[Preface] (1r) Brittene igland is ehta hund mila lang & twa hund brad, & her sind on þis iglande fif geþeode: englisc & brittisc & wilsc & scyttisc & pyhtisc & bocleden. Erest weron bugend þises landes Brittes þa coman of Armenia & gesætan suðewearde Bryttene ærost. Þa gelamp hit þet Pyhtas coman suþan of Scithian mid langum scipum na manegum & þa coman ærost on norþ Ybernian up & þær bædo Scottas þet hi ðer moston wunian. Ac hi noldan heom lyfan, forðan hi cwædon <þæt hi ne mihton ealle ætgædere gewunian þær. & þa cwædon> þa Scottas: ‘We eow magon þeahhwaðere ræd gelæron. We witan oþer egland her be easton þer ge magon eardian gif ge willað, & gif hwa eow wiðstent, we eow fultumiad þet ge hit magon gegangan.’ Ða ferdon þa Pihtas & geferdon þis land norþanweard, & suþanweard hit hefdon Brittas swa we ær cwedon. And þa Pyhtas heom abædon wif æt Scottum on þa gerad þet hi gecuron heor kynecinn aa on þa wifhealfa; þet hi heoldon swa lange syððan. & þa gelamp hit imbe geara rina þet Scotta sum dæl gewat of Ybernian on Brittene & þes landes sum dæl geeodon, & wes heora heratoga Reoda gehaten from þam heo sind genemnode Dælreodi.

[60 BC] Sixtigum wintrum ær þam þe Crist were acenned, Gaius Iulius Romana kasere mid hundehtatigum scipum gesohte Brytene. Þer he wes ærost geswenced mid grimmum gefeohte & micelne dæl his heres forlædde. & þa he (1v) forlet his here abidan mid Scottum & gewat into Galwalum & þer gegadorode six hund scipa mid þam he gewat eft into Brytene. & þa hi ærost togedore geræsdon, þa man ofsloh ðes caseres gerefan se wes Labienus gehaten. Ða genamon þa Walas & adrifon sumre ea ford ealne mid scearpum pilum greatum innan þam wetere; sy ea hatte Temese. Þa þet onfundon ða Romani, þa noldon hi faron ofer þone ford. Þa flugon þa Brytwalas to þam wudufe(r)stenum. & se kasere geeode wel manega hehburh mid mycelum gewinne & eft gewat into Galwalum.

[1]  AN.i. Octauianus rixade .lvi. wintra, & on þam .xlii. geare his rices Crist wæs acenned.