Metrical Epilogue to the Pastoral Care

Sacred Texts Legends and Sagas WordGumbo: Old English Dictionaries [External Site] Index Previous Next 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.