For Loss Of Cattle

"For Loss or Theft of Cattle," or "For Loss of Cattle," is the name given to three Anglo-Saxon metrical charms that were intended for use in keeping cattle from being stolen and ensuring their return.

Charm V and Charm X represent two versions of the same macaronic text in Old English and Latin. Felix Grendon pointed out that lines 6–19 of Charm IX are significantly more " heathen" than the prose introduction.

Charm V (For Loss of Cattle 1)

This charm is found in the ''Lacnunga'' manuscript.Fraaije, Karel Felix; (2021) ''Magical Verse from Early Medieval England: The Metrical Charms in Context''. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

When someone says to you that your property has been lost, then
you must say first, before you say anything else:

The town is called Bethlehem where Christ was born,

that is well known throughout all middle-earth—

so he performed a famous deed for mankind

through that Holy Rood! Amen! Look towards
the east three times and speak three times: The Cross of Christ is led forth from
the east! Look towards the west three times and speak three
times: The Cross of Christ is led forth from the west! Look towards
the south three times and speak three times: The Cross of Christ is led forth from
the south! Look towards the north three times and speak three times: The Cross
of Christ is led forth from the north! The Cross of Christ was hidden and
then found! Judas has Christ hung up, doing the worst of deeds,
covering him so that he could not be hidden. So by
this deed may nothing be hidden through
the Holy Rood of Christ. Amen.

Charm IX (For Loss of Cattle 2)

This charm, entirely in Old English, was found in the margins of CCCC 41, a manuscript believed to be from Southern England.

Amen.

Nothing was stolen or concealed, after I owned it, any more than
Herod could do to Our Lord. I thought Saint Eadelena
and I thought Christ was hung upon the Rood—so I intend
to find these cattle—they were not taken away, to be known and not
harmed, and to be loved and not led away.

Garmund, the thane of God,

find those cattle and bear those cattle

and keep those cattle and hold those cattle

and bear those cattle home.

So he may never keep his lands, who has led them away—

nor earth, who has borne them away—

nor household, who has withheld them.

If he who has done this, may it never avail him!

Within three nights, I know his power,

his strength and his power and his hand-skills

May all of his wither away, as the woods waste away—

as worthless as the thistle—

him who meant to steal away these cattle,

or who meant to drive away this herd.

Amen.

Charm X (For Loss of Cattle 3)

This charm is found in CCCC 41.

This man must speak thus when any man has stolen his property.
He says this before he should speak any other word:

The town is called Bethlehem, where Christ was born,

it is made famous over all of middle-earth—

so was this deed made famous in front of mankind,

by the cross of Christ!

And then look towards the east three times and say three times:

The cross of Christ is led forth from the east!

And three times to the west and speak:

The cross of Christ is led forth from the west!

And three times to the south and speak:

The cross of Christ is led forth from high noon!

And three times to the north and speak:

The cross of Christ was hidden and found again!

Judas hung up Christ, he did for himself the worst of deeds. He hid that but could not conceal him. As never this deed could become concealed. By the cross of Christ.

Notes

References

External links

The charms read aloud

{{Old English poetry, state=autocollapse

Anglo-Saxon metrical charms