurh Godes yrre mannum gelimpan thonne us dedh gelome for agenum gewyrhtum? dheah thræla hwylc hlaforde æthleape (and) of cristendome to wicinge weorthe, (and) hit æfter tham eft geweorthe thæt wæpengewrixl weorthe gemæne thegene (and) thræle, gif thræl thæne thegen fullice afylle, licge ægylde ealre his mægdhe; (and) gif se thegen thæne thræl the he ær ahte fullice afylle, gylde thegengylde. Ful earhlice laga (and) scandlice nydgyld thurh Godes yrre us syn gemæne, understande se the cunne, (and) fela ungelimpa gelimpdh thysse theode oft (and) gelome. Ne dohte hit nu lange inne ne ute, ac wæs here (and) hete on gewelhwilcan ende oft (and) gelome, (and) Engle nu lange eal sigelease (and) to swythe geyrgde thurh Godes yrre, (and) flotmen swa strange thurh Godes thafunge thæt oft on gefeohte an fesedh tyne (and) hwilum læs, hwilum ma, eal for urum synnum. And oft tyne odhdhe twelfe, ælc æfter othrum, scendadh to bysmore thæs thegenes cwenan (and) hwilum his dohtor odhdhe nydmagan thær he on [f.113] locadh the læt hine sylfne rancne (and) ricne (and) genoh godne ær thæt gewurde. And oft thræl thæne thegen the ær wæs his hlaford cnyt swythe fæste (and) wyrcdh him to thræle thurh Godes yrre. Wala thære yrmthe (and) wala thære woroldscame the nu habbadh Engle eal thurh Godes yrre! Oft twegen sæmen odhdhe thry hwilum, driwadh tha drafe cristenra manna fram sæ to sæ ut thurh thas theode gewelede togædere, us eallum to woroldscame, gif we on eornost ænige cuthon ariht understandan. Ac ealne thæne bysmor the we oft tholiadh we gyldadh mid weordhscipe tham the us scendadh. We him gyldadh singallice, (and) hy us hynadh dæghwamlice. Hy hergadh (and) hy bærnadh, rypath (and) reafiadh (and) to scipe lædadh; (and) la, hwæt is ænig odher on eallum tham gelimpum butan Godes yrre ofer thas theode, swutol (and) gesæne?

Nis eac nan wundor theah us mislimpe, fortham we witan ful georne thæt nu fela geara men na ne rohtan foroft hwæt hy worhtan wordes odhdhe dæde, ac weardh thes theodscipe, swa hit thincan mæg, swythe forsyngod thurh mænigfealde synna (and) thurh fela misdæda: thurh mordhdæda (and) thurh mandæda, thurh gitsunga [f.113b] (and) thurh gifernessa, thurh stala (and) thurh strudunga, thurh mannsylena (and) thurh hæthene unsida, thurh swicdomas (and) thurh searacræftas, thurh lahbrycas (and) thurh æwswicas, thurh mægræsas (and) thurh manslyhtas, thurh hadbrycas (and) thurh æwbrycas, thurh siblegeru (and) thurh mistlice forligru. And eac syndan wide, swa we ær cwædan, thur adhbricas (and) thurh wedbrycas (and) thurh mistlice leasunga forloren (and) forlogen ma thonne scolde, (and) freolsbricas (and) fæstenbrycas wide geworhte oft (and) gelome. And eac her syn on earde apostatan abrothene (and) cyrichatan hetole, (and) leodhatan grimme ealles to manege, (and) oferhogan wide godcundra rihtlaga (and) cristenra theawa, (and) hocorwyrde dysige æghwær on theode oftost of tha thing the Godes bodan beodath (and) swythost on tha thing the æfre to Godes lage gebyriadh mid rihte. And thy is nu geworden wide (and) side to ful yfelan gewunan, thæt menn swythor scamadh nu for góddædan thonne for misdædan; fortham to oft man mid hocere góddæda hyrwedh (and) godfyhte lehtredh ealles to swythe, (and) swythost man tæledh (and) mid olle gegretedh ealles to gelome tha the riht lufiadh (and) Godes ege habbadh be ænigum dæle. [f.114] And thurh thæt the man swa dedh thæt man eal hyrwedh thæt man scolde heregian (and) to fordh ladhet thæt man scolde lufian, thurh thæt man gebringedh ealles to manege on yfelan gethance (and) on undaede, swa thæt hy ne scamadh na theah hy syngian swythe (and) widh God sylfne forwyrcan hy mid ealle, ac for idelan onscytan hy scamadh thæt hy betan heora misdæda, swa swa bec tæcan, gelice tham dwæsan the for heora brytan lewe nelladh beorgan ær hy na ne magan, theah hy eal willan.

Her syndan thurh synleawa, swa hit thincan mæg, sare gelewede to manege on earde. Her syndan, swa we ær sædon, mannslagan (and) mægslagan (and) mæsserbanan (and) mynsterhatan; (and) her syndan mánsworan (and) morthorwyrhtan; (and) her syndan myltestran (and) bearnmyrdhran (and) fule forlegene horingas manege; (and) her syndan wiccan (and) wælcyrian; (and) her syndan ryperas (and) reaferas (and) woroldstruderas (and), hrædest is to cwethenne, mána (and) misdæda ungerim ealra. And thæs us ne scamadh na, ac thæs us scamadh swythe thæt we bote aginnan swa swa bec tæcan, (and) thæt is gesyne on thysse earman forsyngodan theode. Eala, micel magan manege gyt hertoeacan eathe bethencan [114b] thæs the an man ne mehte on hrædinge asmeagan, hu earmlice hit gefaren is nu ealle hwile wide gynd thas theode. And smeage huru georne gehwa hine sylfne (and) thæs na ne latige ealles to lange.

Ac la, on Godes naman utan don swa us neod is, beorgan us sylfum swa we geornost magan the læs we ætgædere ealle forweordhan. An theodwita wæs on Brytta tidum, Gildas hatte. Se awrat be heora misdædum hu hy mid heora synnum swa oferlice swythe God gegræmedan thæt he let æt nyhstan Engla here heora eard gewinnan (and) Brytta dugethe fordon mid ealle. And thæt wæs geworden thæs the he sæde, thurh ricra reaflac (and) thurh gitsunge wohgestreona, thurh leode unlaga (and) thurh wohdomas, thurh biscopas asolcennesse (and) thurh lydhre yrhdhe Godes bydela the sothes geswugedan ealles to gelome (and) clumedan mid ceaflum thær hy scoldan clypian. thurh fulne eac folces gælsan (and) thurh oferfylla (and) mænigfealde synna heora eard hy forworhtan (and) selfe hy forwurdan. Ac utan don swa us thearf is, warnian us be swilcan; (and) soth is thæt ic secge, wyrsan dæda [f.115] we witan mid Englum thonne we mid Bryttan ahwar gehyrdan. And thy us is thearf micel thæt we us bethencan (and) widh God sylfne thingian georne. And utan don swa us thearf is, gebugan to rihte (and) be suman dæle unriht forlætan (and) betan swythe georne thæt we ær bræcan. And utan God lufian (and) Godes lagum fylgean, (and) gelæstan swythe georne thæt thæt we behetan tha we fulluht underfengan, odhdhon tha the æt fulluhte ure forespecan wæran. And utan word (and) weorc rihtlice fadian (and) ure ingethanc clænsian georne (and) adh (and) wed wærlice healdan (and) sume getrywdha habban us betweonan butan uncræftan. And utan gelome understandan thone miclam dom the we ealle to sculon, (and) beorgan us georne widh thone weallendan bryne hellewites, (and) geearnian us tha mærdha (and) tha myrhdha the God hæfdh gegearwod tham the his willan on worolde gewyrcadh. God ure helpe, amen.
 
 
 
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