Ælfric's Colloquy

by Ælfric

Teacher:hwæt hæfst þu weorkes

Student A:ic eom geanwyrde monuc ond sincge ælce dæg seofon tida mid gebroþrum ac þeahhwæþere ic wolde betwenan leornian sprecan on leden gereorde

Teacher:hwæt cunnon þas þine geferan

Student A:summe synt yrþlincgas sume scephyrdas sume oxanhyrdas sume eac swylce huntan sume fisceras sume fugleras sume cypmenn sume scewyrhtan sealteras bæceras

Teacher:hwæt sægest þu yrþlingc
hu begæst þu weorc þin

Student B:eala leof hlaford þearle ic deorfe ic ga ut on dægræd þywende oxan to felda ond iugie hie to syl nys hit swa stearc winter þæt ic durre lutian æt ham for ege hlafordes mines ac geiukodan oxan ond gefæstnodon sceare ond cultre mid þære syl ælce dæg ic sceal erian fulne æcer oþþe mare

Teacher:hæfst þu ænigne geferan

Student B:ic hæbbe sumne cnapan þywende oxan mid gadisene
þe eac swilce nu has is for cylde ond hreame

Teacher:hwæt mare dest þu

Student B:gewyslice mare ic do ic sceal fyllan binne oxena
mid hig ond wæterian hie ond scearn hira beran ut hig hig

Teacher:micel gedeorf ys hit

Student B:ge leof micel gedeorf hit is for þam ic neom freoh

Teacher:sceaphyrde hæfst þu ænig gedeorf

Student C:gea leof ic hæbbe on forewerdne morgen ic drife sceap mine to hira læse ond stande ofer hie on hæte ond on cyle mid hundum þy læs wulfas forswelgen hie ond ic agenlæde hie on hira loca ond melke hie tweowa on dæg ond hira loca ic hæbbe ond þærto ge cyse ge buteran ic do ond ic eom getrywe hlaforde minum

Teacher:eala oxanhyrde hwæt wyrcst þu

Student D:eala hlaford min micel ic gedeorfe þænne se yrthlingc unscenþ þa oxan ic læde hie to læse ond ealle niht ic stande ofer hie waciende for þeofum ond eft on ærnemergen ic betæce hie þæm yrþlincge wel gefylde ond gewæterode

Teacher:is þæs of þinum geferum

Student A:gea he is

Teacher:canst þu ænig þing

Student E:ænne cræft ic cann

Teacher:hwylcne

Student E:hunta ic eom

Teacher:hwæs

Student E:cincges

Teacher:hu begæst þu cræft þinne

Student 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

Teacher:ne canst þu huntian buton mid nettum

Student E:gea butan nettum huntian ic mæg

Teacher:hu

Student E:mid swiftum hundum ic betæce wildeor

Teacher:hwilce wildeor swyþost gefehst þu

Student E:ic gefeo heortas ond baras ond rann ond rægan ond hwilon haran

Teacher:wære þu todæg on huntnoþe

Student E:ic næs forþam sunnandæg is ac gyrstandæg ic wæs on huntunge

Teacher:hwæt gelæhtest þu

Student E:twegen heortas ond ænne bar

Teacher:hu gefencge þu hie

Student E:heortas ic gefencge on nettum ond bar ic ofsloh

Teacher:hu wære þu dyrstig ofstikian bar

Student E:hundas bedrifon hine to me ond ic þær togeanes standende færlice ofstikode hine

ne sceal hunta forhtfull wesan forþam mislice wildeor wuniaþ on wudum

Teacher:hwæt dest þu be þinre huntunge

Student E:ic sylle cyncge swa hwæt swa ic gefo forþam ic eom hunta his

Teacher:hwæt sylþ he þe

Student E:he scryt me wel ond fett ond hwilon sylþ me hors oþþe beah þæt þe lustlicor cræft minne ic begancge

Teacher:hwylcne cræft canst þu

Student F:ic eom fiscere

Teacher:hwæt begyst þu of þinum cræfte

Student F:bigleofan ond scrud ond feoh

Teacher:hu gefehst þu fixas

Student F:ic astigie min scyp ond wyrpe max mine on ea ond ancgil ic wyrpe ond spyrtan ond swa hwæt swa hig gehæftað ic genime

Teacher:hwæt gif hit unclæne beoþ fixas

Student F:ic utwyrpe þa unclænan ut ond genime me clæne to mete

Teacher:hwær cypst þu fixas þine

Student F:on ceastre

Teacher:hwa bigþ hi

Student F:ceasterwara ic ne mæg swa fela gefon swa ic mæg gesyllan

Teacher:hwilce fixas gefehst þu

Student F:ælas ond hacodas mynas ond æleputan sceotan ond lampredan ond swa wylce swa on wætere swymmaþ

Teacher:forhwi ne fixast þu on sæ

Student F:hwilum ic do ac seldon forþam micel rewyt me ys to sæ

Teacher:hwæt fehst þu on sæ

Student F:hærincgas ond leaxas mereswyn ond stirian ostran ond crabban muslan winewinclan sæcoccas fagc ond floc ond lopystran ond fela swylces

Teacher:wilt þu fon sumne hwæl

Student F:nic

Teacher:forhwi

Student F:forþam plyhtlic þingc hit ys gefon hwæl gebeorhlicre ys me faran to ea mid scype mynum þænne faran mid manegum scypum on huntunge hranes

Teacher:forhwi swa

Student F:forþam leofre ys me gefon fisc þæne ic mæg ofslean þonne fisc þe na þæt an me ac eac swylce mine geferan mid anum slege he mæg besencean oþþe gecwylman

Teacher:ond þeah mænige gefoþ hwælas ond ætberstaþ frecnysse ond micelne sceat þanon begytaþ

Student F:soþ þu segst ac ic ne geþristge for modes mines nytenyssæ

Teacher:hwæt sægst þu fugelere hu beswicst þu fugelas

Student G:on feala wisan ic beswice fugelas hwilum mid netum hwilum mid grinum hwilum mid lime hwilum mid hwistlunge hwilum mid hafoce hwilum mid treppum

Teacher:hæfst þu hafoc

Student G:ic hæbbe

Teacher:canst þu temian hig

Student G:gea ic cann hwæt sceoldon hig me buton ic cuþe temian hig

Teacher:sylle me ænne hafoc

Student G:ic sylle lustlice gyf þu sylst me ænne swiftne hund hwilcne hafoc wilt þu habban þone maran hwæþer þe þænne læssan

Teacher:syle me þæne maran

Teacher:hu afest þu hafocas þine

Student G:hig fedaþ hig sylfe ond me on wintra ond on lencgten ic læte hig ætwindan to wuda ond genyme me briddas on hærfæste ond temige hig

Teacher:ond forhwi forlæst þu þa getemedon ætwindan fram þe

Student G:forþam ic nelle fedan hig on sumera forþamþe hig þearle etaþ

Teacher:ond manige fedaþ þa getemodon ofer sumor þæt eft hig hig habban gearuwe

Student G:gea swa hig doþ ac ic nelle swa deorfan ofer hig forþam ic cann oþre na þæt ænne ac eac swilce manige gefon

Teacher:hwæt sægst þu mancgere

Student H:ic secge þæt behefe ic eom ge cyngce ond ealdormannum ond weligum ond eallum follce

Teacher:ond hu

Student H:ic astige min scyp mid hlæstum minum ond rowe ofer sælice dælas ond cype mine þingc ond bicge dyrwyrþe þingc þa on þisum lande ne beoþ acennede ond ic hit togelæde eow hider mid micclan plihte ofer sæ ond hwilum forlidenesse ic þolie mid lyre ealra þinga minra uneaþe cwic ætberstende

Teacher:hwilce þinc gelædst þu us

Student H:pællas ond sidan deorwyrþe gymmas ond gold selcuþe reaf ond wyrtgemangc win ond ele ylpesban ond mæstlingc ær ond tin swefel ond glæs on þylces fela

Teacher:wilt þu syllan þingc þine her eal swa þu hi gebohtest þær

Student H:ic nelle hwæt þænne me fremode gedeorf min ac ic wille hira cypen her [deoror] þonne gebicge ic hig þær þæt sum gestreon ic me begyte þanon ic me afede ond min wif ond minne sunu

Teacher:þu sceowyrhta hwæt wyrcst þu us nytwyrþnessæ

Student I:is witodlice cræft min behefe þearle eow ond neodþearf

Teacher:hu

Student I:ic bicge hyda ond fell ond gearkie hig mid cræfte minon ond wyrce of him gescy mistlices cynnes swyftleras ond sceos leþerhosa ond butericas bridelþwancgas ond geræda flaxan pinnan ond higdifatu spurleþera ond hælftra pusan ond fætelsas ond nan eower nele oferwintran buton minon cræfte

Teacher:sealtere hwæt us fremaþ cræft þin

Student J:þearle fremaþ cræft min eow eallum nan eower blisse brycð on gereduncge oþþe mete buton cræft min gistliþe him beo

Teacher:hu

Student J:hwylc manna þurhwerodum þurhbrycþ mettum buton swæcce sealtes hwa gefylþ cleafan his oþþe hedderna buton cræfte minon efne butergeþweor ælc ond cysgerunn losaþ eow buton ic hyrde ætwese eow þe ne furþon þæt an wyrtum eowrum butan me brucaþ

Teacher:bæcere hwam fremaþ oþþe hwæþer we butan þe magon lif adreogan

Student K:ge magon þurh sum fæc butan na lancge ne to wel soþlice butan cræfte minon ælc beod æmtig byþ gesewen ond buton hlafe ælc mete to wlættan byþ gehwyrfed ic heortan mannes gestrangie ic mægen wera ond furþon litlincgas nellaþ forbigean me

Teacher:hwæt secge we be þæm cocce hwæþer we beþurfon on ænigon cræfte

Student L:gif ge me ut adrifaþ fram eowrum geferscype ge etaþ wyrta eowre grene ond flæscmettas eowre hreawe ond furþon fætt broþ ge [ne] magon

Student:we ne reccaþ ne he us neodþearf ys forþam we sylfe magon seoþan þa þingc þe to seoþenne synd brædan þa þincg þe to brædenne synd

Student L:gif ge forþy me fram adryfaþ þæt ge þus don þonne beo ge ealle þrælas ond nan eower ne biþ hlaford þeahhwæþere buton [me] ge ne etaþ

Teacher:eala munuc þe me tospycst efne ic hæbbe afandod þe habban gode geferan ond þearle neodþearfe ond ic ahsie þa

Student A:ic hæbbe smiþas isene smiþas goldsmiþ seoloforsmiþ arsmiþ treowwyrhtan ond manegra oþre mistlicra cræfta biggenceras

Teacher:hæfst ænigne wisne geþeahtan

Student A:gewislice ic hæbbe [hu meahte] ure gegaderungc buton geþeahtynde beon wissod

Teacher:wisa hwilc cræft þe geþuht betwux þas furþra wesan

Student M:me is geþuht godes þeowdom betweoh þas cræftas ealdorscype healdan swa swa hit geræd on godspelle fyrmest seceað rice godes ond rihtwisnesse hys ond þas þingc ealle beoþ togehyhte eow

Teacher:hwilc þe geþuht betwux woruldcræftas heoldan ealdordom

Student M:eorþtilþ forþam se yrþling us ealle fett

se smiþ secgð hwanon sylan scear oþþe culter þe na gade hæfþ buton of cræfte minon hwanon fiscere ancgel oþþe sceowyrhton æl oþþe seamere nædl nis hit of minon geweorce

se geþeahtend ondsweraþ soþ witodlice sægst ac eallum us leofre ys wikian mid þe yrþlincge þonne mid þe forþam se yrþling sylð us hlaf ond drenc þu hwæt sylst us on smiþþan þinre buton isenne fyrspearcan ond swegincga beatendra slecgea ond blawendra byliga

se treowwyrhta segð hwilc eower ne notaþ cræfte minon þonne hus ond mistlice fata ond scypa eow eallum ic wyrce

se goldsmiþ ondwyrt eala treowwyrhta forhwi swa sprycst þu þonne ne furþon an þyrl þu ne miht don [butan minum cræfte]

se geþeahtend sægþ eala geferan and gode wyrhtan uton towurpon hwætlicor þas geflitu ond sy sibb ond geþwærnyss betweoh us ond framige anra gehwylc oþron on cræfte hys geðwærian symble mid þam yrþlinge þær we bigleofan us ond foddor horsum urum habbaþ ond þis geþeaht ic sylle eallum wyrhtum þæt anra gehwylc cræft his geornlice begange forþam se þe cræft his forlæt he byþ forlæten fram þam cræfte swa hwæðer þu sy swa mæsseprest swa munuc swa ceorl swa kempa bega oþþe behwyrf þe sylfne on þisum ond beo þæt þu eart forþam micel hynð ond sceamu hyt is menn nellan wesan þæt þæt he ys ond þæt he wesan sceal

Teacher:eala cild hu eow licaþ þeos spæc

Students:wel heo licaþ us ac þearle deoplice sprycst ond ofer mæþe ure þu forþtyhst spræce ac sprec us æfter urum andgyte þæt we magon understandan þa þingc þe þu specst

Teacher:ic ahsige eow forhwi swa geornlice leorni ge

Students:forþam we nellaþ wesan swa stunte nytenu þa nan þingc witaþ buton gærs ond wæter

Teacher:ond hwæt wille ge

Students:wyllaþ wesan wise

Teacher:on hwilcon wisdome wille ge beon prættige oþþe þusenthiwe on leasungum lytige on spræcum onglæwlice hindergepe wel sprecende ond yfele þencende swæsum wordum underþeodde facn wiðinnan tyddriende swa swa bergyls metton ofergeweorke wiþinnan full stence

Students:we nellaþ swa wesan wise forþam he nys wis þe mid dydrunge hyne sylfne beswicð

Teacher:ac hu wille ge

Students:we wyllaþ beon bylewite butan licetunge ond wise þæt we bugon fram yfele ond don goda gyt þeahhwæþere deoplicor mid us þu smeagst þonne yld ure onfon mæge ac sprec us æfter uran gewunon næs swa deoplice

Teacher:ond ic do æal swa ge biddaþ þu cnapa hwæt dydest todæg
Student N:manega þingc ic dyde on þisse niht þa þa cnyll ic gehyrde ic aras on minon bedde ond eode to cyrcean ond sang uhtsang mid gebroþrum æfter þa we sungon be eallum halgum ond dægredlice lofsangas æfter þysum prim ond seofon seolmas mid letanian ond capitolmæssan syþþan undertide ond dydon mæssan be dæge æfter þisum we sungan middæg ond æton ond druncon ond slepon ond eft we arison ond sungan non ond nu we synd her ætforan þe gearuwe gehyran hwæt þu us secge

Teacher:hwænne wylle ge singan æfen oþþe nihtsangc

Student N:þonne hyt tima byþ

Teacher:wære þu todæg beswuncgen

Student N:ic næs forþam wærlice ic me heold

Teacher:ond hu þine geferan

Student N:hwæt me ahsast be þam ic ne dear yppan þe digla ure anra gehwylc wat gif he beswuncgen wæs oþþe na

Teacher:hwæt ytst þu on dæg

Student N:gyt flæscmettum ic bruce forðam cild ic eom under gyrda drohtniende

Teacher:hwæt mare ytst þu

Student N:wyrta ond æigra fisc ond cyse buteran ond beana ond ealle clæne þingc ic ete mid micelre þancunge

Teacher:swiþe waxgeorn eart þu þonne þu ealle þingc etst þe þe toforan

Student N:ic ne eom swa micel swelgere þæt ic ealle cynn metta on anre gereordinge etan mæge

Teacher:ac hu

Student N:ic bruce hwilon þisum mettum oþrum mid syfernysse swa swa dafnað munuce næs mid oferhropse forþam ic eom nan gluto

Teacher:ond hwæt drincst þu

Student N:ealu gif ic hæbbe oþþe wæter gif ic næbbe ealu

Teacher:ne drincst þu win

Student N:ic ne eom swa spedig þæt ic mæge bicgean me win ond win nys drenc cilda ne dysgra ac ealdra ond wisra

Teacher:hwær slæpst

Student N:on slæpern mid gebroþrum

Teacher:hwa awecþ þe to uhtsancge

Student N:hwilon ic gehyre cnyll ond ic arise hwilon lareow min awecþ me stiþlice mid gyrde

Teacher:eala ge cildra ond wynsume leorneras eow manaþ eower lareow þæt ge hyrsumian godcundum larum ond þæt ge healdan eow sylfe ænlice on ælcere stowe gaþ þeawlice þonne ge gehyran cyrcean bellan ond gaþ into cyrcean ond abugaþ eadmodlice to halgum wefodum ond standaþ þeawlice ond singað anmodlice ond gebiddaþ for eowrum synnum ond gaþ ut butan hygeleaste to claustre oþþe leorninga