University of Virginia Library

THE METRICAL CHARMS

1. FOR UNFRUITFUL LAND

Her ys seo bot, hu ðu meaht þine æceras betan gif hi nellaþ wel wexan oþþe þær hwilc ungedefe þing on gedon bið on dry oððe on lyblace. Genim þonne on niht, ær hyt dagige, feower tyrf on feower healfa þæs landes, and gemearca hu hy ær stodon. Nim þonne ele and hunig and beorman, and ælces feos meolc þe on þæm lande sy, and ælces treowcynnes dæl þe on þæm lande sy gewexen, butan heardan beaman, and ælcre namcuþre wyrte dæl, butan glappan anon, and do þonne haligwæter ðær on, and drype þonne þriwa on þone staðol þara turfa, and cweþe ðonne ðas word: Crescite, wexe, et multiplicamini, and gemænigfealda, et replete, and gefylle, terre, þas eorðan. In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti sit benedicti. And Pater noster swa oft swa þæt oðer. And bere siþþan ða turf to circean, and mæssepreost asinge feower mæssan ofer þan turfon, and wende man þæt grene to ðan weofode, and siþþan gebringe man þa turf þær hi ær wæron ær sunnan setlgange. And hæbbe him gæworht of

cwicbeame feower Cristes mælo and awrite on ælcon ende: Matheus and Marcus, Lucas and Iohannes. Lege þæt Cristes mæl on þone pyt neoþeweardne, cweðe ðonne: Crux Matheus, crux Marcus, crux Lucas, crux sanctus Iohannes. Nim ðonne þa turf and sete ðær ufon on and cweþe ðonne nigon siþon þas word, Crescite, and swa oft Pater noster, and wende þe þonne eastweard, and onlut nigon siðon eadmodlice, and cweð þonne þas word:

Eastweard ic stande, arena ic me bidde,
bidde ic þone mæran domine, bidde ðone miclan drihten,
bidde ic ðone haligan heofonrices weard,
eorðan ic bidde and upheofon
and ða soþan sancta Marian
and heofones meaht and heahreced,
þæt ic mote þis gealdor mid gife drihtnes
toðum ontynan þurh trumne geþanc,
aweccan þas wæstmas us to woruldnytte,
gefyllan þas foldan mid fæste geleafan,
wlitigigan þas wancgturf, swa se witega cwæð
þæt se hæfde are on eorþrice, se þe ælmyssan
dælde domlice drihtnes þances.

Wende þe þonne III sunganges, astrece þonne on andlang and arim þær letanias and cweð þonne: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus oþ ende. Sing þonne Benedicite aþenedon earmon and Magnificat and Pater noster III, and bebeod hit Criste and sancta Marian and þære halgan rode to lofe and to weorþinga and to are þam þe þæt land age and eallon þam þe him underðeodde synt. Ðonne þæt eall sie gedon, þonne nime man uncuþ sæd æt ælmesmannum and selle him twa swylc, swylce man æt him nime, and gegaderie ealle his sulhgeteogo togædere; borige þonne on þam beame stor and finol and gehalgode sapan and gehalgod sealt. Nim þonne þæt sæd, sete on þæs sules bodig, cweð þonne:

Erce, Erce, Erce, eorþan modor,
geunne þe se alwalda, ece drihten,
æcera wexendra and wridendra,
eacniendra and elniendra,
sceafta hehra, scirra wæstma,
and þæra bradan berewæstma,
and þæra hwitan hwætewæstma,
and ealra eorþan wæstma.
Geunne him ece drihten
and his halige, þe on heofonum synt,
þæt hys yrþ si gefriþod wið ealra feonda gehwæne,
and heo si geborgen wið ealra bealwa gehwylc,
þara lyblaca geond land sawen.
Nu ic bidde ðone waldend, se ðe ðas woruld gesceop,
þæt ne sy nan to þæs cwidol wif ne to þæs cræftig man
þæt awendan ne mæge word þus gecwedene.

Þonne man þa sulh forð drife and þa forman furh onsceote, cweð þonne:

Hal wes þu, folde, fira modor!
Beo þu growende on godes fæþme,
fodre gefylled firum to nytte.

Nim þonne ælces cynnes melo and abacæ man innewerdre handa bradnæ hlaf and gecned hine mid meolce and mid haligwætere and lecge under þa forman furh. Cweþe þonne,

Ful æcer fodres fira cinne,
beorhtblowende, þu gebletsod weorþ
þæs haligan noman þe ðas heofon gesceop
and ðas eorþan þe we on lifiaþ;
se god, se þas grundas geworhte, geunne us growende gife,
þæt us corna gehwylc cume to nytte.
Cweð þonne III Crescite in nomine patris, sit benedicti.
Amen and Pater noster þriwa.

2. THE NINE HERBS CHARM

Mugcwyrt, wegbrade þe eastan open sy, lombescyrse, attorlaðan, mageðan, netelan, wudusuræppel, fille and finul, ealde sapan. Gewyrc ða wyrta to duste, mængc wiþ þa sapan and wiþ þæs æpples gor. Wyrc slypan of wætere and of axsan, genim finol, wyl on þære slyppan and beþe mid æggemongc, þonne he þa sealfe on do, ge ær ge æfter. Sing þæt galdor on ælcre þara wyrta, III ær he hy wyrce and on þone æppel ealswa; ond singe þon men in þone muð and in þa earan buta and on ða wunde þæt ilce gealdor, ær he þa sealfe on do.

3. AGAINST A DWARF

Wið dweorh man sceal niman VII lytle oflætan, swylce man mid ofrað, and writan þas naman on ælcre oflætan: Maximianus, Malchus, Iohannes, Martimianus, Dionisius, Constantinus, Serafion. Þænne eft þæt galdor, þæt her æfter cweð, man sceal singan, ærest on þæt wynstre eare, þænne on þæt swiðre eare, þænne bufan þæs mannes moldan. And ga þænne an mædenman to and ho hit on his sweoran, and do man swa þry dagas; him bið sona sel.

Her com in gangan, in spiderwiht,
hæfde him his haman on handa, cwæð þæt þu his hæncgest wære,
legde þe his teage an sweoran. Ongunnan him of þæm lande liþan;
sona swa hy of þæm lande coman, þa ongunnan him ða liþu colian.
Þa com in gangan dweores sweostar;
þa geændade heo and aðas swor
ðæt næfre þis ðæm adlegan derian ne moste,
ne þæm þe þis galdor begytan mihte,
oððe þe þis galdor ongalan cuþe. Amen. Fiað.

4. FOR A SUDDEN STITCH

Wið færstice feferfuige and seo reade netele, ðe þurh ærn inwyxð, and wegbrade; wyll in buteran.

Hlude wæran hy, la, hlude, ða hy ofer þone hlæw ridan,
wæran anmode, ða hy ofer land ridan.
Scyld ðu ðe nu, þu ðysne nið genesan mote.
Ut, lytel spere, gif her inne sie!
Stod under linde, under leohtum scylde,
þær ða mihtigan wif hyra mægen beræddon
and hy gyllende garas sændan;
ic him oðerne eft wille sændan,
fleogende flane forane togeanes.
Ut, lytel spere, gif hit her inne sy!
Sæt smið, sloh seax lytel,
[OMITTED] iserna, wundrum swiðe.
Ut,lytel spere, gif her inne sy!
Syx smiðas sætan, wælspera worhtan.
Ut, spere, næs in, spere!
Gif her inne sy isernes dæl,
hægtessan geweorc, hit sceal gemyltan.
Gif ðu wære on fell scoten oððe wære on flæsc scoten
oððe wære on blod scoten
oððe wære on lið scoten, næfre ne sy ðin lif atæsed;
gif hit wære esa gescot oððe hit wære ylfa gescot
oððe hit wære hægtessan gescot, nu ic wille ðin helpan.
Þis ðe to bote esa gescotes, ðis ðe to bote ylfa gescotes,
ðis ðe to bote hægtessan gescotes; ic ðin wille helpan.
Fleoh þær [OMITTED] on fyrgenheafde.
Hal westu, helpe ðin drihten!

Nim þonne þæt seax, ado on wætan.

5. FOR LOSS OF CATTLE

Þonne þe mon ærest secge þæt þin ceap sy losod, þonne cweð þu ærest, ær þu elles hwæt cweþe:

Bæðleem hatte seo buruh þe Crist on acænned wæs,
seo is gemærsod geond ealne middangeard;
swa þyos dæd for monnum mære gewurþe

þurh þa haligan Cristes rode! Amen. Gebide þe þonne þriwa east and cweþ þonne þriwa: Crux Christi ab oriente reducað. Gebide þe þonne þriwa west and cweð þonne þriwa: Crux Christi ab occidente reducat. Gebide þe þonne þriwa suð and cweþ þriwa: Crux Christi ab austro reducat. Gebide þonne þriwa norð and cweð þriwa: Crux Christi ab aquilone reducað, crux Christi abscondita est et inuenta est. Iudeas Crist ahengon, dydon dæda þa wyrrestan, hælon þæt hy forhelan ne mihtan. Swa þeos dæd nænige þinga forholen ne wurþe þurh þa haligan Cristes rode.

6. FOR DELAYED BIRTH

Se wifman, se hire cild afedan ne mæg, gange to gewitenes mannes birgenne and stæppe þonne þriwa ofer þa byrgenne and cweþe þonne þriwa þas word:

Þis me to bote þære laþan lætbyrde,
þis me to bote þære swæran swærbyrde,
þis me to bote þære laðan lambyrde.

And þonne þæt wif seo mid bearne and heo to hyre hlaforde

on reste ga, þonne cweþe heo:

Up ic gonge, ofer þe stæppe
mid cwican cilde, nalæs mid cwellendum,
mid fulborenum, nalæs mid fægan.

And þonne seo modor gefele þæt þæt bearn si cwic, ga þonne to cyrican, and þonne heo toforan þan weofode cume, cweþe þonne:

Criste, ic sæde, þis gecyþed!

Se wifmon, se hyre bearn afedan ne mæge, genime heo sylf hyre agenes cildes gebyrgenne dæl, wry æfter þonne on blace wulle and bebicge to cepemannum and cweþe þonne:

Ic hit bebicge, ge hit bebicgan,
þas sweartan wulle and þysse sorge corn.

Se wifman, se ne mæge bearn afedan, nime þonne anes bleos cu meoluc on hyre handæ and gesupe þonne mid hyre muþe and gange þonne to yrnendum wætere and spiwe þær in þa meolc and hlade þonne mid þære ylcan hand þæs wæteres muð fulne and forswelge. Cweþe þonne þas word:

Gehwer ferde ic me þone mæran maga þihtan,
mid þysse mæran mete þihtan;
þonne ic me wille habban and ham gan.

Þonne heo to þan broce ga, þonne ne beseo heo, no ne eft þonne heo þanan ga, and þonne ga heo in oþer hus oþer heo ut ofeode and þær gebyrge metes.

7. FOR THE WATER-ELF DISEASE

Gif mon biþ on wæterælfadle, þonne beoþ him þa handnæglas wonne and þa eagan tearige and wile locian niþer. Do him þis to læcedome: eoforþrote, cassuc, fone nioþoweard, eowberge, elehtre, eolone, merscmealwan crop, fenminte, dile, lilie, attorlaþe, polleie, marubie, docce, ellen, felterre, wermod, streawbergean leaf, consolde; ofgeot mid ealaþ, do hæligwæter to, sing þis gealdor ofer þriwa:

Ic benne awrat betest beadowræda,
swa benne ne burnon, ne burston,
ne fundian, ne feologan,
ne hoppettan, ne wund waxsian,
ne dolh diopian; ac him self healde halewæge,
ne ace þe þon ma, þe eorþan on eare ace.

Sing þis manegum siþum: Eorþe þe onbere eallum hire mihtum and mægenum. Þas galdor mon mæg singan on wunde.

8. FOR A SWARM OF BEES

Wið ymbe nim eorþan, oferweorp mid þinre swiþran handa under þinum swiþran fet, and cwet:

Fo ic under fot, funde ic hit.
Hwæt, eorðe mæg wið ealra wihta gehwilce
and wið andan and wið æminde
and wið þa micelan mannes tungan.

And wiððon forweorp ofer greot, þonne hi swirman, and cweð:

Sitte ge, sigewif, sigað to eorþan!
Næfre ge wilde to wuda fleogan.
Beo ge swa gemindige mines godes,
swa bið manna gehwilc metes and eþeles.

9. FOR THEFT OF CATTLE

Ne forstolen ne forholen nanuht, þæs ðe ic age, þe ma ðe mihte Herod urne drihten. Ic geþohte sancte Eadelenan and ic geþohte Crist on rode ahangen; swa ic þence þis feoh to findanne, næs to oðfeorrganne, and to witanne, næs to oðwyrceanne, and to lufianne, næs to oðlædanne.

Garmund, godes ðegen,
find þæt feoh and fere þæt feoh
and hafa þæt feoh and heald þæt feoh
and fere ham þæt feoh.
Þæt he næfre næbbe landes, þæt he hit oðlæde,
ne foldan, þæt hit oðferie,
ne husa, þæt he hit oðhealde.
Gif hyt hwa gedo, ne gedige hit him næfre!
Binnan þrym nihtum cunne ic his mihta,
his mægen and his mihta and his mundcræftas.
Eall he weornige, swa syre wudu weornie,
swa breðel seo swa þystel,
se ðe ðis feoh oðfergean þence
oððe ðis orf oðehtian ðence.

10. FOR LOSS OF CATTLE

Ðis man sceal cweðan ðonne his ceapa hwilcne man forstolenne. Cwyð ær he ænyg oþer word cweðe:

Bethlem hattæ seo burh ðe Crist on geboren wes,
seo is gemærsod ofer ealne middangeard;
swa ðeos dæd wyrþe for monnum mære,

per crucem Christi! And gebide þe ðonne þriwa east and cweð þriwa: Crux Christi ab oriente reducat. And III west and cweð: Crux Christi ab occidente reducat. And III suð and cweð: Crux Christi a meridie reducant. And III norð and cweð: Crux Christi abscondita sunt et inuenta est. Iudeas Crist ahengon, gedidon him dæda þa wyrstan; hælon þæt hi forhelan ne mihton. Swa næfre ðeos dæd forholen ne wyrðe per crucem Christi.

11. A JOURNEY CHARM

12. AGAINST A WEN

Wenne, wenne, wenchichenne,
her ne scealt þu timbrien, ne nenne tun habben,
ac þu scealt north eonene to þan nihgan berhge,
þer þu hauest, ermig, enne broþer.
He þe sceal legge leaf et heafde.
Under fot wolues, under ueþer earnes,
under earnes clea, a þu geweornie.
Clinge þu alswa col on heorþe,
scring þu alswa scerne awage,
and weorne alswa weter on anbre.
Swa litel þu gewurþe alswa linsetcorn,

and miccli lesse alswa anes handwurmes hupeban, and alswa litel þu gewurþe þet þu nawiht gewurþe.