- Byrhtwold maþelode, bord hafenode
- (se wæs eald geneat), æsc acwehte.
- He ful baldlice beornas lærde:
- ‘Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre,
- mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað.
- Her lið ure ealdor eall forheawen,
- god on greote. A mæg gnornian
- se ðe nu fram þis wigplegan wendan þenceð.
- Ic eom frod feores; fram ic ne wille,
- ac ic me be healfe minum hlaforde,
- be swa leofan men, licgan þence.’
- Swa hi Æþelgares bearn ealle bylde,
- Godric to guþe. Oft he gar forlet,
- wælspere windan on þa wicingas,
- swa he on þam folce fyrmest eode,
- heow and hynde — oðþæt he on hilde gecranc.
- Næs þæt na se Godric þe ða guðe forbeah.
Byrhtwold made a speech, raised his shield
(he was an old retainer), shook his ash-spear.
He exhorted the warriors very boldly:
‘Mind must be harder, heart keener,
spirit must be greater as our strength diminishes.
Here our leader lies all cut down,
a good man in the dirt. He who thinks to
turn away from this battle-play now will always be able to lament it.
I am experienced in life; I do not desire to go,
but I intend to lay myself down by the side of my lord,
by so dear a man.’
In the same way the child of Æthelgar,
Godric, encouraged them all in fighting. Frequently he let a spear fly,
a deadly dart against the vikings,
and so too he advanced at the front of the army,
he slashed and cut them down – until he fell in the battle.
That was not the Godric who fled from the fight.
