Chapter 17 Reading Practice
From King Alfred’s prose preface to his translation of Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Care:
Ða ic ða ðis eall gemunde, ða gemunde ic eac hu ic seah ær ðæm ðe hit eall forhergod wære ond forbærned, hu ða ciricean giond eall Angelcynn stodon maðma ond boca gefylda, ond eac micel mengeo Godes ðiowa. Ond ða swiðe lytle fiorme ðara boca wiston, for ðæm ðe hie hiora nanwuht ongiotan ne meahton, for ðæm ðe nie næron on hiroa agen geðiode awritene. Swelce hie cwæden: “Ure ieldran, ða ðe ðas stowa ær hioldon, hie lufodon wisdom, ond ðurh ðone hie begeaton welan, ond us læfdon. Her mon mæg giet gesion hiora swæð, ac we him ne cunnon æfter spyrigean.”