Bill, thank you so much.
It is true that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" and this is probably not the place to babble on about my explorations.
Before I go on to thank you (and others who have kindly supplied me with various papers and thoughts) I want to say that I don't suspect that there is a lost Scandinavian manuscript, because the runic alphabet wouldn't be capable of such flowery language. But possibly (speculation) there might be earlier manuscript versions of Beowulf.
I also want to make it clear that I'm not in any way dissing the translations of Tim and Alan or Heany or the new one with the parallel or the ones I hope to read. (I learned from the Rexroth text, that Edward Morgan has done a translation as well). I share what I think is the orthodox one, that it is an oral tale conserved in England and written down there.
With the caveat "a little knowledge" and all that, I have long been interested (as an amateur) in the Christianization of Scandinavia and the influences back and forth in several directions. As I mentioned earlier (I think) I live in a part of Sweden where this history is still very much alive, although the tourism is doing its very best to muddle it beyond recognition. (I won't digress on that, but am sorely tempted.)
Apart from that Disneyish muddying of the waters, several excellent books (in Swedish history and in history of religion) written by academic researchers for the most part and none of them the hyped-up "popular history" kind of book.
I have read Dream of the Rood and forgotten it, but I have it here somewhere. The Edward Morgan translation might be available "used book" in the UK. You seem to be getting rid of your libraries and I am acquiring them.
I have the other sagas you mention (as you know) in Swedish. I'm always acquiring interesting books I find in antiquarian shops and book sales, thinking to read them in due time. So I've pulled those on this topic into a little stack, some read and several, perhaps many, unread. Among those (I located and added yesterday) is a "translation to Swedish" of a 6th century bible known here as Codex Argenteus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Argenteus . It was brought to Sweden after the Thirty-year war as war spoils. It is (or so says the blurb) the oldest of all Germanic bibles and still half-heathen). It is on display at Uppsala University. It was probably plundered for its silver encasement. I've viewed it way back when I didn't know what I was looking at.
The other one I found yesterday is a translation of Rimbert's "Life of Ansgar" and a number of essays about Rimbert and about his book.
Thank you for pinpointing Hrothgar et al. Rexroth's short text gave no reference to how he arrived at their being "historical figures". The time reckoning is, of course, important.
In closing, I'll say again that I am just piddling around. I don't expect to make any substantial contributions to literary history. It all started when that happy raven pulled me up short and then I got hooked. There are worse pastimes.
All this Bill, before I've had my morning coffee. Thanks again for your wise comments and for taking the time.
PS. About Frey being a word for Lord. In the above link about the statue of Frej, this Danish text, which I'm quickly translating.
Quote:
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Frej, Freyr, central gud for frugtbarhed. Han tilhører vanerne og er bror til Freja; begge er børn af Njord. (...) Hans navn betyder "herre" eller "hersker" og gengives i mange former, fx Frey, Frø og Frøj.
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Frey, Freyr, main god of fertility. He was one of the Vanir gods, a brother of Freja; both are children of Njord. (...) His name means "lord" or "master" and is found in many forms, such as Frey, Frø and Frøj.