Thit was to there stunde
tha thi kening kerl riuchta bi gunde.
Tha waster ande there saxinna merik
liudingerus en hera fele steric.

Hi welde him tha gethan alsa waldelike
ther hi [fon riuchta] scolde bi halda tha kening kerlis kairslica rike.
Ac welde hi ma duan
hi welde tha sterka fresan under sinne tegetha tian.

Hi bi badit efter alle sine rike
thet ma hine heta scode koning waldelike.
tha thi kening kerl thit under stod.
tornig was him hir umbe si mod.

Hi let hit tha fresum tha kundig duan
hodir hia thene nia kening mith him mith strida welde bi stan.
Tha fresen gadere komin
uppa thit bodisscip se anne god red ge nomin.

Thi fresa fele sterka
hi for tha and tha saxinna merka.
Tha sassiska heran thit for nomin
up tha felda ia fresum to ionis komin.

Tha fugtin se alsa grimlike
of slogma tha saxum [bethe] thene erma and thene rika.
Thag to tha lesta.
feng ma of tha saxum heran [and ridderan] tha besta.

Iha band ma alsa sere
mith ene sterka mere.
Ia latten se tha waldelike
alder iha thene kening kerl ur nomin ande sine rike

tha hi thet fornom
thet him thi saxinna hera alle bundin kom.
Wel was him ande sine hei
thi bad tha stulta fresa godne dei.
Hi nom se tha ande palas sin
hi scanctum bethe mede ande win.

It was at the time
that king Charles (Charlemagne) began to rule.
Then there was in the district of the Saxons
Liudingerus, a very strong lord.

He wanted to equip himself so strongly
that he would get king Charles' empire.
Also wanted he to do more;
hi wanted to bring the strong Frisians under his authority.

He ordered in whole his realm
that he should be called mighty king.
As king Charles became aware of this,
then he was angry inside.

He announced to the Frisians
whether they with him would start a fight against the new king.
The Frisians gathered;
on this message they took a good decision.

The Frisians very strongly
went to the district of the Saxons.
The Saxon lords became aware of that;
they came to meet the Frisians on the field.

Then they fought so grimly
they slew the Saxons both the poor and the rich.
But at last
they caught the best of the Saxon lords and knights.

Those they tied so much
with strong fetters.
Then they lead them by force
where they found king Charles in his realm.

When king Charles heard
that the Saxon lords came to him all tied,
he was very glad in his mind;
he welcomed the brave Frisians.
He then took them in his palace
and served them both mead and wine.

Thit sce ther na to ener stunde
thet tha romera [heran] with thene kening kerl strida bigunden
iha weldin stultlike
thene tins bihalda fon tha keninglika rike.
thi kening thit serlike
kundegia let alle sine keningrike.

Iha komin alle to samene
ther werin ande sine rike sibbe ande framede.
Tha fresan thit mere for nomin
to thes keningis howe vnelathadis se [ther] komin.

Iha werin ther nette ande god
wand iha drogin enir stultere lauwa mod.
Iha sprekin ther to fara tha keningge wigandlike.
Iha welde [allena] fiugta witha romera [heran]fore thet kairslike rike.

Iha nomin tha scerpa suerd and ihera honda
iha gengin to fara there burig stonda.
Tha heran binna there burig thit ge segin
uppa thene feld ion tha fresan to stride tha tegin.

En ordil warth ther upgehewin.
monig diore wigand warth nither [tha there]geslagin.
tha to there stunde
thi fresa hastelike [on tha heran] fiugta bi gunde.

serlike tha heran umbe tha segin.
alle balde se to there burig flegin.
thi fresa folgade mith vntuiuilika sinne.
hu hi tha burg kreftlike wnne.

thag uppa thet leste
wnnin iha tha burg and heran tha besta.
tha porta gundtma bi sluta
thi kening kerl mith sine folke waster abuta.

There after it occurred at a time
that the Roman lords began fight against king Charles.
They wanted recklessly
to keep the tax of the kingdom.
The king severely
announced this in whole his kingdom.

They came all together
who were in his realm, relatives and foreigners.
As the Frisians heard this news
they came to the kings court without being asked.

There they came in useful
because they had the courage of a brave lioness.
There they spoke to the king heroically
they would fight alone against the Roman lords for the empire.

They took the sharp swords in their hands and
placed themselves in front of the castle.
The lords inside the castle saw this;
they went to fight against the Frisians on the field.

An ordeal was begun;
many valuable fighter was then there slain.
Then at that moment
the Frisians violently began to fight upon the lords.

Frightened the lords then looked back and
all of them flew quickly to the castle.
The Frisians followed with determined mind,
that they would win the castle with force.

But at last
they won the castle and the best of the lords.
People began to close the gates,
but king Charles and his troops were outside.

hi iof him mitha allera arista
iefta tha masta.
tuintech merka fon brondrada golde
ther thi fresa [iera hec] tha kairscipe

to tegetha iowa scolde.
thiu iefte ther hi hede tha fresum gedan
thiu moste emmer and emmermar evelika stan.
ther hi ta bad kairslikethet se ne scolde nen hera thuwingga waldelike.

hit ne were thet iha bi [iera goda] willa welde thet dua
thet se anne hera wolde und fa.
thag ne wenik ande mine sinne
thet hia bi willa angne hera gewinne.

nowet allena tha keningga and thisse bode nogade thes
heliga pawis [gregorius] weld hi hirto fogade.
hi bed hit ita pawis tha
thet hi tha fresan mitha gastelika riuchte welde bi fa.

hewelike alle hi to bonne se dede
ther tha fresum to brogte enige nede.
Alder bi bad hit thi kening kerl opinbere
thet fresan iera hec nige redian him kere.

tha kairslika crona hi uppa ihera huwid sette
alder umbe hi se scera lette.
thag ief se thet ne welde nowet dua
ut mostin se [him] ihera her leta frilike waxa.

thet hit alle liude magte tha sian
thet hi se fri hede gedan.
hi bibad hit him tha keninglike
alle thi fresa ther were sterik and rike.

thet iha anne slag and ihera witta hals scolde [him] vnd fa
ther efter moste hi ridder biliwa.
Wepin scolde hi [ther effter] drega alle scone
and sine scelde moste hi melia tha keninglica crona.

First of all he gave them
a great gift.
Twenty coins of fiery red gold
that the Frisians should give the empire yearly as tax

That gift that he gave the Frisians,
that should always and forever endure.
Besides he commanded imperially
that no lord should force them by power.

Unless it were that they would do it by their own free will
that they would accept a lord.
But I don't think to myself,
that they by own will would recognize a lord.

The king was not satisfied with this order,
the authority of the holy pope he added to it.
He then asked it the pope
that he would put the Frisians under clerical rule.

He forever excommunicated all those
that the Frisians caused any trouble.
There commanded king Charles publicly that
the Frisians should choose new judges every year.

He put the imperial crown on their head,
therefore he ordered to shave them.
But if they did not want to do that,
they were allowed to let their hair grow freely.

that all people might see then
that he has made them free.
He commanded them then kingly,
all Frisians that were strong and rich,

that they should receive an accolade on their white neck;
After that he should always be knight.
He should carry a very nice weapon;
on his shield he should paint the royal crown.

Ande tha brewm hit ma biscref
fon tha ieftum ther [abuta] nowet urietin bilef.
thet insigil thet was fon tha brondrada golde
hu hit alle liude wiste thet thius ief ewelike stonda scolde.

thisse bref ma tha fri fresa iof and sine hond
mith dole and mith harum hi wider for and sine ain frilike lond.
Aldus mugin hit alle liude forstan
thet thi kening kerl thene fresa
[vmbe thet kreftlike strid] fri hewet ge dan.

in the letters it was written
about the gifts, that nothing should be forgotten.
The seal was of fiery red gold,
that all people should know that this gift should exist forever.

This letter they gave the free Frisian in his hand.
With pride and with honour he went back to his own free country.
In this way all people may understand
that king Charles the Frisians
has made free because of that strong fight.