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The poems on this blog are mostly written on the basis of my historical reading and are intended to be both educational and entertaining.
Recently I have also begun posting some of my work with Anglo-Saxon charms. This work is somewhat speculative and is conducted as an amateur researcher and keen Pagan historian.

Please feel free to use anything on this site as a resource if you think that it may be relevant to your needs.

Sunday 9 February 2014

Leechbook III LXII - 1, 2 and 3 Against Aelfadle

Three charms found in Leechbook III all against a sickness caused by elves (aelfadle). I have simply replaced certain references to former Christian inclusions, the green bits. The translated original text is included at the end for reference.

The Paganised reconstruction:

Leechbook III LXII - 1 Against aelfadle 
Against aelfadle; take bishopwort, fennel, lupin,
the lower part of enchanters nightshade, and moss or
lichen from an earth fast stone and incense,
of each a hand full; bind all the worts in a cloth, dip
it thrice in hallowed water, have sung over
it three galdors. Then
put gledes in a glede pan, and lay the worts on: reek
the man with the worts before nine in the morning,
and at night, and sing three galdors and write a rune on each of
his limbs, and take a little hand full of worts of the
same kind similarly hallowed, and boil in milk, drop
thrice some hallowed water into it, and let him sip of it
before his meat; it will soon be well with him.

Leechbook III LXII – 2
For that ilk. Go on Thursday evening, when the sun is
set, where thou knowest that helenium stands, then
sing the " three galdors,
and stick thy knife into the wort, make it stick
fast, and go away: go again, when day and night just
divide (In early morning) at the same period go first to the grove and
and commend thyself to thy God; then go in
silence, and though anything soever of an awful sort or
man a meet thee, say not thou to him any word, ere
thou come to the wort, which on the evening before
thou markedst; then sing the three galdors, delve up the wort, let the knife
stick in it; go again as quick as thou art able to
the grove, and lay it under the altar with the knife; let
it lie till the sun be up, wash it afterwards, and
make into a drink, and bishopwort, and lichen off an earth fast stone;
boil in milk thrice, thrice pour holy water
upon it, and sing over it the three galdors plus one,
and score with a sword round about it on three
sides a rune, and then after that let the man drink
the wort; soon will it be well with him.

Leechbook III LXII – 3
Again for that; lay these worts under the altar, have nine galdors
sung over them, incense, holy salt, three heads of
cropleek, the netherward part of enchanters nightshade,
helenium; take in the morning a cup full of milk,
drop thrice some holy water into it, let the man sup
it up as hot as he can: let him eat therewith three
bits of enchanters nightshade, and when he hath a
mind to rest, let him have in his chamber coles, let
him lay on the στνραξ (Styrax - used as incense) and elfthone, and reek
him therewith till he sweat, and reek the house all
through; earnestly also sign the man a rune
and when he is going to bed, let him eat
three bits of helenium, and three of cropleek, and three
of salt, and let him have a cup full of ale, and thrice
drop holy water into it; let him sup up each bit, and
afterwards rest himself. Let him do this for nine
mornings and nine nights, it will soon be well with

him. 

The Christianised version:

Leechbook III P345 LXII -1
Against elf disease; take bishopwort, fennel, lupin,
the lower part of enchanters nightshade, and moss or
lichen from the hallowed sign of Christ, and incense,
of each a hand full ; bind all the worts in a cloth, dip
it thrice in hallowed font water, have sung over
it three masses, one "Omnibus Sanctis,"  another
"Contra tribulationem," 2 a third "Pro infirmis" Then
put coles in a cole pan, and lay the worts on: reek
the man with the worts before nine in the morning,
and at night, and sing a litany, and the credo, and
the Pater noster, and write Christs mark on each of
his limbs, and take a little hand full of worts of the
same kind similarly hallowed, and boil in milk, drop
thrice some hallowed water into it, and let him sip of it
before his meat; it will soon be well with him.

Leechbook III LXII - 2
For that ilk. Go on Thursday evening, when the sun is
set, where thou knowest that helenium stands, then
sing the " Benedicite," and " Pater noster," and a litany,
and stick thy knife into the wort, make it stick
fast, and go away: go again, when day and night just
divide (In early morning) at the same period go first to church and
cross thyself, and commend thyself to God; then go in
silence, and though anything soever of an awful sort or
man a meet thee, say not thou to him any word, ere
thou come to the wort, which on the evening before
thou markedst; then sing the Benedicite, and the Pater
noster, and a litany, delve up the wort, let the knife
stick in it; go again as quick as thou art able to
church, and lay it under the altar with the knife; let
it lie till the sun be up, wash it afterwards, and
make into a drink, and bishopwort, and lichen off a
crucifix; boil in milk thrice, thrice pour holy water
upon it, and sing over it the Paternoster, the Credo,
and the Gloria in excelsis deo; (Luke ii 14) and sing upon it a
litany, and score with a sword round about it on three
sides a cross, and then after that let the man drink
the wort; soon will it be well with him.

Leechbook III LXII – 3
Again for that; lay these worts under the altar, have nine masses
sung over them, incense, holy salt, three heads of
cropleek, the netherward part of enchanters nightshade,
helenium; take in the morning a cup full of milk,
drop thrice some holy water into it, let the man sup
it up as hot as he can: let him eat therewith three
bits of enchanters nightshade, and when he hath a
mind to rest, let him have in his chamber gledes, let
him lay on the coles στνραξ (Styrax - used as incense) and elfthone, and reek
him therewith till he sweat, and reek the house all
throug; earnestly also sign the man with the sign of
the cross, and when he is going to bed, let him eat
three bits of helenium, and three of cropleek, and three
of salt, and let him have a cup full of ale, and thrice
drop holy water into it; let him sup up each bit, and
afterwards rest himself. Let him do this for nine
mornings and nine nights, it will soon be well with
him. 

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