Interrogationes Sigwylfi Presbiteri

Sum geþungen lareow wæs on Englalande, Albin gehaten, and hæfde micele geþingða. Se lærde manega þæs Engliscan mennisces on boclicum cræfte, swa swa he wel cuþe, and ferde siþþan ofer sæ to þam snoteran kyninge, Karolus gehaten, se hæfde micelne cræft for Gode and for worulde, and he wislice leofode. To þam com Albinus se æþela lareow, and on his anwealde ælþeodig wunode on Sce Martines mynstre, and þær manega gelærde mid þam heofonlican wisdome þe him se Hæland forgeaf. Þa on sumne timan Sigewulf mæssepreost hine befran gelome feorran mid gewritum be gehwilcum cnottum þe he sylf ne cuþe, on þære bec þe is gehaten, Genesis. Þa cwæð Albinus him to andsware, þæt he wolde his axunga eallunga gegaderian, and him swa sendan mid heora swutelungum. Sigewulf hine befran æt fruman þysum wordum...

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Glossary

A certain excellent teacher was in England, called Albin, and [he] had great dignity. He taught many of the English people in biblical knowledge, as he was well able to, and went afterwards over the sea to the wise king, called Charlemagne, who had great power before God and the world, and he lived wisely. To him Albinus the noble teacher came and he lived abroad in his dominion in St. Martin’s monastery, and taught many people there with the heavenly wisdom which the Lord gave him. Then after some time, the priest Sigewulf repeatedly asked him from afar through letters about every difficulty, which he could not [solve] himself, concerning the holy book that is called Genesis. Then Albinus answered that he was willing to gather all his questions, and send him answers with the explanations. First, Sigewulf interrogated him with these words...

Notes

The word 'lareow' was ommited from the original text and added in above the line later by another scribe.

Albin is one of the many pseudonyms of Alcuin.

This refers to King Charlemagne, an 8th-9th Century king of the Franks.

The suffix 'us' is a nominative masculine singular suffix in Latin. The use of Latin suffix' is not uncommon when using names.

This is a common Latin abbreviation for 'Sancte - Saint'.

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