ANGLES SAXONS AND JUTES AND THE FORMATION OF

ANGLES, SAXONS, AND JUTES AND THE FORMATION OF OLD ENGLISH We Gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon Beginnings and Transitions

Packing up and shipping out

The Coming of the “wild Saxons, of accursed name, hated by God and men” —Gildas 383, Maximus crowned emperor in Britain and takes three legions to the continent, removing the strength of the British force 446, Rome provides its last aid to Britain, afterwards telling the Britons to defend themselves, as true Romans 448 or 449, Vortigern, a tyrant ruler, invites three Saxon ships to serve as mercenaries to fight Picts. 455, The Saxons (actually Jutes) of the three ships, led by Hengest and Horsa, exiled nobles, rebel against Vortigern and take Kent.

Displacing the Celtic Britons For the fire of righteous vengeance, caused by former crimes, blazed from sea to sea, heaped up by the eastern band of impious men; and as it devastated all the neighbouring cities and lands, did not cease after it had been kindled, until it burnt nearly the whole surface of the island, and licked the western ocean with its red and savage tongue. In this assault, which might be compared to the Assyrian attack upon Iudaea of old, there is fulfilled in us also, according to the account, that which the prophet in his lament says: ---They have burnt with fire thy sanctuary in the land, They have defiled the tabernacle of thy name; and again, O God, the gentiles have come into thine inheritance, They have defiled thy holy temple, and so forth. … For the vineyard, at one time good, had then so far degenerated to bitter fruit, that rarely could be seen, according to the prophet, any cluster of grapes or ear of corn, as it were, behind the back of the vintagers or reapers. From Gildas, De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae, 537

Caedmon’s Hymn 1 Nu scilun hergan hefenricæs uard 2 metudæs mehti and his modgithanc 3 uerc uuldurfadur sue he uundra gihuæs 4 eci dryctin or astelidæ. 5 he ærist scop ældu barnum 6 hefen to hrofæ halig sceppend 7 tha middingard moncynnæs uard 8 eci dryctin æfter tiadæ 9 firum foldu frea allmehtig Now we must praise heaven-kingdom’s Guardian, The Measurer’s might and his mind-plans, The work of the Glory-Father when he of wonders every one, Eternal Lord, the beginning established. He first created for men’s sons Heaven as a roof, holy Creator; then middle-earth, mankind’s Guardian, Eternal Lord, afterwards made— For men earth, Master almighty.

The Ruthwell Cross and “Dream of the Rood”

[The teacher: ] Canst þu ænig þing? [Pupil E: ] Ænne cræft ic cann. [The teacher: ] Hwylcne? [Pupil E: ] Hunta ic eom. [The teacher: ] Hwæs? [Pupil E: ] Cincges. [The teacher: ] Hu begæst þu cræft þinne? [Pupil E: ] Ic brede me max ond sette hie on stowe gehæppre, ond getihte hundas mine þæt wildeor hie ehton, oþþæt hie becuman to þæm nettum unforsceawodlice ond þæt hie swa beon begrynodo, ond ic ofslea hie on þæm maxum. [The teacher: ] Ne canst þu huntian buton mid nettum? [Pupil E: ] Gea, butan nettum huntian ic mæg. [The teacher: ] Hu? [Pupil E: ] Mid swiftum hundum ic betæce wildeor. [The teacher: ] Hwilce wildeor swyþost gefehst þu? [Pupil E: ] Ic gefeo heortas ond baras ond rann ond rægan ond hwilon haran. [The teacher: ] Wære þu todæg on huntnoþe? [Pupil E: ] Ic næs, forþam sunnandæg is, ac gyrstandæg ic wæs on huntunge. [The teacher: ] Hwæt gelæhte þu? [Pupil E: ] Twegen heortas ond ænne bar. [The teacher: ] Hu gefencge þu hie? [Pupil E: ] Heortas ic gefencge on nettum ond bar ic ofsloh.