Old English or Anglo Saxon was the language used in England from around the year 500 AD until around 1100 AD, just after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
http://eee.uci.edu/programs/medieval/oeclips.html (audio)
-Listen and read the below poems-
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Cædmon's Hymn (ca.657-680)
Nu we sculon herigean heofonrices Weard
Meotodes meahte ond his modgeþanc
weorc Wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs,
ece Drihten, or onstealde.
He ærest sceop eorðan bearnum
heofon to hrofe, halig Scyppend.
Þa middangeard monncynnes Weard,
ece Drihten, æfter teode
firum foldan, Frea ælmihtig.
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Beowulf (ca. 800-1000 AD): lines 702-721
Com on wanre niht
scriðan sceadugenga. Sceotend swæfon,
þa þæt hornreced healdan scoldon,
ealle buton anum. Þæt wæs yldum cuþ,
þæt hie ne moste, þa Metod nolde,
se scynscaþa under sceadu bregdan;--
ac he wæccende wraþum on andan
bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges.
Ða com of more under misthleoþum
Grendel gongan, Godes yrre bær;
mynte se manscaða manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.
Wod under wolcnum to þæs þe he winreced,
boldsele gumena gearwost wisse
fættum fahne. Ne wæs þæt forma sið,
þæt he Hroþgares ham gesohte;
næfre he on aldordagum ær ne siþðan
heardran hæle, healðegnas fand!
Com þa to recede rinc siðian
dreamum bedæled.
http://eee.uci.edu/programs/medieval/oeclips.html (audio)
-Listen and read the below poems-
---------
Cædmon's Hymn (ca.657-680)
Nu we sculon herigean heofonrices Weard
Meotodes meahte ond his modgeþanc
weorc Wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs,
ece Drihten, or onstealde.
He ærest sceop eorðan bearnum
heofon to hrofe, halig Scyppend.
Þa middangeard monncynnes Weard,
ece Drihten, æfter teode
firum foldan, Frea ælmihtig.
-------------------------------
Beowulf (ca. 800-1000 AD): lines 702-721
Com on wanre niht
scriðan sceadugenga. Sceotend swæfon,
þa þæt hornreced healdan scoldon,
ealle buton anum. Þæt wæs yldum cuþ,
þæt hie ne moste, þa Metod nolde,
se scynscaþa under sceadu bregdan;--
ac he wæccende wraþum on andan
bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges.
Ða com of more under misthleoþum
Grendel gongan, Godes yrre bær;
mynte se manscaða manna cynnes
sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.
Wod under wolcnum to þæs þe he winreced,
boldsele gumena gearwost wisse
fættum fahne. Ne wæs þæt forma sið,
þæt he Hroþgares ham gesohte;
næfre he on aldordagum ær ne siþðan
heardran hæle, healðegnas fand!
Com þa to recede rinc siðian
dreamum bedæled.