Anglo-Saxon metrical charms were sets of instructions generally written to magically resolve a situation or disease. Usually, these charms involve some sort of physical action, including making a medical potion, repeating a certain set of words, or writing a specific set of words on an object. These

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

charms tell a great deal about medieval medical theory and practice. Although most medical texts found from the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon period are translations of Classical texts in Latin, these charms were originally written in

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

.The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Medieval Period, pg. 32-35. Today, some alternative medical practicioners continue to use

herbal remedies Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remedie ...

, but these are often based on some sort of scientific reasoning. The medical procedures and herbal remedies in these Anglo-Saxon medical charms are not based on science, but on spiritual qualities. While many of these charms do have pagan qualities, Christian influences are regularly observed, with most of the charms including both

pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...

and

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

characteristics. For example, the

Nine Herbs Charm The "Nine Herbs Charm" is an Old English charm recorded in the tenth-century CEGordon (1962:92–93). Anglo-Saxon medical compilation known as ''Lacnunga'', which survives on the manuscript, Harley MS 585, in the British Library, at London.Macleo ...

mentions both the Germanic god

Woden Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...

and

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

, the central figure of Christianity.

Known charms

Twelve Metrical Charms survive in

, principally in the collection of medical texts known in modern scholarship as ''

Lacnunga The ''Lacnunga'' ('Remedies') is a collection of miscellaneous Anglo-Saxon medical texts and prayers, written mainly in Old English and Latin. The title ''Lacnunga'', an Old English word meaning 'remedies', is not in the manuscript: it was given t ...

'' (10th to 11th century), but also in ''

Bald's Leechbook ''Bald's Leechbook'' (also known as ''Medicinale Anglicum'') is an Old English medical text probably compiled in the ninth century, possibly under the influence of Alfred the Great's educational reforms.Nokes, Richard Scott ‘The several compil ...

'' (10th century) and as marginal additions in other manuscripts. They are: ;

Æcerbot The Æcerbot (; Old English for "Field-Remedy") is an Anglo-Saxon metrical charm recorded in the 11th century, intended to remedy fields that yielded poorly.Grigsby (2005:96f, 246). Overview The charm consists of a partially Christianized prayer an ...

: This charm, also known as "For Unfruitful Land," is a charm meant to "heal" lands that have yielded poorly. ;

Against a Dwarf Three Anglo-Saxon metrical charms "Against a dwarf" ( ang, Ƿið dƿeorh) are contained within in the Lacnunga, which seek to heal an afflicted person by ridding them of a dwarf. Charms Remedies LXXXVIIc and LXXXVIIIc The remedies LXXXVIIc and L ...

: The express purpose of this charm has yet to be decided upon by scholars, but some believe that the dwarf is some sort of disease (perhaps one that involves a fever). ;

Against a Wen "Against a Wen" is an Old English metrical charm and medical text found in the London, British Library, Royal MS. 4A.XIV. It appears to describe a remedy for ridding oneself of a wen, which is an Old English term for a cyst or skin blemish. The c ...

: This charm is supposed to rid a person of a wen, which is the Old English word for a cyst or skin blemish. ;

A Journey Charm The so-called "Journey Charm" ( ang, Færeld Spell) is one of the 12 Anglo-Saxon metrical charms written in Old English. It is a prayer written to summon protection from God and various other Christian figures from the hazards of the road. It is of ...

: This charm's purpose is to ask God and other various Biblical figures to protect one on his or her journey. ;

For a Swarm of Bees "For a Swarm of Bees" is an Anglo-Saxon metrical charm that was intended for use in keeping honey bees from swarming. The text was discovered by John Mitchell Kemble in the 19th century. The charm is named for its opening words, "'", meaning "agai ...

: This charm, also known as The Old English Bee Charm, is meant to protect one from a swarm of bees. ; For Loss of Cattle #1 ; For Loss of Cattle #2 ; For Loss of Cattle #3: All three charms titled "For Loss of Cattle," are, as the title says, meant to help one find their lost cattle. ;

For Delayed Birth The so-called "For Delayed Birth" is an Old English poetic medical text found in the manuscript London, British Library, Harley 585, ff. 185r-v, in a collection of medical texts known since the nineteenth century as ''Lacnunga'' (‘remedies’). T ...

: This charm's purpose is to help a woman who is unable to bring her unborn child to term. ;

For the Water-Elf Disease "For Water-Elf Disease" ( ang, Wiþ Wæterælfadle) is an Anglo-Saxon metrical charm that was intended for use in curing the "water-elf disease," which was a disease supposedly caused by elf-shot from water elves. It is written in Old English and d ...

: This charm is meant to heal one of the water-elf disease, which involves pale and ill-looking nails and watery eyes. ;

: This charm is meant to heal an infection or disease using nine specific herbs. ;

Wið færstice "Wið færstice" is an Old English medical text surviving in the collection known now as ''Lacnunga'' in the British Library. ''Wið fǣrstiċe'' means 'against a sudden/violent stabbing pain'; and according to Felix Grendon, whose collection of An ...

: This charm, also known as "For a Sudden Stitch," describes how to heal a sudden and sharp pain; this pain is thought by some scholars to be

rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including art ...

Digital Editions

* Foys, Martin ''et al.'
''Old English Poetry in Facsimile Project''
(Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2019-); digital facsimile edition and Modern English translation

References

{{Old English poetry, state=autocollapse Language and mysticism