We wylladh aefter dhisum godspelle eow gereccan dhaera apostola drohtnunga
and geendunge, mid scortre race; fordhan dhe heora dhrowung is gehwaer on
Engliscum gereorde fullice geendebyrd.
Aefter Drihtnes upstige waes Petrus bodigende geleafan dham leodscipum dhe
sind gecwedene Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithinia, Asia, Italia. Sydhdhan, ymbe
tyn geara fyrst, h['e] gewende to Romebyrig, bodigende godspel; and on
dhaere byrig h['e] gesette his biscop-setl, and dhaer gesaet fif and
twentig geara, laerende dha Romaniscan ceastregewaran Godes maerdha, mid
micclum tacnum. His widherwinna waes on eallum his faerelde sum dr['y], se
waes Simon geh['a]ten. Thes dr['y] waes mid {372} dham awyrgedum gaste to
dham swydhe afylled, thaet he cwaedh thaet he waere Crist, Godes Sunu, and
mid his drycraefte dhaes folces geleafan amyrde.
Tha gel['a]mp hit thaet man ferede anre wuduwan suna l['i]c dhaer Petrus
bodigende waes. He dha cwaedh to dham folce and to dham dr['y],
"Geneal['ae]cadh dhaere baere, and gelyfadh thaet dhaes bodung sodh sy, dhe
dhone deadan to life araerdh." Hwaet dha Simon weardh gebyld thurh deofles
gast, and cwaedh, "Swa hradhe swa ic thone deadan ar['ae]re, acwelladh
minne widherwinnan Petrum." Thaet folc him andwyrde, "Cucenne we hine
forbaernadh." Simon dha mid deofles craefte dyde thaet dhaes deadan l['i]c
styrigende waes. Tha wende thaet folc thaet he geedcucod waere. Petrus dha
ofer eall clypode, "Gif he geedcucod sy, sprece to ['u]s, and astande;
onbyrige metes, and ham gecyrre." Thaet folc dha hrymde hl['u]ddre stemne,
"Gif Simon dhis ne dedh, h['e] sceal thaet wite dholian dhe h['e] dhe
gemynte." Simon to dhisum wordum hine gebealh and fleonde waes, ac thaet
folc mid orm['ae]tum edwite hine gehaefte.
Se Godes apostol dha genealaehte dham lice mid adhenedum earmum, dhus
biddende, "Dhu, leofa Drihten, dhe ['u]s sendest to bodigenne dhinne
geleafan, and ['u]s behete thaet we mihton, dhurh dhinne naman, deoflu
todraefan, and untrume gehaelan, and dha deadan araeran, ar['ae]r nu dhisne
cnapan, thaet dhis folc oncn['a]we thaet nan God nys buton dhu ana, mid
dhinum Faeder, and dham Halgan Gaste." Aefter dhisum gebede ar['a]s se
deada, and geb['i]gedum cneowum to Petre cwaedh, "Ic geseah Haelend Crist,
and h['e] sende his englas fordh for dhinre bene, thaet h['i] me to life
gelaeddon." Thaet folc dha mid anre stemne clypigende cwaedh, "An God is
dhe Petrus bodadh:" and woldon forb['ae]rnan dhone dr['y], ac Petrus him
forwyrnde; cwaedh, thaet se Haelend him taehte dhone regol, thaet h['i]
sceoldon yfel mid g['o]de forgyldan.
Simon, dhadha he dham folce aetwunden waes, get['i]gde aenne orm['ae]tne
rydhdhan innan dham geate thaer Petrus inn haefde, thaet {374} he
f['ae]rlice hine ab['i]tan sceolde. Hwaet dha Petrus c['o]m, and dhone
rydhdhan unt['i]gde mid dhisum bebode, "Yrn, and sege Simone, thaet he leng
mid his drycraefte Godes folc ne bepaece, dhe h['e] mid his agenum blode
gebohte." And h['e] sona getengde widh thaes dr['y]s, and hine on fleame
gebrohte. Petrus weardh aefterweard thus cwedhende, "On Godes naman ic dhe
bebeode, thaet dhu naenne todh on his lice ne gefaestnige." Se hund, dhadha
h['e] ne moste his lichaman derian, totaer his haeteru sticmaelum of his
baece, and hine dr['a]f geond dha weallas, dheotende swa swa wulf, on dhaes
folces gesihdhe. He dha aetbaerst dham hunde, and to l['a]ngum fyrste
sidhdhan, for dhaere sceame, naes gesewen on Romana-byrig.
Sydhdhan eft on fyrste he begeat sumne dhe hine bespraec to dham casere
Nerone, and gel['a]mp dha thaet se awyrgeda ehtere thone deofles dhen his
freondscipum gedheodde. Mid dham dhe hit dhus ged['o]n waes, dha aeteowde
Crist hine sylfne Petre on gastlicere gesihdhe, and mid dhyssere tihtinge
hine gehyrte, "Se dr['y] Simon and se waelhreowa Nero sind mid deofles
gaste afyllede, and syrwiadh ongean dhe; ac ne beo dhu afyrht; ic beo mid
the, and ic sende minne dheowan Paulum dhe to frofre, se staepdh to merigen
into Romana-byrig, and g['y]t mid gastlicum gecampe winnadh ongean dhone
dr['y], and hine awurpadh into helle grunde: and g['y]t sidhdhan samod to
minum rice becumadh mid sige martyrdomes."
Non passus est Paulus, quando uinctus Romam perductus est, sed post aliquot
annos, quando sponte illuc iterum reuersus est. This gel['a]mp swa
sodhlice. On dhone odherne daeg com Paulus into dhaere byrig, and heora
aegdher odherne mid micelre blisse underfeng, and waeron togaedere
bodigende binnan dhaere byrig seofon mondhas tham folce lifes weig. Beah
dha ungerim folces to cristendome thurh Petres lare; and eac dhaes caseres
gebedda Libia, and his heah-gerefan w['i]f Agrippina wurdon swa gelyfede
thaet h['i] forbugon heora wera neawiste. Thurh Paules bodunge gelyfdon
dhaes caseres dhegnas and {376} h['i]redcnihtas, and aefter heora fulluhte
noldon gecyrran to his h['i]rede.
Simon se dr['y] worhte dha aerene naeddran, styrigende swylce heo cucu
waere; and dyde thaet dha anlicnyssa dhaera haedhenra hlihhende waeron and
styrigende; and he sylf weardh faerlice upp on dhaere lyfte gesewen.
Thaer-to-geanes gehaelde Petrus blinde, and healte, and deofol-seoce, and
dha deadan araerde, and cwaedh to dham folce thaet h['i] sceoldon forfleon
thaes deofles dr['y]craeft, dhylaes dhe h['i] mid his lotwrencum bepaehte
wurdon. Tha weardh dhis dham casere gecydd, and he het dhone dr['y] him to
gefeccan, and eac dha apostolas. Simon braed his hiw aetforan dham casere,
swa thaet he weardh faerlice gedhuht cnapa, and eft h['a]rwenge;
hw['i]ltidum on wimmannes hade, and eft dhaerrihte on cnihthade.
Tha Nero thaet geseah, dha wende h['e] thaet he Godes Sunu waere. Petrus
cwaedh thaet h['e] Godes widhersaca waere, and mid leasum dr['y]craefte
forscyldigod, and cwaedh thaet he waere gewiss deofol on menniscre edwiste.
Simon cwaedh, "Nis na gedafenlic thaet dhu, cyning, hlyste anes leases
fisceres wordum; ac ic dhisne hosp leng ne forbere: nu ic beode minum
englum thaet h['i] me on dhisum fiscere gewrecon." Petrus cwaedh, "Ne
ondraede ic dhine awyrgedan gastas, ac h['i] weordhadh afyrhte thurh mines
Drihtnes geleafan." Nero cwaedh, "Ne ondraetst dhu dhe, Petrus, Simones
mihta, dhe mid wundrum his godcundnysse geswuteladh?" Petrus cwaedh, "Gif
he godcundnysse haebbe, dhonne secge he hwaet ic dhence, odhdhe hwaet ic
d['o]n wylle." Nero cwaedh, "Sege me, Petrus, on sundor-spraece hwaet dhu
dhence." He dha leat to dhaes caseres eare, and het him beran diglice
berenne hl['a]f; and he bletsode dhone hl['a]f, and tobraec, and bewand on
his twam slyfum, dhus cwedhende, "Sege nu, Simon, hwaet ic dhohte, odhdhe
cwaede, oththe gedyde." He dha gebealh hine, fordhan the he ne mihte
geopenian Petres digelnysse, and dyde tha mid dr['y]craefte thaet dhaer
comon micele hundas, and raesdon widh Petres weard; ac Petrus aeteowde
dhone gebletsodan hl['a]f dham hundum, and h['i] dhaerrihte of heora {378}
gesihdhe fordwinon. He dha cwaedh to dham casere, "Simon me mid his englum
gedhiwde, nu sende he hundas to me; fordhan dhe he naefdh godcundlice
englas, ac haefdh hundlice." Nero cwaedh, "Hwaet is nu, Simon? Ic wene wit
sind oferswidhde." Simon andwyrde, "Thu goda cyning, nat n['a]n man manna
gedhohtas buton Gode anum." Petrus andwyrde, "Untwylice thu lihst thaet thu
God sy, nu dhu nast manna gedhohtas."
Tha bewende Nero hine to Paulum, and cwaedh, "Hw['i] ne cwest dhu n['a]n
word? Odhdhe hwa teah dhe? odhdhe hwaet laerdest dhu mid thinre bodunge?"
Paulus him andwyrde, "La leof, hwaet wille ic dhisum forlorenum widhersacan
geandwyrdan? Gif dhu wilt his wordum gehyrsumian, thu amyrst dhine sawle
and eac dhinne cynedom. Be minre lare, the dhu axast, ic dhe andwyrde. Se
Haelend, the Petrum laerde on his andweardnysse, se ylca me laerde mid
onwrigenysse; and ic gefylde mid Godes lare fram Hierusalem, odhthaet ic
com to Iliricum. Ic laerde thaet men him betweonan lufodon and
ge['a]rwurdhedon. Ic taehte dham r['i]can, thaet h['i] ne onhofon h['i], ne
heora hiht on leasum welan ne besetton, ac on Gode anum. Ic taehte dham
medeman mannum, thaet h['i] gehealdene waeron on heora bigwiste and scrude.
Ic bebead thearfum, thaet h['i] blissodon on heora hafenleaste. Faederas ic
manode, thaet h['i] mid steore Godes eges heora cild gedheawodon. Tham
cildum ic bead, thaet h['i] gehyrsume waeron faeder and meder to halwendum
mynegungum. Ic laerde weras, thaet h['i] heora ['ae]we heoldon, fordhan
thaet se wer gewitnadh on aewbraecum wife, thaet wrecdh God on
['ae]wbraecum were. Ic manode ['ae]wfaeste w['i]f, thaet h['i] heora weras
inweardlice lufodon, and him mid ege gehyrsumodon, swa swa hlafordum. Ic
laerde hlafordas, thaet h['i] heora dheowum lidhe waeron; fordhan dhe h['i]
sind gebrodhru for Gode, se hlaford and se dheowa. Ic bebead dheowum
mannum, thaet h['i] getreowlice, and swa swa Gode heora hlafordum theowdon.
Ic taehte eallum geleaffullum mannum, thaet h['i] wurdhian aenne God
Aelmihtigne and ungesewenlicne. Ne leornode ic dhas lare aet nanum
eordhlicum menn, ac Haelend {380} Crist of heofonum me spraec to, and sende
me to bodigenne his l['a]re eallum dheodum, dhus cwedhende, 'Far dhu geond
thas woruld, and ic beo mid the; and swa hwaet swa dhu cwyst oththe dest,
ic hit gerihtwisige.'" Se casere weardh tha ablicged mid thisum wordum.
Simon cwaedh, "Dhu g['o]da cyning, ne understenst dhu dhisra twegra manna
gereonunge ongean me. Ic com Sodhfaestnys, ac dhas dhweorigadh widh me.
H['a]t nu araeran aenne heahne torr, thaet ic dhone astige; fordhan dhe
mine englas nelladh cuman to me on eordhan betwux synfullum mannum: and ic
wylle astigan to minum faeder, and ic bebeode minum englum, thaet hi dhe to
minum rice gefeccan." Nero dha cwaedh, "Ic wylle geseon gif dhu dhas
beh['a]t mid weorcum gefylst;" and het dha dhone torr mid micclum ofste on
smedhum felda araeran, and bebead eallum his folce thaet hi to dhyssere
waefersyne samod comon. Se dr['y] astah dhone torr aetforan eallum dham
folce, and astrehtum earmum ongann fleogan on dha lyft.
Paulus cwaedh to Petre, "Brodher, thu waere Gode gecoren aer ic, dhe
gedafnadh thaet thu dhisne deofles dhen mid dhinum benum afylle; and ic eac
mine cneowu gebige to dhaere bene." Tha beseah Petrus to dham fleondan
dr['y], thus cwedhende, "Ic halsige eow awirigede gastas, on Cristes naman,
thaet ge forlaeton dhone dr['y] dhe ge betwux eow feriadh;" and dha deoflu
thaerrihte hine forleton, and he feallende tobaerst on feower sticca. Tha
feower sticca clifodon to feower stanum, dha sind to gewitnysse dhaes
apostolican siges odh thisne andweardan daeg. Petres gedhyld gedhafode
thaet dha hellican fynd hine up geond tha lyft sume hwile feredon, thaet he
on his fylle thy hetelicor hreosan sceolde; and se dhe lytle aer beotlice
mid deoflicum fidherhaman fleon wolde, thaet he dha faerlice his fedhe
forlure. Him gedafenode thaet h['e] on heannysse ahafen wurde, thaet h['e]
on gesihdhe ealles folces hreosende dha eordhan gesohte.
Hwaet dha, Nero bebead Petrum and Paulum on bendum gehealdan, and dha
sticca Simones hreawes mid wearde {382} besettan: wende thaet h['e] of
deadhe on dham dhriddan daege arisan mihte. Petrus cwaedh, "Dhes Simon ne
ge-edcucadh ['ae]r dham gem['ae]num aeriste, ac he is to ecum witum
genidherod." Se Godes widherwinna dha, Nero, mid gedheahte his heah-gerefan
Agrippan, het Paulum beheafdian, and Petrum on rode ah['o]n. Paulus dha, be
dhaes cwelleres haese, underbeah swurdes ecge, and Petrus rode-hengene
astah. Thadha h['e] to dhaere rode gelaed waes, he cwaedh to dham
cwellerum, "Ic bidde eow, wendadh min heafod ad['u]ne, and astreccadh mine
f['e]t widh heofonas weard: ne eom ic wyrdhe thaet ic swa hangige swa min
Drihten. He astah of heofonum for middangeardes alysednysse, and waeron
fordhi his f['e]t nidher awende. Me he clypadh nu to his rice; awendadh
fordhi mine f['o]twelmas to dhan heofonlican wege." And dha cwelleras him
dha thaes getidhodon.
Tha wolde thaet cristene folc dhone casere acwellan, ac Petrus mid thisum
wordum h['i] gestilde: "M['i]n Drihten for feawum dagum me geswutelode
thaet ic sceolde mid thysre dhrowunge his f['o]tswadhum fylian: nu, mine
bearn, ne gelette ge minne weg. Mine f['e]t sind nu awende to dham
heofenlican life. Blissiadh mid me; nu to-daeg ic onf['o] minre
earfodhnysse edlean." He waes dha biddende his Drihten mid thisum wordum:
"Haelend m['i]n, ic dhe betaece dhine scep, the dhu me befaestest: ne beodh
hi hyrdelease thonne h['i] dhe habbadh." And h['e] mid thisum wordum ageaf
his gast.
Samod h['i] ferdon, Petrus and Paulus, on dhisum daege, sigefaeste to
dhaere heofonlican wununge, on tham syx and thrittegodhan geare aefter
Cristes dhrowunge, mid tham h['i] wuniadh on ecnysse. Igitur Hieronimus et
quique alii auctores testantur, quod in una die simul Petrus et Paulus
martirizati sunt.
Aefter heora dhrowunge thaerrihte comon wlitige weras, and uncudhe eallum
folce: cwaedon thaet hi comon fram Hierusalem, to dhy thaet hi woldon
dhaera apostola l['i]c bebyrian; and swa dydon mid micelre arwurdhnysse,
and saedon tham folce, thaet {384} h['i] micclum blissian mihton, fordhan
dhe hi swylce mundboran on heora neawiste habban moston.
Wite ge eac thaet dhes wyrresta cyning Nero rice aefter cwale thisra
apostola healdan ne m['o]t. Hit gel['a]mp dha thaet eal dhaes waelhreowan
caseres folc samod hine hatode, swa thaet hi raeddon anmodlice thaet man
hine gebunde, and odh deadh swunge. Nero, dhadha he dhaes folces dheaht
geacsode, weardh to feore afyrht, and mid fleame to wuda getengde. Tha
sprang thaet word thaet h['e] swa lange on dham holte on cyle and on hungre
dwelode, odhthaet hine wulfas totaeron.
Tha gel['a]mp hit aefter dham, thaet Grecas gelaehton dhaera apostola
lichaman, and woldon east mid him laedan. Tha faeringa geweardh micel
eordh-styrung, and thaet Romanisce folc dhyder onette, and dha l['i]c
ahreddan, on dhaere stowe dhe is geh['a]ten Catacumbas; and h['i] dhaer
heoldon odher healf gear, odhthaet dha stowa getimbrode waeron, dhe h['i]
sidhdhan on al['e]de waeron, mid wuldre and l['o]fsangum. Cudh is geond
ealle dheodscipas thaet fela wundra gelumpon aet dhaera apostola byrgenum,
dhurh dhaes Haelendes tidhe, dham sy wuldor and l['o]f ['a] on ecnysse.
Amen.