Old English literature There are five shorter poems: capture of the Five Boroughs (942); coronation of King Edgar (973); death of King Edgar (975); death of Alfred the son of King Æthelred (1036); and death of King Edward the Confessor (1065). The 325 line poem "The Battle of Maldon" celebrates Earl Byrhtnoth and his men who fell in battle against the Vikings in 991. It is considered one of the finest, but both the beginning and end are missing and the only manuscript was destroyed in a fire in 1731. A well-known speech is near the end of the poem: Old English heroic
Iste confessor To Him be health, honor and virtue // who always shining on the heavenly throne </poem> Iste confessor Domini sacratus <poem> 1 Iste confessor Domini sacratus, // Festa plebs cuius celebrat per orbem, 2 Qui pius, prudens, humilis, pudicus, // Sobrius, castus fuit, et quietus, 3 Ad sacrum cuius tumulum frequenter, // Membra languentum modo sanitati, 4 Unde nunc noster chorus in honorem // Ipsius, hymnum canit hunc libenter, 5 Sit salus illi, decus, atque virtus, // Qui supra cæli residens cacumen, </poem> This holy confessor of the Lord <poem> 1 This holy confessor of the Lord // the feast