Old English Song: The English Varangians - A New England | The Skaldic Bard

Here is another song I wrote and performed in Old English, this time about the Anglo Saxon warriors who were forced to leave England after the Norman Conquest in 1066 and seek their fortunes abroad. The events are based off the Icelandic saga Játvarðar Saga.

The Englishmen sailed down through the Straits of Gibraltar and onward to the Mediterranean, retaking lands for Christendom as they went. They came to Constantinople which was under siege by foreign foes and vowed to aid Emperor Alexios. This was the start of the Anglo-Saxon branch of the Varangian Guard. As time went on, some decided to find a place to start a new colony, which they deemed Nova Anglia, or New England, somewhere in modern day Crimea. Emperor Alexios said that if they could reconquer those lands, they could keep it - and that they did. They named their cities London and York, among others, and maintained their English traditions and language for centuries. This is my attempt at sharing their story.

The melody for this one is actually one my dear brother and I wrote together a good 13 years ago. We never did anything with it, so I thought to make the most of it now.

My intention is exclusively to teach history and languages through song. I do not condone, endorse or seek to glorify violence.

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Lyrics:
Ūre hām ġestolen and frīend offylne,
tō sǣ is nīed ūs tō fundienne.
Frēorige flodas ofer ūs flōwaþ,
swā wē tō nīwum sċorum rōwaþ.

Hāmnēod ǣfre sċeal ūs fȳrsmeortan.
Innere līgȳþ onǣlþ ūs heortan.
God ān biþ sē þe ūre wyrd cann,
ac feohtaþ wē oþ þone endemann!

Nīwe Englaland!
Þis fremde sand,
þǣr þe wē edstaliaþ Albion!

Þrēohundred and fiftiġ sċipa
on Wendelsǣ þunriaþ, āra sċearpe.
Sunnanlēoman stingaþ and bærnaþ,
ac swelċa bisiġe Engle ne forwærnaþ.

Ymb Affrica liċġaþ wē, ġearwe,
on Septem tō springenne tō bēadwe.
Sēo burg is of uncristnum ymbset,
heora wiðersteall is foran ūs unnet!

Nīwe Englaland!
Þis fremde sand,
þǣr þe wē edstaliaþ Albion!

On Wendelsǣ wigon we forhearde
and nū forðbesēoþ to Miċelġearde.
Oferfielþ þā weallas elfylċe,
Alexius þearf nū beorna þeġnlīċra!

Under God sweriaþ we Cāsere āþ.
Wē þrymlīċe nū Wærgengan hātaþ!
On byrnum hwītum bīdaþ wē wiþinnan.
God wile þæt we sċulden onwinnan!

Nīwe Englaland!
Þis fremde sand,
þǣr þe wē edstaliaþ Albion!

Alexius Cāsera ymbspricþ feorland
þe ungēara wearþ ēastrīċe unfriðland.
Land þe sume dæġe weorðan meahte
Nīwe Englaland on mǣdwe beorhtre.

Sume brōþor on byrġ belifaþ,
ac ōðre sēċaþ þone nīwan hlēonaþ.
Wē sind on brime six dōgora.
God bēo ūs hēr hāliġ mundbora.

Nīwe Englaland!
Þis fremde sand,
þǣr þe wē edstaliaþ Albion!

Nīwe Englaland!
Þis fremde sand,
þǣr þe wē edstaliaþ Albion!