PROEM
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ÆLFRED KUNING wæs wealhstod ðisse bec, ⁊ hie of boclædene[1] on englisc wende, swa hio nu is gedon. Hwilum he sette word be worde, hwilum andgit of andgite, swa swa he hit þa sweotolost 7 andgitfullicast gereccan mihte for þam mistlicū[2] ⁊ manigfealdum weoruldbisgum[3] þe hine oft ægðer ge on mode ge on lichoman bisgodan. Ða bisgu us sint swipe earfoþrime[4] þe on his dagum on þa ricu becoman þe he underfangen hæfde, ⁊ þeah ða þas boc hæfde geleornode ⁊ of lædene to engliscū spelle gewende, ⁊ geworhte hi eft to leoðe, swa swa heo nu gedon is; ⁊ nu bit ⁊ for Godes naman he halsað ælcne þara þe þas boc rædan lyste, ꝥ he for hine gebidde, ⁊ him ne wite gif he hit rihtlicor ongite þonne he mihte;[5] forþamþe ælc mon sceal be his andgites mæðe ⁊ be his æmettan sprecan ꝥ he spreco, ⁊ don ꝥ þæt he deþ.
