Cynewulf and Cyneheard

[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Parker MS) entry for the years 754 and 755]

Cynewulf and Cyneheard
illustration by Maija Graham, inspired by various 11th c. Anglo-Saxon sources, including the Bayeux Tapestry

754. Her Cuþred forþferde, & Cyneheard onfeng biscepdome æfter Hunferþe on Wintanceastre; & Cantwara burg forbærn þy geare, & Sigebryht feng to Wesseaxna rice, & heold an gear.

755. Her Cynewulf benam Sigebryht his rices & West Seaxna wiotan for unryhtum dædum, buton Hamtunscire; & he hæfde þa he ofslog þone aldormon þe him lengest wunode; & hiene þa Cynewulf on Andred adræfde, & he þær wunade oþ þæt hiene an swan ofstang æt Pryfetes flodan;

& he wræc þone aldormon Cumbran; & se Cynewulf oft miclum gefeohtum feaht wiþ Bretwalum; & ymb xxxi wintra þæs þe he rice hæfde, he wolde adræfan anne æþeling se was Cyneheard haten, & se Cyneheard wæs þæs Sigebryhtes broþur;

& þa geascode he þone cyning lytle werode on wifcyþþe on Merantune, & hine þær berad, & þone bur utan beeode ær hine þa men onfunden þe mid þam kyninge wærun;

& þa ongeat se cyning þæt, & he on þa duru eode, & þa unheanlice hine werede, he on þone æþeling locude, & þa utræsde on hine, & hine miclum gewundode.

& hie alle on þone Cyning wærun feohtende oþ þæt hie hine ofslægenne hæfdon; & þa on þæs wifes gebærum onfundon þæs cyninges þegnas þa unstilnesse & þa þider urnon swa hwelc swa þonne gearo wearþ & radost; & hiera se æþeling gehwelcum feoh & feorh gebead, & hiera nænig hit geþicgean nolde.

Ac hie simle feohtende wæran hie alle lægon butan anum Bryttiscum gisle, & se swiþe gewundad wæs.

Ða on morgenne gehierdun þæt þæs cyninges þegnas þe him beæftan wærun þæt se cyning ofslægen wæs, þa ridon hie þider, & his aldormon Osric, & Wiferþ his þegn, & þa men þe he beæftan him læfde ær, & þone æþeling on þære byrig metton þær se cyning ofslægen læg, & þa gatu him to belocen hæfdon & þa þær to eodon;

& þa gebead he him hiera agenne dom feos & londes gif hie him þæs rices uþon, & him cyþdon þæt hiera mægas him mid wæron þa þe him from noldon;

& þa cuædon hie þæt him nænig mæg leofra nære þonne hiera hlaford, & hie næfre his banan folgian noldon, & þa budon hie hiera mægum þæt hie gesunde from eodon;

& hie cuædon þæt þæt ilce hiera geferum geboden wære, þe ær mid þam cyninge wærun; þa cuædon hie þæt hie hie þæs ne onmunden "þon ma þe eowre geferan þe mid þam cyninge ofslægene wærun".

& hie þa ymb þa gatu feohtende wæron oþþæt hie þær inne fulgon, & þone æþeling ofslogon, & þa men þe him mid wærun alle butan anum, se wæs þæs aldormonnes godsunu, & he his feorh generede & þeah he wæs oft gewundad.

& se Cynewulf ricsode xxxi wintra. & his lic liþ æt Wintanceastre, & þæs æþelinges æt Ascanmynster, & hiera ryhtfæderencyn gæþ to Cerdice;

& þy ilcan geare mon ofslog æþelbald Miercna cyning on Seccandune, & his lic liþ on Hreopadune; & Beornræd feng to rice, & lytle hwile heold & ungefealice; & þy ilcan geare Offa feng to rice, & heold xxxviiii wintra. & his sunu Egfer heold xli daga & c daga.

Se Offa wæs Þincgferþing, Þincgferþ Eanwulfing, Eanwulf Osmoding, Osmod Eawing, Eawa Pybing, Pybba Creoding, Creoda Cynewalding, Cynewald Cnebing, Cnebba Iceling, Icel Eomæring, Eomær Angelþowing, Angelþeow Offing, Offa Wærmunding, Wærmund Wyhtlæging, Wihtlæg Wodening.

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