# Ælfric's Colloquy

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
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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