passio sci̅ albani martyris
Svm hæðen casere wæs ge-haten dioclitianvs 001
se wæs to casere gecoren þeahðe he cwealm-bære wære .
æfter cristes acennednysse twam hund gearum .
and syx and hund-eahtatigum ofer ealne middan-eard .
and he rixode twentig geara reðe cwellere .
swa þæt he acwealde and acwellan hét
ealle ða cristenan þe he of-axian mihte .
and forbærnde cyrcan . and berypte ða unscæððigan .
and þeos arleasa ehtnyss unablinnendlice eode
ofer ealne middan-eard ealles tyngear.
oðþæt heo to engla lande eac swylce becom .
and þær fela acwealde ða þe on criste gelyfdon .
an ðæra wæs albanus se æþela martyr .
seðe on þære ehtnysse eac wearð acweald
for cristes geleafan . swa swa we cyðaþ hér .
On þam dagum becom seo cwealmbære ehtnyss 016
to engla lande fram ðam arleasan casere .
and þa cwelleras cepton ðæra cristenra gehwǽr
mid ormetre wodnysse . Þa ætwand him an preost.
Se arn digollice to albanus huse . 020
and ðær ætlutode his laðum ehterum .
and albanus hine under-feng þeahðe he gefullod nære .
Þa be-gan se preost swa swa he god lufode 023
his gebedu singan and swyðe fæstan .
and dæges and nihtes his drihten herian .
and betwux ðam secgan ðone soðan geleafan
þam arwurþan albane . oþþæt he gelyfde
on ðone soðan god . and wiðsoc þam hæðen-scype .
and wearð soþlice cristen . and swyðe geleaffull.
Þa wunode se preost mid ðam arwurðan were . 030
oðþæt se ealdor-mann ðe ehte ða cristenan
hine ðær geaxode . and hine ardlice het
to him gefeccan mid fullum graman .
Þa comon ða ærendracan to albanes huse . 034
ac albanus eode ut to þam ehterum
mid ðæs preostes hakelan swylce he hit wære .
and hine nolde ameldian ðam manfullum ehterum.
He wearð þa gebunden and ge-broht sona 038
to ðam arleasan deman . þær he ða defollican lác
his godum offrode mid his gegadum eallum.
Þa wearð se dema deofollice gram 041
sona swa he beseah on þone soðfæstan martyr .
forðan þe he under-feng ðone fleondan preost .
and hine sylfne sealde to slege for hine .
het hine þa lædan to ðam hæðen-gilde and cwæþ .
þæt he sylf sceolde ða swaran wita onfón
þe he þam preoste gemynte gif he mihte hine gefón .
butan he hraðe gebuge to his bysmorfullum godum .
ac albanus næs afyrht for his feondlicum þeow-racan .
forðan þe he wæs ymb-gyrd mid godes wæpnum
to þam gastlicum gecampe . and cw̅ þæt he nolde
his hæsum gehyrsumian . ne to his hæðengilde bugan .
Þa axode se dema ardlice and cwæð . 053
Hwylcere mægðe eart þu . oððe hwylcere manna . 054
Ða andwyrde albanus þam arleasan þus . 055
Hwæt belympð to þe hwylcere mægðe ic sy . 056
ac gif ðu soð wylt gehyran ic þe secge hraðe .
þæt ic cristen eom and crist æfre wurðige .
Se dema him cwæð to . Cyð me þinne naman 059
butan ælcere yldinge . nu ic axie ðus .
Se godes cempa cw̅ to þam cwellere þus . 061
Ic hatte albanus . and ic on þone hælend gelyfe . 062
se ðe is soð god . and ealle gesceafta geworhte .
to him ic me gebidde and hine æfre wurðige .
Se cwellere andwyrde þam arfæstan were . 065
Gif ðu þæs ecan lifes gesælþe habban wylt . 066
þonne ne scealt ðu elcian þæt ðu offrige
þam mærum godum . mid mycelre underðeodnysse .
Albanus him andwyrde . Eowre godas (sic) offrunga ne magon 069
þe ge deoflum offriað eower gehelpan .
ne eowerne willan gefremman . ac ge underfoð to medes
ða ecan wita on ðære widgillan helle .
Hwæt ða se dema deofollice yrsode . 073
and het beswingan þone halgan martyr .
wende þæt he mihte his modes anrædnysse
mid þam swingelum gebigan to his biggengum .
ac se eadiga wer wearð þurh god gestrangod .
and ða swingle forbær swyðe geþyldiglice .
and mid glædum mode gode ðæs þancode .
Ða geseah se dema þæt he oferswyðan ne mihte 080
þone halgan wer mid þam hetelicum witum
ne fram criste gebigan . and het hine acwellan
mid beheafdunge for ðæs hælendes naman .
Þa dydon þa hæðenan swa swa hi het se dema . 084
and leddon ðone halgan to beheafdigenne .
ac hi wurdon gelette lange æt anre brycge .
and stodon oð æfnunge for ðam ormætan folce .
wæra and wifa . þe wurdon onbryrde .
and comon to ðam martyre and him mid eoden .
Hit gelamp ða . swa þæt se geleafleasa dema 090
ungereordod sæt . on ðære ceastra oð æfen
butan ælcere ðenunge unþances fæstende .
Hwæt ða albanus efstan wolde to slege . 093
and eode to þære éá þaða he ofer þa brycge ne mihte .
and beseah to heofonum þone hælend biddende .
and seo ea þær-rihte adruwode him ætforan .
and him weg rymde . swa swa he ge-wilnode æt gode .
Þa wearð se cwellere þe hine acwellan sceolde 098
þurh þæt wundor abryrd . and awearp his swurd
arn ða ardlice þaða hi ofer ða ea comon .
and feoll to his fotum mid fullum geleafan .
wolde mid him sweltan ærðan þe he hine sloge .
He wearð þa gean-læht mid anrædum geleafan 103
to ðam halgan were þe he beheafdian sceolde .
and þæt swurd læg þær scynende him ætforan .
and heora nan nolde naht eaðe hine slean .
Ða wæs ðær gehende þam halgan wære 107
án myrige dún mid wyrtum amet .
mid eallre fægernysse and eac ful smeðe.
Þa eode albanus ardlice ðyder . 110
and bæd sona æt gode þæt [sic @ Skeat] he him sealde wæter
uppan ðære dune . and he dyde swá .
Þær arn þa wylspryncg æt albanes fotum 113
þæt men mihton tocnawan his mihte wið god .
þa ða se stream arn of ðære sticolan dune .
He wearð þa be-heafdod for ðæs hælendes naman 116
uppan ðære dune . and to his drihtne ferde
mid sigefæstum martyr-dome . and soðum geleafan
ac his slaga ne moste gesundful lybban .
forðam þe him burston út butu his eagan .
and to eorðan feollon mid albanes heafde .
þæt he mihte oncnawan hwæne he acwealde
Hi beheafdodon syððan þone soðfæstan cempan 123
þe nolde beheafdian ðone halgan wer .
and he læg mid albane gelyfed on god .
mid his blode gefullod and ferde to heofonum .
Eft ða ða cwelleras comon to heora hlaforde . 127
and hi sædon þa syllican tacna ðe albanus worhte .
and hu se wearð ablend þe hine beheafdode .
ða het he geswican þære ehtnysse and arwurðlice spræc
be ðam halgum martyrum . þe he ne mihte gebigan
fram godes geleafan þurh ða gramlican witu .
On ðære ylcan ehtnysse wurdon ofslagene . 133
áárón . and Iulius . and oðre manega
wera . and wifa . wide geond engla land .
for cristes geleafan ge-cwylmede on witum .
and hi ferdon sige-fæste to þam soðan life .
Seo ehtnys geswác ða . and eoden þa cristenan 138
of wudum and of wæstenum þær hi wæron behydde .
and comon to mannum and cristen-dom ge-edniwodon .
and gebetton cyrcan þe to-brocene wæron .
wunodon ða on sybbe mid soðum geleafan .
Hi worhton eac þa wurðlice cyrcan 143
þam halgan albane ðær he bebyrged wæs .
and þær wurdon gelome wundra gefremode .
þam hælende to lofe ðe leofað á on ecnysse .
Þis wæs geworden ær ðæt gewinn come 147
ðurh hengest . and horsan þe hyndon ða bryttas .
and se cristen-dom wearð ge-unwurðod syððan .
oðþæt agustinus hine eft astealde .
be gregories lare þæs geleaffullan papan .
Sy wuldor and lof þam welwillendan scyppende 152
seðe ure fæderas feondum æt-bræd .
and to fulluhte gebigde þurh his bydelas. amen.
item alia. (acitofel et absalon.)
Is nv eac to witenne þæt man witnað foroft 155
ða arleasan sceaðan and þa swicolan ðeofas .
ac hí nabbað nan edlean æt þam ælmihtigan gode .
ac swyðor þa ecean witu for heora wælhreownysse .
forðan þe hí leofodon be reaflace swa swa reðe wulfas .
and þam rihtwisum ætbrudon heora bigleofan foroft.
Wolde huru se earming hine sylfne beþencan . 161
and his synna geandettan mid soðre behreowsunge .
huru ðonne he on bendum bið . and gebroht to cwale
swa swa se sceaða dyde . þe forscylgod hangode
mid þam hælende criste . and cw̅ him to mid geleafan .
Drihten leof gemiltsa me . þonne ðu becymst on ðinum rice . 166
Se hælend him andwyrde . 167
Soð ic þe secge 167
nu to-dæg þu bist mid me on neorxna-wange.
Þus ge-earnode se arleasa sceaða . 169
on his deaðes þrowunge þæt éce líf mid criste .
forþan ðe he gelyfde on criste . and his miltsunga bæd .
Yfele deð him sylfum þe mid swicdome his tilað . 172
and he bið sceaðena gefera þe man sceandlice witnað .
Se swicola bedyddrað his dæda wið menn . 174
ac hi beoð geopenode oft unþances
huru on domes dæg . þær nan ðincg digle ne bið .
and he hæfð þonne ece wite forðan þe his wærscype ne dohte .
Se sceaða bið nu ofslagen and to sceame getucod . 178
and his earme sawl syððan syðað to helle
to ðam ecum suslum on sweartum racenteagum .
We wenað swaðeah þæt se eallwealdenda hælend 181
wille ge-miltsian þam manfullan sceaðan .
gif he mid eallre heortan and incundre geomerunge
clypað to ðam ælmihtigan gode and his arfæstnysse bit .
ærðan þe þæt scearpe swurd swege to his hneccan .
and gif he bemænð his synna swyðor þonne his líf .
and mid wope gewilnað þæs eallwealdendes miltsunge .
Ac se swicola deofol þe beswac ðone þeof . 188
and æfre forlærde oð his lifes ende .
nele naht eaðe on his ende geðafian
þæt he þonne gecyrre mid soðre behreowsunge .
and mid incundum wope . to þam wel-willendan hælende .
ac cunnað mid eallum cræfte hu he hine criste æt-brede .
Eac swylce hlaford-swican losiað on ende 194
swa swa us bec secgað soðlice gehwær .
Sum woruld-wita wæs swyðe wis on rǽde acitofel gehaten . 196
mid dauide þam cynincge þe gode wæs gecweme .
on ðam timan þe absalón his agen sunu
ongan winnan wið þone fæder . and wolde hine adræfan
of his cyne-dome and acwellan gif he mihte .
Þa wæs se acitofel mid absalone on rǽde . 201
and rædde him sona hu he beswican mihte
his agenne fæder ðær he on fleame wæs .
ac sum oðer þægn wið-cwæð his geðeahte wislice .
and þæhte Absalone oðerne rǽd
wyrsan to his willan . forðan þe hit god wolde swa
þæt dauid wurde fram heora wodnysse ahræd .
Þa ge-bealh hine acitofel and mid bealwe wearð afylled . 208
forðan þe his ræd ne moste þam reðan gelician .
for ðæs oðres ræde and rád him hám sona .
becwæð þa his ðincg . and acwealde hine sylfne
on healicum grine þæt he hangigende sweolt .
Swa geendode se wita his wæl-hreowe geþeaht . 213
seðe wolde berædan his rihtwisan hlaford .
Absalon ða ferde forð mid his unræde . 215
and wolde his agenum fæder feores benæman .
and habban his anweald . ac hit nolde god .
He rád ða on his mule mid mycelre fyrde 218
þurh ænne heahne holt mid hetelicum geþance .
þa ge-feng hine an treow be ðam fexe sona .
forðan þe he wæs sidfæxede and he swa hangode .
and se mul arn forð fram þam arleasan hlaforde .
and dauides þegnas hine þurh-ðydon .
Swa geendode se fæder-swica mid his feore his unræd . 224
Eall swa eac iudas ðe wælhreowlice belæwde 225
urne hælend crist . acwealde hine sylfne
hangiende on grine . godes wiðer-saca
ecelice for-demed swa swa drihtnes belæwa .
Ælc man bið eac fordemed þe hine sylfne adyt . 229
and ælc agen-slaga á on ecnysse ðrowað .
and hlaford-swican losiað on ende .
mid þam getreowleasan deofle þe hi tihte to ðam swicdome .
Eall swa þa unriht-wisan deman þe heora domas awendað 233
æfre be þam sceattum na be soðfæstnysse .
and habbað æfre to cépe heora soðfæstnysse .
and swa hí sylfe syllað wið sceattum .
þonne habbað hí on ende for heora unrihtwisnysse
mid þam swicolan deofle þa ecan susle .
Se rihtwisa dema sceall deman æfre riht . 239
and fyrðrian þa rihtwisnysse for godes lufon symle .
forðan þe ða sceattas ablendað swa swa us bec secgað
þæra manna mod þe hi manfullice nimað .
and ða domas awendað to wohnysse swá .
Ne sceall nan godes þegn for sceattum riht deman . 244
ac healdan þone dóm gif he drihtnes man sy .
buton lyðrum sceattum symle to rihte .
þæt he on þam ecan life his edlean underfó .
Sume menn syllað eac cyrcan to hyre 248
swáswá wáclice mylna . þæt mære godes hus
þe wæs gode betæht to his biggencgum
to ðam cristen-dome þe crist sylf astealde .
ac hit ne gedafnað þæt man dó godes hús
anre mylne gelic for lyðrum tolle .
and seðe hit deð he sincað swyðe deope .
Gescylde us se scyppend þe gesceop us to mannum 255
wið þæs deofles swic-dom þe syrwð embe us .
and us mild-heort-lice gelæde to ðam ecan life .
on ðam is ece wuldor on eallra worulda woruld. amen.