Breten gereordas

Breten gereordas sind manigfeald. Ofer eallum Breten and Irland cunnon eall menn sprecan Niwenglisc ac eald spræc of Bretwalum sind on þæm tunge in þissum ieglanda westdalum. In burgum hierð man eac elelendiscum geþeode, of Indeum, of Winoðlande and manigum folcum.

Eardfæsta geþeode

Bēda wrat:

“ Brittene igland is ehta hund mila lang. ⁊ twa hund brad. ⁊ her sind on þis iglande fif geþeode. Englisc. ⁊ Brittisc. ⁊ Wilsc. ⁊ Scyttisc. ⁊ Pyhtisc. ⁊ Boc Leden. Erest weron bugend þises landes Brittes. þa coman of Armenia. ⁊ gesætan suðewearde Bryttene ærost. ”

Of þissum gereordum we mot secgan:

• Englisc com on þis iegland þan comon Engle, Seaxe and Eote of Germanie. Of Germanie gereordheape is hit and of þæm gamlan tunge comon:
  • Niwenglisce and
  • Scotta Englisce and manigfeald stowlice reordas.
• Wylisc is Bretwala spræc. Brettas spracon in þissum tunge fore Romware comon on Breten. Nu is he gefunden on Norðweala landes fearrum westdalum.
• Scyttisc wæs ærreste gehierde on Igbernia, þæt we Scotland hatað. Ðider foron Scottas ofer nearwe sæ to Breten norðdæle and to his iegum, þe nu belimpeþ hiera nama þas dæl þæt we Scotland hataþ.
• Pyhtisc spricþ naman todæg. Ær wæs þes se gereorde þara Healandum.