Andreas V

Then the Dispenser of Life ordered his own angels to conduct
Andrew over the waves’ tumult, to bear the beloved man
in their bosoms across the sea-fastness with mildness
across his Father’s sea, until sleep overcame the sea-weary.
By the tossing breeze he arrived at the land of Mermedonia,
the city that the king of angels had ordained for him.
Having delivered him, then they arose,
journeying blessed on the high-path, seeking their homeland.*
They left the holy one by the war-street,
dreaming in peace under the shelter of heaven,
waiting blithely near the city-wall, near his hate-foes,
for a night’s length,* until the Lord released the day-candle
to shine brightly. The shadows abated, dark under the clouds.
Then came the breeze’s blazing, a clear heaven-light,
sparkling over the houses. (822-38)

Then Andrew awoke, resolute for the fight,
and looked upon the plain before the city-gates.
Lofty mountains and hillsides towered there,
and beyond a hoary stone,* tile-faced buildings and towers stood
and windy walls. Then that wise man recognized
that he had reached the nation of Mermedonia by journey,
just as the Father of Man-Kind himself had commanded him,
when he had assigned him this voyage.
Then he saw his disciples in the sand, battle-ready warriors,
dreaming in sleep. The war-farer at once began
to awaken them and spoke by word:
“I can tell you a plain truth, that yesterday
upon the stream of the sea, across the oar-weal,*
a nobleman ferried us. In that ship was the King of Glory,
the Wielder of human lands. I recognized his word
though he had obscured his aspect.” (839-56)

Then these young noblemen answered him
with spiritual mysteries as reply:
“We shall gladly reveal to you, Andrew, our journey,
so that you yourself can wisely understand it in your soul’s thoughts. (857-61)

“Sleep overcame us, sea-weary—
then over the welling of the waves
came angels—faring in flight, exultant in feathers,
and tore us by the soul from slumber,
with joy they ferried us, flying upon the breeze,
with joyful noises, bright and gracious. (862-8)

“They loved mildly and dwelt in praise—
there was song everlasting and the course of heaven—
a beautiful gathering of hosts and a glorious press.
The angels stood all about their homeland,
thanes about their prince, by their thousands—
they praised the Lord of Lords with sacred voices on high.
Joyous expectation was their pleasure. (869-74)

“We recognized there holy high-fathers
and no small force of martyrs, singing
praises to the Soothfast Victory-Lord,
a multitude judgment-ready. There was David
among them, the blessed warrior, Jesse’s son,
come before Christ, king of Israel. Likewise
we saw you all standing before the Son
of the Creator, twelve men all told,
eternal in your genius, glory-blessed heroes.
Holy arch-angels served you, sitting in majesty. (875-85a)

“It will be well for those heroes allowed
to brook that bliss. An ecstasy of glory was there,
a magnificence of war-faring, a noble beginning—
there was there no strife for any of them.
Banishment will be ordained and torment
revealed for him that should become the enemy
of those joys when they go hence—
they shall wander in abjection.” (885b-91)

Then was his heart’s understanding of the holy one greatly elated
in his breast, after he had heard the story of his disciples,
how God wished to esteem them so much over all men—
and the shelter of war-farers spoke by word:
“Now I have perceived, Lord God, that you were never far
upon the sea-road, Glory of Kings, when I climbed into the ship,
though on the wave-voyage I did not know how to recognize you,
Prince of Angels, Savior of Souls. Be merciful to me now
and be kind—Maker Almighty, O Bright King!
I spoke many a word upon the salt-stream, and afterwards,
now I know who ferried me over the floods in a wooden ship with honors.
That one is the Spirit, the Comfort of Warrior-kind.
Help is ready there, mercy among the famous, the power
for victory will be given to everyone, those who seek him.” (892-909)

Then, at that same moment, before their eyes, the Prince revealed himself
to their view, the King of All That Lives, in the shape of a child.
Then he spoke a word, the Chief of Glory: “Hail to you, Andrew,
and your blessed band, exulting in spirit! I have held peace for you,
so that your wicked foes, these grim grief-smiths,
can not harm your soul.” (910-7)

Andrew fell to the ground then, the wise warrior wordfully
begging for peace, and asked his cherished lord:
“How I deserved it, sinning against your self,
Wielder of Men, that I could not recognize one so good,
the Savior of Souls, upon the wave-journey,
where I spoke about my Maker—
in many more words than I should have.” (918-24)

The All-wielding God answered him: “You have never
committed so a great sin as when you made refusal in Greece—
saying that you did not know how to fare on the far-waves;
that you could not enter that city—that you could not perform
the task within the time-mark of three nights*
such as I ordered you to journey across the watery strife
to accomplish. Now you know very well yourself that I can easily
support and promote any one of my friends in any land—
wherever it pleases me most. (925-35)

“Arise now swiftly, and consider this counsel at once,
blessed child, so that the bright father will honor you
with glorious gifts, skill and might, for your life’s length.
You must go into that citadel, beneath the city-locks,
where you brother is. I know Matthew is struck with sword-wounds,
your near kin set about with crafty nets. You must seek him,
release that dear one from hate of the hateful, and all the kin of men
dwelling with him, strangers in guile-chains, bound up in wickedness.
Readily there shall be remedy in this world, in the reward of glory—
such as I was telling those same men before. (936-49)

“Now you, Andrew, must venture at once into the grip
of the ferocious. Warfare is your lot, in hard sword-blows.
Your carcass shall be doled wounds, your blood shall flow
in a stream much like water. They will not be able to bestow
your spirit death, though you will suffer stripes, the blows of the sinning.
You will suffer sorely—do not let the force of the heathens move you,
their grim spear-strife, that you betray God, your Lord.
Be eager for glory always!
Let it remain you in your mind how it became renowned
to many men throughout many lands, how holy-lacking men
shamed me while I was bound with wounds.
They afflicted me with words, smote me and struck me—
the sinning could not reveal the truth by injury-speech.
Then I was stretched over the gallows, the rood reared up
among the Jews, where a certain man let out blood-sweat
from my side, gore onto the earth.
I endured many miseries upon the earth. For this,
I wanted you to establish an example with a blithe heart,
shown to these strangers. There are many in this famous city
whom you will turn toward heaven-light through my name,
although they have done many murders in days gone by.” (950-76)

Then the holy one departed from him, seeking the heavens,
the King of All Kings, that pure home, with humility upwards,
where there is mercy belonging to every man, to those that know how to find them.
Then Andrew, soul-patient and mindful, a warrior hard for battle
was improved in his courage; he went quickly into the city,
a single-minded contestant. Powerful and stout of mind,
and true to his creator, he stepped down the street, the path guiding him—
so no man could recognize him nor the sinful see him.
The Guardian of Victories had prudently concealed
the beloved folk-prince from sight inside the city with his hand.*
When noble Andrew had pressed inwards, Christ’s champion, near
to the prison, he saw a heap of heathens together, herdsmen
standing before the grated door, seven at once. Death took them all away,
they fell ingloriously—the death-rush seizing the sword-bloody warriors. (977-96a)

Then the holy one prayed to the merciful father from his inmost-thought,
praising the Heaven-King’s Majesty on high, God’s sovereignty.
The prison door buckled at once through the hand-grip of the Holy Ghost,*
and there he went in, mindful of courage, the battle-brave man.
The heathens slept, drunk in blood, reddening the death-place.
He saw Matthew in the murder-coffer, the stout-minded hero
under the shadow-lock telling his praise unto the lord,
glory for the Prince of Angels. He sat there alone,
miserable for his cares in that sorrow-house. (996b-1008)

Then Matthew saw his dear companion under the sky—
holy man saw holy man—joyful hope was restored.
Then he arose to face him and thanked God that they had ever
been allowed to see each other unscathed under the sun.
Peace was mutual between both those brothers, bliss renewed.
Each covered the other with arms, they kissed each other and embraced.
Both were beloved by Christ at heart.
Light shined around them, holy and heaven-bright.
Then his breast was welling with delights, when Andrew,
wordfully began to greet his noble and god-fearing companion
in the barred-coffer with speech, and spoke to him about the battle to come,
fighting of hostile men: “Now there will be a yearning in this folk,
heroes hither on…” (1009-24a)

[page missing from poem, containing an unknown number of lines. The MS resumes with the words “…gewyrht eardes neosan” […deed to seek out home] (given line 1025 by editors).]

After these words, the servants of glory, both brethren,
kneeled to pray, sending their prayers before the Child of God.
Thus the holy man in the harm-closure hailed his God
and asked his Savior for succor and assistance,
before their flesh perished in front of the battle-power
of the heathens, and then lead the prisoners
from their limb-fetters, out of the fastness into the Lord’s peace,
one hundred and forty-two men
all told by count, delivered from the malice—
he left none there fixed in bonds under the city’s enclosure—
and furthermore, he freed the frightened women there,
one less than fifty,* as an increase of his host.
They were glad for the journey, quickly departed—not one waited
for long inside the sorrow-house, anticipating the battle. (1026-43)

Then Matthew departed, leading the many into the care of God,
as sainted Andrew had ordered him.
He had covered the host with clouds on their desired journey,
lest the shield-haters should come shooting with a flurry of arrows,
their old foes. Then the headstrong men held council there
between them, faith-friends, before turning their two ways.
Either of those earls confirmed the hope for the heavenly-realm
in the other, and wordfully warded away the torments of hell.
So these war-farers, heroes stout-minded, proven champions,
honored the King with holy voices, the Wielder of Fate,
whose glory at the End of Time
will never be grasped by men.* (1044-57)