Widsith matholade, wordhord onleac,

Widsith spoke, unlocked his word-hoard, he who of men had journeyed through most tribes and peoples over the earth; often in the hall he received a memorable treasure. From the Myrgings his lineage arose. He with Ealhhild, the faithful peace-weaver, on his first journey sought the home of the Hreth-king from the east, out of Angeln, the home of Eormanric, the wrathful treaty-breaker. Then he began to speak many things:

"Many men I have heard of who ruled over nations! Every prince must live according to custom, one earl after another ruling the land, he who wishes his throne to thrive. Of these, Hwala was for a time the best, and Alexander the most powerful of all mankind, and he prospered most of those I have heard of across the earth. Attila ruled the Huns, Eormanric the Goths, Becca the Banings, the Burgundians Gifica. Caesar ruled the Greeks and Celic the Finns, Hagena the Holm-Rygs and Heoden the Glomms. Witta ruled the Swæfs, Wada the Hælsings, Meaca the Myrgings, Mearchealf the Hundings. Theodric ruled the Franks, Thyle the Rondings, Breoca the Brondings, Billing the Werns. Oswine ruled the Eows and Gefwulf the Ytes, Fin Folcwalding the Frisian kin. Sigehere ruled the Sea-Danes longest, Hnæf the Hocings, Helm the Wulfings, Wald the Woings, Wod the Thuringians, Sæferth the Sycgs, Ongendtheow the Swedes, Sceafthere the Ymbers, Sceafa the Longbeards, Hun the Hætweras and Holen the Wrosns. Hringweald was the name of the Herefaras' king.

Offa ruled Angeln, Alewih the Danes; he was the boldest of all those men, yet he performed no greater prowess than Offa, for Offa won, first among men, while still a boy, the greatest of kingdoms. No one of his age achieved greater heroism in battle. With his single sword he marked the border against the Myrgings at Fifeldor; henceforth the Engle and the Swæfs held it as Offa had won it.

Hrothwulf and Hrothgar held for the longest time peace together, nephew and uncle, after they drove off the viking kin and bent back Ingeld's vanguard, hewed down at Heorot the Heathobards' host.

So I journeyed through many foreign lands across the wide world. Good and evil I experienced there, deprived of my kin, far from my dear kinsmen, I followed many lords. Therefore I can sing and tell a tale, recite before the crowd in the mead-hall how the high-born ones were good to me with their gifts.

I was with the Huns and with the Hreth-Goths, with the Swedes and with the Geats and with the South-Danes. With the Wenlas I was and with the Wærns and with the vikings. With the Gefthas I was and with the Winedas and with the Gefflegas. With the Engles I was and with the Swæfs and with the Ænenas. With the Saxons I was and the Sycgs and with the Sword-Wielders. With the Hronas I was and with the Deans and with the Heatho-Reams. With the Thuringians I was and with the Throwends, and with the Burgundians, where I received a ring; there Guthere gave me a gleaming treasure as reward for my song. No sluggish king was he! With the Franks I was and with the Frisians and with the Frumtings. With the Rugas I was and with the Glomms and with the Rumwalas. Likewise I was in Italy with Ælfwine, who had, as I have heard, of all mankind the readiest hand for the winning of praise, a heart most un-stingy in the giving of rings, of bright arm-rings, the son of Eadwine. With the Serkings I was and with the Serings; with the Greeks I was and with the Finns and with Caesar, he who held power over the wine-halls, over wealth and wonders, and the kingdom of the Welsh. With the Scots I was and with the Picts and with the Skrithifins; with the Lidwicings I was and with the Leons and with the Longbeards, with heathens and with heroes and with the Hundings. With the Israelites I was and with the Assyrians, with the Hebrews and with the Indians and with the Egyptians. With the Medes I was and with the Persians and with the Myrgings, and the Mofdings and opposite the Myrgings, and with the Amothings. With the East-Thuringians I was and with the Eols and with the Ists and the Idumeans.

And I was with Eormanric all that time, where the king of the Goths treated me well; he gave me a ring, the protector of his people, on which was six hundred sceattas of beaten gold, reckoned by shillings; this I gave into the keeping of Eadgils, my protecting lord, when I came back home, a gift to my beloved, because he gave me land, my father's estate, the lord of the Myrgings. And then Ealhhild gave me another, the noble queen of the court, daughter of Eadwine. Her praise spread through many lands, whenever I had to say in song where under the heavens I knew the best gold-adorned queen to be dispensing gifts. When Scilling and I with clear voice raised up a song before our victory-lord, loud to the harp the melody resounded, then many men, proud in spirit, said in words, they who knew well, that they had never heard a better song.

From there I wandered through all the Goths' homeland, always I sought the best of companions; that was the household war-band of Eormanric. Hethca I sought and Beadeca and the Herelings, Emerca I sought and Fridla and East-Gota, the wise and good father of Unwen. Secca I sought and Becca, Seafola and Theodric, Heathoric and Sifeca, Hlithe and Incgentheow. Eadwine I sought and Elsa, Ægelmund and Hungar, and the proud war-band of the With-Myrgings. Wulfhere I sought and Wyrmhere; very often there war did not rest, when the Hraeda host with hard swords had to defend their ancient homeland around the Vistula-wood from Attila's people. Rædhere I sought and Rondhere, Rumstan and Gislhere, Withergield and Freotheric, Wudga and Hama; they were not the worst of companions, though I must name them last. Full often from that troop a whining spear flew, a yelling javelin, into the hostile host; there exiles ruled over twisted gold, over men and women, Wudga and Hama.

So I have always found in my faring, that he is dearest to the land-dwellers to whom God gives power over men to hold, while he lives here."

So wandering, their fates decreed, the gleemen of men roam through many lands, they speak their need, they speak their thanks, always south or north they find one skilled in songs, not stingy with gifts, who before his host of veterans wishes to raise up his renown, to perform heroic deeds, until all passes away, light and life together; he who wins praise has under the heavens high and lasting renown.