More leaves outside my home

A charm against Heartburn

Leechbook III LXII - 4

If a man hath aelfsogotha, (heart burn) his eyes are yellow,

where they should be red. If thou have a will to

cure the man, observe his gestures, and consider of what

sex he be; if it be a man and looketh up, when thou

first seest him, and the countenance be yellowish black,

thou mayst cure the man thoroughly if he is not too

long in the disease; if it is a woman and looketh

down, when thou first seest her, and her countenance

is livid red, thou mayst also cure that; if it has been

upon the man longer than a twelvemonth and a day,

and the aspect be such as this, then mayst thou amend

it for a while, and notwithstanding mayst not entirely

cure it. Write this writing:

"Scriptum est, rex regum et dominus dominantium Veronica, Veronica, . . הוהי

Αγιος, αγιος, αγιος,sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, domilinus, deus sabaoth, amen, alleluiah”

Sing this over the drink and the writing:

"Deus omnipotens, pater domini nostri Iesu Christi, per impositionem hums

a scriptures expelle a famulo tuo, here insert the name,

omnem impetum castalidum de capite, de capillis, de

cerebro, defronte, de lingua, de sublingua, de gutture, de

a faucibus, de dentibus, de oculis, de naribus, de auribus,

de manibus, de collo, de brachiis, de corde, de anima,

de genibus, de coxis, de pedibus, de compaginibus

omnium membrorum intus et foris. Amen."

Then work up a drink thus; font water, rue, sage, cassuck,

dragons, the netherward part of the smooth waybroad,

feverfue, a head of dill, three cloves of garlic, fennel,

wormwood, lovage, lupin, of all equal quantities; write

a cross three times with the oil of unction, and say,

“Pax tibi”. Then take the writing, describe a cross

with it over the drink, and sing this over it:

"Dominus omnipotens, pater domini nostri Iesu Christi, per im-

positionem huius scripturse et per gustum huius expelle

diabolum a famulo tuo;"

here insert the name, and the Credo, and Paternoster. Wet the writing in the drink,

and write a cross with it on every limb, and say:

“Signum crucis Christi conservet te in vitam aeternam. Amen."

Translation of the Latin/Hebrew/Greek

“It is written, king of kings and lord of lords, Veronica, Veronica god saint, saint, saint holy, holy, holy, is the lord of the hosts amen, alleluia”.

Sing this over the drink and the writing:

“God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the imposition of writing, drive away from this thy servant, here insert the name,

every attack of the nymph from the head, the hair, of the brain, of the front of the tongue, of the under-tongue, of the throat, of a throat, from the teeth, of the eyes, of the nose, about the ears, out of the hands, from the neck, of the arms, out of the heart, of the soul, the knees, the hips, the feet, the structure of all the members, within and without. Amen”.

…..and sing this over it:

“Lord almighty, the father of our lord Jesus Christ, by the imposition of this Scripture and the taste of this drive your servant of the devil".

Here insert the name, and the Credo, and Paternoster. Wet the writing in the drink,

and write a cross with it on every limb, and say:

“The sign of the cross of Christ may keep thee in life everlasting. Amen”.

Possible Modifications to paganise the text

We can make simple changes e.g. font water to holy water, the writing of a cross to that of a rune but some texts present more of a challenge. Here is my attempt at the charm:

Write this writing:

“It is written, lord of lords, Drychten of Drychten, Wodan, Wodan, Wodan, holy, holy, holy, is the lord of the Ese, so mote it be”.

Sing this over the drink and the writing:

Wodan, by the imposition of writing, drive away from this thy servant, here insert the name, every attack of the scucca from the head, the hair, of the brain, of the front of the tongue, of the under-tongue, of the throat, of a throat, from the teeth, of the eyes, of the nose, about the ears, out of the hands, from the neck, of the arms, out of the heart, of the soul, the knees, the hips, the feet, the structure of all the members, within and without. So mote it be”.

Then work up a drink thus; holy water, rue, sage, cassuck,

dragons, the netherward part of the smooth waybroad,

feverfue, a head of dill, three cloves of garlic, fennel,

wormwood, lovage, lupin, of all equal quantities; write

three runes with the consecrated oil, and say,

“peace to you”. Then take the writing, describe a rune

with it over the drink, and sing this over it:

“Almighty Drychten, by the imposition of this galdor and its taste, banish your servant of the scucca".

Here insert the name, and an invocation to Wodan (Wodan weoh! Wodan ure þu, þe eart on heofonum, Si þin nama gehalgod. Hwæt we nied, syle us todæg, Gewurþe ðin willa! = Wodan make sacred, Our Wodan, that is in heaven, your name is holy, what we need, give us today, be done your will).

Wet the writing in the drink and write a rune with it on every limb, and say:

“May the power of this rune keep thee in life”.

Portal Active

Introduction

This poem draws on the ritual of the lessor banishing pentagram by Eliphas Levi together with the work of Dr John Dee and his assistant Edward Kelly.

John Dee is possibly England's most under sung hero having been the magician in the court of Queen Elizabeth, he used astrology to determine the date of the queen's coronation. He advised as to voyages of discovery and set out the case in international law for England to start an empire in the Americas and advocated the strengthening of the navy to serve the empire. He is arguably the father of the British Empire. He was a polymath who's skills led him to instructing our navel captains and officers in the art of navigation and cartography. He also developed a system of rituals used to communicate with angels known as Enochian Magic.

This poem combines these two types of angel magic, the strange words are from the ritual of the lessor banishing pentagram, these are in Aramaic and are translated in the following line. As in Enochian the poem is to be intoned when read, as if you are casting your voice to infinity especially when calling the angels or intoning the Aramaic.

Portal Active

Arise Dr. John Dee, I call on thee,

Magician thee be, to the highest degree.

EH-HEH-YAY, the ipsissimus am I,

Summon the angels, come down from the sky.

Draw down the spirit, with crystal containment,

The forty nine gates, there for attainment.

Draw back the curtain, rend it asunder,

Invoke the guardians, call them with thunder.

Thou angels of truth, return from afar,

Cry A-TEH, MAL-KUTH, VE-GE-VU-RAH.

Thou art the kingdom, and the power,

I call upon thee, to guard the watchtower.

I call from afar, the power of ten,

Tone VE-GE-DU-LAH, LE-OLAHM A-MEN.

The glory forever, so mote it be,

Arise Edward Kelly, and assist me.

Thou spirits obey, the five pointed star,

YAH-WEH AH-DOH-NYE, EH-HEH-YAY AH-GLAH.

Oh Divinity, glory to thee oh Lord,

Abide by my charge, take heed of my sword.

RA-PHA-EL before me, bearing his blade,

Draw closer I command thee, to my aid.

GA-BRI-EL behind, with silver chalice,

Stand at my quarter, guard me from malice.

MI-CHA-EL to the right, with the red wand,

I call upon thee, I give thee my bond.

AU-RI-EL to left, with white pentagram,

With thee at my side, protected I am.

On a sphere of light, watch towers in place,

The banishing rite, the circle to trace.

Standing here safe, flaming stars around,

The hexagram over, the power bound.

Copyright Andrew Rea 2008

Dweorgh Dwosle

Introduction to 'Dweorgh Dwosle' (Penny Royal)

This poem, set in Anglo-Saxon times, is based on a cure for fever, headaches, soreness, cramp and spasms. The original manuscript (Lacnunga 11C) attributes these conditions to the malignant influence of dwarves - supernatural beings that lived in rocks and underground. The herb would have been gathered by the whole root ball before being taken away to be prepared into a salve or balm.

Dweorgh Dwosle

Dweorgh Dwosle to, Anglo Saxons was famed,

In thousand years, Pennyroyal renamed.

This herb wilt cure those, dwarf made unwell,

A little infusion, sickness to quell.

The destroyer of dwarves, Dweorgh Dwosle be,

Soreness cramp and spasm, to name but three.

Fever and headaches, it wilt also cure,

Gathereth with root ball, keep fresh and pure.

Useth with incense, and ritual to charm,

Apply to thy pain, and use it as balm.

As eye salve it taketh, soreness away,

A loaf or few eggs, wilt serve thee as pay.

Copyright Andrew Rea 2009

Watch in the woods

Introduction

It is a mostly forgotten fact that before the invention of electric light and gas lighting that people tended to sleep in two sessions known as the first and second sleep. This would have been particularly true if you were poor, as most folks were, since candles were expensive. The period of wakefulness between lasted one to two hours and was known as the watch. During this time people would , lie awake, chat, or even visit neighbours in their one room huts.

In this poem we look at the discrete nocturnal meetings of a young couple.

Aelfscyne is the Old English word for beautiful (elf like).

Watch in the woods

Awake after first sleep, with heart in hand,

Young elven mistress, to seek on the land.

Young wife man awake, in small hut close by,

Silently awaiting, for her owl to cry.

Stealthfully leaving, into darkest night,

Clad with canopy, of stars shining bright.

Wise hooting like owl, his sweetheart to call,

In moonlit shadow, trying not to fall.

Two shadows step on, darkest forest floor,

Slowly approaching, pass through secret door.

Silently stepping, on their secret path,

Snaking through branches, to their forest garth.

Things that young folk did, in dark nights of yore,

Going to be doing, that which no one saw.

On soft mossy glade, with maiden at hand,

Watch spent in the woods, rite of fertile land.

Snapping small soft shoots, to sound of wild boar,

An hour alone, but still wanting more.

Aelfflad so aelfscyne, in silver moonlight,

Perchance in the spring, a hand fasting rite.

Long blond flowing locks, and eyes burning bright,

Tall slim blushing maid, in hands held tight.

So wexed by this wife man’s, smooth shining skin,

As heathens we do, not have carnal sin.

Copyright Andrew Rea Winterfylleth 2013

Samhain

Halloween, feast of the dead,

Winter’s darkness, here to dread.

Veils betwixt, the worlds grow thin,

Through the bonfires, protect within.

Eastern window, candle burning,

Winter’s darkness, year is turning.

Land to sky ,and coast to coast,

Light has given up, the ghost.

Western window, candle burning,

Guide the spirits, now returning.

Turnip Jack O’Lanterns, eyeing,

Ritual, candles, mirror scrying.

Midnight candle, not a sound,

I pair this pippin, round and round.

Throw the pairing, o’er my head,

My true hearts letter, for to read.

Hollantide feast ,and fire fest,

Fire re-lighting, and guising best.

Stories, games and apple bobbing,

Celtic New Year's day, hobnobbing.

Copyright Andrew Rea Oct 2008

Dark Forest Rite

Introduction

This poem was painted with three pallets of words: ritualistic and pagan, Middle English and Old English. The OE presented the biggest problem; there were many words that I would have liked to use but their meanings would have been too obscure.

The poem, unlike most of my work is without any real historical fact and merely creates a mood, enjoy this if you dare......

Dark Forest Rite

If thee gaest into, the woods this day,

Hern’s hornbearer, do upon thee stray.

Spirit-bearer Frey, nacud of lim,

Applewine chalice, full to the brim.

Consecrated grove, and woodland glade,

Caldron sensor, athame blade.

Occult sorcerer, craft with thee,

Intone the spell, the power of three.

Dark moon forest, and deepest night,

Black candle beckon, and burneth bright.

Wilt thee invoke, and call thee here,

Among the shadows, drawing near.

Earth mother Nerthus, from the north,

Enchant, conjure, and bid thee forth.

Magick enchantment, be afraid,

A hex on thee, when dest invade.

Woodland nymph, and earthy sprite,

Morgan le fay, the Lady in white.

Thee bist summoned, to raise the power,

The time has come, the witching hour.

Pricthorn crown, upon your head,

Libations offering, to the dead.

Sanctified wine, cecel to devour,

Sacred groves, do thee empower.

Chant the rite, with fairy queen,

Amidst a company, of thirteen.

The incantation, spell draws near,

Beware to chant it, loud and clear.

In dead of forest, feel no fear,

Least evil spirits, doth appear.

This be no place, for a young maid,

This be no usual, masquerade.

Of thine free will, thou didst doth come,

To pulse of drum, did thee succumb.

Invoke the pucka, raise the unseen,

What didst thou do, this Halloween.

It’s much too late, to have no fear,

Fate and fortune, bringan thee here.

Thou didst arrive, of thine own force,

Be sure that thee, hast no remorse.

Copyright Andrew Rea 2009