The Descent into Hell

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Ongunnon him on uhtan         æþelcunde mægð
gierwan to geonge;         wiston gumena gemot
æþelinges lic         eorðærne biþeaht.
Woldan werigu wif         wope bimænan

5

æþelinges deað         ane hwile,
reonge bereotan.         Ræst wæs acolad,
heard wæs hinsið;         hæleð wæron modge,
þe hy æt þam beorge         bliðe fundon.
Cwom seo murnende         Maria on dægred,

10

heht hy oþre mid         eorles dohtor.
Sohton sarigu tu         sigebearn godes
ænne in þæt eorðærn         þær hi ær wiston
þæt hine gehyddan         hæleð Iudea;
wendan þæt he on þam beorge         bidan sceolde,

15

ana in þære easterniht.         Huru þæs oþer þing
wiston þa wifmenn,         þa hy on weg cyrdon!
Ac þær cwom on uhtan         an engla þreat,
behæfde heapa wyn         hælendes burg.
Open wæs þæt eorðærn,         æþelinges lic

20

onfeng feores gæst,         folde beofode,
hlogan helwaran;         hagosteald onwoc
modig from moldan,         mægenþrym aras
sigefæst ond snottor.         Sægde Iohannis,
hæleð helwarum,         hlyhhende spræc

25

modig to þære mengo         ymb his mæges ......:
"Hæfde me gehaten         hælend user,
þa he me on þisne sið         sendan wolde,
þæt he me gesoht...         siex monað,
ealles folces fruma.         Nu ...... sceacen.

30

Wene ic ful swiþe         ond witod
...... to dæge         dryhten wille
...... gesecan,         sigebearn godes."
Fysde hine þa to fore         frea moncynnes;
wolde heofona helm         helle weallas

35

forbrecan ond forbygan,         þære burge þrym
onginnan reafian,         reþust ealra cyninga.
Ne rohte he to þære hilde         helmberendra,
ne he byrnwigend         to þam burggeatum
lædan ne wolde,         ac þa locu feollan,

40

clustor of þam ceastrum;         cyning in oþrad,
ealles folces fruma         forð onette,
weoruda wuldorgiefa.         Wræccan þrungon,
hwylc hyra þæt sygebearn         geseon moste,
Adam ond Abraham,         Isac ond Iacob,

45

monig modig eorl,         Moyses ond Dauid,
Esaias         ond Sacharias,
heahfædra fela,         swylce eac hæleþa gemot,
witgena weorod,         wifmonna þreat,
fela fæmnena,         folces unrim.

50

Geseah þa Iohannis         sigebearn godes
mid þy cyneþrymme         cuman to helle,
ongeat þa geomormod         godes sylfes sið.
Geseah he helle duru         hædre scinan,
þa þe longe ær         bilocen wæron,

55

beþeahte mid þystre;         se þegn wæs on wynne.
Abead þa bealdlice         burgwarena ord
modig fore þære mengo         ond to his mæge spræc
ond þa wilcuman         wordum grette:
"þe þæs þonc sie,         þeoden user,

60

þæt þu us... ...ige         secan woldest,
nu we on þissum bendum         bidan ......
þonne monige bindeð         broþorleasne
wræccan ......         (he bið wide fah),
ne bið he no þæs nearwe         under niðloc...

65

þæs bitre gebunden         under bealuclommum,
þæt he þy yð ne mæge         ellen habban,
þonne he his hlafordes         hyldo gelyfeð,
þæt hine of þam bendum         bicgan wille.
Swa we ealle to þe         an gelyfað,

70

dryhten min se dyra.         Ic adreag fela
siþþan þu end to me         in siþadest,
þa þu me gesealdest         sweord ond byrnan,
helm ond heorosceorp,         (a ic þæt heold nu giet),
ond þu me gecyðdest,         cyneþrymma wyn,

75

þæt þu mundbora         minum wære.
Eala Gabrihel,         hu þu eart gleaw ond scearp,
milde ond gemyndig         ond monþwære,
wis on þinum gewitte         ond on þinum worde snottor!
þæt þu gecyðdest         þa þu þone cnyht to us

80

brohtest in Bethlem.         Bidan we þæs longe,
setan on sorgum,         sibbe oflyste,
wynnum ond wenum,         hwonne we word godes
þurh his sylfes muð         secgan hyrde.
Eala Maria,         hu þu us modigne

85

cyning acendest,         þa þu þæt cild to us
brohtest in Bethlem.         We þæs beofiende
under helle dorum         hearde sceoldon
bidan in bendum.         Bona weorces gefeah;
wæron ure ealdfind         ealle on wynnum

90

þonne hy gehyrdon         hu we hreowen...
...on murnende         mægburg usse,
oþþæt ......         sigedryhten god,
bimengdes...         ...gust ealra cyninga.
        nu us mon modge þe

95

ageaf from usse geogoðe.         We þurh gifre mod
beswican us sylfe;         we þa synne forþon
berað in urum breostum         to bonan honda,
sculon eac to ussum feondum         freoþo wilnian.
Eala Hierusalem         in Iudeum,

100

hu þu in þære stowe         stille gewunadest!
Ne mostan þe geondferan         foldbuende
ealle lifgende,         þa þe lof singað.
Eala Iordane         in Iudeum,
hu þu in þære stowe         stille gewunadest!

105

Nales þu geondflowan         foldbuende;
mostan hy þynes wætres         wynnum brucan.
Nu ic þe halsie,         hælend user,
deope in gedyrstum,         (þu eart dryhten Crist),
þæt þu us gemiltsie,         monna scyppend.

110

þu fore monna lufan         þinre modor bosm
sylfa gesohtes,         sigedryhten god,
nales fore þinre þearfe,         þeoda waldend,
ac for þam miltsum         þe þu moncynne
oft ætywdest,         þonne him wæs are þearf.

115

þu meaht ymbfon         eal folca gesetu,
swylce þu meaht geriman,         rice dryhten,
sæs sondgrotu,         selast ealra cyninga.
Swylce ic þe halsige,         hælend user,
fore ...inum cildhade,         cyninga selast,

120

ond fore þære wunde,         weoruda dry...
þinum æriste,         æþelinga wyn,
ond fore þinre me...         ...ian nama,
þa ealle hellwara         hergað ond lof...
...lum         þe þe ymb stondað,

125

þa þu þe lete sittan         ...... hond,
þa þu us on þisne wræcsið,         weoroda dryhten,
þurh þines sylfes geweald         secan woldest,
ond fore Hierusalem         in Iudeum,
(sceal seo burg nu þa         bidan efne swa þeah,

130

þeoden leofa,         þines eftcymes),
ond for Iordane         in Iudeum,
(wit unc in þære burnan         baþodan ætgædre).
Oferwurpe þu mid þy wætre,         weoruda dryhten,
bliþe mode         ealle burgwaran,

135

swylce git Iohannis         in Iordane
mid þy fullwihte         fægre onbryrdon
ealne þisne middangeard.         Sie þæs symle meotude þonc!"