the pursuit of sacred poetry. To the lover of the mother tongue it must
appear a singular felicity that Cædmon's first hymn is preserved in a
book that was written not much more than half-a-century after his
death.[64]

Nu scylun hergan
hefaenricaes uard,
metudæs maecti
end his modgidanc;
uerc uuldurfadur;
sue he uundra gihuaes,
eci dryctin,
or astelidæ.
He aerist scop
aelda barnum
heben til hrofe,
halig scepen;
tha middungeard
moncynnæs uard,
eci dryctin,
æfter tiadæ
firum foldan
frea allmectig.

Now shall we glorify
the guardian of heaven's realm,
the Maker's might
and the thought of his mind;
the work of the glory-father,
how He of every wonder,