Mythology & Folklore
Metrical Charm 5: For Loss of Cattle (Old English)
From The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, ed. E. V. K. Dobbie, vol. VI (1942)
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. Amen.
Codex Note
Old English text as in ASPR; hand-keyed e-text via sacred-texts.com.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Old English). “Metrical Charm 5: For Loss of Cattle (Old English).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/212/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Old English). “Metrical Charm 5: For Loss of Cattle (Old English).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/212/.
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